European Vacation Video

I'm still reliving the fabulous trip we took in June. Here's a video montage. I hope we'll get back to the U.K. someday!

Thoughts and tips for Edinburgh, Dublin and London

From planning this trip to modifying plans on the fly, we had an amazing trip. I wanted to share some thoughts and tips gathered throughout our journey in hopes that they're helpful to others who may visit Edinburgh, Dublin or London. I'm sure things will change over time, so make sure to double check what I've noted to make sure the info is still current.

Planning and Useful Apps
VisitACity.com came through for us as it did when we planned our trip to Paris. It's an easy-to-use site that allows you to customize itineraries based on traveling with children, whether you're looking for a leisurely or jam-packed day, etc. It's particularly useful for first-time travelers because it suggests things to do based on your interests and expectations while mapping out itineraries to maximize time and efficiency by mapping out and clustering points of interest in close proximity.

When it came to navigating the cities, we were able to easily hail a cab in both Edinburgh and Dublin on our own or via our hotel. You may want to consider the iHail app for these cities. It works very similarly to Uber which does operate in these cities, but given the scrutiny of the company by the EU and U.K., it's good to have a backup.

Each of these cities is best seen on foot, but when it comes to London, leverage the great public transportation system to get around the sprawling city. We used an app called MoovIt and it was great to map out whether we should walk, take a bus, take the Tube or some combination of them while in the city, as well as in the suburb we stayed in. It was 100% accurate for us as we moved about and would highly recommend it!

It goes without saying that you'll need to ensure you have cellular access on your mobile device if you're relying on apps to get around or research when you're in these countries. Check with your provider before you travel to ensure you understand the terms, conditions, costs and anything else you need to do to stay connected while you're abroad.

Europeans, Getting Around and Eating Out

The benefit for English-speakers is most everyone speaks English in these cities. However, as  mentioned in other posts, sometimes the accents can be very thick and difficult to understand. Whenever we needed assistance, everyone we encountered was very kind and helpful.

Another thing we had to adjust to was driving on the other side of the road. At times it was confusing to remember which way to look for oncoming traffic. But, fortunately, the pedestrian crosswalks in all three cities are very visible and drivers are highly aware and respectful of these crossings.

When we travel to countries where tipping isn't customary, it takes getting used to. These countries were no exception. I created some tips below based on research on the Internet, as well as what we observed during our trip.

Tipping
In general, tips aren't expected, but appreciated especially when earned and deserved. At restaurants ask whether a service charge is already included. Find out if service charge goes to wait staff or to company. If the latter, then leave a tip to ensure the wait staff get something.

In the U.K., Edinburgh and London in our case, you can deduct the service charge that is often automatically added and either not leave a tip or leave a separate cash tip to ensure it goes to the server. Or, if you're good with the service charge (usually about 12.5%), then just pay the bill as-is and leave no more.

When it comes to pubs, it's a little more complicated. Some bartenders in certain establishments find it kind of offensive to leave a tip. Unlike bartending in the U.S. most of these pubs are tended by people who have trained to become a bartender and it's seen as a serious craft. Either forgo a tip or leave a tip and say, "Have one for yourself." The bartender will either then keep this tip for himself/herself or may pour a drink for themselves right then and there.

Here's a general tipping guide we leveraged when in doubt.

	Scotland	Ireland	England
Taxi	10% or round up	Round up + extra	10% or round up
Restaurant	10% (service charge?)	10-15% (service charge?)	10-15% (service charge?)
Bar (drinks only)	Minimal or 10% w/food	NO – buy bartender drink	Minimal or no
Hotel (maid, porter)	£2-£5	€1-€2	£2-£5
Tour guide	£5-£10	10%	£2-£4/day

Misc Info

- Use chip (or chip + pin) credit cards which were accepted everywhere we went. Tip: Make sure to contact your credit card company to find out whether there are any foreign transaction fees that will be incurred.

- Stand on right side of elevators so those in a hurry can pass on the left, especially for the Tube in London.

- Some pubs don't serve food after 3pm, so be mindful of that when looking for places to dine.

- Not all pubs have licenses that allow children, so ask when in doubt.

- When asked, opt to pay in Pounds Sterling (London, Edinburgh) or Euros (Ireland) for better rates than when they offer option to pay in U.S. Dollars.

- Bring plastic/reusable bag with you as some retailers/markets charge a (nominal) fee for bags. 

- In London, some public restrooms had a fee to use, so good to have change (e.g. 50 pence to use restroom at London Eye, 30 pence to use restroom at King's Cross Station).

- Not all Metro lines in London have AC, so when traveling during warmer weather, be sure to bring water and dress appropriately as the trains can get really warm especially during rush hour with many people packing the trains.

- Dress comfortably and wear shoes for walking if you plan on sight-seeing mostly on foot. People dressed similarly to the U.S. though I would say no one dressed sloppily - there were minimal sweatshirts and baggy jeans. 

- Heathrow airport in London - Not sure if this was just for our Delta flight, but our gate assignment was not given until an hour before the flight. We spent a couple of hours in what I would call a "common area" in Terminal 3 where Virgin and Delta airlines operate out of. There are restaurants and stores in this area to peruse. However, once the gate assignment is provided, it'd be best to make your way to the gate because there will be a queue to get to your gate. It may feel like you're being herded like cattle down a corridor, but you'll soon see people exit to the sides as they approach their gates. Note that when you a sign that says "Last toilets" those will be the last bathrooms as there are no bathrooms at the gate, so you should use the facility then if you need to. Also, there are no vendors or restaurants for food, so get those from the common area. The only things in the gate area are chairs and vending machines.

Traveling with Children
Keira has been a great traveler since she was a toddler, so there was no question for us as to whether she'd join us on this trip. Plus, she's talked about visiting London since she was in first or second grade and learned about Big Ben, double-decker buses, etc. We certainly couldn't exclude her - she'd never have forgiven us!

As with previous trips, we made sure to build in kid-friendly and interesting places to visit. She was content with the playgrounds, kid-friendly activities and other places of interest. We took care in making sure that at least one or two activities a day would be appealing to her. Of course there were times when we did things that she didn't find particularly exciting (e.g. art museums, some castles), but it was a good lesson in patience, adapting and being flexible, and figuring out how to have fun and making the most of whatever experience she was in the midst of.

Planning for treats (ice cream stops) and breaks for our feet (riding the bus/metro) were also very helpful. Being flexible and ready to adjust was very important to ensuring we'd have a good time. Sometimes the weather dictated adjustments. Other times our mood and energy levels dictated what we would be doing. Several times we had to remind ourselves that Keira is still a kid and dial back our packed agendas.

City Passes
From our experience, I'd recommend the Dublin Pass and the London Pass. Unless you're into historical sites and have more time, the Scotland Explorer Pass was not necessary for Edinburgh. We weren't there long enough to get to many of the sites and mistakenly thought some attractions were included when they weren't or the attractions were already free. If you have the time and the sights you want to see are covered, then you'll usually break even, if not come out ahead on the purchase.

The London Passes were particularly valuable since they came with the Oyster Card allowing for traveling on the buses and Tube if you select that option.

The Weather and Walking
We traveled mid-to-late June and experienced a variety of weather ranging from cold to hot. Edinburgh was damp, chilly and usually misting with rare glimpses of sunshine and temperatures in the 50's. We needed layers , umbrellas and even gloves and hats some days. Definitely check the weather before you travel and remember the dampness adds to how cold it may feel.

Dublin was sometimes damp and chilly - this was more the case when we went to the West Coast to the Cliffs of Moher. However, in the city, it alternated between chilly weather and comfortable weather. We saw more sun in Dublin than Edinburgh, but still needed our jackets from time to time.

By the time we got to London, it was nothing but sunshine and some days were quite warm. We were told it was unusually warm for June. But, finally we were able to wear the shorts and short sleeves and tank tops we packed! I didn't mind getting a tan too even though I have some wicked tan lines now. There was not one drop of rain while we were there. Unless you're staying in a hotel, don't be surprised if there are no screens in the windows and no AC. They're not common in most people's homes.

These are some of my initial thoughts that I think would be helpful. But, if you have any specific questions, I'd be more than happy to provide my thoughts. Cheers!

Favre European Vacation 6/25/18: Travel Day

When we woke on Monday, it was bittersweet. On the one hand, I was ready to go home and sleep in my own bed and enjoy the comforts only home can offer. On the other hand, I wanted to continue our adventures. There wasn't anything I regret missing, but it would've been nice to have another day or two to explore London, as well as the Richmond area we stayed in. The trip felt as short as it felt long if that makes any sense. 

We woke up around 7:30 and took our time getting ready for our flight while enjoying TV and a light breakfast. We headed to the airport around 9:00 for our 12:00 flight home. Interestingly, our gate wasn't assigned until about an hour before departure (read my next post about tips and tricks as it relates to Heathrow). We had time to kill, so ate a leisurely brunch followed by additional shopping. Shortly after noon, we were on our way home. Once again, I didn't sleep much for the nine-ish-hour-long flight. Instead, I watched more movies including Daddy's Home 2, Downsizing, Home Again and one other movie I can't recall now. I was exhausted by the time we got home. That's what I get for not trying harder to sleep! It's been great and hope to be back someday...until the, cheers!

Settling in for the movie marathon

That was fun - when can we do it again?

Favre European Vacation 6/24/18: London, England Day 5

Our final full day in London was spent getting up a bit earlier at 7:30am to make sure we had time to close up the flat. This included tidying the flat, stripping the beds and making sure we packed up most of our things. A couple of hours later, we had everything in order and made our way to the bus and tube to finally visit the Churchill War Rooms. Now I'm not a history buff, but I must admit, this was one of my favorite places to visit during our trip. Churchill was a very intriguing man. The War Rooms are done really well with so much to see and experience. There were plenty of interactive exhibits which even kept Keira engaged. The volunteers and staff are well-informed and provided some fun facts. I'd recommend getting there right at open or maybe in the evening. By the time we arrived around 10:30, there was a very long queue. Fortunately, the war rooms are also adjacent to St. James Park. While Mark held our place in line, Keira and I enjoyed a stroll in the Park and found yet another ice cream stand make a purchase from. Once she and I were done exploring, I held the line while Mark and Keira went exploring. Similar to the other parks we came across, St. James was also very scenic and beautiful.

Taking more photos in St. James Park

Beautiful mature trees and planted flowers

She was quite the photographer the latter portion of the trip

Making our way closer to the entrance of the Churchill War Rooms

Standing at attention

The iconic political figure himself - dear ol' Winston

We spent a couple of hours taking in all that the Churchill War Rooms had to offer before heading back to the flat. After double checking that everything was in order, we grabbed our luggage and headed for the bus to make our way to the Marriott Heathrow. We wanted to be closer to the airport to ensure a hassle-free journey home. It was a long tube and bus ride, but we zipped right up to our room when we arrived around 5:00pm. Keira and Mark wanted to swim, so they quickly changed and we made our way to the pool. After swimming, Mark and Keira took quick showers and we went downstairs to the restaurant for dinner before lights out. Our European trip was officially over.

Enjoying the hotel pool - they had it to themselves

Buttered noodles for this picky eater

Looking forward to sleeping in her own bed

Favre European Vacation 6/23/18: London, England Day 4

Kensington Palace is where we started day four in London. I read that there was a playground within the area, so we sought that out for Keira to burn off energy and have some fun. Mark spotted what looked like the mast of a ship. We headed in that direction and found ourselves at the Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Playground. It's one of the prettiest playgrounds I've seen with a deserted island-type theme. It's gated and there is an employee who lets parents/guardians and children in and out. Interestingly, the playground is only for children 12 and under and they can only be admitted with a parent or guardian. I suppose it's a way to ensure kids can enjoy it without issue because the older, sulking, trouble-making teens aren't allowed (yes, that's my stereotype of teenagers!) and in theory, children would be monitored by the people they're with. Thank goodness Keira met the age requirements or she would've been sorely disappointed.

Mark and Keira aboard the ship

Just a little desert island getaway

After burning energy Keira was hungry, so we all ate a light lunch from the food stand followed by some ice cream. Yummy! After fueling up, we headed to Kensington Palace (included with the London Pass). It is one of my favorite palaces because it was not so big (at least the areas we could tour) and felt a little more intimate than some of the larger, sprawling properties we've visited. Plus, I enjoyed the Fashion Story of Princess Diana. It was fascinating to see the dresses and wardrobe we've seen in magazines while she was alive. I will say that the dresses were brought to life by the Princess wearing them. On the mannequins, they didn't look quite as amazing.

In front of Kensington Palace

View of the Round Pound from inside the palace

Trying on the tiara

More fun with the Royal tiara

One of the most beautiful spots on the grounds were the Sunken Gardens. I imagine I'd spend my time here if I was a resident - at least when the tourists weren't around. We let Keira play photographer with the DSLR and she enjoyed that quite a bit. I forget how fun it can be to take pictures with a "real" camera. It's a tactile and interactive experience vs. the phone adjusting the lens, framing the shot and hearing the satisfying "click" of the camera.

After touring Kensington Palace and its surroundings, we thought it'd be a good day for the hop-on-hop-off bus tour that was included with the London Pass. We got turned around for a bit trying to figure out where to catch the bus, but soon enough we were seated on the double decker bus, taking in the sun and heading back to Parliament to explore the Churchill War Rooms. But, that didn't exactly work out. As we rounded Buckingham Palace for the second (perhaps third time) time and realized we'd been on the bus for quite awhile without making any progress, Mark and another gentleman from the U.S. went to ask the bus driver what was going on. It was beginning to feel like that moment in National Lampoon's European Vacation when the Griswold family found themselves going around and around the round-about many times, but going nowhere. It turns out there was a huge Brexit protest with thousands of protestors taking the street and halting traffic. We didn't know how massive the protest really was until we were back at the flat later that evening and saw the news report. An aerial shot showed there were indeed thousands of people in the streets.

After nearly an hour on the bus and getting nowhere, we decided to call it, got off the bus, got back on the tube and made our way to Covent Garden Market. We scrapped the idea of the the Churchill War Rooms for the day because the streets surrounding Parliament were where the protests were occurring and that's not where we wanted to spend our holiday.

We didn't get too far in exploring all of the Market because we were pulled to watch the many street performers in the area. In fact, we were lucky enough to catch a magic show right as the magician was about to start. He even pulled Keira into the act! The magician pulled off some incredible tricks and also made us laugh quite a bit.

Proper red telephone booth in England

Check out Keira in this magic showing by clicking the link below

Keira at Covent Garden Market magic show

Since we had a light lunch, we were hungry for dinner early. Good thing there were many options available to us. We found traditional American food at Maxwell's and enjoyed a hearty meal there.

Before we headed back to the flat, we made one more stop at the Tate Modern. There are both free and for-fee exhibits. The museum boasts British art of the past and present. 

After another long day, we were back to the flat around 7:00pm for a relaxing evening and gelato from Bella Gelato down the street. If you're in the Richmond area, I'd recommend it. I loved the banana gelato I selected. They also make delicious crepes. Well, I'm assuming they're delicious based on the one I saw being made for a family that was there.

Favre European Vacation 6/22/18: London, England Day 3

After a leisurely morning and breakfast at the flat, we ventured out around 10:30 and found our way to the Tower of London. This is a must-see. Not only are the buildings interesting to view and walk through, but there's a lot to learn. This castle was used as a royal residence, as well as a prison in its history. It was one of the key places to take over to control the country. Today you can learn about torture techniques that were used centuries before (morbid, but fascinating), see where prisoners were held, view the Crown Jewels and even observe the guards who change positions in militaristic precision while protecting the jewels outside of the building. We spent a couple of hours at the Tower and still didn't see everything there. Plan for a few hours to take more in.

Outside the castle 

Entering the castle

View of Tower Bridge from the castle

Morbid, but fascinating - Mark gives torture a thumbs up?!

Before continuing on to Tower Bridge, we stopped at Sargeant's Mess for lunch. It was a lovely spot with beautiful views of the River Thames near the base of the bridge. By the third day, it was getting warmer - unusually warm we were told. Because of that, we opted to eat inside despite the gorgeous sunny day. Otherwise, it would've been perfect to sit on the lovely patio for lunch.

With full bellies we walked to Tower Bridge next. This is also a must-see as it's one of the most recognized and iconic bridges in the world. It also boasts spectacular views!

Thank goodness for the London Pass because we entered without waiting in any lines because of fast-track privileges. Upon entry, we zipped up the bridge in an elevator, watched a quick video about how the bridge was built and then got to view it up close. They installed glass floors at some point. Mark and Keira were excited about that, but not me. My feet instantly started to tingle just watching them walk on the glass. Why they couldn't just look through it vs. having to stand/walk on it, I'll never know. It was unnerving.

Great "Kodak" moment as we walked from Tower of London to Tower Bridge

Keira in her zen moment high up on the bridge

They made me take this picture - Aaaahhh!

One of many spectacular views from the bridge

Keira couldn't get enough of looking down through the glass

After we walked across the highest level, we made our way down and walked across the lift bridge section to check out the steam engine rooms. There was an interactive game that Keira enjoyed. She played the part of the lift operator and had to make sure there was enough coal to generate the steam while also making sure to lift and lower the bridge to allow pedestrians and carriages to cross the bridge, as well as the ships that would sail through. It was fun for the 15 minutes we played. I can't imagine doing that for hours on end as a job.

Great photo opportunity

In the steam engine room - it was really warm in there

Something's gone wrong!

Keira and Mark walking across Tower Bridge

After Tower Bridge, we decided we'd have time for one more activity before calling it a day. We decided to make our way to King's Cross Station to take our picture at the 9 ¾ Platform and shop the Harry Potter store. On our way back to the station, Keira bought more ice cream and declared it was the best ice cream she'd ever had. We never did find that truck again, so Keira will have to remember it in the recesses of her memory.

We made our way to King's Cross Station, asked for directions and found the platform. It was where there was a long queue. Since we were there, we were going to do it! After waiting for 20 minutes or so, I decided to use the restroom (which I had to pay to use by the way, so it's a good idea to have some spare change). As I entered the restroom, I heard loud cheering and yelling. I was so curious as to what was going on, but I had to answer nature's call. I had a FOMO moment. When I returned to Mark and Keira in the queue, they informed me that there was a marriage proposal on the Platform. Bummer. That would've been cool to see!

Anyway, after almost an hour and a half, we got our pictures!

After our pictures were taken and I was suckered into buying the prints (mostly to get the digital copies), we explored the store. It was a Harry Potter fan's heaven, except for all the people roaming around. As I've gotten older, I've come to like and appreciate personal space. A lot.

That adventure took us into the early evening, so by the time we got back to the flat it was 7:00. We had a quick dinner at the flat, watched a little TV and were in bed shortly after 10:00. All the walking and activity exhausted us every night. Who knew it was so tiring to have fun?!

Favre European Vacation 6/21/18: London, England Day 2

On the agenda for our second day in London was Buckingham, the London Eye, Parliament and Westminster Abbey. We felt those were iconic places to visit and were on our must-see list. Once again, we hopped the bus, got on the metro and rode to Green Park. We walked through the park which was old (mature trees creating beautiful canopies) and lovely. We found it funny that people rented chairs to sit on. Couldn't they have brought their own chairs? Others were spread out on picnic blankets having a chat or sun bathing. We thought it was a little cool for that, but when the sun came out, it was brilliant and warm, so it was a lovely day for being in the park.

Anyway, we didn't get going as early as we hoped. Originally we wanted to get to the start of the parade route for the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham, but because of our late departure, we joined the crowd in front of the gates of Buckingham. Unfortunately, the guard change was the only thing we'd be able to partake in because the palace is only open from late July until sometime in September. It would've been ideal to tour the palace, especially since I binged-watched The Crown just a few months ago and so much takes place there. Oh, well. As you can imagine, it was difficult to get a good spot to watch the processional as well as the actual changing of the guard. We caught some of the parade and the soldiers as they marched toward the palace. After that, we couldn't see much and it was too much of a spectacle, so we called it quits. Instead, we walked through the park, found a food stand and enjoyed a quiet lunch on a nearby bench.

Green Park

Here I am in front of Buckingham Palace

Keira took her position at one of the gates surrounding the Palace

After lunch we decided the London Eye would be next. It is what I had been dreading as I have an awful fear of heights. But, I felt compelled to do it since I limited Mark and Keira to the first-level of the platform when we visited the Eiffel Tower several years before. We bought our tickets online which was quite convenient since we were not only able to get fast-track tickets (skip the line though you do pay for this benefit), but were able to select a time too. We were happy to have purchased the fast-track tickets because we avoided standing in a very long line. We showed up at our designated time, had our bags checked and were in our capsule in a matter of minutes. I love efficiency! Turns out it wasn't so bad. The capsules are quite large and there's a bench perfectly set in the middle for sitting. I pretty much sat there for most of the ride. The ferris wheel turned quite slowly so there were no motions and sensations that threw me for a loop. It was actually a pleasant ride so long as I didn't think about how high were were in the air and kept myself from looking straight down. Keira and Mark enjoyed the 360 views from the capsule.

Chilling while I purchased our tickets online

Keira was very excited to get on the London Eye

I was not so excited

We got one nice family picture by the window

This is where I spent most of the time

After the Eye, we walked the food booths. There was something called the Underbelly Festival happening nearby, so we took advantage and enjoyed some good food. When we tired of that, we took the Queens Walk to Parliament and Westminster Abbey. I was bummed to find we couldn't actually get inside Parliament. Or, maybe we just never found the entrance, so we peeked from outside and took some pictures. The buildings are beautiful! However, we did find the area to be very busy and congested with cars and people, so we escaped to Westminster Abbey. While waiting in a very long line (entrance included with the London Pass), we took turns going into St. Margaret's which was adjacent to the Abbey. It helped pass the time. We weren't able to take pictures inside either places, but Westminster is a gorgeous church though it was unsettling to see all the royals who are laid to rest there. I enjoyed imagining Prince William and Kate walking down the long aisle on their wedding day. What a spectacle and unreal experience to have the whole world watching your wedding. By the time we finished touring Westminster, it was time to head back to the flat for dinner and downtime.

Parliament

Westminster Abbey

We ended the day with buttered noodles and strawberries for Keira at the flat followed by dinner at Hare and Hound for Mark and me. It really was nice to have a place to go and relax after all the sightseeing during the day.