Get thee to Camden!

The Camden markets were the area of London that recently burned, so I don't know how they're doing or if they're open right now. But its worth finding out and atleast visiting the area. When I was there, I'd go every Sunday (main market day)--a huge mazelike fleamarket, primarily made up of Indian and Middle Eastern imports. You'd pass street shops, gatherings of punks (REAL ones), live music spilling out pubs, then you'd come to the markets. The big ones are a little hidden--like courtyards between the buildings. I'd go in through a shop, walk through its back door and this market would just spread out before me. Every time I thought it was the end, there would be a secret passageway leading to another market, another courtyard. You'd find baskets piled with banjara belts and textiles, tapestries, furniture, really interesting urban fashion, thrift stores, pillowcases, jewelry...I'd just stand in the middle of the market soaking it all in. There are a couple pictures from it in my profile.

Anyway, I mourn the fires, but its worth a shot.

Covent Garden also has markets, much smaller and less interesting, but its a pretty area of the city and thats where you'll find the street entertainers (living statues, musicians etc) that Ava would probably get a kick out of. The theatres are also in that area.

Brighton Beach down south is awesome too. Go see the palace, its Indian on the outside and Chinese on the inside. And the streets are full of great little shops and cafes. And there's the beach. Stonehenge is worth seeing, but I think they're excavating right now, so it might be a little messy.

The London tube is super easy to learn. Pricey (about $10 per person for a day pass), so don't shy from using the buses. Also note that London is much smaller than it seems, so its easy to walk places that you might think you need to ride to. There are also tons of very nice coach tours.

I will go through my scrapbooks from Oxford days and the Smith family Scotland excursion, but off the top of my head are: British Museum (I touched the Rosetta Stone!), Alice in Wonderland tours through Oxford, curry lane in London, leather goods and Roman baths in Bath, and antiquing in the Cotswolds. Seeing a play in Stratford also kicked ass. I've been to Stonehenge, but there are tons of other smaller sites that let you get up close and personal. I'll try to look up the name of the place we went in Scotland that was so amazing.