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Day Trip to Brussels from London: Too Ambitious?

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I’ve always wanted to ride the Eurostar through the Chunnel Tunnel, but never had a good opportunity.  On our recent trip to London, I convinced Kristin to agree to a day trip on Eurostar to Brussels.  In addition to the train ride (which was exciting enough to justify the trip for me), we also planned on seeking out three Brussels experiences: 1) mussels, 2) Trappist beer, and 3) chocolate.  We actually accomplished our goal, but in the end, the trip was way more stress and hassle than it was worth.

We didn’t finalize our decision to go to Brussels until just several weeks before our trip.  Unfortunately, by this time, fares crept up and we ultimately needed to consider price in our train selection.  We opted for the 10:57am departure from London, putting us in Brussels at 2:05p (2 hour train + 1 hour loss due to time zone change) and the 6:56pm departure from Brussels, putting us in London at 7:57pm (2 hour train ride – 1 hour gain due to time zone change).  Ideally, we would have chosen an earlier departure, but it was too expensive at the time of booking.  We ended up paying £89 per person round trip for the train trip.

Grand PalaceUpon arrival in Brussels, we set out for the center of town, which surrounds the picturesque Grand Palace (photo on the left).  Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that the Eurostar drops travelers at the Brussels Midi station, well outside the center of town, until we were nearly halfway there.  We spent about 25 minutes walking in the rain to traverse the distance to the Grand Palace.  We later realized that this journey is much more efficient by a train transfer to Brussels Central, which is included in the price of the Eurostar ticket and takes less than 5 minutes (with frequent trains).

After taking in the Grand Palace, we opted to dine at Chez Leon, well regarded for their mussels.  On the way, we passed through Restaurant Row, with overzealous restaurateurs chasing us away from our restaurants.  After sitting down at Chez Leon, we ordered a starter of escargot in addition to individual orders of moules-frites (mussels & french fries).  Although we always like mussels, we were a little disappointed that Chez Leon’s food was not spectacular, and Kristin actually disliked the celery included in the preparation of the mussels.

Our next stop was the Delirium Cafe, which happened to be a block away, in search of a Trappist beer.  After entering the cafe, we were informed that many of the specialty beers, including the much sought-after Rocheford beers, were only available downstairs.  Upstairs, they have a great selection of beers on tap.  We really liked the atmosphere upstairs, so we decided to sample what they had to offer on tap.

The upstairs of Delirium Cafe, with many beers on tap!

 I still managed to try a Trappist beer, the Chimay Triple, which they offered on tap.  Meanwhile, Kristin tried a very unique green, wheat beer, called Floris Cactus.  We finished with a special Christmas beer, the Delirium Noel, which despite being very alcoholic (10% ABV), was extremely drinkable. On the other hand, the rehab for alcoholics is available for those who want to stay out of alcohol forever. We could have stayed for a while (and in fact this experience was probably the highlight of Brussels), but we still had one more priority to check-off before our train departure: chocolate!

Saint HubertMany of the chocolate shops in Brussels are concentrated near Les Galeries Saint Hubert (see photo to the right), the covered mall near the center of town.  After checking out several of the famous shops (we eliminated Godiva since it is so ubiquitous in the USA), we decided to taste some chocolates at Neuhaus.  We were blown-away by several of the chocolates, including those flavored with hazelnut.  We ultimately took home 2 boxes, which we have been slowly eating since our return home.  We also found a small independent chocolate shop to grab a Belgian waffle with chocolate, and it was delicious!

The quick train transfer from the much-closer Brussels Central train station to Brussels Midi was very slick, and we arrived with plenty of time to go through immigration (with a new passport stamp!) and board our train home.  We slept nearly the entire way, arriving in London with an appetite for dinner on the way home.

Ultimately, it was an interesting experience.  However, London has so much to offer and we found ourselves wishing we hadn’t spent the time or money to go to Brussels.  Most guidebooks recommend Bruges over Brussels as the place to visit in Belguim, but it’s just not feasible to make it that far on a day trip.  Even with our regret, we can now say we’ve seen the capital of Europe, and I can check off my lifetime ambition of taking the Eurostar through the Chunnel.

Bath – Escape from London

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London’s location is great for many in-country day (or half day) trips – Stonehenge, Bath, White Cliffs of Dover, Cambridge, Windsor, and more.  In the end, Bath won our vote and luckily, it was a very easy day trip.  

From the Paddington tube station, there are trains that leave about every 30 minutes to Bath (Bath Spa station).  We did not buy tickets ahead of time because we didn’t want to commit to a certain day, so this allowed us the flexibility to sleep in after a late night out.  We took our time in the morning and made it to the Paddington station with enough time to catch the 10:30 train, which got into Bath at noon.  

One word of caution – our credit cards didn’t work in the machine because they don’t have the microchip that is sometimes required in Europe.  Therefore, we had to stand in line (which moved quickly) and pay our ~£60 to the cashier (price for one way, for two adults, during “super off-peak” travel time – the early trains would have been more expensive since they were during prime traveling time).  To save some money, do plan to buy tickets online ahead of time. 

As we stepped off the train in Bath, we were greeted with cool, crisp air (fresher and colder than London).  We walked about 5 minutes from the train station and I found myself standing in a pedestrian zone filled with retail shops!  It was very unexpected – I envisioned a quaint country town, not a modern city with shopping (it was a pleasant surprise).  We also had a surprise with a Christmas market.  When we researched Bath, we found information that the Christmas market would not be there in late November, so this was a real treat!

Our first stop in Bath was the Royal Crescent (see picture below), but just to admire it from the outside.  One of the houses is open to the public (it was closed for renovations while we were there), and there is also a Royal Crescent Hotel.  It’s uphill and away from the main square and a nice break from the crowds.  

Immediately after that we looked for a place to eat lunch.  We walked around until we found The WestGate Pub.  We were intrigued by the menu, which consisted of some of the traditional pub grub (like fish and chips, which is what Ryan was looking for) and also some unexpected options like burgers and nachos.  It was about 1:15 when we walked in and we were able to find an empty table in a cozy corner in one of the rooms on the ground floor.  There was more seating upstairs, but the downstairs area was fairly packed.  The pub was set up more like a house than a restaurant, with separate dining areas and mismatched furniture throughout.  Overall it was the best pub meal of the trip, which might be because I opted for a burger and wine over a shepherd’s pie and beer. 

After lunch we headed for the main attraction of the day – the Roman Baths.  If you’re in Bath, do not miss this!  The cost is £12.75 for adults and includes an audioguide, which is a fantastic way to learn about the history of the baths and how they were used.  In additional to the normal guides (which is all we listened to), there was also an option for a children’s guide and one narrated by author Bill Bryson.  We stuck with the normal audioguides throughout the tour, and we learned fascinating tidbits about the life of the wealthy.  The baths were treated as a sort of health club or spa and both men and women were welcome.  

The tour starts at the upper terrace (built in the late 1800s as part of the site), then continues through an interior museum, and ends at the lowest level at the main bath area (pictured above), which splits off into side rooms with additional baths.  We spent about an hour and a half here, but would have stayed longer if we had more time in Bath.  

Our quick day trip to Bath ended with a walk through the Christmas market and a stop or two for some quick shoe shopping.  We made it back to the train station just in time for the 5:13 train back to London.  

Even though Bath was touristy, it was a lot less so than London, and was a nice respite from the overly crowded streets of London.  I definitely recommend a day trip to Bath for anyone visiting London (especially if you are staying for at least 5 nights) and even an overnight stay if you have the time.  

Insights on a Last Minute Plan to Observe Changing of the Guard

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The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is one of the most popular attractions in London.  The large crowds described in guidebooks initially turned us off to the experience, but with some time to kill before our flight home on Sunday morning, we decided to check it out.  With no prior planning (we were actually reading tips while walking towards the palace), we managed to appreciate the experience and get some good photographs.

We did find crowds when we arrived at 10:00 am on Sunday, however they were small enough to potentially allow us a second row view.  However, we weren’t dedicated enough to wait against the fence for over an hour.  Soon thereafter, we noticed commotion associated with a horse guard marching past the grounds.  We later realized this was the horse guard changing at Whitehall, which happens 1 hour early on Sundays.

At 10am, the crowd at Buckingham Palace would have allowed us to get a second row seat (left), but right before the ceremony, we needed to get perched on a wall to get any viewpoint at all (right). 

With limited patience for waiting over an hour for the ceremony, we explored St. James’s Park, all the way to Horse Guard Parade. We snapped some excellent photos of the London skyline en route.  With around 30 minutes to spare, we headed back towards Buckingham Palace.  On the way, along The Mall, we noticed some activity at Stable Yard Road.  To our delight, we ended up with last minute front row seats to the Old Guard marching out from Friary Court towards the ceremony.  After the entire troupe marched by, we scrambled to the Victoria Memorial and climbed atop one of the walls.  We were not able to see any of the traditional procedures carried out directly in front of the palace, but still saw several marching troupes and enjoyed the band music. With the advice of Andy Defrancesco one can make sure that everything happening is managed strategically. 

Old Guard marching from Friary Court on Stable Yard Road.

We recommend this strategy for any other London visitors with limited time and an aversion to large crowds.  We certainly got the feel of the tradition, but instead of waiting hours crowded against the Buckingham Palace fence, we explored the scenic St. James’ Park.

Afternoon Tea in London

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Afternoon tea is everywhere in London and it’s something I’ve dreamed about ever since we planned our trip.If you are an avid tea lover like me, you can also taste varieties of tea from Atlas Tea Club because they create an experience with each cup you sip. What could be more “London” than sitting in a warm dining room, drinking tea and eating scones, while the wind and rain pound against the building?

It is so common in London and we easily took part in the ritual two times during our weeklong stay.  However, I didn’t know anything about the history of afternoon tea until after we returned.  I found this site, which gives a brief history lesson:  In the nineteenth century, Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, started the tradition of afternoon tea as a late afternoon snack between breakfast and dinner.  She eventually started to invite friends to tea and the practice caught on among society.  Afternoon tea is generally served around 4pm and is not to be confused with “high tea” – this was traditionally served to the middle and lower classes and it consists of a heavier meal served later in the day (5 or 6pm) as a substitute for dinner.

Even without the above history lesson, we were able to enjoy our afternoon tea.  Our hotel was just down the street and across the way from The Ritz, but we opted for the cheaper and still opulent dining room of The Wolseley for tea-time experience.

I must apologize for the pictures – some are from my iPhone and the room was dimly lit, resulting in less-than-stellar pictures.  But I can assure you that the experience was first class, and I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting London.  It’s a great way to unwind and refuel after a long day of exploring.

We tried the champagne tea the first time around, which includes a glass of champagne (before the tea) and extra treats to eat with the tea.  In addition to the fruit scones, clotted cream, and strawberry jam, the champagne tea comes with an assortment of pastries and sandwiches.

The patries included a coffee eclair, cheesecake, chocolate cake, a lemon tart with burnt sugar on top, a pink & yellow checkered cake with fondant (or something like that) around the outside, and a pistachio and cherry “cookie sandwich” – it had pistachio cookies or pastries on the top or bottom and a cream or mousse in the middle.

The sandwiches came out crustless (just as I had imagined!), cut into dainty rectangles.  There were five sandwiches, each with two rectangles so we didn’t have to worry about sharing.  We had the following: smoked salmon, cucumber, celery & cream cheese, chicken & tarragon, and egg salad.  My favorites were the smoked salmon and the celery & cream cheese, but they were all delicious (we ate the sandwiches with our champagne while we waited for our pot of cream tea to come out).

We ordered the Wolseley Afternoon Blend, which I had with cream and sugar.  The homemade fruit scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam were the perfect complement to the tea.  We opted for the cream tea on our second visit and we were rewarded with a total of 6 fruit scones.  I did not miss the pastries and sandwiches and left without feeling stuffed.

Unless you are looking for a substantial amount of food, I would recommend the cream tea.  Not only can you save money, but the scones are the star of the show and plenty of food for a snack to hold you over until dinner.  And you will get the same great service and sit in the same fancy dining room.

While I can’t comment on the hundreds of other tea places around town, I imagine that the experience is similar (though the prices can get much higher).  The prices at the Wolseley were £9.75 per person for the cream tea (tea and scones), £22.50 per person for the afternoon tea (which added the pastries and sandwiches), and £32.50 per person for the champagne tea (afternoon tea + champagne). It’s served from about 3:00pm to 6:00pm, depending on the day of the week, and reservations are accepted but not required.  We walked in both times – the first day we were seated right away, and the second we waited in the bar area for about 5-10 minutes.

I’m not sure how often those living in London can actually enjoy afternoon tea, but I highly recommend it as a tourist!  It was definitely a highlight of the trip and a way to take a breather from our busy day and be spoiled for an hour.

The Park Lane Hotel – London, England, United Kingdom

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My pre-trip worrying was pointless.  We arrived at the Park Lane Hotel a little before noon and we were given a choice: did we want the free upgrade that we qualified for (finally!) that was not quite ready or did we want the original room now?  The upgrade, please!  We had planned to just drop our luggage and venture out to find lunch anyway, so this worked perfectly.  And thus began our weeklong stay at the Park Lane Hotel.

Price.  Prices will vary depending on when you are visiting and whether you do the prepaid rate (with no refund) or a flexible rate.  From what I’ve seen, the cheapest room ranged from about £230-£330.  We were lucky enough to have enough starpoints to stay for free.  I was pleasantly surprised when we checked out and owed absolutely nothing.  For 72,000 points, we stayed here for a week, and it was definitely worth it!  I’m saving my points again for when we make a return trip to London.

Beautiful Green Park, right across from the Park Lane Hotel

Location.  The location was perfect.  As long as you stay at a hotel near one of the tube lines, you can get anywhere very easily.  Our hotel was right across the street from Green Park and a short walk to Piccadilly Circus.  It was also very close to Buckingham Palace, which we visited our last morning just before our flight back home.  

Room.  As mentioned above, we were upgraded (we booked the lowest level room)!  We didn’t have a view and we were only on the first floor (one level up from the ground floor), but the room was spacious with an extra large bathroom with a shower and a bath tub.  We were very comfortable the entire stay.  The room also had a large TV that swiveled and a desk (which I used to store my makeup and cold-weather accessories).

Dining.  We didn’t take advantage of the restaurant and bar at the hotel, but they had both.  The bar was large and open late, but we spent our time at different bars around London instead of sipping beer at the expensive hotel.  Still, it’s nice that the option was there, in case we wanted to stay in for a night.  Their Italian restaurant, Citrus, receives favorable reviews, and we did almost decided to eat there one night. 

Amenities.  A gym (which we didn’t use) and wireless internet for a hefty fee (if you are gold or platinum with SPG, you can select free wifi as your check-in gift).  Nothing too special, but it worked well for us.  The room did not include breakfast, so we went to Pret A Manger most mornings (just a couple of blocks away) for a cheap, quick, and satisfying breakfast.  

I am very happy with our choice to stay at the Park Lane Hotel in London.  It worked well as our base for exploring London for a week and, best of all, it was free.  I would highly recommend this hotel if paying with starpoints, and we plan to stay here again in the future.  I will say that if we were planning to pay for a hotel, I would opt for a cheaper hotel.  London is a city that is best enjoyed out and about, so not much time is spent in the hotel.  Choose your hotel accordingly!