Get 'choreself daaaaaaaarn for a day... (Camden Town)

Name: Boonoiy

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Product:	Camden Town
Date:	28/05/02 (159 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Full of fun, Always bargains on offer, A true experience

Disadvantages: Smells a bit

Right, now the attempt at a Cockney-style intro is over and done with we'll bash on shall we...?

Camden Town, North West one. Home of trendyness, drunken Scotsmen (don't take offence if you are Scottish - just seems to be nothing but Jocks down there) and the best steak sarnies in North London.

How to get there.
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Depending on what you think of as Camden Town there are various ways of getting yourself there - Camden Town (as I see it) runs from Camden Lock (easiest tube station - Chalk Farm, Northern Line), via the market (Camden Town station, Northern line) and along the High Street to Mornington Crescent (tube station of the same name - you guessed it, Northern Line).

By Bus - If you don't know the area, don't bother, way too many go through on their way to all sorts of different places but as a rough guide - the 253 will take you from Euston to Camden in about 10 minutes and the 29 will take you all the way from Trafalgar Square to Camden in about 45 but the tube is regular, not half as confusing and much quicker.

Driving. Follow the signs for Camden from wherever you are (sorry - there's loads of them and if you can find Kings Cross or Euston you're practically there).

Attractions:
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This is why we read the ops isn't it? To find a good day out for the family and to see what to expect when we get there. Here goes then:

The Market - or is it.....
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Talking about Camden, most people automatically say "Oh, the market - I've been there" but have they really? You see there is no such thing as Camden Market as a single entity. We've actually got a grand total of 5 to choose from:

CAMDEN STABLES MARKET
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This is the one at the Chalk Farm end of Camden Town, lots of clothing on sale, a fair bit of the unusual (for some at least) stuff
- Goth wear, piercing shops, international food (if you count a Chinese meal truck international). You'll get a decent deal and have some tasty grub. Worth a look if you're around.

7 day opening.

CAMDEN LOCK MARKET
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Slightly posher bit - close to the lock (obviously) and with a lot of the antique style stalls - you'll see some of the hair-braiding and "Your name on a piece of rice" stalls but this is the more upmarket, ahem...markets in Camden.

7 day opening.

CAMDEN CANAL MARKET
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Welcome to the other end of the scale and my particular favourite.

The canal market is the home of the novelty cigarette lighter, the non-tourist board approved souvenirs, the belt buckle makers and the (insert name of heavy metal band here) T-Shirts of all sizes. Cheap cafes (pronounced "Kaff") and the fun place to be if you are looking for bargains in Camden.

Open Fri/Sat/Sunday only I'm afraid.

CAMDEN (BUCK ST.) MARKET
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OK, maybe I was a little untruthful, the Buck Street Market has a huge sign above it saying Camden Market and I suppose it is what is thought of when Camden Town is mentioned.

I hate this one.

Doc Martin boots - overpriced.
Army Surplus gear - overpriced.
All sorts of clothing to suit any particular fetishist - overpriced.

There's no room to move between the stalls, there's nothing but hassle from the stall-holders and, by the time you've had 5 elbows thrust into your chest, you'll be sick and tired of the whole place if you are anything like me.

7 day opening - not that I bother mind.

INVERNESS STREET MARKET
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Pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap - that's the Inverness Street way: Flowers - £1 yer bunch o' roses. "Replica" football shirts and
scarves - get 'em while they're 'ot, they're luvverly. Fruit and veg - not a lot wrong with that, cheap and usually very good. Then the usual mix of slightly dirty calendars (you get Sandra Bullock's nipple in April...), gas lighters - 10 for a pound and all the usual bric-a-brac.

Not bad but only really worth a look if you're passing, I wouldn't bother making a special trip for this one.

So, there you have it, the markets covered, what else is there?

Camden Cantina et al!:
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Camden Cantina is the best Mexican restaurant in the whole of London (in my humble...). Great prices, great food and blinding service every time I've been.

At the Chalk Farm end, heading towards the lock if you fancy it - just look out for the Esso Garage and you can't miss it.

There is every kind of food and drink available there, Greek, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, French, Italian - if you look hard enough you'll find an English restaurant but you'd probably find the food a bit bland.

I like to eat out in Camden Town, the choice is endless and, with this in mind, competition leads to a nice lowering of prices.

Shopping (Other than on the Markets):
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Camden has a huge range of shops to chose from, with everything from Woolworth's and Tower Records on the High Street to the independent shoe shops, tattoo shops and shops for those who seem to like big rubber spikes on their backpacks and the death of a big orange mammoth for their coats.

If you can't get it from Camden Town, you probably can't get it at all.

Pubs:
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Not something I'm really very knowledgeable on I'm sure you'll be surprised to hear. There's a few along here - the Moon Over Water (Weatherspoons), the Fusilier and Firkin (Firkin) and the Halfway house (God
alone knows) are the only ones I've ever been in, none made much of an impression although I did notice that the Firkin has live acts on now and again.

Non-threatening is always a plus and these pubs, despite your being served by a seven-foot Australian with a bone through his nose and 75% tattoo coverage and surrounded by similar, fit the bill. On the whole a placid bounce, I've not seen any trouble and would not be averse to going down for a pint again! Not really a strong recommendation but it's as close as I can manage.

Overall:
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Camden is one of those places that seems to attract the "Alternative" types, you'll see it all in the streets of Camden Town and you'll be bound to be shocked if you have not become accustomed to pink hair, multiple facial piercings, drunks (at around 7am and throughout - mainly Scottish, with a bedraggled looking Jack Russell) and 8-9 inch platform, crepe style shoes with leggings, mini skirt and multi-coloured, very baggy jumper under a green-tinted plastic mac (and they dare tell me to smarten my act up ;))

It's a great place to go, in the summer you get the markets in full force, the pubs spill over onto the pavements and you can both eat and drink al fresco.

If you do go down to Camden Town, have a great day out, you'll see a lot of strangeness and you'll have a lot of fun if you take it all with the proverbial pinch of salt.

Steak sandwich shop - turn right out of Camden Town tube and it's just past the billboard, you'll thank me later.

Cheers for reading.

Boon :)

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