Keefieboy in London, day 2

This morning we took the Tube to Camden Town. As we neared our destination, the train announcer kept reminding us of the two minutes' silence in remembrance of the dead in the bombings a week ago. (Is it only a week - the bombers have been named in the press, and they all come from the Leeds area).

We emerged onto Camden High Street at exactly noon - and an eerie scene greeted us. Every single person on this busy shopping street was standing still and silent. The traffic was not moving, but the sentiment was

We walked up and down Chalk Farm Road, and then around Stable Market, where Offspring bought some Double Apple flavoured tobacco for the shisha pipe that he'd asked me to bring over from Dubai. He didn't reckon much to the charcoal that was on sale at this stall, and declined to buy any. Later on he finished up buying a couple of kilos of barbecue charcoal from Sainsbury's - not entirely successful!

There are many markets in and around Camden, and they all sell slightly off-the-wall products. If you want a tattoo or a bit of body-piercing, this is the place to go. And somebody did ask us if we wanted any mumblemumblemumble, but we declined.

Part of the Stable Market is like an open-air food court - it does have a roof of sorts, but no walls. The various outlets will offer a free sample of their food, and the prices at all the outlets are very similar - about £3.50. Very good value.

We returned to base via Mornington Crescent tube, which has no escalators but does have 89 steps. A sign tells you this. When you reach a landing, another sign tells you how many steps there are to go. I must remember never to get off at this station in case they don't have a lift. 89 steps is OK when gravity is on your side, but definitely not when you have to go up!