posted on March 26, 2001 06:49:05 PM new
and I can't wait!!! I am so sick of work and constantly running around - I really need a break. Haven't been selling much lately because I've been so burnt out. But I'm going to London and Germany for two weeks!!! Hurrah!!! I've been saving for this trip for almost two years and it's almost time. I'm taking my two sons (10 & 12) and we're going to have a wonderful time!!!
By the way, does anyone have any suggestions as to specific sites to see in London and/or Berlin?
posted on March 26, 2001 07:41:34 PM new
Wow...what a neat vacation you have planned!
With two boys in tow, I'd recommend the Tower of London and the Wax Museum while in London. Of course, you have to ride the Tube and a double decker bus. Insist they go shopping with you to Harrods...especially the food emporium...none of our department stores have anything like it. Be sure to take in the historical and typical tourist sites like St. Paul's, Westminister, Buckingham Palace. Becareful when walking and you cross the street...traffic comes from the other direction!! Take lots of pictures to show us when you get back! Enjoy!
posted on March 26, 2001 07:46:08 PM new
Have a wonderful time! It will be an incredible experience for the boys. Maybe you could get some books out of your library to get them all psyched up for it! (But they are probably already ready to burst!)
I was at Sam's Club yesterday and they had a whoke line of different countries For Dummies books. It might be money well spent!
posted on March 26, 2001 09:47:16 PM new
Make sure you sample foods which you aren't even sure what they are. One word of advice though, their sausages are smushier than ours, the cooking tends to be a little bland, and the ham a little too salty. But I sampled many things that were just FAB.
DON"T BUY COUGH SYRUP. I was sick and went to the Chemists. They had me point one out (they were behind the counter) and I went outside to take a dose. As is my habit, I opened the bottle a took a swig, guesstimating the correct dose (I SAID I was sick). One of the major ingredients in their cough syrup is ammonium something. It was exactly like drinking ammonia. I don't recommend it.
The line for the Tower of London will be loooong. The Wax Museum is fabulous. It was the one thing I most wanted to do and I was not disappointed. I made sure I was there when the doors opened though, so I don't know what the lines might be like.
I visited all the other sites mentioned and the cost was minimal and the crowds not bad. I did miss the changing of the Guard though, I think several different palaces have it, so check your pamplets. I also visted a nearby flea market, I forget where it was, but any taxi driver can tell you. Great bargains. The taxi drivers there are very knowledgeable. They have to take tests about the city before they are allowed a license. NOT like most US cities.
When I went to Germany I went to Hamburg & Bremerhaven. This may be biased, but I'm part German, so... Germans are among the rudest people I've met (I never made it to France so I can't speak for the famous French rudeness). Even if they understood American they pretended they couldn't. I had a German-English dictionary and some cheat cards I made up for emergencies (like how to say "Where is the bathroom?" but it was hard to communicate and I don't think it was my accent. I ended up having to walk 20 miles from Hartburg to Hamburg due to a misunderstanding about the trains and how far the actual distance was, so that may have contributed to my loss of affection for the country where my fathers people originated.
The trains are fabulous though, fast clean & on time. The food is to die for. The country side, which I saw a lot of on my unscheduled hike, was beautiful.
posted on March 26, 2001 11:02:23 PM new
Take the boys to the British Museum of Natural history in London! Great displays & they even have a preserved Coelecanth
posted on March 28, 2001 12:44:04 AM new
KRS,
You are bad.
Got to go to the touristy Portabello Road (early morning is good, I always went on saturdays, but I know it's changed now).
Get to Camden Market, if it's still there.
National Gallery is the home of some awesome stuff. The Tate is good, too.
May want to catch a matinee of some popular and fun musical in the west end.
If the weather's nice, picnic in a park.
See Victoria and Albert museum.
Take a trainride anywhere. I spent quality time at Waterloo while in school.
Take a ride/train up to Oxford or the lake District.
I never did tours, but my mom did some and it's a fun way to see the big sites.
See where Shakespeare or Jane Austen or any other cool writer lived.
Tour parliment.
It's been a while for me, though...hmmm getting the travel bug.
but it was hard to communicate and I don't think it was my accent. I ended up having to walk 20 miles from Hartburg to Hamburg due to a misunderstanding about the trains and how far the actual distance was, so that may have contributed to my loss of affection for the country where my fathers people originated.
