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A 12-day adventure by tim Read more
  • tim marsho

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  • Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
  • Ireland Ireland
  • England England
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  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    Lets roll!

    June 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    The monotonous trill of cicadas greeted us as we dropped off the car at park and ride. Noel nearly lost it when Josie introduced her to a dead one up close 🤢. The shuttle was overbooked so we volunteered to sit on laps so everyone could fit. Unfortunately, one gentleman at a subsequent stop didn’t realize we were full and tried to open the back of the van as the driver continued on his way. Swearing and a slammed fist against the driver window ensued. It was INTENSE. Millie’s face 😮.

    Emmit astutely described Millie as her own sirius XM station. No commercial breaks. Non-stop yapping. She’s our speech therapy overachiever 😆.

    O’Hare to Paris overnight then a mostly full day in France. Gotta get some 😴 on the plane.    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    First glimpses of Paris

    June 17, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    The excitement of arrival got us through most of the day. A few hiccups here and there- each of us struggled with the finicky passport scanners, a long wait for a taxi to our hotel (could’ve taken the metro), two rooms each with three beds (huh?), a blown fuse despite the proper converter (no power strips advised), and frantically downloading the actual museum tickets rather than showing an email.

    After settling into our hotel in the Latin Quarter, day one’s real adventures began. We successfully navigated the metro to Pont Neuf. Walking out of the station we were greeted by a jazz combo that made us feel like we were in New Orleans (or is it the other way around?). Josie was hangry so we found a bite to eat. Not snacks, not a sit down, maybe a cafe, but not that one… you get the idea. We actually grabbed a perfect sandwich and some crepes- they’re like hot dog vendors in NY.

    A Seine river cruise helped set the map for our coming days. The sun was shining on our double decker boat of about 150 people- including some little kiddos on a school field trip whose banter we enjoyed. Thankfully our guide provided historical significance in both French and English for many of Paris’s top attractions. A slight breeze kept the temperature comfortable along with some periodic cloud cover. Planning for the upcoming Summer Olympics was already underway.

    Next, a short walk to the Louvre, Paris’s massive museum visited by more than 30,000 people daily. At first we just went for it rather than having any specific agenda wandering the massive collections- don’t forget to look up. After finally getting a guide to download and as our steam was fading, we took a tour touted as the “The Unmissables”. Highlights included the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading, Winged Victory, The Wedding at Cana, and Virgin On the Rocks. All the while credit Millie for not complaining despite her legs being ready to literally fall off and Emmit’s perseverance despite wondering “why is that considered significant?”.

    Dinner was at a cafe along a bustling street and consisted of salads, some wonderful French appetizers- gyosas, goat cheese bites, and poutine fries-, and chicken with purée de pommes. The purée was particularly perfect (“bussin”), per Millie. The kids loved their drinks that looked like sparkling water but had a refreshingly lemonade flavor.

    We were hoping to stay up for the Euro Cup France football match but… 🥱 😴.    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    Did we really do all of those things?

    June 18, 2024 in France ⋅ 🌧 63 °F

    A night’s rest in beds was wonderful though we’re all still adjusting some to the time change. We walked past the Pantheon for some quick photos on our way to breakfast. The walk also took us through the Jardin Luxembourg- a lovely setting with a large pond, several statues and many recreation areas. We’ve all noticed more walkers and bikers- electric and regular- in Paris. I suppose partly big city, but partly Europe/France. Some quiche and sweat treats for breakfast at Bread and Roses (Bon Jovi pun?).

    Next we walked to the Cluny Museum. Loaded with midievel artifacts, it is best know for The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. I was impressed that as the art moved into the late 1500s the artists started showing a more Italian appreciation of space while incorporating details of a more Flemish style. 🙄

    The world’s largest vintage store, just outside of the Cluny, caught the eyes of Josie and Noel. Lots of Salzwedel vibes (the cousins). Cost was by weight for most items. The lack of organization by size made things difficult but our best shoppers powered through scoring a few treasures from Paris.

    At the top- literally- of Millie’s must sees
    was the Gariner Palace. It is home to the Paris Opera and Ballet. Some may recall the iconic dome from the animated ballet movie, Leap. Unfortunately, the dome was under construction so we improvised some other photos.

    Gallery Lafayette is a mega mall with six levels. Here, some of the most iconic brands can be found. Most of which I pronounce incorrectly. The terrace level provides amazing views of Paris.

    Another must on the to-do list was crossed off with our visit to a French Pharmacerie. Despite being roasted (per Millie) by the employee, Noel was thrilled to find a few formularies at a fraction of the usual cost.

    Next we head to the Eiffel Tower.    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    Tour Eiffel

    June 18, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    Thankfully, Noel reserved our walk up the first two levels of the Eiffel Tower. * Note: Tour Eiffel is French for Eiffel Tower not where to catch your tour. It’s impossible to visit the tower without appreciating the epic views and an amazing sense of history. 60 tons of paint re-color the tower every 7 years and it was initially painted by 25 workers who didn’t use any safety harnesses. The 704 step walk up was challenging with an elevator down being a welcome relief.

    Dinner brought us over to a new neighborhood, home of Moulin Rouge. No great pic given the facade was under construction. Josie searched “best Creme Brulee” and found us a quartz in the rough. The food was just ok per most, but at least we had great company. Millie preferred the Pinot Grigio to Rose- you know what they say, “When in France”🍷. Biggest disappointment at the restaurant- no Creme Brulee! 😂. The night had to get better.

    Post dinner, we scrambled back to see the Tower sparkle- only for five minutes every hour. Timing looked tight. We walked as if Sephora was having a 20% off sale. We rounded the corner and BOOM- 🤩. The picture don’t do it justice.

    A bit of an adventure on the way home as our go-to metro spot was closed. Quick pivot to a different line and we made it back to our hotel. Josie has been our fearless leader and despite not being able to figure out how to get our cellular up and running, she’s becoming more and more comfortable getting us to our destinations. Of course her multi-day metro pass seemed to misread (de-magnetized?) leading to a minor misdemeanor. Shout out to the friendly Parisian who cracked open the gate for her to pass through.    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    Bones

    June 19, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    The weather continues to be pleasant. Reminds me of San Francisco summers. Cool and a little cloudy. We dodged everything but a drizzle here and there.

    Josie got in an early run- her mom supervised. Jardin des Plantes included a menagerie featuring a kangaroo.

    A metro ride and then a scenic walk through the Jardin des Tuileries. We had a timed admission at L’Orangerie (super important to get these timed admissions as most stuff sells out even with a ticket- shout out Noel ❤️). We were most impressed with a panoramic version of Water Lillie’s by Monet. Eight enormous pieces over two rooms representing various seasons in two rooms. Less impressed by the minimalist work of Robert Ryman. There were other impressionist collections as well.

    Some shopping dominated the afternoon- first the fancy stores along the Champs Elysees on our way to the Arc de Triomphe. Millie was 😮 at the mega Sephora. She was less excited that I 👎🏼’d a way too small tank top from Zara. Emmit had visions of renting a Lamborghini, but “you wouldn’t even be able to go fast”. Another metro ride then we weaved our way through some alleys to find the tik tok approved makeup store Officine Universelle Buly. “Eww. This one smells like beef!”- said by you can guess.

    I’m not sure any of us knew what to expect in the Catacombes- Paris’s underground former quarry galleries now the world’s largest ossuary. That’s Paris fancy for bones - as in the skulls and arm and leg bones of over 1 million Parisians! There’s a dad joke in this, but honestly, it was a rather sobering and mind numbing experience.

    We found a solid but kind of Americanized restaurant for dinner. The first tasting escargot for each of us. Everyone liked it but Noel and Millie. Anything tastes amazing doused in pesto! Finally, creme brule which hit the spot. All three kids had the giggles throughout the dinner which brought back memories of years ago 😊.

    We crammed in a lot of things but leave Paris wanting more. Tomorrow we leave on the train for London.    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    London’s Calling

    June 20, 2024 in England ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    Still looking for the it family picture. Today our clothes… “Clash”-ed.

    Super proud the five of us navigated the metro once again for our train departure from Gare du Nord to London. Probably the most stressful part of the trip. Hungry and tired and the unknown of taking a train and traveling abroad got to us. Millie and I said a quick calming prayer but shortly thereafter Noel whacked her head- and for the third time this trip, s#*! got real- pardon her French 😉. Gare du Nord is a spectacularly beautiful station that I rushed everyone through- wanting to be sure we weren’t late. Wish we had fifteen more minutes to check it out.

    The train ride itself was smooth. Everyone got some extra shut eye, or at least tried to. We took the tube to our hotel- didn’t realize we left from Kings Cross Station (minimal 🧙 fandom amongst the group). We headed to London Tower and Tower bridge. Breathtaking Crown Jewels, amazing history dating back over a thousand years, and Millie’s favorite building- the mint 🤑.

    A late bite to eat at Borough Market was CRAZY. So many people in a tight space. Initially, sensory overload- smells, sounds, sights. We found a few bites and thankfully everyone in our family doesn’t mind sharing- right, guys? Favorites included the empanadas, Turkish delight candies, and chocolate strawberry cups.

    As we walked back to the hotel, lines of people stretched out from most pubs- England in the Euro Cup! We passed a few large watch parties and smiled as the crowds erupted with an England goal! The walk back got a little longer than anyone wanted. A little too long, too hot, too crowded.

    At night, we met up with the Donovans for a walk around nearby Buckingham Palace. It was wonderful to share stories about our adventures so far and look forward to tomorrow.    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    I like Big Bus

    June 21, 2024 in England ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    We seem to be falling into a teenager type wake/sleep pattern. Stay up late and sleep in. It’s nice to wake up without an alarm, and it’s fun to stretch extra night time with each other.

    A late start meant no breakfast or coffee 😬 as we rushed our way to Buckingham Palace for the daily changing of the guard. I’m not sure if it was the weather or a Friday or something else but it was crazy crowded. Thankfully, we got a spot somewhat close to the action. The band that accompanied the guard played a few Taylor Swift songs in anticipation of night one of her three nights of performances.

    Afterwards, we met up with the Donovans having both purchased an on/off Big Bus tour. A bit of a slow start, figuring out routes and prioritizing attractions, but it ended up being a great way to see a large part of the city. It also included a river cruise that was very quite enjoyable. Highlights included Westminster Abbey and the amazing collection of cars lining some of the ritzy areas of London. We also liked the audio tours. Millie was glad that because there was far less walking today, her feet didn’t feel like they were about to fall off. Less exciting was our failed plan to get a pic of the five of us exiting classic London telephone booths. The problem being one had recently been used by someone/thing 💩 🤢.

    We didn’t have a dinner plan but headed to Piccadilly Circus. Fortunately, Hard Rock Cafe was a long wait, because we ended up at Masala Zone (Emmit 👍🏼) and it was a hit!    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    Last of London

    June 22, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    We spent much of our final day shopping in London’s Notting Hill. On Saturdays they have an outdoor market in addition to the usual shops. Vintage stores, creative shops, food tents, and ritzy storefronts. Everyone seemed to find a treasure. We had some great grub at Honest Burger. Then it was off to Harrods. Perfumes and the food court put our senses to the test. Fish heads- not so appealing, chocolate- “yumalicious”. We tried walking to a dessert place pre dinner but didn’t realize they closed a half hour before our arrival. So instead, a quick stop at a pub for drinks, nachos, and sticky toffee pudding. We took the tube on the way home then we adventured around our hotel to find a quick dinner bite. We have all started looking the correct ways when crossing streets, but there seems to be a lot of vague yielding rather than signals for crossing- “look out!” Or “Hurry across!”. We licked our plates clean at Da Corradi, the bruschetta being the highlight. Millie entertained us all per usual.

    Missed in London:
    - a show (globe theater or otherwise)
    - afternoon tea
    - museums
    - Richmond (BELIEVE)
    - perfect family picture
    - more pubs
    - Noel’s special European skin care formulation (like she needs it, am I right?)    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    Ireland Arrival

    June 23, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    The night before, we planned out our departure- when to leave? what combo of train/bus/walk? did Millie have enough funds on her card? maybe just take a taxi?

    We were up in time and ate some scones we had picked up the day before. A short walk to the tube and we had settled on a route that required a lot of stops but no transfers. Little did we figure, the tube was PACKED. Ok, nbd, we will grab the next one. Except it was equally packed. Standing out as awkward Americans, we pushed our way on- all five of us with our five suitcases and carryons. A few side eyes, but thankfully our section slowly thinned out as we made our way- 16 stops, around 50 minutes. It was hot, smelly, and crowded but we made it with time to spare.

    Noel booked us a flight from London to Shannon- much closer than Dublin to our Dingle destination. We ran into some Tosa neighbors- same flight! As we waited for our car rentals, Brett blurted out, “Tim, I’m glad to see your suspension has been lifted!”. It was a tight fit in the Ford Focus, between three kids and luggage. Thankfully not a stick shift to add to the challenge of everything being backwards. Josie had a brilliant idea that there should be a practice course for Americans before they leave the car rental lot.

    The drive to Dingle was about 2 1/2 hours. We were all very excited to get there to see family. Scenic Hills and mountains as we got our first looks at Ireland. The final half hour included a journey through Conor Pass. Thankfully, the fog had cleared and we were treated to some picture views. Well, everyone except me who is focused on 3 feet in front of me through tight winding roads.

    Streets lined with quaint shops and eateries. Lots of color, right on the water. We made our way to pub and enjoyed some meat pies and my first Guinness on the island. less impressed with their Caesar salad, which seemed a little dry. Millie was wondering if they could “add some ranch”.

    As we made our way to welcome drinks at the wedding hotel, I noticed the tire pressure light was on. Hmm. The girls noticed a few people heading there looking much much more fancy than we were dressed. Thankfully, our house was close by. We returned and had a great evening checking in with family and sharing our excitement for the big wedding tomorrow.    Read more

  • tim marshoTravelerMarsheaux, Marshall, O’Marsh

    The McNally Wedding

    June 24, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Unfortunately, I woke up to a completely flat tire. Maybe should’ve gotten that extra insurance 🥴. Thankfully, there was a tire shop just down the road. We attempted to get the spare tire on, but the previous tire was rusted on. So they came to get the spare on and then got it dropped it off for a repaired/new tire. Two others came in while I waited. They were greeted by the owner, “Let me guess, left front?”

    Josie and Noel went out to shop downtown Dingle along with my niece, Ellie. Noel’s first coffee shop coffee of the trip!

    My nephew Baxter and I went off to do some exploring. Dingle is in the western most part of Ireland- and Europe for that matter. It is home to some amazing architecture. Bax and I enjoyed a walk along the cliffs- same area as some of Star Wars- Last Jedi was filmed. We fed some goats, lambs, and pigs. Baxter after feeding a goat from a bottle- “I feel really bad for a goat mom”. 😆

    My parents rented out an entire B and B- six rooms- for the 17 of us. My cousin Maureen (mom’s sisters daughter) was marrying Conor (Belfast native). The wedding guests were a mix of people from Northern Ireland, Maureen‘s friends from Wisconsin, and about 40 from the Brady Family (my mom‘s maiden name).

    The wedding was fabulous. You could feel the love. The highlight of speeches came from Conor’s dad: “Two men in a bar were arguing whether there was a difference between the word complete and finished. Finally, the one said to the other there is a difference! If you marry the right woman, you are complete. If you marry the wrong woman, you are finished. And if you marry the right woman, but cheat on her, you are completely finished.”

    A live band followed dinner with the kids joining us. Millie, “I look too good to be here!” I thought things were winding down only to find out that following the band was a DJ for several hours. Some late night food made its way to tables, drinks kept flowing, and the dancing continued. Noel stayed late with some of the young young folks. When I asked her the next morning, what did I miss, before I could finish she responded “poor decisions.”    Read more

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