Tag: Europe

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London, Part 1: A Great International City

How do I begin to describe London? International, sophisticated. Incredibly diverse, both ethnically and culturally. Royal and earthy. Multi-faceted. Surprisingly, a foodie’s paradise.

We got lucky in London: Perfect weather – mostly sunny, in the 50s and 60s every single day. None of foggy London’s famous wetness whatsoever. Perfect location: A reasonably-priced two-bedroom flat just two blocks from Kensington Gardens, and two blocks from two subway stations on different lines.
We also got lucky by scoring Hamilton tickets.
So after a few days visiting our oldest child Aryk at Keele University in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, we drove 120 miles to London, a steering-wheel-gripping, teeth-clenching journey on the wrong side of the road through several traffic jams that took almost four hours and severely tested our marriage. After handing off the car to Europcar with relief, we happily relied on public transport for our five days in London.

First Up: The London Eye

We booked a combo ticket of the London Eye  and a Thames River Cruise because adding the boat ride cost just 6 pounds ($9 US). It was glorious! In 65-degree sun, we sat on the deck of a smallish boat and took in the sights of London from the river, enjoying witty, drily British commentary from our guide, John. It gave us a great lay of the land as we beheld the Tower Bridge, the Parliament Building and Big Ben (covered in scaffolding), the original site of the London Bridge, Royal Albert Hall, the Jubilee Bridge, Cleopatra’s Needle, the replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater,  London’s orb-shaped glass City Hall, and a number of shiny new high-rises such as the Walkie Talkie Building with its Sky Garden,  the Shard, and one with what looked like a generous backside that John nicknamed it “Kim Kardashian.”

When we got to the queue for the London Eye, Lexie looked up, shivered, and reminded me of a crucial fact that I had stupidly forgotten: she is afraid of the heights. So, 25 pounds ($33) squandered, the rest of us enjoyed the ride to the sky while Lexie waited in a park.

The London Eye is ridiculously, blatantly touristy and over-the-top, but nevertheless worth every penny for the incomparable views from its slowly rotating cylinders. The structure of the Eye makes it even more interesting. You can’t take a bad picture from it.


Hamilton and Zizzi’s, and then Zizzi’s again


That evening we went to see Hamilton, an event we have been dreaming about for several years. Lexie, Aryk and I have been Lin-Manuel Miranda fans since we discovered In The Heights, his first Tony-award-winning musical about an immigrant neighborhood in northern Manhattan, 2008. We bought and listened to the soundtrack 100 times, saw it at Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) and at several local theaters, and were really excited when Hamilton came out.
Similarly enthralled by its story and its ingenious blend of hip-hop and classic musical theater, we were dying to see it but failed to snag tickets in the lottery when it came to DCPA  or during a trip to NY in March. Luckily, I happened upon an article that said Hamilton was coming to London. A Google search revealed that a new batch of tickets had been released sale the day before, and I got three in the 11th row for just 400 pounds ($130) each.
The show surpassed expectations, and we were ecstatic to experience it. Afterward, we had a late dinner at Zizzi’s, an Italian Restaurant near the theater, where we had incredibly memorable dessert – melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu and a divine chocolate caramel brownie.
(We returned to Zizzi’s several days later for an encore presentation of the same scrumptious desserts.)
Altogether a  spectacular night!
Next .. London, Part 2: Harry Potter!
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Spain, Part 2: Barcelona

Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city, the capital of the province of Catalonia, one of the most visited cities in Europe, and it is glorious.

It’s easy to see why the Spanish government would put separatist leaders in jail rather than be parted from this gem. Bob and I both fell in love, and added it to our bucket list of places to live when we get to Europe. Located in one of Spain’s wealthiest regions in the Pyrenees, Barcelona, a city of 1.6 million people, is right on the Mediterranean Sea, and is quite hilly.

The beach in Barcelona
The city has a lovely platja (Catalan for beach), and Port Vell, the old port is busy, cosmopolitan and scenic. One of our favorite places to explore was the Gothic Quarter, a meander of alleys and tiny shops off the popular Ramblas pedestrian promenade that attracts visitors worldwide with its shopping and outdoor restaurants.
The Gothic Quarter at night
We ate tapas, of course, which are small plates unique to the region. We took a Hop On Hop Off bus tour, which turned out to be a fantastic way to get an overview of the city. We saw the Olympic Village where the Summer Olympics were held in 1992.

We visited Casa Mila/La Padrera, a masterpiece home on a grand boulevard designed by the visionary Spanish architect Antonin Gaudi, whose modernist influences can be found all over the city (and in fact the region.)

Casa Mila/ La Padrera
The rooftop of Casa Mila/ La Padrera
A door in La Padrera inspired by butterfly wings


We saw the famous Sagrada Familia Cathedral (designed by Gaudi and still unfinished), passed popular FC Barcelona’s football (soccer) stadium. We even ate at a retro-themed American hamburger diner/restaurant called Peggy Sue’s when Lexie expressed the desire for a little “normal” food.

Sagrada Familia
View of Sagrada Familia from the bus

We only had two days in Barcelona, so we will definitely be back to visit Park Guell (more Gaudi), see a flamenco show, spend an evening at Casa Battlo (more Gaudi), eat more tapas, and so much more!

This was a tapa of a visit, just a small taste.

Next … Part 3: Reus



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Spain, Part 1: Or is it Catalonia?

Next destination: Spain!

We spent several days in Barcelona on our way to Reus to visit the family of our exchange student, Laia.

Well … I know I said we were in Spain, but Laia’s family would tell you we were in Catalonia.
They are separatists, like many in this province in the northeast corner of the country who are seeking independence from Spain. Since I’m not a historian, I will refer you to a nice article from the BBC explaining this political crisis “in 300 words.” (We are of course on the CatalanTeam.)

Source: BBC News

We saw signs of this conflict everywhere.

There are two official languages in Catalonia: Catalan and Spanish. More fiercely loyal Catalan enterprises would have signs and menus only in Catalan, which seems to be a mish-mash of Spanish, French and Italian. Most people in the city speak some English, although this was more of a challenge further afield.

Spanish National Day celebrants near Placa de Catalunya
We were in Barcelona on Oct. 12 for National Day or Fiesta Nacional de Espana in Spain. It was a national holiday and people celebrated with huge rallies in the central square in Barcelona, Placa de Catalunya. But separatists rebuffed the event, working as usual and displaying their version of the Spanish flag, which has yellow stripes, from their balconies.

Anyway, back to sightseeing …

The weather

The weather, mid-60s to mid-70s in mid-October, was balmy compared to frigid Iceland, though we did need to keep jackets on hand for the occasional rain showers.

We will share a few tidbits about our days in Barcelona and Reus in the next couple of blogs.

Next … Part 2: Barcelona

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Germany

Our five days in Germany were mostly about being with family, but we mixed some tourism in, visiting the city of Hamburg a couple of days.

Pinneberg

My brother Patrick, his German wife Ines, and their two children live in Pinneberg, a suburb of Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city. We stayed in an Airbnb house a couple miles from their home and it was truly amazing – large, clean, pretty, and only 61 euros a night. The local forest was only a block and a half away and we had a lovely run there. The nearby Hotel Cap Polonio served up some of the best French fries I have ever tasted – crispy on the outside, most inside, not oily, perfectly salted. They were accompanied by mayonnaise and ketchup, the German way.
Pinneberg has a beautiful Rosengarten, which was a nice destination for a short walk with small children. The roses were in bloom and a group of old men were playing bocce.
We ate a lot of bratwurst, currywurst and other kids of wurst. (It was the best!) Also a lot of potatoes, a huge staple in Germany. And lots of brochen (bread). The breakfast pastries were to die for.

Hamburg

Hamburg, located on the Elbe River, is Germany’s largest port and commercial center. It boasts a lot of energy, style, music and culture. Its many waterways and canals make it feel a little like Venice.
The Harbor area is huge. We took a harbor boat ride up the Elbe and saw marvels of German nautical engineering, including a humongous dry dock and several Navy ships under construction. We also saw Hamburg’s theater area, reachable by ferryboats decorated to match the shows. Currently playing: The Lion King and Mary Poppins, among others.

We walked through the Old Elbe Tunnel, under the Elbe River, which used to transport port and shipyard workers but is now an interesting stroll to get a fabulous view of Hamburg from across the Harbor (Hafen). Watching cyclists and rollerbladers navigating through the crowds of families and tourists out for a stroll is very entertaining. The elevators in this structure were massive. 
We went up to the observation deck of the brand-new opera house, the ElbPhilharmonie, known by the nickname Elphy, for glorious river views.  

We rode the elevator to the top of St. Michaelis Church for awesome 360-degree views of the city of Hamburg.

We visited the St. Nikolai Memorial (Nikolaikirche), which was bombed out during WWII and never rebuilt. The front façade remains but the interior is an open shell, left as a tribute to all affected by war. The website calls it “Hamburg’s central place of remembrance for the victims of war and tyranny of the years 1933-1945.”

German Food

For Bob, who lived in Germany for 4 ½ years in the 1980s, being back in Germany was like coming home. And a lot of it revolved about food and drink. He wanted to have a German pilsner and pommes (French fries) in every outdoor restaurant in the city of Hamburg! He wanted to eat all his favorite German pastries – apfelstruedel, pretzels, franzbrochen – as well as currywurst and spezi (Coke and German Fanta) from an imbiss (casual, quick restaurant).

That’s it for Germany. On to Barcelona! 
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Iceland, again: Hot Springs, a Geyser and Spectacular Waterfalls

Part 2: GOLDEN CIRCLE

Day 3 – Wed., Oct. 3 Golden Circle


This is what we did today:

Bathed in the Secret Lagoon, the oldest hot spring in Iceland – est. 1891. 


Visited the incredible Gullfoss Waterfall.



Watched the Stokkur Geyser blow. 


Drove through Thingvellir National Park, at the point where the North Atlantic and European tectonic plates collide, creating this land of fire and water that is Iceland.


Celebrated my 59th birthday with fish and chips, Icelandic beer and chocolate cake.


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Iceland, Brutal and Beautiful

Part 1: SOUTH ICELAND

Day 1 – Mon., Oct. 1

Arrival

Iceland is a COLD place. It’s as far north as Alaska! Who knew? It is also full of unpronounceable places, most of which start with the letter “S,” and many of which are waterfalls and glaciers.
On Arrival Day, we stepped off the Icelandair jet at 6:20 AM into a brutal monsoon – pouring rain, 50 mph wind, and cold! Why did no one warn us that Iceland is so effing cold? After the extreme discomfort of getting to the shuttle and getting our rental car – fortunately a lovely Forrester with much-needed heated seats — we drove through wild weather for 2 ½ hours to get to our lodging, a sheep farm called Skálatjörn Guesthouse. There, we hunkered down and napped for three hours.
Then, somewhat refreshed, Lexie relaxed while Bob and I went to Selfoss, 18 km away, for a few groceries, and to soak in a thermal pool.

The weather the WHOLE day

Day 2 – Tue., Oct. 2

The Ring Road


The day dawned still cold, but thankfully sunny. We let Lexie sleep late (she is a teenager, after all) and set off around 11 AM for a south coast expedition on Rte. 1, the Ring Road, to the town of Vik. We stopped at several waterfalls along the way. If we were going to do it again, we would definitely bring hiking boots. But thankfully, we had parkas, hats and gloves, because the temperatures were in the 30s all day, and the occasional bursts of wind cut through your bones.
Here are the waterfalls we visited:

Urridafoss Waterfall – This low, wide waterfall was ten minutes from our guesthouse. No one was there and it had a Niagara Falls feel. The hike was short and the view was spectacular.

Urridafoss Waterfall
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall – You can actually walk on a path behind this incredibly high (65 meters tall), loud, dramatic waterfall. Bob did. Check out the pics he got! (He was soaked afterward) 


Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

View from the belly of the beast, by Bob

Soaked afterward

Gliufradbui, the hidden waterfall, was a quarter-mile hike away. Unfortunately, the cave you used to be able to use to access it was now closed for safety reasons. 
Look deep to see the hidden waterfall

Skogafoss Waterfall had a rainbow to its left that seems to be its permanent partner. It also has a challenging trail you can hike to the mountaintop to get views of the falls from above. Also, lots of sheep neighbors!
Skogafoss Waterfall 

View from above

 Finally, we discovered the Dryholaey Nature Reserve, with its iconic rock formations in the ocean (The Needles), famous arch and end-of-the-world feel. 



Dryholaey Nature Reserve
  

We stayed up late and saw a subtle display of the Northen Lights before going to bed. A very satisfying day!

Next stop … The Golden Circle. Watch for updates!
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The European Trip

BOB
(Sept. 30)
After spending a few days with my mother in Mechanicsburg, PA, and then visiting family in Northern Virginia, we’re set to fly out to Iceland tonight.

(One interesting thing about our visit in Mechanicsburg is that we woke up one morning and there were two other cars with Colorado license plates parked next to ours. Quite the coincidence.)

Anyway, we’re about set to fly out and we still do not have several intra-European flights reserved yet or lodging in Rome. At this point, we’ll probably do that once we get to Hamburg next week.
What Will We Do in Iceland?
We also don’t have a list of things we want to see and do in Iceland, where we land tomorrow morning, We’ve just been so busy getting out of our house, driving across the country and settling the cats that we haven’t had time to even focus on that. Like most Iceland tourists, we wanted to go to the Blue Lagoon, but there weren’t any tickets available when I attempted to make reservations several days ago. Therefore, we’re going to visit a smaller and cheaper, geothermal pool, the Secret Lagoon, as a substitute.

We did decide to focus on South Iceland because it’s the most accessible part of the country when you only have a couple days to explore. It’s also supposed to have better weather this time of year than the north. It also features the famous Golden Circle, a popular tourist driving destination.

South Iceland

We’re hoping to see these guys in Vik

This morning I’ve identified several things we want to see in south Iceland and along the Ring Road, so I think we’re good for the first few days. They include a drive along a southern road to the fishing village of Vik, which has a famous black sand beach with some amazing rock formations out in the water, as well as puffins and other seabirds.  Also several waterfalls with unpronounceable names that begin with the letter “s”.

Reykjavik
After that, we’re going to spend a few days in Reykjavik. The Reykjavik International Film Festival is going on while we’re there, so we will definitely see several films with Lexie, who plans to study Film at Champlain College next year. That should be interesting. I’m going to attempt to get Lexie to make some selections and get tickets before our flight.

It finally feels like our adventure is beginning. I’m looking forward to it!

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