Saturday in Hackney

Davey's theory is that Londoners never take warm weather for granted so a sunny 20oC Saturday in April was a perfect excuse for the parks and street markets of Hackney to be filled with thousands of (mainly young) people enjoying themselves.

It started quietly enough with Rob and I joining the early birds at the Broadway Markets; Rob congratulating himself at being able to score a roasted kransky and sauerkraut for breakfast before the queues started.

Davey, Cath and Eddie joined us for coffee at Climpsons; no seats left by this stage so Davey wasted little time in starting his first kransky of the day too, with the crowds building around us.

The Broadway Markets are not a farmer's market. There's a few fresh food stalls but the emphasis is on value added, prepared food using the highest quality regional ingredients: handmade breads and cheeses, fine baked goods using the freshest farm produce, hand processed meats and seafood etc. All part of the foodie revolution that has occurred in Britain in the past decade or so.

We left the crowds at the market, walking the full length of Goldsmith's Row to the Hackney City Farm for a cup of tea in the rustic garden of the farm's community hall.

Cath regularly walks Eddie to the farm to explain to him about chickens and goats and ducks and things. He likes farm life already.

Davey gave us a good lesson on the intricacies of butchering a pig and selecting the various cuts for different cooking styles. The Hackney farm pigs remained particularly huge and happy despite this conversation in their hearing.

We explored the much quieter streets around nearby Columbia Road, site of the famous flower markets on a Sunday. Cath explained that these cobbled streets remain the most perfectly preserved of pre-war London and are often used as film locations. The narrow streets are filled with tucked away little vintage and homeware shops, bars and cafes. The young people look even more cool and trendy than in North Hackney.

We had a tea break at our apartment. I took the shot below of our view from the front door of our block of 3 apartments (we're on the top floor). London Fields by lunchtime was crowded with picknickers (often with little portable bar-b-ques) drinking beer, playing ball games, listening to music, sunbaking. A group of young things in an apartment just up from ours had set up huge speakers on their front steps and were blasting reggae tracks as an accompaniment to the party happening across the road. Even though we are old and totally uncool, to us it seemed an absolutely appropriate way to soundtrack the day.

Feeling like more food we made our way back to the markets. But by now it was so crowded it was difficult to make headway. The food is amazing but there are long queues now everywhere. Davey and Cath seemed to know every second person. It's obviously a great community.

Today we were able to give Eddie all his presents from the family. He loved his special T-shirts and lunchbox from his cousins and Davey particularly was very envious of his Batman costume. We had a great laugh at his cool uncle T-shirt - good one, Jeremy!

We ended the day back at Davey and Cath's flat, enjoying a London Pride and some lovely time with Eddie who was in a remarkably good mood after his day's outing.