And just look at her strong and fun and outdoorsy and sassy and girlie and optimistic personality all bundled into one. Her birthday party planning is in the works… she wants a Tour de France themed afternoon complete with a bike ride through Golden Gate Park followed by baguettes and croissants (no cupcakes or cakes since they are not in line with the theme). She clearly has a vision.
We knew logistically it wasn’t going to be easy. Meike and Regina were getting married in Chemnitz two weeks before school got out. But we would never miss this, so with a plea and a notice to school that we were pulling the kids out early, summer started June 12 and we were off to Europe for a 3+ week vacation.
Below are those stories.
After 3+ weeks travelling back in Europe, I had a few parting thoughts from the overall trip:
I was blown away by the sheer volume of people out and about drinking in London on any given afternoon. They were literally spilling out of the bars and drinking in the streets. I had truly forgotten what a large city felt like. And it was a good reminder that SF really isn’t a big city nor has downtown really recovered.
I have a bad habit of wanting to buy property every place we go and the kids leave every location asking to go back.
I really miss living in Europe
I left with a scratch in my throat and the onset of a head cold. Would I be the super spreader of some new disease? Is this from a ghost from the British Museum, or is my body just physically revolting from me trying to leave.
I dress much better when I am on vacation, but that could just be the better weather
And finally, my favorite comment of the last few days of the trip… when hoisting my overstuffed suitcase into the trunk of the uber to get to the airport, my uber driver exclaimed in his thick Eastern European accent “Oh you’re strong!’”
Until next time Europe!
My previous trips to London have felt like a bit of a blur. I have memories of being there but I never felt like I truly knew the city or had a good handle orientation-wise whenever I visited. It has always been slightly out of reach, unknown and untameable to me (even though I have been there over 7 times).
After the five days with the family and the three days by myself I finally feel comfortable making my way around the city and have a good feel for the neighborhoods. It could be thanks to google maps, it could be because I was in charge of planning each day and getting us to each location (previously I was merely a visitor to someone else’s plans and home) or it could be due to the lower consumption of alcohol as compared to previous trips. We may never know.
With two days just to myself, I wanted to keep my plans open. I didn’t book any dinner reservations at the trendy new restaurants, I didn’t book tickets to a musical or show and I didn’t reach out to any friends since I didn’t want to commit. I wanted complete freedom to do what I wanted, when I wanted. The loose outline: some shopping, a museum or two and then work on Monday. Irish John also provided a few casual bar and restaurant recommendations for near my office and hotel.
With no formal plan, I managed to do a lot:
Saturday afternoon and evening included shopping at a vintage Burberry shop, Fortnum and Mason for buying tea, a quick detour to buy a book for my mom and finally taking a break for dinner at one of Irish John’s many recommendations, Kiln.
Sunday started at the British museum where I enjoyed over two hours of unhurried time wandering through each and every space, thankful that I did this alone so I could take my time. While there were things the kids would have loved, it was overall just too much space, too many things and too many people. Doing it solo allowed me time to walk past displays that didn’t interest me and allowed me time to stop and relax at those I was drawn to. I had also recently purchased and read The Ghost Stories of the British Museum book, which helped give me a background on a handful of pieces including where they came from, why they are important and yes, how they also might be haunted. Unfortunately it also prompted brief moments of sadness thinking about how most items don’t belong in a museum in London but rather back in their home countries.
Post British Museum, I made my way to a late lunch at Drunch followed by more shopping for clothes (I wanted a new outfit for the office the next day and wanted to check out some local shops), a quick drink at the Coral Room (more for a break in the heat, a chance to sit down and drink some water, and yes enjoy a martini), and then on to another Irish John recommendation, the Barbary.
Monday was a full day of work and then a quick bite at another John recommended restaurant followed by a final night cap at the hotel bar.
I wrapped up my stay on Tuesday morning with a quick trip to the Tate before heading to the airport.
