<London Report 2>
 
That Is Why I Love London; London Markets
 
 By Jung Hana, Overseas Correspondent
 
Living London, I feel myself totally getting sympathized with a famous phrase about London-‘If you are fed up with London, you can’t find any other places more interesting anywhere’. At first time I came here, actually everything seemed like just passing by me. Because they were too many things I had to face to settle down here, I was in a hurry. Even when I had time to walk around London, although I’m going to stay here for a year, I was like a tourist seeing whole things in short time. Suddenly, I found myself to be still isolated from London life so I really needed something to give me what the London life is like, seriously.
By googling, I discovered a map of 20 popular London markets. It was not until then that I forgot I had wanted them before coming here and started inclining my step toward a market which has its own characterized concept like specialized in a gig(street performance), local grocery stores, homemade products and so forth. Every respective market show London is a melting- pot with people from diverse nationalities or freakish new cultures in London and from their cultural food, music, clothes to real lifestyle they are absolutely alive as themselves. I was there in lively markets and it gave me a plenty of energy and now I came to love London so much. You could already know some well-known markets so this time, I’m going to tell you some markets here chosen by my subjective notion for your future trip to London or for your curiosity about what made me changed.
The most favorite market is Camden Lock located in north London. Actually, the first time I visited here was the day I did the first part-time job selling accessories and even in London in my previous roommate’s replace for several weeks. So I could naturally learn its attraction by getting along with other merchants and selling our products to tourists. They sold everything such as real high-quality products to cheaper but unique one and restaurants. From late evening, people took away foods and beer for enjoying their time for shopping. It looked they thought the market is a place to spend spare time as more than just a product trading place In contrast to Korean markets that for me very the same even located in different locals, it has huge scale, display concepts, a range of products on sale and foods, and a lot of local citizens and tourists visited here. And more interestingly, I could see the walls around the market are full of graffiti painted by teenagers and strange animal statues are set for fun. The whole market was like a festival.
A huge size of horse's head statue  and other special features of statues are situated in Camden Market.
At station, in the street or on the public transportation, in anywhere in London I can see lots of artists who sing songs, perform magic shows, dance and play just being given some tips from audience, and there is no exception in the market. Where most every Friday evening I go, Covent Garden is situated near Trafalgar Square, central London. Especially, Friday and weekend are the peak days of this market because there come various performers so I could choose what I want to enjoy. I love Lucy, a famous street singer whose voice is like James Moraz so I check the time he has a gig before going the market. Moreover, luxury brand shops, personal shops, British tea shops, restaurants are in the stall grouped together around the market and at center, cool ice cream and homemade pastries are sold. So, Convent Garden is the complex market meeting everybody’s taste: delicious foods, gigs, clothes, cosmetics and souvenirs at the wide range of price.
Moving to the end of the London Bridge, local grocery markets, Borough Market and Jubilee Market, are placed. Sometimes, I go grocery shopping here to get local fresh food such as cheese, sausage, my favorite carrot cake and brownies and olives. Practically, it is under over ground rail, during the shopping I could hear the sound of trains passing above my head. I think it is a charm of the market installed in any small area and plays its role as it were in the past. Seeing around the market, I could taste bread, wine, cookies, roasted beef, fish, fresh fruit and even Korean Woojeon green tea! One old British man was selling Korean tea and teacups there. It was great pleasure to see them in London. The man recognized me staring his products in smile and talked to me passing me a cup of tea. “Are you Korean? I really like Korean tea. It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Always, meeting something from Korea in alien area is glad and proud. With great pride, every merchant were busy to attend on the customers. If you come here, you c9gan also have raw oyster too in Korean style.
Absolutely, Korean and London markets have in common in terms of that both reflect their culture and their live. But, the difference I found here is that Londoners love their market in different way. It seems to me that they have a flexible thought about it as regard it as not only getting groceries also the place they have fun. Also, they don’t cling to only British style and accept the many other national cultures in the market that allow the people easily access it even in trying foods. Markets are set up in small or big size everywhere and most of merchants are younger than the average age of Korean’s. Furthermore, they have their own characteristics to make them special as varying the products, moods and locations. That’s why London markets attract the people all over the world. Now, I think I don’t need to push myself to be involved among them. From London market, I learned that be as I am and just see other as they are. I want to say if given the luck of the weather when you’re in London, it would be definitely perfect to enjoy the market and how the people live in London.
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저작권자 © Chonnam Tribune 무단전재 및 재배포 금지