Slightly more than a month ago, (yes... this is the post I was suppose to write at year end last year)I went for a short Euro Trip with my in laws. It was my first trip with my in laws so I wasn't sure what to expect. Traveling with them is very much different as compared to traveling with my family. For example, my mother in law and father in law are pretty up to date when it comes to movies. For example when we went to the Harry Potter Studios, they knew the scenes that were shown. My mom on the other hand knows that Harry Potter is one of my favorite reading collection. Even after going to London time after time, they never seem to get tired of visiting the tourist spots. However, when it comes to meals, my in laws prefers Malaysian food with rice (a little more traditional that way). So most of the time, we will be eating home cooked Malaysian food or some Indian cuisine. My mom would prefer a more towards western or middle eastern meals. So, occasionally, (more like most of the time), both hubster and I would be making a short detour to Marks and Spencer for their shrimps, sodas and also chocolate indulgence cookie mousse. That pretty much explains my weight gain.
Here is a rough summary of our trip:
7th December 2012
Depart from Kuala Lumpur
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| Upon Boarding the Plane |
8th December 2012
Touch down at Heathrow Airport early that morning. We stayed at an apartment located in between the Marble Arch and Edgeware Road Tube Station. Father in Law brought us around Hyde Park to visit all of the memorial spots like "Diana's Memorial Walk" and also "Peter Pan's Sculpture".
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| First Walk at Hyde Park |
9th December 2012
Tower of London Tour
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| With In Laws at Tower of London |
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| In Laws (- Brother In Law who was the photog) + Hubster's Cousin and Aunt + SIL's Friend |
10th December 2012
Travel from London to Brussels via Eurostar. Met Hubster's aunt's friend, Pierre there before we headed to Leuven. Pierre owns a traveling agency there.
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| Us at Pierre's Office in Leuven, Belgium |
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| Leuven's City Hall |
11th December 2012
Sight seeing around Bruge and Brussels.
Bruge has one of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. I remember a few years back when Hubster first visited this place, he texted me early in the morning telling me how much he would love to take me there one day. Everything he said about the place was indeed very true. It is not those high-tech kind of place. They manage to restore all of the olden architecture.
Tapestry and lace are famous here. If you happen to go there, you must buy at least one of each. Also, Tin Tin and Smurfs are from Belgium so you can guess that there are in fact a lot of their merchandise sold there.
Then we went to Brussels to visit the Manneken Pis, a bronze sculpture of a small boy peeing. Like seriously, for one of the most hyped tourist attraction, the sculpture is pretty urm... small.. Haha!!! We also enjoyed belgium waffles there. Our trip in Brussels ended with a big bowl of mussels at chez LEON (a must definite try!). The portion is huge! I only ate half of mine and Hubster had to finish mine. Since it is his favorite, he had a bowl and a half!
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| Breakfast at IBIS budget hotel, Leuven |
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| Walking around Bruge, Belgium |
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| Bruge, Belgium |
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| ShiShi BOY! |
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| chez LEON! |
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| Us at Chez LEON, Brussels. |
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| Happy Hubster happy after craving for the mussels for slightly more than a year. |
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| Chez LEON's Specialty |
Travel from Brussels to Paris (via Thalys)-Eiffel Tower-Champ Elysees-Hard Rock Café Paris.
If you plan to go up to Eiffel Tower, I would suggest that you purchase the tickets online as the price is way cheaper and you get the priority as well. We were there for the sunset view. The view from there was magnificent.You can see the whole of Paris from there. But since it was winter, it was freezing cold. On the ground was 0 degrees so you can only imagine how cold it was at the top of the tower.
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| It was Freezing Cold at Eiffel Tower, Paris |
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| Sunset at Eiffel Tower |
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Champs-Elysées, Paris... My Favorite place where I can get my favorite Laduree macaroons and where they sell the loveliest handbags. Alma Mini, one day, I will come back for you.
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| Laduree Macaroons-The BEST EVER! |
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| Exhausted |
La Vallee Village (Factory Outlet) and Galleries Lafayette
14th December 2012
Versailles-Galleries La Fayette-Back to London..
It was my second trip to Versailles. It is still as beautiful as I remembered but unfortunately, it was a wet wet day that we didn't get the chance to walk around the garden.
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| Group Photo at Versailles |
Madam Tussaud's and Free- Easy (which only means shopping to most people.. to Hubster and I, it also means time to look for food at Marks and Spencer).
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| Yummylicious stuff from Marks and Spencer |
London Eye-Free and Easy-Ceremony of the Keys.
Hubster got front row seats for the EPL match that day. If you watch the match, you can identify him at the front row. Why? Because he was the only dude with a yellow scarf (Malaysian Scarf).
Now, ceremony of the keys is a very interesting tradition carried out every night at the Tower of London for over 700 years to lock the gates of the Tower. Only 30 pax is allowed to watch it at one go. The tickets can not be purchased. The event is so privileged that you can only get tickets by writing a letter for the permission to watch it and tickets will be mailed back to you. Pictures and Video taking was strictly prohibited so I don't have anything to show on this.
17th December 2012
Windsor Castle-Stonehenge- Roman Bath Tour
One of my to-do-list in life: Visit Stonehenge: Checked! Woo hoo!!!!
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| We visited one of the 7 wonders of the world, Stonehenge. |
18th December 2012
Harry Potter Studios, Watford
This is one of the most awaited tour I look forward to. Words can't explain how at awe I was looking at how the crew brought the film to live. Owh, and if you go there, try their Butter Beer. Don't worry, it is non-alcoholic. Just Butterscotch soda with cream. Do treat yourself with more than just one cup as you can't find it anywhere else. There is only one place at the studio that sells the drink.
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| Diagon Alley! |
19th December 2012
For my Mother in Law, Father in Law, Sister In law and her friend, they went outskirts to visit King Henry the 7th's castle where they filmed the TV series call "Tudors". For Hubster, Brother in Law and his wife, we went to visit Arsenal stadium and had a free easy day going to M&M's world and walking along the Regent Street.
20th December 2012
Trip to Bicester Village. To my surprise, I didn't spend all that much. Then again there wasn't that much choice. Most of the items are sold for the Christmas Season.
21st-23rd December 2012
More free and easy days for us. Which is what I like about the trip. It gives us the chance for a more relaxing end and also, more time to stay in especially since our dough was running out. LOL!
Overall, the trip was oh-so-awesome! Although it was a family trip, both Hubster and I did get to have our private moments walking around. I really enjoyed the trip and have every intention to go on a trip just the both of us. :)
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