Back in London from Edinburgh. Trained in at King’s Cross and checked out Platform 9 3/4 before heading home to our London crib. Post-exhibit event (the major reason why we are here), we spent an entire day reliving Nottinghill — that Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant starrer with that famous quote “I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” That was way back in 1999. The first time I set foot here in 1986 pre-Nottinghill the movie, I just remember this area as a spot for book lovers and shoppers for antiques and curio items. The coffee and scone scene is still fabulous — tried Cheeky Scone — and was not disappointed. It was a long walk from Nottinghill up to Chinatown bordering SOHO but we needed our nourishment after visiting the book shops, that famous blue door from the blockbuster movie and all the quaint curio shops left and right of Portobello Road.
King’s Cross Train Station is a fabulous structure but it is now more famous for this spot. Thanks to JK Rowling’s Harry Potter . King’s Cross Station
Now, Portobello Road just off Nottinghill Gate Station gives off bohemian vibes. There are countless vintage shops, delis and coffee shops. Very vibrant, and quite busy too. It is tempting to shop around or just browse through books in those little bookstores that’s hardly the norm in big cities. I even found a basket full of wrapped books where a conspicuous sign state “blind date with a book”. What a creative idea! There’s a hint of what the book is all about and it’s like a teaser of what you’d find upon unwrapping the package.
Nottinghill Spots
Book and film lovers will find a haven in Nottinghill. But do watch the movie first for context. 😉 Otherwise you’d just think of this bohemian village in London as a place for shoppers and maybe as a dating place. Besides, that “blue door” can just be another door to anyone unless you have seen, and enjoyed the movie. Soon after finding the movie spots, enjoying the scones with coffee and shopping for cutesy vintage items, we went for more walks in search of a serious meal. Four Seasons at Gerrard Street was our choice for early Chinese dinner. Now this may sound like a day of eating, shopping and fangirling to you, but that’s exactly what it was. When in London, as with anywhere else, you’re free to make your own memories. Ta Ta!
It’s been 38 years and finally, I’m back. Hardly had any photos back in 1986 and visited only a few sites then — pre-digicams, no Google maps, no uber. This time around, we’ve pre-booked our train rides, apartment, Johnnie Walker experience and tours of the Old Town and New Town for 2 straight days and left the other days for whatever we fancy doing at the moment. It’s only Day 2 and we have 2 more days to go. But my legs are up from all that walking uphill and downhill and my arms are sore holding an umbrella up. I promise to wear a raincoat tomorrow if it still rains! Or maybe we should do the Museums when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
First Order of the Day: Johnnie WalkerNext Order: Haggis, Neeps and Tatties
As soon as we got off the train and dropped our bags in our rented apartment, we took the road via the nearby Holyrood Park and booked a ride to the Johnnie Walker Shop for a tour much like the one we did in Amsterdam. Enjoyed the history and the rest of the Scotch Whisky tasting experience. One even takes a “quiz” so you can enjoy your own “blend”. Personalized. Customized. Enough to rev up our appetite for a dinner of haggis with neeps and tatties, steak pies, fish and chipsat the Tolbooth Tavern which has stood the test of time the last 200 years. The next day we found another 200 year old lunch place — easy to do here in Edinburgh. Old is in vogue so it’s quite interesting to try “new things” in this Scottish capital. Like the Harry Potter tours. But please… no ghost tours for me.
Diagon Alley inspired by Victoria StreetElephant House is the “birthplace” of Harry Potter. A cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote the famous series.
But if you ask me, I like best the strolls around Dean Village by the water of Leith, and the park around Scott’s Monument. And yes, the view of Edinburgh Castle from the Vennel Steps is one of the unbeatable shots. Just be prepared to scale those steps! And when visiting Holyrood Palace, check out the Holyrood Park and meet new canine friends who enjoy all the grassy space. As for Arthur’s Seat — I have watched “One Day”, both the movie starring Anne Hathaway and the series (which I prefer), but I’m still not convinced I’d like to do this hike. But then again, we still have 2 more days. Between the hike and the museums here, you know where the preferences lie.
Gramping. It’s becoming a trend where grandparents travel with grandchildren. It can be fun, but it can also be disastrous for some especially if there are no shared interests and food preferences. I have taken trips with the “apos” (grandchildren) before — once to Madrid to stay with a niece, and another time to Sydney to visit our relatives. But lately, we have taken trips together on our own, staying in hotels or apartments, charting a travel itinerary based on what the 3 of us wish to do and deciding each day on what and where to dine. Mostly, we ended up visiting museums and cultural attractions but we also managed to squeeze in a concert in each of the trips. The very first gramping was in 2023 starting in Amsterdam where we literally exhausted as many museums we can cover, checking out the bars and sleeping in most mornings. Our days started late unless we planned some day trips and we almost always managed to eat well. From Amsterdam, we took trains to move around and based ourselves in Brussels, Brugges, Nimes and Avignon before moving to Paris. Food porn all the way without minding the calories as we burned them just walking all around. It was a wonderful trip and we delighted on our food discoveries while tracing Van Gogh’s provençal life. Wrote many blogs about this gramping adventure but here’s the blog summary.
It has been under a year since that gramping when we found ourselves haphazardly planning a 2nd gramping. This time to Italy. An invitation for my nieta to join a few other Filipino artists to exhibit their works in Venezia is simply too difficult to pass up. And so it went that I caught up with them on their last day in Venice, as I was coming off another trip. The plan was to train from Venice to Florence where we based ourselves and did day trips to many other Tuscan spots before settling in Rome where we flew back to our Manila nest. Just 2 weeks. Too many places we wish to visit but not enough time. As I came off another trip, the apos crafted our travel itinerary right down to where and what we’d eat as well as some time for a cafe crawl and bar hopping. Once more, we had a wonderful time. Never thought I’d pile up so many journals for this rather short trip but the memories just overflow and required some “order” for proper safekeeping!
By this time, we 3 are pretty sure we travel well together. Apos are now quite adept crafting travel itineraries, hotel bookings, train reservations and dining options. The last item is important. With only 3 of us, it is nearly impossible to share meals if we don’t have similar food preferences. We also share the same passion for a good brew and gelato breaks are a given whenever we’re traveling. Happy hours are delightfully enjoyed and this is when we love chatting about our favourite spots and plan where else to go. We have also mastered the art of grocery shopping for some lazy dinners and breakfasts while doing our laundry.
And now, we’re off again. The full activity in UK beckons so watch this page for updates. Ciao for now.
If I had my way, I’d either go to Lake Como or head south to Sicily. Perhaps even jump off from there to visit Malta, which has been in my bucket list for sometime. But this is an unplanned trip and the principal destination is Venezia for nieta’s participation in an art exhibit there. Met up with them, spent just another night in Venice and hopped on a train the next day to Firenze. Having based ourselves there for 7 days and 6 nights, we spent 3 whole days doing excursions to explore Tuscany and the Italian Riviera. After a week, off we went to the Eternal City. Not enough time to cover as much ground in historic Rome but we managed quite well. Nothing rushed. We skipped some but enjoyed whatever we managed to visit. This blog summary lists all the cities and neighborhoods we ticked off in about 2 weeks. Just click the links for more photos and details. Ciao!
After a visit to Maxxi Museum of Contemporary Art, we took a cab to Trastevere for dinner. Tourists and locals alike seemed to be all here, lining up for dinner. We’ve chosen to try Tonarello, in the Piazza Della Scala. We each ordered pasta as our “primi” and then shared a bowl of mussels. I know, we didn’t want to disappoint the Italians by making a meal out of our pasta dishes — Cacio y Pepe, Carbonara and Amatriciana — but those carbs served in their pans can be very filling. We love the moules, as well as the Prosecco. We even love the chaos and the noise you get when eating al fresco in some corner in Trastevere. The “shouts” to those in line when a table is vacated is a practiced skill. For desserts of gelato and tiramisu, we tried another barwithin the same area. As in somewhere more quiet. 😉
TrastevereChurch of Santa Maria Della Scala
Because traffic is banned from some sections like the piazzas, outdoor dining especially when it’s near-summer is truly delightful. Just around the block, tables under huge umbrellas were laid out with handicrafts, artisan jewellery, art pieces, and other curios. There was also an abundance of antique bric-a-brac in the outdoor stalls as well as in tiny vintage shops. The good coffee shops — called bars here — are easy to spot. There is almost always a line. Same goes for gelaterias which are spread all over Rome.
Al fresco Dining in TrastevereSant’ Eustachio Coffee on the go
Not sure if it’s because of the time of day we visited, but Monti seems less crowded. We had breakfast in one of the bars here. A breakfast which may well be a post-meal dessert as we ordered tiramisu and cannolis to go with our coffee. Well, we’re in Rome! The busker music then drew us out of the bar and into these cutesy, tiny vintage shops and record bars which of course took some of our precious time. All’s well, we’re having a good time. Not rushing, just browsing. At mid-morning, some activities have just began. Like bread deliveries to trattorias, shop openings, street-sweeping, etc. You can tell these Italians start their days late. And enjoy their coffee under the morning sun. (We took our breakfast table INSIDE).
Monti Neighborhood Monti
We’re glad we spent time in this neighborhood. The vibrant scene has such a local flavor that’s missing in many tourist traps. Of course, The tourists have already discovered these bohemian spots but somehow, that old character remains. Was trying to figure out what changed — and I’m guessing the tourists are here “on their own”, taking less photos, and NOT herded around in groups with a tour guide. No umbrellas! No pushing for that impossible “sans crowd” posterity shot before a fountain, a building, a Bernini sculpture. No cam whores! Why? Besides, the visitors seem to be more interested in the trattorias and osterias here. They must be hungry like us too, so the concerns and priorities differ. What do you think? 🤔
On an excursion from Firenze, we visited Monteriggioni and Chianti and was delighted to receive wine lessons from AGRICOLA POGGIO AI LAGHI where we tasted 4 kinds of wine, oils and balsamic vinegar. It was a wonderful, fun-filled session and everyone in the group thoroughly enjoyed the wine and oil tasting as much as the humorous spiels by the host. They even served us a good pasta dish. It was a penne pasta dish where we were all encouraged to spice it up with their chili pepper olive oil. Not bad. I actually like it despite the fact that the penne came from a box. (Seems we’ve been spoiled, feasting on homemade pasta all our days here in Italy) But I particularly enjoyed their thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar from Modena. Served with toast, but I can imagine it pairing well with some fresh strawberries. Hmmm. But back to wine, we found the winery so warm and welcoming. Quite a sensory experience just by being there, savouring every drop, every sniff, every swirl, every gulp. So very pleasant, indeed!
Cheers!2 kinds of balsamic vinegar. Gold spoon or Silver spoon?
The winery caters to special events and parties. I can imagine big birthday and wedding celebrations here. Or corporate events, like a product launch. Must be equipped with a good kitchen, I presume. The set-up is quite impressive. The vineyards extend to the Monteriggioni area, a small commune with an interesting walled settlement dotted with tiny stores and cafes. A small chapel inside must have welcomed some pilgrims doing the Via Francigena as Chianti and Monteriggioni are along the Tuscan parts of the camino. When I saw the brown markers — as contrasted with the yellow and blue markers of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela — I was reminded of my pilgrimage walk some 8 years earlier from Viterbo to the Vatican/Rome.
Entrance to the WineryThe Wine Tasting Room
We may all be familiar with Chianti as a region and as a wine, but not Monteriggioni. When the guide gave us an hour to freely roam around, I thought that wasn’t enough time. Turns out it was really such a small compact commune that an hour is all you need. Yet it presents itself with a decent square, a tiny church, a cafe and a few stores selling local handicraft around the square or from the narrow alleys. Actually I felt I was in one of those Disney “lands”. Except that we had to hike up a decent distance to reach the piazza. Only needed a choo choo train to ferry us around and save some breath. 😩
Tuscany’s landscapes are a feast to the eyes. Coming from Firenze where art permeated the city’s soul, it was nice to breath in fresh air while sipping wine sourced from the vineyards right in front of you. The landscapes framed in the walled commune’s huge, arched gates are so pretty. Imagine this same scenery just before the grapes are harvested. Or when spring flowers are in bloom. Or even the tall, thin cypress trees swaying as the wind blows. Bellissima!
Most tourists take this excursion out of Florence to visit Siena and San Gimignano. Did it in 2009; did it again this 2024 with “apos”. Like me, I’m sure they’d enjoy this part of Tuscany. If Florence is a Renaissance city, then it’s all medieval as you reach Siena and San Gimignano. All 3 teeming in art, history and culture. If only for these 3, Tuscany is truly a dream destination. For people like Frances Mayes (author: Under The Tuscan Sun), it even is home. Tuscany. Rolling hills, medieval buildings, breathtaking sceneries. Then throw in the vineyards and good food, and staying is no longer an option but a wonderful decision.
Siena’s Piazza del CampoSiena Cathedral
The Siena Cathedral is hailed as the prettiest among Italy’s Gothic Cathedrals. The alternating black and white marbles present a unique striped exterior while the interiors hold even more jaw-dropping elegance and beauty, while continuing with the black and white band-striped theme. Che magnifico! I love that this heritage site is devoid of motor vehicles but that can only mean that visitors should be prepared to walk. Somehow, being closed to traffic gives Siena that “frozen in time” charm. Just like Venezia and many parts of Firenze.
Siena’s Lovely Cityscape Michelin Guide Had This Listed
Our local guide calmly narrated the significance of the piazza and how it is used for horse races called “Palio”. Quite insane, this centuries old race. It’s a horse race, so the winner is the horse, not the jockey. I mean, the unsaddled horse that first crosses the finishing line may be without a jockey and still win. Just 3 laps around the fan-shaped piazza. 10 horses. Approximately, the race lasts 90 seconds. And they hold this pageant twice a year every July 2 and August 16 since the 15th century!
So MedievalWorld’s Best Gelato (2024)?
Our luck held out in Siena. The guide recommended where we can enjoy good Cacio y Pepe — Papei Trattoria. Pici Cardinale, and Pappardelle al Cinghiale were likewise excellent! And more luck with our gelato. The ones we had in Siena were good. But the gelato in San Gimignano even better. A sign claims it’s named most popular gelateria in 2024. But 2024 isn’t over yet. Whatever. Not complaining about the gelato though. And over the moon with our lunch at Papei.
San Gimignano’s medieval towers from the 12th to the 13th centuries now count over a dozen. A big drop from the more than 70 towers centuries ago when they adorned this Tuscan hill town. The 12th century Collegiata is often mistaken for a cathedral or duomo with its treasure of dramatic frescoes of the New Testament. The towers, the “duomo” , the piazzaand the medieval architecture should paint a beautiful silhouette against the skyline at sundown, the way I viewed it back in 2009. No such luck this time. But the elves are happy with their gelato!
We had all of 7 days and 6 nights here in Florence. Minus 2 whole days for out-of-town excursions. I stayed in to recharge for 2 whole days while apos visited more museums and met up with friends. I made sure I sent them off to Uffizi Art Gallery and the Medici Museum but interestingly, they also visited the Ferragamo Museum and the Gucci Garden Museum. I remember they enjoyed the Dior Museum in Paris last year. After all, the lines are blurred between art and fashion. On Day 1 here, I joined them viewing Kiefer’s exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi and the oldest pharmacy in the world. We also passed the piazza where the Duomo is, and we had meals at the Mercato Centrale. Beyond that, their interests seem to lie elsewhere. Just off Palazzo Strozzi is an impressive theater cum bookshop. Cinema Odeon is housed in a Renaissance palace with an amphitheater-like structure where you can claim a seat among stacks of books. We spent a lot of time here, and I’m told they went back the next day without me.
Palazzo StrozziUffizi Gallery
We were all fascinated by the art exhibit we viewed almost on a whim (Kiefer in Palazzo Strozzi) and Cinema Odeon — a very unique bookstore around Piazza Strozzi. So with our random dining finds for best gelato, best pizza, best bistecca, best paninis, best affogato and best rooftop bar. While we decided on our first bistecca at the Mercato, we chanced upon this gelateria which suggested we try this very local flavor called “buontalenti”, named after the inventor of the Italian gelato himself! The movie “Eat, Pray and Love” featured this pizza joint which now proudly hangs a photo of Julia Roberts — and we dare say it isn’t a hype. We actually enjoyed their Napoletania and Primavera pizzas, along with those Italian rice balls called arancino. Dining tips came in handy too from the hotel concierge and we’re glad we heeded Alex’s advice. Missed the ribollita and pasta I had years earlier in Trattoria ZaZa and Trattoria Garibaldi, but we totally enjoyed our dinners at Trattoria il Giardino (loved the Tuscan coccoli) and Trattoria Burrasca (best bistecca!). As for happy hours, nothing beats sipping rosé at sundown in Art on View Rooftop Bar. If this all sounds to you like a food trip, it seriously is. The same DNA runs in their veins, after all.
View on Art Rooftop bar. The Duomo
The days I wasn’t with them, they went for quick lunches at All’ Antico Vinaio. And ate more gelato. They also swore they had the best affogato in Vivoli and promised to take me there. And I swear they were not lying! I offered to take them around the historic center to check out spots they missed but these 2 had other interests. Told you 😜 A food trip in Italy? Not a bad idea. As for me, I’m ready for our out-of-town excursions. Makes life simpler just hopping in a bus to take us to touristy spots with a laid-out itinerary guided by a tour director. No bus or train tickets to buy. No lunch reservations to book. And I ensure these 2 learn some history outside of the dining scene. Ciao!
By noontime, we trooped to Mestre Train Station for our ride to Florence. Made sure our trip has 0 stops as I doubt we have the energy to switch trains and drag our big bags. We were famished by the time we reached Firenze SMN Station. Our apartment is just off the Basilica Di Santa Maria Novella but it took all of our energy to walk with our luggage in tow. Having checked in, we fell in love with our apartment. With 6 nights to spend here, I’ve decided to stay in for a much-needed rest to recover my sapped energy, do the laundry (3 weeks load!) and send off the apos to make other arrangements like meet some friends, hit more art galleries, do shopping or whatever else in the next 2 days. The NEXT couple of days. Today, some introductions are in order.
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella The oldest pharmacy — now perfumery — in the world.
As soon as we loaded the first batch of laundry into the washing machine, we took off. Very near our apartment is the oldest running pharmacy in Florence, and in the world: the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. It all started in 1221 with Dominican friars developing a botanical garden of plants and herbs to produce healing ointments, balms and other medicines. Over time, the concoctions produced perfumes which counted royalties and prominent families among its clients. We sniffed around — and liked the scents but didn’t end up buying any. From this pharmacy, we walked a few blocks to reach Palazzo Strozzi where we promptly bought tickets to view Anselm Kiefer’s exhibit “Fallen Angels”. Very impressive. Not our first impression though, but his art grows on you as you spend more time with the artworks.
Kiefer’s “Fallen Angels” in Palazzo Strozzi
On our first day in Florence, we passed the Piazza Di Santa Maria Novella, visited the world’s oldest pharmacy, viewed an art exhibit, admired the magnificent Duomo, chanced upon the Odeon Theater cum Bookshop, and ended up in Mercato Centrale for dinner. We wanted to eat in the nearby trattorias but we were so hungry that we found the long lines frustrating. And so, we had our first bistecca florentina at the Mercato. Rarely that we dined without any conversation, but this is one moment. We devoured the Chianina beef like there’s no tomorrow. Gelato for a good finish and we had the best flavor ever — buontalenti, named after Bernardo Buontalenti, the Florentine inventor of Gelato.
Bistecca alla Florentina GelatoMercato Centrale
Having crossed 3 timezones, I looked forward to the next 2 days of doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. Like a doting abuela, I did the laundry and even cooked dinner. I also managed to book excursions for the next 2 days : one to Cinque Terre and another day trip to visit Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti and Monteriggioni. Plus a dinner booking at a nearby Trattoria il Giardino. Nieto y Nieta were on their own the first 2 whole days in Firenze, meeting their Abuela only for dinner either at the apartment (for a home cooked meal) or in a nearby trattoria. We did return to the Mercato Centrale to buy dinner to eat in the apartment. Even the young get exhausted as they preferred to stay in in the apartment that became our cozy home for a week. And they’re only on their second week while their Abuela has already clocked 6 weeks. 😜
More to write about Firenze. Wait for the next blog.
Good pasta, osso buco and coccoliSoft music on a chilly night. I’m on holiday 💤
From Patagonia, we flew back to the capital of Santiago, Chile and then switched airports and took an international flight to Lima, Peru. Long drives, a domestic flight and a regional/international flight in a single day. All endured with a smile as we excitedly prepped for our way towards Machu Picchu, obviously the highlight of our Andean adventure. But first, Lima for a couple of nights. The Plaza de Armas in the Centro Hispanico, the famous “kiss” statue in the Love Park or Parque de Amor, the Parque Kennedy with its many resident cats, the Basilica Catedral de Lima and the Basilica y Convento de San Francisco (with the catacombs!), Larcomar for shopping and dining along the Pacific Ocean. If you’re booked in a hotel within or around Miraflores, you’d enjoy exploring the area with its tiny shops and sangucherias like La Lucha near Parque Kennedy — exactly as I remember them back when I first visited in 2017. I was eager to once more try the Pisco Sour, the chicha morada, lomo saltado, suspiro de lucuma, chirimoya, lechon sandwiches, chicharones and Inca Cola.
Barkada Photo at Parque de Amor under the Beso Statue
It was hot and humid but with a slight breeze. The men donned their shorts while the ladies wore their cotton shirts and sun dresses. Walked ahead of the group and skipped half of the catacombs tour, which I’ve done in 2017 and have no interest revisiting again. The other spots within the Centro Hispanico with all its colonial architecture — this I like. The only thing I failed to visit again in Lima is the fruit market where I enjoyed the sweetest chirimoya ever! Also, I wouldn’t mind a trip to Barranco to imbibe its more bohemian vibes and to try one of the Michelin-ranked restos in the capital. (Our Chilean visa issues threw a monkey wrench on our usual travel plans.)
Lima may not require many days to cover but it has its own charm. If you’re planning ahead, do make those restaurant reservations well ahead of time. This place is pure gastronomy where meat and seafood rank supreme. We didn’t do so badly in this department despite the lack of dining itinerary. Our last dinner as a group at Punta Azul in Mirafloreswas all seafood, wine and rice — as in all kinds of rice! Tried chicharonnes, pulpo, ceviche, scallops, and 4 rice dishes. Man, these Asians missed their rice!!!
Yummy sandwiches here — like lechon and chicharon! And the best fries.Dinner at Punta Azul. 👍
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