There is literally just over a month left before 2019 is coming to an end. I don’t have any more travel plans made. However I am super excited as I have just booked my first city trip in the new year. I am heading to Lisbon the end of January. Lisbon has been on my list the whole year and I am happy I finally get to go. I only heard good things about it. Everyone seems to love it there.
This leads me to writing up a round up of my travels I got to experience this year. I am very lucky and grateful to get to travel even though I am a full-time working mum. Anything is possible I always say to myself. As long as you plan, it is not hard to get away for two or three days without being away too long from the kids. It is meant to be good for you to have a break away as your relationship grows even bigger.
Barcelona January
At the beginning of the year I set off to Barcelona. This was the first time I experienced getting a 6.30am flight. It is handy one to have though because you get a whole day to explore. It just means I have to be in bed early to get enough sleep. That is not as easy as you think it might be though. I don’t know about you but I always get super excited the evening before heading off somewhere and so I don’t fall asleep that easy.
I was meeting my friend Karo from Germany who arrived later in the afternoon. This meant I had a whole day to explore on my own until I could collect her. Considering it was January, we got so lucky with the weather. No coat was needed at some point. Barcelona is such a lovely city and definitely a city I would come back to again. The little alleys you can get lost in are just beautiful.
London March
I have been to London so many times I have stopped counting. London is the kind of city you could come back to every month. There is always something new to discover.
When we went to visit in March, it was more so for a concert in the Royal Albert Hall. But because this was in the evening time, we went around London to explore. I have visited the most obvious tourist sights multiple times.
However I have never made it to Covent Garden. This is where I met Karoline as she was arriving a little bit later than me. It’s a place you could spend a few hours in, sitting down with a coffee and watch the world go by. The flower arrangements around there are just beautiful. Again we got so lucky with the weather again, it hit the 20 degree mark. I love the Moomin shop. It was a cartoon I used to watch as a child.
We then went up to the rooftop of shopping centre near St. Paul’s Cathedral where you get a beautiful view all over London. I see London as a place with never ending exploring. You will always find something new. So far I haven’t planned to go to London next year but that may change very quickly, considering how close it is to Dublin.
Brussels May
The beginning of May Karo and I met up in Brussels. Before I go to any place, I always mark out what I want to see. Brussels has a few landmarks with one of them being the Manneken Pis. We sought out the dog and the girl as well to complete the whole family. I have to be honest though, Brussels is definitely not a place I would come back to. It’s a bit boring. There is only thing that would get me back and that is their Liege waffles. Just amazing. We tried the Brussels waffles as well but they literally tasted like nothing, even with all the toppings on it.
People have told me that another part of Belgium is very pretty called the Antwerp. Ideally it’s good to rent a car to explore the region. Maybe in the near future.
Amsterdam June
Just one month later I was off on another adventure to Amsterdam. This time I went with Dermot’s sister. I usually go just a weekend but for this trip we treated ourselves and made three days out of it. We could have had better weather but we made the most out of it. I have to say Amsterdam is a beautiful city. Walking along the canal is so nice.
The public transport is so handy and you can literally get anywhere in no time. It’s pretty cheap too. Then again everything is cheap compared to prices in Ireland (haha). Thankfully both of us are not into museums really and so those three days was literally chilling out, having a drink or two, going for dinner and doing a bit of shopping. It was a very relaxing trip away. Next time I am coming back, I will definitely hire a bike and explore Amsterdam even more.
Germany August
This Summer our family holiday took place in my home country Germany. Matthew has been when he was a toddler but Chloe has never been. They are at a perfect age now where they understand where mammy is coming from originally. We had a fun packed week and went to all the places and showed them around my hometown. I brought them to the lake where I probably spent most of my childhood. It’s nice to be able to share this with my own children.
Madrid September
And last but not least… Viva Espana. Somehow I am drawn to Spain. We began the year with a trip to Spain and I ended my travels of 2019 in Spain, too. To be specific, in the capital of Spain, Madrid. It was also the last opportunity to soak up some sun and and get some sort of tan. It was absolutely roasting. Once I arrived in the Airbnb, I had to change into shorts. Otherwise it would have been unbearable to do sightseeing.
Madrid reminded me a lot of Barcelona minus the Mediterranean Sea. The Temple of Debod had a beautiful view when the sun was setting but there was just too many people. That is what put us off a bit. The tropical garden inside the train station was class though.
And that wraps up my travels of this year. I think I didn’t too bad. This also shows that you CAN go on a mini break away with your girls or even on your own, even when you have children.
The first trip I have lined up for 2020 is in January when I am finally heading to Lisbon.
