November 2014 – Obermillers

Traveling Stateside: New York City Part 2

Now for the happier parts of our trip, everything we did in New York City. Now the kids and I had two days by ourselves that my husband was in meetings. We were staying in the East Village so the first day I stayed around the Union Square area, close to our apartment because I was exhausted from the long travel the day before. The kids did not sleep in as late as I thought they would so it was good for us to be close for nap time. We walked through Union Square and explored all the shops nearby. Wells loves the playground in Union Square and Isla loved all the people watching.

Napping in the City Select, thankfully brother can't disturb her too much — Napping in the City Select, thankfully brother can’t disturb her too much

The next day we had a relaxing morning, met my husband at his work for lunch, and then set off for the library, Bryant Park, and MOMA. The library was absolutely beautiful. Isla loved how her voice echoed off all the marble. As you can guess we were great at blending in! Bryant Park was one of my favorites. The Christmas shops and ice skating rink were set up. Wells loved the ice skaters and of course anything Christmas. After that we walked down fifth avenue and met my husband at the MOMA. This is a must see in my opinion with some of my favorite artists, Monet and Van Gogh. My husband was very excited to see Starry Night. There was also a special Matisse exhibit. We didn’t have to stand in line for that because of our stroller. A nice little benefit and one of the only I experienced in New York. We walked around after to see the Empire State building.

On Saturday we went to the American Museum of Natural History. The museum is huge, and very exhausting if you try to do it all in one day. My husband loves museums so moving through quickly is usually not an option. Wells loved all of the dinosaur skeletons. The outer space exhibit it also phenomenal. I think if I lived in New York I would definitely have a pass and take the children weekly. After that we headed to Central Park. Strolling through here in summer must be paradise but in 40 degree weather it was a bit frigid. We saw the reservoir, castle, and turtle pond. After that we headed to the Guggenheim. The rounded structure makes it easy to use for a stroller. It is worth going for the beauty of the building and on Saturdays you can’t be the price, “pay what you want” (most people paid $1 per person). After this we headed to Rockefeller center to watch more ice skaters.

Family shot at the American Museum of Natural History

On Sunday we headed to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. This is definitely a must see. The pools are beautiful and serene, a perfect memorial for this tragedy. Afterwards, we went to the museum. It is a beautiful brand new structure. The museum is very large, but the main exhibit is in a center, smaller area. I definitely cried a lot during this museum. if your kids of are of an age to ask questions this will be a very somber and thought-provoking museum for them. Following, we headed to FAO Schwartz for some kid time. It is a massive store and very busy. We visited the piano and there were more toys than you can imagine. A perfect place for a little boy to make his Christmas list. Then I took my husband to Bryant Park. It was just as beautiful at night.

This ended our grand New York adventure. We wanted to get to the MET the next morning but it was pouring rain! It was too difficult to do before our plane ride. However, our plane was over an hour late so maybe we could have made it. We enjoyed some beautiful sights, good food (I love Shake Shack), and interesting characters. There were difficult parts to our trip as there will always be when traveling with children but we enjoyed our time.

If you have any questions on sights to see or visiting New York with children feel free to ask! Happy Thanksgiving!

Traveling Stateside: New York City

This will be a two part post and a little break from our European adventure which I promise to pick up on after these posts. Last week my husband was asked to fly to New York City with five days notice. Yes, you read that correctly, FIVE DAYS. I am still puzzled on why I agreed to this. It seemed like a nice break. We were not able to get direct flights so it would be a whole day of travel.

One of the reasons on why I regret agreeing to this is my daughter. While we have traveled all over with her before she is in a phase at 15 months. How to describe this phase? Isla has just learned to walk and loves to exert her independence. She wants to do what she wants, when she wants and if no is the answer she throws a screaming fit on the ground. I honestly have not had to deal with this before with Wellington so this is a completely new experience and it made for a rough flight.

We flew Southwest and while previously we had been pleased with them and are very dedicated fliers I was disappointed this time around. Is it really too much to ask for your belongings to arrive in the same condition as they were sent in? We had just bought a new City Select Baby Jogger stroller (will blog about that later) and we put it into plastic bags (the ones it came in) thinking it will be safe from scratching and damage. Boy, was I wrong! Sometimes it feels like the damage is intentional. The bag was ripped in multiple places and the stroller was scratched and gouged. My brand new stroller now looked like it had years of wear. Southwest used to provide bags, but they no longer offer that service. I am just utterly disappointed and I hope in the future airlines provide a safer way for strollers and car seats to travel, maybe by providing canvas bags that are used on each flight to transport these products. These are products our children use on a daily basis and requesting them to be handled in a safe and respectful way should not be too much to ask. Seeing my stroller makes me wonder what my carseats have been through. Be aware of all of this as you travel on airlines and apparently Southwest especially!

After that whole ordeal (still sad about the condition of my stroller) we made it to New York. We rented an apartment through Airbnb because we didn’t think the hotels in New York would be big enough for our family. The apartment had three stairs getting into it but luckily while I was out and about a helpful tenant helped me get the stroller in. I think in hindsight I wished we had done the hotel just for the convenience and the luxury.

Food is easy to come by in New York and there were a ton of grocery stores. We stayed in the East Village. There was a Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and another city grocery store close by. Also, a ton of food options on every block. New York really is amazing like that in how much is accessible by walking and I walked a lot. I probably did about 8 miles everyday. Why so many miles? The subway has a very limited amount of subway stations with elevators. On the days that I was alone I could not do the stroller by myself so I was left with no choice but to walk. That was definitely disappointing as my husband and I were hoping to possibly move to New York if we wanted to stay in the states, but the limited access for strollers would be an inconvenience in my life.

The time change was not that difficult of an adjustment for the kids. Honestly, I struggled more with it and am still struggling to adjust back to normal rhythms. Isla is actually napping better since we returned! Another thing to keep in mind when traveling during these winter months is illness. Wells is still battling a cold he picked up. Even after being home for a few days I have a very cranky preschooler.

I think with all trips there is good and bad, you just have to be able to do deal with it and hope the good in the end outweighs the bad. Hopefully, after I write my next post of all the fun, touristy things we did that will be my conclusion in the end. Here is a little preview!

Traveling Abroad: Santorini

After we left Rhodes it was on to the next Greek island, Santorini. Instead of a high speed ferry we took the Blue Star Ferry. I highly recommend this line and it is the only way I would travel in the future between islands. It is like a cruise ship and very roomy. We reserved seats, though I don’t think it is worth the extra cost since you can generally find seating throughout. Granted we did go in April, so it might be different during the busy summer.

It was a long ferry ride and we arrived late at night. Our hotel, Villa Fotini, picked us up at 2am and dropped us off out front. It was a long, windy road and a bit frightening at night! I would never want to drive that. After getting to the hotel we were exhausted and found out our room was not ready that night so we would have to move rooms in the morning. An inconvenience but doable since we didn’t start unpacking.

The hotel served breakfast, and the owner, Maria is so friendly. She made us a delicious breakfast with some pastries, eggs, and coffee. Also, she made hot chocolate for Wellington which he loved! She was very helpful with information and dropped us off in town so we could catch a bus to Akrotiri. An hour later we were dropped off right in front of the site.

Akrotiri was an ancient civilization buried by a volcano and preserved until recent excavations. All of the inhabitants had already left so it appears they knew it was coming. It was a wealthy civilization. The site is completely covered for preservation. The guides at this site are knowledgeable and willing to answer questions you may have. We did not take our stroller because there were a lot of stairs going around the site. After we finished we walked down to the water where a beautiful church was. The water is truly beautiful in Greece.

After the bus ride back we got dinner in town and walked along the caldera. Of course we had more gyros which were equally as good. The prices on Santorini are a bit more expensive than other islands. It is more of a well known tourist destination due to cruise ships and a wealthy resort town. We were able to catch the sun set over the caldera. It is really beautiful along the cliffs.

The next morning we had another excellent breakfast and explored the town as we did not have time the day before. There is not a lot to do on Santorini and it is more about relaxation as evident by the many cliffside resorts. You kind of just wander around the town and go up and down the different alleys. This is definitely not a stroller town as there are stairs and tight alleys to get to some of the shops. Santorini has bakeries and we bought some cookies for dessert. Also, we had more gyros. There are plenty of options, so it is best to see where the locals eat and where people are lining up.

How building supplies are transported along the Caldera

There is a funicular that goes to the port where the cruise ships dock. I believe it is also walkable but we did not do that. We were content with enjoying the view and soaking in the culture. After another great sunset it was time to call it a night. The next day after breakfast we were dropped off at the port to catch a ferry for our next island adventure!

Traveling Abroad: Rhodes

After traveling extensively through Turkey and that arduous ferry ride we found ourselves in the beautiful ancient city of Rhodes! It felt like we were starting vacation all over again to explore a new country. Instead of a hotel this time we stayed in an Airbnb rental. The man met us at the ferry and drove us to the rental. He was very nice and the rental was truly amazing. It was a great value and we each had our own rooms and full kitchen! Plus, it was inside the old city walls, which gives you the feeling of stepping back in time. This was seriously the best decision we could have made. The kids slept so amazingly well. Also, the hosts left fruit, wine, and chocolate. It is always the small touches that really make a difference.

For food, well that was easy because we were so excited to try gyros and were they ever worth the wait! I could eat one everyday and be very happy. Luckily, they are everywhere and on Rhodes they were 2.50 euro. They come packed with chicken or lamb, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, tzatziki sauce, and, of all things, french fries. They are always freshly made and the kids loved them, too. We also stopped at a supermarket (they are only in the new town) to buy some delicious olives. For breakfast we had fresh fruit and bought some eggs at the supermarket as well.

We stayed in Old Town because of the central location. Most of the museums were accessible by foot. We did do a day trip to Lindos on the other side of the island, a comfortable bus ride away. We used our stroller throughout the city, despite the sometimes odd paving of round flat stones stuck upright. The sidewalks are narrow in old town and the cobbled streets are a little bumpy. You were not able to use a stroller in the museums so be aware of that and bring a carrier or plan accordingly.

I think you need to brace yourselves for Greek museums. They are not as approachable or as friendly as in Turkey but the biggest disturbance in my experience is the staff. Every room in every museum had someone working and standing guard even if all the artifacts are behind glass cases. They will follow you around to other rooms most ardently. It was so off-putting to feel constantly watched. I think it would have been less annoying if they had offered knowledgeable and useful facts about the displays we were looking at or at least a friendly remark. However, that was not to be. Also, we were visiting in the off season so sometimes we were the only ones in the museums, in which case we were considerably outnumbered by staff. It was one of the strangest experiences we have encountered.

We visited the Archaeological Museum and the Palace of the Knights on the first day. I believe that you need to only see one of them and I would definitely chose the palace. While the building and grounds of the first are gorgeous the second museum surpassed it. There are beautiful mosaics in both, mainly pillaged from the island of Kos. The children were very good throughout the museums.

10369000_10100614721480224_4920485099134529661_o — Grand staircase in the Archaeological Museum. The displays are in rooms all along the outside.

10333378_10100614721774634_7540254230675810954_o — Arches under the Archaeological Museum.

10259179_10100614722079024_4711141876991896684_o — Grand staircase in the Palace of the Knights.

10383845_10100614722188804_1232399792353595404_o — Mosaic in the Palace of the Knights.

10257950_10100614722558064_4307973901106365083_o — Courtyard of the Palace of the Knights.

10358947_10100614722757664_6427444782475817006_o — Ruins in the midst of the Old City.

Exploring Rhodes is another wonderful part of the experience. We loved wandering around the winding streets and experiencing the beauty and history of the old city. There are a few ruins to explore, including a nice walk along the former city moat (not stroller friendly), and many great views of the Mediterranean. Above all, Rhodes was probably the most peaceful part of the trip.

10258925_10100614723775624_3829972633943088913_o — Enjoying the sun in front of one of the many gates to Rhodes.

The day trip to Lindos is a definite must-see for the ruins high up on a hill. We did not bring our stroller because of the many stairs throughout the city and the hike to the top. It was definitely a journey to the top but worth it. However, if you do not feel up for a long steep hike then you can hire a donkey to get to the entrance of the site. I do not think it is worth it just to get through the city but that is always an option and maybe a novel experience. Not only were the sites interesting but you could see the cities surrounding it. It was breathtaking and you understood why they would build a city on top of such a site. On the way back we rewarded ourself with a gyro and ate it with a view.

10258734_10100614724060054_1459337853526345462_o — You walk through the winding streets in the town of Lindos to get to the acropolis.

Back in Rhodes, we had some extra time to explore a little outside the city to see the amphitheater and ruins of a temple. They were interesting to see if you have extra time but not a must-see.

1909186_10100614725217734_3734965499895797029_o — Ancient theater at the Acropolis of Rhodes.

10258227_10100614725851464_7042356783041808091_o — Watch out for scooters!

10368972_10100614725976214_8434064343885441913_o — Walking path in the old moat.

We loved our time in Rhodes. It is a beautiful city full of history and culture. We probably stayed a little longer than required, but it was nice to rest and soak it all in.