Hot British Buns
British Food Or Something Like It
Let’s face it, when you think of the United Kingdom, great food probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind. Tea, Haggis, Fish & Chips, and Shortbread aren’t all that is consumed there however, and not everything involves beans and sausage.
Man Can Not Live On Deep Fried Mars Bars Alone
When I’m traveling abroad, one of my favorite parts of the travel experience is trying new things, which includes the foods of whatever country it is that I’m visiting. Granted, traveling can sometimes be stressful and in those moments a familiar taste from home can go a long way toward calming anxiety, but as a general rule, I like to eat things that wouldn’t be typically available to me back home.
Enter the deep-fried mars bar.
On my very first trip abroad at the ripe old age of twenty-eight (I won’t tell you what year this was), my girlfriend and I flew to Scotland to visit a friend of mine that I had met while earning my undergraduate degree. Upon meeting us at the Edinburgh airport, the very first thing he did was take us to try a deep-fried mars bar. I was deeply skeptical at first but ultimately enjoyed this gooey goodness beloved by locals in Edinburgh, and while it wasn’t a very “high-brow” thing to try, it helped me to open the door to international food experiences.
Photo borrowed from wikimedia
Foods To Try The Next-Time You Visit The UK
Start with a cup of tea and all the yummies that typically come with a high-tea service!
Cakes, scones, finger sandwiches, and clotted cream…
Visit a Pub
I’m not really a beer drinker, but when in an actual English Pub… pass me a pint!
Pub Food Can Be Surprising
You MUST have Fish & Chips
I know it might sound weird, but don’t be shy with the vinegar!
British Scones
The scone has not traditionally been my favorite piece of pasty to consume with coffee, or really at any occasion. Dense, crumbly, overloaded with sugar or other fillings, my face gets tired of eating them after just a few bites. However, British scones are something entirely different, and are more like a buttermilk biscuit in texture, although slightly moister, and also slightly sweet without the addition of any sugar topping or extra “dressing.” I am obsessed with British scones and probably ate my weight in them while there.
Lunch is NOT optional
In the States, we’re used to being able to get what we want when we want it, but that’s not always the case elsewhere. On more than one occasion, we found ourselves immersed in a tour, or traveling from one destination to the next, and postponing in favor of a “late lunch.” Unfortunately, that’s not really a thing, at least not in Scotland. If you haven’t eaten by 2 pm, you’re basically out of luck and will have to make do with whatever you can find.
Exhibit A: The only thing left to purchase at 2:30 PM, was a tiny sandwich and carrot fingers as part of a child’s snack pack at local coffee shop.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Among my favorite things about Scotland, is the miracle that is Sticky Toffee Pudding. What an American would describe as a “cake sitting in a sauce,” is a very moist Date Sponge Cake, set in a custard sauce, and covered in a warm toffee sauce. I had this years ago when I visited, and it was just as good as I remembered.
Top 5 Foods To Try in The United Kingdom
Sticky Toffee pudding
Fish and Chips w/vinegar
Deep-Fried Mars Bar
Meat Pies (I recommend the haggis)
British Scones
Have you tried any of the things on this list, and if so, what did you think?
Did I leave anything off that should make the top five?
Leave me a Comment Below!
Travel By Train From England to Scotland
King’s Cross Station
For Americans the idea of traveling by train is not what immediately comes to mind when planning our vacations, but when the opportunity presents itself while abroad, it should be taken advantage of as often as possible. Travel by train is not only more comfortable and economical, but it also allows for experiences to occur while en route, which aren’t possible while on a bus or plane.
As I mentioned in my previous couple of posts about our short stay in London, the main focus of our trip was to chauffeur my mother-in-law around the Scottish Highlands. Borrowing a page from a trip I had taken with a girlfriend of mine ten years prior, I decided that taking the train would be the perfect way to kick-off that leg of this trip.
What to do with extra time at King’s Cross
If you’re like most travelers and find that you have a gap of time between when you have to check out of your accommodation and when your train leaves the station, there’s a lot of things to do right around the station itself.
King’s Cross is the largest train station in London, with multiple trains departing for Edinburgh each day. The station itself is very easy to navigate and has been recently renovated.
We arrived about three hours early, and simply checked in our luggage at a ticketed passenger holding area. I don’t recall exactly how much it cost, but I want to say that it was less than $10 to securely stow our bags until it was time to actually hit the dusty trail.
Unencumbered by our luggage, we walked a short distance of just a couple of blocks to Granary Square and visited several nearby shops. An unexpected delight of this particular area was the longboats that dock here and open as little shops and eateries!
Platform 9 3/4
If you’re an unashamed “Potter Head” like myself, you’ll be excited to know that King’s Cross is where you’ll find the famous platform from the Harry Potter series. Funnily enough, this isn’t where the films were actually shot but is where the platform was set in the books (a mixup that J.K. Rowling later admitted to). I couldn’t resist the opportunity to snag a picture at the staged platform here just as I had done ten years earlier.
All aboard!
When you’re all done dilly-dallying and it’s time to go, the fun is just beginning! Board your train, stow your luggage, and then enjoy the ride.
Questions of Comments? Leave me a note!
High Tea Fit For Royalty
The Goring Hotel
On our most recent visit to the United Kingdom, we found ourselves with 24 hours in London that also coincided with my birthday. With a desire to capitalize on the occasion, we chose to celebrate with a traditional High Tea service, but the question of “where” resulted in hours of reading TripAdvisor reviews as well as other travel blogs, to try and find a place not overrun with Instagramers and fellow tourists. Ultimately, I discovered The Goring Hotel, which perfectly fulfilled my birthday wish.
Searches By A Self-Loathing Tourist
When traveling abroad, there’s a certain level of “tourist stench" which can’t be easily escaped by American travelers. We're typically larger, louder, and for a variety of reasons, showing our teeth. However, careful planning can help to mitigate a certain amount of our "cliche" behavior and provide those of us that are aware of our "presence," a more authentic experience.
With a desire for a tourist-free, high-class birthday tea, several places rose to the surface in terms of popularity among travel bloggers and Tripadvisor reviewers. Fortunately, it quickly occurred to me that I was taking these suggestions from the same people I was wanting to avoid and that I would need to broaden my search. Changing gears, I decided to research significant places of business to the royal family and as a result, found options largely unmentioned in my previous searches. Eventually, I made my way through the list to The Goring Hotel and it was love at first click.
“The closest hotel to Buckingham Palace, The Goring has been a firm Royal favorite for many years, since it first opened its doors. The coronations of George VI and Her Majesty The Queen saw the hotel filled with royalty attending these great occasions from all over the world. The Queen Mother also famously enjoyed Eggs Drumkilbo – a lobster and egg-based dish that remains one of the most popular dishes in The Dining Room.
In 1990, George Goring accepted an O.B.E. from Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace for ‘services to the hotel industry’. This was followed by the appointment of a Royal Warrant to The Goring in 2013 - the only hotel to have been awarded a Royal Warrant for hospitality services. Royal Warrants of Appointment are a mark of recognition to those who supply goods or services to the Households of Her Majesty The Queen, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh or His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. “
If having the warrant wasn’t cool enough, it’s also the hotel used by Kate Middleton (see HERE). Moral of the story is that if it’s good enough for royalty it’s good enough for me ;)
What To Expect
After choosing where I wanted to go, I turned my attention to details such as what the ideal time for tea is, what the dress code was, and if there was a set length of time per reservation.
Details to Know:
High Tea traditionally starts at 4 pm
Most high-end establishments (including The Goring) do have a dress code
Men are required to wear a sport coat or dinner jacket
No shorts or jeans
Reservations are 1.5 hours in length
Make your reservations in ADVANCE
High tea isn’t an inexpensive activity, and the prices typically vary by location and then there’s usually a range of tea service options. Our service was on the upper end of the spectrum, but the quality was worth every penny of the $70 price (per person) tag.
Happy Birthday to Me!
We had such an amazing experience during our time at The Goring, and despite the lack of photos (because this really wasn’t a place to act like a tourist), it was an absolute highlight of our time in London!
Questions or Comments? Leave me a note below.
24 Hours in London England
Timing is Everything
I’m a self-admitted over scheduler, but sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve got to do. Last May my husband and I jumped at the opportunity to take my mother-in-law to the United Kingdom, as she had expressed a desire to see to Scotland, and we relished the chance to show it to her.
At the top of my mind, was the very real possibility that this might be the first and last time that she will ever visit the U.K., so I wanted to make sure that the trip would provide her with experience, exposure, and memories that we could all treasure together. Which leads me to my most problematic part of planning this trip.
Flight deals proved tricky to come by in late May, as it is the very beginning of peak season, and we planned this trip just eight weeks in advance. If you’ve ever traveled to the U.K., I’m sure you’re aware of how expensive it can be. That said, our intended destination was Scotland, but we found a good flight deal into London, and given my experience traveling by train between England and Scotland ten years prior, I knew that the cost, time, and experience would be worth utilizing the alternative arrival airport, but I digress.
As I mentioned before, London is expensive, so we decided to only stay a single night and therefore limit our time there to just a little over 24 hours. London is MASSIVE, so planning a once in a life-time London experience for my mother-in-law was a challenge that called upon all of my neurotic scheduling tendencies.
The Schedule
Arrival at London Heathrow - 8:00 AM
Catch the Tube and navigate to the general area of our Airbnb (approx. 1 hr journey)
Deposit luggage at reserved baggage nanny locker - 10:00 AM
We wouldn’t be able to check into our Airbnb until 2:00 PM and needed to unencumber ourselves for sightseeing.
Get back on the Tube and travel further east to see the Tower of London and London Tower Bridge, eat lunch and then get back on the Tube to go collect luggage from baggage nanny.
Arrive exactly on time to Airbnb at 2 PM, get checked in, take showers and change, leave by 3:30 PM to arrive at Hotel for High Tea at 4 PM for FIRM reservation.
Finish tea and proceed to Piccadilly Circus to meet Photographer reserved through AirBnB experiences, for a family photoshoot at iconic London spots - 6 PM.
Photoshoot ends at 7:30 PM - The rest of the evening is free.
The next morning, go watch the changing of the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace - 10 AM
Checkout of Airbnb at noon
Deposit luggage at Kings Cross station 12:45 PM
Visit surrounding shops and get a new photo at Harry Potter 9 3/4 spot at the station
Board the train for Edinburgh Scotland - 2 PM
Relax on the four-hour scenic trip.
Plans Change
Rare is the case with a packed schedule, that something doesn’t go wrong, and the issues cascade from one to the next. Such was the case step #4 and getting checked into our Airbnb.
Located in the West End, the location was ideally located by a major metro hub and lots of cute shops and restaurants. However, unbeknownst to us, the building it was located in was a mirror image building of one located directly in front of it. Making matters worse, is that we were unaware that the entrance to the correct building at the same address, was accessible ONLY by foot, from the alleyway behind the building at the address we arrived at. As you can imagine, we arrived exactly on time, and without a moment to spare, only to find that we were unable to enter the building located at the corresponding street address. Two frantic phone calls to the host later, we came to discover that we had to walk behind the building to a separate entrance to a mirror image building…
Finally, in the correct spot, it’s 2:30 PM and unfortunately, the previous guests had not yet checked out. Our host was there to meet us and was very apologetic, but despite being aware of our very compressed schedule and need to get changed and back out the door, insisted on giving all three of us a tarot card reading before he would complete our check-in and remove the luggage of the previous guests.
3:10 PM, finally checked in and able to get ready for our reservation, but with just 20 minutes to spare, there was no time to shower, iron clothes, or style hair. Wash travel dirt off of face, brush teeth, pull back to hide hair-tie lines from wonky high bun, wear least wrinkled outfit, basic makeup and done!
Fortunately, despite being somewhat frazzled, we arrived EXACTLY on time for tea, and it was a perfect experience. Unfortunately, the peace was to be short-lived, as we would have to dash once again just an hour and a half later to meet our photographer.
Lesson Learned
While still an ambitious use of 24 hours, there are only two things I would have done differently.
Lesson One - Book a Hotel
We booked an Airbnb due to the cost of staying in central London. Not only is the average cost per night VERY high, but there’s also a strict limit of two adults per room, which in our case of three adults, doubles the cost. However, in hindsight, the day would have run MUCH better if we had been able to check into a hotel upon our arrival and would have been worth the additional $300 which we saved by staying the Airbnb. Sometimes convenience in the face of tight scheduling is worth more than money.
Lesson Two - Limit yourself to no more than two structured “to-do’s” per day while traveling.
Our mere 24 hours (in reality it was more like 30 hours) was bogged down with twelve to-do items which included necessary things like arrival, departure, accommodation check-in, etc. All of those necessary tasks take a mental tole while traveling, so when faced with such a narrow turn around time, limit yourself as to the number of structured activities and THEN if you feel up to it, allow other experiences to naturally be added to your list, that way you don’t always feel pressed for time to make it to the next pre-planned activity.
Lesson Three - Getting photos taken while on vacation is a MUST!
This was a game-changing experience for us in terms of trip photos. It was amazing to get images of my husband and me in amazing locations without it having to be a close-range selfie, or badly composed because you begged a passing stranger to take your picture. We’ll be doing this on all trips from now on.