Author Archives: mrsselfish

Don’t Sit in the Chairs in the Parks

12 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Europe, London, United Kingdom

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Mr. Selfish and I were fortunate to have many beautiful sunny days in London.  We therefore explored the many, many parks around the city.

Regent’s Park – One of the first things we learned was not to sit in the green and white lawn chairs.  Apparently, once your butt touches the seat, you owe the park 1.5 pounds. We learned this the hard way when a man in a bright yellow vest came up to us demanding money.  We should have noticed that the older ladies near us had sprinted out of the chairs as soon as the man approached us.  However, we only had a 20 pound note and the vest guy didn’t have any change.  After he found a group of about ten people to harass for money, he left us alone (aka we ran off).

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Highgate Village Attractions

09 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in Europe, London, United Kingdom

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Mr. Selfish and I are renting a flat in Highgate Village, which is in northern London.  It takes us about 20 minutes to get to central London on the tube.  On the days that we don’t venture into the city proper, we enjoy Highgate Village.

One of the main attractions in the area is the Highgate Cemetery, which is a Victorian cemetery opened in 1839.  With over 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves in varying states of repair, the cemetery has an eerie quality about it.  Notably, Karl Marx was buried in Highgate Cemetery.

Highgate Cemetery is divided into the eastern and western parts.  You can do a self-guided tour of the east cemetery for 3 pounds per adult, so Mr. Selfish and I chose this option.

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Carded for Caffrey’s

08 Saturday Sep 2012

Posted by in Europe, Food & Drinks, London, United Kingdom

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As I’ve mentioned previously, I spent the summer of 2000 in the UK.  During that time, I enjoyed many a pints of an Irish ale called Caffrey’s.  I came back to the States and started looking for it immediately.  I enjoyed a couple of pints of Caffrey’s at the Green Leafe, which is a bar on William & Mary’s campus.

Unfortunately, in 2001, Coors acquired the rights to distribute Caffrey’s in the States and decided to cease its distribution.  Apparently, Coors thought Caffrey’s would interfere with its marketing of Killian’s, its other Irish ale.

After finding out that Caffrey’s was still sold in the UK, Mr. Selfish and I knew we had to track down pints of what had become mythical Irish ale to me.  We discovered that Caffrey’s was sold at O’Neill’s, which is an Irish themed pub and restaurant chain.  The atmosphere is a little too polished for my tastes, but I didn’t care much since I wanted my Caffrey’s.

Outside of O’Neill’s, a bouncer was checking people for identification.  Mr. Selfish managed to walked in, but the bouncer stopped me and asked for identification. Apparently, I look like I’m 17 years-old, since the drinking age in England is 18.

In any case, I got to enjoy my Caffrey’s and it was as caramel-y and delicious as I remembered.  We only have a week left in London so I need to enjoy a few more pints before we leave!

Flashback Friday – Copenhagen Card

07 Friday Sep 2012

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In May of this year, Mr. Selfish and I spent about three days in Copenhagen.  Prior to planning this trip, I had no idea what was in Copenhagen – except for the Little Mermaid.

During my research, I discovered that Copenhagen has quite a few attractions and museums.  I also learned that one could buy a Copenhagen Card for three days for about $80 USD per person.  The Card covered about 70 museums and attractions, as well as the metro and the bus.  It seemed quite pricey but as I continued my research, I found that everything in Copenhagen is expensive (for instance a draft beer is close to $9).  I did the math and decided to buy the Card.

On Day 1, we went to the Danish Design Centre and Tivoli.  Both would have cost $25 per person without the Copenhagen Card.

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Downton Abbey

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

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Mr. Selfish and I adore Downton Abbey so when we learned that the exterior and interior shots were filmed at Highclere Castle, we knew we had to take a day trip there.  Unfortunately, we used up all of good weather karma in Ireland and London. It was raining the entire time and extremely chilly.

Highclere Castle was still magnificent.  It was built in the 1830’s in the same style as the Houses of Parliament in London.  The Earl of Carnarvon and his wife currently reside in Highclere Castle.

We weren’t allowed to take photographs inside but I snuck a couple of Lady Edith’s room and the servant’s board.  As we toured the other many rooms, such as the saloon and the dining room, we could imagine the Dowager Countess of Grantham, as played by Maggie Smith, making snippy and disparaging remarks.

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Back to Cambridge

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Europe, London, United Kingdom

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I spent the summer of 2000 at Christ College in Cambridge University.  It was the summer between my junior and senior year, and I had won a scholarship to study British literature.  The trip to Cambridge was the first time I had ever traveled on my own.  Somehow, I managed the flight, the train, and the bus required to get to Cambridge.  It was a magical summer – I discovered cider for the first time, studied Jane Austen in Bath, and made wonderful friends.

Mr. Selfish and I went to Cambridge as our first day trip from London.  Of course, we started at my old stomping grounds – Christ College.

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Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 2

03 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in Dublin, Europe, Food & Drinks, Ireland, United Kingdom

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This post is a continuation of my review of Ireland’s Fine Eats.  I previously reviewed three restaurants from Galway, Dingle, and Waterford.

Ireland Trip Report

  1. Ireland Overview
  2. Driving in Ireland
  3. Castles, Castles, and more Castles
  4. Kylemore and Connemara
  5. The Cliffs of Insanity!
  6. The Loop Around the Dingle Peninsula
  7. Searching for the Best Guinness in Dublin
  8. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 1
  9. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 2
  10. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 1
  11. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 2

Now, we will focus on three restaurants from Dublin.  I must say that the restaurants in Dublin are far superior to the other restaurants we visited in Ireland.

4. Pearl Brasserie in Dublin – Our friend recommended this restaurant to us, and so when we happened upon it during our first night in Dublin, we decided to give it a go.

The Summer Madness menu, which included 2 courses for 22 euros, was a great deal, so I ordered the Crispy Egg (with Asparagus, Truffle Mayonnaise, Black Pudding Fritter) and the Pork Belly (cooked with Teriyaki, Pak-Choi, Carrot Pickle, Onion Rings).  Both courses were delicious.  I particularly enjoyed the Crispy Egg, which was still a little runny once you broke through the deep-fried deliciousness.  Nom nom.

Mr. Selfish ordered the Squab Pigeon Rossini – Cooked Two Ways, which included Black Truffle Mousseline and Pan Fried Duck Foie Gras for 30 euros.  Having only eaten pigeon once before and being disappointed, Mr. Selfish found this pigeon to be well-cooked and quite delicious.

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Notting Hill Carnival 2012

02 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in Europe, London, United Kingdom

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While exploring London, I discovered signs for Notting Hill Carnival, which was to take place August 26-27.  I googled it and discovered that it is “Europe’s largest street festival.”  Mr. Selfish and I decided to check it out and were expecting:

However, the first thing we encountered was crazy traffic on the Underground.  We were crammed in like a pack of sardines and then, twenty more kids pushed in through the doors.

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Wandering About London

01 Saturday Sep 2012

Posted by in Europe, London, United Kingdom

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After repeated requests for photos of London (I’m looking at you Dad!), here are some of the places we’ve come across in our explorations.

I hope that satiates your want for London photos.  I’ll post some of the day trips we’ve taken recently to Cambridge, Oxford, and Highclere Castle next week…

Flashback Friday – Berlin’s Labyrinth

31 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in Europe, Flashback, Germany

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In May, Mr. Selfish and I spent eleven days in Berlin.  This was the longest time we had ever stayed in one city while on vacation.  It was a precursor to this ultimate “Selfish” year.  We stayed in an apartment, grocery shopped, cooked in, and generally took it easy in Berlin.

One of the most memorable things that we did in Berlin was the Peristal Singum labyrinth.  The labyrinth was built by hippies in what seems like a large abandoned apartment building.  Interestingly, the labyrinth is next to a bar/dance club called the Salon Zur Wilden Renate.  You order drinks and pay the person at the bar 10 euros to go into the labyrinth.  You then sit in the outside courtyard and enjoy your drinks, and eventually, someone comes and brings you into the labyrinth.

The person that retrieved me was a goth looking girl with a husky voice.  She gave me a gold coin and told me that I needed it to enter the labyrinth.  She then told me to leave all my bad thoughts in the foyer area and enter the labyrinth.  I put the gold coin into a door and then went down a slide.

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Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 1

30 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by in Europe, Food & Drinks, Ireland, United Kingdom

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During our first night in Ireland, Mr. Selfish and I inquired at a local pub for traditional “Irish” food.  The bar man informed us that there was no such thing.  Nevertheless, we did manage to find Irish food but we also ate plenty of other types of food, including Indian, and Nepalese. 

Ireland Trip Report

  1. Ireland Overview
  2. Driving in Ireland
  3. Castles, Castles, and more Castles
  4. Kylemore and Connemara
  5. The Cliffs of Insanity!
  6. The Loop Around the Dingle Peninsula
  7. Searching for the Best Guinness in Dublin
  8. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 1
  9. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 2
  10. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 1
  11. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 2

This post will explore the foods we ate while exploring the Irish countryside – particularly in Galway, Dingle, and Waterford.  The second post will focus on the food in Dublin.

1. The Galleon in Galway – This quaint little restaurant was located in the beachy Salthill area.  We arrived as the sun was setting, and it was lovely.

While in line to be seated, the gentleman in front of us told us that the chowder and the fish and chips were the best.  We took his advice and ordered both, which were delicious as he led us to believe.  We also ordered the Irish lamb stew, but unfortunately, it was disappointing.  The ambiance was nice, and two out of three dishes were good.

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6 Hotels in 7 Nights! – Part 2

29 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Accommodations, Europe, Ireland, United Kingdom

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This is a continuation of our post from yesterday concerning our review of the hotels in Ireland.  Today, we conclude our hotel review with the 3 hotels in Cork, Waterford, and Dublin.

Ireland Trip Report

  1. Ireland Overview
  2. Driving in Ireland
  3. Castles, Castles, and more Castles
  4. Kylemore and Connemara
  5. The Cliffs of Insanity!
  6. The Loop Around the Dingle Peninsula
  7. Searching for the Best Guinness in Dublin
  8. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 1
  9. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 2
  10. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 1
  11. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 2

4.  Hayfield Manor in Cork – In Lonely Planet, the review of this hotel stated, “Roll out the red carpet because you’ve arrived!”  Needless to say, I had high expectations for this hotel that were dashed by incompetent staff.

The Hayfield Manor was the splurge hotel of our trip.  Mr. Selfish and I had always wanted to stay in a “manor” and had high expectations – expectations that matched the price, at $207 (and no breakfast, to boot).

This was apparently the lower-end for rooms at the Hayfield Manor, but the girl at the front desk made a mistake and showed us the wrong room.  We were showed a beautiful room with a very large bathroom.  Instead, our room was a much smaller room that was only just adequate compared to that other room.  While in the larger room, I noted that it had conditioner and that our room only had shampoo!

On the plus side, we did have wifi in our room.

I blame Lonely Planet and the incompetent front desk girl.  My conclusion is that Hayfield was overpriced for the room, which did not include breakfast, and was far from city center.  Plus, even though Cork is the second largest city in Ireland, there wasn’t really much to do there.  I would not recommend Hayfield or Cork as stops in Ireland.

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6 Hotels in 7 Nights! – Part 1

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Accommodations, Europe, Ireland, United Kingdom

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Mr. Selfish and I once again decided to cram everything we possibly could into our Ireland trip.  We therefore stayed in 6 hotels over the span of 7 nights. This post is part 1 of our hotel review, which includes the 3 hotels in Trim, Galway, and Dingle.

Ireland Trip Report

  1. Ireland Overview
  2. Driving in Ireland
  3. Castles, Castles, and more Castles
  4. Kylemore and Connemara
  5. The Cliffs of Insanity!
  6. The Loop Around the Dingle Peninsula
  7. Searching for the Best Guinness in Dublin
  8. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 1
  9. 6 Hotels in 7 Nights! Part 2
  10. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 1
  11. Ireland’s Fine Eats – Part 2

1.  Castle Arch Hotel in Trim – We stayed in a simple but clean room that cost $87.19.  This rate included breakfast, of which I neglected to take photos since I was so jetlagged.  Suffice to say, it was the first time I had the black and white pudding, and they were delicious!

This hotel was definitely price-efficient, and its location in Trim was perfect since it was only about 45 minutes outside of Dublin.  However, the room did not include wifi, so we had to sit in the lobby and use the wifi in order to plan the next day.

We probably wouldn’t go back to Trim since there isn’t much to see except for the castle, but I would recommend it to those touring the southern half of Ireland by car and wanting a quick overnight stop.

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I Work Out!

26 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in Europe, Living Abroad, London, United Kingdom

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Mr. Selfish and I feared the consequences of eating out too much and not working out while on this year-long adventure.  Therefore, one of our first priorities was to find a gym in London.

The first gym that we found was an L.A. Fitness, which is where we had gym memberships back in Orlando.  We signed up for free 5-day passes and worked out every single one of those five days.  I even took a few yoga classes – even though I had difficulty understanding the instructor’s British at times.  Once that expired, L.A. Fitness wanted to charge us 45 pounds each for 2 weeks.  Since we had a month longer in London, that would have been 180 pounds (~$285 USD) for the both of us!

Luckily, we found the Archway Leisure Center, which was having a summer deal for a 30-day membership for only 30 pounds.  So we paid 60 pounds (~$95 USD) (instead of 180 pounds at L.A. Fitness) in order to work out and avoid the appearance of Jabba the Ho.

Mr. Selfish likes to swim laps so the pool will come in handy.  I must also note that L.A. Fitness didn’t have a huge monster slide.  Although I haven’t gone down it yet, I will soon!