The first London experience that made me FOMO about not living there was when we stumbled upon Columbia Road Flower Market while exploring Shoreditch on our first day. We saw a bunch of people carrying flowers and decided to check out the source. Minutes later, we stood at a stretch of flower stalls, which I later found out was the backside of the Columbia Road Flower Market.
From memory, this might be the first flower market I have been to. Aside from Aalsmeer Flower Auction and Bloemenmarkt (both in the Netherlands), I don’t see visiting a flower market as something I’d want to do while travelling. I chalked it as not cultural enough.
But the Columbia Road Flower Market brought up a different story. I could soak in the summer vibes while people watching. From groups of teenage girls and young families with strollers to impeccably dressed elderly groups of friends. A mix of Londoners and tourists.
We first stopped for coffee ― by we, I mean Fafa qued for coffee while I went into the next-door shop and got some postcards and socks.
Fueled up, we walked to the other end of the market. Chilli seemed to have its’ moment, and so were houseplants. I also noticed many girls wearing my beloved UK brand, Lucy Yak. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Some were carrying a bunch of flowers and houseplants they purchased from one of the vendors.
Fafa got me a bouquet of lavender which later sat in a DIY vase made from a recyclable plastic water bottle in our hotel room for 12 days.
We finished our afternoon there with a glass of wine and a bit of chit-chat ― the first topic was how after so many hurdles, we were finally there, in London.
I felt nourished strolling around the Columbia Road Flower Market. Then it hit me; this market reminded me of the hipster markets in Melbourne. And maybe it wasn’t FOMO that I felt earlier, but a familiar feeling of home. Columbia Road Flower Market was the hipster home away from home.
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