I love to travel & explore the world both near and far! I do my best to make the most out of life each and everyday! I have two boys and they are, at the ages of 15 and 21, world travelers and all around go along guys. There isn’t anywhere I can’t take them. It is my hope this blog will be a way to share the fun things I’ve learned while on our many adventures together!
The question I’m asked most frequently when people find out that we are planning our next adventure is, “Are you bringing the kids?” The answer is always YES!
The next questions usually revolve around whether or not the kids enjoy travel and what we do to keep them occupied. Not that they weren’t always “go along” guys, but it’s definitely getting easier as they get older and while they are interested in seeing what each new city has to offer, it helps to allow time for some of the more family friendly attractions.
Most recently after a long hot day exploring fabulous Lisbon we decided that asking the kids to step inside one more church or monument might not be fair, so we decided to surprise them with a trip to the Oceanario de Lisboa, or the Lisbon aquarium. For the most part the monuments in Belem were already closing or would be soon and there was still time to make the Oceanarium.
The aquarium is located in the Parque das Nacoes, a newer more modern part of the city which was built up for the 1998 World Expo. It’s one the largest aquariums in the world and the largest one in Europe. Along with the usual favorites, like sea otters, penguins, sharks, rays and seahorses they also have an Ocean Sunfish which we were pretty excited to see!
Having visited a number of aquariums I was really impressed with the ease in which we were able to go from exhibit to exhibit. Even with limited time we were able to see everything without feeling rushed.
In the end what started out as a break for the kids turned out to be a really lovely experience for all of us!
With only two full days to discover Lisbon we felt we barely scratched the surface and we definitely left the city wanting more. There are so many fabulous neighborhoods to explore, but we had to make choices and we chose Belem!
Per our usual modus operandi we got up late and ended up grabbing a coffee and a pastry to go. Wanting to explore a bit more of the city we decided to walk part of the way to Belem along the river path. After a while the path seemed to end, so we cut up through the neighborhoods and discovered some fun design shops, a great food market and some pretty neat street art.
A perfect day for wandering along the Tagus River
Not sure if the fish were biting, but that’s a lot of poles to keep track of!
First on my list upon arriving was the Padrão dos Descobrimentos or the Monument of Discoveries. The monument stands as a testament to Portugal’s past and their part in world exploration on the seas. Perched on the edge of the Tagus River the monument stands just over 179 feet high and provides amazing views of the Belem neighborhood, Jerónimos Monastery, the 25 de Abril Bridge, the Cristo Rei statue, the Torre de Belém and of course the river itself.
The observation deck is on the very top and although the views are tremendous there isn’t much room so it’s hard to linger. There is an elevator available, but Simon and I decided to walk up the stairs. Not sure what we were thinking?! The cost to go up is minimal and I’d say it was worth it!
View of the Monument with the 25th of April Bridge and the Cristo Rei Statue
The Tower of Belem in the distance
Jeronimo Monastery
Lisbon’s own Golden Gate Bridge
The square in front of the monument is dominated by an enormous compass rose made of black and red limestone. It’s an incredible work of art with many detailed symbols which represent the main routes of Portuguese exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries. I did my best to get an ariel photo, but even at 179 feet up I wan’t able to get it all in!
A short walk down the river from The Monument is the Torre de Belém or the Tower of Belem. There is a military and maritime museum inside the Tower, but our time was limited and we decided not to go in. The Tower, located just offshore in the Tagus River, is accessed via a short elevated walkway. Because of its role during the Age of Discoveries the 500 year old Tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built not only as part of the city’s defense system, but also as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. It’s quite an impressive piece of architecture and we spent some time just admiring the view.
While walking along the river we came upon a number of food trucks and as is often our habit during the day we stopped and had a quick bite to eat. We came upon a few different drink carts, one of which was selling interesting looking lemonade cocktails and the other a red wine cart with inviting little chairs. but… places to go and things to see…
I would have loved to stop for one of these…
Can you tell there is a hot dog and fries under all that cheese?!
Across the street from the Tower and the Monument is the Jerónimos Monastery. Building started in 1496 and finished a century later. I read that the monks of the Order provided spiritual guidance to seafarers. These are the same monks who created Pasteis de Belem or Pastel de Nata the most famous of all the Portuguese desserts!
Unfortunately most of the buildings were closed by the time we arrived, but we were able to enter the Sta. Maria Church where we saw the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões. The Church was beautiful and I must admit I wished I had a little more time to wander and to see the rest of the Monastery. Guess we should have gotten up a bit earlier…
Elliot loved these baby ducks swimming in the fountain!
Stopping to get a drink and some new shades
Lisbon’s Modern Art Museum is also in Belem
Speaking of wandering… Once the Monastery had closed we visited the famous Pasteis de Belem located just across the road and then spent some time wandering through the streets of Belem before we decided to give the kids a break and head somewhere just for them… Oceanário de Lisboa!
One of the more fun and interesting things about visiting a new place is trying the traditional foods! Sometimes you love them and sometimes you don’t, but either way, memories are made! We definitely found some gems while visiting Portugal!
The Sweets!
We wasted no time getting started as upon arrival at the hotel we were greeted by a lovely tray of Pastel de Nata, a flaky pastry shell filled with egg custard, which is the most famous of all the Portuguese desserts.
We soon discovered that these lovely little gems were available just about everywhere! Having never heard of them before it was funny that only one week before my trip, my mom told me she had just had the most amazing desert at a local restaurant, a Portuguese Tart!
The most famous place to get Pastel de Nata is also where they originate from. Pasteis de Belem is located in the neighborhood of the same name and can easily be spotted because there is always a line out the door. They’ve been using the same secret recipe since the monks of the Jeronimo Monastery opened the shop 1834!
This is what one of my fellow bloggers had to say about them:
These pastries are ephemeral bites of cinnamon and warmth. They must be eaten right away, never saved for later. Every coffee shop in Portugal produces an imitation, but none quite captures the lightness of the dough, the creaminess of the filling. These imitations even bear a different name: “pasteis de nata.” Because there is only one place in the world where you can get “pasteis de Belém.”
There were Pastelarias (bakeries) on just about every corner in every city we visited and we definitely enjoyed visiting them! Some of the other items we tried were the Bola de Berlim which is essentially a round fluffy donut coated with sugar and filled with various flavors of pastry cream, the palmier recheado, a palmier sandwich filled with creme that tasted a lot like an American Twinkie, the Pão de Ló, a Portuguese sponge cake, and my personal favorite the Queijadas De Sintra which is a little cheesecake tart made with cinnamon.
Bola de Berlim
palmier recheado
Queijadas De Sintra Sapa
Pão de Ló with chocolate!
The Other Treats!
While the Portuguese sweets were delicious and plentiful, I’m really more interested in savory tastes and my favorite food find in Portugal was definitely the cheese!
Upon being seated most restaurants will offer you a small plate of miniature cheeses, a basket of bread and maybe even a plate of meats or olives. Keep in mind that unlike in other countries these items are not complimentary, in fact you’ll be charged for each piece of bread, wheel of cheese, pat of butter or spread package that you open. Upon further examination we noticed that these menu items had a PP after them and are sold “per piece”.
Back to the cheese… As I said most restaurants gave us these little wheels of cheese as appetizers and we really loved them! We tried a number of different types and for the most part they were fairly mild with a medium texture. There were a few that were a little more on the fragrant side, but all were great! I’m quite sure that given the opportunity, Simon would have eaten just cheese at every meal! It took a few meals but we soon realized there was a proper way to eat them. Slicing off the top of the rind created a little bowl of sorts which made it easy to scoop out the cheese. It made a great spread for the bread too!
Pastéis de bacalhau, or codfish pastries are another very popular item in Portuguese cuisine and are made up mainly of potatoes, bacalhau (codfish) and eggs. They are deep-fried and can also be stuffed with other ingredients like the one in my photo which is filled with melted cheese. Careful when you take a bite or the hot cheese can burn your hand and mouth. We had these in a number of locations and while it wasn’t my personal favorite Simon liked them enough to have them a number of times.
We found ourselves eating a number of meals on the go during out visit and a popular item for all of us was the Tosta Mista or ham and cheese sandwich on crusty bread.
Of course we needed a beverage to go with all of this lovely food and my drink of choice while in Portugal was the Sangria Blanco! A white wine mixture with cinnamon, fresh fruit and other ingredients. The perfect drink on a hot day!
Lisbon, a city which seems to love looking at itself! Or should I say being looked at? And why shouldn’t it? Its beautiful!
Positioned on the banks of the Tagus River, Lisbon rises up the side of seven incredibly steep hills, providing sweeping views in every direction. These magnificent views were the common thread in every guidebook, blog, or source I consulted prior to our visit, and with good reason! We visited no less than three official view sites on the very first day and while that definitely isn’t necessary I will say that picking at least one of them as your first “to do” is a great way to get an overview of the city.
If paying for a view doesn’t suit you, not to worry, there are very few places in Lisbon that don’t offer spectacular vistas! All you have to do is walk down the street!!
Castelo de São Jorge
The Castelo de Sao Jorge is a medieval Moorish castle which overlooks the historic centre of the city and the river. I do love a castle and this one offers fantastic views, so it was our first stop! We decided to walk there from our hotel, but if you’re not up for climbing the steep hills you can hire a Tuk Tuk to take you there. Walking along the castle walls and going up into the towers was pretty neat, but other than that there isn’t a whole lot going on. There are some archeological sites, a small museum with artifacts and a cafe, but the main attraction are the views. Allow about an hour.
Waiting for Tim to purchase our castelo tickets
The boys peeking over the edge
There were many peacocks in the gardens
Consider hiring a Tuk Tuk to take you places
The Rua Augusta Arch
The Rua Augusta Arch is located at the end of a pedestrian street of the same name in one of Lisbon’s busiest areas and is just across from the Praça do Comércio. It was built to commemorate the city’s reconstruction after a devastating earthquake in 1755. The Arch is 100 feet tall and if you decide to take the elevator up to the top you’ll be treated to amazing 360 degree views. I’d say it was well worth the cost of 2.5€ per visitor.
From the Praça do Comércio sideCastelo de Sao JorgeConvento da Ordem do CarmoPraça do Comércio
The Santa Justa Lift
Not only does The Santa Justa Lift provide amazing 360 degree views from 138 feet above the city, but it actually serves an official purpose. Due to the steep hills in Lisbon getting from the lower portion of the city to the upper is no easy task. Operated by the city’s Transportation Department The Santa Justa Lift has been making life easier for residents and tourists since 1902 and It was made a national monument in 2002!
Of all the view points we saw that first day I think this was my favorite, it was centrally located allowing us views of the city in every direction and our visit took place at sunset! The cost to go up is minimal and don’t worry if you see a line it moves quite quickly!
View of the lift from the Rua de Santa Justa
The Cathedral of LisbonThe Rua Augusta ArchRossio Square
The hills in Lisbon are steep, the roads are narrow and the staircases are plentiful. Keep this in mind when planning your day and do consider taking advantage of the many unique modes of transportation offered! With its multitude of twists and turns Lisbon can at times feel a lot like a labyrinth and although we loved wandering aimlessly up and down the hills and through the streets and neighborhoods, we definitely felt it after a day or two!
*Full disclosure: While almost every photo on hilarystyle.me was taken personally by me, occasionally I do use other photos. The Santa Justa Lift was undergoing renovations during our visit, so I’ve used a photo from wikipedia to show you the lift at night.
I really had no preconceived ideas about what to expect on our recent trip to Lisbon, however I can say I wasn’t expecting a city covered in Graffiti. It was everywhere and when I say everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE!
Thankfully, I’m not just talking about your standard tagging and rude obscenities written on bathroom walls or the side of public transportation, don’t get me wrong there is plenty of that too, but this is something else entirely.
This is ART… and its good!
And it’s not just in the “bad” neighborhoods either.
During our wanderings we came upon a number of areas where entire buildings and even city blocks were completely covered with amazing paintings. I wondered, is this sanctioned? Do the city officials actually like it? Do people paint these large murals in the middle of the night? How did they get up there to paint that?
There was no mention of Lisbon’s Street art in any of the guides I read, but once I returned back to the states I did a bit of poking around on the internet and discovered that it’s quite a big deal! Like most major cities street art and graffiti have been in Lisbon for decades. However, in recent years their have been several different initiatives that were designed to help revive various parts of the city and at the same time give a boost to the urban art scene. Street artists came from around the world to participate!
If you’re planning a trip to Lisbon and are interested in seeing this amazing art there are official Street Art tours, but we managed to happen upon a lot of the locations while wandering around.
For answers to some of my above questions, check out this article about the Graffiti Grannies of Lisbon!
We stumbled upon this graffiti covered street on our way to Castello S. de Jorge
This woman was making/selling art inspired by the street art
Escadinhas de Sao Cristovao is the name of the street we stumbled upon quite by accident.
While there is a lot of amazing street art there is plenty of typical graffiti too.
As soon as I knew we would be traveling to Rome, I knew I would make the effort to go just a little further to see the ancient city of Pompeii and It was so worth it!
Although there are many organized tours leaving from Rome, most of them start pre-dawn and I rarely do pre-dawn. We chose to go on our own and in our own time and it worked out perfectly! We even slept in a little bit!
The modern city of Pompei (spelled with one i) is only 2 hours and 20 minutes from Rome. We took an express train to Naples and then transferred to a local train. The station is just down the hill from the entrance to ancient Pompeii. Don’t worry there will be taxis lined up waiting to drive you the two miles up the hill. Our taxi driver let us know that there is no outside food allowed and suggested a nice pizza place just outside the gates. How convenient! 😉
I did notice what looked to be a food stand inside the city, but it was closed until summertime.
While Tim was paying the taxi I was approached by a nice older gentleman who wanted to know if I needed a guide. I must admit I was hesitant at first. I wasn’t sure, was he legitimate? How much is too much to pay for a tour? However, I really wanted to hire a guide and he did seem nice, we had come so far, his badge did look official…
Tim arrived! Okay! He was an official guide and it would be a two-hour private tour. We were visiting during the off-season, so he would give us half price. We agreed and off we went! Our guide, whose name I seem to have forgotten, had been giving tours of Pompeii for 30+ years and had grown up only a few miles away! Did you know Pompeii has been a tourist attraction for 250 years?! Wow!
Because we were there in December there weren’t many other people walking around and we had the opportunity to wander down many of the ancient streets alone and undisturbed. Maybe it was just me, but I could almost feel the people who had walked there before us. Because it was buried under 20 feet of ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius even 2000 years later everything is incredibly well-preserved. Walking where they walked and seeing where they lived and ate goes a long way in helping to bring the past to life.
It seems that the Pompeiians were a very progressive and open-minded people, especially about sex. There were references to it everywhere, even on the streets. Sort of like street signs directing you, there were phallic symbols literally pointing the way to the brothels. Our guide did a great job of telling us all about this part of life in Pompeii without really alerting the kids to what he was talking about. Yay guide!
During the tour we saw some of the plaster casts that were created of the human remains which were frozen in time at the exact moment of their deaths. Although I know they aren’t actually the bodies of these people you can’t help but feel moved when you see them. We also saw many remnants of everyday life in Pompeii: pizza ovens,”fast food” restaurants, the brothels, private homes, the forum, as well as incredibly preserved mosaics and other art pieces.
All four of us really enjoyed the tour and we learned so much about what life was probably like in 79 AD. We couldn’t believe that two hours had gone by when it seemed like no time at all!
The train ride from Rome was lovely
Entering the Sea Gate
We practically had the place to ourselves.
2000 year old speed bumps
There are many fascinating things to see.
This was a restaurant
This was a pizza oven
This reminds me of Legos
It’s amazing how well everything held up after 2000 years.
The little white stones in the street were ancient reflectors lit up by moonlight
Rome is a city packed so full of amazing history and sights that even with 9 full days to visit we came nowhere near seeing everything on my list. We would just have to pick our “must-see” places and everything else would be a bonus.
The Colosseum
We loved this! Although you can arrange private tours and you probably should for a high season visit we took a chance and bought our tickets and booked our tour upon arrival. The tour guides do an amazing job. I can’t explain it, but there is something so moving about being in this place you’ve heard so much about and where so much history took place. It was a very sophisticated structure for its time and it is incredibly well-preserved. You can really imagine what it once was!
There is something so amazing about standing in a place with so much history
The Forum
The Forum was a disappointment to me. Maybe it had something to do with being there alone with two hungry boys who wanted to be anywhere else but the Forum? I just couldn’t concentrate. Simon and I tried to take the audio tour which you do at your own pace, but the ground is very rough and uneven and it was hard to know where to look when consulting the corresponding map. It’s actually quite a large area to cover up and down some hills and requires a lot of walking. It’s on the way to the Colosseum, so if you have limited time and are with small children a quick look over the rail and down into where it used to be might suffice.
After a long day in the Forum the boys were delighted to have a McDonalds happy meal as their reward!Elliot was ready to go. I promised McDonald’s if he could just be patient.This used to be a temple
Piazza Navona
A lovely square with a long history and the beautiful Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi fountain. This is a lovely place to people watch and to grab a bite to eat or a coffee. We visited the Christmas market one evening and had such a lovely time.
The Vatican
No trip to Rome would be complete without a trip to the Vatican and it was especially lovely decorated for the holiday season. While you can arrange guided tours of St. Peter’s we chose to wander at our leisure. Incredibly beautiful and immense inside and out it is hard to really prepare yourself for just how big it truly is. It seems to go on forever, and you’ve only walked halfway down the knave. There is an underground crypt which can be explored, but young children aren’t allowed so we were unable to see it on this trip. Did you know the Vatican is a country? Yep! It has its own postoffice. We sent postcards to our catholic friends back home with Vatican City’s special stamp and postmark.
The Sistine Chapel
No matter the time of year the Sistine Chapel will be packed and the line will be long. Simon and I arrived by taxi at 8:30 am and found the line for those without a pre-booked tour was already three hours long. I highly suggest making guided tour arrangements prior to your arrival. You’ll skip the line! If you do decide to take your chances and just show up, like we did, you will find that there are MANY tour companies out on the sidewalks awaiting your arrival and hoping to draw you in. Knowing which ones are legitimate and if you’re choosing the right one can be difficult especially if you don’t speak Italian. We ended up on a perfectly fine tour, but it was in both English and Spanish which made it quite a bit longer. This wasn’t ideal for a 10-year-old. In hindsight I would have booked this tour in advance and only in english.
The Map Room on the way to the Sistine Chapel is amazing!
On the tour we visited many interior halls and outdoor courtyards of the Vatican Museum before arriving at the Chapel itself. The halls leading to the Sistine Chapel are equal in beauty to the Chapel itself and there is so much to see in the Vatican Museum that one could spend days and not see everything. The tour ended in St. Peters and we didn’t pass up a chance to take another look around!
On the Sistine Chapel Tour
Spanish Steps
Everyone goes to the Spanish Steps and if you’re planning a trip to Rome I am sure you will too! Keep in mind It is a very touristy area and you should beware of pickpockets. The view from the top is quite lovely and they are located right near a lot of really good shopping! During the holiday season many of the shopping streets nearby were lined with red carpets and had “crystal chandeliers” hanging the length of them! Very impressive!
Here I am at the bottom of the steps.About halfway up…Via dei condotti view from the Spanish StepsNot too shabby!
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in Europe. It’s been in many movies over the years and is definitely worth taking a look at! It’s huge! We went at dusk and it was beautifully lit. There is a legend that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain it will ensure a return to Rome. I read that the coins are collected and used to subsidize a supermarket for those less fortunate. Nice!
Fountain SelfiePhew, someone to take our photo
The Pantheon
The Pantheon is amazing! Built in 126 ad it’s absolutely incredible looking inside and out! It’s funny, but for some reason we ended up walking by this place 8 out of 9 nights in Rome. I guess all roads in Rome lead to the Pantheon! The area around it is great with a lot of nice places to eat and fun side streets to wander and shop. There is no need for tickets you can just walk right in. How incredibly fascinating that all of this amazing history is just sitting there unprotected right in the middle of modern-day life! Oh, and there is a good taxi stand around the back side.
Capuchin Crypt
If you’re not too squeamish The Capuchin Crypt is quite a fascinating place! Located beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini on the Via Veneto are the skeletal remains of 3700 bodies. But it’s not just the large amount of skeletons that make this place interesting, it’s how they are displayed. The bones are nailed to the walls in various patterns like art and some are even made into light fixtures hanging from the ceiling!
The Rome Zoo
Bioparco di Roma, is a lovely zoo located on the opposite side of the Villa Borghese Gardens. We wandered through the gardens and then around the zoo on Christmas Eve. It was a nice break, especially for the little guy and as far as zoos go, it was a pretty nice one! I’ve visited many…
And the list goes on…
Other sights we found time to see which I highly recommend are: The Basilica de Santa Maria Maggiore, The Jewish Ghetto, the Great Synagogue of Rome, The Jewish Museum, Palatine Hill, and The Arch of Constantine. There were many other places we wanted to see, but we just ran out of time…Good thing we threw that coin into the Trevi Fountain!!
Where to Eat
While there are many restaurants in a Rome, finding places to eat that aren’t too touristy can be difficult. Our family joke is that we can’t sit down for dinner until we’ve wandered the streets lost and starving for at least two hours. I suppose by that time everything tastes good! Anyway, here are a few places we discovered that are worth checking out.
Renato e Luisa was recommended to us by a Roman friend of Tim’s! We don’t speak Italian and they didn’t speak any english, but we were able to ask them to choose our entrees for us and were not disappointed, in fact it was the best meal we had the entire trip.
Gioliti Ice Cream – Located near the pantheon this place is famous for a reason! It’s very good! Elliot LOVED the chocolate and I’m pretty sure we hit this place everyday! You can either have table service or get a cone to go.
Life Pizza – We ate here twice we liked it so much. They take reservations and have a large wine selection!
Ristorante Maccheroni – Don’t show up without a reservation! This place was packed! The staff was very friendly, the food was great and they loved kids! Near the Pantheon!
We stayed at the Westin Excelsior on the Via Vittorio Veneto which is a great location. I couldn’t believe how big our room was and even with an extra roll-a-way bed for the boys there was room to spare! The hotel had a pool which was nice and because it was Christmas time everything was decorated beautifully.
Fed up with doing all the holiday decorating, shopping, present wrapping and cooking when it seemed as though no one actually cared about any of it. I decided I was over it! “That’s it! I’m quitting Christmas!”, I announced to my family!
The following year we spent Christmas in Rome! “Don’t worry. Santa will find you wherever we are.” I told the boys and it was true! 😉
If you’re wondering, the holiday season is a great time to visit Rome. Fantastic even! The Christmas and holiday decorations are beyond compare, the weather is temperate and the lines are short. In fact with the exception of a few places there were almost no lines for anything. It turned out to be the simplest and best Christmas I think we’ve ever had.
The Holiday Decor
I think I can safely say that I have never visited a city with more holiday decorations than Rome! There was scarcely a corner left untouched by festivity. It’s simply spectacular! Where you might think that the streets would be deserted on the eve of a major holiday, it was the exact opposite. The amount of people who are out and about strolling and enjoying the lights and atmosphere is simply amazing.
Visiting the Colosseum was a highlight of our visit!
Creshes were everywhere this one is on the Spanish StepsDecorations like this were around just about every cornerThese lights were incredibly impressive and stretched for blocks and blocks.
Many streets had red carpets on them!Trees in front of the hotelThe Westin Excelsior Christmas Tree
The Christmas Market in the Piazza Navona
We visited the Christmas market in Piazza Navona one evening and had such a lovely time. There were all sorts of holiday themed treats and it was incredibly festive. We picked up a tiny tree for our hotel room and each of us picked out two mini ornaments to decorate it with. A small strand of lights and a little angel tree topper finished it off! We set it up on our hotel room desk! When it was time to leave we brought all of our ornaments home with us and we hang them on our tree every year!
Items for sale at the Piazza Navona Christmas Market
Piazza Navona is also a great place to explore during the day. There is a beautiful fountain and many cafes where you can people watch and grab a coffee.
The Vatican
No trip to Rome would be complete without a trip to the Vatican and it was especially lovely decorated for the holiday season. Not only were their multiple creches on the inside of St. Peter’s, but a large portion of St. Peter’s Square was filled with the biggest nativity scene I’ve ever seen. No pun intended!
an iphone4 can’t do this justice, but you get the ideaThis tree was nice surprise when entering the building for our Sistine Chapel tourLooking out from St. PetersWe visited on Christmas eve and it was so crowded. duh!
Via dei Condotti
Complete with red carpet and “crystal chandeliers” the Via Dei Condotti was all dressed up for the holidays! One of Rome’s most fashionable streets it is located at the foot of the Spanish Steps. Many of fashion’s biggest names have shops here, Dior, Gucci, Valentino, Armani, Jimmy Choo, and Prada, to name just a few. It’s no surprise that the holiday decorations on this street were nothing short of stunning.
Via dei condotti view from the Spanish Steps
Santa? Is that you?
Traditionally we have our big holiday meal on Christmas Eve. Rather then go out for dinner we decided it would be more fun to order room service! After all we were taking a break from the usual holiday traditions this year! A little while later when the food arrived, Elliot, who was only 31/2 at the time, heard the knock at the door and yelled out, “It’s Santa!”
Yep! The holiday magic had followed us to Rome! I think we enjoyed that Christmas Eve dinner more than any other. At least I know I did!
Later that evening after the boys were asleep Santa stealthily put the tiny packages she had hidden in my suitcase as well as the Italian candy she’d discovered during the week into the boys stockings also hidden in the suitcase. Under the tiny tree they went!
Santa brought tiny presents so they would fit under our tree.Santa was here!The boys seemed just fine with an International xmas
“Mommy! Daddy! Wake up! Santa was here, he found us!” “Didn’t I tell you “he” would find us wherever we are…”
Springtime in Japan is breathtakingly beautiful, so It’s no wonder that people come from all over the world to see it! The cherry trees are in bloom and they are everywhere!
Ueno Park
Walking among the thousands of trees in Tokyo’s Ueno Park you can’t believe how lovely it is! Magical really! The branches are overflowing with blossoms and they stretched out over our heads creating canopies of pink, white and blue sky. I didn’t know where to point my camera first! Of course everyone else wants to take a photo too, so you have to be careful to look where you’re going. There aren’t just thousands of beautiful trees, but thousands of people too! As many as two million people might come to see the blossoms in a given year.
This activity is called Hanami which literally translates to “flower viewing” and it is popular activity for all ages. So much so that the sakura blossom forecast is reported by local weather forecasters. Additionally, there are websites you can visit that will help you determine the different bloom forecasts depending on where and when you plan to visit. And of course there are sakura festivals in many places. It’s quite popular for the younger generations to picnic under the blooming trees and while we didn’t do this ourselves we did have the opportunity to walk through the park and see the literally hundreds of people picnicking! It did look fun!
There are many places to view the various types cherry trees in the park.
There are thousands of people viewing the blossoms.
Everyone stops to look up and take photos!
The blossoms are lit at night.
Even McDonald’s gets into the season! They offer sakura secret sauce on their burgers and sakura soda too!
Beyond The Blossoms
There are many things to see and do in Ueno Park beyond hanami. We discovered fabulous food stalls, a shrine, the remnants of a giant Buddha statue, beautiful torii gates, the Ueno Zoo and swan boats in Shinobazu Pond. There are also a number of large museums, but even with multiple visits we simply ran out of time.
I’m not sure if the food stalls are in the park all year round, but there were many food options when we were there and Elliot did his best to hit every single one! He wanted to stop at practically every place and try something new. Many places in Japan don’t take debit cards or credit cards and we actually ran out of cash before Elliot was done eating!
Fish on a stick
There were many unusual choices
We didn’t always know what they were…
Simon loves onigiri
Tim’s favorite
I wonder what those signs say?
But we had no trouble finding many tasty choices!
Shinobazu Pond
Shinobazu Pond is located within Ueno Park and there is a lovely island right in the middle. During the sakura festival the pathway leading there is lined with even more food options! We found some yummy desserts and then visited The Bentendo Temple. I read that the temple is dedicated to the Goddess of good fortune, wealth, music, and knowledge. I like it!
There is a pedal boat ride in the pond and the boats are colorful swans! The boys really wanted to go for a ride, but the swans only held three people at a time, so I spent some time taking photos of the shrine and more blossom photos while they pedaled around with Tim. Perfect!
The pathway leading to the island is lined with food stalls and thousands of people.
The boys went for a ride on the pond
There were many photo opportunities
Elliot was an eating machine!
The Ueno Great Buddha
Located just up the hill from the main avenue of cherry trees is the face of what was once a very large statue of Buddha. This was the second great Buddha to stand in this spot. The first one was destroyed in an earthquake in 1647! The second one was also heavily damaged in the 1923 earthquake. Only the face remains because the rest of the 3.6 meter tall statue was melted down to make weapons in WWII.
The Ueno Zoo
As we often do when traveling with the boys we visited the zoo! We had a nice afternoon and saw a few animals that we’ve never seen in any western zoos. That was fun!
Japan is a land of many contrasts. It’s a place where centuries old traditions and cutting edge modern technology come together and coexist side by side in harmony. This is part of what makes Japan such a special and magical place. Nowhere did this seem more apparent than Tokyo. The modern architecture and bright lights of Ginza are just steps from the Imperial Palace, The ancient buddhist temple of Zojo-ji resting in the shadow of the Tokyo Tower, and the softness of the pink and white cherry blossoms up against the hard grey metal of the city’s skyscrapers are just a few examples of the many contrasts we saw in our travels. Where else do you find 5 star restaurants with their world-class food displayed out front in the form of realistic plastic models?
Here’s a look at a few of the ancient and modern sights we saw while in Tokyo. Some of them were in the same place!
Senso-Ji Temple
Located in the Asakusa district the Senso-ji Temple is Tokyo’s oldest temple. The approach leading up to the entrance of the temple is called Nakamise-dori and it is lined with souvenir shops. They are selling exactly what you would expect Japanese tourist shops to sell, fans, Godzilla toys, kimonos, buddhist scrolls, candy, mobile phone straps and a lot of other “stuff”.
This was our first stop in Tokyo and in hindsight I wish this wasn’t the case. The Temple itself is beautiful and surrounded by many other places of interest, but this is a very popular tourist destination and with more than 30 million visitors each year it was extremely crowded! The combination of junky stuff for sale and the large crowds was somewhat off-putting and because of it I think Asakusa was probably my least favorite neighborhood. In fairness It was our very first stop and we were still adjusting to jet-lag. The Asakusa district was largely destroyed by bombing in WWII and a lot of it was rebuilt in the 50s and 60s. It definitely has a 60s-ish vibe to it.
Tourist shops leading to the entrance of the Senso-ji Temple.
This pagoda is the second tallest in Japan.
This paper lantern is hanging at the Thunder Gate of Senso-Ji.
Ceiling panel in the Senso-ji Temple
The smoke behind us is inscense
Meiji Shrine
The Meiji Shrine is located in a large forest adjacent to one of Tokyo’s biggest parks, Yoyogi Park. I really enjoyed this! It was raining quite heavily the day we visited, but we chose to walk through the park anyway. We originally hail from Seattle, so a little rain won’t stop us! The cherry blossoms really stood out against the grey skies and with all the tall buildings surrounding the park it was really quite beautiful.
The park was really big and had many museums and areas of interest.
Wandering through the park on a rainy day there were pops of color!
The Meiji Shrine
Make a wish!
Dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken, the Meiji Shrine was first built-in 1920 and is relatively new compared to some of the others we visited. Beyond visiting the shrine itself the surrounding gardens have many things to see as well. We wandered through a tea garden, saw royal fishing ponds, and the Otorii Gate which is the largest of its kind in Japan. Walking along the pathway you’ll find a large display of both sake and red wine barrels which were donated in honor of the enshrined deities. We were also lucky enough to see a Shinto wedding taking place during our visit!
This is the largest wooden Otorii gate in Japan. The tree it’s made from was 1500 years old.
Tea Building in the Royal Gardens
Donated to the Meiji Shrine by the French as a show of friendship
Saki donated to the Meiji Shrine by various saki makers.
The royal fish pond
When visiting shrines it is polite to pay your respects. You do this by performing a series of actions that are independent of religious beliefs, but show your respect to the sanctity of the place. Once I got the hang of these rituals I rather enjoyed completing them.
A funny side note: It was just after our visit to the Meiji Shrine that I stumbled upon the Harajuku District. I had my mind set on visiting the Rag & Bone Store and knew it was “nearby”. We never actually located the shop, but it was while we were wandering aimlessly, okay lost, looking for it, that we found Takeshita Street which was probably one of my favorite experiences of the entire trip!
Zojo-ji
Zojo-ji is a Buddhist temple in the Shiba neighborhood of Minato. It sits in the shadow of the Tokyo Tower. Founded in 1393 the Temple has been in its present site since 1598, long before the Tokyo Tower was in existence! On the day we visited there was a parade taking place on the street leading up to the Temple gates. The contrast of the people dressed very traditionally with the very modern looking Tokyo Tower in the background made quite an impact on me. I love how even with the introduction of new and modern ideas sprouting up all around the people still hold their traditions close.
Jizo Statues
While exploring the grounds of Zojo-ji we came upon an unusual garden. Row after row of tiny little statues all dressed up with flowers and other cheerful items placed around them. The statues represent the unborn children of Japan. Parents who have suffered a loss can chose a statue and decorate it. Often the parents will leave a little gift for Jizo, the guardian of unborn children, to ensure that they are brought to the afterlife.
It was the last day of our Japan adventure and the cherry blossoms were just starting to fall from the trees. Like snow flurries in the air and a light dusting on the ground. The timing of our trip couldn’t have been more perfect!
The Tokyo Skytree
On our last night in Japan we visited the Tokyo Skytree, a broadcasting tower and tourist attraction, located in the Sumida district. However, we decided we were too tired and cold to make the trip up to the observation deck. As of 2011 it was the tallest tower in the world and based on the description of the tower it’s clear that the many contrasts of Tokyo and Japan are not only accepted by the Japanese people, but embraced! The Tokyo Skytree was designed to represent a place where tradition and the future can meet. It is a very modern structure which has been designed with centuries of tradition in mind.
TOKYO SKYTREE is designed in an original color, “SKYTREE White”, representing harmony with the surrounding scenery, its name and the design concept: “The creation of city scenery transcending time: A fusion of traditional Japanese beauty and neo-futuristic design”.
The question I’m asked most frequently when people find out that we are planning our next adventure is, “Are you bringing the kids?” The answer is always YES!
Because we were there in December there weren’t many other people walking around and we had the opportunity to wander down many of the ancient streets alone and undisturbed. Maybe it was just me, but I could almost feel the people who had walked there before us. Because it was buried under 20 feet of ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius even 2000 years later everything is incredibly well-preserved. Walking where they walked and seeing where they lived and ate goes a long way in helping to bring the past to life.
