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A Week in Little Lenggries

When deciding what to do after our Italian tour, we remembered that our friend from Colorado moved to Lenggries, Germany (about an hour south of Munich) with his family. They generously offered their home to us, so we decided to have ourselves a small town, German experience. Here’s a glimpse of our week there!
Day 1 – German Sport Class. On average, 12 kiddos and their parents attend what we think of as PE on steroids, once a week. After a casual warm-up of running sprints, we played a very interesting form of dodgeball mixed with basketball. You try to throw a stability ball into a box to score a point while the other team tries to throw medicine balls at the stability ball to keep it from getting in the box. Now, one might think this sounds fun, but Lindsay’s eyes were wide the whole time waiting for an injury – her background is in recreation and this is nothing like the games that are allowed in the US. It was organized chaos at it’s finest.
Day 2 – We took a walk around the town. Our friend pointed out some great shops, bakeries, and restaurants and even taught us how to order a few things in German since no one really speaks English in Lenggries. From there, we headed to the kids school where we helped teach English. We told the story of the Christmas tree and had the students answer questions in English. When the kids got home from school, they proceeded to make us puzzles out of paper and they put on a play for us as well! So fun!
Day 3 – We drove up to the Bad Tölz Christmas market, a German tradition! We loved seeing a smaller, less touristy version of the Christmas markets. So charming and fun!
Day 4 – Our friends left Germany to go back to Colorado for Christmas. We borrowed their bikes and rode around town until we found a snow covered bike path the on Isar river. Not easy to maneuver without snow tires. We made the best of it and found a beautiful spot by the river and set up our Madera hammock for some R&R.
Day 5 – We spent Christmas day inside cooking, relaxing, and working. In the evening, Lenggries had a fire pit and Glühwein for the town, so we decided to check it out. It’s not a German Christmas without the Glühwein!
Day 6 – We took the train up to Munich for the day to explore. We found the big Munich Christmas market, which is definitely a site to see! After the market, we hopped over to the ice skating rink and had a delicious bratwurst and bier! After that, the rain came, so we decided to see the new Star Wars movie at Mathäser, which luckily had the English version! *Note – the Munich train station has inexpensive luggage lockers, so you don’t have to lug bags around in between trains.
*A final note – the train to Lenggries from Munich splits into two separate trains. Make sure you get on the right one, otherwise you’ll be headed to several other small towns that don’t speak English. If you speak German, you’ll be fine. We, however, do not speak German, so this gave us slight anxiety on our way. Thankfully, we picked the right train car!
Germany is magical this time of year and full of yummy food! We hope you get to visit one day! We can’t wait to go back and see more! Prost!
Enjoy the ride,
Justin and Lindsay
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beyondBeanie

AWESOME NEWS!

We have teamed up with beyondBeanie – a social fashion brand that combines fashion with solidarity to help change lives. Every time you purchase an item from us, you are empowering an artisan and helping a child in need.

You are also supporting the work of a talented artisan in Bolivia who proudly hand-signs her creation and whom you can meet and greet through our website or even in person if you ever travel to Bolivia.

At the present time, beyondBeanie is collaborating with 23 artisans from El Alto, La Paz and Cochabamba, who have the privilege of working from home which allows them to earn a living without having to disattend their children and families.

CLICK HERE to start shopping and helping out kiddos in need!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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3 Days in Venice

Venice, or Venezia, is one of the most unique and charming places we visited in Italy. We also think we got lucky going in the winter when it’s not tourist season. Here is our 3 day itinerary for this floating city!

Day 1

First off, our hotel was incredible. Hotel Casa Nicolò Priuli is a 4-star place that we got 60% off thanks to our travel membership. We actually saved more than we paid for the entire stay.

Do yourself a favor and take a boat tour with Alilaguna to Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Murano is famous for glass – and we aren’t talking windows or mirrors. We are talking true art masterpieces.  We were able to witness an expert glass blower make a beautiful blue and silver horse. Truly a mesmerizing art. Burano is famous for lace and these amazing, colorful houses. Perfect spot to take photos for the Gram. Torcello is a tiny island with old ruins, quaint little shops, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to hear the church choir singing.

Day 2

We roamed through the alley ways until we found Piazza San Marco or St. Mark’s Square. You’ll find one of Italy’s most beautiful churches (it’s on most top lists) and a hell of a lot of pigeons. Justin loved playing with them, Lindsay was not impressed.

From the Square, we wandered over to Dal Maro. This is literally the best pasta, aside from the homemade meal we had in Imperia with Lindsay’s family. Dal Maro is literally just a kitchen and a counter top, where maybe 10 people can stand inside. The line in usually down the block, which is how you know you’re in the right place. All the pasta comes in Chinese take out boxes. It’s so fresh, so delicious, and so necessary when in Venice.

Obviously, the major thing people do is take a gondola ride. While we find the attraction overpriced (about $80 per person), it’s a Venice staple. And if you get a good guide, you might learn some things about the city as well. We learned that Venice has 118 islands, 400 bridges, and 150 canals and our guide floated us past Marco Polo and Casanova’s houses. If you’re on the trip with a significant other, it’s good luck to smooch under any of the bridges.

We love live music, so we were delighted when we found Bàcaro jazz bar that has a killer happy hour from 4-6pm. BOGO on drinks! The Venice jazz club was also an amazing find. As if we didn’t have enough pasta this day, 30 Euros each gets you a pasta dinner, bottle of wine, and live jazz music. Totally worth it, if you can find it. The club isn’t well marked and we walked past it about 3 times before realizing it!

Day 3

We visited the Da Vinci Museum for only about $9 US. This interactive museum houses several of Da Vinci’s creations that you can physically play with. We tried our hand at building a bridge using one of his architectural techniques with much success!

From there, we set out to find the famous giant hands sculpture called “Support”, created by artist Lorenzo Quinn. The human hands appear to prop up a historic hotel from falling into the water, symbolizing the threat that climate change has on history, but also the power that mankind has to stop it.

Someone we met the first day on our day trip, told us about a FREE rooftop terrace to view the sunset. Fondaco dei Tedeschi was built in 1228 and combined the functions of a palace, warehouse, market and restricted living quarters. It’s one of Venice’s most recognizable buildings, right next to the famous Rialto Bridge, which is also a must see and great for the Gram. The rooftop of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi offers 360 degree views of Venice, with the most spectacular sunsets reflecting off the water.

Venice is beautiful and we recommend visiting at least once, just don’t forget the wine!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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P.P.S. Our thoughts go out to Venice, as they are currently inundated with flood waters.

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The Beauty of Tuscany

Florence, or Firenze as the locals call it, was one of our favorite spots in Italy. It stands out as more of a hidden gem, maybe a little less popular, in terms of bigger cities in Italy. We were able to stay in a 4-star, boutique Bed and Breakfast called Residenza Castiglioni at 33% off thanks to our amazing travel membership. This hotel was so quaint, staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, and the breakfast was delicious!

Once settled in our hotel, we ventured out in the city in search of food. We found this really amazing restaurant called Move On, which is an Italian pub with a record store vibe, right on the Duomo square. It also has an actual record store in the basement.

After recharging and regaining some energy from the pub, we began wandering down the streets of Firenze. We stumbled upon countless shops, castles, and cathedrals, marveling at the architecture and uniqueness of the city. The sunset was equally as incredible to watch from one of the many bridges throughout the city.

As it grew dark, we heard a strange noise in the distance. We started walking toward the sound and it grew louder and louder. We turned the final corner and noticed several grey-ish looking specks in the sky. Lindsay thought they were bats at first, which is terrifying, but as we got closer we determined they were thousands of birds flocking to and from the trees outside a cathedral. They left in groups and returned in groups. All the while screeching through the night. Justin got really close to one of the trees and ended up getting pooped on. The odds were never in his favor.

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The next day was Lindsay’s birthday and we decided to take a day trip to Tuscany – a bucket list item now checked off. We went with My Tours on their Tuscany in a Day tour, which included the village of San Gimignano, the Chianti area, the Medieval town of Siena, and the Monteriggioni medieval fortress. Well worth the 50 Euros each.

San Gimignano is a Medieval urban town; in fact it is a UNESCO world heritage site. You will notice dozens of towers in the architecture. We found out that the taller the tower, the more power the family had. We were able to walk up to the top of the tallest tower (55 meters) for an amazing panoramic view of the village.

From there, we hopped on the bus to the Chianti area to Poggio Amorelli for wine, olive oil, and balsamic tasting along with a traditional Tuscan lunch consisting of pasta, cured meats, cheeses and local pastries. We learned that there are certain types of olive oil that you use only after cooking, balsamic should only consist of two ingredients – grapes and vinegar, and if your bottle of Chianti doesn’t have a symbol of a rooster on it then it’s not authentic. We got to try a full spectrum of wines including their specialty – Chianti Reserve. Lindsay says it was the best birthday ever.

After our indulgence, we moved on to the Monteriggioni fortress.  Siena and Florence were rivals back in the day and the castle is said to have defended Siena against attacks. It’s very small compared to other fortresses we’ve seen, but still magnificent and eclectic.

Final stop on this tour was Siena. We went on a guided walking tour of the city center. Alice, our guide bought our small group delicious Italian cookies to try as we walked. A nice treat. We learned that the street Via Francigena goes all the way from Canterbury, England to Rome, Italy. We visited the Town Hall in the Piazza del Campo, scenery of the world famous Palio horse race.

After our walking tour ended, we have a few hours to explore on our own. We stopped in a pub overlooking the piazza and imagined the horses rounding the turns while crowds of people were cheering them on. We then wandered into the Duomo di Siena. Now, up to this point on our European tour, we’ve seen several impressive cathedrals, but this one takes the cake. As we mentioned, Italians have a way of trying to one-up each other and Siena really outdid themselves with the architecture of this cathedral. Not one inch was left without detail. The photos don’t even do it justice. Not even close. A bucket list item we didn’t know existed, but glad to add and cross it off all at once.

Enjoy the ride!

Justin and Lindsay

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Italy’s Northern Coast

Lindsay’s Aunt Carol live in a small coastal town in northern Italy called Imperia. It definitely has a small town feel, everyone saying hello to one another, local businesses, everything closes when it rains, and WiFi comes on an internet stick that plugs into your USB drive. They just got a McDonald’s a few months ago! About 40,000 residents, but a quick 30 minute drive to Alassio (a popular Italian tourist town) and an hour train ride to Monte Carlo in Monaco.

This stop on our trip was welcomed as we got to spend time with family and take a short break from the hustle of our travels. Our first day we walked along the beach and grabbed coffee at Altamarea right on the water. We also walked through the marina checking out all the boats.

The next day, Carol drove us to Alassio where we walked around the pier and all the shops. A really nice town on the water if you’re looking for something lesser known and not as busy.

We drove back to Imerpia in hopes to go through Olio Carli, the area’s famous olive oil museum, but it was closed for restoration. We were able to walk through their store and sample some delicious olive oils, balsamics, and spreads. We couldn’t leave without a few tasty treats, so we bought artichoke spread, tuna in olive oil, and crackers. YUM!

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From there we went to Uncle Pino’s house where he had prepared an amazing meal of homemade pasta! A real Italian feast. Justin was in heaven as he bonded with a fellow Sicilian. We had a great time talking with Cousin Marco as well. Hoping he and his girlfriend, Alina pay us a visit in Colorado soon!

Up next was a one hour train ride to Monte Carlo. Even though it was raining we were able to see the shops, the royal residence, Grace Kelly’s tomb, the big port, and of course all the yachts. We had a delicious meal at (English restaurant) and walked through their Christmas market. We found our way up to the famous casino as well. It’s a really nice town and we would love to go back in the summer time!

As we departed Imperia, we hopped on a train to Pisa. Since we were in northern Italy it was only fitting to see the Leaning Tower! We had a blast trying to get the best photos and watching everyone else make their best attempts. We paid to go up to the top of the tower, which was an incredible view. We learned that the tower was closed for 11 years for restoration as it was leaning more and more every year. It has since been corrected so no need to be scared walking on it. Although, it does lean so it feels really weird to walk around the top. Lean with it, rock with it. After that we toured the cathedral, which was equally as amazing as the tower.

Stay tuned for the next blog on Florence and Tuscany! Cheers!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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72 Hours in Milan

On the way to Milan we were on a train, a plane, and a bus all before 9am. But that has its advantages because we got an extra full day without having to travel. We were able to check in the Ibis Centro early and hit the ground running.

We went straight to the Duomo square where we had lunch and a glass of wine. The food was good, but it was pricey due to the location. But the view was great. The Duomo is located in the heart of Milan next to all the high fashion shopping. Lindsay had a blast window shopping and looking at all the clothes! We also got swindled by some fellas from Kenya, but we got nice bracelets out of it. Haha.

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We purchased tickets to explore all of the Duomo on our website at a discounted rate! We wandered through the inside, marveling at the architecture and all the insane details. We got a headset that guided you through all of the artwork of the building. Great history tour! Our tickets included the archaeological site that stands beneath the Duomo. Old ruins dating back to 387 AD! Very cool to see! We finished our tour with a sunset walk along the roof of this incredible cathedral! The pictures don’t do it justice! We thought the inside was brilliant, but the roof is out of the world. You can see the gothic style up close and amazing views of all of Milan! Plus it’s really romantic. A must do!

From there we stumbled upon Bianco Latte for dinner. It’s off the beaten path and had some of the best homemade ravioli and desserts we have ever had! Also, much less expensive than the city center!

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Day two consisted of a day trip with Zani Viaggi Tours to Lake Como, also booked through our website at a discount! Our guide walked us through the market and side streets pointing out a couple of cathedrals and buildings. Next, we took the funicular tram to the top of Lake Como and had the most magical view! We had a lovely glass of wine and then were allotted free time to explore. We went down to the market and got a sandwich with meat shaved right in front of our eyes! Delish! Our ticket also included a one hour boat ride around the lake. To say we got a 360 degree view of Lake Como is an understatement. We took so many pictures because it’s so dreamy. We can’t wait to go back in the summer time!

The next day we used our tickets to the Duomo to check out the Museum of Duomo art and sculptures. All included and good for 72 hours! Such a good deal! From there, we checked out the Sforza Castle! Italians don’t do anything small! Each wall of the castle extends 200 meters! Really amazing architecture! On the other side of the castle is Sempione Park, a great green space with a market and huge Roman archway called Arco della Pace, that we later found out is used both to refer to the gate proper and to the surrounding district, a part of the Zone 1 division, including the major avenue of Corso Sempione, from the 19th century!

We finished our time in Milan with a 6 hour spa afternoon at QC Teremilano. We got 25 minute massages, explored every type of sauna they had including a converted trolley car, sat in the hot pools outside staring at the old Roman arches, explored the earth/salt/rain/fire rooms, took a short nap in a “nest” to recharge, relaxed under a waterfall, soaked in a chromeotherapy tub, multiple steam rooms with aromatherapy salts, and all the food and wine you could want. They also give you robes, towels, and flip flops to use. A truly amazing experience and all for under $100 per person – all through our website! Highly recommended and we can’t even describe it well enough to do it justice.

 

Stay tuned for our next blog on the northern coast of Italy!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

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The Netherlands Part Two – Rotterdam

We arrived in Rotterdam just in time for dinner. A short walk from Hotel Rotterdam (which we got a discounted rate from our travel membership – EndlessTravel365@gmail.com for more info.) was a modern area full of restaurants and shops. We had the plan to eat at FG Restaurant which is the 5th best in Netherlands, but they were full so we walked to the end of the building and found Opporto. Amazing seafood!

The next day we walked to the Cube Houses. Featured on HGTV, these houses are an architectural wonder and are very famous. You have to see them when in Rotterdam! There’s one that’s open to the public for a €3 tour. The houses are 3 stories and have all kinds of crazy angles. The top level was our favorite because of the windows looking out at the other cube houses and the loft style of the room. There are a lot of modern style buildings in Rotterdam due to having to rebuild after World War II while still holding on to the charm and history.

Next, we found the Markthal! The best market we have ever been to! It’s inside this crazy dome building that’s open in the middle with businesses circling around. So many colorful foods from around the world that satisfy all the senses! Our favorite was the sampling of different olive oil and balsamic! You can buy lunch from most any style and some of the booths have a loft space upstairs that you can sit and eat while watching the whole market below you! Their motto is “Eat Well, Every Day!”

Getting up early has its perks because we had time after the cube houses and Markthal to visit the Maritime Museum! For only €12.50 you can spend hours going in and out of the marina, climbing on ships, and learning how to tie different knots. And that’s just the outside! The inside of the museum is full of interactive spaces. Our favorite was the simulation of being on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean. Great experience and fun games you get to play. We loved trying to land a helicopter via virtual reality! The inside also has several exhibits with lots of history and artifacts to see and learn about. A great museum!

After the museum we walked along the water admiring the statues and the Erasmus Bridge. A beautiful site to see! From there we found our way to the Cool District which is full of shopping and dining. A really “cool” area if you will. We had dinner at Scharrels en Schuim. Amazing chicken, cheap drinks, and live music.

Between Amsterdam and Rotterdam we fell in love with The Netherlands! A must for your travel list! Easy to get around, friendly people, lots of things to do and see, and delicious food! We will be back and we can get you there – email us via the “Contact Us” tab at the top of the page!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

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The Netherlands Part One – Amsterdam

The city of bikes is an understatement. We’ve never seen so many in one space. Be careful when crossing the street, they may not stop. Be careful riding a bike, watch out for cars, especially when in a small side street. The cars may hit you with their mirror – thankfully Lindsay wasn’t knocked off her bike or injured. We found that Green Budget Bikes was the least expensive, only €9 for 24 hours. They have a few locations in central Amsterdam, so it’s really convenient. It truly is the only way to get around.

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After riding through the city, admiring the buildings, bridges, and canals, we stopped at the Hash, Marijuana, and Hemp Museum to learn about the history, different uses, science behind farming the plant. It’s an interesting process and definitely worth checking out since it’s such a part of Amsterdam’s culture. We live in Colorado so we totally get it.

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We landed next at Dam Square, a beautiful open area with some amazing architecture and shopping! Lots of street performers, but our favorite was the lady with the bubbles of course! Different than the London bubble man because she was making hundreds of bubbles at once instead of a couple big ones. We ran through the bubble walls like kids, giggling and snapping photos. We also stopped in a couple shops to feed Lindsay’s shopping addiction. Only bought one sweater – gotta fit in that backpack!

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We took off for the Museum Quarter, actually riding through a Museum. There was a tunnel for bikes! We found the IAmsterdam sign and took some staple Amsterdam photos. There are so many brilliant museums in this area like the Van Gogh and Stedelijk Art Museum and the architecture to match. From historical to modern. Great green space as well, with a park, ice skating, cafes, benches, and lovely landscaping.

We headed back toward our hotel through Vondelpark. Another really awesome 116 acre green space in the heart of the city. Pathways, ponds, wildlife, statues, parks, and more! We rode around the whole loop. By the way, Sara’s Boutique Hotel was so cute and lovely. Definitely recommend it!

It started raining, so we dropped off our bikes at the hotel and got ready for dinner. Amsterdam is a melting pot of culinary delights. You can find anything and everything within a short walk. So many options and when you’re hungry from biking all day it’s hard to decide. We ended up in Rancho and glad we did because this was amazing Argentinian food. A plethora of steak, lamb, ribs, salad, corn on the cob, and bread awaited us!

After dinner we walked around the Red Light District, because, well it’s Amsterdam. No comment.

Then next morning, we rode our bikes to the love lock bridge, but found no locks. We later read that they periodically cut them off to help save the integrity of the bridge. Those locks get heavy!

After returning our bikes we had some time to kill before our train to Rotterdam so we took the advice of our cab driver and hopped on a free ferry over the water to Amersterdam Noord. There are three ferries that depart from Central Station, one the goes left, one that goes right, and one that goes straight across. We recommend the one that goes straight across – less time and puts you right next to the A’Dam Lookout.

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We noticed movement up in the sky from the ferry and when we got closer it was a swing ride about 200 feet in the air at the top of the A’Dam Lookout. Of course we had to go check it out. It was €35 to the top with 2 beverages each and a souvenir photo. The elevator is quite the “experience” (as the staff calls it). They instruct you to look up as flashing lights and music hit your senses. We stepped out on the open air platform and were speechless. A beautiful 360 degree view of Amsterdam. There are telescopes you can look out, platforms to stand on to get a view above the fence, a horse statue you can sit on, and of course the swing ride we saw from the ground. For only €5 you can swing out over the edge.

Amsterdam we love you and we can’t wait to come back to visit! Stay tuned for Part Two of our Netherlands blog on Rotterdam! You can book your trip through our Book Travel tab at the top of the page or email us at EndlessTravel365@gmail.com!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Antwerpin’ in Belgium

We only had time for one stop in Belgium and most would think Brussels would top that list, but we heard so many good things about Antwerp and wanted to check that out instead. We were not disappointed. It’s called Antwerpen in Belgium so we made the joke we were Antwerpin’ the whole time we were there.

First off, the Central Train Station is literally one of the most amazing buildings we’ve ever seen. So much detail and it’s huge!

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At the end of the train stations noticed something called Comics Station, an indoor amusement park! We dropped our things at our hotel (which was in the diamond district – a whole other story), and headed back to the train station. We found out the amusement park closed at 5:30pm and it was already 4pm. The lady at the ticket office gave us entry for €12.50 each as there wasn’t much time left, but she also looked at us like we were a little loco because it is a “family” place. We said no worries since we are big kids and went right on in. Thankfully the place wasn’t that busy at all. We found Europe’s tallest slide inside which took 15 seconds from top to bottom. Lots of other fun rides and activities like a fun house, bumper cars, and a saloon where you can horse race. We were surprised to find a ride that drops you three stories inside a small door, but not for that reason. The ride came with a story on the inside where you are traveling up the three stories of a house as the ride raises. The second floor is a woman in the bathtub – hardly family friendly haha. We had a good laugh.

After our fun in the amusement park we found Antwerp’s oldest bar, Quinten Matsijs, est. 1565. Amazing food and it’s Belgium so the beer is some of the best! On our walk back to the diamond district we stopped in Bier Central for a night cap. They have over 300 types of beers and you need their encyclopedia to decipher all the options.

The next day was Sunday and Antwerp was somewhat deserted. But we walked around the city center, stumbling on a old church founded in 1614. We made our way down to the water where they were setting up a Christmas market complete with a giant Ferris wheel. From the Ferris wheel you could see the Cathedral of our Lady that Antwerp is famous for. Made for some great photos. We wandered up and down the water, dreaming of owning an apartment there. Great views and location. We also came up to Het Steen which is a medieval fortress in the old city center. Bonus, you can walk through for free! We heard the mussels were the best so we had some (and beer of course) for dinner. And of course had to grab some chocolate for dessert at the store next to the restaurant. Only €7 for a small box with a mixture of chocolates! Delicious!

The next day we stopped at the smallest waffle shop in the world for breakfast. Literally 25 sq ft maybe smaller on the side of the main shopping street in Antwerp. We went to the big cathedral and took a bunch of photos. It was brilliant to look from every angle. Wandering the cobblestone streets is magical and there’s so much to do and see. Lots of old architecture and statues as well.

We headed back toward our hotel only to find the zoo behind the train station was all lit up with their China Lights display. Really bright colors and shapes that were so fun to look at. They also had nice fire pits outside the gate to keep warm.

Loved hanging in Antwerp for a few days!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

P.S. Next adventure is Italy so stay tuned! Put your email in below to subscribe!

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Piccadilly and a Palace

London is like the NYC of Europe. A city that never sleeps and there’s more to do than our mere day and a half allotted for. We always take to the streets and do as much walking around the city as possible.

Our first stop was Buckingham Palace with hopes to see the new princess to be. No such luck as they were out of town. The Palace, however, is beautiful. Giant golden gates, details down to the inch, guards with the tall furry hats, and plenty of photo opportunities. The Queen Victoria statue sits out front of the Palace and is quite the site as well. Lovely stone statue with a gold angel on top.

We took a stroll through St. James Park admiring the wildlife and the people walking through, ending up around the Parliament where Big Ben awaited us. Unfortunately, the clock tower was covered in scaffolding due to restoration efforts, but still a bucket list item to see. We, of course, had to take a photo with our terrible towel and shout out the Steelers on IG, which they ended up reposting! So cool!

Across the bridge was the Eye. A giant Ferris wheel overlooking all of London. We didn’t take a ride, but plan to next time. We walked past the eye and found a gentleman making bubbles as tall as Lindsay! Fun to watch. Just past our bubble making friend was a quaint Christmas market. We saw a sign for a Cider Lounge and headed right in. We grabbed a few pints of cider and relaxed on a couch. We noticed some food stands outside on the way into the lounge and decide to give Mac to the Future a try. Best decision ever because Mac n cheese is life and a Back to the Future theme is even better. We had the Great Scott and it was DELISH!

We made our way back through town to Piccadilly Square which is equivalent to Times Square. Huge tv screens with advertisements playing, street performers, and all the shopping a shopaholic should never be around. Had to take the obligatory red phone booth photo too!

Our friend Kristen recommended Gordon’s wine bar so we gave it a go. The entrance is on a side street and you go downstairs to a cave like underground experience. Delicious cheese selections and oh my goodness the wine! You know it’s a good place when the sign says “don’t ask for beer or spirits, this is a wine bar”. We sat at a small table in the corner of the cave enjoying and relaxing. On our walk back to the hotel, we walked through Apple Market admiring the booths and the Christmas tree!

The next morning we spent in a lovely Italian cafe (amazing pasta) working on some things for our travel agency and blogs. We wish we had more time in London, but that just means we will have to return soon!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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