Photo Friday: Bridge in Brugge

I'd be hard-pressed to ever have to choose my favorite city in Europe, but Brugge, Belgium, would be at the very, very, very near top of my list.

Find other great travel photos at DeliciousBaby.com
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A Success Story

I am happy to report SUCCESS in the purchasing of airline tickets for my group of eleven last week!  This was no easy task.  Last week I posted about the trials and tribulations of booking airline tickets in general, not to mention for a larger group.  I concluded by saying my next step was going to be contacting a travel agent - a real live one.  Well, I never did.

Here's how it played out.  After Delta Airlines responded to my request for a group rate with a $997 fare, Continental said they had no flights to Zurich, and United Airlines quoted me a group rate of over $1,000 per person, I realized this approach was going to be no bargain.  And that $667 flight on Kayak kept reappearing, fluctuating a little bit up or down daily.  I knew I had to snag it before it was gone.  Already I was worried there wouldn't be eleven seats left.  I pleaded with both Airfare.com and Vayama to let me book my group on one reservation with one of their telephone agents, but they both said I had to book online.

If you recall my mentioning, one cannot book more than six passengers at a time online.  So hubby and I sat down, each of us with our laptops.  The Kayak flight was now up to $709 on Vayama.  Hubby typed in five names, I typed in six.  We clicked "Purchase" at the exact same time.  His transaction was confirmed, mine failed.  I panicked - I thought for sure there were no more seats available.  I tried again - fail.  I tried a third time - fail.  I had hubby typing in the other six names into his computer so he could try, since he seems to have much more luck (I call it magic juju) with anything computer-related than I do.  And sure enough, as soon as he clicked "Purchase," the reservation was confirmed.  I did a happy dance.  But not as happy as I was when I then noticed that in those few minutes between the first reservation and the second, the ticket price dropped to $648.  Have you ever heard of a $648 fare from the west coast to Europe?  I am just beside myself with happiness and relief.  Thank you, Vayama!

London Eats

Hubby and I had the brilliant idea one afternoon of grabbing a cheap lunch at McDonalds after our ride with the kids on the London Eye, but our jaws dropped when the register totaled almost £19 (about $30).  We ate our burgers and fries in shock as we realized McDonalds in many big foreign cities is not cheap!  So where can you get a reasonably priced meal that your kids will eat in London?

Fortunately, there are a few choices.  Britain is not known for its culinary delights, but for children this is probably better anyway, since I know my picky little eaters won’t eat anything fancy, unusual, or particularly seasoned.  Basic soups, cold cuts, noodles and potatoes always pass muster, and these are available in London.

On any vacation, the least expensive meal is always a grocery store.  These days so many, even in Europe, have ready-to-eat food, and sometimes it’s not even that bad!  Packaged sandwiches, individual salads, single portions of desserts are all easy on the wallet.

Here are a few stores and mini-markets in London that you might try:

•   Marks & Spencer Simply Foods

•   Sainbury's

•   Tesco Express & Tesco Metro - mini versions of the bigger Tesco grocery store

•   Boots - a drugstore with some food

If you are in the mood for a kid-friendly restaurant that’s not McDonalds, we really liked the Giraffe restaurants, a chain with several locations in London.  They have a kid’s menu with burgers, fries, chicken strips and pasta noodles for £3.95 to £4.25.  Another chain is Café Rouge and they have a kid’s menu too, plus they offer puzzles, stickers, and coloring to entertain the youngsters.  The French atmosphere here is fun, too.

My kids would never eat sushi in a million years, but if yours are a bit more adventurous than mine they might be tempted to try something at Yo Sushi in London, where the food comes around on a conveyer belt and you can grab it as it goes by.  Prices here are inexpensive.  Pret a Manger is a sandwich/wrap retail chain that prides itself on handmade foods with no additives.  It's not really a restaurant, but more of a take-out shop.

Finally, an any-time kid’s favorite is My Old Dutch, with three locations in London.  Here you can eat fresh pancakes, waffles, and poffertjes all day.  Their milkshakes and smoothies are refreshing, too.

London is expensive, but there are definitely some family-friendly budget eats available!

Family Vacation

Movie Monday: Young Sherlock Holmes

It looked encouraging last night as we began watching Young Sherlock Holmes directed by Barry Levinson.  The young friends, Holmes and Watson, attended an English boarding school and the scenery filmed at Oxford and Eton College was delightfully British.   Lovely snow-falling scenes in Victorian-era London evoked a Dickensian Christmas.  The story was light-hearted and entertaining.

Then came the horror.  The mystery Sherlock Holmes had to solve involved brutal suicides inflicted by graphic hallucinations and violent murders committed by a freaky religious cult that mummified its victims.  There's a rotting zombie cemetery scene that will probably leave ME with nightmares.  This PG-13 movie is not for the little ones, and unless your tween can handle Raiders of the Lost Ark and Harry Potter -type evil imagery, don't rent this one for family movie night.

Other Movie Monday posts:

Sound of Music

The Waltz King

Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

When in Rome

Percy Jackson & the Olympians:  The Lightning Thief

Madeline

Winning London

Hogan's Heroes

Anastasia

The Moon Spinners

Heidi

Animated Heidi

Around the World in 80 Days

National Lampoon's European Vacation

Young Sherlock Holmes

Crazy Carnivals

It's Carnival time in Europe!  I've said it before, but they really know how to celebrate over there, what with St. Nicholas Day, the Epiphany, Boxing Day, and Carnival all part of their rich and diverse annual cycle of holidays.  Also known as Carnivale, Carnaval, or Fasching, traditionally Carnival is the time to indulge before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a time for fasting and abstinence.

In some countries the official start of the festival season is 11/11 at 11:11 a.m. every year.  (This coming November, 2011, ought to be really big!)  In other regions the parties don't really get serious until closer to Ash Wednesday, like Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Carnival is said to have originated in medieval Italy, and Venice in particular has a long history of parades, fireworks, and masquerading.  Beautifully embellished masks have, in fact, become a popular souvenir from Venice.  (Ugly, scary masks and costumes, too):

Costumes and masks are for sale all year long in Venice!

From Italy, Carnival then spread to other Catholic regions such as Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany.  Today, Carnival season is a huge tourist attraction in many countries.  If you're lucky enough to find yourself in Europe this time of year, click here for a link to an extensive list of Carnival events all over the Continent.

A particular few I read about really caught my eye:

Nice - Carnival in Nice, France, can be traced back to 1294 and nowadays attracts more than a million visitors annually during the two weeks before Lent.

Ivrea - this city in the Piedmont region of Italy recreates a war scene from the Middle Ages every Carnival season called the Battle of the Oranges, where citizens pelt one another on foot, horseback, and carriages with oranges and other citrus fruits.  This one gets my vote for the best Carnival entertainment for the whole family.

Nadur - Nadur is a small town on the island of Gozo, a Maltese island in the Mediterranean.  You may not want to attend their Carnival celebrations with children, since their party theme seems to be a bit more off-color.  The most common street costumes includes cross-dressers and scarcely clad political figures and clergy folk.

Tyrnavos - And I would say you definitely don't want to take your children of any age to Tyrnavos, in the Thessaly region of Greece, where Lent incites the locals to hold their annual Phallus Festival.  This gaudy spectacle includes music, dancing, food and drink, and, you guessed it, parades of enormous wooden and paper-maché phalluses (and yes, I learned today that an alternate acceptable plural is phalli).  What the female partiers there do after several shots of tsipouro (Greek grappa) and ouzo is probably not something you want to have to explain to your kids!

Family Vacation

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Photo Friday: Serenade in Budapest

This cute little violinist and his band at Mátyás Pince Restaurant in Budapest made our dinner there so memorable!  He smiled so sweetly the whole time and serenaded us at our table.  Besides having great food, Mátyás Pince, near the Danube, has been entertaining guests with enchanting gypsy music for over 40 years!

This is a Photo Friday entry for DeliciousBaby.com
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It'll Cost Ya

The Trials and Tribulations of Booking Airline Tickets

Searching for airfare is always so nerve-racking.  Yes, I love it (you see, my blog header says I love planning trips, which I do!) but the whole airfare system is just so confounding and often demoralizing!  Just when you think you found the perfect flight at the perfect price - poof! - it's gone with the next click of your mouse.

This week I began my very first search for group airfare.  The biggest group I've ever booked for a flight is my family of four, and that doesn't qualify.  A group, in the travel world, is more than ten.  My eight Girl Scouts plus the three adults going to Switzerland in December make eleven.

So I started with a basic google search for fares on kayak.com and just about flipped when I found a roundtrip ticket for under $700 (we're flying from the west coast.)  I wanted to jump on it, to scream and rejoice, but was it too early in the game?  I'd hardly done enough research yet!  And I certainly couldn't charge the whole thing to my credit card without collecting from the travelers first!  With my heart racing, I quickly input my search on Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, and CheapTickets.  No comparable fares.  I tried American Airlines, United Airlines, Swiss Air, Lufthansa, Virgin, Delta, and British Airways.  No luck.  Not a single ticket under $800.

The low price flight that I wanted was only available on Vayama and Airfare.com, and I'd never heard of these on-line services before.  They are what are known as international travel discounters, and they sell regular published fares, their own negotiated fares, and consolidator inventory.  Sounds great, until you google them and find some scary references to scams and lawsuits.  But I read Nancy's advice at The Wanderkind - a trusty blog - and she convinced me these sites were okay as long as you read the fine print.

So I tried to book on Vayama and Airfare.com, but they only allow you to book a maximum of six tickets at a time.  When I phoned them (after being on hold with Vayama for 22 minutes), both agencies told me I should book two reservations on-line:  one for six people and another for five.  I told them I was afraid that I'd book the first one and then when I attempted the second, there'd be no more seat availability.  Yes, yes, that's likely, they both replied.  "But for only $50 you can then cancel the first reservation!"  No go.  Our little Girl Scout troop is strapped enough without having to pay fees.

My next step was to appeal directly to the airlines.  Every airline has an on-line form where you can request a quote for your group of more than ten people.  I assumed the purpose was to offer groups a better deal, a discount.  NOT!!!  Delta responded with a price of $997 per ticket plus a $25 ticketing fee, per ticket.  Continental replied they don't have service to my requested area.  (Strange, since flights to Zurich are offered on their website.)  I'm still waiting for responses from the other airlines, but I'm not holding my breath.

I'm going to try a local travel agent tomorrow (a real live person) but I haven't received competitive airfare quotes from a travel agent in years.  I'm sure I'll be whining posting about that next week.  Stay tuned.

Euro Disneyland

Zoos and marine life parks are always a family option in bigger cities.  Four of the top ten rated zoos in the world are in Europe:  Basel Zoo, Switzerland; Beauval Zoo, France; Berlin Zoological Garden, Germany; and Schonbrunner Zoo, Austria.  Genoa (Italy), Scotland and London have world renowned aquariums.  Since zoos and aquariums are plentiful in North America, however, we don’t find them uniquely European and haven’t spent too much time visiting them.  (Just our opinion.) On the other hand, my husband and I were interested some years ago in checking out Disneyland Paris, owned and operated by Euro Disney.  We’re Disney regulars, so we were truly curious how the Euro park would compare to its U.S. counterparts.  We were especially curious to see how the French, and other Europeans, reacted to this American cultural invasion of Europe - no less such an insular country as France. 

The two major differences we noticed were queuing and eating, i.e.:  1) an entirely different queuing etiquette, and 2) sack lunches.  Even with Disney’s masterfully designed, snaking lines and elaborate holding areas, people of Mediterranean culture still seem to have an aversion to queuing etiquette.  Unable to leave even the tiniest space between their bodies and the guests in front of them (ours, for example), they also attempted at every opportunity to squeeze in front of us.  If the chained stanchion guiding the line broadened even the slightest bit, whole families, children included, would charge past us without an apology.  Just sayin’ it’s important to know this and not become agitated about this difference in cultures.

The second unusual thing we noticed was how no one seemed to be eating at the park restaurants or eateries.  Families would seat themselves on a bench or on a grassy spot and pull the most amazing full-spread meals out of their handbags!  Whole baguettes, cheese wheels, assortments of spreads and meats.  Full bottles of wine and mineral water with glassware and utensils!  We couldn’t believe it.  Now this was only a few years after Euro Disney opened up.  I understand it’s changed since then.  Nowadays there are McDonalds, Planet Hollywood and the Rainforest Café at the park and many of the Europeans have adopted to fully embracing their American experience.

Only a short RER train ride from Paris, Euro Disneyland is an easy day trip from the city.  Make sure it’s a long day though, because the park is very expensive and you will want to get your money’s worth.  Whether or not you should go with children under 6 depends, of course, on the temperament of the child, but large crowds, long lines, and height restrictions on rides can dispirit even the most good-natured youngster.  Disneyland Paris is definitely a dream destination for 8 to 12 year olds, and most teenagers still love the magic, whether they admit it or not.

The park’s most popular attractions are Space Mountain, Indiana Jones: Temple of Doom (it’s called “Le Temple du Peril” – love that!), It’s a Small World, and Pirates of the Caribbean.  They also have Big Thunder Mountain and the Haunted Mansion (called “Phantom Manor.”)  And, to leave you in suspense, there are also nine attractions found only at Disneyland Paris.

There are books and blogs and websites galore packed with information and tips about the Disney resorts.  They are helpful and worth browsing before you go.  The most useful tip, I think, for families with young children (which I know many Disney regulars aren't even aware of!) is the baby swap, or parent-child relay.  This is advantageous when both parents want to ride an attraction for which their child, or children, are too small.  For example, let's say a family wants to ride the Phantom Manor, but it is too frightening for their toddler.  The whole family should stand in line together, and when they reach the front they should advise the attendant that they are doing a child relay.  The attendant will then dispatch one parent to ride the ride while the other waits with the toddler, and when the first parent disembarks, he or she then takes the child while the other then immediately rides the ride.  Get it?  The beauty is that they don't have to wait in line twice!  And that's what Disneyland really is all about - avoiding lines.

In summary, we've never been to any Disney Park that didn't live up to its motto of "The Happiest Place on Earth."  Euro Disneyland was no exception!

Movie Monday: Around the World in 80 Days

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To Europe With Kids presents Movie Monday as a weekly feature to recommend films that might expose children and their families to any small bit of European history, folklore, scenery, or animated imagery as entertainment, perhaps new knowledge, or just a couple of hours of electronic babysitting.

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The original 1956 film adaption of Jules Verne’s novel, Around the World in 80 Days, is a great family night movie for kids of all ages!  This adventure starring David Niven, takes his character, Phileas Fogg, on trains, steamships, taxis, and a hot air balloon all around the world.  Children will be introduced to European culture, such as the bullfight filmed in Madrid; locations such as Gare du Nord in Paris and Hyde Park in London; and other scenes filmed in Spain, Paris, and London - not to mention India, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Pakistan.

There is a 2004 remake starring Jackie Chan and Steve Coogan which I haven't seen.  It's rated PG.  It's probably really good too, I don't know, but we just like to watch the old classics once in awhile with the kids!

Other Movie Monday posts:

Sound of Music

The Waltz King

Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

When in Rome

Percy Jackson & the Olympians:  The Lightning Thief

Madeline

Hogan's Heroes

The Moon Spinners

Heidi

Animated Heidi

Anastasia

National Lampoon's European Vacation

Young Sherlock Holmes

A Room With a Garden in Venice

A private garden is a precious place of refuge in a crowded, foreign city, and that’s why the Pensione Accademia Villa Maravege with its lush, relaxing courtyard oasis, is the perfect accommodation for your family with children in Venice, Italy.

We stayed at this lovely hotel a few years ago and had the Junior Suite, which includes the exceptional feature of double front doors that open up to a shady brick patio.





Just beyond the patio is the well-maintained interior garden where your kids can get some fresh air and play time.

Since the hotel is centrally located - only a fifteen minute walk from St. Mark’s Square - it is marvelously convenient to retreat to the garden several times a day as a break from sightseeing.

The Pensione Accademia is on a quiet corner overlooking the Grand Canal.  Its elegant building was originally a family residence in the 17th century but became a hotel in 1950.  The lobby and rooms are furnished with rich antiques and several have beautiful views out over the canal.  There are double rooms, superior doubles, and the Junior Suite, which we loved.  My husband and I had our own separate bedroom and the kids slept together in the large pull-out sofabed in the living room.  Every room has a private bath, a refrigerator, and air-conditioning (A/C is always at the top of hubby’s list of essentials.)

A full buffet breakfast is included and is served in the front patio garden in the summertime.  A breakfast buffet is a must for us when we travel.  We all try to stuff ourselves in the hope of then managing a light, inexpensive lunch.  I myself can usually get by with a piece or two of fruit for lunch (plus, of course, a late afternoon gelato.)

The area surrounding the Pensione Accademia, known as the Dorsoduro district, has a lot to offer.  There are great little shops, bakeries, and piazzas to explore behind the villa.  And right opposite the canal from the hotel is an affordable family restaurant, too, called Ristorante SanTrovaso.  My son loved his personal size pizza and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed her bowl of spaghetti noodles (sans sauce, like every good picky eater.)

The restaurant is comfortable and the food and wine prices really are quite reasonable compared to other Venetian restaurants.

The concierge and reception at the hotel were kind and professional.  I don't know if they do this for all their guests who inquire about Murano, but they ordered us a free water taxi to the glass island.  I felt like Jackie O, cruising across the lagoon in our private water limo with leather interiors.  The kids didn't get it ("Jackie who?") but really liked the boat ride.

Now yes, of course, the hotel is in cahoots with the Murano glass factories, as the taxi pulls right up to one of the factory entrances, but we weren't met by any solicitors luring us inside.  We went inside because we wanted to tour the place, and we didn't feel any particular pressure to purchase anything from the gift shop, either.  I know other tourists have had different experiences, but ours was quite pleasant.

Pensione Accademia is not a budget hotel.  Although hotels in Venice are pretty expensive in general, there are budget accommodations available.  But if you're interested in having a Venetian villa experience, with a charming, restful garden, the Junior Suite at the Accademia runs between 200€ and 325€ per night, depending on the season.  It's absolutely delightful for families.

Photo Friday: Antwerp in Replicate

2010

1966

So, I had this idea while in Antwerp with my kids

 to replicate a photo my dad had taken of my mom, brother, and me in 1966.  We are in front of the World War Memorial at the Stadspark in Antwerp, Belgium.  My brother and I are just toddlers, though, in the lower photo.  My daughter and son are 14 and 11 in the other.  (And my mom's the one
with the beehive.)

Check out more travel photos at DeliciousBaby.com.

Grazie, CB!

Hope you don’t mind if I toot my own horn here for a moment.  Yesterday my first guest post was published on www.CiaoBambino.com!  Now those of you who aren’t quite as obsessed as I am with the family-travel-blogging-world may not know that Ciao Bambino!™ is a leading on-line guide to family-friendly travel.  It is a winner of the TripBase Best Family Travel Blog Award for 2009 and a winner of the iParenting Media Greatest Products of 2008 Award.  The founder of Ciao Bambino!, Amie O’Shaughnessy, has been featured on Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, the LA Times, Travel & Leisure, and many other popular travel publications.

So it was a thrill for me to see my article appear on Amie's great website yesterday!  I wrote about fun things to do with kids in southern Bavaria, Germany.  Here is the link to my story, in case you want to read about crazy King Ludwig’s three magnificent castles, summer sledding in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the Spirit Gorge in Mittenwald.  Lots of great times to be had in Bavaria!

On a Bike in Kinderdijk - Part II

Yesterday I posted about the destination, and today I would like to recount the fun we had getting there!  My husband, two kids and I traveled to the gorgeous countryside of Kinderdijk in The Netherlands last summer by bicycle from Rotterdam.  We had taken a practice ride a few days before, around Gouda, just to see how we liked the Dutch rental bikes and also to test our comprehension of the extensive Dutch network of fietspaden (bicycle paths).  Our circumspection wasn’t necessary, however, because there’s not much Holland does better than cycling.  Their rental bikes are modern and new, and the cycleways are numbered and mapped and physically separated from vehicle traffic with their own traffic lights and directional signs.

So the morning of our day trip to Kinderdijk I packed lunch, some snacks, and our rain jackets, and we hopped on the train from Delft, where we were staying, to Rotterdam.  That very comfortable ride cost only 6.10€ per person.  Just behind Rotterdam Central Station is a bike rental shop, and here we were outfitted with our 18-gear bikes by very friendly clerks who adjusted the seats and handlebars to our liking, all the while speaking perfect English, of course.  The bikes were 7€ per person for the whole day.  

Resourceful hubby had already mapped out the entire route on one of Holland's many bike route planning websites.  He had gone over it beforehand with the kids to engage their sense of authority (and to enlist their keen observation skills in case he messed up, no doubt.)  And then we were off.

Erasmus Bridge, Rotterdam

I have to admit, getting through the busy city streets of Rotterdam was perhaps the only time I was slightly nervous about my children on their bikes, but as soon as we crossed the Erasmus Bridge over the New Meuse River, the bike path completely diverted from the road and I altogether relaxed.  The riding was effortless - Holland is so flat that practically the only time there's any climb at all is going across an overpass.

There was one brief cloudburst in the morning, but we just pulled over and waited it out:

Continuing on, eventually we came to the village of Slikkerveer, where we boarded a ferry with our bikes:  

A quick jaunt across the river Noord and the first stop was Kinderdijk, where we disembarked.  A minute or two more on our bicycles and we found ourselves on the beautiful two mile stretch of levy with the largest concentration of old windmills in The Netherlands.

The Kodak moments in this town are endless.  We had crisp blue skies, billowy white clouds, and four cameras.  Not a single one of the 19 windmills went unphotographed.  One of the mills is open to tourists every day in the summer months, and we ventured inside.  The mechanics and inner workings are fascinating (and worth photographing, too!)

Fortunately my pre-trip research had advised me that there are no restaurants or snack vendors in Kinderdijk, so we had come prepared with our packed lunch of sandwiches, fruit, and stroopwafels.  What a memorable picnic it was:

By late afternoon, it was time to head back.  We didn't return the way we came.  We rode south, along the Noord River a little over two miles, to the town of Alblasserdam.  There at the wharf we boarded the waterbus with our bicycles.  Waterbus Route 1 travels every half hour from Dordrecht to Rotterdam and vice versa, with several stops along the way.  The ride is only 2.50€ for adults and 1.50€ for children.  The waterbus can carry about 130 passengers and 60 bicycles.

After a scenic and restful river ride we came ashore again in Rotterdam, where our tired legs managed to pedal us back to the station bicycle shop to return our rentals.  And that was the end of a very inexpensive, physically active, wonderfully memorable family day!