It was a Saturday morning deep in the bowels of Covent Garden Market in London, but the bang when the bottle spectacularly exploded I thought was sure to bring SWAT troops parachuting down on us.

CNN: From a voyage of discovery to a real ocean odyssey

London has a tradition for redeveloping its historical markets, and Smithfield would be the latest in a line of renovations, including Leadenhall Market and Covent Garden, both of which still stand on their medieval sites and mix original architecture and modern design.

WSJ: A Modern Plan for Historic London Market