Monthly Archives: June 2017

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Amsterdam, A Gorgeous City

We traveled 4+ hours on two trains through multiple cities to arrive in Amsterdam, most certainly a city worth arriving in. First, a London black cab to St. Pancras to catch the Eurostar to Midi Brussels, then the Thalys from Brussels to Amsterdam Centraal. The trains in Europe are impressive – clean, efficient, fairly comfortable, and fast. Nolie loved this part of the adventure and eagerly watched the passing scenery.



On our first full day, we had a leisurely lunch at the cutest corner cafe that we just happened upon while looking for a more popular spot recommended by guidebooks. There was too long of a line for three hungry kids, so we decided to try this little place and were rewarded with cozy, delicious, homemade drinks and meals. We sat at a large, rustic wood table and had the entire place to ourselves. It couldn’t have been a lovelier way to start the day. 


Then, off to NEMO Science Museum it was! Imposing and impressive, it was fascinating to walk towards. We visited the amazing and scenic roof first, and the kids had a blast running up and down the steps, and playing with the different energy-related activities. Then, we spent a fun and interesting few hours inside, exploring bubbles, physics, dykes and farmland, perspective, gears, and even watched a huge Rube Goldberg machine. The museum was well-organized and easy to walk through. 






We Survived the Tower!

Our second classic London tourist experience was a trip to the Tower of London, and what a beautiful, fun day it was! The kids, esp Syd, were thrilled to visit a real-life castle and were genuinely interested in the historical displays in each of the towers. We saw the Crown Jewels, the ravens on the railing, a re-enactment of the class struggle for power, and took a photo w/a royal guard to boot. Syd asked the guard for the photo opp herself!

Lovely Day in London

Today was our second full day in London and our first really eventful one. First up was the Changing of the Guard…or so we thought! En route, we happened across the start of the ModBall Rally, which was basically a parade of very sporty, very loud-revving cars. I’ve since looked it up and learned that the cars (drivers?) travel to multiple European countries, driving during the day and partying at night. Intrigued…Nolie sure was! He loved watching the cars like Lightning McQueen in real life. We even saw Batman driving one!


What an unexpected and exciting contrast to the historical pomp and circumstance we were headed to! Eventually, after walking the length of the line of rally cars, we made it to watch one company of guards start their march up the Mall towards the palace.

Syd even made her way up to the gates, amidst the legs of other viewers, in a very Madeline in London sort of way! Nolie joined her after folks started clearing out, and they both enjoyed clear views of the palace and guards. Syd wanted to see some dancing (the band played a selection of Michael Jackson songs!), but alas, had to settle for slow walking. 


Next up, a trip to the Science Museum! We explored patterns, saw Tim Peake’s spacecraft from 2016, marveled at cars stacked up to the ceiling, and were fascinated by a temporary exhibit on robots. Our favorite was Pepper, a talkative and friendly female robot who shared with us the secret of the UK. You’ll have to find her to find out what it is! 


The kids, and Nolie especially, loved the red double-decker buses and the tube. After such a full day, it was no wonder that our trip back home was dotted with naps. ☺️