LONDON 2015-01-18

07 Apr, 2026

My 2015 London trip, part 2. Read part 1 here.

ARCHIVE(D): JANUARY 18, 2015

I spent the morning in Camden Town.

Camden Lock was once a historic canal lock and is now known as Camden Lock Market, a popular tourist destination with street food, cafés, live music, and shops.

I was very impressed by these giant replicas of shoes and wares that have been installed above the shops.

A street filled with vibrant shops and bustling with tourists. Giant replicas of branded shoes are installed on above a shoe shop, including a huge "Vans Off the Wall" sticker. More shops with giant replicas of their wares installed on the face of the buildings.

There were lots of food stalls, but I wanted to explore the area first before eating anything.

Street art covering the face of the buildings, above the shop signs. A man wearing a traditional British costume blowing a trumpet in the middle of a street. A big lion statue sitting on the ground, seen through a black iron gate. A container with the words "Before I die" spraypainted on it. Beneath are two columns with the words, "Before I die I want to _______." A white modern building across the canal. The window frames alternate between various blue and teal colors. Two people walk alongside the canal. Modern buildings are on the left of the canal, while the right side has brick-and-mortar buildings. A brick archway with the words "Camden Lock" painted on it in yellow. Close-up of "Chalk Farm Road NW1" painted on a brick wall.

Ray Man

Next, I stopped by a very cool music shop called "Ray Man," specializing in Eastern instruments. Unfortunately, the business closed down in 2021 and they seem to be the most active on Facebook. Here's a deep dive into the life of Ray Man by Stephen Jones.

It used to be on Chalk Farm Road.

The shopfront window of Ray Man, filled with eclectic instruments. The interior of the shop is also filled to the brim with all sorts of instruments. Chinese paintings and decor hang from the walls. A wall filled with mandolins and guitars. Another wall contains rows of guzheng. Towards the floor are drums wrapped in plastic.

Cute café

I had lunch at My Village Hawraman Cafe. I have no memory of this, but I'm sure I enjoyed it, judging by the photos! It looks like a witch's house.

I bought these two instruments from Ray Man. I still have that skull shaker!

The interior of the café is made of natural wood with gnarled beams. Garlic and other herbs hang from the ceiling. A Mediterranean vegan plate with a chai latte.

She-who-must-not-be-named

I then met up with a colleague and we went to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour of ███ █████████ █████ ██ █████ ██████. I took hundreds of pictures then, but TIMES ARE DIFFERENT NOW. I've moved on from the franchise and will not give it more attention than this. Happy belated Trans Day of Visibility (all day, every day). 🏳️‍⚧️