Author: Steph Louka

Stephanie is an EMS Physician and Life-Member of the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad. She lives in Richmond, VA with her husband Amir.

Family & Friends, Food & Drink, Travel Adventures August 12, 2023August 13, 2023

UK Days 6 & 7: Arrival at Crayke Manor and celebrations with family

Today’s post is combined as I was just too spent last night to make it happen. When the sun came up yesterday, the first thing we did was explore the grounds here at Crayke Manor. We arrived the night before after dark , so we hadn’t been able to take in much of the scenery. I made a little virtual tour of the manor which you can check out here.

We had an hour before the local cafe was set to open for breakfast, so we turned left instead of right and quickly found some new friends. Two small horses greeted us with neighs but were disappointed to find we had empty hands instead of apples. Across from the horse pen was a small farm with fresh eggs for sale using an honor box for payments.

There were stables in the back of the farm house with a more majestic horse and an odd collection of Invacars, Britain’s 3-wheel solution to helping disabled citizens get around. The program existed in the 1970s as a government-sponsored aid to the disabled where they could get a 3-wheeled car for free. Rumor is they discontinued the program due to safety issues with the cars. Bright side though was if you did flip it over it was light enough you could flip it right back.

Throughout the day, Amir’s relatives began to arrive. Uncles, Aunties – cousins twice (maybe three times) removed. Amir was born in London and moved to the US at age 5, but with the exception of his nuclear family, all the other Brits are still here in England. When we got married almost 10 years ago, it was difficult and expensive for any of the relatives across the pond to make the trip. I met a few when Amir and I traveled to England in June 2014 after graduating medical school. That was nearly a decade ago.

Since everyone was arriving at different time on Friday, we were quite sure no one would want to be burdened with cooking. Amir found an amazing private Chef online – Shaun “The Cook in the North” – who drove three hours to the house and whipped us up 12 courses of Spanish tapas for all 15 of us. He comes to you with ingredients, kitchen tools, dishes and everything. He cooks, and almost most importantly cleans up, too. So you have NOTHING to do – except maybe decide red vs white.

Shaun – The Cook in the North

We sat 12 of us to a round table, outdoors, under a miraculously rain-free English sky. We passed dishes randomly at first, quickly realizing we needed to go clockwise to keep some semblance of sanity.

Auntie Linda reads #1LittleSister a story

Shaun was still cleaning up the kitchen when I had to throw in the towel and head to bed… at 10pm I’d been up since 6am… I was exhausted and maybe a little tipsy. Our plans for the next morning were nebulous, but I knew I could count on the kids waking up from 6:30-7:30 at the latest.

Crayke Day 7

#1LittleSister let me sleep until 7:00 this morning. And by some stroke of travel luck, she’s been falling back asleep on my chest for another thirty minutes after I pull her from the crib.

I wasn’t brave enough to revisit the shower this morning. Yesterday when I took a shower I struggled to figure out which dials did what, and wasn’t even sure what I was seeing. When I initially turned the water on, a geyser shot up from the tub where the water should have been draining out. I was quite sure I’d wrecked the plumbing for the whole house. But it turns out I just had it in “douche” mode instead of shower, and that was exactly as it was supposed to be.

This afternoon we dropped Liza off in York to take some time off and explore. The rest of us headed to the York Birds of Prey Center. There we were up close with hawks, owls, eagles and falcons. Of course the skies opened up for the first time on our trip and drenched us. But we still caught some new sights and had a great outing.

Making friends at the Birds of Prey Center

Back at the house today we all relaxed, enjoyed some beer and wine, and geared up for a casual dinner. Michael made an amazing bolognese, accented by dessert by Linda. We were introduced to Colin the Caterpillar, which is apparently the standard cake/dessert that every English child grows up with.

#1LittleSister attacking Colin the Caterpillar

Just before sitting down for dinner, the adults all enjoyed a champagne toast. Wine has been flowing freely tonight, so I’m quite sure Amir (my editor) will send me many edits in the morning. By all accounts this has been an amazing weekend reuniting and getting to know many relatives here in England. Tomorrow we are of to London for the week.

– Steph

Family & Friends, Travel Adventures August 10, 2023August 10, 2023

UK Day 5: Traveling to Crayke by way of Vindolanda and Hadrian’s Wall

Checkout from our AirBnB was 10am, but our rental car was not ready until noon. Have no fear though – moving anywhere with three under 6 naturally eats up two extra hours in time.

Today we traveled from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Crayke, England (near York) which straight shot is a 4 hour drive. We decided to breakup the trip with a visit to Vindolanda and Hadrian’s Wall.

Vindolanda was an auxiliary fort built (and rebuilt) by the Romans who occupied it from 85 AD to 370 AD. At any given time there were 500-1000 troops station there who came from as far as France and North Africa. The fort was abandoned around 410 AD as The Roman Empire declined.

The first known account of Vindolanda after it was abandoned was a mention of the site in the book Britannia, published in 1586. Modern excavations began in the 1930s and continue to this day. It’s estimated that only 25% of the site is unearthed, and that the teams will need to dig for another 150 years at their current rate.

After Vindolanda, we jumped back in the van and drove just a half mile up the hill to Steel Rigg, one of the many access points to Hadrian’s Wall. Just a short walk from the car park (AKA parking lot), you enter a wooden gate and are immediately greeted by sheep. And rams. So many sheep.

#1LittleSister was thrilled at the chance to see real sheep up close. Her favorite activity right now is an iPhone game for littles called Peekaboo Farm. You tap on the barn door and it opens to reveal a farm friend who makes its noise and then they say the name. “Bahhh SHEEEP!”

Hadrian’s Wall spans down the hill from the sheep and up a steep incline to another hill across a ravine. The wall spans a total of 73 miles across the whole of Northern England. We were just seeing a small portion of it. Visiting Hadrian’s Wall has been a bucket list item for Amir since the day I met him. We tried to squeeze it in when we were last in England in 2014 but couldn’t make it happen.

There was no way we could all make that climb with the two youngest in tow, so he embarked on a solo sojourn. The cliffs are so tall that they dwarfed him in size. I’d lost sight of him until I realized he was the small spec at the very top waving vigorously like the wacky waving inflatable flailing arm man.

This wall was inspiration for The Wall in Game of Thrones

Tonight we’re finishing the back half of the drive to our house in Crayke. This drive has given me more time than usual to write, but I’m a little bummed we’ll arrive after dark and will have to wait until the morning to explore the grounds here. Tomorrow we plan to spend the whole day at home, welcoming some of Amir’s English relatives and soaking in the atmosphere of our new temporary home.

– Steph

Some of the different lichen and mosses at Vindolanda

Family & Friends, Travel Adventures August 9, 2023August 9, 2023

UK Day 4: Acrobats, a 5 Wheel Unicycle, a Giant Peach and Princes Street Garden

We had our act together today – and by we, I mean Amir. Last night he booked tickets to an acrobatics clown show at 10, and a theater rendition of James and the Giant Peach at 2.

Daichi and Cheeky, the Japanese duo of Cartoooon

We arrived for the 10 am show a little early, and since this festival is well organized, there was an astroturf kid zone with a coffee truck open and ready for us.

The show was two Japanese clowns, a man and a woman, who performed magic tricks and danced together on unicycles in a playful and enchanting way. #1BigBrother laughed the whole time, while #1BigSister heckled them shouting “That’s not magic! You just did it with your hand!” I tried to slide under my seat to hide in embarrassment, but no success.

I get the sense these artists and entertainers barely make a living from their craft. Each show we’ve attended, whether on the street or in a proper theater, they’ve mentioned that they pay their way to Fringe and receive no compensation from the Festival. This is a global stage, an opportunity to get noticed, and to spend time with like-minded people that appreciate your talent and creativity. I guess that’s enough.

My favorite conference I ever attended was the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) for the same reason. There are only about 2000 other people as nerdy as I am when it comes to EMS… and they all gather in one place every year. It’s invigorating. It’s fun. Being with people who “get you” is irreplaceable.

We grabbed lunch after the unicycles, and all three adults ordered salads. Clearly we all needed vegetables after the parade of sausage rolls, steak pie and fish and chips.

After lunch we walked less than half a block to the Emerald Theater where we saw a 10 person production of James and the Giant Peach. #1LittleSister was restless and not having it, so Liza had to exit stage left with her in tow.

Future surgeon? Should we nip it in the bud?

After the theater, we popped in to the Surgeon’s Hall Museum where #1BigSister took a try at using the Da Vinci and I explained various plastinated body parts to #1BigBrother.

For the last two days we’ve been driving by a beautiful garden with stunning views of the Castle of Edinburgh up on the hill. We finally walked that way, down into the gardens and to the grassy field where tons of kids were climbing old statues with seagulls perched atop and pooping. (The seagulls, not the kids).

After the gardens, we walked in the direction of home and stopped along the way for a pint and a bite. As I mentioned yesterday though, Scotland has some weird rules around kids being allowed in restaurants that serve alcohol. Some restaurants say no one under 18 at all, ever. Some say no one under 5. Some say all are welcome. I’m not sure if they have to pay more to operate and serve all-comers, or if they are intentionally trying to create a kid-free atmosphere.

After dinner, we walked home and helped Liza get everyone inside and settled. Amir and I then ran out the door to go enjoy a kid-free evening out. We took the bus down to the water and found a spot for dessert and after dinner drinks. We scored a table by the window overlooking the water. It was just what the doctor(s) ordered.

Amir ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding, and he talked me into getting the Popcorn Sundae. As usual, he was right. Imagine kettle corn in sundae form. Delicious.

Tomorrow we leave Edinburgh. It’s been a great three days. Street performers day 1, history and learning day 2, and theater performances day 3. While coming during Fringe makes everything more expensive, there’s so much free stuff to do. You won’t quite break even, but your guaranteed a good time.

– Steph

Family & Friends, Travel Adventures August 8, 2023August 8, 2023

UK Day 3: Museum of Scotland, Water of Leith Walkway and more Fringe

This morning, as if by some Scottish miracle, the kids slept until 8 am. I’m cautious though as this probably means the jet lag on the way home will be that much worse.

Once everyone was dressed, fed and pottied, we headed out to grab a bus to the National Museum of Scotland. The public transportation system here, like most European countries, is slick, efficient, affordable – and again makes me want to force everyone in America to travel to Europe so we can learn a few things about light rail and other mass transit, instead of reflexively dismissing them.

Double-decker buses and trams line the streets

The bus was easy – there’s a family day pass available for roughly $13. Buses come frequently and on time. It seems to be the most popular form of transit in the city.

The museum was free admission, with just a requested donation of 5£. It offered a bit of everything for all ages and likes – fossils, fashion and funhouse mirrors to name a few.

We started in the fossil and taxidermy exhibit first. #1LittleSister didn’t waste any time begging to be released from the prison of the stroller straps. #1BigSister researched camels, while Amir and #1BigBrother learned about the planets in our solar system. (I still contend that Pluto is a planet).

The museum was surprisingly oriented to kids – each floor has a dedicated kids zone with hands-on activities akin to a children’s museum.

After the National Museum of Scotland, we hopped back on the bus and headed towards the Water of Leith walkway. There’s a footpath down to a small stream that cuts through this little village, Dean village, down in the valley.

Crossing over the bridge and to the left, the trees form a canopy and the path becomes a tunnel of nature. The stream flows just beside the walkway, with wildflowers dotting the banks.

The kids (and maybe Amir too) enjoyed throwing rocks into the stream. This is something every single one of our kids loves. It’s an easy win.

Speaking of easy wins – on the walk back we came across the World’s Smallest Whisky Bar. It’s a kiosk slightly larger than a phone booth, offering tastings and sales of full bottles. The man asked Amir what he liked – Amir said bourbon – and a sample quickly appeared. Amir took it like a shot, and from the reaction of the bartender – clearly it was meant to be sipped. His look of shock was quickly erased by a smile when Amir said he’d take a whole bottle.

The rest of the day was spent playing. We found a playground, a food truck rodeo with kids activities and lastly, a LEGO store. We’re adding three more mini figures to the collection. We definitely need a bigger board at this point.

Tomorrow is our last full day here. We’re hoping to hit a contortionist show tomorrow, but it might be restricted to 5 and up. Edinburgh is a bit funny about that stuff – all restaurants and bars have signs displaying their policies on kids. I’ll try to snap a photo of one tomorrow and give a bit more detail. I have mixed feelings on their approach.

– Steph

Family & Friends, Food & Drink, Travel Adventures August 7, 2023August 7, 2023

UK Day 2: Edinburgh Fringe Festival

As I mentioned yesterday, we selected Edinburgh, Scotland as a first stop on our trip in part due to the Fringe Festival happening most of August.

Most of the roads are closed, and people and performers fill the streets. From bagpipers, unicyclists and hoopsters, to artists, jugglers and violinists, there’s seriously a little bit of everything. We snagged a balloon animal early, and wrapped up with a Swede juggling toilet paper atop a microwave balanced on three stacked tables. Of course. Why not?

Sven from Sweden

We stopped for beer, fish and chips, gelato, more beer, and eventually groceries. My phone logged 16,241 steps. And my back sure feels it.

In addition to all the free street performances, there are also plays, musicals, circus acts, comedy sketches and variety shows playing in every theater in the city. Most require tickets (and we didn’t plan ahead), so we’ll need to save a show for tomorrow or Wednesday. They have an app, ED Fringe, where you can search through the thousands of events to find one that’s just right.

#1BigSister was able to make friends with a pigmy owl, the smallest species of owl in the world. Unfortunately with that short stature comes a short lifespan – just 6 years.

While the rest of TeamLouka watched a street performer, I snuck into the Saint Giles Cathedral, founded in 1124 by King David I. Today it’s still a functioning Presbyterian church.

We walked and walked and walked… and heard person after person comment about the weather. 65 and sunny, this was apparently the first day without rain in over a month. Par for the course in Scotland I’m told… and looking back, the sky was overcast throughout the entirety of Braveheart.

Tomorrow we have our sights set on the Museum of Scotland in the morning and possibly the botanical gardens in the afternoon. That all hinges on the cooperation of the rest of the team.

– Steph

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