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Jocelyn Cooper
Jocelyn Cooper

Jocelyn Cooper

traveled in 29 countries Read more
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  • Türkiye
    2The commoner side of the White ChurchBasilica of the White ChurchTige in front of nunnery

    Balloon:( and epic hike

    May 27, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Today was supposed to be our balloon day and is largely the reason to visit this area. We were collected at 350 and drove to the Royal Balloon center for breakfast and sent to our launch site. The federal aviation association makes the final call about whether we take off or not, and despite perfect ground conditions, it was a no go. We were bummed and went back to the hotel and slept for a bit before second breakfast. After we ate we walked to the center of town to meet Mehmet, the guide we had hired for a 7 hour hike for the day. Kids were worried that it would be too long, but it ended up being perfect. Mehmet took us on an amazing, if not quite difficult hike with lots of climbing and exploring. The unusual landscape is made up of volcanic rock shaped by wind and water long ago. The cave houses have changed purposes over the years with most starting as monasteries with incredible chapels and rooms that were hand carved by the monks themselves in the 6th century. The last monks left the cave houses in 1925. The White Church was so beautiful and intricate inside, and one of the small chapels had incredible frescoes from the 11th century. The final building we saw was an 8 story nunnery with special rooms to feed animals and their troughs were even at different heights based on the individual animals. Incredible!Uses changed over time, and also included pigeon houses. The farmers depended on the droppings for fertilizer for crops. He was a fun guide and really engaged the kids and gave many of his own opinions on the world:) we trekked back into town right at 5 pm exhausted, dusty and a little bit sunburned. We rested for an hour and headed out for dinner. We sat out on a terrace and watched the sun set over Göreme. Chilly afterward but worth it. It was a day well spent and like most places like this, the pictures do not do it justice.Read more

  • Türkiye

    Cappadocia

    May 26, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Up early with our birthday boy for a chocolate croissant and happy birthday candle and then off to catch a car to the airport at 8am. Unfortunately, our van reservation didn’t show but Uber was nearby so only cost us 20 minutes. After getting to the airport, kids got some BK breakfast before our 75 min flight to Kayseri and, after luggage, a 75 minute van ride (with a sleepy driver that made things interesting) before being dropped off at Vineyard Cave Hotel for our 3 day stay in Göreme (a city in the middle of the area called Cappadocia). After 1400 check-in (thankfully the owner let us in early) we got to see our first cave hotel. They are all over the valley and built inside the rock walls. Very cool. We finally got to celebrate Hudson’s birthday with a few gifts brought from home (though most waiting for him in the UK) before meeting the owner and getting recommendations for the area. We then made a small hike through the main area of town and the shops and then up to Sunset Point. Amazing views over the surrounding area and a peek at what we will see tomorrow. Clouds overhead looked menacing but Elliot’s pleas to go back down were ignore as the weather was blowing the other way. After some great pics, apologies were made after the sky opened up and drenched us with pelting cold ice. Wet and cold, we made our way down and found a burger place in town (needed to switch up from Turkish food) and had a yummy dinner. On the way back, we scheduled a hiking tour guide for 7 hours tomorrow and then bought a few small things in the gift shop before buying some groceries for our hike tomorrow. Back home for showers and earlier bedtime as we have to get up at 3:30 tomorrow.Read more

  • Türkiye
    Overlooking Bosphorus
    Hagia Sophia behind usOn Galata Bridge

    Last day in Istanbul

    May 25, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    Today was a much slower day than yesterday. We were beat after walking all day and eating late, so we slept in a little and went out for a late lunch down the street. Good food but chilly on the rooftop terrace. As we were heading down the owner of the restaurant also owned a rug shop (they are everywhere so you need to look a bit off the main streets for cheaper and better quality rugs. I have been looking for a Kilim rug (handwoven flat wool rug with natural dye) after seeing one I liked in the bazaar yesterday. The best made Turkish rugs can last for decades. They clean and repair them. There was one in the store that was 80 years old, which is crazy. We bought 2 sizes and headed out for the day. We took a ferry to Asia for the day. Definitely a sleepier part of the city and we really just wandered in and out of shops. We definitely preferred the liveliness of the European side. We have taken a lot of public transport together, but none have been as confusing as trying to get the ferry tickets back. We thought we had enough and it let G through but none of the rest of us. I left to try to buy more (impossible), then Tige had to leave kids on both sides of turnstiles to try to help (still impossible:). After all of that you could tap in. So frustrating!

    Back to the other side and we had dinner at the Old Ottoman Restaurant and with full bellies went home to shower and pack before our early pickup for the flight to Cappadocia.    Read more

  • Türkiye
    Waiting outside Hippodrome
    Inside Blue MosqueOutside Blue MosqueInside Hagia SofiaHagia SofiaBasilica CisternGrand BazaarOverlooking the Grand BazaarOutside Hagia SofiaOutside Blue Mosque

    Walking tour

    May 24, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    We had another amazing day of weather. It was tough to wake up this morning so we got some pastries around the corner on the way to our private tour guide for the day. Just a 5 minute walk away, we met him in the Hippodrome - which has two Egyptian obelisks that used to sit in the middle of a huge horse track. They were moved by ship and part of one was lost at sea. Next to the Hippodrome was the Blue Mosque - so named because of the blue tiles inside. It was a beautiful mosque and, at the time of its building 500 years ago, it rivalled the most important mosque in the world in Mecca. Domes became very important to Islam and this dome was the largest in the world at the time. Just across from the Blue Mosque was the Haggia Sofia. Now open in the upper levels as a museum (and, so, not free like the Blue Mosque) the HS is a converted cathedral that was built before Islam existed 1500 years ago. It was converted to a mosque in the early 1900s and still had mosaics of Jesus and the Virgin Mary intact. Though less pretty, I thought it was even more special given its age. Also with largest dome of its time, it stood as an example for many later cathedrals like St. Peter’s in the Vatican City. On our way out, we met one of the many, many cats in Istanbul (though he wasn’t keen on being petted). After a stop for some Turkish tea, baclava and Turkish delights, we went to the Basilica Cistern. The largest known cistern in Istanbul, it apparently had enough water for 500,000 for one year - holding water from Roman aqueducts stretching 30 miles. It was enormous. The cool temperatures and lighting made it feel even larger and the Medusa head bases on two of the columns were thought just to be used as filler to hold up the roof. From the cistern, we walked to the Grand Bazaar. At nearly a mile long, over 60 streets, it was overwhelming. Our tour guide took us to a secret spot for some photos overlooking the roof (and some shopping for Jocelyn) but we decided not to buy anything in the Bazaar (and unfortunately it’s closed tomorrow) before we made our way to the new side of town across the Golden Horn. We walked through a hookah bar (or ‘hubbly bubbly’ as our guide called it) and finished with snacks and drinks at local bar. After a full day, we made our way back past the Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque and had a delicious and well earned dinner near our stay. After over 10 miles, we all got to shower before bed.Read more

  • Türkiye

    Day 1 in Istanbul

    May 23, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    We arrived in Istanbul at around 1230am this morning and took a car to our apartment in Sultanamet, which is a popular first spot to land on the European side of Istanbul. We had to get cash for the driver and the kids enjoy the stack of 10k Lire that we got for £200! We got our sleepy kiddos into bed, grabbed water (markets open until 3 am here which is crazy when you live in the UK where stores close at 4 p on Sundays. I didn’t fall asleep until 4 and we let everyone sleep in. We headed out to explore around noon and ended up having a delicious lunch at Mavi Döner. Tige and I shared a chicken and beef kebab plates, H had a beef pita and E had a beef wrap called a Durum. G was boring and had chicken and fries. Everything was super flavorful and just what we needed. The city is huge from a footprint and a citizen standpoint, twice the population of NYC and London. We walked through the city for about 40 minutes until we came to the Suleymaniye Mosque which was built in the 16th century- supposed to be one of the most beautiful of the >3000 here in Istanbul. We covered up and went inside. It was so beautiful and a student volunteer sat with us and talked about the mosque and Islam itself. Good for the kids to hear about other cultures and religions. He was super kind and informative. We headed from there about a 20 min walk to our Turkish bath spot called the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam. Fancy and beautiful. Highly recommended if you are ever in Istanbul and they will allow kids also which not all hamams do. The boys went off with Tige to the men’s area and Elliot and I went to the women’s. My bath partner was an absolute treat to hang with! We changed into towels and disposable bikinis and went for the hot treatment- you sit on a hot marble floor and sweat out all of the toxins for 15-20 min and then our lovely guides (2 women) would come and rinse you with water and then did a full body exfoliation. Then we moved to a hot marble platform and they did a super cool bubble treatment and massage. I can’t quite describe the sensation of being covered head to toe in small bubbles, but the whole experience was heaven! Next they rinse you and wash your hair, wrap you up and you chill in a lounge area. 10/10 for all of us. Elliot said it was the best start to a trip ever!

    We left the bath and walked across the golden horn body of water that divides the European side. We had booked a sunset cruise on the Bosphorus river (connects the Mediterranean to the Black Sea), cruising between Europe and Asia. We ate fresh fruit and had tea, and it was chilly in the end.

    We ubered near home and after a weird initial sit down at what turned out to be a cafeteria, we found our spot at a local small place (3 tables inside, 8 outside) where the delightful owner ran around taking care of everything. We had delicious hummus, kebabs, a meatball dish called kofte, and local pasta:) We finished with tea and baklava (which I mistakenly thought originated in Greece, but it turns out really the Ottomans). 12,000 steps and looking forward to our big walking tour tomorrow.    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates
    Worlds largest hand woven carpetQasr Al Watan palaceQasr Al WatanCorniche Beach

    Last Day in UAE

    February 19, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Today was our biggest day out in Abu Dhabi. We started out the day with a morning visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It was stunning! The entire mosque was made out of marble and I think we needed sunglasses for the mosque as well as the sun. The detail inside was even more beautiful. There were columns with inlaid marble flowers, beautiful chandeliers and in the women’s prayer hall the walls were covered with marble flowers done in a relief style. Pictures don’t do it justice. There was a huge food hall and we sampled Dubai chocolate (chocolate with pistachios inside, which is a huge thing here) and sat down at a restaurant that I had actually planned to eat at in Dubai, but we ran out of time. We had hot and cold apps that included delicious hummus, labneh, mutabal (basically baba ganoush), tabouleh and a beet salad, wings, calamari and shrimp. After lunch we headed to Qasr al Watan, the presidential palace where the president (leader of UAE and Abu Dhabi) and vice president of UAE and leader of Dubai, and the crown prince all have offices and receive foreign dignitaries. Incredible mosaics, gold and marble everywhere and exhibits about their contributions to science and medicine.

    After the palace we headed to Corniche beach and let the kids play in the sand while we enjoyed our last day of sun for a while. We walked along the boardwalk to the grand souk so that the kids could get last souvenirs. We found a Lebanese/Italian (weird mix) spot for dinner and the owner really spoiled the kids with free desserts. Came back home and packed up for our flight in the am. This has been such a great trip on a new continent, filled with adventures and family time, which is what we really love the most. We definitely recommend a trip to the UAE. The people have been super kind and welcoming and there is so much to do!    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates

    Abu Dhabi, Jubail Mangrove Park

    February 18, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    We had to leave our wonderful Dubai flat this morning and took a 1 hour taxi ride back to Abu Dhabi. We arrived just before lunch and dropped our bags before taking another taxi to the nearby Yas mall. We picked a location close the airport as there is no central area in AD and we ended up on Yas Island. YI is home to many family attractions (Sea World, Warner Brothers and Ferrari World - with the world’s fastest roller coaster at 150 mph) but we didn’t book any of these stops given our previous excursions and limited time. Instead, after lunch and shopping at the mall, we headed to Jubail Mangrove Park for a private electric boat ride. The park was peaceful and quiet and we learned a lot about the ecosystem including AD’s plan to plant a million trees by 2035 to become the greenest city in the world as the mangrove consumes 4-5x more CO2 than regular trees. We had a slight hiccup after we got dropped off and realised E had dropped her phone in the taxi and we didn’t have a way to contact the driver. Fortunately, we had used an app and toward the end of the boat ride, we were able to get his number and arrange for him to come back. Feeling much better with phone in tow, we enjoyed the 2km walk on the mangrove boardwalk. It was cool and started to rain at the end of the walk so we hailed a taxi and headed home for some groceries and cooked in while introducing the boys to Titanic. Up early tomorrow for sightseeing.Read more

  • United Arab Emirates
    The Storm rollercoaster slideView from Blackout of Burj Khalifa and Burj Al ArabDrop slideBlackoutArabian SeaRoyal resortSeascapes

    Aquaventure and Royal Atlantis

    February 17, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We paid for staying out too late last night when we got up early today for our trip to Atlantis Aquaventure. Billed as the world’s largest (most slides) waterpark, we couldn’t pass it up. It opened at 915 and it was a 30 minute taxi - we arrived just after opening. After getting our locker, we jumped on the first slide we could which ended up being a water slide roller coaster with ups and downs. It was a great start. A couple rides later, Gid and I got in line for Leap of Faith, a near vertical drop slide while E and H took Mom to the Shark tank that ends in an underwater tunnel surrounded by a tank full of rays and sharks. Both were the most popular rides so took nearly an hour. After some family raft rides, it warmed up a little as the sun finally came out - it was supposed to be mid 80s but felt more like low 70s especially when you were wet. A few slides later and it was already time for lunch and drying off in the sun.

    After lunch, we talked Elliot and Joce into trying the intimidating drop slide before moving on to the 4 person mat racing slide and 3.5m ‘cliff’ jump pool. Gideon and I split up again to tame the fastest slide in the park - Blackout. The biggest vertical drop in the Middle East, it did not disappoint and was definitely the favorite. Shorter lines helped though 10 flights of stairs made us work. After our second time, we got Joce and Elliot to try as well and it ended as the favorite slide of all. Hudson loved the roller coaster like Medusa’s Lair where you also raced the raft next to you. We ended the day with the world’s longest family raft ride (nearly 2 minutes long) which was also a big hit. The park closed at 6 and we stayed till the end (though we were all freezing by then) before lining up in the showers - which took much longer than planned.

    Since we had a big lunch, I found a place nearby called Seascapes to get drinks (Muslim country so no alcohol sold anywhere aside from some hotel areas) and snacks. We walked 15 up the road and got caught in a mini rain shower. When we arrived, we realised the restaurant was actually a beachside bar at a brand new 5 star resort called the Royal. We were slightly under-dressed when we walked into the lobby to flames in the walls, elevators surrounded by a waterfall feature and multiple 50 foot tall aquariums with a huge outdoor fountain and jumping water features. It was the most amazing hotel we have ever seen. We hurried through with our wet suits and dirty clothes and, fortunately, down at the beach, we were all alone and got to enjoy sliders, guacamole and drinks by the Arabian Sea. On the way out, I wasn’t too shy to take some pictures. May be a future getaway for Joce and I. After relaxing, we took a cab back to our place to crash after our last day in Dubai.    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates
    1Sky View TowersMuseum of the FutureEmirate Towers

    Towers and Global Village

    February 16, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    We didn’t plan anything for today and everyone got to sleep in. We ate brunch in before deciding to go to the Sky View Towers observatory. It’s a big landmark in Dubai (and can be seen in our Burj Khalifa pics behind the kids) that’s know for an edge walk, glass bottom floor and glass slide. We enjoyed the views of the city though I did not do the walk or the slide. There was no way I was going on that slide (see video from the outside). From the Towers, we made our way to the Museum of the Future - this time we decided not to pay the entry fee and just enjoyed the view from the lobby and outside. Just behind the museum were the Emirate Towers that Gideon built in his Dubai model. We went to the pharmacy inside for some paracetamol for mom’s headache before finding a burger place for a late lunch. It was a delicious food (High Joint) stand on a beautiful high 70s clear day. From there, it was an early afternoon taxi to the Global Village about 25 minutes away. We just discovered it online today and we sure got a surprise.

    Global Village is like Epcot on steroids but with Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and Kuwait, plus tons of other countries, and instead of local rides, there are markets of local goods and foods. Food stalls are everywhere and there are cultural dance shows every half hour on a main stage. Then, of course, there is a carnival with rides and experiences. It was overwhelming. We enjoyed the Africa and Turkey shows but the highlight was a dance show by the Urban Crew from the Philippines that apparently are on America’s Got Talent. Joce and I enjoyed some Mexican food while the kids did a rope course and zipline. We stayed out way too late and got home just before midnight. Early start tomorrow for a busy day at our last Dubai stop.    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates

    Super special birthday!

    February 15, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Today was such a great day. We were up and out early for a walking tour in the old city section and met our guide Hesham after a 20 min cab ride. He took us on a fantastic tour through the Al Fahidi neighbourhood, the original/old Dubai. He also taught us a lot about Islam and the history of how people lived in this region. Super interesting to learn about their culture from a local’s perspective. They even have naming challenges like we are currently facing (Persian Gulf and Arabian Gulf are the same body of water). We saw everything from modern smart police stations to old houses with courtyards and the souks (markets). We started in the grand souk which had loads of stalls filled with fresh spices and food. We tried samosas and hopped a boat across to the oldest souks. We bought all kinds of local specialties including sandalwood to burn, mango tea and menthol and Iranian saffron (for Kelly and I to share). Finished with camel milk/date/chocolate treats for our coworkers and counterfeit Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal football kits for the boys and sand art for E. We ended in the gold souk, which was insane (but we didn’t buy anything:) I also spoke too soon, camel milk gelato was eaten and honestly was pretty delicious.

    The kids and Tige revealed that they were sending me to the spa in the hotel for a few treatments and we headed home for the sweetest and most thought gifts, handwritten cards and even an original song. Tige enjoyed the rooftop infinity pool with the kids while I was relaxing. After the spa I met them at the pool and we went back to the apartment for a call with Mom and Dad, dinner and snuggles. I couldn’t have wished for a better day.    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates

    Great city and desert day

    February 14, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    Big day planned for today. We left the apartment after breakfast and headed out to walk to the Burj Khalifa. Once we found out the entrance was in the Dubai Mall we jumped in line. We had heard that the lines were long to get in, and were also told that this “was not a busy day” for them. 2 hours later we were in an elevator. 125 floors in 77 seconds. Total height is the building is 2722ft, nearly twice as tall as the sears/willis tower. Super crazy to be up that high. There was an outdoor observation deck and obviously views everywhere. Very special building that Emeratis are very proud of.

    We thought we had planned plenty of time between BK and the desert safari that we had signed up for mid-afternoon, but the driver we hired was very cool about picking us up a bit later and met us at the mall. He drove us about an hour out of town into the desert to our first stop at an adventure center. Though we were initially not going to do it, the kids and I flipped quickly and convinced Tige to ride ATVs. They fitted us with headscarves for the sand and Huddy and I drove together and the big kids each had one (Tige also). Super fun time driving around a sand field with very small sand dunes. Our driver let the air out of his tires and we went dune bashing. The cars are all luxury SUVs with roll cages inside. Mostly fun, a bit scary, but H and I hung in there in the 3rd row. We stopped for some pics and the kids and Tige did some sand sliding before we headed back to the center.

    Next we did a very short camel 🐪 ride. They actually sell camel milk in the grocery store, but we are not that brave lol.

    After camels we jumped back in the SUV (with full air in tires again) and headed took us to the camp where dinner and shows would take place. It was sort of like an Arabian Luau. We sat at a low table on bean bags and ate bbq’d kebabs, veggies and hummus, several different lentil dishes, samosas and dessert. They had fire and belly dancers and 2 guys from Egypt who did a performance where they spun skirts- very unusual, but they were talented for sure. We left the camp and our driver drove us back and we de-sanded and in for the night. Earlier start tomorrow, so need some sleep!    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates
    Landed in Abu DhabiView from our balcony

    Dubai!

    February 13, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    We hurried home from work on a Wednesday to finish packing for our 930pm flight to Abu Dhabi. Heathrow was a ghost town and we had no troubles. We didn’t expect dinner to be served at midnight so it left us little time to sleep on the 7 hour overnight flight. We arrived at 830 am local time (430 am body clock time) on 2-3 hours of sleep and found a taxi service for the one hour drive to our Airbnb (hotel) in Dubai. Since we arrived so early, we couldn’t check in for an hour so we got some light lunch at the hotel. We got to check in at noon and immediately went to sleep. A one hour planned nap turned into 3.5 hours but we still had time to see the town. Our Airbnb is a hotel residence with an amazing balcony view of the Burj Khalifa. We had a 15 minute walk to the Dubai Mall (first or second largest mall in the world) where the kids begged to go ice skating and we found an old favorite restaurant from back home. After some window shopping, we made our way to see the Dubai Fountain show (like the Bellagio fountains in Vegas). The weather is amazing with full sun and a high in the mid 80s (a relief from rain and 40s for the last 4 months). We finally sat down for food and had a delicious meal at the Social House. We walked around the base of the Burj Khalifa before getting some groceries on the way home. Dubai is so clean and beautiful and tall buildings abound. Kids are wondering where the desert is. Back at home, we went up to the rooftop infinity pool (which just closed, much to the kids disappointment) before showers and tucking in to bed. Big day planned tomorrow so hoping our internal clocks can reset quickly. So strange to be using air con!Read more

  • Wales

    Friday & Saturday

    December 21, 2024 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 41 °F

    This is intentionally a lazy, no iPad trip and we have all been relaxing and sleeping in. We had a good breakfast on Friday, followed by a full Liverpool game & lunch (Mom won). Afterward, we went hiking near the house through local footpaths, and then quickly out in the surrounding fields. We first went through a horse field, with what must be the most aggressive horses that I have ever seen. Three of them came over to us and then followed us around (likely because of Stevie). She snapped a twig and one of them reared up too close for my comfort from Gid's face. Once out from there, we walked through sheep fields with increasing elevation, enjoying views. The kids love sheep (for some reason) and we heard a lot of cooking up plans about their future sheep farm, which was so sweet. We hiked back down, safely navigating the horses, with muddy clothes (the only one who didn't slip and at least partially fall was Gid), and the dirtiest, happiest pup ever. Not bad for her first 3-mile hike! After the hike, we headed into the village to a little shop called the Walnut Tree. We grabbed more cards and supplies for dinner and walked back. Everyone had a bath and then dinner in tonight.

    Today we were up earlier and enjoyed having coffee and hanging out. We played cards and took Stevie for long walks and then headed out for a hike. We drove to Talybont-on-Usk, which was about 10 minutes away on very single-lane UK roads. Tige had to back up for about half a mile when a Tesco truck met us head-on. We parked and hiked uphill for about a mile and a half and ended up in a hilltop field. Once we were over a few stiles and back to a road we had a private lane walk back to our starting point. 4 pretty challenging miles in all and Stevie again impressing us with her stamina. So excited to have a pup who can hike with us! Back home to chill for about an hour, play some cards and then pub dinner around the corner. Nowhere nearly as good as the first night, unfortunately, but home for movie night (The Matrix). Sad to pack up in the morning - this Air BNB has been perfect and the time together just what we needed. This week was just what we needed and we will definitely be back to Wales - it is gorgeous.    Read more

  • Wales

    Wales

    December 18, 2024 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 50 °F

    With a new dog in tow, we decided to stay 'local' this year and booked a cottage in a remote town in Wales called Llangynidr in Powys (we cannot pronounce either - Welsh is a mouthful). After a pit stop for Stevie, we made it in just over three hours and checked in just as the sun was setting at 1600. It was already raining and muddy but I was able to back down the single track road just barely scraping by the stone walls to unload. The cottage is cozy but plenty of family room and bedrooms for all as well as a fireplace. After unloading, we walked to the local pub but found it was open for drinks only so back in the car to drive into the nearby town (Bwlch - yes, that’s how it is spelled). Drinks only at that pub too (guess Wednesdays aren't a popular dinner night) but they opened the kitchen just for us and we had a wonderful meal including a Welsh beef pie, burger, bangers and local venison lasagna. We also noticed a rope necklace made with a wooden sign with the letters W and N carved on them. When the kids pointed it out, one of the locals told us the story of the 'Welsh Not' - a sign hung around school children's necks if they were caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the day, they would receive a beating as they attempted to remove the language from the country. Crazy.

    Thursday morning we got up to cook breakfast in and play some games before bundling up and driving to Crickhowell nearby. The popular Crickhowell Bridge over the River Usk made for a good picture. We also got to see the remains of Crickhowell Castle (originally built over 1000 years ago) in the center of town. It was cold and windy so after pics, we found a Co-op and picked up groceries for the next few days and then headed home. We tried for an early dinner at the local pub but, again, closed for food - this time until 1830, not the entire night - so we drove to the next closest pub. Unfortunately, this one wasn't as good and H apparently got food poisoning as he left his dinner on the ground just outside the front door. Gave us a scare that we would all get sick but by the time we got home, he was already hungry again and is normal this morning. Thankfully he perked up because we got to introduce the kids to Liverpool rummy for the first time and it was a big hit. Kept us up late into the night pausing at round 5 but to be continued today. After breakfast in, we are about to bundle up for exploration today. The wind and rain are intimidating but Stevie loves it so we will have to take her along.    Read more

  • Ireland
    Once opening sceneWellington Monument

    Return to Dublin

    October 26, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    We got a very nice hotel and slept in this morning. After packing up luggage into the car, we made our way to brunch in Temple Bar. Bordered by the River Liffey to the north, Temple Bar is a cultural area originally named after a land owner (William Temple) in the 1600s that built his home along the river banks. Now there is actually a bar in the area with the same name that many mistake for the neighborhood (and also makes for a nice picture). We had a yummy (tho very slow) brunch. Giant bowl of beans was a hit with Hudson and the Irish breakfast was very filling. We had to walk off our food and did some more window shopping along Grafton Street and found the location for the opening scene to the movie Once (now right outside a Disney store, which we obviously also visited). From there, it was off to the Ireland Archeological Museum. The highlight were the very well preserved (if not fully intact) bog bodies. One even had a man bun with shaved sides of his head - I guess every fashion comes around, even 2400 years later. Still, a little too lifelike so I found them creepy. From there, we headed back to pick up our car from the hotel and drove to the enormous Phoenix Park. The 1750 acre park just outside of central Dublin was beautiful. Given the late hour, we chose not to visit the zoo and instead found a playground. Mom got to show off her hopscotch skills while Gideon rolled an ankle trying to figure it out. On the way back, we walked past the Wellington Monument obelisk as they were setting up for the Dublin Marathon tomorrow morning before finding the car and driving to the airport. Dinner and a final Guinness before boarding. We got very lucky with the fall weather and look forward to seeing Northern Ireland next time we come back. Late arrival into Heathrow but get to sleep in our own beds (and rooms) tonight.Read more

  • Ireland

    Rock of Cashel and back to Dublin

    October 25, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 57 °F

    Had to pack up and leave our Killarney AirBNB morning. A two-hour drive before a carside lunch and then into the Rock of Cashel. It was a cold and windy day but actually had some sunlight. With connections to St. Patrick and the tooth of the Devil, the Rock of Cashel was perched on the top of town with beautiful views. We enjoyed the overlook to Hore Abbey as well as the fields of sheep and cows. After departing, we made our way back to Dublin for our last night. We passed near the Tullamore DEW distellery but it was another two hour drive to Dublin and kids weren't allowed on the tour so we kept going. We saw 4 different rainbows on the way but were lucky to avoid any significant rain. After an early check-in, we made our way to a local toy store that we had seen last week and let the kids explore for a bit before dinner. Walked right past the Dublin needle/spire and got to see it in daylight this time. Did some window shopping before Joce found a ramen place around the corner and we had a delicious meal. Sushi, ramen and broccoli were the highlights. A short walk home for a short movie before bed in our hotel. One more afternoon in Dublin tomorrow!Read more

  • Ireland

    Blarney

    October 24, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Up earlier today to drive 1.5 hours to Blarney. The longest short drive ever made. Lots of curvy backroads the whole way there. We were initially going to skip Blarney Castle based on what we had read in a couple of places that we trust for travel reviews, but with an 80% chance of rain, we decided to skip the ring of Kerry and head to Blarney. We went straight to the castle (which was amazing and well-preserved) and did the obligatory kiss of the Blarney stone (which is supposed to bring you eloquence as a superpower). Winston Churchill and Mick Jagger reportedly have the stone to thank, though I'm not sure how eloquent the latter actually is. They used to dangle you over the edge and you would kiss it from the side of the castle, but thankfully they removed some stones so you lie on your back, hold onto the rails and arch back to kiss the bottom stone. There was also a kind gent spotting you to make sure that you do not slip through the hole:) We then spent a lot of time in the castle and walking the grounds. We enjoyed the poison garden, the druid stone circles and jungle walk. The kids liked the playground and we actually did not get rained on, which was great. We ended up enjoying the castle and gardens so much that it was a bit late to make the trip to Cork for lunch and we found a local spot to grab lunch (a pub of course). We sat by the fire and left with full bellies. Elliot's beef and veg stew was the winner for sure. We hopped back in the car at about half past 3 and headed back to Killarney. Tige cooked for us tonight and he and I took a walk on the high street while the kids played Monopoly. Sad that the trip is nearly over and have enjoyed our time together more than anything. Tomorrow we head back to Dublin with a few fun stops on the way.Read more

  • Ireland
    Top of Eask Tower hill
    Blasket Islands

    Dingle Peninsula

    October 23, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    We set an alarm this morning so we could get on the road to the Dingle Peninsula. It was another overcast day but no rain and only a short 75 minute drive to our first stop at Inch Beach. Big waves and lots of shells - would have been a great place to visit in the summer. After Inch, the town of Dingle was only 20 minutes away. We did some window shopping before finding Murphy's Pub (just like we remember in Champaign :) ) for lunch. After lunch, we popped into a local market to find some Dingle 'berries' - the boys were happy to oblige. Then, we had another short 15 minute drive to Eask Tower. Built as a solid tower in the mid-1800s to help guide ships to the Dingle harbour, we didn't realize it was at the top of a 600 foot 'hill'. It was quite a climb and we were greeted by 50mph winds at the top. Fortunately, the views were certainly worth it. We could see for miles around and it was the highlight of the day. It was still in the low 50s today and so it was nice to get out of the wind but glad we made the climb. There was a local leather shop at the bottom that we ducked into while the kids waited in the car before our final stop at Blasket Islands. Fortunately we had amazing views from the road this time and no climbing required. Came right back home for showers and pizza so we could watch Everest together (the kids are infatuated with mountain climbing right now). Ready to head to Cork tomorrow.Read more

  • Ireland

    Killarney

    October 22, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    We checked out of our lovely BNB in Limerick and made our way to Killarney. Most cities in Europe are twinned or sisters with other cities. The US sister cities for Killarney included Springfield, Illinois, which we thought was appropriate. Killarney is so lovely and we had planned a trail ride when we arrived. Everyone has been on a horse before other than Hudson and we were all excited! The weather looked dismal on our drive, but once we arrived, we were met with blue skies and a lot of sun. It was gorgeous. We arrived at the stable and met our horses (Butters, Shayann, Tony, Peter, and Sive). After a few nervous tears a lead was attached to Tony and our sweet Huddy. We had a fantastic ride through the gorgeous Killarney National Park. Lakes and open green land, trees and so many deer. Literally, 40 does and a couple of bucks and then an entire field of bucks without mates. Gideon’s horse Butters was pretty spicy but he kept him in line. We had a bit of a scare when Elliot’s horse took off trailing screams when we were all trotting. She handled it super well and laughed it off and finished the ride after the caught her and brought her back. We were so relieved.

    After the ride we gathered supplies while the kids relaxed. We went for a nice dinner at Bricin and tried Boxty (a traditional potato pancake filled with lamb and chicken. The desserts were the real stars (a super yummy chocolate cake and a fruit crumble. After dinner, we walked the high street and popped into a few wool shops. So many beautiful sweaters. We walked for about an hour and then headed home.

    Right to bed and up early for a day on the Dingle Peninsula.    Read more

  • Ireland
    12

    Cliffs of Moher

    October 21, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 55 °F

    After breakfast we made our way to a small village called Doolin, along the Wild Atlantic Way, which has the trailhead for the Cliffs of Moher walk. The drive through the countryside was gorgeous, with tons of sheep and cattle and beautiful stone walls marking each plot of land. Super green in the sunshine. You used to be able to hike the 13 km trail from Doolin to Liscannor, but they closed the southern half of the trail in April this year due to safety concerns. We hiked from Doolin to just north of the visitors center, about 6 miles out and back. We walked in the low 50 degrees against 25 miles/hr wind with occasional gusts that made me nervous that one of the boys was going ton fall over. A bit of rain, but way better than we thought it would be. Not many people on the trail which made it even more special. We had a standing picnic at the top and then headed back down to the town. The views were gorgeous. Photos don’t really do it justice. The kids were amazing hikers as usual. We did a little bit of shopping at the craft store by where we parked and packed up for the 1 ish hour drive to Limerick. The roads here are substantially larger than England, but people drive on the left, which was surprising. The host of our Airbnb met us at our apartment and we dumped our bags and went down the road to The Glen Tavern. Standard pub fare, food was fine, though not super special, but we had really kind service.

    Hopefully a great night’s sleep is ahead for all. Excited for tomorrow and to head to Killarney, which will be home base for the next 3 nights.    Read more

  • Ireland

    Galway

    October 20, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    After a late night walk across the Ha’Penny bridge to dinner, we found the Dublin landmark Spire. Hard to see in the dark but an odd 400 ft tall needle in the middle of town. Its purpose is unclear but it was certainly interesting.

    In the morning, we took an Uber to the airport to pick up our rental car for the 2+ hour drive to Galway. On the way, our walking tour was cancelled as Storm Ashley made landfall with red flood and wind warnings. 35-45 mph winds for the last half of the drive. We were able to find an open seafood restaurant (great fish chowder and fish and chips) before we went shopping for swim trunks since our Galway plans had to be shelved. After we checked into the hotel, we made our way to the pool and sauna for a couple of hours as the wind storm continued outside. We decided to order pizza in and watch the third Batman rather than make our way outside again. Sleeping in the same hotel room made for a late night but at least we all had beds.

    After packing up and showers, we had dinner at a local cafe right by the coast. The sun is out and the waffles and Irish breakfast were delicious. The wind is still strong but at least the rain is holding off for now. 1.5 hour drive to the planned hiking spot. Hopefully the 35mph gusts subside on the drive.    Read more

  • Ireland

    36 hours in Dublin

    October 19, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Elliot was already off for half-term and we grabbed Huddy early from school and went to Gid’s rugby match (they won:). Headed to Heathrow and after an hour delay took off for Dublin. We arrived at our hotel and went out for groceries and dinner at 930. Kids were happy and fed and we ended up all in bed by midnight.

    Up in the morning for our 10 am walking tour. We really enjoy the Guru walks. Guides are always super knowledgeable and give great insight on food and experiences around the city. We walked for about 2.5 hours around the city learning about their difficult history with the Vikings, the Norse and, of course, the British. We wandered the streets including the famous busker and shopping Grafton Street. We ended the tour at Christ Church which was beautiful. We had about an hour for lunch and went around the corner for lunch at a pub called Darkey Kelly’s for delicious bangers and mash, beef stew, burgers and pasta. I had my first Guinness in Ireland and it was so different from the US. Light and delicious.

    This morning we hopped online at 9 to pick up last minute tickets to Kilmainham Gaol (jail). It sells out months in advance but they release tickets for a few slots at 9. We were lucky 🍀 enough to get them and headed there for 130 tour. Barely made it! Super interesting and sad look at Irish history. Well worth a trip.

    Afterwards we grabbed the most delicious hot chocolate and mocha from Butler’s cafe. We walked around Trinity college and down Grafton street (where one of our favorite movies ‘Once’ was filmed). Dinner in a local pub packed with people, live music and Irish dancers. Home at 10 pm so we could all read to sleep.    Read more

  • Copenhagen
    1

    Last days in CPH

    August 16, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    We all slept in yesterday and then did some October trip planning while it rained all morning. After finally venturing out for lunch, we found a place with a lunch platter that had the local speciality - Smørrebrød (basically an open face sandwich with the primary topping being pickled herring). Joce wasn’t a fan but I enjoyed it. The platter ended up being way too much food so we decided to walk to our next destination - Green George (the only troll in the city). Our tenth and final troll of the trip, he was located in Christiana, a rough area of town that has been completed cleared out because of gang wars and is undergoing a transformation to make it liveable again. Gideon finally found a bag that he has been searching for on our last three trips and Elliot and Jocelyn found rings at a local vendor.

    From Christiana, we walked to a large pedestrian bridge and stumbled upon Broens Street Food Market. Since we had just eaten, we marked it down to return and continued into town to window shop. A little more rain came down (and with it, a rainbow) before finally heading home. We grabbed some snacks to enjoy while we watched a movie (Yes Day) before bed.

    Today, we packed up and took our luggage to storage at the Copenhagen Central Terminal, about 15 minutes away. We decided to sign up for a last minute discount escape room. We beat the Time Machine (Back to the Future themed) with 10 minutes to spare and only 1 real hint (average for the room was 6 hints). It was a good room. We then got to walk back across the bridge to have lunch at Broens. Joce and I had yummy street tacos and drinks, Elliot had pasta and boys had burgers. After the late lunch, we still had time to shop since we didn’t find any souvenirs yesterday. After shopping, we headed back to the train station (and got a picture of Tivoli which is right across the street) before boarding our short train ride to the airport (very convenient and cheap to get to the airport in this city). Hit up global blue for a refund on our sales tax before boarding our flight home. A relaxing trip with (mostly) great weather.    Read more

  • Copenhagen
    Teddy Friendly
    1Mane MorMane Mor1Runde RieOscar under the bridgeLille HildeThomasHilltop TrineSleeping Louis1

    Going on a troll hunt

    August 15, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Today was a super cool day. We rented a car for the day and Tige went and picked it up at 930 while I got the kids and picnic supplies ready. He picked us up and we headed out of the city. We hiked 9.5 miles and found 9 of Thomas Dambo’s trolls made from recycled wood. We found all of the 6 Forgotten giants, his fake 100th/101st, real 100th, and a fisherman along a massive clear blue country lake. So freaking cool. He is a Danish artist around our age and has made 139 trolls around the world, many in Denmark. His latest was one in Austin funnily enough. They were all wonderful, with incredible faces, interactive with nature and many very hidden. Most were found after a short hike, but one (my favorite) was buried deep in the forest and could only be found by solving a riddle in his book (or by googling and taking a leap into the forest). None of the paths or parking were obvious. We found Mane Mor (mama) by following birdhouses nailed to trees into the forest.

    In order that we found them: Teddy Friendly, Glade Anders, Mane Mor, Runde Rie, Lille Tilde, Oscar under the bridge, Thomas on the Mountain, Hilltop Trine, and Sleeping Louis.

    We stopped for a picnic at Runde Rie after a long hike on the ridge over the water (after a failed precarious hike along the water). Everyone has a different favorite. Tige dropped us off at an Italian spot near our place and the bigs and I ordered pasta and pizza and headed home for showers. While not excited for a second round of a 6th floor walk up tonight, G and I picked up food and met H and Tige after they took the metro back. It was nice to get out into the beautiful Danish countryside and do something a bit different today.    Read more

  • Copenhagen

    Tivoli

    August 14, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    It was pleasant to sleep in. Breakfast before walking to Tivoli, the 181 year old (anniversary happens to be tomorrow) Copenhagen amusement park. It’s not nearly as cheap as Disneyland Paris but you at least get your ride pictures for free. We started on a small coaster that was perfect for Dad and Hudson. After a laser gun shooting coaster, we did the ferris wheel and coaster #3 - no hills and fast but the circles made mom and dad dizzy. Hot dogs (the Copenhagen street food) for lunch before splitting up - mom with E and G for the biggest coaster (The Demon) while H and dad did dragon boats, bumper cars and a small drop ride. Gid and Joce did the huge drop ride (207 feet) twice. They loved it but no way anyone else was going to do it. A few more coasters later, we finished the full day with an outdoor jazz concert, final bumper cars and watching the ducks at the fish pond. After the 7 hour day (and a little motion sickness) we made our way to a local sidewalk burger joint - the 30 minute wait was well worth it. We picked up picnic supplies on the way home for our adventure tomorrow - renting a car and going on a troll hunt. Looking forward to see outside the city.Read more

  • Copenhagen
    Nyhavn
    Beet juicePollysChristiansborg PalaceNyhavnKids love Robert Wadlow - Alton, IL resident

    Copenhagen

    August 13, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    After a one day work week, we got up at 430 and quickly loaded up to make our 7am flight out of Heathrow. Copenhagen was a 90 minute flight and then a short (but packed) metro ride to our first stop, brunch at Polly’s (recommended by our Airbnb host). It was a delicious breakfast (at 1130 local time) and we grabbed a few groceries before walking the 20 minutes on the cobblestone sidewalks to our Airbnb to drop our bags (lucky that they allowed us to do that). It is a cool apartment lived in by an artist and her family and in the area of Vesterbro which has tons of restaurants and shops, but a bit less touristy. They have cool community spaces here- basketball and football courts, ping pong and tons of benches where people sit and visit and eat.

    We wandered toward the Center of town window shopping and finding all of the things that they want in the LEGO store for Christmas and met up with our free walking tour by city hall. It is Pride week here now and there was live music and vendors nearby. Claes, a Danish guy, took us on a 3 hour tour of the city. We saw important building and squares, had a crash course in Danish history, learned a few Danish words and of course learned about the food. At the break we grabbed the recommended pastries- yum! We noticed a lot of similarities with Iceland- food, the concept of hygge (cozy comfortableness, spending time with people who mean a lot to you). We knew that Greenland and the Faroe Islands are part of Denmark and I asked him about Iceland (which was part of it until 1950). We learned a little about the monarchy and their tax system. The kids enjoyed it too. Afterwards we walked around the harbour, hung out and found a place to have traditional Danish food (at least dinner food, the weird herring sandwiches will have to wait for another day.

    Tomorrow we head to the 3rd oldest amusement park in the world. Kids are stoked.
    9 mi    Read more

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