A belated European trip thank you! and TR

[SnuggleBuggles]

Thank you to everyone who helped me plan my first trip abroad! I didn't take all of your advice- most notably we had, what I call, a "whirlwind extravaganza!" and went to 5 destinations in 2 weeks. It really suited us well, especially when it was just 3 of us (we got ds1 on the 2nd half when he finished up his European study abroad through his university). By that point in the trip, the 3 of us were in synch and had gotten really good at our schedule and transitions. Ds1 added a new dynamic but it worked out (after a rough first day together in Florence).

As a recap, we did London, Paris, the Amalfi Coast (Praiano), Florence and Rome. We had no choice but to travel during summer vacation and were fully aware that it would be hot and crowded. Ds1 met up with us in Rome.

A bit more in depth, in case anyone is interested:
Our flight got off to a really rough start with a 2.5 hour wait at the *ticket* counter to show our passports. The whole flight had to go through the line and only 2 of the scheduled 6 workers had shown up that day at British Airways. They held the flight as many of us were still in line to check in when the flight should have been departing. As we were in line, I was looking up how to buy my way out of the line (how fancy of a seat did I need to upgrade us to to get in that short premium line?) Answer- too much and it was sold out anyway. We almost upgraded just to the step above main cabin but didn't- we will never make that decision again. But, live and learn. The flight was fine (even though I could have done without the 1am dinner service ).

In London we loved our hotel, the Kimpton Fitzroy. Upon check in they say they had bad news and good news- I had booked a nice room (but not a suite) and they said the a/c wasn't working well in that room...so they upgraded us to a lovely suite. It was the perfect start to our trip. I would recommend this hotel.

We did the Tower of London, saw a show in the West End, ate some tasty food, did the British Museum, ate a meh dinner at the Sky Garden (but enjoyed the views; we knew the food would be meh too so no disappointment), walked around and saw the normal highlights and did the Warner Brothers Harry Potter tour. Loved that tour and glad my friends talked me into it. I bought tix in Feb. for a June trip and the tickets were already limited so be sure and book way, way in advance (as of now, September, all of December is sold out, for example). We used a combo of taxis (those black cabs are awesome!) and the Tube. Love that the Tube takes contactless cards for payment- so easy!

We did encounter a rail strike. We knew it was coming and were working on contingency plans as it affected our train to Paris. Somehow we got lucky enough that our train was not one of the ones cancelled (more than half were). We actually pulled out right on time. That morning, however, the Underground was also on strike so, we luckily picked a hotel less than a mile from the train station so we could walk and not depend on the Tube or taxis. It was the first strike in 20 years so no one knew what to expect!

Next up...Paris!

[SnuggleBuggles]

We took the train to Paris, which was a lovely journey. While on the train, we bought some Metro tickets since they were selling them for a fair price.

Our hotel was in the 10th along Canal St. Martin. so, way out of the typical tourist area. It Was, again, convenient to the train station. Our friend had recommended it because it was, to him, a more authentic experience tucked into a neighborhood with lots of great local eateries. I'm a sucker for all of that so I didn't even bother looking elsewhere for lodging. In hindsight, given that we just had 2 nights, I might have preferred staying somewhere more iconic. On the other hand, I did really feel like it was a unique experience especially because our visit coincided with the summer solstice music festival! We got back to our neighborhood post Eiffel Tower and other sites to find our neighborhood filled to the brim with people drinking and socializing all along the canal. I wish our hotel had told us it was happening as we thought maybe that's just what every night was like. We were so tired but we would have railled if we had known it was special. Instead, I admit to not being super in love with the drum line that performed under our window from 11pm-1am. I should have just embraced it though! ah well...hindsight.

We enjoyed a guided highlight tour of the Louvre in the morning- I would highly recommend scheduling that if it is your first visit. So much to see and hard to navigate. I had no desire to wait and see the Mona Lisa but ds2 did so we waited. After the tour we separated because we wanted to see different things. At our designated meet up time, neither of us could figure out how to get to the pyramid outside! We walked around and around and finally made it. Another woman asked me for directions and all I could tell her was how not to go.

We ate lots of wonderful food- the best being at the simple bakeries we stumbled upon. Ds2 was just as happy with the free hotel breakfast as well (baguettes with homemade jam and delicious butter or croissants). The hotel only had 12 rooms so no big, impersonal buffet.

I did love that our hotel, Le Citizen, had plenty of space for us to spread out. Ds2 had his own room attached to ours (his was like an efficiency, ours was a large suite). It worked out nicely. They hotel kept the fridge stocked with big glass bottles of cold water- a wonderful relief on some hot days!

Adding my favorite Paris moment- we were chilling on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower waiting for our timed entry when this 20 something guy showed up. I think he was going on a picnic? He might have been tasked with refreshments? To him that was 2 bottles of wine and a full sized bag of potato chips! So, so funny!

We almost skipped Paris because we really just had 1.5 days but we were so close and we wanted to know if it was somewhere we would want to return for a longer visit. Just a part of the whirlwind extravaganza!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Amalfi Coast

We left Paris and took the train to CDG airport...where we dealt with the grouchiest staff in the world. Finally encountered someone nice and helpful. We flew from Paris to Naples. Once we got off the plane they loaded us in a shuttle to get to baggage claim. I immediately realized I left my glasses on the plane. Now for the fun of the language barrier! I couldn't find an Air France counter at baggage claim but I found something marked "lost and found" and it seemed to be staffed by other airlines. They were my best and only hope. I finally relayed my problem (and eventually handed over my phone with google translate on the message) and they told me to be patient. They called the plane and no luck. I don't need, need my glasses but it sucked to lose them in the seat pocket of the plane.

The car service encountered some traffic snarls but got us to our beautiful Airbnb on the coast. It was perfection! (well, minus the ants, which I posted about at the time because I couldn't figure out what sort of review to leave- I'm sure you can find that if you look). Our host lived in the property right down the slope and she was very friendly. I did feel a bit like I was on her turf (made clear when she came onto the terrace to pick some basil) but she was not intrusive. She was helpful with answering questions and making recommendations too.

I loved Praiano and am so glad I picked it. I did go and visit Positano (one of the more famous towns) and it was so, so, so busy! Wall to wall people. Lots to do there- including gawking at the big yachts- but it wasn't my vibe. We were there to unwind. We walked everywhere intown- and built some great leg muscles and burned loads of calories! So many steps!

I opted out of the Path of the Gods hike and let dh and ds2 head off on that- it started with climbing 2000 stairs to reach the path. Me and my book were a-ok at home. I did go to the local market to get dinner items and I walked to the shore so felt like I did something (wish I had realized how easy the shuttle was- again, lots of steps!). Ds2 and dh loved the hike though!

We had a nice break from city travel for a few days. We were actually ready to head home but we still had Florence and Italy left. So, onwards!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Florence

I was tapped out of planning so I made dh make our train arrangements and he procrastinated. As a result, only fancy seats were left but they were still quite affordable. They allowed us access to the premium lounge, which was awesome! The car service could only deliver us to the train station very early so we had ample time to enjoy the lounge (and a/c, snacks, drinks, clean bathrooms, helpful attendant...). So glad we hadn't been stuck out in the main lobby where food lines were miles long and there was no a/c.

The train to Florence was nice and we had no problem getting a taxi to our next airbnb.

I can understand why people love Florence. It's small and beautiful.

Ds1 met us after his 6 weeks of study abroad so it was great to catch up with him!

After having had a full itinerary in London and Paris, I opted to take Florence more casually. Which is a mistake for my family. I learned that is just not how we roll. Playing it by ear is NOT my family's style. Again, live and learn. We want to have a plan (especially one for food). We also did a poor job adapting to the rhythms of the day- aka we were the tourists eating dinner at 6pm.

Our time in Florence was too brief but it was nice to see it!

Onto Rome!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Final stop- Rome!

We took the train (different train line and not as nice) but I love the whole train system so, so much! Why don't we have that here??

We, again, weren't as well prepared as we should have been because I was going with the whole "go with the flow" plan that resulted in us being hot, hangry and frustrated too much of the time. Or maybe that was just me.

I did like our Spanish Steps Airbnb. We had much needed space to relax. Ds1 and I needed to do some laundry and, man, was that machine confusing! But, we mastered it!

We weren't able to secure tix to the underground Colosseum tour (I woke up every hour on the hour in the middle of the night to try however many days ahead of time I was supposed to try- very frustrating). But, we did have regular admission with the arena floor so that was cool. I don't think we needed a guide at the Colosseum but I would have liked one at the Forum. I had downloaded an audio tour but we entered from a different spot and it was impossible to get synched right. And, again, because we aren't the brightest of folks, we were there during the heat of the afternoon and hot and hungry. We had planned to be there at 9am but we didn't have Colosseum entry til 5pm and weren't sure how to kill the middle of the day without returning to our apartment. So, we pressed on. I admit, ruins will never be my thing and I should have just opted out ASAP vs sticking it out. By the time we left I was a hangry grump but hopefully my people aren't scarred by that. We made it into a restaurant right before it shut down for a mid-day break. We had some delicious pizza and all was right with the world!

After that we stumbled upon a skateboarding competition and enjoyed gelato in their refreshment area.

One thing I really loved in Rome were all of the drinking fountains. Finding icy cold, delicious water everywhere was lovely!

We hit a lot of the typical sightseeing spots. We didn't eat any amazing food mostly because we were tired of going out to eat. We got great Chinese...and ate Chinese leftovers the next night!

Ds1 really wanted to add another country to his roster so we made our way to Vatican City. I had bought tickets weeks before but for the wrong day! We settled for just stepping foot on the grounds.

Ds1 and I hit up the Ice Bar because his friends had raved about it. It was brief but really fun- and it was novel to be able to drink with my teen.

I parted ways with my people as we were walking home and I realized were were passing by a department store. I'm not much of a shopper but I needed that a/c and shopping fix in more ways than I can describe! Years ago when I was 12yo and on m first visit to San Francisco, I got overwhelmed with the city and my mom took me into the (now) Westfield Mall with the spiral escalator through Nordstrom. So, malls and shops have always been my respite on trips. I understand them. I was able to buy lots of great souvenirs and I enjoyed my alone time!

We have long known that 10 days is our sweet spot. I was totally done by day 10 but rallied again and we all just had our eye on heading home. Probably not the ringing Rome endorsement one would expect but Rome was, admittedly, not a place I had been excited to go. I tried hard to be enthused and give it a chance but it's just not going to be my jam. I probably would have enjoyed it more on a quiet November day but I still think there are many other cities I want to see before returning.

Our flight home was lovely as we were upgraded (the class right behind the people with their personal pods)- and I had the bulkhead row. So much better than the main cabin to London! I know now what's worth the splurge for us!

Final thoughts
I need to eat more on these trips. Dh and I aren't in sync on when we are hungry but rather than waiting too I just need to eat- and eat all the time! We walked so, so, so many miles.

I really liked seeing so many great places in a short amount of time! I know that others want to settle in and get off the beaten path but this worked for us. I think we will do at least one more trip like it that encompasses other areas. After that we can stay awhile.

We got really good at packing efficiently! We knew how to carry our stuff to easily get through all the public transportation. Ds2 is quite the skilled traveller now!

I learned that my US apparel style is out of place in Europe. I love skorts and tank tops in the summer. Luckily I packed a few dresses and skirts as they fit the style much better. and, on that note, shorts under those were a must! On our lowest day in Florence, my chafing added to the downward spiral of the day. But, I quickly figured it out!

My favorite place was London. Dh liked the Amalfi Coast, Ds2 liked Paris the most!

Thank you all again for the help!! I really learned so much from all of you!

[georgiegirl]

Thanks for the trip report. I’m glad you had a great time. So basically more planning is better for those cities? Rome is really big and can be difficult to get around. Florence is so easy to navigate comparatively speaking. (I studied abroad in Florence.) all those European cities are difficult in the heat.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

Thanks for the trip report. I’m glad you had a great time. So basically more planning is better for those cities? Rome is really big and can be difficult to get around. Florence is so easy to navigate comparatively speaking. (I studied abroad in Florence.) all those European cities are difficult in the heat.


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More planning because we need to not wander around aimlessly. Or, forgot to check if the gardens you drag your family too are closed that day (oops!). I had kind of fizzled out on my planning energy too and hadn’t researched as much as I should have. With the exception of dh too, we aren’t into museums. I had a hard time cobbling together ideas out of typical guide books. I enjoyed just walking around Florence but the kids hated that. We finally just left them back in the apartment I also took myself to a big market while they all slept. Felt proud of myself for shopping not in English.


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[gatorsmom]

Wow, that sounds like an amazing trip and quite an adventure. It’s neat that you got to legally have a drink with your son in public. That was probably special for him too.

I’m sorry about losing your glasses, that’s a bummer. If it makes you feel any better about the grumpy people in Paris, I once asked my French boyfriend (born and raised in Alsace on the German border) why Parisians were so rude and was it only foreigners who they were snobby too? He said Parisians are rude to anyone who isn’t Parisian. They make fun of other French people as much as foreigners. So it’s not just you!

Thank you for the hotel recommendations. I’d love to get back to London and your sounds very accommodating.

[Percycat]

I'm so glad your family had a wonderful vacation. Thanks for the detailed trip reports. My boss just approved my time-off request for next summer and I am month-long work detail away from home --- one of my projects is to research lodging, tour tickets, and other reservations to start planning our trip to England next summer. I will check out hour hotel rec tonight!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm so glad your family had a wonderful vacation. Thanks for the detailed trip reports. My boss just approved my time-off request for next summer and I am month-long work detail away from home --- one of my projects is to research lodging, tour tickets, and other reservations to start planning our trip to England next summer. I will check out hour hotel rec tonight!

Happy planning!!


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