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Kirkwoods go interrailing
  • Gina Kirkwood
  • Gina Kirkwood

Kirkwoods go interrailing

Because we couldn't decide where to go this summer ... And we don't like flying much. Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 5, 2019
    Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Best birthday ever

    August 7, 2019 in France ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Breakfast at home, lunch in London and dinner in Paris... I might decide this is how every birthday should be spent! I can thoroughly recommend it, and my 3 boys were fab company 🥰 Several queues and delays, but we all maintained our sense of humour. Thomas declared the start of the holidays had scored 7000.1 out of 10, so I think that's a result. A funny French waiter and seeing the Eiffel tower lit up from the Arc de Triomphe did put the cherry on the cake for him!Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Barcelona part 1

    August 9, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    After a rough night trying to get used to our new floating accommodation, we managed to explore a little of this vast, hot city! Gorgeous lunch of tapas helped to keep us going, as did the products of a gothic quarter store aptly named Gel-art-o. Also visited a couple of very expensive hotels to check availability of rooms should we find the boat impossible on day 2, but decided we'd rather eat over the next 2 weeks instead.Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Barcelona part 2

    August 11, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    After another almost sleepless night for me (including 2am walk to the loos), I thought our second day would be a total washout, but we managed to get going and met up with the wonderful Searings and Watsons for lunch before their flight home. They recommended a visit to the old bullring, now a (cool!) shopping centre with stupendous 360° views of the city and, more importantly, churros in the basement level! Restored by views, air con, tea and Kalms, we trammed back for a lovely last evening on the boat, with a film for the boys, an amazing djembe dance display and actually some sleep for me at last. Even rival sound systems, still pumping out the bass and entertaining the clubbers at 3am didn't disturb for long.Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Carcassonne 1: La Bastide

    August 11, 2019 in France ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Our excitement levels on arriving in this awe-inspiring place went through the roof. Our apartment is 5 minutes' walk from the delightful station grounds through a street shaded by umbrellas. Sandrine, our host, took us up the 70 stairs to our fourth floor flat, which could in fact sleep at least 7, and has That View. After settling in briefly we walked around the grid that is The Bastide, past buildings which look very familiar to players of Carcassonne the game! Pizza and pasta cooked at home for dinner. Feels so good to be Not Too Hot!Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Carcassonne 2: La Cité

    August 12, 2019 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Must have taken hundreds of photos! Perfect day to view La Cité - sunny but breezy too. It was an interesting 20 minute walk from our apartment, via Mathilde's fab chocolaterie which Matt had researched! - past wonderful old streets and across the ancient pietons bridge. City itself full of shops and eateries, but mainly nice ones. Thomas thrilled with being allowed to buy a LOTR ring with his spending money. Cathedrals, castles, abbeys and ramparts galore. Tiny shower of rain fell only after we were safely at home. Take away curry for dinner capped off a memorable day.Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Genève: city of sparrows

    August 14, 2019 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Not too many disagreements about naming Geneva, although "City of Money" comes a close second. Apartment in fantastic location; 20 minute walk from station across bridge at base of the lake, in full view of the Jet D'eau. Wonderful lakeside marina, gardens, parks and eateries. Spent our 36 hours here relaxing, strolling and sunbathing ... And wishing we were millionaires! Lovely city surrounded by mountains and lake, and teeming with gorgeous people and - did we mention - sparrows!Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler
    111

    Heidelberg 1

    August 16, 2019 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Took three trains to get here; first to Olten alongside fabulous Rhône-Alps scenery, then to Mannheim, then the short hop to Heidelberg. Taxi to our apartment as the helpful lady in the station clearly thought we'd not cope on a bus! - although subsequently we've found an excellent bus route which drops us outside a handy shop just around the corner. After the bijou tight squeeze of Geneva, this place feels huge, with a separate bedroom for us and comfy beds for the boys in the lounge. Andy cooked omlettes for dinner and we introduced the boys to Groundhog Day which they thoroughly enjoyed. Was a late night though so had a late start in the morning- decided to walk in to get our bearings and it took a long time to get anywhere attractive! Once we did, we were sorry we'd not got there sooner - the Aldstadt is just glorious, with university buildings, churches and civic buildings lining pedestrian squares and streets. Matthew bought a magnetic clock (Grandpa may approve) and we learned the word uhr. Eventually found information, bought tickets and went up both funiculars, modern and historic. Lots of queues, so no time for Schloss - hopefully later. Fab, dizzying views from top. Ice creams needed twice to keep some of us in a happier frame of mind by this stage, but locating a marvellous pub for dinner where we could sit inside, unmolested by wasps, made a fantastic end to a great day.Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Heidelberg part 2

    August 17, 2019 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    I spent quite a lot of time on Saturday way out of my comfort zone! Actually, heights and edges have been more of a feature of this trip than I anticipated. Our second full day in Heidelberg began with a bus ride to the edge of the old town, crossing a bridge then a climb up many, many stone steps to the beginning of the philosopher's walk. Great views of the castle, river and old town from the walk but my legs were jelly the whole way! Very steep cobbled path down at the other end took us to the old stone bridge, and straight to the most wonderful ice cream sundae shop, where an intake of wonderful puds restored us. Our next challenge was to clamber up the steep cobbled hill on the castle side of the river up to the Schloss itself. First daytime rainfall of our trip fell here but it wasn't heavy. Fascinating Apothecary museum with beautiful displays, and a very impressive Big Barrel which apparently stored 220000 litres of wine! By this time we were exhausted so after lots more photos, we retired down to the town square again for drinks. Boys did some shopping in the Lindt shop. Dinner was in Mandy's American Diner, a fab converted railway carriage we'd seen on the way in. Completely delicious and exactly what we needed.Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler
    1

    Amsterdam 1 - Linda's walking tour

    August 18, 2019 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Another 3-train journey dropped us safely in Amsterdam in the middle of the afternoon. We sorted out our onward trip on Tuesday (always the first job on arrival!) and put our luggage into a locker which just left time to book transport around the city for two days before meeting up with Linda, my lovely friend whom I last saw 15 years ago, having first met her whilst travelling around the south island of NZ. She took us on a super walking tour around the Centraal area, pausing only for dinner. Hotel is very basic - more of a hostel really (although not a kettle in sight!) but will do us fine. Air con and comfy beds.Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Amsterdam day 2

    August 19, 2019 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I started this day by getting our laundry done in the hotel's single washing machine, which was occupied last night! But the boys started the day by showering us with anniversary gifts, which they had very thoughtfully, and entirely secretly, sourced and bought during their independent shopping trips in Heidelberg. And we thought they were just enjoying a bit of browsing time! Bless them.
    We trammed in to the city, and started off by going on the quick, free passenger ferry to the Nord, and the Amsterdam lookout tower. Boys and Andy braved the lift, height, glass floor and amazing views whilst kindly allowing me to stay at ground level and treat myself to a hot chocolate in a gorgeous stepped café overlooking the water as the sun came out. We then walked miles through the web of canals and streets before finding drinks and poffertjes (not sure of spelling but they're a Dutch speciality - a cross between mini pancakes and churros) in a restaurant on the edge of Park Vondel called Carousel. Uno made an appearance. More walking brought us to the terrific Riks Museum and gardens. At this point, Thomas (who'd really had enough sightseeing) decided to experiment with a fountain which was sending up jets in a sequence around a square. It's fair to say he underestimated just how much water was being sent up, by several gallons-worth - just running through a single layer caused him to be utterly soaked to the skin. We all headed back to the hotel to dry him off, and the over 40s amongst us promptly fell asleep! Dinner was much later, back into the city as the sun was setting, in an Italian called Pepinos. And I got to fulfill my dream of walking through lit up city streets at night with my boys again.    Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Brussels part 1

    August 20, 2019 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    So we arrived Brussels after an easy journey from Amsterdam, but it was quite tricky to find our air BnB. Once we had, we wished we hadn't bothered. It was truly scuzzy ... Feelings about it not helped by the police incident going on at the top of the road! 5 minutes with Google and a hotel was booked, and it's just fabulous. Named Hotel Mozart, but we're sure it used to be Hotel Morocco or similar - it's so ornate. And within 2 minutes of starting our exploration of the area, we fell into the Grand Place. Had a curry for dinner and just cosied down on our private balcony and in our beautiful room!Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Brussels part 2

    August 21, 2019 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Covered a lot of ground and got very hot today. Found the Mannekin Pis, then metroed to Atomium. I was very brave ... And it was interesting and worth the effort, in spite of the queues. Also included in ticket price was Adam, the Design Museum, full of plastic furniture etc. from last 60 years. Lots of very cool pieces. Fell into bed on return, and fortunately revived sufficiently to order takeaway to eat on our balcony and watch some of Independence Day. Finally I went out alone to join the crowds in the Grand Place by night- magic! Yet our hotel is really quiet. Perfect.Read more

  • Gina KirkwoodKirkwoods go interrailingTraveler

    Last day in Brussels

    August 22, 2019 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Another fantastic day in this amazing city - I had no idea it was so grand. Stumbled upon the phenomenal Courts of Justice up a street lift and bridge whilst looking for the Royal Palace and Parc de Bruxelles. Popped into the parc but it was disappointing, apart from the ice cream opportunity it afforded. Palace, however, was fabulous- free to go in, fabulously ornate, and with a couple of temporary exhibitions; one reasonably interesting, about moon-related stuff, and the other a completely brilliant collection of interactive science installations. We spent ages there! More impressive buildings on the more direct route home. Lunch was Belgian waffles ... Dinner was back to the same place for meatballs, spaghetti, omelette and salad.Read more

    Trip end
    August 23, 2019
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