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European Christmas 2023 /2024European Christmas 2023 /2024
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European Christmas 2023 /2024

December 2023 - January 2024
Germany, Belgium, England and Ireland. Read more
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  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 13

    Day 12 London, UK

    December 19, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Day 12 has been our busiest yet and rolled into bed at 10 30pm absolutely exhausted. We left Brugge by train for Brussels South where, after a long wait we boarded the Eurostar for London. As it takes 900 people it was extremely busy. The ride itself was lovely and relaxing and even had a lovely lunch and glass of wine on board. We arrived in London at St Pancras station at 2pm. Having then found our way to the underground, we followed Alanna’s directions to get to Shepherds Bush where we are staying. All sounds easy but with two suitcases each and now quite heavy, there were several flights of stairs to manage as well as throngs of people. Was feeling my age! We finally emerged from the underground and then called an Uber to take us the last part of our journey to the Air B N B where we are staying in. Had a bit of negotiation to do with the driver after he drove off in the opposite direction and was showing a 71 minute ride, when our phones said it should be 12 minutes . Realise now how important postcodes are over here! Also struck horrendous traffic so all in all it was a relief to get to our home for the next few days. No need for the gym on this holiday - our flat was three flights of stairs up!! It’s perfect for our stay though and has everything we need. Thirty minutes later we were off again as we headed this time to meet Alanna in the middle of London. As we disembarked in town and began to make our way up to street level, Alanna spotted us as her tube had also just arrived. Such a cool moment!! Lots of hugs surrounded by crowds of people! We made our way to the Sky Garden- known as the ‘walkie talkie’ due to its unique shape, this skyscraper features a top-floor restaurant and bar. We lined up for the lift to take us up 37 floors to the largest bar overlooking London. Most spectacular was the Shard right beside us, which had the most impressive light show going on the upper half of it. We loved our two hours there. It was hard to take photos though as a lot of reflection on the glass. Because you had to book, even though it was free, there were just the right number of people and seemed spacious and relaxed and quite a cool temperature too as the tropical plants are a feature. Guess our admission was in the glass of wine as very pricey! We then headed off yet again by train ( but guided by Alanna this time) to Covent Garden, where we stopped at a cute little old bar for a drink and then waked to a beautiful Italian restaurant, Notto. ( seems you find these good places on TicToc! ) The food was amazing and great atmosphere. We left there for a walk around Covent garden which was all decked out with Christmas lights and a beautiful Christmas tree. The busker singing added to the atmosphere. The last part of our day was one last train trip to Shepherds Bush and the 11 minute walk to the flat. We were just about walking with our eyes shut !Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 14

    Day 13 London, UK

    December 20, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    A fantastic day exploring London with our personal tour guide, Alanna. She lives 20 mins by foot from our Air B N B and arrived at 10 30am. We used two tubes (again very helpful to have her with us! ) to get to the fabulous food market, Borough Market. The atmosphere was cool but packed with people. Alanna and I had a delicious pastry and David had fish and chips. (not so good for our waist lines but no scones yet on this trip!) . We left there on foot and walked for an hour along the Thames River all the way to Big Ben. So much to see and a very mild day and no hat even needed. After many photo stops we continued on until we came to Victoria Station (another hour) and got on the Afternoon Tea Bus Tour. What a cool experience that was- being driven all around the sights of London atop a double decker bus, while eating an amazing high tea. There was some commentary but also lots of 80s music which people were singing along to. The service was amazing and the glass of Prosecco topped it off. We all loved it. The next hour was spent roaming the streets of London, viewing the Christmas lights and the spectacular window displays of Selfridges. We then headed to Hyde Park for the Winter Wonderland experience which we had booked from NZ. That was amazing- a whole theme park, rides, bars, food stalls, and fair games set up in the park for Christmas. It was massive and lots of very extreme and some tame rides. It too had a great atmosphere and everyone was out with their friends and families. The highlight for Alanna and I was going on the highest Ferris Wheel ever. We were actually in capsules and shared one with four others. The view down was amazing but too far for us to spot David waiting below! We enjoyed a cocktail in the Ice Bar and a 3D ride as well as a pork sandwich and some attempts to win prizes in the games. By 8pm we were all done and thankfully the trip back was a repeat of last night- Cental line tube and the 7 minute walk to our accomodation. Alanna is at work tomorrow so we will be making our way to Windsor Castle for the day and meeting her after work.Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 15

    Day 14 London, UK

    December 21, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    Another very special day in London. Today Alanna was at school. Therefore we were very impressed with ourselves being able to make our way via two tube lines and a train to Windsor. It took about one and a half hours in all to get there and the train ride from Waterloo Station was lovely and showed us many views of housing in London. Windsor Castle was only 2 minutes walk from the station. We found a large crowd on either side of the road and lots of police managing everyone. It was our good luck that we had unknowingly arrived for the changing of the guards which only happens three times a week at 11 am. The guards march through the town up to the castle where they change over. All very impressive. We then entered the castle along with crowds of people, so were in a long chain of people throughout the tour. The audio guide was excellent as we explored the state rooms and the chapel and it is a truly beautiful place to visit. We found it remarkable that the restoration following the fire was unnoticeable considering how much damage was done. We then wandered back into the small town where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at The Prince Harry, a local pub. We had a lovely stroll around the main shopping area and then headed back to the train. Our trip was the reverse of the morning one, and by now the tube carriages were packed. Actually wondered how we would fit in. I’m not sure how people cope with it every day! We came home in time to refresh and Alanna arrived having come straight from school. We headed back into town at 6pm and we wandered down Regent Street to have another look at Christmas lights and also go to Fortnum and Mason department store. The lights and shop displays there were incredible, especially the hanging Christmas puddings. The outside was also jaw dropping as it was lit up like an advent calendar. The lights, the noise, the buses, the mild temperature, and the crowds and crowds of people everywhere created such an atmosphere and we shared it all with Brenna and Pippa as we walked along with them on FaceTime. Technology!! We then went to a very cool Chinese restaurant- Plum Valley in China Town, which Alanna had booked. We headed back to Tottingham Court Road underground where there is a very sophisticated light display on all four walls and the roof. Not so special was watching many mice running along the station tracks and platform! We were then back on the tube for our last ride for the day! We fly to Cork tomorrow, via Heathrow.Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 16

    Day 15 Cork, Ireland

    December 22, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    A long day but it finished well. We left our flat at 10am, lugging our suitcases down the many flights of stairs in the flat, to a nearby bus stop, hauling them on board and then off the bus, lugging them down many steps of the subway and then onto a tube bound for Heathrow. Then off the train, around the airport and finally checking them in to arrive on Cork- talk about a work out! Our plane was delayed half an hour but finally boarded at 2 30. The air hostess was lovely, but now we can see why Air NZ is so highly rated. The plane was basically moving before everyone was sitting and the checks they did were scant. Nothing but water offered during the flight and it all seemed very basic. We were however flying on the busiest day for Heathrow in three years! Our accomodation in Cork is above a pub- that is three narrow flights of stairs above the street. More heavy lifting! We rewarded ourselves with a mini pub crawl around the main area which is really close. Every pub was full and there were many people out with it being Friday night before Christmas. Fun though and great atmosphere. We then returned to the pub below where we are staying for a beautiful pub dinner. It was a lovely end to a long day. Hope we get some sleep as ear plugs provided and lots of jovial noise coming up from below.Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 17

    Day 16 Cork, Ireland

    December 23, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    A lovely day spent exploring Cork. We were up early to get to the English Market to collect all our food for Christmas. Luckily we got there early, but within 15 minutes there were queues at every counter. Not only were the shop keepers patient and good at recommending food, but we had some interesting conversations with others in the queues including a girl who has been to NZ last year and had stayed in Ashburton where she had a relative! Another lady was heading to NZ in four weeks to walk the Milford Track. We were amused that a young shop keeper asked us where we were from and did we eat Tim Tams! The market was great with an endless selection of cheeses, breads, meat, and seafood. We carried our supplies back to our Air b n B and then found coffee in a nice cafe around the corner. The next couple of hours were spent looking around the shops which were extremely busy, and also enjoying some lovely singing from buskers on the street. We had a pub lunch before heading off for a lovely walk exploring some old Cork streets and churches. The walk took us up and down narrow streets and through several old lanes and alleys. We returned to the flat to take a break and watch some TV, before heading back into town for dinner at Market Lane which was just as lovely as we remembered it, as we had eaten here in 2018. It has been reasonably warm all day but by the time we walked home it was drizzling. Town was reasonably quiet compared to last night. We are bracing ourselves for the trip back down four flights of steps tomorrow, now with suitcases and also our food supplies. We will get a taxi to the airport to pick up our rental car, ready to drive to Killarney for Christmas.Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 18

    Day 17 Killarney, Ireland

    December 24, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We were all dreading having to carry all our bags and the food supplies down the four flights of stairs and out into the taxi, but actually seemed easier than first thought. We then headed to the Cork airport to pick up our rental car. It was a seamless process and we were on the road to Cobh before we knew it. Cobh is a beautiful, colourful town with a huge history as it was the one of the major transatlantic Irish ports and the town was the departure point for 2.5 million of the six million Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950. Cobh is probably best known for being the ‘last port of call’ to the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Another ship to be associated with the town, the Cunard passenger liner RMS Lusitania, was sunk by a German U-boat off the Old Head of Kinsale while en route from the US to Liverpool on 7 May 1915. 1,198 passengers died, while 700 were rescued. The survivors and the dead alike were brought to Cobh, and the bodies of over 100 who perished in the disaster lie buried in the Old Church Cemetery just north of the town. We also visited the beautiful cathedral there and admired the colourful houses below which are called ‘ the deck of cards’. We finally found a restaurant that was open for lunch and enjoyed our slow walk back to the car. We made a stop at two supermarkets - not at all like ours- before finding our lovely accommodation in Killarney. We have the whole house to ourselves and it has everything we need. As it was dark when we arrived we are keen to explore the area in day light. We enjoyed our Christmas call to Brenna and Shaun and watched Pippa unwrapping our present. It felt very unusual not being there. We look forward to a relaxing few days here starting with Christmas Day tomorrow.Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    1
    Day 19

    Day 18 Killarney, Ireland

    December 25, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    A wonderful Christmas Day relaxing in Killarney. We got up late to eat our delicious bacon and egg breakfast. By then it was almost time to set off for 12pm Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral which was a 20 minute walk. The day was again mild after some earlier rain. The Mass was so beautiful and the girl singing all the carols and accompanied by a small brass band was such a treat. Her voice was incredible and it was more like being at a concert. Such an atmosphere. We wandered slowly home and familiarised ourselves with the town which is actually larger than expected. There were heaps of pubs and cafes and also several large 5 star hotels. Of course all are shut so it was very quiet with just a few others strolling about. Back home we enjoyed a Christmas drink while opening our presents. We then headed off for a 7km walk through the Killarney National Park. It was a beautiful walk with some views down to the nearby lakes. A highlight was the wild deer we came across but we didn’t find any squirrels, otters or badgers. When we returned home we prepared our dinner before drinks and a platter of delicious bits and pieces collected at the Cork market. Our roast chicken was lovely and followed by a beautiful Christmas pudding purchased from the London Borough Market. Will definitely need to walk another 7 km walk tomorrow, but all in all a very special Christmas Day.Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 20

    Day 19 Dingle, Ireland

    December 26, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    A good day exploring the Dingle Peninsula, south west of Killarney on the Atlantic Coast. The day started off very mild but cool. Our drive took us quickly onto narrow country roads, and we were soon driving with the Atlantic Sea to our left. We first came to Castlemaine, an area we had previously visited as the Griffin family came from this area. We remembered the Old Keel Burial Ground and showed Alanna the gravestone of our ancestor, Michael Griffin which we had seen in 2018. We arrived in Inch where there was a surf beach, and surprisingly several people were having their mid winter swim. Well it was 7 degrees! There were actually lots of people at the beach and many cars had driven down onto the beach itself. We carried onto Dingle, a delightful old seaside village. To our surprise there were crowds gathered on the street and a lot of noise. It turned out we had arrived in time for a celebration called La an Dreoilin (the day of the wren) which was once practiced throughout Ireland. Groups of disguised musicians and dancers went from door to door, or from pub to pub, collecting money or offerings of food. On a bush decorated with ribbons (preferably a holly bush), they hung the wren or wrens that had been hunted and killed earlier that day reciting a rhyme that began:
    The wran, the wran
    the king of all birds
    On Stephen's Day
    Each of the main groups from the separate areas of the town has a Captain, hobbyhorse, banner, strawboys, band of musicians and followers, who usually dress in the colours of their groups. The entire day is devoted to its celebration, starting with the 6 a.m. musical parade through town. It was fascinating , and yet another old tradition that we have witnessed in the UK. We detoured to the Dingle Pub for a lovely drink and then wandered back slowly to the car, viewing yet more groups which were part of the parade. I drove back the hour and a half to Killarney, by which time it was raining and the wild Atlantic Way really did seem wild! We had a dinner of left overs before an early night.    Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    1
    Day 21

    Day 20 Westport, Ireland

    December 27, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    A long interesting travelling day, that required quite a bit of ground to be covered. We left Killarney at 9 30 in heavy rain and drove towards The Cliffs of Moher on the Atlantic Coast. In the last 15 minutes of the 2 and a half hour drive the weather miraculously cleared and while cold and blustery, the rain stopped and there was blue sky. We joined many other tourists for the short walk to view the cliffs. The view was stunning and the seawater spouts spraying up from below added to the scene. It was all worth the detour we had made. We then drove on 9 km to Doolin, a very quaint little seaside village where we ate pizza for lunch. Because of our detour we then had to navigate a very windy and narrow road around Galway Bay, before finally making it onto the more major road south of Westport. The drive was so picturesque and led us in and out of little rural Irish villages. The land itself is characterized by its stone fences which were everywhere. There were many glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean. We arrived in Westport at 5 pm by which time it was raining here too and very dark. We ordered a taxi to get into town and spent a lovely hour or so at Matt Molloys Bar owned by Matt Malloy from the Chieftans. The music being played in the back room by five musicians playing various instruments was very entertaining and we were lucky to find seats there. We then wandered down the road for our booked dinner at JJ O’Malleys which did not disappoint. When we left it had stopped raining so we slowly made our way back through town admiring the lights, and then up the hill to our accomodation, Westport Heights.Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Christmas 2023 /2024
    Day 22

    Day 21 Dublin, Ireland

    December 28, 2023 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 7 °C

    A long and exhausting day. David has succumbed to the cold he’s been fighting and so we headed into Westport (population 4000) at 9 am in search of breakfast and a doctor! Within a minute of ordering food at a quaint little cafe the doctor rang to say he could come right now. Alanna and I sat back and enjoyed our coffee and first scone of the trip, while he headed off thankful to be getting seen so quickly and just around the corner. He returned 45 minutes later with prescription for sinus infection and we wandered around some old fashioned shops before setting off at 11am for Dublin with me taking over the driving. The scenery was mainly uninteresting as we were on a motorway, and two hours later we detoured for lunch and a break at a terrible town called Longford- really not Ireland at it best. We went to a coffee shop which looked somewhat smart to be served cheese toasties with a side of potato chips! Back in the car the next hour or so proved stressful as I negotiated the busy road into Dublin including a 4.5 km road tunnel and 120 km speed Limit. The weather had changed dramatically and it poured with rain and had become very dark- as had our moods. We found our accomodation down by the docks which is still handy to town and dropped our bags, before driving for another 15 minutes to return our car to the city depot. We could not believe it’s unmarked back street location or the fact we had to leave again to get petrol even though we had been told not to fill it up. Finally we taxied back to the accomodation with little time to spare as we were due at our relations, Mick and Angela Griffin’s for dinner which was another 30 minutes away. The plan had been to take a bus but by now we are so tired and cross with no cash to pay for it due to the closest ATM not working, that we grabbed a taxi instead. A great idea as we were there in 30 minutes. Travelling as we are all takes so much longer than you think especially when you are in big cities. Anyway our day ended on a high note as we reunited with Mick and Angela and enjoyed a lovely dinner and much chat. Mick then drove us back into town where we fell into bed in our lovely modern apartment. We look forward to exploring Dublin some more tomorrow- but on foot!Read more

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