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1.      La Maruca – We’ve been coming to La Maruca for a decade, at least. It just keeps getting better, and which is why it’s recently received a Michelin recommendation. La Maruca specializes in modern Cantabrian cuisine. Best known for its largest city, Santander, Cantabria lies on the Northern Atlantic coast of Spain. The seafood in Cantabria is some of the finest in the world. If you go to a seafood market in the region, the wide array of crustaceans, mollusks, and finned fish will amaze you. It’s hard to believe we accept such minimal variety in the U.S.

We made La Maruca our first dinner in Madrid because it’s reliable and lively, fashionable but not overly formal. And the food never disappoints. 

Here’s what we ordered:

–          Pimientos de Isla – assorted bell peppers, roasted to perfection and served simply with salt and their own juices

–          Alcachofas en plancha – a peeled, trimmed artichoke, flattened and grilled, then served on a bed of onions and wild mushrooms, topped with a fried egg

–          Merluza a la plancha – grilled hake, a fish we only have a skinny relative of in the United States. If you come to Spain, order merluza often. It’s a mild, hearty, delicious fish. I’ll go so far as to say it’s my very favorite fish,

–          Cordero al horno – deboned lamb (I believe it’s the rib section), served with delectable, rich potatoes cooked in lamb fat

–          Gin & Tonics, red wine

Don’t miss La Maruca – and make your reservation well in advance for roughly 9:30PM.

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2.      O’Grelo – I discovered O’Grelo on our last trip to Madrid through the Michelin guide, and it was so good that I knew we’d put it at the top of our list for the next Madrid dining agenda. As a bastion of Galician cuisine in Madrid, O’Grelo has an impressive host of seafood offerings, representing the wealth of shellfish and fish found along the Galician coastline (just north of Portugal). We saw several tables ordering beautiful, gigantic steaks, as well. 

O’Grelo is a happening spot well into the late hours of the evening; diners commonly sit down after 11PM on the weekends.

Here’s what we ordered:

–          Jamón Ibérico – hand-sliced Ibérico ham – the hand-slicing makes a giant difference, which is why I won’t buy it in the States from the machine-slicing cheaters. Super high-quality jamón here.

–          Navajas a la plancha – grilled razor clams, my favorite mollusk. Razor clams are sweet and different from any other food I’ve ever tried. We can’t get them in Texas, so I go out of my way to order them whenever they’re on the menu.

–          Fried boquerones –  These are fresh anchovies. They’re cleaned, and their heads are removed, but the backbones and tails remain intact, adding not only a special crunch but also a ton of calcium!

–          Caldo Gallego – A classic Galician stew that’s as culturally important as America’s apple pie. Josephine loves soup, so if there’s ever a good one on the menu, I make sure to order it for her. A great soup will redeem even a mediocre meal for her. This one is hearty because of its chorizo base, but it’s also heavy on vegetables, like turnips, kale, and potatoes, so my veggie-loving daughter is a fan.

–          Arroz con pulpo y almejas –Just as Italians have their risotto, Spaniards have their own approach to rice. In Spain, they never add dairy or cheese to rice (or, at least, not that I’ve seen). Instead, they invest in the broth, making a rich, colorful, flavorful foundation to turn plain rice grains into pure goodness. At O’Grelo, most of the rice dishes capitalize on so we went with a seafood-based rice that incorporated two of our favorite ingredients: octopus and clams

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3.      El Landó – I probably don’t need to discuss El Landó. I’ve written about it before. But I just can’t stop myself. The restaurant is an institution, popular with Madrileños and foreigners alike. It’s super old-school, super Spanish, and super special. Easily one of my favorite restaurants in the world. At El Landó, we always get the huevos estrellados, sunny side up eggs over French fries, cut and tossed together at the table to envelop the crispy potatoes in velvety eggs. It’s outrageously delectable. We follow that with the perfectly cooked churrasco cut of steak, which serves two people. Since Josephine started coming with us, we’ve also added the beef consommé to our regular rotation; she could eat a vat of the crystal-clear broth. If you come, you also need to get the bandeja de tomates, which is a paper-thin layer of tomatoes, flavored ever so slightly with garlic, salt, and olive oil. AND you must get the jamón with the pan de cristal. Pan de cristal is essentially pan con tomate, but the bread is super thin and crunchy, so it breaks like crystal in your mouth. El Landó is worth traveling all the way to Spain for. You’ll get the same waiters that have been there for decades, order a bottle of the trusty house-labeled wine, and have a meal you’ll be talking about until the next time you get to descend the wooden staircase into the darkly paneled comedor, filled with white tablecloths and white-tablecloth service.

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4.      Las Tortillas de Gabino – We just tried this restaurant for the first time on our most recent trip to Madrid, drawn by the novel takes on the humble tortilla (FYI in Spain, a tortilla bears no resemblance to the ones served in Mexican establishments; it’s a delicious dish unto itself, comprised of diced or thinly sliced potatoes, olive oil, and eggs). At Las Tortillas de Gabino, the standard tortilla Española is dressed up a bit, with toppings like pulpo a la Gallega (a traditional, simple octopus steamed with paprika) and gambas con salsa picantita de tomates (shrimp with a spicy tomato sauce). We chose the tortilla with truffles because I can’t resist a truffle. It was good, but I think I’ll go with something different next time, something with tomatoes or seafood. What I will order again are the lentejas estofadas (stewed lentils). They were insane. And I would get the presa Ibérica again – a beautiful pork loin, seared to a perfect medium rare and served with gorgeous wild mushrooms. What’s not to love?

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5.      Sottosopra – Late on January 1, we wandered into Sottosopra, an Italian restaurant located in a hip little enclave off Calle Jorge Juan in Barrio Salamanca. I hadn’t made a reservation, which is unlike me, but I didn’t know how we’d be feeling after a hefty New Year’s lunch. As it turned out, we were all hungry (of course, we were – it was 10:15PM!), and I knew Josephine might welcome the chance to eat some pasta. Sottosopra turned out to be the perfect choice. The pasta with truffles was great, as was the grilled octopus, and the service was delightful, especially given the fact that we walked in basically at closing. I now understand why this place is always crowded, and we will definitely be back. It was so good, we totally forgot to take pictures this time.

On this last trip, we decided to stay at the Peninsula Hotel, located in Belgravia. We’d never stayed in Belgravia before; we normally opt for the Mayfair area, wonderful for shopping and fun restaurants, or Knightsbridge, if we want to be close to Harrod’s and the Victoria & Albert Museum. But time and again, I’ve driven by the Peninsula and heard of Belgravia, so we decided to give it a go.

As you might expect, the hotel was awesome. Peninsulas usually are. But what was even cooler than the hotel itself was the location. We were right by the Wellington Arch, where pillars engraved with the names of England’s territories line the way and which leads to Green Park.

The first morning we were there, we stumbled upon a group of people who were tossing crackers to the birds in the trees. The birds actually landed in the people’s outstretched hands and perched calmly. Josephine was mesmerized, especially because a few of the birds looked like miniature parrots (perhaps escaped pets??). She, of course, had to feed the birds, too. Thankfully, those sweet strangers shared their biscuits and nuts to lure the birds and squirrels Josephine’s way.

It’s often unexpected, simple activities, like tempting park wildlife to eat out of our palms, that make our trips memorable. So I think we’ll stay there again and come prepared with a pile of oyster crackers to attract all the runaway parrots we can.

Fortnum & Mason’s

We also had a wonderful experience visiting Fortnum & Mason’s. Fortnum & Mason’s is by far one of my favorite department stores in the world, rivaling Mitsukoshi in Tokyo. Actually, it’s more like a shopping amusement park. Every level is something more magnificent than the last. Walking in on the first floor, you’re immediately shocked by the vibrant display of marzipans and other luxury candies. In the basement, you can wander through their grocery selection, including the most gorgeous pork chops I’ve ever seen, phenomenal mustards and jams, etc. Then, upstairs, you have levels with wonderful home goods, like unusual China patterns and luxurious wrapping paper; clothing and accessories, showcasing fabulous designers you’ve never heard of; a fabulous bar with velvet couches and great cocktails. The list goes on and on. And to make it even better, Fortnum’s creates beautiful, wildly decorated window displays, which make it a treat just to go in and out the front door! Josephine adores the entire experience, and I always let her pick something out – last time, marzipan; this time, a headband – so she’ll have something to remember our magical time gawking at F&M’s wares.

Even if you don’t venture inside F&M, I recommend that you just walk past the window displays, which are impressive enough to warrant a visit on their own.

The Shopping Arcades

While near F&M, we also found ourselves checking out London’s shopping arcades. Arcades in the US are generally associated with Pac-Man and Mortal Kombat. But in London, an arcade is a long hallway with arched entryways and ceilings, lined on both sides with beautiful shops. We rarely enter the shops because they’re quite pricey – and because it’s always awkward entering a tiny shop, where you’re the center of the salesperson’s attention. However, this time, Josephine desperately wanted to go into the Faberge boutique. I don’t know where she learned about Faberge eggs, but she’s obsessed. Anyway, the gentlemen in the Faberge store were so sweet. They let Josephine try on various jewelry, although they had to know there was no way I would be buying her a begemmed 18-karat gold egg pendant.

I’ve been trying to make those silly stops with Josephine, walking into gorgeous shops even when we have no intention of buying anything. It just makes the world more fun. – however, the Faberge salesman can stop contacting me because we’re not really in the market for wearable eggs.

The Dickens Museum

I confess, I’m not a huge Dickens fan. Every Dickens book I’ve tried to read has put me to sleep. However, I do love A Christmas Carol, even if I prefer the stage to the page. And I’m kind of a sucker for historical figures’ former homes – Monticello, Mount Vernon, the House of Augustus, Hadrian’s Villa. The list really goes on and on. Why not add Dickens’ London townhouse to the mix?

The museum was cool, as it turned out. We got there about 45 minutes before closing (par for the course with this crew), so we didn’t linger. But there was no need. We got to see all the rooms of the house, including the study where Dickens wrote a masterpiece or twelve. And we got to see a Victorian-era kitchen and a Victorian-era toilet… And we learned that Dickens’s dad went to prison and left the family dirt-poor. It’s amazing that he became one of the most prolific, well-recognized authors in the English language.

Okay, it wasn’t exactly scintillating, so I wouldn’t recommend it to people seeing London for the first time, but we come often enough that it was worth a visit.

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It’s no secret, Jamil and I have traveled throughout much of the world. Here and there, airlines have forgotten one of our bags, creating a bit of uncomfortable but manageable strife. 

For example, United misplaced a bag containing Josephine’s car seat and our winter coats when she was about 4 months old; we wandered around Rome and bought some substitute goods but received the bag before the road trip through the countryside began. And just recently, United left my bag in Houston on our trip to Washington, DC. Thanks to the modern bag tracking system, we could easily see that the bag had been put on the next flight and would arrive later in the afternoon. No big deal at all! 

None of that prepared us for the chaos that ensued when Iberia misplaced ALL FIVE of our bags. Yes, I said five. Yes, we pack a lot — probably too much, but who can tell it’s too much until the trip is over and you can see what you didn’t wear? In any case, not a single bag made it with us to Madrid.

Before we left, Jamil put new batteries in our AirTags and made sure every bag had an AirTag. Consequently, when we landed in Madrid, we could see clearly that the bags were nestled in a corner at London Gatwick. We presumed Iberia would do just what United did: stick it on the next flight out, which would leave in just a few hours. We’d have to go a little while — possibly overnight, without our gear — but nothing earth shattering.

We went blithely to the customer service counter in the airport, expecting them to confirm that the bags had never left London. However, Iberia said the bags had made it to Madrid. And it soon became clear that they had no tracking data whatsoever. When I showed them that the AirTags were in London, they tried to convince me that the AirTags were imprecise; the bags had yet to be located but would likely show up in the next (get this!) 72 hours! They told me to check the online system for updates and to purchase necessities until our five bags were found.

We left perplexed because we knew exactly where the bags were. That night, I barely slept because I was so worried that our bags would fall into some luggage abyss somewhere, and we’d never see our things again. In the middle of the night, Jamil and I determined that we had to take matters into our own hands. We bought a ticket for Jamil to fly to London in the morning and collect the bags.

When he got to London, Jamil learned that the bags were indeed sitting on the tarmac, and the Iberia/British Airways personnel put the bags on his return flight. They assured him he wouldn’t need new baggage tags; the bags would just arrive on the carousel when he got to baggage claim. As you might guess, they did not. However, we could see that they’d made it to Madrid, so we went over to the customer service counter again. And again, they had no idea where the bags were. They didn’t show that the bags ever left London, but they also didn’t show that the bags were even in London. They truly knew nothing at all.

When I asked them to find the bags, they said they were in a machine where no one could see or access them. They didn’t know when they’d pop up again – they said to expect at least 72 more hours. I was floored. It had already been 24 hours! AND THE BAGS WERE AT THE AIRPORT, RIGHT BY WHERE WE STOOD. It was absurd.

For five days, we went daily to the Iberia customer service counter in the baggage claim area of the Madrid airport. For five days, they told me by phone and in person that the search for our bags was continuing. For five days, we went and purchased new clothes, toiletries, and so forth to get through our daily sightseeing activities and our evening dinner plans (including an elegant New Year’s Eve party). Somewhere in there, they concluded that the team in London had retagged the bags but had not entered the new data in the airline’s tracking system, so no one could offer any timeline to expect the bags’ return. It would take almost six days to get them back.

I don’t want to get bogged down in any more painstaking detail, but let me share what I learned through this process:

1.      Very little gets accomplished by phone; the people in call centers have delayed information, at best. You actually have to go in and harass people at the airport.

2.      You have to use all available clues to piece together the location of your bags. (We got the numbers off the second bag they located and practically forced the lady at the counter to seek out related numbers.)

3.      You cannot take no for an answer when you know your bags are within reach.

Overall, we were fortunate that this bag mishap occurred in Madrid. We’ve spent countless days there, so we didn’t have any sights we were desperate to see. But we certainly didn’t want to spend 4-6 hours of each day fighting to get our luggage back, which is what we had to do. 

And as a side note, Iberia’s system still doesn’t show that we’ve gotten our luggage. It shows that the search continues for two of the five bags, and it shows that one other has been located but not confirmed. It is wild that their system is so unreliable. I can promise you that I won’t be flying Iberia again with bags any time soon.

I’m also going to try to modify my overall packing strategy. I’m not going to take clothes or shoes that I absolutely love anymore. In fact, I may buy some super-cool travel items with the idea in mind that I might lose them. Additionally, I’m going to pack a small kit of essentials in my carry-on; I’ll put things like extra contact lenses, face wash, moisturizer, underwear, socks, etc., in there, just to have some tide-me-overs if my luggage gets misplaced again. That won’t see me through multiple days without my gear, but it’ll be a decent start.

When I was growing up, I feel like people constantly told me that London had terrible food. I wonder if that was true or if my friends were just on a perpetual hunt for chicken fingers and hamburgers. Whatever the case, as an adult, I have found that the food in London is outstanding. Here’s where we took Josephine for dinner on this last trip (we do so much sightseeing on an average day in London that lunch is sort of nondescript):

1. Colonel Saab -– Jamil and I are suckers for Indian food in general, and Indian food with cocktails?? We’re sold. Initially, my heart was set on Gymkhana, but they’re closed on the 26th of December, so we did some research and found Colonel Saab. I’m so glad we did because Jamil talked about it for days. If you go to Colonel Saab, I recommend spreading your order around the menu. 
2. The Ivy — This is a known classic throughout London. There are several locations and concepts. I have only tried the original one (referred to as Ivy West) because it’s open late, well past the close of theatrical performances. This is where Jamil gets his fish and chips fix. It’s perhaps a bit more expensive than fish and chips at a dive pub, but the dish is an absolute winner every time. I’ve tried many things on the menu and have never been disappointed. Plus, their martinis are excellent enough to make the meal fabulous on their own. 
3. Claude Bosi’s Oyster Bar at Bibendum — A friend we know through Josephine’s school recommended this restaurant, and the moment he did, I knew what it was. We’ve driven past its lively, sparkly exterior in Belgravia many times, and I’ve always wanted to remember the name, so we could go on our next London trip. Alas, I have forgotten on each occasion! Bibendum is housed in the original Michelin building, where they actually repaired cars and likely came up with the brilliant idea of giving people reviews of restaurants worth driving for. It’s spectacularly tiled and decorated, and the front of the establishment houses a small, vibrant flower shop. I was so excited to try! There are two restaurants here: upstairs is the Michelin-starred Bibendum, and downstairs is the lively oyster bar. Originally, we made reservations upstairs because our friend said it was too good to miss, but in the end, I couldn’t justify taking Josephine to a £250 fixed price menu that I knew she’d despise from start to finish. Who wants to be abused for choosing a gourmet meal? Anyway, we went downstairs, and it was great. We had the best mussels I can remember eating — so much cleaner and fresher than most we encounter in the US — and Josephine’s spaghetti with clams was fantastic. I highly recommend this place, whether you go up or down!

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We’ve come to London in the wintertime several times because of the city’s festivity and pomp during the Christmas season. Shops are beautifully decorated with trees and ornaments and garlands, hotels offer special Christmas teas, and the streets of Piccadilly glisten with lighted angels mounted overhead. Essentially, it feels like Christmas in a way that Texas never quite does. 

This year, we only spent three nights in London, thinking we’d just been there last summer. Did we really need another prolonged stay in the city? As it turned out, yes, because it was just as addictively fantastic as ever. But that aside, we maximized our time, taking this opportunity to pack in some London shows. 

First, we went to a panto (short for pantomime, with no pantomiming as we know it). If you go to London over the holidays, with or without a child, you absolutely must go to a panto. Pantos are bawdy, brilliant stage spectacles that are part of the British holiday tradition. They are wild, and the producers spare no expense. Expect one over-the-top costume after another and shocking special effects, at least at the one put on annually at the Palladium. 

This year, we saw Robinhood. Okay, it was nothing like the actual Robinhood. In fact, there’s barely any plot at all. But it was hilarious. And the talent was excellent. Plus, the experience was even better because the crew chose Josephine to go up on stage as part of a sketch. I’m not sure that will ever happen again, but we were so proud! It was thrilling and unforgettable. 

Second, we took Josephine to the ABBA Voyage show. She’s loved ABBA her whole life. My mother sang Dancing Queen to Josephine when she was a tiny girl, and we have jammed out to Super Trouper more times than I can count. 

The Voyage show is unreal. I thought there were animatronic figures on the stage the whole time. Jamil only informed me after the show that it had all been CGI. I could not believe it. And I’m now certain that The Rolling Stones will perform long after their deaths. It is like going to an actual show, but you’re clapping for no one (minus the human backup band, who are also great). Furthermore, it’s so visually stimulating. They take advantage of the giant theatre to set up a huge light show and use the massive walls for a spectacular video production. I really can’t recommend it enough. It’s genius. And I have a feeling it’ll be the first of many such shows. Maybe this technology will let me see a Beatles show after all. 

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In the pre-Internet, pre-Zoom days, my dad traveled almost weekly for work. He visited Washington, DC, a minimum of 12 times a year, so he could appear at the Court of International Trade. My mom and I traveled with him whenever my school schedule and her theatre performances would allow. 

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of making the long bike ride from DC to Mount Vernon, picking strawberries in Virginia farms, and wandering various Smithsonian museums. It always seemed like DC overflowed with activity and wonder, and my experiences as an adult have only reinforced that perspective. Jamil and I have visited with friends and on our own. We’ve gone to fabulous parties in DC and met fascinating people. Every time we visit, it’s something new.

This year, when I was trying to plan a trip for us to take with my dad to resume our annual vacations, I had some pretty inflexible specifications. Since my dad ruptured his quadriceps tendon last year, he’s had a hard time walking; it got even worse when he got stuck in the elevator at his senior living community and tore one of the repair cords as he jumped out and landed with improper assistance. So, I had to find a destination that had a decent number of low-impact, minimal-mobility activities. I also wanted a place that went all out with Christmas decorations but didn’t have a ton of ice and snow on the ground. Finally, I wanted a place with great restaurants and nightlife that was a nonstop flight away. DC fit all the requirements — and going there with my dad would give Josephine the lifelong recollection of seeing her nation’s capital for the first time with him.

Here are the things I made sure to line up in advance:

1. Hotel reservations at the Willard. 

The Willard is deeply entrenched in American history. It’s where representatives from most of the states came together in April 1861 for a last-ditch attempt at peacemaking before the outbreak of the Civil War, and where General Pershing declared the creation of the military reserve forces. It’s also where the term “lobbyist” came into existence: interested parties would post up in the lobby at the Willard, waiting for Congressmen to stop in for drinks and a cigar, so they could get a word in to promote some cause or another. Of course, many other events took place there..

The lobby at the Willard still bustles with excitement, and the Christmas decorations are over the top. Sadly, however, the rooms aren’t as well maintained as I would like (yes, I am particular). But I can’t really complain because when I informed the hotel manager of the issues with our room, he upgraded us to the Presidential Suite (named after the original Mr. Willard), and that was lovely. It wasn’t an Asian hotel, but it was really nice.

Even with the issues, I think I would stay there again (if my goal was to see monuments and museums) because the location was unbeatable. We literally walked across the street to the Washington Monument and the White House, and within a few blocks, we were at fantastic restaurants in Penn Quarter. Plus, you really feel immersed in the Capital scene, which is magnificent.

2. Golf cart tour of the monuments with WeVenture.

A good friend told us about golf cart tours in DC, and I am SO glad we listened to him. We did about 3 hours with a guide named Reggie, who was absolutely wonderful. He knew SO much history, and gave us all kinds of insights — about the development of DC as a city, about important historical figures, some of whom we’d never heard of before, and the monuments themselves.

For instance, did you know that the original city planner, L’Enfant, abandoned his work in Washington because he wanted greater control over the development of the city, thinking the Founding Fathers would beg for his return? They might have, if his assistant planner, an African American named Benjamin Banniker hadn’t possessed a photographic memory. Banniker redrew the plans and took over the remaining work on the city. 

Also, did you know that the statue of Thomas Jefferson in the Jefferson Memorial was originally made of clay painted to look like iron because the building was completed during World War II, when all available iron was being used for the war effort? They didn’t get a cast iron statue until well after the war ended! 

Oh, and did you know that if you show up at 8:45 in front of the Washington Monument, you can get day-of tickets to travel to the top of the obelisk and see the mall from that inimitable vantage point?

I am telling you, the hits literally kept on coming. It was so worthwhile. And we even did it on a 35-degree day in the rain. Ask for Reggie. He’s incredible.

3. Tickets to see A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theater.

Many will remember that Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theater while watching Our American Cousin. Today, the box where Booth snuck in to commit the most reviled murder in our country’s history is still cordoned off, but you can see performances at the theater. 

Each year, Ford’s Theater takes great pride in its production of A Christmas Carol, and Washington in the winter has such an old-world feel that it felt perfect to see something Dickensian. I planned for us to go to the 7:30 showing and then have dinner at Rasika afterwards. Rasika is an innovative, crisp, modern Indian restaurant that stays open late, and I knew Josephine and my dad would love it. 

And love Rasika they did! But we’ll have to see A Christmas Carol another year! Around 2:30PM, I checked whether I needed to download tickets for the show. It was then that I learned I had made a terrible mistake. I bought tickets for the 2:00PM matinee, not the 7:30PM evening show! What a bone head. So yeah, we missed the show.

But we still had great Indian food!

4. Dinner reservations at Filomena.

Filomena is a culinary institution in DC. It’s located in Georgetown, and it is one of the most festive, fun restaurants in the US. The decorations for Christmas are astonishing, they go SO overboard. You totally should come at this time of year for the visual experience alone!

The food comes in gigantic quantities. We got two appetizers and three main courses for the table, and it was way more than we could eat, so don’t order too much!  Besides, you’ll want to leave room for dessert because their desserts are all made in-house and are over-the-top delicious.

If you’re coming to Filomena, be sure to make a reservation!!! This place is packed to the gills!

So those were the big plans (and clearly the show fell through). Everything else, we really played by ear, but you did need tickets for some museums (even though the tickets were free). 

Here’s where we visited:

1. Library of Congress (needed tickets): It’s so beautiful. You should go even if you don’t intend to go into the library itself to do any research. But if you do want to enter the research library, it’s only open a few hours out of the day. Look before you schedule because you don’t want to miss it.
2. National Archives (needed tickets): This was one of the coolest things to see with my dad. Can you believe that this was his first time visiting the Archives?! He’s been to DC countless times, and yet he never popped over to take a look at the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, or Bill of Rights (not to mention the Magna Carta)! He was mesmerized, especially because they give you such interesting insights into how the documents were written and because the handwriting is literally so perfect. This visit doesn’t have to take long, but it’s so worth it.
3. Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (needed tickets): You know, this museum is cool, but it doesn’t thrill me like it does some other people. Our favorite parts were seeing the Wrights’ first flyer and looking at the setups of old passenger planes to see how luxurious they once were — oh, and the old stewardess costumes were also pretty awesome, and so fashionable!
4. Museum of American History (no tickets): I could spend all day here. And maybe someday I will. I never get tired of reading about our nation’s history or of hearing about the railroads and Route 66. I love looking at each First Lady’s china and inauguration dress. I watched every single video about life in the White House. We had a couple of hours here, and it simply wasn’t enough (and I’ve been there probably ten times).
5. The International Spy Museum (needed tickets — these cost money): This is one of the most astonishing museums ever. It’s right up there with the Louisiana Museum in Denmark, the Soanes Museum in London, and the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague for being a barrel of surprises. There are so many activities and exhibits, it’ll blow your mind. In our group, the ages range from eight to 83, and I can safely say that we were all intrigued. I mean, where else can you see ball point pens that fire arrows or bugging devices from the American Embassy in Moscow? And it goes on and on and on. We were there for so long, but I still felt like I missed a ton. I will be back!

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Overall, we had a wonderful time in DC with my dad. He’s a difficult dude to travel with, but this was probably the easiest place to go with him, aside from Watercolor or perhaps a cruise (we’ll see — that’s our next adventure with him, I think).

Seeing a Doctor

Our car left Halong Bay for Hanoi at 11:00AM. Jamil was feeling pretty terrible. He’d been dealing with a stomach bug since Cambodia, and it hadn’t run its course in the way we anticipated. He clearly needed to see a doctor. I emailed the Hotel Capella on our way back to Hanoi to ask for a house call; they tried to convince me to take Jamil to a hospital, but I’ve been through enough stomach maladies – from a parasite in Nicaragua to food poisoning in Argentina (twice) to Montezuma’s Revenge in Mexico – to know that a hospital visit was overkill.

The doctor met us at the hotel shortly after we arrived in Hanoi, and he was amazing. He immediately began running tests, and before we knew it, we had a diagnosis of E. Coli and a pile of antibiotics. He said to expect for Jamil to feel well by the next morning, which he did!

In the meantime, I have to give Jamil so much credit for being a champ. Even though his stomach was driving him nuts, he explored the nooks and crannies of Hanoi with us.

Quick aside: Jamil and I are pretty terrible about buying travel insurance. It can be so expensive that it makes more sense to risk losing your deposits and prepayments. And doctors abroad are usually quite inexpensive to see. For example, the house call in Hanoi cost $200 – with a doctor who spoke excellent English and ran thorough tests to diagnose Jamil correctly before treating him. A similar doctor’s visit in the USA would cost over $2,000. I speak from experience. However, you really don’t want to have surgery in a developing nation, and if you get extremely ill, you don’t want to be hospitalized there. Consequently, I recommend buying travel medical insurance with a good medical evacuation policy. We don’t do it when we go to Europe, but we do when we go to El Salvador or Egypt or Cambodia. We have purchased ours through TravelGuard and through American Express. I’m sure there are others. They wind up being a few hundred dollars, a bargain for peace of mind.

Some Custom Clothing!

In 2014, Jamil and I visited Japan and South Korea. On that trip, we discovered the fun of visiting tailors in Asia, where everything is custom and beautiful and insanely inexpensive (in Korea, not Japan, obviously!). We wanted to do something similar on this trip, so we did our research and found a tailor with amazing reviews in Hanoi, called Tailor Bros, tucked away in the old town.

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How do you research tailors? People who go to custom tailors leave reviews. They use TripAdvisor and Google Maps, for the most part. You can also go ask your hotel, but they usually don’t have personal experience with the tailors. They’ve just been told to recommend those people. You need to hear from someone who’s walked into the shop, looked at the options, gotten the goods, and loved them. You also need to look at the pictures people are posting of their tailoring experiences. If the customers are super cheesed out, they’re probably not the tailors for you.

Marveling at the Outdoor Action in Hanoi!

As soon as you walk out the door in Hanoi, you’re surrounded by activity. People are scooting by on motorcycles – entire families on one motorcycle. People are walking on the streets. People are playing sports in the park. They love badminton! They even play a foot version of badminton, where they wear these weird sock shoes as part of their getup. There are adults playing full games, while their kids practice nearby to become good enough to join the fray. It looks really fun. Of course, we weren’t in any position to do anything but watch…It’s not like we’d ever even seen the game before.

Just past the foot badminton business, there might be an outdoor speaker set up. People of all ages might be dancing to Donna Summer. In America, it’s rather uncommon to see people letting loose in such a public setting without any real reason to do so; they save those “be real” moments for the home. But it seems like people in Hanoi see the city as an extension of their homes. They’re dancing and playing and doing – all in public.

And it’s not only adults! On Saturdays, they block off the streets in the old city and create a safe, outdoor play area for everyone. There are streets lined with tables covered in plain white ceramic pieces and paints. Children pick out what they want to paint and sit at little chairs and tables on the side of the road, painting to their hearts’ content. I didn’t ask if the pieces would get fired, but I presumed they would.

In front of those little painting stands, other kids whiz past on rented remote control cars and hoverboards. Josephine wanted to try them, but I felt a little weird about it. Funny enough, she got in a pretty gangster remote control car in Rabat, Morocco, and I didn’t make a stink about it. I guess covid left me a bit touchier about germs.

Anyway, kids are everywhere these days, playing games on the streets, blowing bubbles, taking pictures. It’s all fun and games, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

You’ll also find the lake in the center of Hanoi lined with pedestrians, vendors, pets – you name it. It’s so vibrant and exciting. I can’t believe we only got one full day there. We will definitely go again.

Author: Jessica Givens

As you arrive at the baggage claim in the Copenhagen airport, you’re immediately wowed by large photos and descriptions of unique sites in the Danish countryside. Well, I was wowed, to say the least!

Jamil waited for the luggage, which seemed to take forever, and Josephine wheeled around with gusto on her Micro bag, reveling in her post-flight freedom. I stood in front of one particular tourist advertisement, touting the grandeur of the Forest Tower, a spiral feat of architecture that rose through the woods south of Copenhagen. I was tired, but wow, I was extremely impressed. I was completely convinced that we had to go.

So, after our four nights in Copenhagen, as we drove south to continue our adventure, I insisted that we carve out time to go to the Forest Tower. Thankfully, Jamil is always willing to oblige almost any request to add an unusual crook to our travel path. He punched it in on Google Maps, and away we went.

The Forest Tower was so much cooler than we expected. It is more than a tower in the woods; it’s a recreational park unto itself, called Camp Adventure, which even had an adult ropes course!! Camp Ozark inspired in me a lasting obsession with ropes courses, one I’ve suppressed for decades because I thought ropes courses were confined to children’s camps. Camp Adventure takes ropes courses to the next level! There are actually 11 courses, all at different heights for climbers of different proximities. It looked SO FUN. And I say “looked” because Josephine was too young to do even the children’s course. Besides, I hadn’t figured the time to complete a ropes course into our travel agenda. Next time, though.

This time, we concentrated on the Forest Tower, which has won all kinds of architectural awards for its eco-friendly hourglass design. It feels a little like being in an M.C. Escher drawing because you’re ascending one side of the spiral while others descend above and below you. All the while, the trees grow straight up the center of the structure and remind you that you’re not in a building; you’re in nature. You just happen to be walking on a manmade scaffold through that nature.

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If you happen to have time when you venture this way, you might consider spending the night. We got to walk through the luxury yurts on the property, and they are extremely cool. The décor is impressive, and they look out onto a lake, where deer come and hang out. There’s also a sauna overlooking the lake that’s reserved for overnight glampers and an honor bar to grab beer, liquor, or wine. I’m sure it’s quite romantic and mind-clearing to have a stay here (an adult stay).

After roaming through Camp Adventure, we continued our drive south to Knuthenborg, a drive-through safari park on the island of Lolland. I know, in the US, our drive-through parks are pretty sad. Even the good ones are depressing. This one is far superior. It’s extremely clean, like all of Denmark, and I’m sure animals all over Europe are vying for a spot to retire here. For humans, it’s also different because you can rent a cabin, spend the night on the “Savanna,” and wake up to animals at your doorstep.

We chose to stay in the part of the park where giraffes greet you in the morning, and we had a huge, well-appointed glamping accommodation. I was a bit concerned about how rustic the experience would be. I’m many things, but rustic is not one of them. I was also worried about meals out there. You have to check in by 5PM, and you can’t leave your room after 7PM. You cook your own food in your cabin. You stay there. I literally live my life in a wonderful haze of meal planning. A few minutes after one meal, I’m pondering the next. How would that pan out on the “Savanna”?

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Okay, so once the food was taken care of, I could really appreciate the surroundings and the experience. The cabin itself was lovely, but it definitely was in the elements. There was limited electric lighting, no heater or a/c, and fabric walls that did little to keep out the chill. Although there was a room full of bunk beds, Jamil, Josephine, and I shared one big bed, putting the space heater on full blast and wrapping ourselves in blankets. But the cabin had a very nice bathroom, kitchen, and living area, and even spoiled ol’ me could acknowledge that it was a great experience, especially when the giraffes emerged in the morning and ate their breakfast right off our porch.

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If Jamil and I had been alone, we would have skipped the safari park, off to do something more culturally enlightening, I guess. I’m so glad we have Josephine to remind us to just have fun for fun’s sake. She needed this little break from history and architecture and sophistication. She loved cooking her own meal on vacation and sleeping in a tent for the first time (okay, it’s a tent to me). It’s something we could have done in the US, but I would have been reluctant to allocate the time. In fact, as we go forward with a little girl who’s very aware of our adventures and of the activities on our agenda, I am attempting to take her preferences and entertainment into account more than I did when she was a tiny tagalong. After all, I’m trying to raise an avid traveler. I don’t think that’s possible if all we do are museums and Michelin-rated restaurants.

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Author: Jessica Givens

If you know me, you know I’m a sucker for ancient history. I typically seek out Greek and Roman sites, but when in Scandinavia, you have to embrace the majesty of the Vikings. And so we did.

On our second morning in Copenhagen, I walked a couple of miles and rented a car, a Volkswagen Touran, to scope out some of the city’s surroundings. It’s only a 90-minute drive to the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, and I felt like we had to go. We’ve visited the Viking Museum in Oslo, where the best-preserved ships are located, but the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde has recreated Viking ships that you can ride on. That was too cool to pass up. 

You have to get to Roskilde early if you want to land space on that day’s ride. I am NOT an early bird, by any stretch, but I really didn’t want my lack of punctuality to ruin this opportunity. And so, we were there when the museum opened at 10AM to buy tickets for the 1PM voyage. Wow. That was a long time to wait, and I had a plan for how to use the interim stretch. 

Frederiksborg Castle

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It wasn’t just cool for us: they’ve made a fun kids’ activity sheet that kept Josephine fully occupied. She searched high and low for the items she was instructed to find, which made her look deeply at the art, the furniture, the floors, etc.

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The grounds of the castle were also spectacular, with labyrinthine hedges and remarkable flower gardens. People were taking boat rides in the moat around the castle — in fact, it was sort of like a ferry to get from the center of the nearby town to the castle grounds. It was incredible. It was also the perfect way to fill those hours between purchasing tickets and boarding a Viking ship.

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The Viking Ship Ride

Okay, so we didn’t know what to expect at the Viking ship experience. After donning some safety gear, we trekked out with the herd of museumgoers who’d snagged boat tickets that day and made our way to a giant wooden craft. We sat on wooden planks in rowing formation, and we hefted enormously long oars into line with those in front of and behind us. As a team, we rowed the boat out into the bay. Quite a challenge, given the synchronicity required to make the boat move. If you’re off by a millisecond, it throws off the rhythm. I can imagine that the Vikings moved in lockstep with one another, like a machine.

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As we got about 200 yards from shore, the crew unfurled the sail, which billowed and filled with air, and the boat rapidly gained speed. I could see how a well-trained crew of brawny Vikings managed to zip through the North Sea, and how they could have easily reached North America. These guys had boating technology down. Even our pathetic group managed to make the boat move. Josephine loved the ride. She may have loved looking down at the millions of jellyfish in the water beneath the oars more than she loved the ride itself, but who wouldn’t? 

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BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!

I read online that there was a deer park right outside Copenhagen, called Jaegersborg Dyrehaven. That basically means Deer Haven in Danish, which makes sense because this is a sanctuary for deer. There are THOUSANDS of them roaming the property. And Josephine was fascinated by the opportunity to see them. We made sure our drive back would pass by Dyrehaven, and we walked into the park to find a herd or two. The park had many activities, and I could see that people who plan for it could spend an entire day here. We were there towards the end of the day, though, so we only stayed for about an hour. But it was a nice injection of nature and wildlife into our day, and it was definitely worth a stop.

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Moreover, we were back in the city by 5pm, with plenty of time to shower and get ready for dinner. A total must-recreate day for any family with kids traveling through Denmark.

Author: Jessica Givens