Category: Europe
Shenanigans in Dublin, Ireland
We awoke at 4:45 am to catch our flight from Edinburgh to Dublin. Security was quick and easy. My 9 year old, who was starting to get used to airport security, made me laugh as he went through the security checkpoint with his hands straight […]
The Highlands, Glencoe, and the Hunt for Nessie
While we were based in Edinburgh, one of the side trips that we wanted to take was to see the famous Loch Ness in Inverness. So instead of renting a car and attempting to drive on the opposite side of the road, we booked the […]
From Royal Palace to Castle: Edinburgh, Scotland
From Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace is approximately a one mile stroll through the heart of the Old Town of Edinburgh, referred to as The Royal Mile. These succession of streets were packed with stores, restaurants, and entertainment of all kinds. Holyrood Palace As I […]
First Impressions of Edinburgh, Scotland
Getting to Edinburgh We touched down into Edinburgh, Scotland at 10 am, after a 6:30 am flight from Iceland. Arriving in Scotland was seamless, and once we passed through customs, we followed the exit signs to the tram. At a kiosk we bought tickets, and […]
Iceland: 2 Day Travel Itinerary With Kids
TIME FRAME We had approximately 2 days to explore Iceland for the first time. We arrived on an overnight flight from Los Angeles, which landed at approximately 6 a.m. LA time, which is about 1 p.m. Iceland time. In essence, between jet lag and the time […]
Iceland’s Golden Circle: Horses, Rainbows, & Waterfalls
So, as I mentioned in my first post about Iceland, our second and only FULL day in Iceland got off to a late start, as jet lag knocked us down a bit. We set off to explore the Golden Circle, an area of Iceland that […]
Off to the Land of Fire & Ice: Iceland
We had been talking about visiting the U.K. for about 10 years, but Iceland wasn’t really on my radar. As I browsed airfare, I kept noticing that the cheapest way to get to Edinburgh was by having a layover in Reykjavik, Iceland. While this idea […]
Counting Down to Our Next Adventure
We spent 3 glorious weeks in Europe way back in 2005, which seems like a lifetime ago. That was my first trip overseas, and one of the best times of my life. At that time, we flew into Paris, spent 3 days touring the Eiffel […]
Europe Itinerary: 16 Days in France, Switzerland, & Italy
We spent 16 glorious days in Europe several years ago, visiting France, Switzerland and Italy. That was my first trip overseas, and one of the best times of my life. We flew into Paris, spent 3 days touring the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, […]
9 Reasons to Visit Italy
Day 17 – Final Day in RomeIt is no surprise to hear that Italy is a wonderful country to visit. The language barrier was a small issue, but you can usually get by speaking Spanish. They also seem more willing to speak Spanish than English. […]
Day Trip: Naples & Pompei
Day 16 – Naples & Pompei, Italy We were up at 6 today, picked up by a Trolley, which brought us literally around the block to the tour station. Had we known, we could have easily walked. What’s one block when you’ve spent more than […]
Down-time in Rome
Day 15 – Pantheon, Trevi Fountain We found ourselves with a free day in Rome, as we decided to book a day trip to Pompei for the following day. Strolling to the Pantheon, we marveled at the oldest building in Rome that has been continuously […]
Pope, Coliseum, & Roman Forum
Day 14 – Rome, Italy We got up early today, anxious to catch the Pope at his Papal blessing. We arrived with no problem at 9:45, and found seats on the aisle, easier to sneak out if necessary. It was nice and sunny when we sat […]
Final Stop: Rome, Italy
Day 12– Rome, Italy We finally arrived in Rome after spending 2 hours circling one-way streets, desperately trying to figure out where to return our rental car. We eventually found this tiny parking garage on a one-way street, about 5 blocks from the railway station. […]
Tivoli, Italy
Day 11 – Tivoli, Italy We had some fun on the way to Tivoli, laughing at the road signs. I had to draw pictures of the road signs that we saw so we could remember them. There were hilarious signs in the tunnels, showing a […]