Abhishek, Vihaan (our little babie) and I went on a week long trip to Great Britain over the Thanksgiving break. There were bunch of uncertainties when we were planning this trip - compared to our usual diligent planning before trips, this trip came together at pretty much the last minute; the weather in UK looked like it might be rainy and cold; we weren't sure how Vihaan would deal with jet lag and long flights; ... - so we started on the trip with some trepidation. But boy am I glad we went - we had such a great time! We saw London's famous landmarks while marveling at the juxtaposition of glass buildings and dominating castles, stepped back in time into the era of knights and conquerors, and had a wonderful time catching up with family! This blog recounts our delightful vacay in the UK!
This was our itinerary:
This was our itinerary:
- Day 1, 2 and 3: London
- Day 4: Cotswolds and drive to Wolverhampton
- Day 5: Spend time with family at Wolverhampton
- Day 6: Warwick castle and drive back to London
- Day 7: London
- Day 8: Fly back to SF
Day 1: Arrive in London
We arrived in London via a direct flight from San Francisco. If you're traveling with a baby, I have another post on our learnings (and fails :D). We had timed our flight so that it was night time for Vihaan - which made the flight pretty easy. He just slept on one of our laps, swapping between the two of us for the entire duration of the flight. Jet lag did bite us at night, but hey that's later - we will take wins where we get them!
We arrived in London around 3PM, and took a black cab to our Central London apartment from Heathrow. Black cabs are so iconic in London and are what Sherlock Holmes goes about in - I almost felt like the driver will turn around and it will be Moriarty!
We were determined to stay awake till night time, so once we got freshened up, we set out explore London! This are some pictures at the flat, Vihaan (nice and cozy in his stroller) and I in front of Westminster Cathedral, and the three of us having dinner later. And with that Day 0 was a wrap!
We arrived in London around 3PM, and took a black cab to our Central London apartment from Heathrow. Black cabs are so iconic in London and are what Sherlock Holmes goes about in - I almost felt like the driver will turn around and it will be Moriarty!
We were determined to stay awake till night time, so once we got freshened up, we set out explore London! This are some pictures at the flat, Vihaan (nice and cozy in his stroller) and I in front of Westminster Cathedral, and the three of us having dinner later. And with that Day 0 was a wrap!
Day 2: Exploring London
The next day we set about on a walking tour of London. Here is the route we took.
Click to set custom HTML
Buckingham Palace
Having seen the Buckingham palace in so many movies, official government visit photographs etc., it was a little underwhelming to actually see it in person. Yet, when I stood in front of the building I had shivers down my spine thinking about the enormous impact decisions made in this building, and all that it stands for, has had on the course of human history and civilization!
Here are some pictures we took in front of the palace.
Having seen the Buckingham palace in so many movies, official government visit photographs etc., it was a little underwhelming to actually see it in person. Yet, when I stood in front of the building I had shivers down my spine thinking about the enormous impact decisions made in this building, and all that it stands for, has had on the course of human history and civilization!
Here are some pictures we took in front of the palace.
St. James Park
We then walked via St. James Park to Trafalgar Square. The park has a small lake and is dotted all around by Plane trees whose leaves were a warm brown. The trees blanketed the street noise, with the result that the park felt like a little oasis in the midst of busy London traffic. Chirpy pelican cries added to the charm. Vihaan had a great time watching the pelicans and playing in the fallen leaves!
We then walked via St. James Park to Trafalgar Square. The park has a small lake and is dotted all around by Plane trees whose leaves were a warm brown. The trees blanketed the street noise, with the result that the park felt like a little oasis in the midst of busy London traffic. Chirpy pelican cries added to the charm. Vihaan had a great time watching the pelicans and playing in the fallen leaves!
Trafalgar Square
Our next stop was Trafalgar Square which is at the other end of St. James Park. One of London's most famous landmarks, the square is surrounded by galleries and museums, and is considered a symbol of democracy as it is frequently the site of protest gatherings.
There was some live music and dance happening at the square when we visited. By this time, Vihaan was blissfully taking his afternoon nap in the stroller, so we did not get a chance to visit the National Gallery. Still, we had a nice time hanging out at the square.
Our next stop was Trafalgar Square which is at the other end of St. James Park. One of London's most famous landmarks, the square is surrounded by galleries and museums, and is considered a symbol of democracy as it is frequently the site of protest gatherings.
There was some live music and dance happening at the square when we visited. By this time, Vihaan was blissfully taking his afternoon nap in the stroller, so we did not get a chance to visit the National Gallery. Still, we had a nice time hanging out at the square.
Big Ben & Houses of Parliament
We grabbed a quick bite near Trafalgar Square and then proceeded to Westminster Bridge. The bridge boasts great views of Big Ben and London Eye - and is the image that I most associated with London before this trip! So it was great to finally be here!
The Houses of Parliament is also called the Palace of Westminster, and was the home of the Kings of England for many centuries. It was ravaged and rebuilt by fires a few times. The impressive structure we see today was built in the 1800s in Gothic Revival style.
Vihaan was up by the time we got to the bridge, and had a great time people watching (there were lots of people on the bridge) and running around!
We grabbed a quick bite near Trafalgar Square and then proceeded to Westminster Bridge. The bridge boasts great views of Big Ben and London Eye - and is the image that I most associated with London before this trip! So it was great to finally be here!
The Houses of Parliament is also called the Palace of Westminster, and was the home of the Kings of England for many centuries. It was ravaged and rebuilt by fires a few times. The impressive structure we see today was built in the 1800s in Gothic Revival style.
Vihaan was up by the time we got to the bridge, and had a great time people watching (there were lots of people on the bridge) and running around!
London Eye
The most famous icon dotting the London skyline, we spent a good one hour admiring the gorgeous views all around us at the London Eye. Vihaan spent that one hour chasing the scores of pigeons around the base! Opened to the public in 2000, the London eye was originally intended as a temporary attraction with a five year lease, but given it's popularity (well, duh!) it was granted permanent status in 2002.
The most famous icon dotting the London skyline, we spent a good one hour admiring the gorgeous views all around us at the London Eye. Vihaan spent that one hour chasing the scores of pigeons around the base! Opened to the public in 2000, the London eye was originally intended as a temporary attraction with a five year lease, but given it's popularity (well, duh!) it was granted permanent status in 2002.
Westminster Abbey
Our last stop for the day was at Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey is the site where someone becomes a king or queen - it has been the location for coronations for a millennium now! It was in the news recently as the wedding venue of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Queen of England was also married there! It was amazing to think of the all the history associated with this place. I thought of Westminster Abbey again when we visited Warwick Castle, built by William the Conqueror - the first king to be coronated at Westminster Abbey!
While walking through London, I couldn't help thinking about how India has so much heritage and history as well, but unfortunately our history is as not as well documented and publicized. Though this might be improving as more youth in India want to understand their heritage, and information starts becoming available online. Reading about England's history and heritage was good inspiration and a reminder to me to educate Vihaan about India's kings, gods and mythical stories, something that is more important for us to do since we live abroad (which limits his exposure).
I love history - not only the stories of kings, knights and battles, but also thinking about live as it was lived earlier. I always think about how my life would have been, had I lived in such and such country in a specific period - what would have been my daily life, hopes and aspirations. When thinking about life in England, I was reminded about Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice - perhaps my biggest aim would have been securing marriage to a worthy man! I don't think I could have found a husband better than Abhishek - 1000 years ago or now! :D
This is also my favorite part about travel - how your mind slowly completely disassociates with your daily life! :)
A picture of the grandeur that is Westminster Abbey.
Our last stop for the day was at Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey is the site where someone becomes a king or queen - it has been the location for coronations for a millennium now! It was in the news recently as the wedding venue of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Queen of England was also married there! It was amazing to think of the all the history associated with this place. I thought of Westminster Abbey again when we visited Warwick Castle, built by William the Conqueror - the first king to be coronated at Westminster Abbey!
While walking through London, I couldn't help thinking about how India has so much heritage and history as well, but unfortunately our history is as not as well documented and publicized. Though this might be improving as more youth in India want to understand their heritage, and information starts becoming available online. Reading about England's history and heritage was good inspiration and a reminder to me to educate Vihaan about India's kings, gods and mythical stories, something that is more important for us to do since we live abroad (which limits his exposure).
I love history - not only the stories of kings, knights and battles, but also thinking about live as it was lived earlier. I always think about how my life would have been, had I lived in such and such country in a specific period - what would have been my daily life, hopes and aspirations. When thinking about life in England, I was reminded about Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice - perhaps my biggest aim would have been securing marriage to a worthy man! I don't think I could have found a husband better than Abhishek - 1000 years ago or now! :D
This is also my favorite part about travel - how your mind slowly completely disassociates with your daily life! :)
A picture of the grandeur that is Westminster Abbey.
While walking around London, we definitely had to get a picture in front of the Red Telephone Booth and the Underground sign (we also bought a telephone booth souvenir)! The first thing I thought of on seeing the Underground sign was the board game Scotland Yard!
With our hearts and minds full of castles, kings and history - we called an end to a wonderful day, and headed back to base - to rest for the upcoming adventure the next day!
Day 3: More London Exploration
Day 2 we were up bright and early (well Vihaan was up bright and early, we were up sleepy and early!), ready to explore London. After a good breakfast we headed out from our Central London flat. Here is our route for Day 2.
St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral is another famous icon dotting the London skyline. The second largest cathedral in England, it was built in the late 17th century.
We had seen Mission Impossible - Fallout just before our England trip. In the movie Tom Cruise is seen making a spectacular jump from the castle roof onto a nearby building. The cathedral looked so much bigger in person than in the movie!
St. Paul's Cathedral is another famous icon dotting the London skyline. The second largest cathedral in England, it was built in the late 17th century.
We had seen Mission Impossible - Fallout just before our England trip. In the movie Tom Cruise is seen making a spectacular jump from the castle roof onto a nearby building. The cathedral looked so much bigger in person than in the movie!
Tower of London
The Tower of London feels like a misnomer - the tower is actually a fortress, with two sets of concentric walls and a moat! We meet William the Conqueror again - he built the tower in 1078 as a symbol of power over defeated Londoners. The tower has a sinister history - serving as a prison for holding famous people who had fallen out of favor, as well as the site of some executions! It has also served as a palace intermittently and today is the home of the Crown Jewels.
Juxtaposed with the tower (which is almost a millennium old) were buildings with full glass facades. Perfect example of being steeped in history, while having firm footing in the 21st century!
An aerial view of the Tower of London (from their website) which actually looks a lot more impressive than in person, since in person you can only view one gray wall at a time from the outside. We went on day with overcast, cloudy skies, so the sky and the gray tower seemed to merge into one. I also felt the tower looks smaller in person compared to pictures online.
Juxtaposed with the tower (which is almost a millennium old) were buildings with full glass facades. Perfect example of being steeped in history, while having firm footing in the 21st century!
An aerial view of the Tower of London (from their website) which actually looks a lot more impressive than in person, since in person you can only view one gray wall at a time from the outside. We went on day with overcast, cloudy skies, so the sky and the gray tower seemed to merge into one. I also felt the tower looks smaller in person compared to pictures online.
Photos from around the tower.
London Bridge
Did the rhyme "London Bridge is falling down" start playing in your head as soon as you read "London Bridge"? :) Or maybe it's just me since I have a one year old :) We spent time walking on both London Bridge & Tower Bridge, which is right next to the Tower of London. Here are some pictures around Tower Bridge.
Did the rhyme "London Bridge is falling down" start playing in your head as soon as you read "London Bridge"? :) Or maybe it's just me since I have a one year old :) We spent time walking on both London Bridge & Tower Bridge, which is right next to the Tower of London. Here are some pictures around Tower Bridge.
Covent Garden
Since we were in London over the holidays we wanted to visit a place with Christmas lights. Covent Garden did not disappoint - with it's large Christmas tree, holiday lights, shopping and cheer all around!
Since we were in London over the holidays we wanted to visit a place with Christmas lights. Covent Garden did not disappoint - with it's large Christmas tree, holiday lights, shopping and cheer all around!
After having some delicious, chocolatey crepes at Covent Garden we headed back to our flat for the night. Later that evening, Ainesh (who is Abhishek's cousin), came to visit us. He attends university in London. We had a great time chatting with him and having dinner together. Vihaan was thrilled to find a new play-mate to laugh and play with!
And that was the end of a fun-filled Day 2! I always feel days go by too quickly on holidays and too slowly at work :D
Day 4: Cotswolds
Day 3 saw us have a later start - we were going to our relative's place in Wolverhampton. On the way we planned to see Cotswolds. We were initially planning to go to both Stonehenge and Cotswolds, but due to our later start and some unanticipated delays we found we could go to only one of them, and we chose Cotswolds.
Cotswolds is composed of numerous small towns and villages, which have been preserved as is for over a 1000 years! We visited Castle Combe, which is a quintessential English village, it reminded me of scenes of the English countryside in Pride and Prejudice. The village had an intimate feel to it - there were honey colored stone homes lining the streets enveloped in lush greenery, and a small village center with a compact church and a few eateries around it. A stream ran through the village with quaint pedestrian bridges over it, and birds could be heard chirping in the forest nearby. It had just rained so everything looked wonderfully fresh. Overall I felt it was a very peaceful and wonderful place, especially after the hustle and bustle of London, and we had a great time!
Cotswolds is composed of numerous small towns and villages, which have been preserved as is for over a 1000 years! We visited Castle Combe, which is a quintessential English village, it reminded me of scenes of the English countryside in Pride and Prejudice. The village had an intimate feel to it - there were honey colored stone homes lining the streets enveloped in lush greenery, and a small village center with a compact church and a few eateries around it. A stream ran through the village with quaint pedestrian bridges over it, and birds could be heard chirping in the forest nearby. It had just rained so everything looked wonderfully fresh. Overall I felt it was a very peaceful and wonderful place, especially after the hustle and bustle of London, and we had a great time!
After spending an hour or so in Cotswolds, we then drove on to Wolverhampton where we were going to spend the next two days.
Day 5: Wolverhampton & Birmingham
The previous night and most of the next morning were spent hanging out at Punam mami and Gunjan mama's wonderful home in Wolverhampton. Arnav, their son, was great with Vihaan, and Vihaan spent a few hours that morning playing with Arnav's toys and climbing up and down the stairs with him! Punam mami is a great cook - so what with chai, lots of food and chit-chat we were hesitant to leave the house to go sightseeing :) Here are some pictures we took at their home.
After a heavy brunch we set off to Birmingham downtown, which was about a 20 minute drive from Gunjan mama's place. Abhishek's maternal grandparents had lived in England for many years before relocating back to India. Abhishek had fond memories of visiting them as a child, and we stopped by two of the homes that they had lived in over the years. Abhishek and Gunjan mama had many nostalgic stories to share of their time with nana-nani in England :)
We spent a pleasant evening strolling through downtown Birmingham. Birmingham is perched on the banks of river Rea, and has a large canal flowing through the city. We spent an enjoyable evening walking along the canal, which led us to a festive Christmas market. Some pictures from the evening:
After coming back home, Vihaan went to sleep promptly after all the excitement of the day. Mama, mami, Abhishek and I stayed up late into the night chit-chatting, with lots of laughs! And with that, Day 5 was a wrap!
Day 6: Warwick Castle
After we heavy breakfast we bid goodbye to Gunjan mama, Punam mami and Arnav. We set off the Warwick castle to meet Chitrupa (my cousin) and her family, who had kindly agreed to make the trip from Bristol just to meet us!
England is famous for it's castles - it's quite likely the word originated there, and I was very keen to visit a castle and do a day tour while we were there. What better castle to visit than the one built by William the Conqueror - the first Norman king of England! Initially built as a wooden motte and bailey castle it was rebuilt as a stone fortress in 1260. The castle has impressive fortifications that have withstood repeated attacks - the castle sits on a small cliff with a shallow moat all around it, and a solid stone facade wall running all around the castle - making penetration very difficult. The main entrance has an iron gate with two iron portcullis on either side. Tall towers and ramparts made excellent vantage points for archers to rain down their arrows. The castle has a checkered history and played an important role in safeguarding the English midlands against rebellion.
The castle had nice displays of armor and weaponry along with state rooms furnished in Victorian style from the 14th century. We had a nice time walking around the castle and exploring the displays. Chitrupa's son is a year older than Vihaan and had lots of questions about the displays. Her in-laws had brought a yummy south indian lunch that we had on the castle grounds. It reminded of the what Yuval Harari talks about in his book titled, Sapiens - how we are now a global empire or civilization - and our habits, language and cultures have melded so "pure" or "authentic" culture that are untouched by others no longer remain, rather our culture is one of integration and borrowing. Here were some Indians, who many centuries back had roots from different kingdoms within India, eating South Indian food and sipping coffee made in Italian style (cappuccino), in an English castle, dressed in American clothing of jeans and jackets, talking in a mixture of English, Tamil and Hindi. Talk about a melding of cultures.
Some pictures from our visit to Warwick Castle:
England is famous for it's castles - it's quite likely the word originated there, and I was very keen to visit a castle and do a day tour while we were there. What better castle to visit than the one built by William the Conqueror - the first Norman king of England! Initially built as a wooden motte and bailey castle it was rebuilt as a stone fortress in 1260. The castle has impressive fortifications that have withstood repeated attacks - the castle sits on a small cliff with a shallow moat all around it, and a solid stone facade wall running all around the castle - making penetration very difficult. The main entrance has an iron gate with two iron portcullis on either side. Tall towers and ramparts made excellent vantage points for archers to rain down their arrows. The castle has a checkered history and played an important role in safeguarding the English midlands against rebellion.
The castle had nice displays of armor and weaponry along with state rooms furnished in Victorian style from the 14th century. We had a nice time walking around the castle and exploring the displays. Chitrupa's son is a year older than Vihaan and had lots of questions about the displays. Her in-laws had brought a yummy south indian lunch that we had on the castle grounds. It reminded of the what Yuval Harari talks about in his book titled, Sapiens - how we are now a global empire or civilization - and our habits, language and cultures have melded so "pure" or "authentic" culture that are untouched by others no longer remain, rather our culture is one of integration and borrowing. Here were some Indians, who many centuries back had roots from different kingdoms within India, eating South Indian food and sipping coffee made in Italian style (cappuccino), in an English castle, dressed in American clothing of jeans and jackets, talking in a mixture of English, Tamil and Hindi. Talk about a melding of cultures.
Some pictures from our visit to Warwick Castle:
After a wonderful day with Chitrupa and her family, we bid goodbye to them and Warwick castle and drove back to our London flat.
Day 7: London
This was our last day in the UK - we had an early morning flight the next day to go back home. We spent the morning and afternoon doing some souvenir shopping in London, playing in Hyde park and walking around London. Some pictures from our last day in London.
Pictures at Harrods, the famous department store:
Pictures at Harrods, the famous department store:
In case you're wondering we actually bought better souvenirs, but these were still funny!
The pictures below are at Winter wonderland, a Christmas amusement park set up at Hyde park. Vihaan had a great time dancing to the music near one of the rides, much to the amusement of passing onlookers.
The pictures below are at Winter wonderland, a Christmas amusement park set up at Hyde park. Vihaan had a great time dancing to the music near one of the rides, much to the amusement of passing onlookers.
We spent more time at Hyde park. Childhood is such a magical time - watching and experiencing the world through your child's eyes is one of the sweetest, most beautiful feelings! VIhaan was fascinated by the swans, and so eager to touch them. The stick below was his prized possession for the day.
The next day we flew home. This was our first international vacation with Vihaan - and so much of how we visit places and travel has changed. Our pace has slowed, we spend more time in parks and the hotel/flat, the places we visit have changed, and our experiences in the places we visit has changed too - many small things that we wouldn't have noticed or appreciated, we now see since Vihaan is so fascinated by them. Growing up I felt that my family always takes relaxed vacations, but it took me this trip to realize that I was probably the one that brought the change!
Nevertheless we had a wonderful, short and sweet trip. Thank you UK for the memories!
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
Nevertheless we had a wonderful, short and sweet trip. Thank you UK for the memories!
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
