Iceland 🇮🇸

For the finale of our trip, we took advantage of the Icelandair stopover to re-visit Reykjavik.✈️ We stayed in the same AirBnB as we did in 2019. The host, Siggi, is a retired mechanic and offers a car with the apartment, and pick-up at the airport for a fee (about a 45 min drive). 🚗 

Having started this trip in sizzling Greece, 🏝️and moving through toasty European cities, Reykjavik felt like Nova Scotia in Autumn. The extra clothing that had patiently waited in our suitcases finally saw the light of day (about 18hrs of it in early August). 👖😎

I hear that in the city, maybe in all of Iceland, each neighbourhood has their own, elaborate and affordable swimming & spa complex. 🧖🏼 It's important that all Icelanders learn to swim.🏊The facility in the neighbourhood of Seltjarnarnes is open-air, and has a huge lap pool, a shallow pool, a kiddie pool, four hot tubs of different heats, two cold-plunge tubs, a steam sauna, and heated water slide. We went there three times in three days. 

We drove to see the geyser, and stood around the water with hundreds of others waiting for the burst. It was comical and crowded, and a man standing behind me was so bold as to rest his wrist on top of my head while he took a video.🙄 It is pretty exciting when the water shoots 100 feet in the air and sprays a warm eggy mist -- not to be missed. ☔️

We spent a day at the beautiful Secret Lagoon, a natural hot spring pool which is considered the oldest in Iceland. The views are lovely, with surrounding hills and forest. A little boardwalk circles the pool. 🗻The change rooms are no place to be shy, and the signs posted everywhere insist that you shower in the buff -- in the big common shower room -- and clean those key bits with soap because they don't want you bringing in any products into the water. It's a culture shock for sure, and even at the pool complex, the people seem to take their sweet time to air dry before they get dressed. When in Rome, I guess... 🍑

We walked around downtown Reykjavik, and hiked along the coast, where the kids played on the giant cubic sculptures (allowed). We tried Fly-Over-Iceland and highly recommend it. It's a simulated flight ride that makes feel like you're paragliding over the whole country. It’s incredible.🦅

I can't forget the most decadent treat, "Caramel Sin" 😈-- artisanal donuts topped with ice cream at a shop called Loo.koo.mas. Rich. 🍨

(August 2019 : https://luckhoundstravelwithkids.blogspot.com/2019/08/norway-iceland.html)

Prague 🇨🇿

Understatement: Prague is a beautiful city. It’s really too much to take in. Having been spared destruction in WWII, the architecture tells about a thousand years of history. Medieval, Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, Contemporary, et cetera. It’s all there, still standing, together as a visual feast. Everywhere you look, there is something intentional and interesting. 

We walked across the Charles Bridge to tour the Royal Castle complex 🏰🏰🏰. We roamed through giant halls and royal chambers, seeing artifacts from emperors and religious leaders through time.⛪️👑 It was key to set out early so that it wasn't too crowded. Prague is a tourist hub for good reason. As the day grew hotter, we took refuge in an air conditioned mall and the gals got manicures. 💅 

We got same-day tickets to see a symphony in the Art Nouveau Smetana Hall, from a balcony seat! It was an impulse-buy that turned out to be a blast for the whole family. We watched and listened while a robust string section played classics. 🎻🎶I appreciated the paintings and architecture, and couldn't help but think about action scenes from Looney Tunes. It's easy to get swept up in the music hearing Für Elise, Symphony No. 5, The Four Seasons, Hungarian Dance, and more, played live by pros, in an ornate hall. 🤩 It was surreal. 

  

We wandered the Old Town square in the evenings and the girls had chimney cakes. 🥮 I loved looking at the intricate puppets and toys in the shops. 🪁🪀🚂🧸 In case you're thinking there was a bit too much "pomp & circumstance", our AirBnB apartment, which was spacious and sleek, was above a Harley Davidson shop 🏍️, and next to a Hooters🦉. Prague offers juxtaposition at every turn. 

 

 

Munich 🇩🇪

It made me smile that our hotel in Munich shared a name with my dear late grand-père, Augustin. I can't imagine his reaction at such a modern, vibrant, bustling place. We thought the surf-themed lobby was random. 🌊🏄‍♀️🚙

At breakfast, we were surrounded by Swifties, there to see a concert that weekend. We would hear a North American accent, and a sparkly cowboy boot or an arm full of bracelets would surely follow. Eras t-shirst were ubiquitous. The breakfast itself was worth writing home about:🥚🌭 there were Le Creusets full of eggs, and frightening white sausages. There were yogurts, cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, and muesli as far as the eye could see, and the German bread and jam game is next level. 🥖🥨🥐🫐🍒🍓We fueled up and made the most of our three days. 

We visited Dachau, the first WWII concentration camp. With our kids, ages 12 and 14, we walked around the enormous memorial site, heavy with emotion for the people who suffered and died there. There was a lot to read, see, and think about as we made our way through different buildings. Photos, videos, and artifacts told the stories of horrifying cruelty. Although there were hundreds of other travellers from all over the world there, it was quiet and sombre, and there was a sense of shared grief, and humanity. We will continue to reflect on it. 

The modern art museum in Munich was a mental palate cleanser. We saw Picassos, Dalis, and a dizzying range of expression. 🖼️  We shook our heads at the cool, comical, and challenging exhibits. Ask me about the walk video someday. 🤣

We traveled around the city by subway 🚊 and clued in that paying for fares is totally optional. The toll gates are open, which is great. We rode e-bikes around Englischer Garten, stopping to watch the surfers 🏄🏄‍♀️ that line up to ride the consistent wave at the Eisbach River. So cool. 

  

We tried a different beer garden every day, where there was always a jolly crowd and plenty of great snacks— baked pretzels 🥨, fresh corn 🌽, bbq 🍗, salads 🥗, and sausages 🌭. We did a hurried walk through the oldest beer hall, Hofbräuhaus, just in time to listen to the rocking band. It was too packed to stay for long, but I’d love to return in the off-season someday. 🍻 I’d also like to time it right to get in on the monthly rollerblade event. The city blocks certain main streets and thousands of people skate around together. What a vibe. 🛼