Tell the Guards to Open Up the Gates.....We're Going to Norway! Updated 7/17
- Thread starter Avery's mom
- Start date
Alohagirl73
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2012
- Messages
- 437
Beautiful view.
Really enjoying your trip report!!!
Really enjoying your trip report!!!
alabalacoo
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2015
- Messages
- 8
Joining in. Have enjoyed reading. Cannot wait to follow along.
Avery's mom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 631
I wish I could report that Beau slept well that night. I wish I could report that ANY of us slept well at all. However, Beau simply couldn’t, wouldn’t and in no way sleep until about 5am. Thus, the rest of us didn’t sleep until 5am
I kept waiting for the front desk or our neighbors or someone to tell us to shut that darn kid up – but no call ever came. For that, I was very, very grateful!
In any event, I woke up about 9:30 and in a panic! We were sleeping the day away! Breakfast was going to end in an hour! Who cares that we were dead on our feet? I quickly woke everyone up EXCEPT Beau. I figured it was best to let him sleep until we were ready to walk out the door for breakfast. So, we moved with purpose to get cleaned up enough to go downstairs without too much embarrassment.
Chino Latino also hosts the breakfast service, so we were pleased to see a familiar setting. We even had the same table in the dining room. Grumpy discovered a delightful offering called a Bacon Butty sandwich. Basically, it is a bacon sandwich! Grumpy was quite pleased! I had a traditional English breakfast – with the requisite baked beans and grilled tomato. I simply don’t get this – perhaps I never will. But the scrambled eggs were fantastic! I do not want to know what they put in there to make them so good.
Breakfast done – very successfully – and so we were off to explore the city! We strolled down to the Westminster Bridge to catch the HOHO bus. We hopped on the bus that was right there and made our way to the top. No sweat! Plus, the walk was gorgeous along the embankment.
We opted for the route with the live commentary – and we enjoyed hearing all about the different buildings and history associated with them. About an hour into the tour, we got off the bus at the Tower of London and made our way to the front. Since we didn’t know what we would be able to do for sure with a toddler, we waited to buy tickets for anything until we knew we could utilize them.
The Yeoman tour was about to start in 15 minutes, so we waited. In the hot sun. With a cranky toddler. Who would not be appeased by an ice cream cone.
So, we decided to skip the tour, as he was crying too loudly to even hear the tour commentary. However, it was still a good day at the tower, as we saw most of the exhibits we wanted to see – the crown jewels, the white tower, the ravens, etc…
Once we were ready to move on – mostly due to getting a late start in the morning – we headed over to the Tower Bridge. But, before we ventured in, we saw a Starbucks right outside the Tower Bridge entrance. As I said, it was a hot day, and something cold was in order. Grumpy decided something cold and frosty with whipped cream was in order! Also, we saw the first of what would become an object of desire on this trip – the ‘you are here’ collection of Starbucks mugs. Each mug has a photo or 2 that represents the location and has the city (or country name) on it. Grumpy decided we must get them all! So, we started our mini collection with a London mug!
Off to the Tower Bridge we went – not a bad price for admission – about $25 for all of us, I think. It was a very informative exhibit, and I loved walking across the bridge at the top. However, I did not love the glass floors the walkways had and I just couldn’t bring myself to walk on them. No way.
After we exited the top of the bridge, we made it to the boiler room (not sure if that is the exact name, but that’s what I call it) and learned about the opening and closing of the bridge and how it all works. Naturally, Beau didn’t get much out of that, but the rest of us did! The tour ended where all good tours end – in the gift shop! Avery bought a small coin purse and we bought Beau a rubber duck with the Union Jack on it. We would end up buying him a duck in all 3 countries we visited, so I guess mini collections are our thing?
After the gift shop, we re-boarded the HOHO and took it all the way around the rest of the city. We passed by Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussauds, Hyde Park, etc….finally ending in Trafalgar Square. We exited the HOHO and decided to take a leisurely walk back to the hotel and we would find a place along the way to get some dinner.
It was neat to have Big Ben as a point of reference. It was if we were following the North Star. It stood out so tall that it was impossible to get lost, as long as we kept it in sight. Grumpy really wanted to get dinner in a pub, since we passed so many cool-looking ones on the HOHO. However, it seemed that every pub we passed was standing room only – they were packed! I would often check the upstairs, more family-friendly areas, and they, too, were packed. Finally, we found a spot at St. Stephen’s pub right across from Big Ben. We had an adorable little booth and we put Beau in the center, hoping we could corral him in there. Ha! He was so enthralled with the waitress that he kept struggling to get out to her. I don’t know how a baby learns how to flirt – but he has it down! Anyway, they were all out of fish and chips – AGH! So, we all went with other items – Grumpy’s chicken and leek pie was really good, as was my baked pasta. Not exactly the pub-like food we were hoping for, but Grumpy had a couple of good beers and he was happy with that.
There was a little Tesco Express next to the pub, and we stopped in for a bottle of wine. At 4 pounds for a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, we made a date later that night to enjoy it on the balcony!
We made our way across the Westminster Bridge and along the Albert Embankment to our hotel.
It was such a lovely walk – the weather had cooled down, the sun was setting, we had full bellies and had seen so much of the city. Even though the day started out pretty haphazardly, we ended it very, very happily!
Back at the hotel, we put Beau and Avery to bed, and enjoyed the wine with a view. I told Grumpy that I could probably only stay awake for 1 glass of wine…..well, the weather was so nice, the chairs were so comfortable, and the wine (even at just 4 pounds) was really good! We ended up finishing the bottle and making our way to bed as well. We had another full day ahead of us, and who knew how long Beau would sleep.
Tomorrow, we had a timetable to keep and we couldn’t oversleep! So much to do – and so little time. Until then…..
I kept waiting for the front desk or our neighbors or someone to tell us to shut that darn kid up – but no call ever came. For that, I was very, very grateful!In any event, I woke up about 9:30 and in a panic! We were sleeping the day away! Breakfast was going to end in an hour! Who cares that we were dead on our feet? I quickly woke everyone up EXCEPT Beau. I figured it was best to let him sleep until we were ready to walk out the door for breakfast. So, we moved with purpose to get cleaned up enough to go downstairs without too much embarrassment.
Chino Latino also hosts the breakfast service, so we were pleased to see a familiar setting. We even had the same table in the dining room. Grumpy discovered a delightful offering called a Bacon Butty sandwich. Basically, it is a bacon sandwich! Grumpy was quite pleased! I had a traditional English breakfast – with the requisite baked beans and grilled tomato. I simply don’t get this – perhaps I never will. But the scrambled eggs were fantastic! I do not want to know what they put in there to make them so good.
Breakfast done – very successfully – and so we were off to explore the city! We strolled down to the Westminster Bridge to catch the HOHO bus. We hopped on the bus that was right there and made our way to the top. No sweat! Plus, the walk was gorgeous along the embankment.
We opted for the route with the live commentary – and we enjoyed hearing all about the different buildings and history associated with them. About an hour into the tour, we got off the bus at the Tower of London and made our way to the front. Since we didn’t know what we would be able to do for sure with a toddler, we waited to buy tickets for anything until we knew we could utilize them.
The Yeoman tour was about to start in 15 minutes, so we waited. In the hot sun. With a cranky toddler. Who would not be appeased by an ice cream cone.
So, we decided to skip the tour, as he was crying too loudly to even hear the tour commentary. However, it was still a good day at the tower, as we saw most of the exhibits we wanted to see – the crown jewels, the white tower, the ravens, etc…
Once we were ready to move on – mostly due to getting a late start in the morning – we headed over to the Tower Bridge. But, before we ventured in, we saw a Starbucks right outside the Tower Bridge entrance. As I said, it was a hot day, and something cold was in order. Grumpy decided something cold and frosty with whipped cream was in order! Also, we saw the first of what would become an object of desire on this trip – the ‘you are here’ collection of Starbucks mugs. Each mug has a photo or 2 that represents the location and has the city (or country name) on it. Grumpy decided we must get them all! So, we started our mini collection with a London mug!
Off to the Tower Bridge we went – not a bad price for admission – about $25 for all of us, I think. It was a very informative exhibit, and I loved walking across the bridge at the top. However, I did not love the glass floors the walkways had and I just couldn’t bring myself to walk on them. No way.
After we exited the top of the bridge, we made it to the boiler room (not sure if that is the exact name, but that’s what I call it) and learned about the opening and closing of the bridge and how it all works. Naturally, Beau didn’t get much out of that, but the rest of us did! The tour ended where all good tours end – in the gift shop! Avery bought a small coin purse and we bought Beau a rubber duck with the Union Jack on it. We would end up buying him a duck in all 3 countries we visited, so I guess mini collections are our thing?
After the gift shop, we re-boarded the HOHO and took it all the way around the rest of the city. We passed by Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussauds, Hyde Park, etc….finally ending in Trafalgar Square. We exited the HOHO and decided to take a leisurely walk back to the hotel and we would find a place along the way to get some dinner.
It was neat to have Big Ben as a point of reference. It was if we were following the North Star. It stood out so tall that it was impossible to get lost, as long as we kept it in sight. Grumpy really wanted to get dinner in a pub, since we passed so many cool-looking ones on the HOHO. However, it seemed that every pub we passed was standing room only – they were packed! I would often check the upstairs, more family-friendly areas, and they, too, were packed. Finally, we found a spot at St. Stephen’s pub right across from Big Ben. We had an adorable little booth and we put Beau in the center, hoping we could corral him in there. Ha! He was so enthralled with the waitress that he kept struggling to get out to her. I don’t know how a baby learns how to flirt – but he has it down! Anyway, they were all out of fish and chips – AGH! So, we all went with other items – Grumpy’s chicken and leek pie was really good, as was my baked pasta. Not exactly the pub-like food we were hoping for, but Grumpy had a couple of good beers and he was happy with that.
There was a little Tesco Express next to the pub, and we stopped in for a bottle of wine. At 4 pounds for a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, we made a date later that night to enjoy it on the balcony!
We made our way across the Westminster Bridge and along the Albert Embankment to our hotel.
It was such a lovely walk – the weather had cooled down, the sun was setting, we had full bellies and had seen so much of the city. Even though the day started out pretty haphazardly, we ended it very, very happily!
Back at the hotel, we put Beau and Avery to bed, and enjoyed the wine with a view. I told Grumpy that I could probably only stay awake for 1 glass of wine…..well, the weather was so nice, the chairs were so comfortable, and the wine (even at just 4 pounds) was really good! We ended up finishing the bottle and making our way to bed as well. We had another full day ahead of us, and who knew how long Beau would sleep.
Tomorrow, we had a timetable to keep and we couldn’t oversleep! So much to do – and so little time. Until then…..
Avery's mom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 631
This morning, we were up and at ‘em early – as we all slept better than the previous night! We went back to Chino Latino for breakfast – another Bacon Butty for Grumpy while Avery and I were happy with the buffet spread.
And we were off – we made our way to the Vauxhall tube station which was about a 15 minute walk in the opposite direction on the Albert Embankment. What a difference a left turn makes! The area was definitely less of a tourist area, and more working class, as we passed many, many people on their way to work. We passed the MI6 headquarters right before we went in the tube station, which was kind of neat for Grumpy and me.
We’ve ridden subways in New York, DC and Paris, and we didn’t see too much difference here. But, it was much more expensive for us, as a 1 day Travelcard was about $30 for our family. However, we were going all over the place today, and it seemed the best way to do it.
Our first top was Harrods today – as Avery had an appointment at the Bippity Boppity Boutique. I wanted to get there early, so we could browse the food halls on the lower level. We were right on time (according to my padded schedule) and we were in awe of all that could be bought that one could ever possibly hope to eat!
There were entire rooms devoted to chocolate, some to meat and seafood, and others to prepared food that you could take away for lunch. Other areas had food counters which were empty now, but later in the day, they were all packed! We dawdled in the confectionary section and Avery bought a box of hand-crafted candies for her BFF back home. Each candy looked like a piece of jewelry (and I wish I had taken a photo!) I walked through the pastry section and I must have drooled. Everything just looked so amazing – this is when I was glad we walked through after we had breakfast but didn’t want lunch yet!
After I felt guilty for all the starving people in the world, we went upstairs to the 4th floor to find the BBB. It was a tad challenging to find, but once we found the Disney Store, we knew we were in the right spot! What a treat to discover that Avery was the only appointment at noon. We would have the entire BBB to ourselves!
We walked in and there was an elaborate ‘pre-show’ to deliver Avery to the salon. It was all adorable – and a nice surprise since it was different from the parks’ experience. Once we were inside the salon, the makeover experience was similar. Since Harrods only carried dresses up to L, we went with the tutu and tshirt option. This actually worked out well, as it was better to walk around London in than a full ball gown! We had prepaid for her makeover ($150) and it came with a couple of photos – which turned out pretty well. Avery was in heaven – as she LOVES the BBB and having the entire experience to herself was a wonderful change. We could actually relax and enjoy the session without being jostled about in a super busy park store.
After we were (sadly) done, we had to meet up with Beau and Grumpy in the Disney Store. Just as the BBB was Avery’s idea of fun – the Disney Store was Beau’s idea of fun! He went around hugging all the stuffed animals, just giggling at all the characters. Little did he know he would soon be on the Disney Magic surrounded by all things Disney!
We got a few souvenirs at the Disney Store for friends back home, looked around Harrods some more and made our way out without going back to the food halls! Thank goodness.
On Google Maps, it showed our next stop as a short walk down the road. Well, a short walk (30 minute) on a sunny and humid day meant that we arrived to Fortnum and Mason drenched in sweat! Our first order of business was to find a bathroom and freshen up for our tea. Upon entering the store, I was taken aback at the stark difference between it and Harrods. While Harrods was a modern department store, Fortnum and Mason seemed to revel in its old-fashioned style. The floors creaked, the elevators were miniscule and the restrooms were very difficult to find. Can you believe that there was only 1 ladies restroom in the entire store? 5 floors with 1 restroom? Anyway, we tried to freshen up and make our way to the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
While we arrived a little before 3pm, we found out we were too late for our reservation – since it was for yesterday!! I about cried right then and there. I pride myself on my detailed planning to make sure that vacations run smoothly – and I could not believe that I made such a rookie mistake! My email confirmed it – I was a day late for our tea. Considering I made the reservation 6 months in advance, I was mortified that I didn’t triple check the date and time. The receptionist could not have been nicer about the error and said that they could get us a table if we could wait 10 minutes. Well – sure we could! It was my mistake!
By this time, Beau had fallen asleep in his stroller, so that we were seated and could relax and enjoy our tea a bit! The tea and goodies were quite good – but the service was quite slow and impersonal. Beau woke up about an hour into tea, and we couldn’t get anyone to come by to move things along a bit. Beau had some sandwiches and fell in love with the Coronation Chicken sandwich – as we all did. This is pretty much a curried chicken salad. Very good! By the time Beau got cranky, we hadn’t had our cake, so we had it packed to go. While I am glad we went, I don’t think it was worth the $225 we spent, considering the service.
After tea, we decided to take the tube to Paddington station so Beau could see his favorite bear – Paddington! It was just a short tube ride and we made our way to the concourse to find the statues. Beau squealed with delight when we found him – and we bought him a talking Paddington who found his way to Beau’s crib every night since!
Making use of our tube passes, we left Paddington and made our way to Baker St, so Grumpy could see the Sherlock Holmes museum – which did happen to be closed when we got thereL That’s what happens when you fly by the seat of your pants – but Grumpy was happy to see the outside at least.
We remembered that the HOHO had a stop nearby, so we got on near Madame Tussauds and we had the entire bus to ourselves! Beau nursed while we drove around the city – with a cool breeze – it was the most comfortable I’d been all day!
Once again, we got off at Trafalgar Square, once again trying to get into another pub nearby. We made our way into one that was too busy yesterday. Well, I have no idea why it was so busy, considering the food was the absolute worst we had on the entire trip. The fish tasted like it was fried 3 days ago! When the best part of a fish and chips dinner is the peas, you know you’ve been had. We felt like duped tourists. Well, at least it got Grumpy off his “I want to go to a pub” kick and we could move on!
We took our leisurely stroll back to the hotel, as gorgeous as it was yesterday – sunset and a cool breeze makes everything all right – overfried fish be darned!
Tonight Grumpy, Avery and I had our cake from Fortnum and Mason on the balcony and wondered if the rest of the trip would be as wonderful as our time in London had been. For such a short visit, we were very happy with the way things had gone. Tomorrow we would be up very early for our flight to Copenhagen and we would say goodbye to jolly old England!
And we were off – we made our way to the Vauxhall tube station which was about a 15 minute walk in the opposite direction on the Albert Embankment. What a difference a left turn makes! The area was definitely less of a tourist area, and more working class, as we passed many, many people on their way to work. We passed the MI6 headquarters right before we went in the tube station, which was kind of neat for Grumpy and me.
We’ve ridden subways in New York, DC and Paris, and we didn’t see too much difference here. But, it was much more expensive for us, as a 1 day Travelcard was about $30 for our family. However, we were going all over the place today, and it seemed the best way to do it.
Our first top was Harrods today – as Avery had an appointment at the Bippity Boppity Boutique. I wanted to get there early, so we could browse the food halls on the lower level. We were right on time (according to my padded schedule) and we were in awe of all that could be bought that one could ever possibly hope to eat!
There were entire rooms devoted to chocolate, some to meat and seafood, and others to prepared food that you could take away for lunch. Other areas had food counters which were empty now, but later in the day, they were all packed! We dawdled in the confectionary section and Avery bought a box of hand-crafted candies for her BFF back home. Each candy looked like a piece of jewelry (and I wish I had taken a photo!) I walked through the pastry section and I must have drooled. Everything just looked so amazing – this is when I was glad we walked through after we had breakfast but didn’t want lunch yet!
After I felt guilty for all the starving people in the world, we went upstairs to the 4th floor to find the BBB. It was a tad challenging to find, but once we found the Disney Store, we knew we were in the right spot! What a treat to discover that Avery was the only appointment at noon. We would have the entire BBB to ourselves!
We walked in and there was an elaborate ‘pre-show’ to deliver Avery to the salon. It was all adorable – and a nice surprise since it was different from the parks’ experience. Once we were inside the salon, the makeover experience was similar. Since Harrods only carried dresses up to L, we went with the tutu and tshirt option. This actually worked out well, as it was better to walk around London in than a full ball gown! We had prepaid for her makeover ($150) and it came with a couple of photos – which turned out pretty well. Avery was in heaven – as she LOVES the BBB and having the entire experience to herself was a wonderful change. We could actually relax and enjoy the session without being jostled about in a super busy park store.
After we were (sadly) done, we had to meet up with Beau and Grumpy in the Disney Store. Just as the BBB was Avery’s idea of fun – the Disney Store was Beau’s idea of fun! He went around hugging all the stuffed animals, just giggling at all the characters. Little did he know he would soon be on the Disney Magic surrounded by all things Disney!
We got a few souvenirs at the Disney Store for friends back home, looked around Harrods some more and made our way out without going back to the food halls! Thank goodness.
On Google Maps, it showed our next stop as a short walk down the road. Well, a short walk (30 minute) on a sunny and humid day meant that we arrived to Fortnum and Mason drenched in sweat! Our first order of business was to find a bathroom and freshen up for our tea. Upon entering the store, I was taken aback at the stark difference between it and Harrods. While Harrods was a modern department store, Fortnum and Mason seemed to revel in its old-fashioned style. The floors creaked, the elevators were miniscule and the restrooms were very difficult to find. Can you believe that there was only 1 ladies restroom in the entire store? 5 floors with 1 restroom? Anyway, we tried to freshen up and make our way to the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
While we arrived a little before 3pm, we found out we were too late for our reservation – since it was for yesterday!! I about cried right then and there. I pride myself on my detailed planning to make sure that vacations run smoothly – and I could not believe that I made such a rookie mistake! My email confirmed it – I was a day late for our tea. Considering I made the reservation 6 months in advance, I was mortified that I didn’t triple check the date and time. The receptionist could not have been nicer about the error and said that they could get us a table if we could wait 10 minutes. Well – sure we could! It was my mistake!
By this time, Beau had fallen asleep in his stroller, so that we were seated and could relax and enjoy our tea a bit! The tea and goodies were quite good – but the service was quite slow and impersonal. Beau woke up about an hour into tea, and we couldn’t get anyone to come by to move things along a bit. Beau had some sandwiches and fell in love with the Coronation Chicken sandwich – as we all did. This is pretty much a curried chicken salad. Very good! By the time Beau got cranky, we hadn’t had our cake, so we had it packed to go. While I am glad we went, I don’t think it was worth the $225 we spent, considering the service.
After tea, we decided to take the tube to Paddington station so Beau could see his favorite bear – Paddington! It was just a short tube ride and we made our way to the concourse to find the statues. Beau squealed with delight when we found him – and we bought him a talking Paddington who found his way to Beau’s crib every night since!
Making use of our tube passes, we left Paddington and made our way to Baker St, so Grumpy could see the Sherlock Holmes museum – which did happen to be closed when we got thereL That’s what happens when you fly by the seat of your pants – but Grumpy was happy to see the outside at least.
We remembered that the HOHO had a stop nearby, so we got on near Madame Tussauds and we had the entire bus to ourselves! Beau nursed while we drove around the city – with a cool breeze – it was the most comfortable I’d been all day!
Once again, we got off at Trafalgar Square, once again trying to get into another pub nearby. We made our way into one that was too busy yesterday. Well, I have no idea why it was so busy, considering the food was the absolute worst we had on the entire trip. The fish tasted like it was fried 3 days ago! When the best part of a fish and chips dinner is the peas, you know you’ve been had. We felt like duped tourists. Well, at least it got Grumpy off his “I want to go to a pub” kick and we could move on!
We took our leisurely stroll back to the hotel, as gorgeous as it was yesterday – sunset and a cool breeze makes everything all right – overfried fish be darned!
Tonight Grumpy, Avery and I had our cake from Fortnum and Mason on the balcony and wondered if the rest of the trip would be as wonderful as our time in London had been. For such a short visit, we were very happy with the way things had gone. Tomorrow we would be up very early for our flight to Copenhagen and we would say goodbye to jolly old England!
Last edited:
Alohagirl73
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2012
- Messages
- 437
Really enjoying your report. Love this pictures. Can't wait to read more!!!
Avery's mom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 631
That is so sweet of you to say! Thank you for following our adventures thus far
I really didn't think many people were reading this as i haven't heard much in the way of feedback - so I really appreciate hearing from you! I'll be posting Copenhagen Part 1 in just a few....
Avery's mom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 631
As you may recall we didn’t have the best experience with 24/7 transfers upon our arrival in London. However, we kept our return reservation because I was just too lazy to cancel and find another one! But, we were up and out of the hotel by 7am and lo and behold – the transfer went wonderfully! Our driver was on time and made excellent time to Heathrow.
A caveat here – I know it almost seems wrong to say this – but I love airports. I don’t love the security checks – with different rules about what constitutes a liquid – but once you’re past security and you’re killing time until your flight departs – wonderful. I love the people watching – wondering where they’re going and why – looking at the departures board to all the places I COULD go, even if I never really do. Especially in a place like Heathrow Terminal 5, where the whole world was waiting to be explored – there were flights to Accra, Moscow, Pisa, Edinburgh, Paris, etc…all around us!
Anyway….I love the shopping, finding a gem of a restaurant or those cool massage chairs. Never mind the hustle and bustle of people coming and going…I love it all. That being said, I don’t love a busy airport with a toddler. Beau wanted to be out of his stroller but that just wasn’t gonna happen! So, we made our way over to the departures board but our gate wasn’t listed. Our flight to Copenhagen was scheduled to depart in 90 minutes, but we didn’t have a gate yet, so we didn’t know which area of the terminal we should go to. So, we found a sorta-African-themed restaurant called Giraffe and we had a very good breakfast. Well, I should say that I had a very good breakfast. Not many restaurants can mess up Huevos Rancheros. Grumpy, however, was not happy with his breakfast choice. He ordered a breakfast hamburger that he swears was NOT beef. Beau and Avery were happy with their oatmeal – which I have to say was delicious! I was amazed at how fast they got us in and outta there – 35 minutes from the time we sat down – amazing!
Avery and Grumpy eating breakfast!
Beau eating breakfast! This oatmeal was so good that I really don't want to know what's in it
When we got up – we finally had a gate – which was just about as far as it could have possibly been from Giraffe. So, we hustled over to the elevator, ran over to our gate, used the restrooms and boarded. We do like to pre-board, as we have lots of stuff to stow away and we can settle Beau in to nurse with fewer distractions.
Once we took off, Beau fell asleep on me, and I prayed that he would stay that way for the 1 hour and 45 minute flight. He was still sleeping when the snack/drink cart came around, so I got him a drink and a snack, which was a very wise decision. Spoiler Alert – mini rant coming.
Why can British Airways serve a delicious snack/meal and drink INCLUDED in the price of the ticket on a 1 hour and 45 minute flight while US carriers can barely glance in your direction for a flight of similar length? Never mind the fact that there are no meals at all in economy even if the flight time is double? I just deplore the nickel and diming pit that most US carriers have lowered themselves into. Heck, even JetBlue has started to charge for the 1st bag now! And before you start in on me about Southwest – I know they don’t charge for bags – but I don’t want to make 3 stops going across the country with just pretzels. Mini rant over.
AND the snack meal was really, really good! It was a pastrami sandwich and an iced currant roll. Yes, carb heavy, but delicious!! Grumpy and I looked at each other both wondering who was going to eat Beau’s sandwich if he didn’t want it – it was that good!
We landed in Copenhagen to gloomy, grey skies in what appeared to be the absolute middle of nowhere. We were over the water, then boom - suddenly an airport runway appeared and we were on the ground. Beau was asleep the entire time – thank goodness! Score another one for us!
We made our way into of the terminal, which was in stark contrast to Heathrow and its shiny, gleaming airport.
Heathrow T5 in all its glory - although not my personal photo.
Copenhagen was dark, with low ceilings, dark wood and a throwback to the 1970s in its feel. I had heard about Danish design and we were getting an eyeful right now.
Copenhagen Airport - dark, dark, dark!
However, what it lacked in warmth and modernity, it made up for with its much shorter lines in passport control. Thank goodness! We grabbed our bags (we always needed 2 carts) and headed to the non-existent taxi line. The driver was curt, but he could lift a suitcase! He looked at Beau and told me to buckle him up. Like I was NOT going to do that? It was a short drive to the Tivoli Hotel in what appeared to be an industrial area. It turns out wasn’t – it was just the design of the area buildings. Not my style – and coming from a much more ornate London, this was a big difference. At first glance – I was happy that we only had 2 nights here and we had 3 in London. In time, Copenhagen would grow on us – but our first impressions were not that great.
Again, in contrast to London, we were told that our rooms (we had 2 connecting rooms because the hotel staff told me that a crib wouldn’t fit in just 1 room!) were not ready and we should check back in an hour. I asked about lunch or a restroom and I was told that the restaurant was on the 2nd floor and bathrooms were there as well. Here’s the rub, though. You couldn’t get to the 2nd floor without a room key! And we couldn’t get one because our rooms weren’t ready yet! AGH! Again, I was glad we only had 2 nights here! So, with bladder bursting, I trudged up the stairs to find a restroom.
I found Grumpy and the crew in the lobby lounge with some sodas and popcorn while we waited. Grumpy couldn’t believe the cost of soda - $4.50 for a 12 ounce soda! This would be a theme in Denmark – beer was cheap, soda was expensive. Finally, after waiting an hour, we got our room key and made our way to the elevators. We were pleasantly surprised by the disco lights in the elevators and then all of a sudden Grumpy stated beatboxing to go along with the lights. Beau started clapping, Avery and I started dancing and suddenly the Tivoli Hotel didn’t seem so bad after all.
The lights in the Tivoli elevator - but once again not my photo as I was too busy dancing!
A caveat here – I know it almost seems wrong to say this – but I love airports. I don’t love the security checks – with different rules about what constitutes a liquid – but once you’re past security and you’re killing time until your flight departs – wonderful. I love the people watching – wondering where they’re going and why – looking at the departures board to all the places I COULD go, even if I never really do. Especially in a place like Heathrow Terminal 5, where the whole world was waiting to be explored – there were flights to Accra, Moscow, Pisa, Edinburgh, Paris, etc…all around us!
Anyway….I love the shopping, finding a gem of a restaurant or those cool massage chairs. Never mind the hustle and bustle of people coming and going…I love it all. That being said, I don’t love a busy airport with a toddler. Beau wanted to be out of his stroller but that just wasn’t gonna happen! So, we made our way over to the departures board but our gate wasn’t listed. Our flight to Copenhagen was scheduled to depart in 90 minutes, but we didn’t have a gate yet, so we didn’t know which area of the terminal we should go to. So, we found a sorta-African-themed restaurant called Giraffe and we had a very good breakfast. Well, I should say that I had a very good breakfast. Not many restaurants can mess up Huevos Rancheros. Grumpy, however, was not happy with his breakfast choice. He ordered a breakfast hamburger that he swears was NOT beef. Beau and Avery were happy with their oatmeal – which I have to say was delicious! I was amazed at how fast they got us in and outta there – 35 minutes from the time we sat down – amazing!
Avery and Grumpy eating breakfast!
Beau eating breakfast! This oatmeal was so good that I really don't want to know what's in it
When we got up – we finally had a gate – which was just about as far as it could have possibly been from Giraffe. So, we hustled over to the elevator, ran over to our gate, used the restrooms and boarded. We do like to pre-board, as we have lots of stuff to stow away and we can settle Beau in to nurse with fewer distractions.
Once we took off, Beau fell asleep on me, and I prayed that he would stay that way for the 1 hour and 45 minute flight. He was still sleeping when the snack/drink cart came around, so I got him a drink and a snack, which was a very wise decision. Spoiler Alert – mini rant coming.
Why can British Airways serve a delicious snack/meal and drink INCLUDED in the price of the ticket on a 1 hour and 45 minute flight while US carriers can barely glance in your direction for a flight of similar length? Never mind the fact that there are no meals at all in economy even if the flight time is double? I just deplore the nickel and diming pit that most US carriers have lowered themselves into. Heck, even JetBlue has started to charge for the 1st bag now! And before you start in on me about Southwest – I know they don’t charge for bags – but I don’t want to make 3 stops going across the country with just pretzels. Mini rant over.
AND the snack meal was really, really good! It was a pastrami sandwich and an iced currant roll. Yes, carb heavy, but delicious!! Grumpy and I looked at each other both wondering who was going to eat Beau’s sandwich if he didn’t want it – it was that good!
We landed in Copenhagen to gloomy, grey skies in what appeared to be the absolute middle of nowhere. We were over the water, then boom - suddenly an airport runway appeared and we were on the ground. Beau was asleep the entire time – thank goodness! Score another one for us!
We made our way into of the terminal, which was in stark contrast to Heathrow and its shiny, gleaming airport.
Heathrow T5 in all its glory - although not my personal photo.
Copenhagen was dark, with low ceilings, dark wood and a throwback to the 1970s in its feel. I had heard about Danish design and we were getting an eyeful right now.
Copenhagen Airport - dark, dark, dark!
However, what it lacked in warmth and modernity, it made up for with its much shorter lines in passport control. Thank goodness! We grabbed our bags (we always needed 2 carts) and headed to the non-existent taxi line. The driver was curt, but he could lift a suitcase! He looked at Beau and told me to buckle him up. Like I was NOT going to do that? It was a short drive to the Tivoli Hotel in what appeared to be an industrial area. It turns out wasn’t – it was just the design of the area buildings. Not my style – and coming from a much more ornate London, this was a big difference. At first glance – I was happy that we only had 2 nights here and we had 3 in London. In time, Copenhagen would grow on us – but our first impressions were not that great.
Again, in contrast to London, we were told that our rooms (we had 2 connecting rooms because the hotel staff told me that a crib wouldn’t fit in just 1 room!) were not ready and we should check back in an hour. I asked about lunch or a restroom and I was told that the restaurant was on the 2nd floor and bathrooms were there as well. Here’s the rub, though. You couldn’t get to the 2nd floor without a room key! And we couldn’t get one because our rooms weren’t ready yet! AGH! Again, I was glad we only had 2 nights here! So, with bladder bursting, I trudged up the stairs to find a restroom.
I found Grumpy and the crew in the lobby lounge with some sodas and popcorn while we waited. Grumpy couldn’t believe the cost of soda - $4.50 for a 12 ounce soda! This would be a theme in Denmark – beer was cheap, soda was expensive. Finally, after waiting an hour, we got our room key and made our way to the elevators. We were pleasantly surprised by the disco lights in the elevators and then all of a sudden Grumpy stated beatboxing to go along with the lights. Beau started clapping, Avery and I started dancing and suddenly the Tivoli Hotel didn’t seem so bad after all.
The lights in the Tivoli elevator - but once again not my photo as I was too busy dancing!
Alohagirl73
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2012
- Messages
- 437
Definitely reading along. Usually it's when I'm nursing my baby and sometimes too tired to comment but definitely reading and enjoying your trip report. Makes me more excited for our cruise next summer.
Thanks for a great update. Can't wait to see how Copenhagen grows on you!!!
Thanks for a great update. Can't wait to see how Copenhagen grows on you!!!
Avery's mom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 631
That's funny, as I am usually reading Trip Reports when I am nursing too! I wish I could write segments when I am nursing but there is no way. I try to write when he is napping - as I can have my hands free
Yep - Copenhagen definitely grew on us - in fact - probably one of the most fun days I have ever had is up ahead - in Copenhagen!
Avery's mom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 631
We made our way down the hallway to our rooms and finally dragged our gazillion bags inside. It was a good thing we did have two rooms, because our bags took up one room alone! The rooms had hardwood floors, which was unusual, but not unwelcome. The most unusual thing was the window. We had floor to ceiling windows – and both windows had doors. As in fully functional doors that opened to nowhere! I really didn’t understand why a hotel would put in glass doors that open to the street below – as in fall to your death below! Anyway, I was definitely glad again about having 2 rooms because these were some of the smallest rooms ever. The beds were comfortable, and once again, Avery was happy to have her own room
See the DOOR? I can't believe it opens to nothing! No balcony - just a painful death!
After marveling at the room’s oddities, we decided to get out and see Copenhagen! As Beau had napped on the plane, we were all ready to explore. We grabbed a taxi and told the driver to take us to the Nyhavn area, as we wanted to catch a canal cruise to see the city by sea. The taxi took about 15 minutes in traffic and cost $30. Not too bad, I didn’t think.
We walked over to the canal cruise terminal and bought our tickets for the cruise leaving in 10 minutes. We took a couple of spots in the rear of the boat, yet quickly found out why most of the boat was covered – raindrops started steadily pouring out of the sky with no sign that it was going to stop anytime soon. So, we moved to the covered part of the boat – in a quieter area so Beau could nurse if he wanted to.
After we got moving, I was surprised to see that we went out into open water, where a couple of cruise ships were docked. It would give me a good idea where we’d be heading in a couple of days! After heading back towards town, we started going under bridges that were very, very low. The tour conductor kept telling us to watch our heads…as if the glass top wasn’t going to protect us?
See how low the bridges were?
Anyway, after an hour tour, we were back in Nyhavn. A good way to get an overview of the city, but I think a HOHO might have let us see a bit more.
Avery enjoying the weather before the rain started!
We wandered around the area, marveling at how adorable all the little waterside cafes were. They each had chairs with blankets tossed over the back and each café had multiple heat lamps. We were tempted by many of the adorable spots, but we knew that Beau would quickly spoil the quaintness of the area.
Such a cute area!
So, we decided to keep walking to the Stroget (a long, pedestrian shopping street) to see what we could see. I knew there was a Disney Store there, so we window shopped and gawked at all the fellow tourists along the wayJ
Walking, walking and more walking along the Stroget. We did stop into the Disney Store, but it didn’t impress us at all – especially after the Harrods location. No restaurants really interested us – but we weren’t that hungry, so it wasn’t a particularly urgent need. We did happen upon a Starbucks location along the end of the Stroget and we ran in to see if they had a Copenhagen mug. They didn’t have Copenhagen, but they did have Denmark so we snapped it up! Funny thing, though, there was a supermarket underneath the Starbucks, so Grumpy went in to get a box of wine for our cruise. While Grumpy was getting the wine and we were getting the Denmark mug, the skies decided to open up on us! We waited, and we waited since we didn’t have umbrellas with us or ponchos. We could see Tivoli Gardens in the distance, so we knew we weren’t more than a 20-25 minute walk to the hotel. But, in the rain, that didn’t sound like a good option. So, please forgive me for what we did next.
We went into the restaurant next door to the Starbucks so we could grab some dinner and wait out the rain. That restaurant was a Hard Rock Café!! How un-Denmark-like could we get? No local flavor or originality there – but they did have a really good margarita and BBQ burger! Beau was asleep and we were able to have a very quiet meal in a very loud restaurant!
After feeling like touristy Americans, we left the Hard Rock to clear skies above. With the Himmelskibet of Tivoli Gardens as our beacon in Copenhagen like Big Ben was to us in London, we walked to our hotel taking in the sights and bikes (oh the bikes!) of Copenhagen.
The Himmelskibet - a great focal point to lead the way home!
We couldn’t believe we had walked so far this evening, because it really didn’t seem so far at all. When you’re so absorbed into the scenery around you, time does fly – it really does! We arrived back at the hotel – danced in the elevator – and made our way to bed. By this time, we were all adjusted to local time and had no trouble falling asleep. Good A/C and comfy beds helped a lot with that!
Tomorrow we were set to explore Tivoli Gardens. Even if the weather looked to be even worse tomorrow, we only had tomorrow to explore Walt’s inspiration for Disneyland and there was no way I was gonna miss THAT.
See the DOOR? I can't believe it opens to nothing! No balcony - just a painful death!
After marveling at the room’s oddities, we decided to get out and see Copenhagen! As Beau had napped on the plane, we were all ready to explore. We grabbed a taxi and told the driver to take us to the Nyhavn area, as we wanted to catch a canal cruise to see the city by sea. The taxi took about 15 minutes in traffic and cost $30. Not too bad, I didn’t think.
We walked over to the canal cruise terminal and bought our tickets for the cruise leaving in 10 minutes. We took a couple of spots in the rear of the boat, yet quickly found out why most of the boat was covered – raindrops started steadily pouring out of the sky with no sign that it was going to stop anytime soon. So, we moved to the covered part of the boat – in a quieter area so Beau could nurse if he wanted to.
After we got moving, I was surprised to see that we went out into open water, where a couple of cruise ships were docked. It would give me a good idea where we’d be heading in a couple of days! After heading back towards town, we started going under bridges that were very, very low. The tour conductor kept telling us to watch our heads…as if the glass top wasn’t going to protect us?
See how low the bridges were?
Anyway, after an hour tour, we were back in Nyhavn. A good way to get an overview of the city, but I think a HOHO might have let us see a bit more.
Avery enjoying the weather before the rain started!
We wandered around the area, marveling at how adorable all the little waterside cafes were. They each had chairs with blankets tossed over the back and each café had multiple heat lamps. We were tempted by many of the adorable spots, but we knew that Beau would quickly spoil the quaintness of the area.
Such a cute area!
So, we decided to keep walking to the Stroget (a long, pedestrian shopping street) to see what we could see. I knew there was a Disney Store there, so we window shopped and gawked at all the fellow tourists along the wayJ
Walking, walking and more walking along the Stroget. We did stop into the Disney Store, but it didn’t impress us at all – especially after the Harrods location. No restaurants really interested us – but we weren’t that hungry, so it wasn’t a particularly urgent need. We did happen upon a Starbucks location along the end of the Stroget and we ran in to see if they had a Copenhagen mug. They didn’t have Copenhagen, but they did have Denmark so we snapped it up! Funny thing, though, there was a supermarket underneath the Starbucks, so Grumpy went in to get a box of wine for our cruise. While Grumpy was getting the wine and we were getting the Denmark mug, the skies decided to open up on us! We waited, and we waited since we didn’t have umbrellas with us or ponchos. We could see Tivoli Gardens in the distance, so we knew we weren’t more than a 20-25 minute walk to the hotel. But, in the rain, that didn’t sound like a good option. So, please forgive me for what we did next.
We went into the restaurant next door to the Starbucks so we could grab some dinner and wait out the rain. That restaurant was a Hard Rock Café!! How un-Denmark-like could we get? No local flavor or originality there – but they did have a really good margarita and BBQ burger! Beau was asleep and we were able to have a very quiet meal in a very loud restaurant!
After feeling like touristy Americans, we left the Hard Rock to clear skies above. With the Himmelskibet of Tivoli Gardens as our beacon in Copenhagen like Big Ben was to us in London, we walked to our hotel taking in the sights and bikes (oh the bikes!) of Copenhagen.
The Himmelskibet - a great focal point to lead the way home!
We couldn’t believe we had walked so far this evening, because it really didn’t seem so far at all. When you’re so absorbed into the scenery around you, time does fly – it really does! We arrived back at the hotel – danced in the elevator – and made our way to bed. By this time, we were all adjusted to local time and had no trouble falling asleep. Good A/C and comfy beds helped a lot with that!
Tomorrow we were set to explore Tivoli Gardens. Even if the weather looked to be even worse tomorrow, we only had tomorrow to explore Walt’s inspiration for Disneyland and there was no way I was gonna miss THAT.
Attachments
PRINCESSnPIRATESOHMY
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2008
- Messages
- 17
I really love your report! We were scheduled to take this cruise but unfortunately had to cancel.
Alohagirl73
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2012
- Messages
- 437
Another great update. Can't wait for more!
I too would collect the Starbucks mug. For our British Isles cruise I have already scoped out the Starbucks stores!!!
I too would collect the Starbucks mug. For our British Isles cruise I have already scoped out the Starbucks stores!!!
What happened to the rest of the report?
-
Disney World Shares NEW Details and Muppets Concept Art For Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
-
Judy & Nick Meet & Greet Coming to Animal Kingdom at Disney World with New Looks
-
Opening Date for 'Zootopia: Better Zoogether!' at Animal Kingdom in Disney World
-
New Look at Food & Drinks From The Beak and Barrel in Disney World
-
New Award For Disney's Most Complimented Cast Member
-
FIRST LOOK at New Food Coming to the Disney Adventure Ship in Singapore
-
Disney Unveils Signage for The Beak and Barrel at Magic Kingdom
- Walt Disney World News
- Walt Disney World Articles
- Disney Cruise Line News
- Disneyland News
- General Disney News
- Universal Orlando News
GET UP TO A $1000 SHIPBOARD CREDIT AND AN EXCLUSIVE GIFT!
If you make your Disney Cruise Line reservation with Dreams Unlimited Travel you’ll receive these incredible shipboard credits to spend on your cruise!
Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE
New Posts
