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[traveling-couch-potato]

Geneva Day 5

Headed back to the US today. One of my favorite parts about Geneva is just how insanely convenient the travel between the Geneva Airport and the city center is. I have never experienced such a smooth and short trip. Once I was there I wanted to finish off the last few Swiss Franc’s I had, so I wandered the airport looking for some way to spend every last cent I had. Obviously it was going to be on food.

Needed one last taste of that delicious Swiss chocolate.

I still had some time left before my flight and the airport is relatively small. There seemed to be a tourism promotional event where there were employees handing out free chocolates and encouraging people to take photos with their giant stuffed animals. So being the child that I am, I spent my last half hour before my flight hunting down as many of these human sized plushies as I could.

Deep down I’m just a giant child.

The first portion of my flight was into Madrid. I had just under a two hour layover so I grabbed a bite at La Mary.

Salmon Tartare w/ Mustard Ice Cream and Oxtail Croquettes w/ Tarragon Aioli

And with another few hours of flight time, I was back in NY again but this time with enough chocolate and snacks to tide me over for at least a little while.

I’m so thankful I managed to get at least one last trip out of me before the Covid shutdown. I’m pretty burnt out at this but I’m so thankful for the last year of non-stop traveling I got to do!

[traveling-couch-potato]

Geneva/France Day 4

I managed to combine a good half of my Geneva-centric itinerary into one day so I had time to spare. I decided to take advantage of the tour company I experienced Glacier 3000 with and take a day trip to Annecy, France. I picked up a chocolate croissant from the bakery around the corner of my hostel and headed back toward the Gare Routiere bus station. There were some delays and confusion while our bus of people waited in the tourism office waiting for our bus driver to arrive. During that time I met an older gentleman from China who was vacationing in Geneva by himself. He needed some help with translating so I became his unofficial buddy/translator for the remainder of the trip.

Annecy was only a short ride away, just under an hour. I still can’t believe how easy it is to hope from country to country here. When we got off the bus we were greeted with frigid morning air and a bright blue sky reflecting off the dazzling waters of Lake Annecy.

Lake Annecy really is gorgeous no matter the time of year.

Our tour guide had a short walkthrough planned for us just to get us aquainted with the area. We started at Le Palais de I’lle, a small medieval castle and prison located right on the canal. 

They have a museum and you can explore the building but our tour guide recommended walking around the city instead.

From there we hiked up the hill toward the Château d'Annecy, a restored medieval castle.

I opted to skip out on touring the castle since our time was limited. At this point the Chinese gentleman decided to tag along with me. We headed north/down the hill toward the houses to catch a view of the city.

We then headed west until we met the crowds at the Annecy Vieux Quartier Flea Market. We were so fortunate to be visiting during this popular monthly event. Every street corner in the area was filled with vendors selling various antiques and trinkets. We eventually ended up in front of a small bakery called Le Boulanger Du Faubourg where I picked up some goodies.

A Gruyere and hazelnut baguette. So bouncy but soft with the fatty nuttiness from the hazelnuts complementing the salty cheese so well. French bakeries are always something else.

From there my new friend and I just wandered north aimlessly until we felt the lively city vibe dissipating. We didn’t have a great idea of where to find out bus so we headed back East toward the lake.

No clue where we were anymore but the streets were getting emptier and emptier so we sensed we should head back toward the crowds.

Eventually our wandering took us to Pont de Amours, a breathtaking footbridge with some of the most amazing views I’ve ever seen. 

A distanced view of the Pont de Amours.

The bridge connected us into the Jardins de l’Europe and here my friend and I decided to split ways and I headed off into the Annecy Christmas Market since I didn’t get my fill the day before. The market is a bit smaller than the one Montreux but there was still plenty to discover.

Pommes Aligot and a cup of mulled wine. It truly feels like Christmas.

I wish I had more time to spend in the market but the bus was leaving soon so I scurried back to the lot and barely caught them as they headed out. Once we arrived back in Geneva I still had the rest of the night to finish the last few stops I wanted to visit. I started by heading toward Plainpalais which featured this intricate Frankenstein monster’s statue since the area was the setting of a portion of the the Frankenstein novel.

The area is also known for hosting one of Switzerland’s largest flea market. 

I managed to the catch the tail end of the Saturday market but many of the booths were already packing up for the day.

From Planpalais I headed south along the water until I crossed the Bridge le Pont de Carouge. This led me into the Carouge/Little Italy area of the city. Although it was a Saturday this area was surprisingly quiet. The main area I planned to explore was around the Rue Saint-Joseph where there are several novelty shops. While I was there I was craving a little snack but so many things were closed down so I stopped by for a snack at a Wasabi Sushi chain.

Geneva isn’t exactly a place for sushi but I was craving raw fish so badly.

And of course I still needed dessert and the famous Philippe Pascoët-Chocolate Pascoët Sàrl was just around the corner so I stopped in for a some treats.

Chocolate Moelleux & Passionfruit Dark Chocolate

I spent the next couple hours just wandering the neighborhood as the sun began to set. I made my way down toward the Place Du Marche where there were trees filled with floral colored lights. It was beautiful but strangely eerie considering how quiet the area was. 

Streets lined with lights and decorations but it was just so quiet.

I intended to head back to my hostel but took the wrong train and ended up towards the Les Grottes neighborhood. I decided to just walk back to my hostel. On the walk back I remembered the lack of proper restaurants in my area and I wanted a slightly more proper dinner for my final meal. I passed by a French restaurant called La Bagatelle and decided to give it a shot.

Venison w/ Crispy Foie Gras, Spaetzle, Pumpkin Mash, Chestnut Puree, and Wine Cooked Pear. Not exactly a classic Swiss dinner but a very hearty and festive feeling meal.

After dinner I settled back in my hostel and packed up for my flight home the next day. But of course there was one last thing I had to try before bedtime...

The absolutely gigantic face-sized chocolate meringue I purchased from the Annecy Bakery earlier in the day.

[traveling-couch-potato]

Geneva Day 3

Today I decided to take advantage of a tour group that would let me get a closer glimpse at the Alps. I walked toward the Gare Routiere bus stop to meet with my tour group. The morning was a bit hectic cause I thought I would be late and once I did arrive at the station I was a bit confused since multiple tour companies were using the stop and I wasn’t sure which or where my bus was and I was terrified they had left without me. Luckily they were just running late and since they were delayed in the lot, I had some time to walk to a convenience store across the street and pick up a “balanced” breakfast.

Ah yes all the major food groups: cookies, candy, ice cream, and crisps. Don’t worry I did not eat all this at once and it lasted me well into my time back in the US.

The bus ride took a couple hours, we made a pit stop to pick up a few more guests before making our way to the main attraction at Glacier 3000. This is a popular ski resort in the Alps that offers a variety of activities. We took a series of cable cars up the mountain to see what they had to offer us. However, the weather was absolutely raging and a lot of the activities they offered were closed. The entire resort was desolate. Our small tour group of about 15 people had the entire place to ourselves with the exception of a few employees. We spent the first half hour or so just wandering this abandoned-feeling ski resort. They had shut down their Peak Walk attraction due to the amount of snow but our guide was extremely familiar with the employees and they made an exception and allowed us to climb up.

The Peak Walk by Tisset is a suspension bridge that hangs 3000m in the air and connects two summits. On a clear day it would offer a view of the glacier of Les Diablerets.

Due to the weather our tour plans were a little jumbled so while we waited I enjoyed some proper hot food at the self serve cafeteria of the lodge.

Some warm food in the lodge cafeteria to recover from the freezing trek up the peak walk.

Our guide pivoted our plans and we headed down the mountain and into Montreux where we got to spend the afternoon at the lovely Montreux Christmas Market.

The greenery against the glowing cloudy skies and the immaculate Lake Geneva is really an other worldly site.

I made a new friend on the tour bus and we spent the afternoon wandering and eating our way up and down the market. This was my first time experiencing a Christmas Market (they’re not exactly common in California where we have 1.5 seasons) and even though it was drizzling and cold (and still November), I loved the festive spirit in the air.

Couldn’t help but smile at the Freddie Mercury statue overlooking the lake.

A small dock with a gorgeous open view of the lake and the Alps.

And of course no stop would be complete without me trying to stuff as much food into myself as possible.

So much food all around! Roasted chestnut// Raclette Sandwich // Bailey’s Irish Cream Marshmallow Chocolate & Spiced Biscuit Marshmallow Chocolate// Foie Gras Sandwich & Roasted Duck Breast Sandwich. Some of the tastiest and cheapest food I’ve had in Switzerland so far!

I could’ve spent another couple hours exploring this market but it was time for our group to reconvene and head back toward Geneva. Once we neared the bus station the tour guide recommended a few restaurants nearby for some authentic eats. I followed his advice and walked over to Auberge de Savièse. Like many other Swiss restaurants this place has a cute chalet setting and since I was coming relatively early in the evening I had (almost) the whole place to myself.

I enjoyed a nice meal of Veal Emince (Zurich Style), Rosti, and a Malakoff (Swiss Fondue Fritter).

And with that meal my day was over! I headed back to my hostel with a backpack full of leftovers and prepared for my last full day in Geneva.

[traveling-couch-potato]

Geneva Day 2

Ready to start my first full day in Geneva. The city is quite small and while they have excellent public transport, I decided to just walk as much as I could to get the best feel for the city in as short of a time as possible. I walked from my hotel toward the Monument Brunswick on my way toward the Eaux-Vives Cité district.

A bit of a drizzly morning on this stretch of the Quai du Mont Blanc.

I was hoping to visit the fountain but unfortunately it wasn’t open yet. I walked through the Jardin Anglais and further into the city to find some breakfast. I found a cute restaurant called enFaim where I started my morning with a nice balanced breakfast.

The meal was delicious but never thought I’d shell out almost $20 for a plate of eggs and a salad. Food costs are really high in Switzerland unfortunately. Loved the kale, apple, ginger, lemon green juice though

Once I finished my meal the Jet d’Eau fountain was scheduled to be turned on so I headed back toward the water.

The water jet was definitely powerful. Even with a barely noticeable breeze I could feel the water mist hitting my face from this far away.

I spent some time by the water enjoying some people feeding the swarms of birds before heading back toward the garden and the iconic L'Horloge Fleurie.

The famous Geneva flour clock. Still very well up-kept even in the early winter.

The next few hours were dedicated to exploring the City Center, especially the areas of Rue du Rhone, Rue du Marche, and Rue de la Croix d’or which are three of the most popular streets with a number of high-end retail stores, chocolate shops, and more. I stepped into a Läderach on Rue du Marche to pick up some chocolates.

Tons of freshly made chocolate. I particularly enjoyed the Cashew Strawberry though the chocolate with pieces of Sichuan Peppercorn embedded into it was an interesting twist as well.

From there I headed off to lunch. I passed by St. Pierre Cathedral and headed toward the famous Restaurant Les Amures, a popular restaurant known for their fondue. Ordering a full portion as a solo diner probably wasn’t the smartest decision bu at the same time how could I leave Switzerland without tasting some luscious, cheesy goodness.

Vacherin & Grueyere Fondue w/ Mushrooms. The pungency of that cheese is something else.

From the restaurant, I was only a few steps away from my next stop, Maison Tavel, a small house turned museum in the heart of Geneva. 

A miniature model of the city of Geneva.

The medieval house actually spans about 6 flours and the underground portion is definitely an eerie area worth a bit of exploration time.

My path then continued toward the Promenade de la Treille which offers a lovely view of the city. There’s also a huge bench that spans the length of the walk. Unfortunately due to the rain the bench was a bit too wet for sitting though I still enjoyed the gorgeous view.

A lovely view from the Treille Promenade.

I followed the hill down the park toward the Place de Neuve, a juncture of several historic cultural buildings including the Grand Theatre, Rath Museum, and the Conservatory of Music. 

The area also has an opening into the Parc des Bastions, a popular park with human sized chess boards set up. The park was a bit hectic because the city was preparing the area for Christmas though. I was able to finish the areas I planned on walking much faster than I anticipated so I decided to hop on a lightrail and head north toward the College Sismondi station. From there I was only a small walk away from the Broken Chair monument as well as the Flags of the United Nations.

I decided to take a loop around this area to head back to my hostel. I cut up the street and headed towards the Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the City of Geneva. The entire area seemed very unmanned. At times I felt like I was the only person in the area. It was quite desolate since it was nearing the winter but the greenhouse door was still open and I got to explore the empty building all by myself.

A small conservatory but it’s lovely knowing you’re the only one in the entire building.

Once I looped the garden I headed down and into the Mon Repos Park where I could return to the Paquis Temple area while getting a lovely view of the still waters. The walk was long and I was a bit too exhausted to wander too far for dinner so I crossed the street and wandered around to see what was available. There wasn’t much that caught my eye and I settled for dinner at iL Fornello Napolitano. Food costs were definitely high but I managed to get a hearty and seafood-packed meal out of it.

Once I finished dinner I returned to my hostel to relax and bask in my lovely chocolate haul from earlier in the day.

My chocolate haul from L��derach.

All in all, it was a relaxed but accomplished first day in Geneva. The city is quite small and I felt like I was able to cover a decent amount of ground!

[traveling-couch-potato]

Geneva Day 1

Managed to snag some really cheap tickets to Geneva from New York for just about $300 so of course I had to take the travel opportunity! My flight took me from JFK to Heathrow on British Airways.

A relatively painless flight with a relatively typical flight meal.

From London it was just a short flight into Geneva. Of course per my tradition, one of my first meals here had to be some good ole McDonald’s to see how their non-American offerings hold up to the US. And lucky me there was a McDonald’s on my walk from the lightrail to my hostel!

McRaclette (Swiss Beef, Emmi Raclette Cheese Slices, Raclette Sauce) + Potato Wedges w/ Curry Fries Sauce. For once I think I actually preferred US McDonald’s...

On my way back from the McDonald’s I noticed the prevalence of Halal food in the area. I stopped into Ali Haydar Kebab and picked up one of my favorite Turkish dishes on my way to my hostel at City Hostel Geneva.

Lahmacun. Not the most traditionally made. Usually there’s no lettuce and the crust is much thinner and far more crispy.

I enjoyed my dinner in the kitchen area of the hostel and turned in early for the night.

I had a 3 person shared mixed dorm. Pretty spacious, clean, and comfortable enough.

Tomorrow will be my first official day so let’s see how it goes!

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 12

I made my way to the airport for my morning flight. Faaiz felt awful about not being able to spend my last day with me so he woke up in the morning to send me off with a cup of tea.

He also gave me a little gift for my trip back.

Obviously from there there’s not much else to report. Just some plane food.

And a layover in Houston:

Obviously with more food and my go to airport Margarita.

And just like that my London/Belgium adventures were over! It was a hectic 2 weeks to say the least but it was an amazing time. I met so many great new friends, got to let out the party animal one last time before school starts, and got to see London like a local. I can’t wait to go back. I miss it already.

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 11

My final full day in London and my final full day out of the country before school starts! Andrew wanted to hang out again and I had some time before meeting up with Faaiz so we met up in the Holborn Area. Stopped by Paul High Holborn for a quick iced caramel cold brew and started with our day. We explored Russell Square for a bit before our first stop.

One of my favorite parts about Russell Square was this tiny adorable “Bug Hotel” that had different types of “rooms” for different bugs.

Andrew wanted to give me a tour of the area he went to school. There are 3 main universities all centered around this area: The University of London, SOAS UoL, and Birbeck UoL.

We spent the majority of the morning just wandering building to building eventually taking a nap in the semi-closed pub area of the school. That being said, what university has a pub and how do I get one too?

The hangout was supposed to just last for the morning since I had a day trip planned with Faaiz for the afternoon. Unfortunately, Faaiz had a family emergency and had to cancel. But he offered me his ticket to take someone else so Andrew gladly decided to take the plunge. We had some time before the train left and decided to keep exploring. First order of business was to grab a spot of lunch from a shop called Koox.

A delicious and portable Beef & Mustard Kone (made of Buckwheat flour)

From there we explored Tottenham Court Rd where I found a ton of cute little shops and even an H-Mart Mini where I went in and grabbed a Korean pear drink & some Korean Rice Punch. We made our way down to Charing Cross Road for a bit more exploration and Andrew pointed out Hardy’s Original Sweetshop, a popular confectionary store in the UK. Of course this meant I had to go in and grab some sweets for our trip.

All our perusing made us totally lose track of time and we realized we had just about 40 minutes before the train left and about 1.5 just to reach the station. We fast walked like our lives depended on it  by then we both realized the train was coming much sooner than we thought so we made a mad dash for Victoria Station.

We were running very late but of course I had to take some pics of The National Gallery and Buckingham Palace as we zoomed across.

Despite some ticketing issues, we managed to make our train to Brighton Beach. We were both exhausted but we could finally enjoy a nice peaceful train ride.

All that running means I can enjoy all my sugary purchases without guilt right?

Once we got to the area neither of us had much clue what to do. We explored the area and made our way to the waterfront where we planted ourselves for some tanning and relaxation.

This was my first time visiting a beach where there were stones instead of sand. I’m not going to lie, it was strangely more comfortable than I expected!

After an hour or so relaxing by the water, we decided to head up toward the Brighton Palace Pier.

The pier didn’t have much that you wouldn’t expect from a pier but I loved the vibrant but not overly crowded energy of this place.

We headed back up into the city and Andrew pointed out a Wetherspoons Pub, a popular chain of pubs throughout the UK. We decided to stop in for a quick bite.

Budget friendly food. Not my favorite but cheap and fast.

We headed back into London where Andrew and I parted ways. Faaiz had finished handling his emergency at the hospital and wanted to meet with up to apologize for the hassle. Not many spots were open since it was late on a random Tuesday. We walked the edge of Hyde Park toward Soho and eventually found a McDonald’s that was still shutting down for the night so we grabbed a bite and had a chat to end our night. A bit bittersweet of a last day but an adventure I won’t forget.

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 10

My second to last day in London! Today had to start off with more food of course. My first stop was the Borough Market and oh boy I was a kid in a candy store. There were several stands selling cooked items but the real treasures were all the specialty foods they were selling from preserved meats to fancy cheeses. I was heartbroken that I couldn’t take any with my back to the US but I enthusiastically sampled everything I could find. 

Along with those samples I of course stopped by a few of the regular food booths to pick up a proper lunch too.

Spinach &Cheese Bourek from Balkan Bites, Burrata Truffle Tortelloni from La Tua Pasta and Chocolate & Ginger Goat Ice Cream from Greedy Goat.

After eating way too much, I headed to my next stop. One of my favorite parts about London is that even on a casual walk you’ll pass by so much history.

My casual trip to my next stop took me pass The Golden Hinde as well as Winchester Palace.

As much as I wanted to stop by both, I needed to leave as much time for my beloved Tate Modern. I didn’t get my fill of the museum last time so I tried to spend as much time here today as possible.

I never knew what a wonderful view the museum has from the upper floors of the Millennium Bridge.

I got a few more hours of museum time in but it still wasn’t quite enough. I had to meet up with Faaiz who had quite the spread out plan for us. First we stopped by Brywater Street which is known for its rows of colorful homes.

From there we headed over to Holland Park in Kensington.

I never would’ve thought to visit this spot as a tourist but it’s lovely and the Japanese garden is small but gorgeous.

And the final leg of our trip took us all the way out to The Angel & Islington area for a free improv show at the Camden Head. The upper floor offers free comedy shows 7 nights a week and honestly I was amazed with how good it was! Improv shows have a high risk of turning out...more than a bit awkward, but the troupe did a fantastic job.

The room was tiny and stuffy but the three performers from Angel Comedy had me in stitches all night.

Faaiz and I ended the night with a tour around the neighborhood where he pointed out various theaters he’d worked at. We eventually ended the night with some sourdough pizza at Franco Manca.

A nice peaceful end to a wonderful night. One last day tomorrow!

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 9

Feels like a second since I’ve had a solo adventure day and I was excited for some privacy time. I started my day by walking from my hostel to Petticoat Lane Market. 

The lane is small and the booths are packed but you can find so many home goods and clothing items here. Not my ideal type of shopping experience but really fun to look around.

Once I left the hectic market streets, I passed by a new small business called West Indian Bake Company that served Trinidadian fried bake bread sandwiches. One of the shop owners was named Rebecca and I spoke with her for a good half hour or so. She was such a sweetheart and I would visit again just to see her!

Caribbean Fried Bake w/ Shark & Herb Aioli.

After my chat with Rebecca, I walked to the Old Spitalfields Market for lunch part 2. 

I have to admit, during my previous trips to London I was always fairly disappointed by the food. British cuisine is exactly beloved and it gets old fast. But London has become so much more diverse over the last few years and their food offerings have too. My time in the market was just a world food extravaganza.

Amazonian Beijus w/ Blue Cheese, Beetroot, Walnuts, Tomatoes, & Spinach from Beijumy // Italian Aragostine w/ Pistachio Cream from Mr. Coffee & Mrs. Cake.

The Gold Rush was one of my favorite stops. I loved how enthusiastic the owner was and he gave me so many notes about their various products. 

The Gold Rush Continental Treats sells Portuguese desserts (that are not nata) and they are really reminiscent of some of my favorite Chinese sweets. There was a chickpea cake from the West Coast of Portugal, a cinnamon bean cake from Lisbon, and almond and white bean golden coconut cake made w/ potato starch from the West Cost of Portugal, and a “Golden Boat” candied egg yolk with white bean (in Portuguese it’s also called a bean cake from Viseu). He also had one product available for sampling but not for sale called Elva’s Peaches. I most definitely bought as much inventory as I could carry because these things were heavenly. After buying my own weight in Portuguese treats, I headed over to the Designer Pop Up Store for a bit more shopping.

Not too much in stock that I was interested but a fun browse.

At this point it was about time for me to hang with Faaiz for the day so I headed over to Bricklane Market so I would have time to explore the area for myself before our meetup time.

There were so many quirky people around the market from the gentleman challenging anyone to chess to a guy rapping with his pet snake!

There was also a super diverse selection of food available. I was tempted to buy some but I knew I should resist...

Once Faaiz and I met up we headed into the Bricklane Food Hall for more goodies.

I personally liked the food options outside the market a bit better but this place was a bit more removed from the crowds outside and had way more seating.

Dutch Profiteroles w/ Nutella & Blueberries // Mango Hemp Ice Cream and Rum Raisin Hemp Ice Cream

After I got my sugar fill for a second time, Faaiz and I wandered off. As we exited the market area we passed by the Nomadic Community Garden which was on my list of places to visit. Faaiz had been before but was open to stopping by. Turns out there was an event going on and the gardens were so lively. There was music, a backyard style BBQ, dancing, and lots of pot. We ended up deciding to spend some time here. Everything about this place was just so filled with life and vibrancy.

Live music, dancing, and just such a positive and relaxed vibe.

Dinner was BBQ chicken and Sangria in a plastic cup. Perfect.

Faaiz ran into someone he knew from an audition and form there we ended up meeting a ton of members of his crew. Terry is a singer and we bonded over our love of purple. She wanted a photo with me until one of her friend’s decided to jump in too.

Faaiz and I eventually separated from the main area and headed back to the front of the garden which was much more settled down now that the sun was going down. We enjoyed some of the cakes I bought and shared some more music and relaxed until the sun dipped beyond the horizon. We parted ways again for the night and I headed back into the hostel. I decided it was time to check out the bar tucked away in the basement of Wombat Hostels.

This place had a cool tavern feeling! I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t too busy either.

I cashed in a card for a free drink that I received at the start of my stay. Then I proceeded to raid the “free food” section of the fridge (stuff that other hostel folks left) for a bit more dinner. Admittedly not exactly my proudest meal. Another really great day. My trip is winding down now but I can’t wait for tomorrow.

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 8

My new friend Andrew from yesterday asked if I would have time to hangout again today. I didn’t have any specific plans and he lived out in the Stratford area so I took him up on his offer to show me his turf and I headed over to Stratford Station. The station is expansive but isn’t nearly as ornate as some of the other train stations I had seen during my trip. But once I exited the station I could see all the plazas it connected to.

I passed through Westfield Stratford City which was a much more polished and modern mall much like the other Westfields I’ve visited and headed toward the Stratford Centre instead. 

The outer court seemed very polished but the inside of the mall was much more plain.

Andrew was running late from work so I had the chance to grab some lunch before meeting up. When I was researching the area I heard about some stalls running along Stratford Broadway/Stratford Outdoor Market (I’ve heard a few different names for this strip of stalls) and I decided to take a look. 

The stalls at the outdoor market are a mix of food, clothes, and other items.

I was hunting for one spot in particular, a food stall called Tradition by Alex that serves Romanian cuisine. I was terrified I wouldn’t find it but luckily it was one of the first food stalls I ran into. Alex was extremely friendly and I ordered a sizeable meal for myself.

One of my fave meals of this trip. A bowl of Ciorba de Burte (Romanian Tripe Soup) and Sarmala (Romanian Meat Cabbage Wraps). Had to use all that white bread to soak up every last drop of that garlicky soup.

Andrew joined me toward the tail end of lunch and after he helped me finish off the food we headed out but not before stopping by a Percy Ingle, a chain bakery common in the UK, where I picked up a custard tart for dessert.

A custard tart from Percy Ingle. Nothing special but I love trying chains that I can’t find in the US.

We went back across the bridge I came from, passing by Westfield Galleria once more, this time with it feeling much more lively.

And in no time we found ourselves in Victoria Park.

View of the London Stadium in the distance.

The ArcelorMittal Orbit is also located here. This structure is the world’s longest and tallest slide! It’s a not a cheap trip down though and even on a fairly slow day it had quite the wait.

The rest of the park isn’t much but we found it a nice place to sit back and just relax.

After a few hours in the park I had to split off from Andrew to meet up with Faaiz. Luckily he was just a short train ride away at Canary Wharf. I’ve never been in the district so Faaiz gave me a short walking tour though there wasn’t much to be seen today.

This area is a business district and since it was a random Saturday afternoon it was almost completely deserted.

We met up here mainly so we could transfer onto the Docklands Light Railway and head over to Greenwich Park.  We picked up a few small bites at a Sainsbury’s then had ourselves a little picnic midway through the park. We eventually migrated up to the peak which had a gorgeous view of London in the distance.

We took some edibles and shared music over a pair of airpods and watched the sun slowly set. The whole thing felt like a dream. 

We had originally planned on attending Lovebox music festival during my visit but that didn’t quite work out so instead we listened to some of the artists perform and just enjoyed the view. It was lovely. As the sun dipped below the horizon we knew we should make our way back into the city. I stopped outside the gates of Greenwich Observatory. I didn’t get a chance to stand right where the Prime Meridian was but I wanted to catch a quick glimpse of the area.

At this point Faaiz and I were both pretty high and we had a bit of a ride home. We managed a good chunk of the journey together but eventually our paths separated which of course meant me picking up junk food for dinner #2.

I love trying to see what specialty flavors and unique snacks I can find on my trip.

It really was such a lovely night. Faaiz was still going through his stuff and I my own but it was like a magical escape for a few hours.

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 7

Now that I’ve had a day to recover I was ready to get back to exploring. I decided to meet up with a new friend that I’ve been talking to online named Andrew. We decided to spend the day in Little Venice.

We walked along the Venice Canals and aimlessly explored the area.

Eventually we lost track of the water and decided to find a spot for lunch. We happened on a restaurant called Zonzo that seemed to have very reasonably priced food so we stopped in for a bite. 

A simple delicious bruschetta and some tasty Mushroom Risotto. Nothing fancy but really filling.

Our post lunch plans were open ended and we decided to just keep wandering in the vague direction I needed to head toward for the afternoon. We headed toward Hyde Park where a music festival was being held. We tried to catch a peak inside but the whole event arena was thoroughly fenced off. So instead we just moved along, finding little shaded areas to occasionally stop and chat as we headed east.

Marble Arch

The 2 guys that decided to just go for it and play in the fountain were my heroes.

It was about time to meet up with my friend Faaiz at Picadilly Circus so I bid farewell to my new friend Andrew and headed over. I stopped by Minamoto Japanese Sweets to pick up a few expensive but tasty snacks. Minamoto is a chain that can be found in almost several major cities and it’s a perfect place to pick up a nice gift or snack. Once Faaiz and I met up after some hectic coordination, he took me to our first stop of the afternoon/night in London Chinatown.

Greeted by the colorful familiar Dragon Gate that always welcomes me into Chinatown.

I found it interesting that Chinatown was more a collection of all things Asian. I saw several Japanese and Vietnamese shops and restaurants around and strangely enough it made me feel much more at home. Faaiz brought me to Waxy o Connor’s, an Irish pub just outside the Chinatown Gate. I got to try my first proper Irish Whiskey here and wow I don’t know if I could drink whiskey any other way ever again.

This place was HUGE. They had giant tv’s throughout the venue where you could watch the game or you can find little hidden nooks to hide out and have a more private conversation (preferably while sharing yummy Japanese snacks).

After our drink we took a train toward the Thames River and walked to Tate Modern where they were having extended hours since it was a Friday night.

Watching the sunset from Blackfriars Bridge.

Still one of my favorite museums in the world! First time getting to visit at night.

We spent a couple hours enjoying the museum but it wasn’t nearly enough time with how expansive it is. The late nights end around 9:30pm and by the time we left we had barely browsed over 1/3 of the whole collection.

After we got kicked out of the museum we slowly headed toward the tube as Faaiz continued pointing out some various landmarks.

A lovely walk alongside the water at night.

Laurence Olivier statue that Faaiz excitedly pointed out since he is an actor and a giant theater nerd.

Undercroft Skatepark where a few dozen kids were practicing on their scooters and boards. We spent a good half hour here just watching them perform stunts.

All in all an eventful but very lowkey day. I appreciated that Faaiz still did his best to show me around. He was going through personal issues but still spent the entire night out with me and I’m glad I was able to help get his mind off things. Looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 6

After 3 adventure packed days in Belgium, it was time to head back to London for the last leg of my trip. The trained pulled into St. Pancras Station around 10am. The sun was actually out this time around and the station felt much more lively.

Greeted by this Tracey Emin neon sign. It really pops in the station.

I checked into Wombat's The City Hostel where I was going to be staying for the remainder of my trip.

The front lobby area of The Wombat Hostel.

While I was there I asked the front desk if I could use their phone to contact the police about my missing wallet from the start of my trip. So I made my way to the Lost Property Office on Baker Street. Not long after that I was reunited with my wallet after a very tumultuous week apart from it. I was so exhausted from the whole ordeal I decided to just take the rest of the day off. I grabbed some bad rotating sushi bar sushi from Yo! Bond Street.

The main highlight of my day was that my wallet adventures led me to the Sherlock Holmes Statue.

The rest of the day was pretty dull. I ended up just settling into my hostel room, meeting some of my roommates, grabbing dinner at a nearby market, and talked to a few strangers online through dating apps. Not the most productive day but I really needed a break.

[traveling-couch-potato]

Belgium Day 3

My final day in Belgium and my most ambitious one yet. Today my goal is to hit up two cities. So I got up as early as my body would let me and I headed on a train toward city #1: Ghent. 

I got there so early that my first visitation site of the day wasn’t even open yet so I wandered the streets for a bit.

10am hit and Gravensteen finally opened it’s doors to visitors. The castle is such an interesting site to behold amongst the modern flairs of the city like the lightrail system and bustling tourist scene.

The medieval castle was built around 1180 and it remains one of the major landmarks of the city.

I’ve visited quite a few castles during my various travels but Gravensteen’s self guided audio tour has been one of my favorites. The stops are very clearly marked and each listening point is adorned with a cartoonish tapestry that corresponds to the story your narrator is telling.

The castle offers a nice view of the city, plenty of quirky little spots you can discover for yourself, and a great story that teaches you about the history of the castle as well as Ghent as a whole.

After spending about 2 hours exploring the castle, I returned to the Leie riverfront for a boat tour of the city. 

A wonderful way to get an overview of the city when you’re short on time.

After the boat tour I decided to grab lunch at the Restaurant Du Progres just across the river. 

I’ve been dying to try Gentse Waterzooi. It’s a traditional stew that originated in Ghent with a creamy base that is hearty and delicious.

Once I was stuffed to the brim with cheese and creamy stew, I waddled my way over to St. Nicholas Church just around the corner.

The church is magnificent but quite small. More of a passing stop.

From there, I passed by another iconic landmark, the Het Belfort van Gent (Belfry & Cloth Hall). This is tallest of the belfries in Ghent and you can enter and climb to the top for a small fee. However I was limited on time and was happy with the view I saw in Gravensteen.

A quick walkby view of the Belfry & Cloth Hall. I wanted to climb up but was short on time and the weather wasn’t going to allow for the best views that day anyway.

I continued walking to my next official stop which was Saint Bavo’s Cathedral so I could view the famous Mystic Lamb Painting.

The alterpiece is tucked away in a dim side room. It’s a crowded experience to say the least. Tourists are shoulder to shoulder trying to find a spot to best view this piece. There’s a desk that offers an audioguide that explains each panel of this polyptych.

And with that visit, I finished up the Ghent portion of my trip and I hopped onto a train that took me to my second city stop of the day: Bruges. My first stop here was just a few steps away from the train station, Minnewater Lake. It was rather gloomy but it made for a very peaceful walk through the park.

The luscious greenery of this park was so lovely. I wish I could see it all under a bright blue sky.

My peaceful stroll continued onward toward Ten Wijingaerde. This is a preserved beguinage and though no Beguines live here anymore, it still functions as a convent for Benedictines.

You are asked to be quiet while exploring the grounds. There were a few rooms open for viewing but for the most part the area seemed very still.

I continued walking into the Walplein. It’s a small cobblestone square dotted with a few shops and cafes.

Eventually I end up on a path passing by the exterior of the Onze Lieve Vrouw Brugge (Church of our Lady, Bruges) which leads you right across the Bonifacius Bridge. It’s an inconspicuous little bridge but it has a lovely view of the canal. However it’s also full of tourists. From here I headed back to the riverfront and realized I had enough time left in the day to take a boat tour here as well. I went with the tour group Bootexcurseis Gruuthuse, though there are more than a few boat tour options available in the area.

The boat tour here was magical. The canal was overflowing with geese that would swim alongside the boats.

During the boat ride the tour guide mentioned several of the famous breweries we passed by and I wanted to try to pay one a visit so as soon as we docked I rushed over to Brouwerij Bourgogne Des Flandres. Unfortunately, tours of the brewery had already ended for the day but I walked around the premises a bit just to catch a glimpse of what I had missed.

At this point it felt appropriate to take another chocolate break at Chocolate de Julie on my way to The Market Square. 

One last handful of delicious chocolate goodies.

The Market Square

Not much was going on and I had planned on going to dinner in the city but as I left a gentleman asked me to take his photo. He struck up a conversation and told me he was from the South of France and was here on holiday. We talked about our respective trips here and he insisted that while I was in town I needed to try some of the beer offerings. I was still a bit too full from my snack to go to dinner and he insisted he knew a nice beer shop so he led me to the shop where I picked up a beer. He talked about some windmills nearby and said they were just a short walk away and he eventually led me to a park with a nice view of Sint-Janshuismolen.

Enjoying a Gimbergen w/ a lovely view of the canal.

I did however cut the hangout short as the gentleman became increasingly touchy and let’s just say at this point it was clearly sexual harassment and I was too tired from my travels to deal with his behavior so I left him at the park and headed back into the city. Unfortunately the spot I had planned on going to for dinner was closed on the day I came by and I was too exhausted from what just happened to stay in the area so I hopped on the next train back to Brussels.

Once I had some time to recuperate at the hostel, I eventually got the energy to go find dinner. I didn’t want to wander too far so I grabbed a meal at Le 167, a modern French restaurant.

Seared scallops w/ whipped sweet potatoes & olive tapenade. 

It was a tasty meal though not necessarily fitting of being my last meal here like I hoped but I felt good about how much I accomplished during my 3 day visit here so I went to bed happy if not still in a bit of shock from the hours before.

[traveling-couch-potato]

Belgium Day 2

It’s now Day 2 of my side journey to Belgium. I start the morning relatively early and head on a train toward Antwerp Central for my second Belgium city exploration day. The trip from Brussels to Antwerp takes just under an hour by train.

Antwerp Central is worth a visit for the architecture alone. A gorgeous display of the Art Nouveau style.

It’s still the first thing in the morning but per my traveling tradition, I have to find a Mcdonald’s sometime during my trip and I happened on one leaving the station so I stop in for “breakfast”.

These cheesy bites are so good! Why can’t I get this product in America!?

After a nutritionally balanced breakfast of fried cheese, I followed it up with some intense shopping by exploring the Meir Shopping Street including a quick pitstop at Stradsfeestzaal, a grand and very popular mall in the area., 

I didn’t have too much time to properly explore Stradsfeestzaal but it is an impressive structure that’s worth a quick peak if you’re already in the area. 

And since my morning was filled with shopping and Mcdonald’s I figured it was time to do a something more cultured like a visit to the Rubenhuis, a Flemish house turned museum.

Unfortunately a lot of the exhibits weren’t available with English captions but it was still a lot of fun exploring this surprisingly large house and there was a small but beautiful selection of Dutch Art available for viewing too.

After the stop I got distracted by a fancy looking market called Cru. I always love seeing markets in other countries and this upscale place had so many specialty goods and even a few samples!

Next I headed to the Groenplaats, one of the city’s popular squares. I did a quick look around of the Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp which was under construction but there were still some amazing displays inside.

Groenplaats on a lightly cloudy day is just so picturesque.

I can’t quite describe what it was about the Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp that really caught my eye but it felt so separated from the outside world.

For lunch I decided to stay in the plaza and try some of Belgium’s seafood options at Noordzee Mer du Nord. 

This was such a reasonably priced and delicious seafood spread. I got to eat it outside while watching the day slowly pass at Groeenplats .

Of course after I finished my meal I couldn’t go without a bit of dessert so I rounded the corner and grabbed a waffle from Crème de la Crème.

Just a few feet away was Grote Market. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect here and unfortunately there just didn’t seem to be much going on this day.

Really quiet in the market area today. The clouds were starting to roll in and it looked like they were setting up for an event.

I continued onward to Saint Carolus Barromeus Church. This was one of my favorite church stops yet. Instead of Gothic architecture, there is more of a Baroque style that I found rather uplifting.

The interior and exterior courtyard of Saint Carolus Barromeus Church.

The remainder of my day was essentially one long walking tour of Antwerp. Unfortunately there were too many stops I wanted to visit and many of them were museums where I could easily spend half a day so I’ll be saving some of those for a future trip. But the walking tour was a nice way to get a better feel for the northern portion of the city.

Vlesshuis

The MAS building from the outside. You can also enter the rooftop for free for a little bird’s eye view.

Red Star Line Museum

Zomerbar. This was an accidental find as I was walking but even from behind the fence I could tell there was something interesting going around here. Apparently it’s a popular summertime hangout spot with a bar, food, playground, shows, and more. I didn’t have time to stick around but this is definitely going on my list for the future.

Port Authority. Not really a spot to go visit and spend time (since it’s mostly just a government building) but it’s a very interesting building to see in person.

Unfortunately the bus wasn’t running today so I had a decent walk ahead of me to get back to the city center. The clouds were looking ominous but luckily I managed to escape the rain.

I got to see the outer edges of Antwerp’s Chinatown and caught a quick glimpse inside of the Chocolate Nation museum. They were closing so I only got a peak but another place I really hope to get a chance to visit in the future.

I headed on the next train back toward Bruxelles Midi Station. I wasn’t sure where to eat and in my wandering I found myself at the other end of the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert.

After a brief time perusing the restaurants, I decided on a quiet place called Comptoir des Galeries where I had one of the most delicious meals of my trip yet.

Tuna, cucumber, Thai spices, toasted grains.

Roasted Meagre w/ Roasted Fennel, Confit Amandine Potatoes, Rouille, and Bouillabaise.

I was still a little exhausted from the previous week and I knew I still had one more HUGE day ahead of me but Antwerp was such a lovely experience. The walk back felt like a dream.

Caught some adorable street art on the way back!

[traveling-couch-potato]

Belgium Day 1

The morning was simultaneously rough and smooth at the same time. I only got about 30 minutes of sleep the night before so I was running on fumes but I somehow made my way to St Pancras International for my morning train into Brussels.

St Pancras is so peaceful in the early morning. It’s almost surreal.

I manage through the train ride, into the city, checked into my hostel at Brxxl 5 City Centre Hostel, and was ready to ACTUALLY start my Brussels exploration day. Stop #1 is the famous: Manneken Pis.

I’m not winking. I’m just so tired that opening my eyes all the way would put me into an awakeness level that I just wanted ready for.

Along my tourist route for the day, I made sure to nestle in a mini walking tour of several chocolate shops since I wouldn’t have time for a proper guided chocolate tour of my own. Stop #1 was Rudolf Braun where I picked up a bar of Dark Orange & Almonds chocolate. From there I headed over to Stop #2 of my mini chocolate tour: Choco-story, a chocolate museum. The museum is quite small and really peaceful since it was just a random Monday. They provide a self-guided walking tour that gives you some information on cacao, the history of chocolate making, etc. For such a small museum I really enjoyed it. It only took about an hour and it had some really interesting information and they incorporated some samplings and even some live demonstrations toward the end of the museum route.

My favorite part of the Chocostory tour was definitely the live demonstrations at the end when a chocolate master demonstrated the process and gave us some fresh made Hazelnut w/ Speculoos Pralines and Coffee Pralines.

Right nearby the museum was Stop #3 of my self-designed chocolate tour: Planete Chocolate. Picked up a few goodies there and then went to my first non chocolate food stop of the day: Maison Dandoy where I got to try a fluffy and delicate Brussels-Style Waffle along with their world famous Speculoos.

Love watching batch after batch of waffles getting churned out in this tiny shop.

My next Brussels stop was the Grand Palace/Grote Markt. This is a small square and you can easily see the whole thing from the center but it is so ornate, you can’t help but be lost in it for a while.

It was still pretty early on in the day but tourists were already beginning to pool here. A lot of the businesses weren’t open yet but the gorgeous buildings themselves are still worth a visit.

Just a few feet away from the Grand Palace was chocolate Stop #4: Chocolaterie Mary which is apparently one of King Philippe of Belgium’s favorite chocolatiers. I had to pick up one of the queen’s favorite chocolates too which was the sea salt caramel w/ pecan. Absolutely delicious! Though at this point I was feeling quite sugared out so I decided to stop for lunch at Ballekes, a small meatball shop just outside the central square. 

Pork and beef meatball w/ Lapin Sauce (onion, raisin, beer) w/ a side of Belgium Fries (and a heeping helping of mayo of course).

After lunch I walked up towards the Mont de Arts. It’s a gorgeous hill overlooking the city with a lovely garden. There were some sling chairs set up and I decided this would be an appropriate spot for a short nap.

A comfy spot for a little afternoon nap before I continue with my day.

After a few minutes of shut eye I continued my journey towards the Palais de Bruxelles. Unfortunately they were closed so this was just a quick pass by.

Exterior of the Palais de Bruxelles

Finally finishing up the last leg of my tour, I passed through the Parc de Pruxelles for a zen afternoon stroll before stopping by the St. Michael and St. Gudual Cathedral and eventually towards the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert.

The glazed ceilings of the shopping arcade are absolutely mesmerizing.

From the gallery I made my final two chocolate stops: Stop #5 at Neuhaus Chocolates and Stop #6 at Leonidas. And with that. I ended my very chocolate (and sugar) filled day.

Some of these were a snack for later but you bet I ate way more sugar in one day than I should have.

I was exhausted and headed back into my hostel. After some time relaxing, I made a new friend named Lukas and we decided to grab dinner together. We wandered the streets and eventually decided on a spot called Brasserie de la Bourse for dinner.

Had to get me a piping plate of Flemish Stew and of course more Belgium Fries.

To end the night, Lukas and I head over to the Delirium Cafe for a drink. The beer hall is absolutely massive. Apparently this was a slow night according to Lukas but even then we had to fight some crowds just to get a drink. But they really have such a stellar selection of brews on tap that it’s worth the hassle.

Just a small peak at what the bar setup at Delirium looks like.

The night ends, not too unreasonably late, back at the hostel where Lukas and I share a couple bottled beers before I head to bed. All in all, not a bad day for 30 minutes of sleep.

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 5

Woke up still in my outfit from the night before. It was a rough night to say the least. Managed to shower and was planning on having a nice easy day in the hostel until my plans with Faaiz later that night. Then my new hostel pal Mary stumbles out and suggests we grab lunch together. I thought why not? My liver needs the break but a proper meal would do me good. Low and behold I head downstairs to meet her and there she is with two shots of vodka waiting for me before we head out (she was apparently 2 shots ahead already but took 1 of my shots like a champ cause no joke my liver needed at least a little break after the previous day). From there we took a short walk to Poppies Fish & Chips.

By far the most proper of a meal I’ve had since the start of my trip. Jellied Eels and a giant plate of fish & chips. And of course beer cause how could I not have a little fizz to go with that grease?

After lunch I headed back to the hostel for another nap to store up my energy before I headed out to meet Faaiz to see what adventures he had planned for me today. We started off around the Royal Festival Hall and headed toward the Southbank Centre Food Market. 

Some of the booths were already closing down by the time we got there but I still had a great time looking around to see what food offerings I could find.

I settled on a booth selling Italian goodies. Got myself a piece of Mushroom Bruschetta and a Mozzarella Pesto Mushroom Piadina.

We brought the food over to a grassy patch in Jubilee Gardens where we had an impromptu picnic under The London Eye. Next we headed into north toward the Hackney Borough back into Shoreditch. Faaiz showed me a bar called The Old Blue Last. There was supposed to be some live performances up the stairs but we were loving the playlist in the front bar room and ended up spending the rest of the night just chatting and lip syncing away in there.

Loved the polished yet old-timey look if this pub. The downstairs area was really peaceful even though you could hear the faint blaring of the liver performances upstairs.

We walked around Shoreditch a while longer and I got to admire the graffiti around. There’s definitely way more than I got to see so I’ll have to come back during the day.

While it can’t compare to the Leak Street Arches, I still loved these random graffiti tunnels throughout Shoreditch.

Faaiz and I parted ways and I headed back to the hostel for one last night with my new friends Khumbo and Mary (Brooks left earlier in the day). The common room was bustling with tons of old and new friends we’d met throughout the week. We shared food, some edibles, drinks, and just laughed and enjoyed the nice moment of a room full of strangers coming together.

This became a picnic of cheap grocery store snacks and a nice bottle of mead that we didn’t have a bottle opener for...

The night started winding down and person after person started breaking off to. Eventually it was just Khumbo and Mary left with me in the common room. I knew I should head to bed but we just ended up singing and dancing like idiots instead and the lack of sleep was totally worth this moment.

I DON’T FUCK WITH YOU!!!!!!

It was approaching 2:30am and I had to get up at 5am for an early train. A few people came back to the room but I decided to be responsible and head to bed. I couldn’t fall asleep though and around 3:30am Khumbo came by to say a proper goodbye to me. I still remember him crouched into a ball trying to fit into the bottom bunk of a 3-tier bunk bed where I was spending my last night.

Last few hours of my first leg in London. Gonna miss you Khumbo!!!!!

It’s off to Belgium tomorrow!

[traveling-couch-potato]

London Day 4

Short and sweet day today. I started talking to a bartender at our hostel the night before named Hayley, who invited me to join her and some friends at London Pride 2019. I’ve been dying to check out a Pride outside of SF/Oakland so I couldn’t miss the opportunity.

I thought SF Pride was a spectacle to behold, but London Pride is where the party is at.

In an attempt to be slightly more responsible since I haven’t really been eating proper meals, my day started off with priming my stomach with a greasy Five Guys Burger

A greasy burger. The iconic food of alcoholism.

And of course right after that it was straight back to drinking and more debauchery.

Our group started merging with more groups and we ended up trying to line up to see a friend of a friend of a friend perform on stage at Trafalgar Square. Didn’t get in but a stranger painted my nails in line.

At this point I’ve lost most of my initial group and ended up following a new set of strangers out to the South Bank Babes and Pussy Stage for more dancing and alcohol.

Gonna end this post there. Rest of the night was a reminder that depression is oh so very real but Khumbo and Brooks were true friends that came through. Not my proudest day but definitely a very fun start. Always wanted to party like a weirdo just once in a place where no one would remember me. Guess I got my wish.