London...April 23rd

** I owe you pictures, please check back on Monday.

Breakfast at the hotel was delicious. They serve a traditional English buffet.  There is always an egg dish , a meat dish, cooked vegetables, and a large assortment of breads, cereals and pastries.  The children's meals were complimentary daily and the adults paid 10GBP each.. So, for 20GBP the family of 4 had a very substantial breakfast every morning.

After very careful consideration, we will see London via the Big Bus On/Off Tour and we will also purchase the London Pass for the entrance to the attractions.  We did the math and figured out this was the least expensive way to see as much as possible in our only full day in London.  We bought the one-day pass with the option of the extra second day for just a few GBP more.  You can use it for 24 hours from the time you first board, so technically we have it until Monday morning, which is plenty of time.

We boarded the bus at the London Eye stop, went over Westminster Bridge and took the bus tour to the Tower of London.  (We bought the London Pass there across the street from the bus stop.)  We were promised a Royal Wedding mug with the purchase of the London Pass, but they didn't have them there and we'd have to go to Piccadilly Circus to pick it up.

We finally made it inside the Tower of London, which was once a luxurious Medieval Palace as well as a fortress.   The Tower has served as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
We went straight to the Crown Jewels exhibit.  (Its best to do this early, we avoided huge "ques" by arriving early).  Needless to say...it was magnificent!  Such opulence!  They display crowns, scepters, swords, serving pieces from Royal celebrations and coronations, etc.  Photography is not permitted so I purchased postcards with pictures of a few pieces.  It is a beautiful exhibit.

My son was very anxious to see the torture chamber so we went to that area next.    Prisoners were tortured there for information.  It was a little gloomy and disturbing, yet informative.

Lastly, we visited the White Tower, the most important building in the Tower of London.  On display at the White Tower, is original armour worn by Henry VIII and Charles I.  There are weapons, armour, gifts and many interesting pieces.   We spent quite some time admiring the displays.

Within the walls of the complex we saw the infamous ravens and enjoyed the historical reenactments by costumed guides.
There were plenty more things to see but after spending several hours there we got back on the Big Bus and went to the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.  There we saw Treasures from the Royal Collection.    We saw the Dutch Landscapes exhibit which will run through October 9, 2011  and the Mythology and Regency Exhibit which retells the classical Greek and Roman myths through paintings, sculpture and furniture.  They were interesting and we were given complimentary  headsets for the audio tours.

WE walked over the to Royal Mews and had a wonderful time there.  The children, ALex and I enjoyed seeing "one of the finest working stables", the horses, and the royal collection of coaches and carriages.
We saw the glass coach used  by royal brides, the state coach and the Gold State Coasch used at every coronation since 1821.  We saw some of the carriages that will be used for William and Kate's Royal Wedding in just 6 days.
It's funny because we made reservations for this trip in early November, 2010, shortly before the prince and Kate announced their engagement and wedding date.  Friends and family asked whether we'd planned it and why weren't we going to stay for the wedding?  We weren't really affected by it and didn't care about not being in town...but now as we are in the city, seeing the preparations and  the pagentry, we would LOVE to be here...it should be a once (or twice) in a lifetime experience.

Once we saw the carriages we were hooked...we called home and asked for family to DVR the Royal Wedding for us, since we would be in Ireland that day. 
After the MEWS we had a casual lunch as a small cafe across the street.
We boarded the bus again to some other spots and finally got off at Hyde Park so we could go to Kensington Palace (the former home of Princess Diana and the future London home of William and Kate).  The gardens just outside the palace are beautiful.  The colors of the flowers are exquisite.  The current exhibit at the palace was fabulous, yet a little eerie or "spooky" as my son described it.  My husband also described it accurately as "obscure and very unexpected".  Basically, they have a scavenger hunt through the palace with clues to help you figure out the names of seven princesses that had lived in the palace.  We figured it out and had a great time doing it.
After Kensington Palace we walke a bit through Hyde Park and got caught in a rain shower.  It didn't let up so we put on the raincoats that my husband efficiently picked up on the Big Bus (during the very sunny day) which saved us and allowed us to move from Hyde Park (thank goodness he plans ahead).  We went to the closes bus stop and waited an eternity in the wind and rain for a bus to come.  They were delayed because of the rain and traffic.  When it finally came it was packed.  passengers were crammed in like sardines.  Another family was waiting also and had the insight to squeeze through the crowd and climb to the uncovered top floor of the bus.  We followed them up.
Although it was raining, cold and windy the alternative was to continue waiting there in the rain for another full bus.
WE sat at the top with raincoasts on each seat and a second one completely covering our faces, heads and bodies.  It was miserable!!!
At some point we noticed a large group leave the bus so we ran down and got seats.  We just rode around in the rain hoping the rain would stop so we could get off and walk around.  We rode through several stops and finally got off at the Westminster Bridge stop.  There we walked back over the bridge to try to go on a Thames River cruise but it was closed already. 
We walked back on the bridge and back towards our hotel.  We stopped at a restaurant with middleeastern food and satoutside for dinner.  Alex and I had red lentil soup and hummus with bread.  Our children ordered beefburgers (what a surprise!!!)  Dinner was enjoyable.  Afterwards we walked to the hotel  and tried to organize our bags for our departure on Sunday, but more importantly, we studied all the brochures and wnet on-line to try to figure out how to make the most of our last hours in London.

London...April 22, 2011 (Part 2)

*** Still having technical difficulties with the photos.  I'm not sure why....I will be able to dedicate more time to figuring it out this weekend...Until then just posts, no photos...Sorry!!!

When we were finally ready to go out we couldn't decide what to do.  London is very expensive so we wanted to make the most of the tours we bought.  We ended up taking a cab to the Tower of London (at the concierge's suggestion) around 2:00 p.m. When we arrived there we were told that we wouldn't have enough time to see it all, so we decided to wait until the next day.  We ate fish and chips from a vendor outside the Tower.  It was not very good!  My son and I are forever turned off from fish and chips. 

We walked around the perimeter of the Tower of London and came upon the Tower Bridge.  The Tower Bridge has stood over the Thames River since 1894 and is one of the most well-known bridges in the world.

We did the Tower Bridge Exhibition and enjoyed brilliant views from the high walkways.  The exhibit has information about the history of the bridge and how it was built, and most importantly fantastic views of the river. 

We were unsure what to do with the remaining daylight hours...we didn't want to pay for a tour on the ON/OFF Bus ans waste it because we couldn't go into places.  (The next day we found out we could buy a 1-day ticket and upgrade to a 2-ticket for only 5GBP for adults and 3GBP per child.
We would have gotten the tickets for the Thames River cruise and done that on Friday evening, but we didn't know.)

Instead, we walked along the river all the way from the Tower Bridge to our hotel.  We stopped along the way at several places:

• HMS Belfast (military ship)
• Hay's Galleria mall
• Southwark Cathedral and park
• Shakespeare's Globe Theater
• Tate Modern
• the OXO Tower
• the Royal National Theater
• Waterloo Pier
• the London Eye

Some of the beautiful bridges we admired were:

• London Bridge
• Southwark Bridge
• Blackfriars Bridge
• Waterloo Bridge
• Millenium Bridge

We walked and enjoyed London, differently than we'd ever done before, for several hours.  When it became dark we went back to the hotel to shower and change for dinner.  WE quickly left by taxi to Covent Garden.  We strolled around a bit, we listened to the performers and ate a casual dinner of pizza at Covent Garden Pizzeria.  We sat outside in an open courtyard and took in every moment of our first day in London.  After dinner we strolled around the are a little more and then on to Picadilly Circus.  We had dessert and coffee there at a small coffee shop. 

We didn't stay long because we were beyond exhausted.  It was time to go to sleep!

London, April 22, 2011 Part 1

*** due to technical difficulties, I can't upload my photos.  I promise to upload photos tomorrow.


We arrived in London and took a cab to our hotel, The Park Plaza-County Hall.  The cab ride cost us about 80 GBP.  The children loved the car.  It didn't have a trunk, so all our luggage went with us in the passenger compartment and next to the driver.  The seats inside face each other and 5 people can ride together in that compartment .  (Most taxis we took were like this.  They also have a bar across the top of the door...my daughter liked to hang on it and swing back and forth, with her arms in a position of a pull-up but swinging.  It's funny because she could not get in or out of a taxi without doing that). 

Our hotel was 4 star, in a decent location (by the London Eye, across the bridge from Parliament, Big Ben and The Westminster Abbey).  The hotel was clean, decorated with a contemporary flair, and very family-friendly.
The hotel was very welcoming of children.  Upon arrival they received a goody bag with coloring sheets, crayons, play money to use at the snack bar for real items, a bracelet with the name and phone number of the hotel. (I thought this was a great idea, in case the children become separated from the parents while in the city).  The hotel stay also included a free British-style buffet breakfast every morning.

Another point I liked is that they let us check-in when we arrived at 10:00 a.m.  The hotel was visibly full, yet they were accommodating.  We could have waited to get the room with a better view we had reserved, but since it wasn't available yet and we were so tired, we preferred the room we could go into right away regardless of the view.  We weren't planning on spending a lot of time admiring the view anyway.  We wanted to be out exploring the city whenever possible...

The concierge was helpful and full of information.  We took several brochures to the room with us to help figure out how to spend our first day there.

The flight...Miami-Chicago-London... April 21, 2011

We are traveling on award miles, FINALLY!!!  As usual, it was a bit complicated to find flights that would qualify for the trip, even though we reserved almost 6 months in advance.
As a result, we must fly through Chicago and London to go to the primary destination, Dublin.

My husband, Alex, has wanted to travel to Ireland since I met him, but we always travel to other places instead.  For his 40th birthday, he wanted to travel to visit Ireland, so 1.5 years later he is getting his wish.

We took the 9:25am flight from Miami to Chicago and arrived there around noon.  We considered going into the city, but opted against it, for several reasons:

• We had eight carry-on bags which could not be stored at the airport
• We would have to go back through security in the airport for our international flight
• We preferred to relax and take it easy because we would be in for a hectic 10 days of travel abroad

Alex works for a global company and travels extensively for work.  Although it is a strain for the family it affords us some perks from time to time.  One of his perks is the Admiral's Club Lounge.  We were able to spend the 5 hour layover in the lounge in Chicago.  It was very large and comfortable.

We set up camp in an area with several lounge chairs and tables.  We connected all our electronics for charging and enjoyment.  The children watched movies and played with their portable games, read books and played games.  Alex and I worked for a little while and answered email, etc.

We had complimentary drinks and cookies, so we ordered sandwiches for lunch.

We all enjoyed our layover and were able to rest a bit.  We normally over-do-it and try to do too much.  I think we were wise to stay put.  We also enjoyed eachothers' company.  The flight from Chicago to London was uneventful.  I watched a romantic comedy (I can't remember the name), I read, I worked, but I couldn't sleep.  My entire family slept...I tried but couldn't.

Don't become a victim of robbery while traveling

When I was young, traveling with my mother through Europe we were robbed.  It wasn't a violent robbery, but it was a robbery and it ruined our trip.  We were driving through Europe from Switzerland, through France and Italy.  At this point most of our trip was behind us.  We'd been in Switzerland and France and some of Italy.  This fateful day we were in Florence and were heading south to Rome that afternoon.  We packed up the car with our bags because we had to.  We had to check out of the hotel and it was just easier to leave from the city rather than go back to the hotel.  (We were Sheraton Club members, and would normally stay at Sheratons when possible.  The only issue was most Sheratons were a little out of the way, so it wasn't always convenient.) (I digress.)  

We made the decision to keep the bags with us in our hatchback car. 

We went to one of the piazzas and thought we were so lucky because we found a parking space right near the center of all the action.  We thought it would be a safe place to park since there were so many people around.  Nobody would try to break into our car there!!!

God only knows how they managed it, but they went into the car and took everything...our cameras, film we'd taken already, our bags, all our clothes, etc.   We had all the money, passports, plane tickets with us, but everything else was there.  WE tried to hide things as much as possible and I am positive the car was locked, because I checked it before going.  The glass was not broken , the door was not forced, there was no sign of entry and they were kind enough to lock up the car for us when they finished, because all the doors were locked.

While at the police station we met several other victims.  Although we were upset about losing our things, thank goodness we did not go through a scary moment as a result. 

These other people were different.  A couple had been held up with a knife...they had to turn over their fanny pack with their money, passports, etc.  Another had been pick-pocketed.  She had her camera in a backpack and had it on her back.  She was getting on a metro (with her husband) all of a sudden she heard a big commotion and people started going around her as if trying to rush to the train before it left.  They bumped into her a bit, and then decided not to ride the train and got off. 

Obviously, it was all an act to distract her so they could get into her backpack and take whatever they could find.

This was 20 years ago and apparently things aren't much better these days...however, at least in London they are trying to help tourists not become victims.  They have brochures printed warning tourists to guard themselves against pick-pockets.  While I was at Buckingham Palace waiting to see the changing of the guards, police officers went be the crowd several times and warned tourists to be aware. 

Some of the tips were:

• Wear your backpack in front of your chest, not on your back
•  Close backpacks and purses completely
• Don't put any wallets or valuables in back pockets, put them in front pockets so you can see if anything is being attempted
• Be vigilant
• Don't let anyone touch you or get too close to you
• Don't let anyone see where you keep your money
• If you carry a purse, use one that you can strap across your chest
• Keep money and credit cards in a money belt around your waist or neck. If you must keep something in your pocket, make sure it is a tight-fitting pocket that closes well.
• Don't lose contact with your luggage at the airport or while you're traveling to or from your hotel. The more bags you carry, the easier it will be for a pickpocket to target one of them, so don't give them the opportunity
• Keep your wallet, camera or other valuables at the bottom of your backpack if you are carrying one. If a pickpocket opens your bag, he or she will have to look around to find anything of value.
• Sleep with valuables under your pillow on trains or in hostels, especially if you are sharing the space with a stranger
• Place the strap of a purse or backpack under your chair leg to deter pickpockets while you are seated at a restaurant or elsewhere.
• Don't ever leave a bag hanging on back of your chair
• Leave anything you don't need on you locked in the hotel safe.
• Take only one credit card and a small amount of cash for the day. Carry traveler's checks if possible instead of cas,
• Carry only a photocopy of the first page of your passport rather than the real thing
• Maintain extreme caution in highly crowded areas, including public transportation and elevators or escalators. Hold your possessions in your hands to ensure no one has access to them. 

Good luck and safe travels!!!

** Images copied from Google Images

Avoid pick pockets while traveling

I just returned today from a glorious 10-day trip to London, several towns in England, Dublin, and Chicago.  Look for new posts from the trip starting tomorrow.

I will also be posting information about avoiding pick-pockets.  As the summer high-season is around the corner and many of you will be traveling to Europe, I will give you some hints that were announced to us by policemen at Buckingham palace during our vacation.  Pick pockets are all over Europe and they are looking for tourists so they can make their living.  Don't become a victim...protect yourself.

Zion