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Seeing Lisbon from Top to Bottom

Yesterday we decided to give our legs a break and see Lisbon a different way.

Lisbon is beautiful, but those uneven cobblestone sidewalks and hills are no joke when you’re pushing Kiya in her transport chair. Mom’s knee also needed a chance to heal, so we decided to rent a quad and take a four-hour tour of the city.

When I made the reservation, I specifically chose the larger quad because it had more legroom and space in the back for Kiya’s transport chair.

We took a taxi to the 1908 Lisboa Hotel, where we met our guide, Andrew.

What a fun day we had with him!

For the next four hours, Andrew drove us all over Lisbon—from top to bottom and east to west. We traveled through tiny streets, climbed hills we definitely wouldn’t have wanted to walk, and visited places throughout the city that we otherwise might never have seen.

Andrew was an absolute joy to spend the day with.

From the beginning, he wanted to make things as easy as possible for us. Every time we stopped, he immediately jumped out, unloaded Kiya’s transport chair, and had it ready for her. When it was time to leave, he folded it up and loaded it again.

He also never rushed us. If we wanted to get out, explore an area, or take photos, he simply waited until we were ready.

During our four hours together, we learned quite a bit about each other. We told him about Montana and our lives back home, and he told us about his life in Portugal. He and his partner are expecting a baby in December, and he had recently graduated after studying contract law, tourism, and marketing.

One of our most important stops involved food, of course.

Andrew told us he knew the best place to try Portugal’s famous pastel de nata.

We had already sampled these little custard tarts, but these were on an entirely different level.

They arrived piping hot, with incredibly flaky pastry surrounding warm, rich, creamy custard.

Oh my goodness.

So yummy!

Pastéis de nata are one of Portugal’s most famous foods. Their history dates to the early 1800s and the monks of the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém. After Portugal’s religious orders were dissolved in the 1830s, the monastery’s custard-tart recipe was eventually sold to a nearby sugar refinery. In 1837, the famous Pastéis de Belém bakery began making them using a secret recipe that is still closely guarded today.

Andrew also gave us time to wander through a market filled with little shops, restaurants, and vendors before we continued our tour.

At some point we mentioned that we’d taken a taxi to meet him at the hotel but were actually staying right around the corner from Pink Street.

That changed everything.

Pink Street was already part of our tour, so Andrew modified his route and offered to drop us near our apartment instead of making us return all the way to the hotel.

Pink Street, officially Rua Nova do Carvalho, wasn’t always the colorful tourist attraction it is today. The Cais do Sodré neighborhood was once closely connected to Lisbon’s port and was filled with sailors, bars, gambling houses, and nightclubs. As the neighborhood was revitalized, the street was painted its now-famous bright pink in 2013. Today it’s packed with restaurants, bars, cafés, and nightlife—and happens to be practically around the corner from our apartment.

We decided to have Andrew drop us at the Time Out Market, which was just a short walk from where we were staying.

Time Out Market Lisboa occupies part of the historic Mercado da Ribeira, a market with roots going back to the 19th century. Today, one side remains a traditional market while the enormous food hall brings together restaurants and some of Lisbon’s best-known chefs and food vendors under one roof.

And it was packed!

We pushed our way through the throngs of people and eventually decided on Mexican food.

We ordered two frijoles tacos and two pork al pastor tacos.

They were so yummy.

After lunch, we wandered through an outdoor market nearby. Naturally, some shopping happened.

I found a dress and a pair of sardine earrings. Mom found two pairs of pants.

Then we walked back to the apartment and gave Kiya a couple of hours to rest.

For dinner, we decided we should actually eat on Pink Street since it was literally around the corner from us.

This time we tried another Portuguese favorite—piri-piri chicken. Piri-piri sauce is traditionally made with small hot peppers brought to Portugal through its connections with Africa, combined with ingredients such as garlic, oil, lemon, and spices. It has become one of the flavors most associated with Portuguese cooking.

Unfortunately, by the end of dinner, Kiya had reached her limit.

She had a seizure.

She has had a few seizures during our trip, but overall she has done exceptionally well considering everything we’ve asked of her over the past seven weeks. This one was harder than the others, and we knew immediately it was time to call it a night.

We asked the restaurant to box up our leftovers and added a dessert to take with us.

Then we headed straight back to the apartment so Kiya could get comfortable and relax in bed.

Later, Mom and I sampled the coffee cake we’d brought home.

It was absolutely delicious.

As an added bonus, we now had enough leftover dinner for our final night in Lisbon, which meant no cooking and no searching for another restaurant.

Our peaceful evening did come with one new development.

We apparently have new neighbors in the apartment above us.

And they are stompers.

Very enthusiastic stompers.

Evening stompers.

Early-morning stompers.

At least after seven weeks of trains, planes, taxis, heat waves, broken elevators, missing assistance, cobblestones, and everything else this adventure has thrown at us, a little stomping above our heads isn’t going to defeat us.

Another wonderful—and very full—day in Lisbon was complete.

Masterpieces, Caricatures, and Mom’s Madrid Birthday

With Madrid still full of excitement and celebration, we continued exploring the city. We woke up a little earlier, had yogurt for breakfast, loaded up, and headed out for another day of sightseeing.

It was definitely hot, but after La Grande-Motte, Madrid’s heat somehow felt a little more bearable!

We decided to spend the morning at the Museo Nacional del Prado, about a 20-minute walk from our apartment. Along the way, we passed beautiful fountains, government buildings, and impressive architecture.

Madrid is another one of those cities where you need to remember to look up because there is always something incredible above you.

Then we entered the Prado.

What a museum!

Founded in 1819, the Prado is considered one of the world’s great art museums and holds an extraordinary collection of European art, particularly Spanish masterpieces from artists such as Velázquez, Goya, and El Greco.

Some of the paintings were so realistic and three-dimensional that it felt like you could reach out and touch them and the people would suddenly come alive.

We spent hours wandering through room after room. Some of the ceilings seemed 20 feet high, yet there were paintings so enormous they nearly filled the walls from floor to ceiling. The scale of everything was incredible.

Photography wasn’t allowed in much of the museum, which was probably a good thing because otherwise I would have taken hundreds of pictures! Instead, we bought a book about the collection so we could remember the paintings and learn more about them later.

One work that really caught our attention was Juan de Flandes’ The Crucifixion. We also saw an incredible collection depicting dozens of Spanish cities and their monuments. It was fascinating to study the details and see how the cities and their landmarks were portrayed.

Another portrait that caught our attention was of Manuela Isidra Téllez-Girón, the future Duchess of Abrantes.

The Prado has done an amazing job preserving centuries of history through art. You aren’t simply looking at beautiful paintings. You’re looking at clothing, architecture, religion, landscapes, families, royalty, wars, celebrations, and everyday life preserved on canvas.

Gabe could have stayed there all day.

Eventually, though, we needed to move on. We had plans to return to the apartment, rest for a while, and then get ready for Mom’s birthday dinner.

On our walk back, Gabe decided he wanted a photo with one of the stone lions outside an important government building.

The police officers guarding the area made it very clear that this was not going to happen!

No picture with the lion for Gabe.

Once we returned to the apartment, Kiya crashed and Mom decided to give her knee a much-needed break. Gabe and I weren’t quite ready to sit still, so we headed back out for another stroll.

We ended up having our caricatures drawn.

What a fun experience! We laughed the entire time and now have another unique souvenir from our trip.

Gabe also found some vinyl records he wanted to bring home, while I continued my hunt for another silk scarf. I had bought one earlier in the trip and had been wearing it in my hair, but somewhere during our train travels it disappeared.

Thankfully, I found some replacements at a little shop near our apartment, along with, of course, some funky earrings.

Then it was time for the main event—Mom’s Madrid birthday dinner.

Our wonderful host, Angel, had given us several restaurant suggestions close to the apartment, but nothing had really caught our attention.

Then I found Bel Mondo.

The moment we saw pictures of the colorful, eclectic restaurant, we all agreed that was where we wanted to celebrate.

Unfortunately, I made a slight mistake with the reservation.

The information said you could have your table for one hour and 45 minutes. Somehow, I interpreted our reservation as starting at 6:00 p.m.

Nope.

It ended at 6:00 p.m.

Oops.

Thankfully, the staff couldn’t have been more gracious. They found us another table for 7:30, so we had some time to wander around the neighborhood.

We browsed a few stores and eventually found a coffee shop where we could sit, have a drink, and pass the time.

When we finally walked into Bel Mondo, we knew immediately that waiting had been worth it.

The restaurant was amazing.

The atmosphere was eclectic, eccentric, colorful, and absolutely beautiful. There were flowers, bold patterns, artwork, lights, and interesting decorations everywhere you looked. It felt less like walking into a restaurant and more like stepping onto a movie set.

For dinner, Mom ordered an enormous steak, Gabe chose sliced rib eye, and I had chicken.

Then I spotted something very important on the menu.

Moscato.

I ordered a bottle.

It was soooo good!

Gabe loved it too.

So naturally, we ordered another bottle.

By the time we finished dinner and dessert, the three of us had polished off two bottles of Moscato and were thoroughly enjoying Mom’s birthday celebration.

The staff made the evening even more special. They surprised Mom with a cheesecake topped with a candle and gathered around to sing “Happy Birthday” to her.

It was perfect.

After everything we had experienced together over the previous six weeks, celebrating Mom’s birthday in Madrid—with wonderful food, two bottles of wine, lots of laughter, and the people she loves—felt pretty special.

Eventually, after a wonderful birthday dinner, we headed back toward the apartment.

On our way, we stopped at the little corner store near where we were staying. Earlier in the day it had been closed, so I was excited to see it open again. I found some more beautiful silk scarves to replace the one I had lost—and maybe a few extras! Mom got into the shopping spirit too and picked out some gorgeous earrings to match some of the new outfits she had bought during our travels. I loved seeing her choose some fun pieces for herself.

It was the perfect little shopping stop to end Mom’s birthday celebration.

Then we headed back to the apartment for one final round of packing.

Our taxi was scheduled to arrive at 8:00 the next morning, and this time our little group would be splitting up.

Mom, Kiya, and I would fly to Lisbon for the final stop on our European adventure, while Gabe would begin his long journey home, flying to New York and eventually making his way back to Bellingham..

It had been wonderful having him join us for this part of the trip.

From swimming in the Mediterranean and wandering through Madrid to cooking us dinner, exploring museums, shopping for records, getting caricatures drawn, and celebrating Grandma’s birthday, we packed a lot of memories into our time together.

Now it was time for one more country.

Portugal, here we come.

Lisbon: One Forgotten Suitcase, One Missing Pillow, and Our Final Country

On to Lisbon!

We loaded up our mountain of luggage and were happily on our way to the Madrid airport when the phone rang.

We had left a suitcase behind.

And, of course, it wasn’t just any suitcase. It was Kiya’s.

Around we went in the taxi, back to the apartment, where we grabbed the forgotten suitcase, loaded it up, and started for the airport again. Our little detour put us about half an hour behind schedule.

Once we arrived at the airport and started unloading everything, we realized something else was missing.

Kiya’s brand-new pillow.

Seriously?

I quickly sent Angel a message to let him know we had left it behind. Once again, he proved what an amazing host he was. He was incredibly gracious and found a way to package the pillow up and mail it all the way back home for us.

Kiya doesn’t know it yet, but her new pillow will be waiting for her when we finally arrive home in Montana. After seven weeks of traveling, I think she is going to be very happy to walk into the house and discover that her pillow made its own journey home from Madrid!

Gabe stayed with us at the airport until it was time for us to head toward our boarding area. Then came the hard part—saying goodbye. He went off to find his own gate and wait for his flight back to the United States, while Mom, Kiya, and I hurried to find our gate for Lisbon.

We had already missed our priority boarding.

Earlier, we had specifically asked the young man at the check-in counter whether we needed to put any special tags on Kiya’s medical suitcases or her transport chair. He told us we were fine.

Apparently, we were not fine.

When we arrived at the gate, there was quite the hubbub over Kiya’s transport chair. No one seemed to know what to do because it hadn’t been marked that she needed the chair taken all the way to the plane.

So there we stood off to the side while practically the entire plane boarded without us.

Finally, an assistance supervisor arrived and escorted us down to the plane.

By this point, Kiya was sound asleep.

I picked her up and carried her down the aisle, trying not to whack anyone with Kiya, my purse, or my backpack as I maneuvered past all the already-seated passengers.

The crew decided her transport chair wouldn’t fit in the cabin and would need to be checked. We hefted her medical suitcases into the overhead bins, settled Kiya into her seat, and finally sat down ourselves.

We departed Madrid at 10:25 a.m.

We arrived in Lisbon at 10:41 a.m.

Now that’s a fast flight!

Of course, there is a one-hour time difference between Madrid and Lisbon, but seeing those times still made us laugh.

The flight itself was wonderfully uneventful, which was exactly what we needed.

We had arranged for a transfer to pick us up when we arrived in Lisbon—or at least we thought we had.

Before arriving, our apartment management company had contacted me about paying the required tourist tax. I had already made the payment through PayPal. Apparently, however, €2.56 had been deducted somewhere in the transaction, leaving our payment short.

Because of €2.56, they wouldn’t finish processing our apartment check-in.

They also hadn’t arranged our transfer.

So there I was at the Lisbon airport, on the phone with management for nearly 30 minutes, trying to figure out how a €2.56 shortage was keeping us from both our apartment and our ride.

At one point, it sounded as though they weren’t even going to allow us to stay because the tourist tax hadn’t been paid in full before our arrival.

I sent screenshots showing the payment I had already made, explained the situation over and over, and eventually paid the remaining €2.56.

Finally, everything was approved.

They arranged transportation to their management office, where we could store our luggage until the apartment was ready.

We quickly discovered something about Lisbon.

It has hills.

Lots and lots of hills.

And naturally, the management office was up one of them.

Once we dropped off our luggage, we decided the best thing to do was find somewhere to sit, eat, and regroup.

We found a cute brunch restaurant and ordered a meal that included an açaí bowl, mini caramel pancakes, and a ham-and-cheese sandwich.

Everything was delicious.

There was only one problem.

Both the açaí bowl and caramel pancakes came covered in coconut.

I do not like coconut.

Apparently, our waitress noticed me carefully picking every little piece of coconut off my food. Without me even asking, she brought over a little fruit pancake without coconut—on the house.

It was such a small act of kindness, but after the morning we’d had, it meant a lot.

After brunch, we wandered up and down the surrounding streets for a few blocks. Lisbon immediately felt different from Madrid. The streets were narrow, the buildings colorful, and there seemed to be something interesting around every corner.

Eventually, we decided we’d had enough wandering and would simply return to the management office and wait.

Wouldn’t you know it?

Just as we arrived, we were told our apartment was ready.

We ordered another ride and set off across Lisbon.

Driving through the city was an experience in itself. Some of the streets are unbelievably narrow, and we were in a fairly large vehicle. There were moments when I wasn’t entirely sure we were going to fit!

Eventually we arrived, figured out all the door codes, and stepped inside.

What a relief.

The apartment was lovely, spacious, comfortable, and—most importantly—cool!

We were only about two blocks from the Tagus River and very close to the Time Out Market and several historic areas of Lisbon. It was going to be a wonderful location for exploring our final city.

The temperature change was also amazing. We had left Madrid at around 102°F and arrived in Lisbon to temperatures around 78°F.

What a difference!

We spent some time unpacking, figuring out the apartment, and simply relaxing.

Eventually we ventured back outside to explore the neighborhood, find somewhere for dinner, and pick up groceries.

Right on our corner we discovered a wonderful little bakery, so naturally we stopped and bought breakfast for the next morning.

Then we found a Mexican restaurant for dinner, picked up a few groceries, and headed back to the apartment for the night.

And can I just say how wonderful our beds felt?

In Madrid, Gabe and I each had extremely narrow single beds. They were the kind where you picked one sleeping position and stayed there all night because rolling over came with the very real possibility of landing on the floor.

Now I could actually spread out!

Kiya was also happily reunited with Mom for sleeping arrangements. She had slept with Mary in Madrid and wasn’t particularly thrilled about the arrangement, but she suffered through it.

LOL.

After a forgotten suitcase, a missing pillow, airport confusion, wheelchair drama, a €2.56 tourist-tax crisis, and hauling our belongings through yet another city, we were finally settled into Lisbon.

Our last first country.

Our last first city.

The final chapter of our seven-week European adventure had officially begun.

Sunshine, Sand, and Slowing Down in La Grande-Motte

After our incredible time in Paris, we boarded the train for La Grande-Motte in southern France. The ride itself was wonderful. We picked up lunch from the café car and spent the journey watching the scenery change from the bustling city to vineyards, rolling countryside, and eventually the Mediterranean coast.

Our arrival, however, came with a bit of unexpected drama.

As soon as we stepped off the train, we were given a lecture by one of the station employees. We were told we had brought too much luggage, that we hadn’t waited for assistance to leave the train, and that railway workers shouldn’t have to move heavy suitcases.

I politely—but firmly—explained that I hadn’t asked anyone to move our luggage. I was perfectly capable of handling it myself and had been doing exactly that. We eventually agreed to disagree and went our separate ways.

Thankfully, the rest of the day only got better.

Our driver was absolutely wonderful. He not only drove us to our apartment, but spoke with the owners to determine the best place to unload our luggage. Then he carried everything upstairs and helped us get settled before wishing us a wonderful stay.

When we opened the apartment door, we couldn’t stop smiling.

It was beautiful.

Even better, it was wonderfully cool after the summer heat we had been experiencing. The balcony overlooked the Mediterranean, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. It instantly felt like a place where we could slow down, relax, and simply enjoy being together.

Unfortunately, my faithful suitcase had finally reached the end of its journey. Somewhere between Paris and La Grande-Motte, two of its wheels broke completely off. It had survived airports, train stations, cobblestone streets, and countless miles of walking, but it had finally given up.

Our gracious host, Marie, came to the rescue. She helped me find a nearby store that sold luggage, something that wasn’t necessarily easy in a smaller seaside town.

La Grande-Motte couldn’t have been more different from Paris. If Paris is like New York City, then La Grande-Motte reminded me of spending summer at Flathead Lake back home. It has a relaxed atmosphere where everyone seems to slow down and enjoy life. The town is known for its unique pyramid-shaped apartment buildings, designed in the 1960s to resemble modern sandcastles rising above the coastline. Wide walking paths, palm trees, marinas, and miles of sandy beaches give it an entirely different feel from the historic cities we had been visiting.

While shopping for my new suitcase, I wandered through several little boutiques. I found Kiya a bright yellow top with matching pants, along with an adorable shorts romper.

As many of you already know…

She absolutely loved the yellow outfit.

She wore it for the next four days straight.

I also discovered the cutest little grocery store. It couldn’t have been much bigger than our living room and kitchen at home, but somehow it had everything we needed. Before heading back to the apartment, I stopped at a neighborhood pizza shop and picked up dinner.

That first evening we simply sat on the balcony, enjoyed the view, and appreciated having nowhere we absolutely had to be.

It was exactly what we needed.

The following morning, the three of us wandered through town and made our way to the beach. Small shops lined nearly every street, making it impossible not to stop and browse. We found a boutique with dresses that actually fit both Mom and me—a rare enough occurrence that we each bought one.

Eventually we reached the beach.

Kiya immediately settled into the shallow water, happily splashing and playing. The bay was incredibly gradual. I could walk nearly twenty feet from shore, and the water still wasn’t above my upper thighs. The day was one of the few overcast ones we experienced during our trip, making the water feel just a little chilly, but it was still beautiful.

On our walk back we found both a bakery and a wonderful little sorbet shop. Somehow Europe always seems to know exactly when you need ice cream.

We couldn’t stay out too long because someone very special was arriving.

Our son, Gabe, was flying in to spend a few days with us.

We returned to the apartment and decided to wait outside rather than risk missing him. Five minutes later, there he was, walking toward us.

It was so wonderful to see him.

After getting him settled into the apartment and catching up on everything that had happened since we left Montana, we headed down to the boardwalk for dinner. We found a terrific restaurant overlooking the beach, enjoyed a leisurely meal together, and then called it an early night.

The next morning Mom walked down to the neighborhood bakery and returned with fresh pastries for breakfast.

Then it was time for another beach day.

This time we explored a neighboring bay, and the water was noticeably warmer. Once again, the shoreline stretched far into the sea. You could walk a surprising distance before the water finally reached shoulder height.

We spent several wonderful hours swimming, floating, and simply enjoying the Mediterranean.

Earlier that morning I had purchased a few beach chairs, and thankfully our apartment came equipped with a large beach umbrella. Together they made for a perfect setup.

The sand, however, was unlike anything I had experienced before.

It was unbelievably fine.

It found its way into everything.

By the time we returned to the apartment, all of us practically had to strip down outside before heading straight for the shower. Swimsuits immediately went into the wash while we escaped into the wonderful air conditioning during the hottest part of the afternoon.

Later that evening Gabe wanted to walk along the beach at sunset.

We happily joined him.

As darkness settled in, the entire boardwalk transformed into a bustling evening craft market. Booth after booth featured handmade jewelry, artwork, clothing, pottery, soaps, and local crafts. Gabe wanted to continue working on some beach-inspired artwork he had started earlier, while I wandered from booth to booth admiring the incredible talents of the local artists.

Eventually we made our way back to our beautiful apartment, grateful once again for the cool air conditioning, the peaceful view, and another unforgettable day on the Mediterranean.

Boats, Bakeries, and Breathtaking Views of London

One of the things we were most excited to experience in London was traveling by Uber Boat along the River Thames. Instead of navigating crowded streets, we started our day cruising down the river to Westminster Pier. What an easy way to get around London.

From there we walked around Big Ben, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, and admired the magnificent Westminster Abbey. Seeing both landmarks in person was surreal after seeing them in countless books, documentaries, and television programs over the years. Big Ben has the best sound. I kept trying to get a video but was not successful.

We then boarded Thames Sightseeing Boat for the trip upriver to Greenwich. The young man providing the onboard commentary absolutely made the journey. He was hilarious! His commentary was packed with witty jokes, sarcastic remarks, and fascinating history. If you weren’t paying attention, you missed half the punchlines. We enjoyed him so much that we left him a tip when we disembarked.

The cruise itself was beautiful. As we floated along the Thames, we passed centuries of history—bridges, warehouses converted into apartments, royal buildings, and famous landmarks. At one point we even cruised past a former home owned by Cher. It’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to meeting her since COVID canceled the concert I had tickets to years ago!

As soon as we arrived in Greenwich, we stopped at a small neighborhood bakery. We picked up a pain aux raisins, two fruit scones, and a sour cherry loaf. I’m so glad we stopped first because when we returned later that afternoon, nearly everything had sold out.

Our next stop was Greenwich Market, one of London’s oldest markets, dating back to the 1700s. Today it’s filled with local artisans, handmade crafts, antiques, artwork, clothing, and an incredible variety of food vendors. Mom chose a green curry with rice while I enjoyed a delicious Moroccan chicken wrap. Afterwards we wandered through the market, browsing the unique shops and stalls. Mom surprised me by buying the funkiest pair of earrings. I was so proud of her for stepping outside her comfort zone! Then I wandered into an equally quirky shoe store. We continued walking, but when we passed it a second time I finally admitted, “I’ll regret not buying something.” Sure enough, I walked out with two wonderfully funky pairs of shoes.

Our biggest adventure of the day was hiking up the steep hill through Greenwich Park to the Royal Observatory. I do mean hiking—it was a nonstop uphill climb! At the top sits the observatory founded in 1675 by King Charles II. It became one of the world’s most important centers for astronomy and navigation. The observatory is home to the Great Equatorial Telescope, installed in 1893. At the time it was one of the largest refracting telescopes in Britain, allowing astronomers to study planets, stars, and nebulae in remarkable detail. Standing beneath its massive dome, it was easy to appreciate how much of our understanding of the universe began in places like this.

Just to the side of the observatory is one of the most famous lines in the world—the Prime Meridian (0° longitude). This imaginary line divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres and serves as the reference point for world longitude and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), from which all global time zones are measured. Of course, we had to stand with one foot in the Western Hemisphere and one in the Eastern Hemisphere!

The views overlooking London from the observatory were spectacular and well worth every burning muscle it took to get there. We did notice signs warning visitors about pickpockets, so we kept a close eye on our belongings while exploring.

Going back down the hill was almost as exciting as climbing it. The path was incredibly steep. I leaned back while holding Kiya’s transport chair with both brakes partially engaged to control our speed. We certainly made quick work of the descent!

After spending more time wandering Greenwich’s charming streets, we returned to the river and boarded another boat back to Westminster Pier. From there we crossed the Thames to ride the London Eye.

Kiya absolutely loved the ride—except for the very top! Being that high in the air wasn’t quite her favorite part. The slow rotation gave us incredible panoramic views stretching across London in every direction, and the air-conditioned capsule was a welcome break after another warm day of sightseeing.

Afterward we enjoyed dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant before heading back to the river, expecting to catch our Uber Boat home. That’s when we discovered our final adventure of the day—boats no longer traveled back to our pier in the evening. After quite a bit of asking questions, checking routes, and trying to figure out our options, we finally hailed a taxi and made it back to the apartment around 9:00 p.m.

By then Kiya was completely exhausted, and honestly, so were we. It had been another full day of exploring, laughing, learning, and making memories in one of the world’s greatest cities.

A Final Day in London

Our last day in London began with a taxi ride to Leadenhall Market, one of the city’s most beautiful covered markets. Dating back to the 14th century, the market stands on the site of what was once Roman London and was redesigned in 1881 by architect Sir Horace Jones, who also designed Tower Bridge and Smithfield Market. Its colorful Victorian ironwork, ornate roof, and cobbled walkways make it one of London’s architectural treasures.

Harry Potter fans will recognize Leadenhall Market immediately. It served as the filming location for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The blue-fronted optician at Bull’s Head Passage was transformed into the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, making it a must-see destination for fans of the series.

We wandered through the market, admiring the architecture before settling in for a lovely lasagna lunch. Afterwards we strolled through the surrounding neighborhoods toward the Tower of London. Along the way we found ourselves constantly looking up. London has an incredible way of blending centuries-old buildings with sleek modern skyscrapers, creating fascinating contrasts around every corner.

We stopped in a tourist shop where I purchased a handheld fan to help combat the summer heat. Kiya, however, had her eyes fixed on the shop across the street. Once inside, she was definitely in a shopping mood! She happily let us allow her to be pushed and wandered through the store selecting souvenirs, and we decided to let her enjoy herself by choosing whatever she liked. Watching her excitement was every bit as enjoyable as the shopping itself.

Continuing our walk, we came across a section of London’s ancient Roman Wall. Built around AD 200, the wall once enclosed the city of Londinium and stretched for nearly two miles, protecting the Roman settlement for centuries. It’s incredible to think that pieces of it still stand nearly 1,800 years later.

Across the street stands 10 Trinity Square, one of London’s grandest historic buildings. Completed in 1922 as the headquarters of the Port of London Authority, it overlooks the Tower of London and was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by Sir Edwin Cooper. During the Second World War, General Dwight D. Eisenhower used the building as his headquarters while planning the D-Day landings. Today it has been transformed into a luxury hotel and residences while still retaining much of its original grandeur.

The building is richly decorated with allegorical sculptures that celebrate Britain’s role as a global maritime nation during the height of the British Empire. Around the exterior are large stone figures representing the four continents that were traditionally recognized at the time—Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Each continent is portrayed with symbolic objects and clothing that reflected how those regions were viewed in the early 20th century. Europe represents learning, government, and commerce; Asia symbolizes trade, culture, and luxury goods such as silk and spices; Africa is depicted through symbols of its wildlife, natural resources, and exploration; while the Americas represent agriculture, industry, and opportunity. Interspersed among these figures are sculptures representing Navigation, Commerce, Industry, and Seafaring, honoring the sailors, dockworkers, merchants, and explorers who helped make the Port of London one of the busiest ports in the world.

What immediately caught my eye, however, were the spectacular bronze sculptures crowning the roof. Massive horses pulling chariots appear to burst dramatically from the corners of the building, as though racing into the sky above London. These powerful quadriga sculptures symbolize triumph, progress, and Britain’s mastery of the seas. They are impossible to miss and add an incredible sense of movement and grandeur to an already stunning piece of architecture. It was one of those unexpected buildings that made us stop, stare, and appreciate the artistry that surrounds you throughout London.

Nearby we also passed St. Bartholomew-the-Great, London’s oldest parish church, founded in 1123. Standing quietly among the busy city streets, it was another reminder that history is woven into nearly every block of London.

Soon we reached the Tower of London. Since Mom had toured it on a previous visit, she knew many of the towers and stairways would not be accessible for Kiya’s transport chair, so we chose to admire the historic fortress from the outside instead. Built by William the Conqueror beginning in 1066, the Tower has served as a royal palace, prison, treasury, mint, and armory. It has witnessed nearly a thousand years of English history, from royal coronations to famous imprisonments and executions.

We made our way to Tower Pier to catch another Uber Boat. While we were waiting, I noticed a traditional tall sailing ship making its way up the Thames. I turned to Mom and said, “They’re going to have to raise Tower Bridge.” Sure enough, within minutes the roadway slowly lifted to allow the ship to pass beneath. At almost the same time, a beautiful replica paddlewheel steamer approached from the opposite direction. Watching the bridge rise and lower was surprisingly peaceful. I expected grinding machinery and loud motors, but instead it moved almost silently and with remarkable grace.

We boarded our Uber Boat and cruised back to St. George Wharf Pier near Vauxhall.

Our apartment had been in a wonderful location. Vauxhall Bridge, completed in 1906, is one of London’s oldest road bridges crossing the Thames. It connects Westminster with the Vauxhall district and is decorated with large bronze statues representing arts, sciences, engineering, agriculture, architecture, and local government. Just across the river sits the headquarters of MI6, the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service. The distinctive green glass building has become famous through numerous James Bond films. We joked that we were probably staying in one of the safest neighborhoods in London with MI6 just across the street keeping an eye on everything!

That evening we repacked our suitcases one final time and prepared for the next stage of our adventure. The following morning we would board the Eurostar, traveling beneath the English Channel and leaving England behind as we headed for Amsterdam. It was hard to believe how quickly our time in London had passed, but we were excited to see what awaited us in the Netherlands.