London 2025

Monday July 7 - Friday July 11

Our last stop of the trip was London. On initial arrival, being in a country where English is the first language reminded me a lot of America. Having come from Rome and Paris, London felt like it could be another state in America. In hindsight, experiencing the people, pubs, and taking in the historical landmarks around me highlighted the cultural differences between our two countries and by the end of the trip, I had a better understanding and appreciation for London.

Westminster

Westminster is located on the Western side of London. This is where you can find London’s houses of parliament, and Big Ben.

Tower Bridge

Our hotel was situated near the Tower Bridge on the east side of London. The beautiful bridge has a distinct blue paint that makes the bridge stand out. This bridge is commonly mistaken as the London bridge, which is much less remarkable.

Trafalgar Square

The Ivy

Piccadilly Circus

Said to be the ‘time square’ of London, mostly due to the large advertising screen and bustling streets. There were an abundance of storefronts for shopping. We walked through Piccadilly Circus multiple times on way to other neighborhoods.

Poppies Fish and Chips

Our first taste of proper fish and chips. Poppies located in the Soho district did not disappoint with its light and flakey battered fish, and surprisingly great tasting mushy peas. The mushy peas had a taste and texture reminiscent of mashed potatoes and gravy. The fried foods paired nicely with a crisp mojito.

Soho District

The Soho district is a lively neighborhood full of pubs, restaurants, theaters, and more. It was an area we frequented for an evening drink.

Darwin Brasserie at Sky Garden

Reservations to visit Sky Garden were free, but another way to enter the Sky Garden is dining at one of the restaurants or bars in the building. We made reservations to have breakfast at Darwin Brasserie, where I was able to try a full English breakfast (black pudding included). I enjoyed the English breakfast with its myriad of ingredients, allowing me to pick at and combine different foods in each bite (who knew baked beans with poached egg on toast would be great). The black pudding did not bother me.

Sky Garden

The Sky Garden is located at the top of the Fenchurch building. The building has a nickname of “The Walkie-Talkie” building due to its interesting curved shape. The London skyline has a unique array of interestingly shaped buildings, all viewable from Sky Garden. Other major cities have view points, like the Space Needle in Seattle. But the Sky Garden stood out for its size, green-space, mixed use space with restaurants and bars, and general aesthetics. You can spend awhile in this space without feeling cramped or bored.

Leicester Square

Entertainment center of London.

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace

Covent Garden

Shopping and entertainment hub.

London Chinatown

Tower of London

A historic citadel and castle in London built in 1078. It was used as an armory, treasury, menagerie, and prison. It houses the Crown Jewels of England. Tickets were required to enter the Tower.

Fortnum & Mason

Founded in 1707, this department store is a destination for all things tea and confectionery.

Notting Hill

Known for their vibrant pastel colored houses, and Portobello street filled with street vendors and shops.

Rock & Roll Tour / Abbey Road

Joined along a Rock and Roll tour where we learned about London’s role in rock music history, including The Beatles history. We visited famous landmarks including Abbey Road, where the Beatles took their famous record cover photo.

The Cross Keys Pub

Our tour took a short break at Cross Keys Pub, the oldest pub in Chelsea. It was built in 1708, and prominent artists have been patrons here.

Borough Market

London’s oldest and largest food market. A crowded but fun place to peruse and take in all the different food stalls and their viral treats. Here you’ll find popular stalls like chocolate covered strawberries, fish and chips, paella, creme brûlée donuts, sandwiches and more.

Churchill Arms Pub

Built in 1750, it was said that Churchill’s grandparents frequented this pub. The beautifully ornate pub is decorated with Churchill memorabilia, with florals covering the exterior of the building. A classic pub, except they serve Thai cuisine (pretty good from what the reviews say, we did not partake).

ffiona’s

Our last dinner of the trip was at Ffiona’s, at the recommendation of one of our friends. Excellent hospitable service from Fiona herself.

Miscellaneous Pictures

Paris 2025

Friday July 4 - Monday July 7

Third stop of the European trip was Paris. Technically the fourth, as our 7 hour train from Milan to Paris was cancelled due to floods in Paris. Instead, we took a train from Milan to Zürich Switzerland where we stayed a night.

Le Marais

We stayed in the lively Marais district in Paris, situated between the 3rd and 4th arrondissement. The narrow streets of the neighborhood are filled with small cafes, shops, and bars, perfect for walking around. The beautiful streets and architecture gave the city a charm that was enhanced by the people and French language.

At night, the neighborhood bars and restaurants are filled into the lively streets with patrons having a drink with friends.

The Eiffel Tower

An iconic landmark that reminds you that you are in Paris.

Louvre Museum

Due to limited time, going inside the museum was not an option. Admiring the architecture from outside was an equally enriching experience.

L’Atelier Entrecote & Volaille

On the must try list of foods was Steak & Frites. Although not the main restaurant everyone goes to for steak & frites, we were excited to have found a restaurant with a chicken & frites option. It did not disappoint.

Arc de Triomphe

Champs-Elysees

A famous avenue filled with luxury shopping, cafes, restaurants, and more. A center for events, and even the finish of the Tour de France. On this day, there was a parade that closed off the street to only pedestrians.

Jardin Des Tuileries

Stunning landscaping made for a pleasant walk through this large garden. Lovely manicured trees and avenues filled with lush green foliage.

Notre-Dame

A thunderstorm with heavy rain made the visit to the exterior of the Notre Dame a memorable one.

Bo & Mie

Croissants and baguette next to the Seine River.

Seine River

Le Calife Seine River Dinner Cruise

A lovely dinner experience cruising down the Seine river during sunset. Excellent food with a great view of Paris.

First time trying Foie gras

Miscellaneous Pictures

Paris is up there with Rome for my favorite places that I have visited. I would definitely make the trip to experience the charming city again.

Milan 2025

Wednesday July 2 - Friday July 4

The second stop of our Europe trip was Milan. A train from Rome to Milan took around 3 hours. Compared to Rome, Milan felt much more modern, with paved roads and a busy underground subway system.

Duomo di Milano

Situated in the middle of Milan is the Duomo, a massive, gothic cathedral church. Just outside the Duomo is a big open courtyard, filled with tourists and pigeons. We were able to climb stairs up to the top of the Duomo where we had a bird’s eye view of Milan.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Right next door to the Duomo is the Galleria, a grand open air mall with luxury stores.

Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper

Viewing the famous art piece required securing guided tickets that allowed you 15 minutes for contemplation. Completed in 1498, the original painting deteriorated from humidity, wars, and underwent multiple restoration attempts. Who knows how much of the original painting is actually preserved and viewable today.

Bruce Springsteen at San Siro Stadium

Music truly transcends man-made borders, as evident by the completely filled San Siro Stadium for Bruce Springsteen. The concert was the last stop for Bruce’s tour, and was the catalyst for this Europe trip. Grateful to say that I have heard him live.

Miscellaneous Pictures

Rome 2025

Sunday June 29 - Wednesday July 2

The first stop of our time in Europe was Rome, Italy. I did not travel much growing up, so the thought of traveling to Europe never seemed feasible, nor did it cross my mind as a place I wanted to visit. Having only traveled internationally once in 2007 to Vietnam, there was apprehension related to navigating around the city, and communicating in a foreign country. Those fears quickly faded, and replaced instead with a sense of awe and adventure as we stepped off the plane and started the journey to the Airbnb.

Trastevere

We stayed in the lively, and touristy Trastevere neighborhood. The cobblestone streets, and narrow passageways instilled a sense of old-world charm that was a consistent reminder that we were no longer home, but instead somewhere that had a deep culture and history baked into the streets and surrounding buildings. Speaking of home, the hills of San Francisco prepared us well for days of long walks exploring the city. All major landmarks were around a 30 - 50 minute walk from the Airbnb, great for slowly taking in the atmosphere and life around us.

Pantheon

The Pantheon in Rome is one of the city’s most iconic and well-preserved ancient monuments. Originally built in 125 AD as a temple to all Roman gods, it features a massive domed roof with a central oculus that lets natural light stream into the interior. It was the first landmark we encountered in Rome. The impressive scale and intricacy of the craftsmanship, all completed thousands of years ago, makes you marvel at what humans were able to accomplish so long ago.

Spanish Steps

Trevi Fountain

18th-century fountain in the Trevi district, designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Guiseppe Pannini in 1762. Very grand, but also extremely crowded with happy tourists collectively checking this place off their bucket list.

Osteria Da Fortunata

Our first dinner in Rome was at Osteria Da Fortunata. Handmade pasta can be seen being prepared through the glass window in the storefront. This restaurant was a great introduction to Italian food. The Cacio e Pepe had a great bite, and the gnocchi perfectly pillowy. The meal tasted fresh, with each ingredient distinctly making its presence known.

Piazza Navona

Rome is filled with Piazzas, public open spaces for people to gather.

River Tiber

Restaurants, bars, and pop up shops line the base of River Tiber, making it a pedestrian friendly walk way for both running groups and nightlife types.

Colosseum

We took a walking tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. We learned a wealth of history from our passionate local tour guide who painted a better picture of what life during active use of the Colosseum was like better than we could have researched on our own. Seeing and experiencing one of the new wonders of the world was a highlight of our time in Rome.

Forum and Palatine Hill

Walking through the ruins of what once was the center of important government buildings gave a small glimpse of what Roman life was like in the early days. It is hard to comprehend events that occurred many lifetimes ago, but there was still a sense of wonder and undercurrents of melancholy while passing through crumbled pillars, buildings, and Julius Caesar’s grave site.

Julius Caesar’s grave

Vatican Museum

The Vatican Museum had an expansive collection of historically significant art by renowned artists. A very cool experience seeing iconic pieces like the Creation of Adam and the Last Judgement in person.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Although not religious, visiting the St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican during the 2025 Jubilee felt like a special opportunity that I am grateful to have experienced. The Holy Door opens during the Jubilee, which occurs every 25 years, so it was a very special moment to be able to walk through the doors to enter the Basilica. St Peter’s Basilica might be the most grand and awe-striking building we walked through in Rome.

Trapizzino

Trapizzino is a Roman street food, an Italian pizza pocket.

Gelato

The first thing we noticed walking around Rome was the abundance of Gelaterias. There seemed to be multiple stores in every neighborhood. Many were consumed.

Miscellaneous Pictures

Walking through the streets of Rome, the impact of the history, architecture, and art was palpable, and I am grateful to have been able to experience it all.