Scotland 2009 Part 2

Tuesday morning in Edinburgh saw us back in Two Thin Laddies for another incredible breakfast.  What is one of the multitude of wonderful things about holidays?  No freakin’ alarm clock!  Yay yay yay yay! 

There may be quite a bit of mention of food in these tales…the food is a bit different in Scotland…but we really didn’t eat that much (basically two meals a day) and I maintained my weight while Dave gained a few pounds (the beer/ales?).  Vacations/holidays have a tendency to add pounds, but this time I stayed steady on the scale.

Sitting near us in the cafe that morning was a younger-than-me woman knitting and sipping a hot drink.  After Dave left to go take care of some business, the woman and I struck up a conversation, being sister knitters.  Yes, traveling abroad is about taking in the scenery and the sights but, for me, the experience of talking with the people is not to be overlooked.  In visiting with Scottish women, one finds that we may have different accents, different fashions, and so forth; however, we are sister women and very much alike in what really matters in life.  I truly enjoyed my impromptu time with this woman in the cafe, both of us sipping from our cups.

At about 11 AM we set off for The Highlands and Glencoe, Dave negotiating our wee Vauxhall through all the roadworks and detours in Edinburgh.  One thing we noted over and over was all the construction/roadworks in Edinburgh.  Indeed, the same scaffolding that was in place 2 years ago about a block from the flat was still there…the construction project seemingly unchanged in 18 months’ time.

In getting out of Edinburgh, we ended up stopping at a convenience store/gas station picked at random.  Interestingly, I recognized it from previous times stopped there.  Over and over I was amused and comforted by recognizing different places in Scotland.  It amazes me that a country halfway around the globe now is so familiar to me….a place I call my other country, my other home….Riding in the car, walking through Edinburgh alone….I no longer consider myself a tourist but perhaps an adopted daughter of this land that on each visit graciously welcomes me into her bosom for comfort, spiritual experiences, the joys of family, and a deepening of the love I have for my Scotsman who shares his life with me in Texas.

Pointing our little Vauxhall north, we traced the route we have traveled twice before, stopping in Collander for a break and to watch the ducks and swans on the water, and stopping for lunch/tea at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel on the fringe of Glencoe.  After leaving Edinburgh, the weather deteriorated to the point that by the time we reached the Bridge of Orchy it was pouring and very chilly.  The hotel pub was filled with walkers trekking the West Highland Way.  Needless to say, Dave and I were the driest people in the pub.  “Um, gee, hope that guy doesn’t drip onto my sandwich….” 

One of the reasons we chose the month of May for our trip was Dave said the weather in Scotland can be very nice in May.

Entering Glencoe, “The Valley of Weeping,” I was once again struck by the beauty, majesty, strength, and peace of the place.  It is indeed the home of my soul.

Ever since learning about Scotland, I have wanted to stay at The Clachaig Inn and this trip saw us booked at the Inn for three nights.  You can check out their Web site here.  I had reserved a room shown on their site because of the view.  Turns out it was very cozy in a quiet corner of the inn with large windows giving us a view from our beds that was…incredibly breathtaking.  That was a good thing, because the weather caused us to spend quite a bit of time enjoying leisure time and the view from our respective twin beds.

I had also chosen the Clachaig because of its two pubs and full-service menu until 9 PM.  Figuring we would be out roaming around during the days, it might be handy to be able to get something to eat after returning to the Inn in the evenings.  We had our first meal in Glencoe at the Inn that late afternoon and, fortunately for us, the food was outstanding.  We arrived on Tuesday, departed on Friday for Edinburgh, and took all our meals at the Inn. 

After nightfall that first evening, the rain abated for a while and we had a nice walk down the lane back to the main highway.  Walking the banks of the River Coe, we realized what we heard from our room (with the window open) was this river making its way down to Loch Leven.  With the return of the downpour, we passed time in the warm pub until its closing time.  Dave had a sampling of the various cask ales and got a wee silly.  He certainly deserved all the silly evenings in Scotland!

Awakening to daylight at 5:41 AM the next morning, we had a pre-breakfast walk down one of the trails near the Inn in brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures.  The breakfast provided by the Inn was quite good.  I had the Boar Breakfast – egg any way you want, bacon, wild boar sausage, tomatoes, a potato scone, toast and tea.  Dave went for The Whole Hog Breakfast, which was all of the above but with the addition of haggis (yummy but rich…and you really don’t want me to tell you what parts of the sheep make up this dish), and black pudding.  He had mushrooms, too, which I had opted out of that early in the morning.

By the time we headed to the car at 10:30 AM to jaunt over to nearby Oban…it….was….raining.  Seemed like every time in The Highlands we even talked about getting in the car and going somewhere, the rains either started or increased in ferocity.  Ah well, we ventured forth and drove the twisty-turny road to Oban.  I’m sure this harbor town is a pleasure to walk about…when the weather obliges.  On that day, however, it was miserable…pouring rain and chilly.  I did purchase a very useful pair of knitted fingerless gloves.  Used ‘em that day and every day thereafter on the entire trip.  Dave got a nice warm pullover sweater.  Seeing as the forecast was for gale-force winds, several inches of rain and blizzard conditions on the mountains, we cut short our Oban visit.  The forecast was not any better (perhaps even a bit worse) for the following day, so we stopped on the way back to the Inn to stock up on snacks.

Safely back at the Inn, the rain and winds had increased in strength.  Just when you thought it could not possibly rain any harder…it did. 

Have you heard the weather in Scotland during May can be quite nice?  Yeah…um…right.

Our afternoon meal was Cajun Salmon, chips (the equivalent of French fries in the States but much better and more real), coleslaw and a green salad.  Divine.

Back in our room, boots were shucked off and we took in the view from our little beds…both of us dozing off and on.  I took some time to update my journal.

Our plans for The Highlands were to indulge in much walking and taking the ferry over to the Isle of Mull on one of the days.  Needless to say, these plans were waylaid by the weather.  Truly The Valley of Weeping, Glencoe apparently knew just what I needed more than I did….imposed rest….downtime.  Time to play with my camera, time for introspection and spiritual renewal, quiet time, and the display by Mother Nature of such splendor as extreme stormy weather brings.

This was a side of Glencoe I had never seen before.  The drowsy streams coming down the mountains now transformed into rushing torrents and cascading waterfalls.  The accumulation of additional snow on the mountain peaks greeting us with each new day.  The time spent in the pub (a favorite of climbers and walkers) soaking up the atmosphere…taking pleasure in seeing Dave totally enjoying himself in such a typically Scottish environment.  Being gifted with a complete rainbow this day stretching from the base of one mountain to the base of another during a brief interlude in the downpour.

Breakfast the second day was just as yummy as everything else we consumed at the Inn.  This day saw us headed to Fort William, a town with many memories for Dave.  I got a sweater at Nevis Sport, a favorite outdoor shop of Dave’s.  We wandered the High Street…stopping for me to document in photos an outdoor meat market.  Walking those cobbles for the third time, I had the same sense of familiarity.  Comforting, that.  The Loch waters were quite choppy and we agreed foregoing the ferry to Mull was a good move.

Back at the car, we intended to head out to Ben Nevis, a very high mountain in Scotland.  Well, we did that after waiting for it to stop sleeting.  Sheesh.  (I hear Scotland can be quite lovely in May.)  This is a wee road that leaves from Fort William and twists and turns for a while out to Ben Nevis.  Love that road…very snake-like and fun to ride in the car…I’d love to drive it sometime!  Okay, so we stopped at the Lower Falls to admire them and take photos.  Yep, it was raining.  On our way back to Fort William, we stopped at a couple of places for more photo ops.

Did you know Dave has walked up to the peak of Ben Nevis twice?  Once waaaay back when, an event that was documented by a newspaper.  Cool, huh?

Back at the Inn in the afternoon, I was ready for dinner, so I tried the Chili Beef Burrito.  Yummy!  Dave had lentil soup at that point and then a proper dinner later in the evening.   At that late hour, I nursed a cup of tea and watched him eat.  <grin>

One new dish to me this trip was Clootie Dumpling.  We kidded that the name sounds like a 20s or 30s actress….you surely remember Clootie Dumpling?  What is it?  Think dark fruitcake in a large bowl surrounded by warm yellow custard.  Lordy it was heavenly.  I had a few bites of the one Dave ordered.  Totally scrumptious and I enjoyed the few bites I had but could never finish an entire portion myself. 

Kilmahog – a wee village we passed through en route to Glencoe.  Gotta love the name.  Kilmahog.  No, don’t kill your hog.  Kil ma hog.  <giggle>

Sheep – Lots of sheep, of course, in the pastures.  This time of year there are loads of wee itty-bitty lambs.  Sooooo cute with their little black faces.  Momma walking slowly and wee little one trotting to keep up.  Here, instead of the highway sign with the picture of a deer to indicate possible deer on the road, you get one with a picture of a sheep!  My lovely sheepies….I have missed them.  It’s so good to see them again.

On Friday, May 8, we enjoyed our final breakfast at the Clachaig Inn and prepared to bid it a fond farewell.  I could have Room 8 for a month or two and write my story…my book.  I could spend months wandering the hills of Glencoe.  I never tire of watching the mountains, ever-changing yet constant for eons.  They give one the sense of being held safe in the arms of one’s parent.  They are ancient, wise, and majestic. 

It was the coldest morning yet as we set off to Edinburgh, with the temperature being in the mid 30s.  Traveling south, the weather improved, becoming brighter and warmer.  We stopped in Dunfermline to take care of some business.  There have been many changes there and many new houses as folks move to Dunfermline to commute into Edinburgh for work.

By now I was in the midst of an allergy attack…sniffly nose and some coughing.  Lovely.  Was it the airplane environment?  Essentially being cold and wet for four days in The Highlands?  The heating system (radiators with very dry heat) used throughout Scotland?  Was it the oilseed rape – a yellow-flowering crop cultivated for use in things like canola oil and biodiesel fuel and a major cause of hayfever?  The feather pillows?  Dunno.  Much better at this writing, but still some congestion and an occasional cough that makes one think I have freakin’ TB.  Nope, not H1N1, not a cold…no fever, no aches….just allergies.  (Never had bother with ‘em until we moved to Cedar Park.)

Saturday’s schedule was well-planned and busy.  Dave was to cycle with his old club in the morning, check into the Pitbauchlie Hotel in Dunfermline to shower and change, then hook up with Ian to attend a futbol match.  Rose and I had a “girls’ day” planned with a trip to the hair salon, lunch, massages, and manicures and then the train over to Dunfermline to meet up with Dave and Ian for the evening…friends of Dave’s were gathering in the Pitbauchlie pub that evening.  Whew!

Friday evening Ian and Rose came to the flat in Edinburgh and spent the night with us.  This would give Rose and I an early start to our “girls’ day.”

So ends Part 2.  Bored?  Asleep?  Yawning?  Don’t blame you if you are.  If you aren’t yet, then stay tuned for Part 3 photos and narrative.

 

 

Scotland 2009 Part 1

Our trip to Scotland this year started on Saturday, May 2.  With our flight departing in the late afternoon, one might think I would have slept late.  Nope, I was up fairly early to go have my hair braided!  After that, it was a good breakfast and not much time until we left for the airport.  After taking the shuttle from long-term parking to the terminal, we entered the interesting, bizarre and at times frustrating world of airline travel. 

Of course, being required to arrive at the airport a few hours prior to departure for international flights, one is left with time to kill.  We walked around, Dave got a beer, I took some photos, we walked around…you get the idea.  At least we left from Austin, so it was fairly hassle-free. 

The first leg of our journey was Austin to Washington, DC, specifically Dulles Airport aka The Airport from Hell.  At least our layover here was only about 2 hours, but it was still nuts.  Terminal C is apparently for arriving/departing international flights and it was crowded and hot.  So many people.  As you may know, I just love close quarters jammed with people.  Ahem.  When flying transatlantic, I like to be able to get outside during long layovers.  Yeah, okay, to have a smoke, but more so just to be outside.  One spends so much time inside airports, airplanes, shuttles…well, it’s nice to be able to get outside for even ten minutes in between flights.

While do-able at many airports, one is virtually trapped in Dulles.  Of course, the main objective is to get to the correct terminal for the next flight.  At Dulles that meant taking a people-mover to Terminal C.  Once inside that terminal, you are…well…trapped!  Wall-to-wall people, mostly hustling to and fro.  Pretty darn warm, too.  Even if one wanted something to eat or drink, good luck standing in the long lines at the various cafes.  Hated it.

It was a relief to board the 777 for the Atlantic crossing.  We had seats in a two-seater row, me by the window.  Talk about sardines…no room to even cross your legs.  The redeeming factor was a 157 mph tailwind that blew us across The Pond in just over 6 hours, the fastest crossing we’ve ever had. 

Once in London Heathrow, we had a bit over 3 hours until the hop from London to Edinburgh.  Thank you, Heathrow, for a sensible airport which allows one to get outdoors.  F R E E D O M !  Not a bad passage of time.  It was sunny out <gasp>, although a wee bit cool for my lizard-like Texan blood.  When we had about 45 minutes until boarding, we strolled up to the security checkpoint.  Well, guess what?  The boarding pass for this leg of the journey would not scan.  Terrific.  We had to go to the airline ticket desk to get new boarding passes.  Naturally, one had to stand in line, wondering if the customers at the counter were ever going to make up their minds what to do regarding seat choices.  Our turn, yippiee, new passes in hand, back to the security line…waiting, waiting….then SPRINT for the plane!

I kept a journal during our trip, starting it on the transatlantic flight.  After reading a bit of “The Tao of Writing,” that brief start consisted of, “Writing is natural.  Natural, yes, but a wee tough on a plane.”

This third leg of the journey over was a short one, less than an hour.  Touching down on Scotland soil, my heart was full, as were my eyes.

Scotland.  That magical, beautiful, mystical, healing land.

We had 3 checked bags – one for Dave, one for me, and one with birthday/Christmas presents for family.  Upon retrieving our luggage in Edinburgh, my suitcase was mangled.  Wonderful.  Headed straight to the airline baggage services office, where the clerk was all atwitter with the fact that JK Rowling (the Harry Potter author) had just been in.  Kewl.  So the chair in which I was perched was still warm from this author’s presence.  Hmmm…perhaps some of her creativity rubbed off??  Nice thought, eh?  Well, to the airline’s credit, I was given a brand new, still-in-the box hard-sided American Tourister suitcase.  Sweet.  My faithful piece went into the dumpster at The Knight Residence (TKR) later that day.  It served me well, traveling to Scotland 3 times (although mortally wounded on the third trip) and back and forth from Texas to Minnesota a few times.

After picking up our cute little rental car, a Vauxhall Corsa like we had last trip, we found our way to TKR with minimal difficulty.  Dave did so well navigating through Edinburgh straight off the plane and jet-lagged!  Initially assigned the same flat we had 2 years ago at TKR, we discovered on arriving in it that it had some maintenance/housekeeping issues.  We felt actually bad bringing this to the attention of the staff, as Kevin was so apologetic and upset that it was in such condition.  We were told that if we could stand it for one night, they would move us to a different flat in the morning.  Wow!  All we were really looking for was some cleaning stuff….

That first afternoon, Dave and I had burgers at Maggie Dickson’s in The Grassmarket.  Maggie’s is a pub right down the street from the TKR.  You can get a good burger outside the States.  It’s great “I just crossed the Atlantic without eating airplane food and, man, am I hungry!” recovery food!  Had my first few sips of Guinness.  Yep, I’m back in Scotland!  We spent the afternoon walking around Edinburgh…the Royal Mile, up to the entrance of the Castle, etc.  That evening, Paul joined us to sit outside Biddy Mulligan’s.  Biddy’s is next door to Maggie’s and a terrific vantage point for watching the goings-on in The Grassmarket.

The Grassmarket is a grouping of buildings with a street and pedestrian walking area.  Now mostly businesses, shops, and pubs, history has it that The Grassmarket gets its name from the fact that waaaay long time ago it was a trading place for hay, grains, etc.  Hence, The Grassmarket.  Public executions were also held there.  Lovely.

After our first totally, amazingly yummy breakfast at Two Thin Laddies down the lane from TKR, Charlie helped us move to the new flat.  Talk about NICE!  It was of the same standard as our flat had been 2 years ago, but was much larger – consisting of a full kitchen, two bedrooms, two baths, and a nice-sized living room.   During our stay, Ian and Rose spent a night with us, as did Paul.  It gave us much more room to settle in and be comfortable.  We will definitely book that type of flat for next time.  Thanks again, to the “knights” of The Knight Residence – Colin, Kevin, Charlie, and Christopher – for making our stay perfect.  TKR has become our home in Scotland and I look forward to booking our next trip there.

You probably don’t know this, but TKR was rated on Expedia in 2008 as the #1 accommodation in Europe and #10 in the world.  And it shows…

Two Thin Laddies…we talk about the bacon/egg rolls in between trips and how we look forward to the first breakfast in Scotland…that first bacon/egg roll and enormous cup of tea. 

Paul came over in the afternoon and Dave purchased a wee little bicycle for Fionn.  How appropriate that the grandson receive his first bike from his champion racer grandpa!  Had a nice dinner with Paul at Shakespeare’s, a pub not far from our flat.  Paul spent some time at our flat that evening and we enjoyed that, as we do when spending time with him.

Right now daylight creeps in at about 5:30 AM.  It’s virtually impossible for me to sleep much longer than that here.  “It’s daylight!  Why waste time sleeping?!” 

Accomplished one thing I missed last trip.  Elevators in the UK are referred to as “lifts.”  Got it?  Okay.  So the little plaque in the building lift says the lift is maintained by Schindler Lifts.  Schindler Lifts.  Schindler’s List.  Got it?  Okay!  Took a photo of that plaque.  Silly sense of humor I have, I find giggles in the signage in Scotland.  An abandoned car in a field tagged, “Police Aware.”  Fine, don’t give a damn, but we are aware of it.  “Don’t do drugs and drive” on the highway…cool, pull over, get stoned, fine.  Just don’t drive and get stoned.  Far out!

I am a silly puppy.  If you’re up for more silliness, then check out the next segment of my ramblings, Scotland 2009 Part 2.

 

Post Scotland Trip May 2009

We have been back from our two-week holiday to Scotland for a week now.  This evening I have begun adding photos to this site from that trip.  I am truly my father’s daughter…I took over 900 photos this time.  During our trip in 2007, I took perhaps a total of a dozen.  This time it seemed to be about documenting the trip.  So, 900+ snaps later, we’re home and settled back into our daily routine.

Some might say we’re back in the "real" world.  I beg to differ, for I believe that is so much more "real" than this life.

First, our thanks to The Knight Residence in Edinburgh.  Colin, Kevin, Charlie, and Christopher truly are the "knights" who ensure a comfortable stay at the residence.  TKR is our base in Scotland, our "home" while in that bonnie land.  These gentlemen are quick to ensure a pleasant and safe stay.  From help with finding nearby services to making sure one’s accommodation is of a very high standard to simply taking the time for a friendly chat.  Did you know TKR was rated on Expedia.com in 2008 as the #1 accommodation in Europe and #10 in the world?  It surely shows in the management of the property by this very pleasant and professional team.  Thanks again, guys, for making sure our stay was once again perfection.  If you visit Edinburgh, this is THE place to stay!

In brief, our trip was marked by a series of misadventures and minor things going wrong, but these were definitely offset by the wonders shown us during our time in Glencoe and by the precious time spent with family.  Meeting one’s grandson for the first time is a heartwarming experience….feeling his little hands grip mine while "dancing" together…so amazing. 

More details later…guess you could call this a "teaser" for the upcoming entries.  There will be more photos and blog entries added, but I think I’m done for this evening. 

The trip to Scotland is a hard one…so much traveling time each way…the reward of being in the land of my heart and soul is definitely worth the effort.  I’m lucky…looking at a photo, I can transport myself back to that land in my thoughts and heart. 

Much left to get started on/accomplish this year from a personal viewpoint…we’ll see what happens with time….

 

Peace to all.