Monday, July 30, 2007

we are soon to be off


































 















hello fellow bloggers.
we are soon taking off for a trip overseas, a sort of delayed honeymoon. with three children.

three children.
count them.

1.

2.

3.

so, in order to have as romantic a trip as possible, i was wondering whether anybody can recommend good places to go and sit in the sun (with a playground), and drink coffee (and hot chocolate) or sip a glass of fine wine (and a granita), or find second-hand books in english (including younger fiction), or a really nice but cheap old silk scarf (marbles) in a bazaar say, or the best and least-disgusting haggis (fish and chips), or a nice place to lay your head and when you wake up in the morning, you just look out the window and there is the sea, just there.

first stop for me and princess is japan. i lived in osaka for ni nen han back in the '90s. i want to show her where ali and i lived, eat some sushi and have the japanese train experience. i'm also going to take her to a sento (public bath house) but she is going to wear bathers and she won't be embarrassed that i am not. she said it would be ok if i'm naked, she just doesn't want to be herself.

but what i'd really like is for anyone to suggest any little cafe or park bench in the following spots: rome, venice, florence, cinque terre, paris, edinburgh or anywhere in scotland, london, new york, honolulu.

oh, and does anyone know of somewhere good to stay in honolulu that is not in waikiki?


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh wow - a serious round the world trip! AND with three kids...wow! Have the best time! The hubby and I are also soon off on a trip, a second honeymoon of sorts - only we're coming to your neck of the woods...Melbourne - followed by Sydney :) And our 1 child (yes just 1) will be staying at home (I almost can't believe it) with my mum having a holiday of his own :) I think we may have plans to begin child no.2 on this trip -given that we will be ALONE for the first time in 2 years :) Have the most awesome time where you're going and be sure to post lots of pictures.

Mex said...

something i really really really enjoyed in NY was the tenement museum.
http://www.tenement.org/

kid friendly too i think. just make sure you book ahead as the only way to go through is by guided tour.

the rest of your holiday sounds brilliant too!

I'm not Craig said...

Wow that sounds awesome. Have a fantastic time.

It's nearly 20 years since I last visited my home town (Cardiff, in its pre-Torchwood days)and the rather less impressive towns nearby like London, Edinburgh and Paris.

Park bench wise, I recommend the park area just around Kensington Palace, if only for the entertainingly random "No deck chairs beyond this point" signs.

As for the greater Paris region, I'm not sure if bench is the right word but find a seat somewhere in the gardens at Versailles and spend a few hours soaking in the beauty of the place.

It's also a good place for eating cake, apparently.

Kay Adams said...

Oh Japan, how beautiful. Lucky you. Have a beautiful holiday darling woman. x

gigglewick said...

There is a quite good kid-friendly cafe in Islington called 'Giraffe'.

I went there pre-kidlet (my friend lived across the road), but the place was full of families. Also it is the venue that "turned me on to" scrambled eggs - chock full of cream and butter.

Montmarte is (despite the whole red light thing) a great place for kids with lots of parks and vintage ferris wheels etc. And also crepes and enormous salads by the bucketload. And I recommend the Pompidou Centre for kids if you want to match art with their entertainment.

Anonymous said...

Take her to Nara to feed deers! And watch them cross together at deer crossings!

I turn into a little kid when I am there!!

eeeeeeeiiii!! *flails limbs exctiedly at the thought*

I am going back this year too! Yay!

Melba said...

wow thanks everyone. will make notes of these comments and take along as reference.

it's going to be great.

and hello to new faces.