Food and Travel Feature: UK and France 2015


We are on our European holiday at the moment so posts for this month will include not just recipes but also travel features about the countries we are visiting. Here are some holiday photos from our trip to the UK and France. Hope you enjoy browsing!


We always look forward to seeing grandpa and grandma when we go to England. They live in such a lovely post-card perfect village somewhere in Norfolk. The photo above is what greets us when we arrive – a beautiful idyllic country scenery. It is gloriously beautiful in summer!

A great advantage of living near the river is fishing and my little boy William was happy to do just that. Everyday, early in the morning he went with Daddy to do some bonding and to catch a fish or two.

Mark’s Dad researched on their family history and found out that they are actually related to Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson – famously known for beating Napoleon Bonaparte and his men in the Battles of Trafalgar and the Nile. Nelson’s statue (called Nelson’s column) can be found at Trafalgar Square in London. 

To honor their illustrious relative and to know more about him we visited the Nelson Museum in Great Yarmouth. Here they are with Lord Horatio! William has a lot to live up to! 🙂

Not only was the museum highly informative it was quite a fun place for the kids, too. They got to dress up in the style of what was fashionable then! They had lots of fun dressing up!  


One more pose with Lord Horatio before we go to the beach!



Before we went and had fun in the sand, we needed some refreshments and stopped by a little cafe by the beach and we, naturally, ordered the classic English scone with clotted cream and jam! Doesn’t that look delicious? It was soooo gooood!



Now off the the beach. Yes, England has nice white beaches, too especially in East Anglia! The only thing is – the water is cold and it can get really breezy!



It was a lovely sunny day which helped keep us warm despite the breeze.



The kids had a lot of fun! At least, William did!



William admiring his work! LOL. We really had a lovely time and yes, including Sophie! 🙂



In the evening we were delightfully treated with the most sumptuous dessert that my mother-in-law makes – CHOCOLATE MARQUISE! Ok,  so it’s technically French but that’s perfect for that made us look forward to our trip to Paris! By the way, if you wish to see the recipe for this luscious chocolate dessert, you can find it here.

After several days with the grandparents, we’re off to Paris en route to Vienna



First stop – Montmartre. We climbed the steep stairs to Montmartre where you get lovely views of Paris.



The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris is a popular landmark at the summit of Montmartre.



It was a sunny and great day to view the city of Paris. Of course, we are obstructing your view now, aren’t we? LOL. 🙂



Next stop is the Cathedral of Notre Dame – thankfully, no more scaffolding to obstruct the view. Last time we were here in 2013 it was covered all over with scaffolding. Hubby is taking photo of Sophie.



Here’s my little happy Parisian, with outfit, hat and all. She liked Paris a lot!



Once again at the Notre Dame Cathedral as the sun was setting.


It won’t be complete without a little stroll along the Seine….one of my favorite places ever! Always romantic and especially at sunset!



The next day we checked out the market near the place we stayed and found this grand arch.  It looked as impressive as Arc de Triomphe.



Checking out some of the neighborhoods on our way to Centre Pompidou (Modern Art Museum).



The Centre Pompidou – a great modern art museum with a unique and interesting architectural design. 



Just beside the museum was a pool with a set of unique and delightful fountains.



View from the other side.



I am glad that you can just walk around Paris and then bump into this – the grand Hotel de Ville.



The Hotel de Ville is the City Hall of Paris – isn’t this so fabulous?



Just a quick look at the Parisian subway.



We only had a couple of days to explore the city so we made sure it included a viewing of perhaps the world’s most photographed landmark – the Eifel Tower! My little boy ensured her sister smiled nicely for the camera and threw her a joke or two so she gave out her best! 🙂



Now a more serious post from William.



Since we’re traveling with the kids this time, we thought it would be great to do a cruise along the river Seine. It was wonderful – a great way to enjoy the sights of Paris!




One quick pose.



There were so many people and we were at the end of the queue that we couldn’t find a seat where we could all be together. So, hubby had to stay on the other side – thankfully, just across us which made it easier to take photos of each other…..hahaha.



Just one of the many lovely buildings to see on the cruise.



The Eifel Tower behind us and the little pink Eifel Tower (called Pinky) in front of us! 🙂




The siblings at the Eifel Tower and the whole family below.



The Eifel Tower at night.



Love this sandy area for the kids by the Seine.



For our last day, we set off to the Rue Mouffetard to check out the market scene but since it’s August and most Parisians were gone for their vacation, many shops were not open. Nonetheless, it was great just to walk around the neighborhood and check out the food from the patisseries.



All that glorious cheese!



Savory or sweet? Which do you prefer?



This is indeed the land of Macarons – scrumptious macarons of all flavors and colors!

As for me, I was happy with Ham and Cheese Omelet, with some croissant and a very strong Expresso on the side!



It’s time to go and head off to Germany. We had a lovely time in Norwich and Paris. We’ll be back soon for sure! Hope you enjoyed our little travel recap!

Last updated on October 1st, 2019 at 08:38 am

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22 Comments

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:09 pm

      We went there a few years ago but I agree, it's time for another visit! Thanks, Dannii!

  1. August 13, 2015 / 11:55 am

    What an amazing vacation. I loved seeing pictures of England, I lived there for 5 years when I was a child. We are taking our daughter next year to Europe. Your pictures have made me even more excited then I was before.

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:11 pm

      You must have a lot of happy memories in England, Christie! Happy advance planning for your next trip to Europe!

  2. August 13, 2015 / 1:32 pm

    What a lovely holiday you and your family had, Abby! So many memorable images – so cute your daughter in her beret and the family pic in front of the Eiffel tower is frameable!! How interesting and fun revelation that your Hubbs found out he's related to Admiral Nelson. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your holiday fun. 😉

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:12 pm

      You're welcome and thanks, Cristina! It has been such a lovely holiday!

  3. August 13, 2015 / 4:34 pm

    What an amazing trip and your pictures are so cute! I didn't get to see Europe until I was 20 (and haven't been back in almost 20 years!), it's so wonderful that your kids are experiencing it so young and that you have relatives to visit!

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:13 pm

      It's time for another European adventure for you then Alisa! Hope you get the opportunity to visit again and thanks for stopping by!

  4. Anonymous
    August 13, 2015 / 11:53 pm

    Wow, your pictures are fantastic! We've all seen pictures of beautiful English countrysides and the Eiffel Tower but they seem to perfect or staged. Your pictures seem more true to life and I prefer these kind of photos…more organic, lol! I'm looking forward to your version of that ham and cheese omelet…hint, hint! Enjoy your vacation and keep the photo's coming!

    Vanessa

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:14 pm

      Awww, I am so glad you enjoyed the photos Vanessa! Thanks and I will try my best to re-create that omelet! 🙂

  5. August 14, 2015 / 8:59 am

    Amazing coverage of your holiday. And what a fantastic trip it seemed to be! Great photos and always a pleasure to drop by your page! 🙂 – Levan

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:14 pm

      Always appreciate you stopping by Levan! Thanks!

  6. August 15, 2015 / 7:20 pm

    Your holiday looks absolutely amazing. I was in Italy a few months ago and I utterly miss Europe. Your children look to be enjoying themselves.

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:15 pm

      We are really having an awesome time, Michelle but even though we still have a few days here – I think I am beginning to miss Europe already! 🙂

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:16 pm

      Thanks, Anna! It's a blessing to be able to travel as a family and we are very grateful to the Lord, indeed!

  7. August 19, 2015 / 4:32 pm

    Gorgeous vacation photos and food! What kind of camera and lens are you using? I'm trying to get ideas for vacation trips and saving up for it.

    • August 24, 2015 / 10:16 pm

      Thanks! I use a basic Canon T3i. No special lens just what goes with it. 🙂

  8. August 25, 2015 / 2:03 pm

    Wow, lots of amazing pictures, looks fabulous. We love Europe!

    • August 28, 2015 / 2:31 pm

      I love Europe as well, Tara – there is so much to enjoy and see! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

    • August 28, 2015 / 2:31 pm

      Thanks, Serena! We often don't see our family from there but when we do it's always a blast! 🙂

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