Sunday morning and we are on the road again. We left the Isle of Skye and headed to Oban, a charming city on the western coast of Scotland. This is going to be a long day of bus travel with stops along the way.
Instead of traveling over the bridge like normal folk, we took a ferry to the mainland. It’s really a very cool way to cut out a LOT of drive time. It took about 30-40 minutes to get across the water. The ferry includes great seating and coffee shops on board. Weather was not too cooperative, still rainy and windy and COLD! But hey, we’re getting used to it! We have figured out we will have heat strokes when we land in Little Rock on Thursday. (We’ve been watching the weather forecasts on the internet!)
We stopped in the small town of Fort Williams for a quick lunch. Not much there to see, but the lunch soup was great! A really hardy vegetable soup with bread! Yum!
About an hour after lunch we came to the mountain of the highest peak in Scotland, Ben Nevis with an altitude of 4,409 ft. Not the Rocky Mountains, but big considering the rest of the land. Clouds were hanging so low that we couldn’t see the top. But they were still very impressive. We are told it is very popular with the hiking set! www.nevisrange.co.uk
We then traveled to the Kilt Rock, so named because of its resemblance to a Scotmans’ kilt. This 200 foot tall sea cliff had vertical lava columns that resemble pleats, sitting on top of horizontal sedimentary rock. The wind and rain were blowing so hard, the metal railing was singing in the wind! www.scotland-flavour.co.uk/kilt-rock.html
As we continued to travel, we came to the Glenfinnan Viaduct. To most this doesn’t mean much, but to Harry Potter fans, this is the railway trestle that is used for the Hogwarts train scenes. It was raining and ‘blowy’, but we climbed up to a mountain viewpoint so we could get pictures. Nasty dirt trail, but glad to report no falls, trips or broken bones this time! www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/glenfinnan.html
Our route took us to Glencoe which is a beautiful valley formed by glacier activity thousands of years ago. It is under the care of the government organization similar to our National Park program. The valley is an awesome place. We were told that (again a Harry Potter moment) Hagrid’s house was built and all scenes involving his house filmed in this valley. www.glencoemountain.com
We arrived in Oban www.oban.org.uk and after a brief orientation of this small town we were left to our own free time. After getting settled in our hotel, which is a restored early Victorian home, we had to do the laundry bit. Bathroom looked like a laundry facility with all the clothes hanging from the shower rod, the towel bars and on hangers in the window! LOL! But at least they are clean! We then wandered around looking for some place to eat. We decided on CHINESE!!! We asked for directions from a chap who apparently had spent the last couple of hours at the pub..LOL! But he gave us directions to what he thought was the best place in town! It was soooooo good!
We walked back to our hotel and after showers, decided to go to bed before midnight. Have we told you how light it stays here!! OMG! 11:00 at night is comparable to our 7:00 pm at home! A sleep mask would be handy!!
Well, we are playing catch up with the blog! Scotland is a very rural, rugged and wild country. It takes a lot of travel time to go between sites and activities. By the time we get back to the hotel, eat and shower, we are exhausted. Then we start all over..so please forgive us!
It is now Monday, so we hope everyone had a great Memorial Day holiday! It is a bank holiday here also so not many shops or stores are open. But we did not have time today to walk through town. Let’s start with our adventures today….
We woke to ….of course….rain and wind. We headed out for a day trip to the Island of Iona. So we had to hop two ferries and a local tour bus to get to the island. By the time we got to the island, the sun was out and the weather improved 100%. Iona is famous as the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. Back in 563 AD, St. Columba left Ireland. The island of Iona was the first land he saw when he sailed from Ireland. Once he landed, he established an abbey. His monastic community became the center of Celtic Christianity. The current population is about 100 people living on the island. The Iona Community is a gathering of people who seek new ways of living the Gospel in today’s world, with a focus on worship, peace and justice issues and reconciliation. The island has the abbey, nunnery ruins and small shops and restaurants. Some say that Iona possesses the thin layer of being between the spiritual plane and real world……Very interesting thought! (But we didn’t see Elvis there!) www.isle-of-iona.com
We did not get back to Oban until 5:45 pm. As we walked across town from the ferry terminal, we saw yet another Chinese restaurant. Got Chinese Take Away (Scottish for “To Go”). Walked a little further down the street and found a winehouse. They had single glasses of wine to go! We picked up a couple of those and came back to the hotel. We had a picnic dinner in our room and watched CSI….Seems every night on USA channel, they run back to back CSI reruns. Only 8 channels broadcasts here. The other night ‘Titanic’ was on three channels at different parts! LOL!!
Tomorrow is another heavy travel day. We head back to Edinburgh for our last night on the tour. Til then….Good Night all!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Bus and Booze, Rain and Snooze
We’ve arrived in Oban after a day on the bus with stops along the way. More about that in the next posting.
Yesterday, we left our country manor for a tour of the Isle of Skye. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skye. Of course, it was raining but we’ve gotten used to that and with “THE” old broad raincoats, we stayed pretty dang dry.
The Isle of Sky offers some of Scotland’s best scenery. Narrow, twisty roads wind around Skye in the shadows of craggy, black, bald mountains. We’ve talked all along about the sheep – they are everywhere. In fact, 200 years ago, many humans residents were forced to move off the island to make room for more livestock during the Highland Clearances http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/scotland_clearances_01.shtml. The people who remain are some of the most ardently Gaelic Scots in Scotland.
We started the day at Talisker Distillery, a single malt scotch whiskey company. Scotch is produced from a simple recipe of barley, sugar and water but the flavor varies based on the water used, equipment and the distilling process. We could actually smell the scotch even outside the building. It was a very interesting process involving many cycles of grinding, soaking, heating, cooling, evaporation and aging. Interestingly enough, barrels from the US that previously stored bourbon or cordial or used to age the scotch. http://www.discovering-distilleries.com/talisker/history.php. Our tour ended with a “wee dram” of whiskey. Remember, this was our first activity of the day – my god it was only 10:00 a.m. Needless to say, the old broads are going to stick with beer and wine.
We spent the rest of the day cruising along the Cuillin Hills http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuillin and so many different lochs we’ve lost count. Our guide fills the time on the bus with historical stories and music relevant to the surroundings. We must admit, sometimes the old broads nod off on the bus. The day ended with another group meal at our hotel. NO haggis!
Word of the day – blowy – means windy. “It’s rather blowy out.” No sh-- Sherlock, it’s been down right blowy for almost two weeks.
Yesterday, we left our country manor for a tour of the Isle of Skye. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skye. Of course, it was raining but we’ve gotten used to that and with “THE” old broad raincoats, we stayed pretty dang dry.
The Isle of Sky offers some of Scotland’s best scenery. Narrow, twisty roads wind around Skye in the shadows of craggy, black, bald mountains. We’ve talked all along about the sheep – they are everywhere. In fact, 200 years ago, many humans residents were forced to move off the island to make room for more livestock during the Highland Clearances http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/scotland_clearances_01.shtml. The people who remain are some of the most ardently Gaelic Scots in Scotland.
We started the day at Talisker Distillery, a single malt scotch whiskey company. Scotch is produced from a simple recipe of barley, sugar and water but the flavor varies based on the water used, equipment and the distilling process. We could actually smell the scotch even outside the building. It was a very interesting process involving many cycles of grinding, soaking, heating, cooling, evaporation and aging. Interestingly enough, barrels from the US that previously stored bourbon or cordial or used to age the scotch. http://www.discovering-distilleries.com/talisker/history.php. Our tour ended with a “wee dram” of whiskey. Remember, this was our first activity of the day – my god it was only 10:00 a.m. Needless to say, the old broads are going to stick with beer and wine.
We spent the rest of the day cruising along the Cuillin Hills http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuillin and so many different lochs we’ve lost count. Our guide fills the time on the bus with historical stories and music relevant to the surroundings. We must admit, sometimes the old broads nod off on the bus. The day ended with another group meal at our hotel. NO haggis!
Word of the day – blowy – means windy. “It’s rather blowy out.” No sh-- Sherlock, it’s been down right blowy for almost two weeks.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Castles, the Nessie, and Buddy Holly
The day was a long travel day. After checking out of our hotel in Inverness, we headed north/northwest to what is called ‘the land of the true Scotsman’. We stopped at a local winery for a wine tasting (at 10:00 in the morning!). This was privately owned by a local family. They make various wines from natural items found around and near their estate i.e. White Birch sap, elderflower and various fruits. In modern day, they no longer can make the wine and jellies on site. However, they control the recipe and production from their home. We were given samples of brandy, wine, liqueurs as well as jams and jellies on oat cakes. Most were really good, but Garlic Pickle jelly just doesn’t smell good enough to get into the mouth! YUCK!
After our visit, we were off to our next stop, the ruins of Urquhart castle on Loch Ness. www.aboutscotland.co.uk/ness/urquhart.html History has it that this castle was built, raided, attacked and finally blown up in it’s 1000 year history. Located on a peninsula looking onto the Loch Ness, it is a beautiful setting for a castle. After exploring the ruins and snapping a few pictures, we sat on the terrace of the visitors’ center and had a cup of latte. So peaceful there. We could just imagine the Laird and Lady of the castle standing at one of the windows surveying their territory.
While we are on the subject, yes we were at the real Loch Ness, the one with the ‘sea monster’. No sightings this trip, but we did stop at the Loch Ness Exhibition Center, www.lochness.com very quickly to take a couple of snapshots of the ‘yellow submarine’ used to scientifically explore the loch, as well as the statue of what is believed to a depiction of “Nessie”. Not on the Rick Steve’s Tour agenda, but the guide thought since we were in the area…..! LOL!
Our tour guide and driver had a stop planned for a short ‘picnic’ while we were on the road. Now back in the States, if there was even a chance of rain, all picnics are cancelled. But since it has been raining here in Scotland every day, we had our picnic in the rain. While they set up in the snacks, we all walked to a small bridge and waterfall that fed into Loch Ness and took pictures. We noticed the on the other side of the bridge, there was a small building over looking the stream. It so reminded us of a Hobbit house out of the Lord of the Rings. Don’t know what it was really, but we just called it that.
Even though it was a misty rain falling, our picnic consisted of all Scottish products. (No Haggis on the menu!) Our guides, Anne and Russell, served various cheeses, salmon, oatcakes, beers, wine, and soft drinks. They also included a caramel cookie only found in Scotland. All was very tasty. While munching on the goodies, we were able to get fairly close to the hairy cattle found in Scotland. These are huge and hairy like an English sheepdog. Very cute younger cows…reminded me of the 1960s Beatles haircuts!
Back on the bus we head further north toward the Isle of Skye. On the road, we had the opportunity to drive through a National forest area and saw several deer and some saw a wild mountain goat. The deer here are not slim and sleek like the whitetail deer in Arkansas. These deer are solid and wide. They look like the size of cattle. Obviously size is important in surviving the winters and cold found this far north. The temperature was 9 degrees C. Roughly 48 degrees F and factor in a wind of about 40 mph. VERY chilly here!
For those followers that remember the “Highlander” movie, we stopped at the Eileen Donan Castle. www.eileandonancastle.com This is where the filmmakers filmed several scenes. They also filmed the Grand Hall scene in one of the James Bond movies. Just can’t remember which one. I think it was “The World is Not Enough”.
We arrived at the Isle of Skye in the late in the afternoon. Our hotel is a very quaint bed and breakfast with a little chef who is amazing in the kitchen! During our dinner, we were entertained by a Scottish musician who played the accordion, the guitar, and drum. But let’s just say there is something wrong with Buddy Holly being played by a man in kilt on a drum!! Good night to all! Tomorrow we are off to explore the Isle of Skye.
After our visit, we were off to our next stop, the ruins of Urquhart castle on Loch Ness. www.aboutscotland.co.uk/ness/urquhart.html History has it that this castle was built, raided, attacked and finally blown up in it’s 1000 year history. Located on a peninsula looking onto the Loch Ness, it is a beautiful setting for a castle. After exploring the ruins and snapping a few pictures, we sat on the terrace of the visitors’ center and had a cup of latte. So peaceful there. We could just imagine the Laird and Lady of the castle standing at one of the windows surveying their territory.
While we are on the subject, yes we were at the real Loch Ness, the one with the ‘sea monster’. No sightings this trip, but we did stop at the Loch Ness Exhibition Center, www.lochness.com very quickly to take a couple of snapshots of the ‘yellow submarine’ used to scientifically explore the loch, as well as the statue of what is believed to a depiction of “Nessie”. Not on the Rick Steve’s Tour agenda, but the guide thought since we were in the area…..! LOL!
Our tour guide and driver had a stop planned for a short ‘picnic’ while we were on the road. Now back in the States, if there was even a chance of rain, all picnics are cancelled. But since it has been raining here in Scotland every day, we had our picnic in the rain. While they set up in the snacks, we all walked to a small bridge and waterfall that fed into Loch Ness and took pictures. We noticed the on the other side of the bridge, there was a small building over looking the stream. It so reminded us of a Hobbit house out of the Lord of the Rings. Don’t know what it was really, but we just called it that.
Even though it was a misty rain falling, our picnic consisted of all Scottish products. (No Haggis on the menu!) Our guides, Anne and Russell, served various cheeses, salmon, oatcakes, beers, wine, and soft drinks. They also included a caramel cookie only found in Scotland. All was very tasty. While munching on the goodies, we were able to get fairly close to the hairy cattle found in Scotland. These are huge and hairy like an English sheepdog. Very cute younger cows…reminded me of the 1960s Beatles haircuts!
Back on the bus we head further north toward the Isle of Skye. On the road, we had the opportunity to drive through a National forest area and saw several deer and some saw a wild mountain goat. The deer here are not slim and sleek like the whitetail deer in Arkansas. These deer are solid and wide. They look like the size of cattle. Obviously size is important in surviving the winters and cold found this far north. The temperature was 9 degrees C. Roughly 48 degrees F and factor in a wind of about 40 mph. VERY chilly here!
For those followers that remember the “Highlander” movie, we stopped at the Eileen Donan Castle. www.eileandonancastle.com This is where the filmmakers filmed several scenes. They also filmed the Grand Hall scene in one of the James Bond movies. Just can’t remember which one. I think it was “The World is Not Enough”.
We arrived at the Isle of Skye in the late in the afternoon. Our hotel is a very quaint bed and breakfast with a little chef who is amazing in the kitchen! During our dinner, we were entertained by a Scottish musician who played the accordion, the guitar, and drum. But let’s just say there is something wrong with Buddy Holly being played by a man in kilt on a drum!! Good night to all! Tomorrow we are off to explore the Isle of Skye.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Crannogs, Sheep Doggies, Castles, a Battlefield and a Pile of Rocks
This is a catch up post but the broads will try to make it short. First, thanks to all of you who have commented – it keeps us connected to the USA and our loved ones. We know there are others who are following but not commenting. We LOVE you too!! SWAK!
Wednesday
We left Kenmore headed for our next hotel in Inverness in the Scottish highlands. Our first stop of the day was at the Scottish crannogs visitor center on the Loch Tay. A crannog is quite an amazing pre-historic dwelling built on stilts over the water with a long walk way. (Think wigwam over water..) There are hundreds of them across Scotland and 1,000’s in Ireland. From the artifacts historians are able to piece together the lifestyle of the inhabitants. This link provides a great description of life in the crannog. http://www.crannog.co.uk/.
Next we visited a working sheep farm for a demonstration of how the dogs are used to control the sheep and for a sheep sheering. It is no exaggeration that almost all the hills in the highlands have free-roaming sheep. The actual farm owner performed the demonstration. (For those that remember the movie “Babe”, this guy was the one in the background actually working the dogs and sheep. Movie magic.) The control over the dogs movements was almost unbelievable. We took a few film clips and will try to get them loaded to show the dogs in action. The sheering was fascinating – sheep wool is much thicker than previously thought. After the demonstration, those who wanted were able to bottle feed some of the little lambs and hold baby sheep dogs. Fun day with the sweet sounds of baaaah, baaaah, all the while.
Highlight of the drive – we saw J.K. Rowlings country castle. She also has a house in Edinburgh but sometimes stays in the country. AND, it looked to us like she was home (flag up and cars in the driveway. Woohoo, a brush with a celebrity - almost).
We arrived at the Waterside Inverness tired and wet (still raining off and on) with lots of laundry to wash out. The old broads opted for dinner at the hotel. Our room is BIG by Europe standards, and came with a nice hot pot and packets of tea and coffee. Overall, the rooms have been much bigger on this trip and fancier. We think it is just the Scottish way – proper. It’s hard to believe that in yesteryear the Scots were known as a rough and tumble people.
Friday
Today started with a tasty breakfast in the hotel. I think haggis was on the menu but definitely not on the old broad plates. One guy at our table had smoked haddock though with a poached egg on top – we won’t be ordering that either.
Our first stop today was at the Culloden Battlefield http://www.nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home/ where we learned about the civil war between the government and the jacobites and the battle that culminated at Culloden Battlefield. It was raining (again) so we didn’t send a lot of time on the actual field, just enough to visit the memorial rock structure in the middle. The visitor center did a good job describing the government and civil unrest that existed at that time. Check out the link if you are interested in a little history.
Next we visited Clava Cairns. For the hikers out there you’ll be familiar with the term cairns, which means a man-made pile of stones. The Clava Cairns are Bronze age burial chambers made of stocked stones. http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/scotland/invernesshire/featured-sites/balnuaran-of-clava.html
We ended our tour day with a trip to Cawdor Castle. On the way over we heard a sordid story of the family who own it, drunkenness, affairs, deaths, etc. but in the end the second wife inherited the castle (leaving the kids hung out to dry…). Although part of it is a commercial venue, she still lives in one wing of the castle. It wasn’t at all like other castles we’ve visited (sounds funny doesn’t it to compare to other castles like there are castles on every corner). The rooms were all warm and cozy, lots of fabrics and comfy furniture. WE could live there – REALLY! http://www.cawdorcastle.com/
We’re back in the room, getting ready for dinner at a local pub. Tomorrow we head for the Isle of Skye. No idea how much connectivity we will have there so there could be a delay.
Watch for new pics later today or in the morning.
Wednesday
We left Kenmore headed for our next hotel in Inverness in the Scottish highlands. Our first stop of the day was at the Scottish crannogs visitor center on the Loch Tay. A crannog is quite an amazing pre-historic dwelling built on stilts over the water with a long walk way. (Think wigwam over water..) There are hundreds of them across Scotland and 1,000’s in Ireland. From the artifacts historians are able to piece together the lifestyle of the inhabitants. This link provides a great description of life in the crannog. http://www.crannog.co.uk/.
Next we visited a working sheep farm for a demonstration of how the dogs are used to control the sheep and for a sheep sheering. It is no exaggeration that almost all the hills in the highlands have free-roaming sheep. The actual farm owner performed the demonstration. (For those that remember the movie “Babe”, this guy was the one in the background actually working the dogs and sheep. Movie magic.) The control over the dogs movements was almost unbelievable. We took a few film clips and will try to get them loaded to show the dogs in action. The sheering was fascinating – sheep wool is much thicker than previously thought. After the demonstration, those who wanted were able to bottle feed some of the little lambs and hold baby sheep dogs. Fun day with the sweet sounds of baaaah, baaaah, all the while.
Highlight of the drive – we saw J.K. Rowlings country castle. She also has a house in Edinburgh but sometimes stays in the country. AND, it looked to us like she was home (flag up and cars in the driveway. Woohoo, a brush with a celebrity - almost).
We arrived at the Waterside Inverness tired and wet (still raining off and on) with lots of laundry to wash out. The old broads opted for dinner at the hotel. Our room is BIG by Europe standards, and came with a nice hot pot and packets of tea and coffee. Overall, the rooms have been much bigger on this trip and fancier. We think it is just the Scottish way – proper. It’s hard to believe that in yesteryear the Scots were known as a rough and tumble people.
Friday
Today started with a tasty breakfast in the hotel. I think haggis was on the menu but definitely not on the old broad plates. One guy at our table had smoked haddock though with a poached egg on top – we won’t be ordering that either.
Our first stop today was at the Culloden Battlefield http://www.nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home/ where we learned about the civil war between the government and the jacobites and the battle that culminated at Culloden Battlefield. It was raining (again) so we didn’t send a lot of time on the actual field, just enough to visit the memorial rock structure in the middle. The visitor center did a good job describing the government and civil unrest that existed at that time. Check out the link if you are interested in a little history.
Next we visited Clava Cairns. For the hikers out there you’ll be familiar with the term cairns, which means a man-made pile of stones. The Clava Cairns are Bronze age burial chambers made of stocked stones. http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/scotland/invernesshire/featured-sites/balnuaran-of-clava.html
We ended our tour day with a trip to Cawdor Castle. On the way over we heard a sordid story of the family who own it, drunkenness, affairs, deaths, etc. but in the end the second wife inherited the castle (leaving the kids hung out to dry…). Although part of it is a commercial venue, she still lives in one wing of the castle. It wasn’t at all like other castles we’ve visited (sounds funny doesn’t it to compare to other castles like there are castles on every corner). The rooms were all warm and cozy, lots of fabrics and comfy furniture. WE could live there – REALLY! http://www.cawdorcastle.com/
We’re back in the room, getting ready for dinner at a local pub. Tomorrow we head for the Isle of Skye. No idea how much connectivity we will have there so there could be a delay.
Watch for new pics later today or in the morning.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Days of yore and men with little sticks
We are so behind posting. Wifi was unavailable at our Kenmore hotel due to storms the previous two days. If you recall, there were 40-70 mile per hour winds in Edinburgh and worse in the highlands. Even now we are keying this post in a Word document, hoping to post later tonight when we can get a signal. We (Americans) take so much for granted. Things are not as simple or easy in Europe. Even small things like electrical outlets in a room are sparse, and internet connectivity is “dodgy.”
We started with our usual breakfast at the hotel in Edinburgh. By the way, we have learned that it is not pronounced with a “g” sounds but instead, it is pronounced as “Edinboro.” We DID NOT have haggis again. Once was enough and instead we opted for a safer choice - porridge (oatmeal).
Culross
Our first stop was at a 17th century cottage palace called Culross. The owner of Culross was a local businessman named xxx Bruce. He is known for producing coal and salt and providing many in the area with reasonable pay, thus improving their lives. At this time, the coal mines had become flooded and unusable. Xxx discovered a pump that could drain the mines and put them in production. He also discovered that he could use the slag from the coal mine, which burned very slowly, to produce salt from the nearby sea (google to get more information on how to produce salt from sea water).
We learned about life inside the “palace.” The old broads were a little disgusted at some of the regular habits, in particular the passing of the slop pot in the dining/sitting room. Apparently men and women ate and socialized in separate rooms and it was in bad taste (or not allowed) for any of the men to leave the room before the host. Since hours passed before anyone left, a small metal pot was passed amongst the guests by a servant so they could relieve themselves in the room – can you say eeeewwwww! They were pretty masterful though at modernation inside the home, especially in the kitchen where a series of troughs carved into stone allowed water to collect in a sink and then drain out of the house. Of course, other things also drained in the open troughs, such as the slop pots from the sitting/dining room.
St Andrews
A man hitting little white balls with sticks is pretty much the same all over the world unless of course you are at St. Andrews. Although not proven, St. Andrews claims to be the birthplace of the game of golf. The Old Course is just how it appears on television – windy and regal. It skirts St. Andrews Bay (the North Sea) so it is fiercely windy. To play the Old Course requires a reservation, likely at least one year in advance.
St. Andrews is also the home of Scotland’s most prestigious university – think of it as the Scottish Cambridge. (And the best place to hook up with the prince of your dreams…) The university buildings are ancient and beautiful and the town is typical – full of youngsters being youngsters.
Also in St. Andrews are the remnants of a castle and cathedral. We only had time for the cathedral. Around the time of the Reformation (14th-16th century), St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical of Scotland and the church was its showpiece. Even as a ruin it is beautiful.
On the way to our hotel in Kenmore (no relation to the appliances sold in Sears), we stopped for a quick walk 45 minute through the forest to visit Black Lin Falls. Beautiful, quick moving falls, in a heavily canopied forest. Nice break from riding the bus.
Kenmore
Our final destination of the day was Kenmore, the site of our one-night hotel. One nighters are particularly tough because of you have to unpack to take showers; get out fresh clothes etc. but you have to re-pack the very next morning. The Kenmore hotel is the oldest hotel in Scotland, built in the 1500’s. It sits along the Tay River with a great river view from the dining room. Even though it was barely a pit stop, the hotel was nice and the food was good. Of course, we are now very careful with the breakfast buffet. The Kenmore offered blood pudding for breakfast and, yes, it is as it sounds. Yuk.
Well this catches us up to this morning but we will post separately – this one is getting too long as it is. Plus tonight is a wash night. You just can’t appreciate doing wash until you have to wash everything out in a small sink and then find places all around a room to hang them up. The old broads have a better appreciation for the term “scullery maid.” We are sure that this was their duty and it is not fun. Also, due to the weak internet access, we won’t be posting new pics for a few days.
We started with our usual breakfast at the hotel in Edinburgh. By the way, we have learned that it is not pronounced with a “g” sounds but instead, it is pronounced as “Edinboro.” We DID NOT have haggis again. Once was enough and instead we opted for a safer choice - porridge (oatmeal).
Culross
Our first stop was at a 17th century cottage palace called Culross. The owner of Culross was a local businessman named xxx Bruce. He is known for producing coal and salt and providing many in the area with reasonable pay, thus improving their lives. At this time, the coal mines had become flooded and unusable. Xxx discovered a pump that could drain the mines and put them in production. He also discovered that he could use the slag from the coal mine, which burned very slowly, to produce salt from the nearby sea (google to get more information on how to produce salt from sea water).
We learned about life inside the “palace.” The old broads were a little disgusted at some of the regular habits, in particular the passing of the slop pot in the dining/sitting room. Apparently men and women ate and socialized in separate rooms and it was in bad taste (or not allowed) for any of the men to leave the room before the host. Since hours passed before anyone left, a small metal pot was passed amongst the guests by a servant so they could relieve themselves in the room – can you say eeeewwwww! They were pretty masterful though at modernation inside the home, especially in the kitchen where a series of troughs carved into stone allowed water to collect in a sink and then drain out of the house. Of course, other things also drained in the open troughs, such as the slop pots from the sitting/dining room.
St Andrews
A man hitting little white balls with sticks is pretty much the same all over the world unless of course you are at St. Andrews. Although not proven, St. Andrews claims to be the birthplace of the game of golf. The Old Course is just how it appears on television – windy and regal. It skirts St. Andrews Bay (the North Sea) so it is fiercely windy. To play the Old Course requires a reservation, likely at least one year in advance.
St. Andrews is also the home of Scotland’s most prestigious university – think of it as the Scottish Cambridge. (And the best place to hook up with the prince of your dreams…) The university buildings are ancient and beautiful and the town is typical – full of youngsters being youngsters.
Also in St. Andrews are the remnants of a castle and cathedral. We only had time for the cathedral. Around the time of the Reformation (14th-16th century), St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical of Scotland and the church was its showpiece. Even as a ruin it is beautiful.
On the way to our hotel in Kenmore (no relation to the appliances sold in Sears), we stopped for a quick walk 45 minute through the forest to visit Black Lin Falls. Beautiful, quick moving falls, in a heavily canopied forest. Nice break from riding the bus.
Kenmore
Our final destination of the day was Kenmore, the site of our one-night hotel. One nighters are particularly tough because of you have to unpack to take showers; get out fresh clothes etc. but you have to re-pack the very next morning. The Kenmore hotel is the oldest hotel in Scotland, built in the 1500’s. It sits along the Tay River with a great river view from the dining room. Even though it was barely a pit stop, the hotel was nice and the food was good. Of course, we are now very careful with the breakfast buffet. The Kenmore offered blood pudding for breakfast and, yes, it is as it sounds. Yuk.
Well this catches us up to this morning but we will post separately – this one is getting too long as it is. Plus tonight is a wash night. You just can’t appreciate doing wash until you have to wash everything out in a small sink and then find places all around a room to hang them up. The old broads have a better appreciation for the term “scullery maid.” We are sure that this was their duty and it is not fun. Also, due to the weak internet access, we won’t be posting new pics for a few days.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
In the Highlands
This is going to be a quick post to say we haven't dropped into the obyss. We are in Kenmore, got here late afternoon yesterday. Storms knocked out their wifi so we are keying these few words at a kiosk. Will send more details later today (hope).
Monday, May 23, 2011
New Pics and Natural Disasters
We've added a few Edinburgh pics to the blog. Not near what we've taken but working on Picasa with a small netbook is a little maddening so a few is all we can do.
Wow, the world didn't end earlier this week but things sure have gone to hell in a hand basket. Joplin is SAD, SAD, SAD! We see it every 30 minutes or so on the BBC and of course on the internet. Then there is the volcano that is sending ash our way. And finally, the winds are very strong here, so strong that they have closed some roads and the bridge that we are supposed to take when leaving town tomorrow. Hopefully things will settle down over night and we will be one our way.
Wow, the world didn't end earlier this week but things sure have gone to hell in a hand basket. Joplin is SAD, SAD, SAD! We see it every 30 minutes or so on the BBC and of course on the internet. Then there is the volcano that is sending ash our way. And finally, the winds are very strong here, so strong that they have closed some roads and the bridge that we are supposed to take when leaving town tomorrow. Hopefully things will settle down over night and we will be one our way.
Rain, Wind and A walk to the Castle!
Let's step back a moment to yesterday's adventures. We had been seeing small alley like streets called close. Some examples are Anchor's Close, Fleshmarket Close, Jollie's Close, etc. So curious as to what part they played in Edinburgh's history, we took an underground tour of the Mary King's Close for an unusual look at Edinburgh's gritty and crowded past. (A close is a very narrow 'alley' that ran off of the Royal Mile, the only road in Edinburgh at the time. At night, each close had a door on each end that was locked to protect the residents.) A costumed tour guide led us through a recently excavated underground street and buildings on the north slope of the Royal Mile. This complex structure included up to 14 stories of 'homes' on top of each other. No room much taller than 5'8"-6'. Keep in mind there was no indoor plumbing in those days. So at 7:00 am and 10:00 pm, the youngest member of the family would take the family 'pot' to the door, scream something like "Heads up fools!" Then they would chunk the bucketful of mess out the doorway! Since all the close were tilted toward the lake, all the 'stuff' would drain its way toward the lake. According to our guide, the stories say that no one drank any water. They (including the children) drank some sort of alcohol, malt, ale, whiskey! Imagine the living conditions! Nasty, stinky, and full of disease and rats! What a way to live! Check it out. www.realmarykingsclose.com
Back to today...this morning's excursion started at 9:00 am with a brisk rainy walk to Calton Hill and a look see at the National Monument. As we walked up the hill, the wind started clipping about 60 mph! It was a beautiful view of the city of Edinburgh. However it was difficult to stay on your feet and hold the camera still! Without our trusty Marmot raincoats, these two old broads would have been soaked very quickly! (The weather man has issued Wind Alert for Scotland for the next couple of days.)
While it was a very cold rain, (felt like sleet at times) and the wind roaring around us, it was still a very good walkabout starting at one end of the Royal Mile and ending at the Edinburgh Castle. Along the way, we got a picture of the birthplace of Harry Potter, The Elephant House. This was the coffee shop that JK Rowlings penned the story on napkins while sipping coffee.
We walked to Greyfriars' Church which has several important Scots buried there. But the most famous Scot of all is the little dog "Bobby", a small dog that stood by his master's grave for 14 years. He was immortalized in a 1960's Walt Disney movie, "Greyfriar's Bobby". His story can bring a tear to your eye. He was given the highest honor any two legged person (let alone four legged) can be given for his faithfulness and dedication by the city of Edinburgh. www.greyfriarsbobby.co.uk
The walk to the Edinburgh Castle continued under extremely adverse conditions fighting headwinds and steady rain all the way up the hill. (I personally think after today's efforts, we have earned double our fitness points!)
Edinburgh Castle is considered the birthpace of the city 1,300 years ago. A regal fortress overlooking the city that was once on the shores of a lake before more room was needed for the city. Really too much detail to go into here. But read up on it at www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk But they continue a tradition to fire a cannon from the top of the castle wall at 1:00 every afternoon (except Sunday) to give ships in the bay something to set their navigataion devices by. (The frugal Scots don't fire it at high noon, as that would cost 11 additional rounds a day! LOL!)
After our walk through the castle, we had the afternoon and evening free. So we wandered down from the hill looking in little shops, and stopping at St Giles Church. It started rainy again, so we popped into a Starbucks for a cup of latte to wait it out.
We are now back in our hotel, but will have to go out in search of dinner very shortly. It's not raining anymore, but the wind is still giving it heck! We have a Chinese restaurant at the end of the block so I think that may be on the agenda. Tomorrow morning at 8:45 we get on the bus for the next leg of our trip.
We have been online watching the weather in the midwest. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and families in Joplin! Have also seen the line of storms coming through Arkansas. Be safe everyone!
Back to today...this morning's excursion started at 9:00 am with a brisk rainy walk to Calton Hill and a look see at the National Monument. As we walked up the hill, the wind started clipping about 60 mph! It was a beautiful view of the city of Edinburgh. However it was difficult to stay on your feet and hold the camera still! Without our trusty Marmot raincoats, these two old broads would have been soaked very quickly! (The weather man has issued Wind Alert for Scotland for the next couple of days.)
While it was a very cold rain, (felt like sleet at times) and the wind roaring around us, it was still a very good walkabout starting at one end of the Royal Mile and ending at the Edinburgh Castle. Along the way, we got a picture of the birthplace of Harry Potter, The Elephant House. This was the coffee shop that JK Rowlings penned the story on napkins while sipping coffee.
We walked to Greyfriars' Church which has several important Scots buried there. But the most famous Scot of all is the little dog "Bobby", a small dog that stood by his master's grave for 14 years. He was immortalized in a 1960's Walt Disney movie, "Greyfriar's Bobby". His story can bring a tear to your eye. He was given the highest honor any two legged person (let alone four legged) can be given for his faithfulness and dedication by the city of Edinburgh. www.greyfriarsbobby.co.uk
The walk to the Edinburgh Castle continued under extremely adverse conditions fighting headwinds and steady rain all the way up the hill. (I personally think after today's efforts, we have earned double our fitness points!)
Edinburgh Castle is considered the birthpace of the city 1,300 years ago. A regal fortress overlooking the city that was once on the shores of a lake before more room was needed for the city. Really too much detail to go into here. But read up on it at www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk But they continue a tradition to fire a cannon from the top of the castle wall at 1:00 every afternoon (except Sunday) to give ships in the bay something to set their navigataion devices by. (The frugal Scots don't fire it at high noon, as that would cost 11 additional rounds a day! LOL!)
After our walk through the castle, we had the afternoon and evening free. So we wandered down from the hill looking in little shops, and stopping at St Giles Church. It started rainy again, so we popped into a Starbucks for a cup of latte to wait it out.
We are now back in our hotel, but will have to go out in search of dinner very shortly. It's not raining anymore, but the wind is still giving it heck! We have a Chinese restaurant at the end of the block so I think that may be on the agenda. Tomorrow morning at 8:45 we get on the bus for the next leg of our trip.
We have been online watching the weather in the midwest. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and families in Joplin! Have also seen the line of storms coming through Arkansas. Be safe everyone!
Haggis - The Breakfast of Champions
Not much time to blog this morning - will catch up tonight. Met our tour group last night, ate and hiked back to the room.
We decided to try the full Scottish breakfast this morning at the urging of our Scottish tour guide. It had many local delicacies such as "HAGGIS." See the definition below. We are off for the day but will post new pics later.
Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach. YUMMY!!!!
We decided to try the full Scottish breakfast this morning at the urging of our Scottish tour guide. It had many local delicacies such as "HAGGIS." See the definition below. We are off for the day but will post new pics later.
Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach. YUMMY!!!!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
You Can't Escape "The Gaga"
Wow, what a great night's sleep. Nice soft beds and REAL pillows. Woohoo. It's about 10 degrees cooler here but even so, we slept with a window slightly open. It was peaceful until somewhere around 7:00 a.m. one old broad heard a loud voice outside, "one, two, three...." For a brief moment, we thought it might be the beginning of the end, you know, maybe delayed start.
At breakfast we discovered the source of the loud voice, the Edinburgh marathon is this morning and we were hearing the organizers test the sound system. The marathon route is literally just outside our hotel. They are expecting 20,000 participants - big race. With any marathon there is lots of loud music, and of course, it is predominantly Lady Gaga.
Raincoats are definitely in order. Blowing mist this morning. Old Broads are always prepared though, one of the benefits of being Old - wisdom. HA! We're off this morning to take a tour underneath the city http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/03/11/1063836.htm and get a few essentials, i.e., shampoo, body wash, chocolate, etc. Until later...
At breakfast we discovered the source of the loud voice, the Edinburgh marathon is this morning and we were hearing the organizers test the sound system. The marathon route is literally just outside our hotel. They are expecting 20,000 participants - big race. With any marathon there is lots of loud music, and of course, it is predominantly Lady Gaga.
Raincoats are definitely in order. Blowing mist this morning. Old Broads are always prepared though, one of the benefits of being Old - wisdom. HA! We're off this morning to take a tour underneath the city http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/03/11/1063836.htm and get a few essentials, i.e., shampoo, body wash, chocolate, etc. Until later...
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Life without ICE!!!
Those of you following this blog just don't know what it is NOT to have ice!! Never take it for granted! Cherish every sliver, chunk, and cube!!
Here if you ask for ice, you will get two cubes (maybe three if they are smaller in size) for an entire glass of liquid. In fact, at the theater, they were selling bottles of cold water and hot diet cokes!! AGH!!!
But on a postive note...we have a hot water kettle and a couple of bags of English Earl Grey tea in our room! HAHA!!
Sleep tight all!
Here if you ask for ice, you will get two cubes (maybe three if they are smaller in size) for an entire glass of liquid. In fact, at the theater, they were selling bottles of cold water and hot diet cokes!! AGH!!!
But on a postive note...we have a hot water kettle and a couple of bags of English Earl Grey tea in our room! HAHA!!
Sleep tight all!
There is Plaid in them ther' hills!!
We have arrived! We are officially in Scotland. Let's walk back in time for a few.....
This morning was somewhat lazy...no rush to go any where or see anything. We actually slept in this morning until 6:15!! We spent the morning trying to figure out how we had been able to get all our stuff into our suitcase so neatly before. And we haven't really bought anything.
Once packed, we got back on the Tube and headed to Heathrow Airport which is about an hour traing right from the hotel. Navigating the subway dragging a suitcase and backpack did not leave a lot of room for maneuvering! But we made it. We did notice the security measures at Heathrow Airport are much more throughout and efficient. Linda apparently looked suspicious as she was pulled to the side and her suitcase swabbed for explosive residue! Then our pictures were taken by the first security stop. Then we walked to security as we know it in the states...remove shoes and jackets, put everything in the bin, etc.... Well, again Linda being the suspicious looking person she is, her bag was pulled aside and manually searched because she was carrying too many electrical items! Let's see...hmmm phone charger, hair dryer, computer power cords?!?!?? (Oh well, we understood their precautions since Heathrow has been targetted in the past by terroristic acts. Better to be safe that sorry!)
Once it was time to bro9ad our flight, we had to go through yet two more 'checkpoints'. At the first one they scanned and matched our ticket to the picture that was taken at the very beginning of the process. Then at the second desk, they scanned the ticket again and this matched to the airline records. Amazing process.
Flight was pretty uneventful. They did offer free alcohol on the flight. This was not just wine and beer... whiskey, scotch, whatever you wanted. Totally free of charge. LIMIT ONE PER PASSENGER.
We arrived in Edinburgh promptly at 5:25 this evening. We found the bus express that carried us very quickly to the City Center. Then we had to hike about a 15 minute walk uphill dragging our bags which wasn't really that bad...until it started raining about mid way! (Memories came flooding back of Sorrento Italy at 5:00 a.m. walking to catch a bus to our next destination! LOL!)
Our hotel is really very 'modern'. Again, no air conditioning. But the shower has awesome water pressure and lots of hot water!! HEAVEN!
Well, its getting late here and we want to get up early tomorrow to watch a major marathon race that will be taking place in the city. We get to meet our touring group tomorrow evening! That is always fun..More on all that tomorrow! Nitey nite friends and family.
This morning was somewhat lazy...no rush to go any where or see anything. We actually slept in this morning until 6:15!! We spent the morning trying to figure out how we had been able to get all our stuff into our suitcase so neatly before. And we haven't really bought anything.
Once packed, we got back on the Tube and headed to Heathrow Airport which is about an hour traing right from the hotel. Navigating the subway dragging a suitcase and backpack did not leave a lot of room for maneuvering! But we made it. We did notice the security measures at Heathrow Airport are much more throughout and efficient. Linda apparently looked suspicious as she was pulled to the side and her suitcase swabbed for explosive residue! Then our pictures were taken by the first security stop. Then we walked to security as we know it in the states...remove shoes and jackets, put everything in the bin, etc.... Well, again Linda being the suspicious looking person she is, her bag was pulled aside and manually searched because she was carrying too many electrical items! Let's see...hmmm phone charger, hair dryer, computer power cords?!?!?? (Oh well, we understood their precautions since Heathrow has been targetted in the past by terroristic acts. Better to be safe that sorry!)
Once it was time to bro9ad our flight, we had to go through yet two more 'checkpoints'. At the first one they scanned and matched our ticket to the picture that was taken at the very beginning of the process. Then at the second desk, they scanned the ticket again and this matched to the airline records. Amazing process.
Flight was pretty uneventful. They did offer free alcohol on the flight. This was not just wine and beer... whiskey, scotch, whatever you wanted. Totally free of charge. LIMIT ONE PER PASSENGER.
We arrived in Edinburgh promptly at 5:25 this evening. We found the bus express that carried us very quickly to the City Center. Then we had to hike about a 15 minute walk uphill dragging our bags which wasn't really that bad...until it started raining about mid way! (Memories came flooding back of Sorrento Italy at 5:00 a.m. walking to catch a bus to our next destination! LOL!)
Our hotel is really very 'modern'. Again, no air conditioning. But the shower has awesome water pressure and lots of hot water!! HEAVEN!
Well, its getting late here and we want to get up early tomorrow to watch a major marathon race that will be taking place in the city. We get to meet our touring group tomorrow evening! That is always fun..More on all that tomorrow! Nitey nite friends and family.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Well it's Saturday morning and here's a recap of yesterday.
Word for the day - pasty or pasties. No it's not what you first might think (get your minds out of the gutter), it's typically a meat filled pie that looks something like a large turnover. After hearing "where's my pasty" several times last night during the Billy Elliott play, we finally realized it was something to eat and not the other (you know what we mean) because she was an old woman.
Yesterday started with a quick underground ride to the British Museum. Lots to see there but tops on our list was the Rosetta Stone. The scoop on the stone is it provided the information needed to decipher Hieroglyphics. Cal, if you are following the blog, we will be bringing you a different version of the "stone" that demystifies healthcare reform. Can you imagine, the answers were here all along. The museum had a vast amount of Egyptian statuary, mummies and sarcophagus (people shaped, sometimes ornate container for the dead). The Egyptian's mummified lots of things, cows, alligators, and lots of cats! http://www.britishmuseum.org/
From there we "tubed" to Liecester square to hunt down some discount theatre tickets. This particular line was deep underground (you know there are just layers and layers of underground traffic). Upon arrival, we had to actually take an elevator to the top instead of stairs or an escalator. I think we were close to the center of the earth. This underground ride and the elevator were exceptionally crowded too, like 50 shriner clowns crammed into a VW bug. After snagging our discount tickets and grabbing a quick "slice" for lunch, we went back to the underground station. Now this is where one old broad suggested walking to the center of the earth instead of the elevator clown ride. Okay, we walk, walked and walked - spiral steps forever - 175 steps. Doesn't sound like much but the steps were narrow and it WAS A SPIRAL!!
From there we arrived a Westminister and the Parliment buildings. We intended to go in but it was CROWDED, LONG LINES. Pictures of the outside will have to suffice. We will have to be satisfied with seeing the inside during the recent William and Kate wedding. We were, however, able to stand exactly where they stood when entering from the side of the church. No vibes but for just a moment we both felt rather royal (of course the old broads feel royal most of the time, or maybe that is just royal pains in the ......).
The old broads were tired and spent a couple of hours napping, texting and on the internet before dinner and the play. Dinner was at Jenny Lo's around the corner. Good asian cuisine on the cheap. Walked to the play, again in our neighborhood. http://www.billyelliotthemusical.com/home.php. Very British play - storyline and diction. Sometimes hard to understand and some of the humor was Benny Hill like.
Today is a travel day. Leaving in a couple of hours for Edinburgh, which means a couple of entertaining tube rides with luggage and finding our way around Heathrow. We will have tonight and all day tomorrow before meeting up with our tour group at 5:00 p.m. We will have a chance to get settled, go to a laundrymat (been washing clothes in the sink - drying undies in the windows). Will be in touch later this evening after we settle in for the night.
Word for the day - pasty or pasties. No it's not what you first might think (get your minds out of the gutter), it's typically a meat filled pie that looks something like a large turnover. After hearing "where's my pasty" several times last night during the Billy Elliott play, we finally realized it was something to eat and not the other (you know what we mean) because she was an old woman.
Yesterday started with a quick underground ride to the British Museum. Lots to see there but tops on our list was the Rosetta Stone. The scoop on the stone is it provided the information needed to decipher Hieroglyphics. Cal, if you are following the blog, we will be bringing you a different version of the "stone" that demystifies healthcare reform. Can you imagine, the answers were here all along. The museum had a vast amount of Egyptian statuary, mummies and sarcophagus (people shaped, sometimes ornate container for the dead). The Egyptian's mummified lots of things, cows, alligators, and lots of cats! http://www.britishmuseum.org/
From there we "tubed" to Liecester square to hunt down some discount theatre tickets. This particular line was deep underground (you know there are just layers and layers of underground traffic). Upon arrival, we had to actually take an elevator to the top instead of stairs or an escalator. I think we were close to the center of the earth. This underground ride and the elevator were exceptionally crowded too, like 50 shriner clowns crammed into a VW bug. After snagging our discount tickets and grabbing a quick "slice" for lunch, we went back to the underground station. Now this is where one old broad suggested walking to the center of the earth instead of the elevator clown ride. Okay, we walk, walked and walked - spiral steps forever - 175 steps. Doesn't sound like much but the steps were narrow and it WAS A SPIRAL!!
From there we arrived a Westminister and the Parliment buildings. We intended to go in but it was CROWDED, LONG LINES. Pictures of the outside will have to suffice. We will have to be satisfied with seeing the inside during the recent William and Kate wedding. We were, however, able to stand exactly where they stood when entering from the side of the church. No vibes but for just a moment we both felt rather royal (of course the old broads feel royal most of the time, or maybe that is just royal pains in the ......).
The old broads were tired and spent a couple of hours napping, texting and on the internet before dinner and the play. Dinner was at Jenny Lo's around the corner. Good asian cuisine on the cheap. Walked to the play, again in our neighborhood. http://www.billyelliotthemusical.com/home.php. Very British play - storyline and diction. Sometimes hard to understand and some of the humor was Benny Hill like.
Today is a travel day. Leaving in a couple of hours for Edinburgh, which means a couple of entertaining tube rides with luggage and finding our way around Heathrow. We will have tonight and all day tomorrow before meeting up with our tour group at 5:00 p.m. We will have a chance to get settled, go to a laundrymat (been washing clothes in the sink - drying undies in the windows). Will be in touch later this evening after we settle in for the night.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Pictures Have Begun
We've posted a few pictures - pretty random order. Double click on the picture if you want to see it in full screen and you can turn on captions in the left corner. Resting now. Going to another play tonight - Billy Elliott. Post a full report of today's adventures later.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
It's Lonely Out Here
Oh, by the way - your comments are welcome. It makes us feel all warm inside. (And who got voted off American Idol?)
All Things Wicked and Dinner with Americans
OMG!! We are just home from the play - Wicked - and that it was - wicked, outrageously good. But first dinner.
After a little after rest, we mosied down the street to the Ebury Wine bar for a little dinner and of course some vino (afterall, why go to a wine bar to just eat). Dinner was simple, not the best but good enough and the wine was tasty. The old broads struck up some dinner conversation with our neighbors, an older couple (yes, there are actually older travelers than us) from Vancouver, Washington. Didn't know there was such a place but they assured us they didn't live in British Columbia, the "other" Vancouver. Nice couple. They have truly traveled the world, exotic places like Egypt, Greece, andAfrica, where they slept in tents on the Seringetti (sp?). It was great to swap stories with folks who are as passionate about traveling.
Okay, back to the play. Wicked has been at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London since 2006. The theatre itself is beautiful - large but intimate - very ornate. The setting and costumes were lavish. The play is based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
The vocals prompted tears a few times - it was that good. (If you were ever in doubt, the old broads really ARE a couple of old softies - battleaxes, yes - but still pretty marshmellowy.)
Okay so totally off the subject, we have been earning our Fitness Challenge checkpoints. In fact, we think Becky Fortenbury should approve extra credit for all the stairs - remember 6 flights every time we leave our room. Forget something, it's 6 flights to retrieve it. We should have incredibly well toned rumps before its all said and done.
Micki, we haven't seen a single cat since getting here and tonight was the first time we saw any dogs. What's up with that? In our other travels there were animals everywhere, like in Germany where people bring their dogs to dinner in the resturants. It might be a city thing. We're hoping for a little more pet action when we get into the countryside. Well it's late and we have a big day planned tomorrow, Westminister, British Museum, Templers Church, and House of Parliment (got to see those guys in the wigs). Until later....
After a little after rest, we mosied down the street to the Ebury Wine bar for a little dinner and of course some vino (afterall, why go to a wine bar to just eat). Dinner was simple, not the best but good enough and the wine was tasty. The old broads struck up some dinner conversation with our neighbors, an older couple (yes, there are actually older travelers than us) from Vancouver, Washington. Didn't know there was such a place but they assured us they didn't live in British Columbia, the "other" Vancouver. Nice couple. They have truly traveled the world, exotic places like Egypt, Greece, andAfrica, where they slept in tents on the Seringetti (sp?). It was great to swap stories with folks who are as passionate about traveling.
Okay, back to the play. Wicked has been at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London since 2006. The theatre itself is beautiful - large but intimate - very ornate. The setting and costumes were lavish. The play is based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
The vocals prompted tears a few times - it was that good. (If you were ever in doubt, the old broads really ARE a couple of old softies - battleaxes, yes - but still pretty marshmellowy.)
Okay so totally off the subject, we have been earning our Fitness Challenge checkpoints. In fact, we think Becky Fortenbury should approve extra credit for all the stairs - remember 6 flights every time we leave our room. Forget something, it's 6 flights to retrieve it. We should have incredibly well toned rumps before its all said and done.
Micki, we haven't seen a single cat since getting here and tonight was the first time we saw any dogs. What's up with that? In our other travels there were animals everywhere, like in Germany where people bring their dogs to dinner in the resturants. It might be a city thing. We're hoping for a little more pet action when we get into the countryside. Well it's late and we have a big day planned tomorrow, Westminister, British Museum, Templers Church, and House of Parliment (got to see those guys in the wigs). Until later....
Always listen to the English lady....
Cheerio ya'll!! Our day started with a great breakfast here at the B&B. Eggs, bacon, and toast. Very English you think?! We took your advice, Lin. We walked to the Big Bus Tour office and purchased tickets to see the sights from the top of a hop-on /hop-off traditional double decker bus. While we were talking to the English lady behind the counter, she asked if we had jackets with us. Of course, we didn't but it was a beautiful morning in the lower 50s with the sun shining brightly. Who needed a jacket?! She indicated that we would! English weather can be deceiving. She also indicated that if we went to the Tower of London, we would need at least 3 hours. So we took her advice and went back to grab a jacket thinking we would end up carrying the dang things by lunch! Lo and behold, as soon as we got on the bus...the jackets were very welcome items! In fact, we never took them off the rest of the day. We saw loads of places, but our main target for the day was the Tower and the Jewels! We also thought we could catch a couple of smaller attractions in the afternoon.
During our ride, the tour guide on the bus shared yet some more British vocabulary with us. Word for day is "dodgey" meaning something unstable, uncertain, or shady in character. The saying of the day is "One more for the road". This saying came from the practice of allowing prisoners on their way to the gallows 1 pint of ale before going down the road to the gallows and their certain death. Puts a whole new light on drinking and driving doesn't it!? We were diverted through a different route due to traffic congestion but this time luck was on our side! We actually got to see the horse guards that protect Buckingham Palace parade down the street and arrive back at St James Palace. Very cool! We arrived at the Tower and hopped off the bus....once it had stopped rolling. We had not realized that the Tower of London wasn't just one tower...it is really a series of buildings within double walls. We figured we better grab a bit of lunch before crossing over the drawbridge into the Tower. We treated ourselves to traditional fish and chips! Yum, but a bit greasy.,
Once we crossed the drawbridge that many royals and commoners had crossed to certain imprisonment and/or death, we were lost in the history and legacy of a much harsher British life. With the help of the audio guide headsets, we trapsed up and down various levels of living chambers, torture chambers, vaults, dungeons and prison cells. Before we knew it, we had been at the Tower over 3 1/2 hours! But ladies! Those jewels and gold adornments are awesome! One crown has a single white diamond with 530 carats!! We did have a chance to see the stone-faced, red-coated, bear-skin hatted guards standing guard over the private residence of director of the Tower facility and over the building containing the Crown Jewels. (We got some video of one in action that we will post to the blog.) They don't smile, move without precision movement or even sweat! BORING job!!
Also we learned during our visit that legend has it if the Ravens (the real birds) ever leave the Tower, the kingdom and the Tower fortress would fall. So just in case, the Ravenmaster keeps a close eye on the resident ravens. (Let's just say they are a big as a small domestic turkey!! Suckers couldn't fly off if they wanted too! Too dang big!)
Once we wandered back out to the street, we hopped back on the Big Bus Tour bus and rode our way back through the later part of London toward our hotel. So now we are enjoying our afternoon tea and crumbets ...and resting our feet. Later we are off to the Apollo-Victoria theater for an evening performance of Wicked!
During our ride, the tour guide on the bus shared yet some more British vocabulary with us. Word for day is "dodgey" meaning something unstable, uncertain, or shady in character. The saying of the day is "One more for the road". This saying came from the practice of allowing prisoners on their way to the gallows 1 pint of ale before going down the road to the gallows and their certain death. Puts a whole new light on drinking and driving doesn't it!? We were diverted through a different route due to traffic congestion but this time luck was on our side! We actually got to see the horse guards that protect Buckingham Palace parade down the street and arrive back at St James Palace. Very cool! We arrived at the Tower and hopped off the bus....once it had stopped rolling. We had not realized that the Tower of London wasn't just one tower...it is really a series of buildings within double walls. We figured we better grab a bit of lunch before crossing over the drawbridge into the Tower. We treated ourselves to traditional fish and chips! Yum, but a bit greasy.,
Once we crossed the drawbridge that many royals and commoners had crossed to certain imprisonment and/or death, we were lost in the history and legacy of a much harsher British life. With the help of the audio guide headsets, we trapsed up and down various levels of living chambers, torture chambers, vaults, dungeons and prison cells. Before we knew it, we had been at the Tower over 3 1/2 hours! But ladies! Those jewels and gold adornments are awesome! One crown has a single white diamond with 530 carats!! We did have a chance to see the stone-faced, red-coated, bear-skin hatted guards standing guard over the private residence of director of the Tower facility and over the building containing the Crown Jewels. (We got some video of one in action that we will post to the blog.) They don't smile, move without precision movement or even sweat! BORING job!!
Also we learned during our visit that legend has it if the Ravens (the real birds) ever leave the Tower, the kingdom and the Tower fortress would fall. So just in case, the Ravenmaster keeps a close eye on the resident ravens. (Let's just say they are a big as a small domestic turkey!! Suckers couldn't fly off if they wanted too! Too dang big!)
Once we wandered back out to the street, we hopped back on the Big Bus Tour bus and rode our way back through the later part of London toward our hotel. So now we are enjoying our afternoon tea and crumbets ...and resting our feet. Later we are off to the Apollo-Victoria theater for an evening performance of Wicked!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Dim Sum, Rain and Then Some (More Day 1)
Well after a shower and a little rest, the old broads had to get out into London. And why stay in your own quiet neighborhood when a few short tube stops away (no, that's not tube socks), you are in the heart of some real London action. We decided around 3:30 p.m. that, hey we could make it to the Tower of London in time to look around this afternoon. It didn't close until 5:30 so no problem. Well that was until we arrived to find that the "Tower of London" is actually a huge castle with lots of towers. Guess we didn't retain enough of our pre-trip reading. It wasn't a bust though. We had a nice casual walk around the castle and were delighted with a a great view of the London Bridge. There was a nice breeze and we were feeling pretty peppy after our little rest.
We decided to eat dinner. It was about lunch time Arkansas time and we hadn't had a meal since the night before, unless you count a croissant and a little yogurt for breakfast right before landing in London (which was around 12:30 Arkansas time - not when you normally eat breakfast). Found a spiffy dim sum restuarant with a view of a river harbour. Eating outside is one of the two old broads favorite ways to dine. It's not really caught on in the states but Europe is full of outside dining. We ordered a multi-course sharing menu and a couple of glasses of wine. The appetizer came out and I can only compare how it looked to pork rinds. However, it smelled like fish and came with a very spicy dipping sauce - strange but good. Next came a series of small trays, baskets and plates until our little table could hold no more. It was an interesting variety of small and sometimes strange morsels. Our walk back to the station was hurried by a little rain. We noticed that no one seems to care much about the rain. No panic about the hairdo or getting clothes a little wet. People just keep moving with no fuss. Kind of nice so we did the same (one old broad did cheat a little though by holding a newpaper up to keep the rain out of her face).
We're back in the room relaxing with tea and lattes (on tap 24/7 in the B&B lobby). Be back tomorrow with some pics. We're headed back out to the Tower, Bridge and seeing Wicked tomorrow night at the Appolo Victoria theatre.
P.S. Newly learned terms - Twit (stupid person), tipple (alcoholic drink)
We decided to eat dinner. It was about lunch time Arkansas time and we hadn't had a meal since the night before, unless you count a croissant and a little yogurt for breakfast right before landing in London (which was around 12:30 Arkansas time - not when you normally eat breakfast). Found a spiffy dim sum restuarant with a view of a river harbour. Eating outside is one of the two old broads favorite ways to dine. It's not really caught on in the states but Europe is full of outside dining. We ordered a multi-course sharing menu and a couple of glasses of wine. The appetizer came out and I can only compare how it looked to pork rinds. However, it smelled like fish and came with a very spicy dipping sauce - strange but good. Next came a series of small trays, baskets and plates until our little table could hold no more. It was an interesting variety of small and sometimes strange morsels. Our walk back to the station was hurried by a little rain. We noticed that no one seems to care much about the rain. No panic about the hairdo or getting clothes a little wet. People just keep moving with no fuss. Kind of nice so we did the same (one old broad did cheat a little though by holding a newpaper up to keep the rain out of her face).
We're back in the room relaxing with tea and lattes (on tap 24/7 in the B&B lobby). Be back tomorrow with some pics. We're headed back out to the Tower, Bridge and seeing Wicked tomorrow night at the Appolo Victoria theatre.
P.S. Newly learned terms - Twit (stupid person), tipple (alcoholic drink)
Day 1
Hooray, we made it! Nine hours to get across the "pond" from Dallas. That's 7,000+ miles in coach - ouch! We started the trip off right with a champagne toast over Arkansas and then hunkered down for the rest of the flight. Can't complain too much though with individual televisions and remote controls at each seat. Yesserie, we were entertained with re-runs of NCIS and Bones. We decided to continue our "coach" approach by taking the "tube" to our hotel from Heathrow. An hour later, two tranfers and a short walk, and we are in our hotel. We are in the Belgravia neighborhood. Very residential looking. Our hotel is a B&B and when they described it as tight and tangled old guest house, they weren't kidding. It's tiny but quaint. Our room is six flights of stairs up, on the top. No elevator!! But those stairs are no match for the two old broads - a skip and a hop and we were up the stairs with our bags (or maybe it was a grunt and groan and up the stairs). We're not planning on doing much today but getting familiar with the neighborhood, getting a good meal and a full night's sleep. Afterall, tomorrow we may be spending time with royalty. The queen is off to Ireland but I'm sure Kate and William would be happy to spend time with a couple of old Arkansas broads. Until next time - cheerio!
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