Chatsworth

The other weekend while Laura Puckett was here visiting, we took a long weekend trip to Chatsworth in the Peak District, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. On Sunday when we got there, we caught the tail end of a gourmet food fair.

We toured the house and then proceeded to get lost in the maze they have in the garden. Very tricky! They also had a farmyard. I loved it. A lot. It made me want to move to the country and have sheep, pigs, cows, chickens, and goats.

Meet Gladys. She was heavily pregnant.

We loved the lambs.

Sweet piglets living next door to Gladys.

So cute! They were jumping around and frolicking. Actually frolicking.

This guy kept trying to get out of his fence. If you walked over there and paid any attention to him at all, he was up on 2 legs. He also was very good at posing for pictures.

Chatsworth was a fantastic family-friendly weekend trip, only 2 1/2 hours north from Central London. Besides touring the house, garden, and playing in the farmyard and adventure playground, you can just hangout on the grounds for free. The gorgeous hilly fields complete with a herd of deer would be perfect for a picnic. It was the perfect last weekend trip out of London.

Warwick Castle

On our way home from Stratford-Upon-Avon, we stopped by Warwick Castle. It is owned by Madame Tussaud's company so it is, of course, a bit cheesy. But I don't think there is a more kid-friendly castle than this one! We got there at the end of the day so we missed a lot of the activities, but there seemed to be lots to do and see, not to mention just looking at the gorgeous countryside around it. It was a nice day out from London, and I would recommend it to anyone with little knights or princesses!

Here is Wiley trying out a sword borrowed from one of the knights.

The view from the top of the Castle. Wil and Wiley climbed this while I staked out our seats for the knight fight. Apparently, as soon as they started climbing past the first tower (and it's one-way), Wiley had to go to the bathroom, so they had to climb and run quickly through the rest of it. Why does it always happen that a potty is needed when you are in the middle of climbing a very old castle?

Just practicing shooting an arrow!

Wiley said his favorite thing we did that day was shooting the bow and arrow. He did pretty well too!

Family picture looking at the back of the castle.

I believe this is after Wiley had recovered from being told that the large vulture-like bird who was not in a cage but merely tethered to a stump (There was a birds of prey area.) liked to eat little boys like him. His sweet father told him this little tale that sent him into hysterics after a long day out. Ah, life with boys, I guess. But here are my sweet (and mischievous) boys.

Bruges

We visited Bruges, Belgium this past weekend. It was a quick, one night/two day trip, which was the perfect amount of time. We had a wonderful time. We heard from friends who studied abroad that Bruges with its canals, rivaled Venice. That seemed pretty bold, and we'll see in a few weeks how they compare, but Bruges truly was a beautiful town. Outside of Brussels, it was an easy train ride away and could easily be paired with a trip to Brussels. Its beauty is perhaps more understated and natural than anything else.

We rode our bikes that the hotel (Hotel Adornes) provided the first afternoon/night and all the second day. It was definitely the quickest and easiest way to go, as cobblestones aren't particularly fun with a stroller. They were bumpy with a bike, but at least you have speed! I felt like I could have taken pictures of everything. And I sort of did. But even as I was snapping away, I thought, these pictures will not do this town justice. I thought of so many of you who I wished could have been there to experience it with us!

Literally, every street looks like this. Cobblestones, beautiful wood doors, old brick, bicycles parked outside. Many, many of the homes had leaded glass windows. Ahh. Perhaps it was the old architecture, windows, bricks and the warms colors that I liked so much...I wished I had someone who knew about architecture to explain the steeped gables and iron supports to me.

Octagonal Belfry...a landmark of Bruges

On a bridge, statue of Jan Van Eyck is behind them

Dr. Evil: It's a Belgian Dip. (Please note that there are 2 spoons, and I was not eating the Belgian waffle on my own. Thank you very much. And I realize this is not cute. But I think my sister would appreciate this.)

Biking down cobblestone streets!

Beautiful.

Can you imagine having a little desk in that window that juts out over the canal?

Although definitely a place popular with tourists, it somehow did not feel overwhelming in the way London does with all the tourists. I definitely did not want to hang out in the Markt very long, but once away from there on our bikes, exploring the random streets in search of Belgian waffles and chocolate, it felt as if we had the city to ourselves. We had dinner Saturday night at a fondue restaurant, which was very popular with Wiley for obvious reasons. It was one of those nights that seems a bit magical, a bit surreal. Biking home that night with the canals reflecting the lights of the homes and the bridges, adding a golden hue to the water, I hated to end our bike ride home. I think I could have followed my boys on their bike for hours around Bruges that night.

Needless to say, Bruges is definitely a must-see if you are over in Europe for an extended amount of time. It is unexpected and humble beauty. It is so much chocolate that you might never have any again. It is water and warm colors. It is a funny boat ride down a canal, packed like sardines into a little boat with a man who when he speaks English, you don't recognize your own language. It is croquettes, mussels, and "famous" french fries. It is a perfect excuse to have a hot chocolate at least once a day.

Yes. I heart Bruges.

Henley on Thames

Last Friday, Wil surprised me with a trip to Henley on Thames for the night. His Dad was in town, so he was able to keep Wiley. (Thanks!) It was our first time to really be alone for an extended amount of time without Wiley since we left the States. I felt like I was forgetting something, well really, someone, for all of the train ride there!

He wouldn't tell me where we were going until we got to Paddington Station and got on our train. I definitely overpacked, but what can you do when you have no idea what you need to be prepared for! Henley on Thames was so picturesque and nice. I don't think it is as rural as the Cotswolds might be, but it definitely had a small village (they actually call small towns villages.) feel which was so refreshing. We had a delicious dinner at a Spanish tapas restaurant, and we stayed at the Red Lion Hotel with a view of the Thames. We saw crew teams practicing in the morning. I should have taken a picture, but I didn't do a good job of that on our getaway. The hotel has a lot of history and a lot of antiques.

Old leather chair. I think I could live with this one.

They must have known we were American...These walls reminded me of our flag. I walked in and thought it was a bit loud and bold. Then, I thought, I wonder if this will be cute maybe in a lake house. However, when I woke up in the middle of the night and saw the walls, I decided they made me dizzy. So, maybe don't do bold red stripes in view of your bed.

View of Henley on Thames, after having a Starbucks and chocolate croissant. This is before our massages!

It was so much fun just to walk around the shops there. I found a fabulous Mulberry purse and a Theory sweater, but alas, they weren't giving those away that day. I liked the quirky antiques shop that felt like we were walking in someone's grandparents' attic. We found a little print of Henley on Thames and its bridge at an art shop, and while the town may be very simple, it will be a reminder to me of how refreshing that trip was. And how thankful I am that I have such a thoughtful husband!

Travel Notes: Easy train ride from London; We should have checked our return train times because we missed one train by 10 minutes and had to wait another 45 for the next one; Henley on Thames is host to the Royal Regatta in July (for rowing), and I really hope to get down there and see it; it seems like it would be so lovely to walk along the river in the warmer months; did not feel touristy, seemed like it would be very family friendly as we saw tons of local families. We spent one night there and most of Saturday, and I think that was a perfect amount of time. Wonderful town!

Vienna: Part 3

Next, the Griswolds eat through Vienna. I had heard that the sweets in Vienna were very good, and sure enough they did not disappoint. We found a very delicious shop with amazing truffles in all different kinds of flavors. Wil preferred the rum and chocolate, and I preferred the Bailey's and chocolate. Wiley liked them all!

One afternoon, we went to Demel, a famous sweets shop that has one variety of the Sacher Torte (the other one is at the Sacher Hotel). We had coffee and a slice of the almond chocolate cake to share. It was amazing. I wish I could have tried all of these cakes, torte, and pastries! You could also watch the pastry chefs at work in the kitchen. Wiley loved this and was upset when it was time to leave.

I thought the packaging was cute!

Yum!

Eating out with a small child is not very much fun. Especially when you don't speak the language. After our first night of eating out (yes, we had weiner schnitzel. no, i don't want any more weiner schnitzel for a long time.) being an exhausting experience that not only was expensive but unenjoyable (we even took Wiley to McDonalds before so we wouldn't have to buy him food he wouldn't eat half of), we were pretty much of the belief that traveling with a small child is not a good idea. The next day was much better and renewed our faith in travel, but we were still tired and cold at the end of the day. So, once we got to our hotel, I was not keen on leaving, nor did I want schnitzel. Sweet Wil went out in the cold and brought back pizza for Wiley and two doner kabobs for us! He also got 3 Sacher Tortes for us to sample! We were very happy with our affordable meal inside our warm hotel room where Wiley can wiggle and be loud.

The famous Sacher Torte

Dinner is served!

In case you travel to Vienna, we stayed at the Kaiserin Elisabeth which was very centrally located. We were able to walk to all the main sights (except Schonbrunn), the room was comfortable, the staff helpful, and the included breakfast was great. There were some pretty famous people who stayed here including Mozart!

And that is all I got for you on Vienna! My takeaway travel tip: Don't go in the winter.

Vienna: Part 2

Here are a few nighttime shots of our time in Vienna. St. Stephens is first, then mystery building (we weren't sure what it was, but it had an ice skating rink in front of it), then part of the Hofburg.

We toured the Treasury, home to the Austrian Crown Jewels. Now that was very impressive! I think that when Disney came up with their princess/prince and queen/king stories, they went to Vienna and saw the clothes that the Hapsburgs wore. They look just like what you have always pictured a royal person wearing.

This is supposedly a nail that was used to nail Jesus Christ to the cross. Interesting thought, but of course you never know. We decided that if there was much truth to this, that it would not be in Vienna, in a little museum, and in a not-so-prominently displayed area. Apparently the Hapsburgs were very religious folks (Catholic), and so relics like this would have been really important. There were loads of crosses, crucifixes, etc. in this room as well.

The family tree of Hapsburgs. Engraved on those little ovals were little pictures of them (I think). I liked this piece the best!

Dear Franz Joseph, having the year encrusted with diamonds is a little much don't you think? Tacky, with a capital T. This was the first bling to inspire that of 50 cent (see below).

And check out this massive emerald! It's a little trinket box. It had an actual term/name/purpose, but of course, I can't remember so I will call it an emerald trinket box. Sorry Franz.

We also saw the Imperial Apartments and the Sisi Museum at the Hofburg. Those were really great, and we both wished we had more time to read everything there. Of course, we probably did as much as we could with Wiley in tow. The Imperial Apartments were much better than those at the Schonbrunn, and included those of Sisi and her husband Franz Joseph I.

So, let's talk about Sisi. Her real name was Elisabeth, and she was a bit of a diva. Although, Wil decided in the museum dedicated to her, that she was really more of a hippie. Her clothing did not really give that "hippie" vibe, but I think he meant a hippie in that she was pretty revolutionary in her actions as an empress and quite liked the freedom that she lost when she became empress.

She had hair to her ankles that she was quite proud of, and she would spend hours brushing it. Well, someone else brushed it, while she practiced her languages. She also was quite a fanatic about her size, and obsessed about her diet and exercise. We saw the dressing room where her exercise equipment was (2 rings hanging from door, some contraption that I don't know what she did with it, and what looked like a chin-up bar) along with her massage table because you know, Sisi loved a massage after her workout. Who doesn't? I earlier had read/heard on the audio guide that she often did not have family meals because she did not eat very much. Apparently there are a lot of myths about this lady, so maybe that is an exaggeration. I will say she did have a 20 inch waist. It was really interesting to hear about her life. It was quite touched by tragedy, and she never seemed to be very content. So, while she might have been portrayed as a diva, I think I might side with my very insightful husband and agree that after all she was a bit of a hippie, a free-spirit, who wasn't quite cut out for the strict court life.

And that is your history lesson for the day.

Next up: the Griswolds eat their way through Vienna or Vienna is home to lots of yummy desserts. (As if you want to hear more about Vienna!)

Vienna: Part 1

We are back from Vienna! Also known as Wien. Boy, was it cold! -12 degrees celsius.While we were at the market we were stopped by a nice German woman who thought there was something wrong with Wiley. That's how he looked. His face was wrapped up in a scarf and his head was on his chest. That is how he rolls. Did I mention that we got up at 4:30 a.m? I can assure you, he had a breathing slit by his nose, and if you were that little and tired, you would look like that too.

To market, to market.

We also went to Schonnbrunn Palace, the summer palace of the Hapsburgs. We saw the Imperial Rooms, and then headed to the zoo. The Imperial Rooms were okay, but not nearly as impressive as those of Windsor Castle. I think it'd be okay to skip those if you didn't have enough time. You will want LOTS of time at the oldest zoo, also located at the Schonnbrunn because it was fantastic!!

Oh, hey little monkey running free in the monkey house. Can you see him?

Cheetah. Very skinny. Very fast.

Um, yeah. So this was not taken with zoom. He was that close.

Yeah. I was terrified. A piece of glass separated us from 3 pacing tigers. We have like 20 shots of these (thanks Wil). Those tigers are huge, and you could just see the power. We later watched them devouring raw meat. I kid you not. They were hungry, hence the pacing earlier. Therefore, I backed up when they came close to the glass where we were standing.

Hungry Hippos. They had an indoor pool (well, their whole house was indoors, at least during the winter) and if they had gone for a swim, you seriously could have touched one. Not that you would want to, but still. Scary/Awesome. I might add that if you've seen Madagascar, you can appreciate how good of a job Pixar did of the hippo character. I kept thinking of her and how sassy and diva-like she was while watching these guys. While these hippos may or may not have been sassy, physically, the animation was spot on. We saw these at the beginning, and then came back right before we left.

Sweet Cuddly Pandas. That is what I wanted to be doing.

We also laughed really hard at the penguins who looked so funny waddling and shaking their heads. We caught a sea lion show that despite a language barrier a Viennese mom had told us about at lunch (international language of mommy-ese) that showcased a large alpha seal who kept taking smaller sea lion's fish. I've never seen so many animals, so active in one day. Maybe it was because they were mostly inside being warm, and we were outside freezing. Maybe it is because they reminded me of the Madagascar movie, and they enjoyed putting on a show for the visitors. Either way: that was an awesome zoo.

No, it didn't snow while we were there. Yes, it was that cold.

(Garden at Schonbrunn)

Coming up next: The Hapsburgs in Vienna: their bling and their famous queen.