Milly’s right hand gal, Lynne Lowell, took off for an epic vacation with her mom in October. We missed her terribly, but couldn’t wait to hear all about her travels. In this blog, she shares with all of us some of the highlights of her tour of 5 cities in 3 different countries over the span of two weeks. From Maine to Reykjavik, Iceland then across to England with stops in London, Middlesbrough, York and Edinburgh Scotland:

Our first stop after landing in Iceland from our overnight flight, was to spend some time at the Blue Lagoon Spa. The Blue Lagoon was named one of the 25 Wonders of the World in 2012. They are known for the geothermal seawater containing silica, algae and minerals. There is a swim up face mask bar, as well as a swim up drink bar. We left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

While in Iceland, we also took a walking tour where we learned about the culture of Iceland including their history, naming conventions, and laid back attitudes. I found their traditional naming conventions interesting. When a baby is born their parents have to select a name from a pre-determined list of approved names. This is done to both keep the culture alive, as well as deter children being given a name that will potentially get them teased at school. If it wasn't on a volcano, I would seriously consider moving there! ;p

We also hit some other popular sites including the Phallological Museum (yes that is what you think it is). The Phallological Museum is the world's only genuine penis museum. It all started with the founder's personal collection which he started in 1974 when he received a phallus joke gift. His collection turned in a museum in 1997 with 62 specimens. Since then the museum has grown to be considered a sophisticated, modern museum showing specimens from a number of animals, alongside sculptures and pieces of art.

After that visit, we thought it very fitting to grab a couple of the famous sheep hotdogs from the Baejarins Beztu Pylsur stand. I fell in love with their mustard which tasted like a combination of brown and honey mustard, with a thinner consistency. We spent a lot of time walking around and taking in the local food and libations.

Then we were on to London. You can't really get a sense for how large this city is until you're in it! On the first night in London we stumbled across The Ships Tavern which has been around since 1549. Stepping into a building that has been around for that long was indescribable. We also stumbled across The Queen's Larder, a very old pub that was established in 1710. The Queen’s Larder is built on the site of a larder kept by a Queen. The monarch in question was Queen Charlotte, wife of “mad” King George III. The cellars beneath the present-day pub were used by Queen Charlotte for storing food for her husband’s special diet. It is not known what King George III special diet was, but we do know that despite his penchant for simple fare like soft-boiled eggs, salads, and Yorkshire puddings, King George shunned the elaborate, meat-centric banquets favored by fashionable society. Notably, he also avoided sugar, suggesting that his "special diet" was likely less nutritious than his everyday meals.

Some of our day excursions were made to York and Edinburgh, Scotland. Our day in York was filled with history and amazement. We visited the York Castle Museum, and took a stroll down The Shambles which is a preserved historic street dating back as far as the 14th century. I learned later that it was J.K. Rowling's inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series. It was full of little shops including jewelry stores, a tea shop, of course a Harry Potter store, and so much more! While in York we also made a visit to the JORVIK Viking Centre, where you get to ride through the reconstructed city of Jorvik, a Viking city that was excavated in 1976. During the excavation they discovered human remains, wood, leather and cloth that had been preserved by the damp environment. On view at the Centre is a preserved piece of fecal matter, which is ensured for $750,000!

Our trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, was a much shorter day, but we got to see most of the city. We had the chance to gaze upon Edinburgh Castle, took a stroll through The Dungeons of Edinburgh, and ate lunch at Gordan Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen restaurant. I think one of the highlights of our visit was the triple rainbow we saw after only experiencing sunshine during throughout our whole trip!

Coming back home was filled with both relief and sadness. After the long time away from home I was missing my loved ones and the comfort of home, but I also did not want it to end. I am grateful to have been able to make this trip, spending time soaking up the culture and beautiful scenery. I have immense gratitude for the company I work for, which allowed me to have this life experience.

Lynne Lowell

Assistant Coding Guru

Zebralove Web Solutions

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