Portobello Market & the film: ”Notting Hill”

Step 1

Check out where Notting is situated in London and decide which tube station you should get off at in order to walk to Portobello Market. Use the maps from the list of links .

Notting Hill is located near Hyde Park,  in the north-west of London.

In order to get to the Portobello Market you should take the ‘Hammersmith and City’. You have to go for a walk for maybe ten minutes afterwards – then you’ll see te beautiful Portobello Market.

Step 2

Imagine you`re on a course trip in London You`re supposed to be meeting  Mrs B.  in a place called 202 in Notting Hill. Find out what it is, where it is and what you can do there. Would you like it there? Why? Why not?

202 Notting Hill is a beautiful little restaurant in the Westbourne Grove of Notting Hill.

There you’ll find delicious meals and and old antiques.

In my opinion it would be great to have a meal there!

Step 3

Collect some information about Portobello Market. When would be the best time to go there? Any ideas for purchases? Also try to find some photos.

The Portobello Market is quite famous for Notting Hill as you can see in the movie ‘Notting Hill’ where the Portobello Market is mentioned in the first minutes.

On the Market you’ll find all types of consumer goods, like antiques, fruits, cloths and so on.

On saturday it’s very crowded on the Portobello Market. So, if you’d like to see all the different kinds of people you should go there on saturdays. If not: There are five other days in a week to go there.

Step 4

Your teacher is very fond of London and would like to buy a one-bedroom flat in Notting Hill. Check real estate websites to find out what price range we`re talking about.

A one-bedroom flat in Notting Hill costs about 27000 untill 50000 pounds. This shows us: Notting Hill is a quite epensive region of london.

Step 5

Watch the initial scene of the popular 90s film Notting Hill starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. How is Notting Hill presented by the protagonist/voice-over? Take notes.

Notting Hill is presented by the protagonist William, played be Hugh Grant. He walks though the streets of Notting Hill telling us about the most typical and strange thinks about his home.

It’s like he knows the people very well and it seems that he has got a big knowlege about it.

He also tells it in a funny and enteraining way, so you get the impression that Notting Hill is a lovely little place, ehere everybody knows everyone and everything.

Step 6

On seeing the opening sequence once more, please pay special attention to the way people are presented. Is there anything that strikes you as being particularly British? Again, please take notes.

First of all, it is noticeable that both caracters, mention in the sequence have a british accent.

William is presented as the serious british man, while his flat mate Spike is presentesd as the easygiong young man, having fun and enough women. Both are totally diferent, but I think, William presens the british man much more.

Step 7

William`s bookshop is not a very successful business. How does he deal with this situation? Google English-understatement and English-modesty and apply your results to the scene.

William recognizes that his travel book shop isn’t making any money. But he’s not reacting sad or loud or something. He takes the british way: Quite and without any hard feelings.

Step8

Create your own London blog using the results of all the work you`ve done so far for your first page, which you also call Notting Hill. Make it look really nice by uploading pictures for example. Once you feel that your work is complete and your blog will make your teacher happy , send her an email and your URL will appear under “students` blogs”.