Day 34 August 14 Edinburgh
We slept in a little after retiring at midnight following the late finish at the Tattoo. After a late breakfast I took advantage of good complimentary internet to update the blog. Then R and young A called to pick us up to attend a family and friends get-together at a nice restaurant “the Braids Hill Hotel” on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Ten people from Scotland, England and New Zealand attended. The meal was delightful. The first time I had seen Cauliflower, Broccoli and carrots together for a long time. I enjoyed Smoked Mackerel served with baby Prawns lemon and caper salad with nice wholemeal bread as a starter; Pan fried liver and bacon with red wine and onion gravy served on creamed potatoes as my main, and finished with a selection of Scottish Cheeses and oatcakes. After the meal we sat around in the grounds for a chat and a few drinks.
At 5pm it was reluctance that we said goodbye as Fay and I had to catch a plane to London. Our plane was delayed by thirty minutes by rainstorms disrupting planes around Heathrow. We took to the air at 8:25pm and landed at Heathrow at 9:20pm. We bought some nice sandwiches at the airport and caught the Tube train to London arriving at our hotel at 11:40pm. After a nice cup of tea and the sandwiches we bedded around 12:15am Sunday. Apart from the travel we had a very enjoyable day.
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Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Some Pictures
Star Princess in Stockholm.
Star Princess swimming pool and cinema under the stars
Canal Boat Copenhagen.
Copenhagen Canal Scene.
Building in Sigapore.
Long Tailed Lizard in Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Expensive Beef.
Our Tour Group.
Singapore Scene.
Hanging out the Washing.
Fay contemplating the Singapore Airline Menu.
Star Princess swimming pool and cinema under the stars
Canal Boat Copenhagen.
Copenhagen Canal Scene.
Building in Sigapore.
Long Tailed Lizard in Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Flowers at the International Flower show Singapore.
Expensive Beef.
Our Tour Group.
Singapore Scene.
Hanging out the Washing.
Fay contemplating the Singapore Airline Menu.
Day 33 August 13th Edinburgh and the Military Tattoo
Day 33 August 13th Edinburgh and the Military Tattoo
Fay and I were up early e Tattoo.for an early getaway to Edinburgh; Fay was meeting with her niece Jessie. After about 1¼ hours we reached the outskirts of the City; quite a fast drive along Scotland’s motorways; our trust sat-nav then led us through a maze of streets to her place. After an hour of catch-up talk she treated us to a lovely lunch. After lunch we drove to Polmont to see Bills family home. We returned to Edinburgh and found our B&B right in the centre of the city. After our evening meal we walked uphill to Edinburgh Castle to watch the Military Tattoo. It was very colourful with the castle in the background its walls being used as a screen for an ever changing background for the many Bands from different countries. New Zealand performed a very good band which performed a haka as part of its repertoire. We all enjoyed the experience, especially the young 12to 15 year olds who performed on small motor scooters. The walk “Home” all downhill took ¾ hour. We retired for the night at midnight.
Fay and I were up early e Tattoo.for an early getaway to Edinburgh; Fay was meeting with her niece Jessie. After about 1¼ hours we reached the outskirts of the City; quite a fast drive along Scotland’s motorways; our trust sat-nav then led us through a maze of streets to her place. After an hour of catch-up talk she treated us to a lovely lunch. After lunch we drove to Polmont to see Bills family home. We returned to Edinburgh and found our B&B right in the centre of the city. After our evening meal we walked uphill to Edinburgh Castle to watch the Military Tattoo. It was very colourful with the castle in the background its walls being used as a screen for an ever changing background for the many Bands from different countries. New Zealand performed a very good band which performed a haka as part of its repertoire. We all enjoyed the experience, especially the young 12to 15 year olds who performed on small motor scooters. The walk “Home” all downhill took ¾ hour. We retired for the night at midnight.
Day 32 August 12th in Pitlochry.
Day 32 August 12th in Pitlochry.
Today was a day for catchup; Fay wanted a hairdo, but all the hairdressers were fully booked, I found a drycleaner and was happy, A&H did some shopping and the rest of the day was spent just walking and wandering around. After lunch I walked up one side of the Tummel River to the Hydro-electric dam, across the top examined the fish ladder and then back to the B&B. On the way I spent some time looking at a marvellous household flower and vegetable garden. We all visited Heather Gems, a small factory shop that makes jewellery and other ornaments from the small branches of the heather shrub. Workers go in to the hills and pick the heather bushes, bring them back to the factory where they remove the bark in a small kiln. Then the white wood twig like branches are dried before being cut into 300mm lengths after which they are dyed with various colours. Then the twigs of a mixture of colours are put into a press with a clear resin and compressed into small blocks about 200mm square. After a day or two these blocks are the further dried and cut into layers which are then shaped into what look like gemstones. They are finished off by polishing and coated with three coats of lacquer before being mounted.
Tomorrow we are off to Edinburgh and the Military Tattoo in the evening.
WE have had an enjoyable stay at the Ferryman’s Cottage in Pitlochry.
Today was a day for catchup; Fay wanted a hairdo, but all the hairdressers were fully booked, I found a drycleaner and was happy, A&H did some shopping and the rest of the day was spent just walking and wandering around. After lunch I walked up one side of the Tummel River to the Hydro-electric dam, across the top examined the fish ladder and then back to the B&B. On the way I spent some time looking at a marvellous household flower and vegetable garden. We all visited Heather Gems, a small factory shop that makes jewellery and other ornaments from the small branches of the heather shrub. Workers go in to the hills and pick the heather bushes, bring them back to the factory where they remove the bark in a small kiln. Then the white wood twig like branches are dried before being cut into 300mm lengths after which they are dyed with various colours. Then the twigs of a mixture of colours are put into a press with a clear resin and compressed into small blocks about 200mm square. After a day or two these blocks are the further dried and cut into layers which are then shaped into what look like gemstones. They are finished off by polishing and coated with three coats of lacquer before being mounted.
Tomorrow we are off to Edinburgh and the Military Tattoo in the evening.
WE have had an enjoyable stay at the Ferryman’s Cottage in Pitlochry.
Day 31 August 11 we visit Blair Castle.
Day 31 August 11 we visit Blair Castle.
We set of for Blair Castle in light rain; the future outlook was for the weather to clear. After entering the gates we drove through a beautiful avenue of mature trees for about ¾km before reaching the car park. We walked about 400meters through manicured gardens crossing a small footbridge over a rocky stream before reaching the castle. The castle did not have the usual stone look being painted white all over. Small artillery guns were at the ready to the right of the main entrance. The walls of the entry hall were decorated with many old style flintlock rifles, all with fixed bayonets as well as the occasional sword and deer antler; we moved on to a long hall of about 100metres (my estimate ) it was adorned with many stag antlers. All the carpets were red. In the many beautiful rooms displays told of the history of the castle, the land, the ruling monarchy and the Clan Murray family. We spent three hours of interest before we reached the huge ballroom at the end of our tour. We lunched at the castle cafe.
We next set off for a new shopping complex we should visit we had been told about; on the way we stopped to view a water wheel attached to a bakery in a stone building; the wheel turned the mill to make the flour for the bakery.
The shopping centre was built in the traditional style of the towns in the area; not the modern styles we see in New Zealand. We did not buy any goods; just window shopped.
Our next visit was to a scenic viewing point high in a beautiful forest. We overlooked a lovely lake bounded by forest and farmland with small white dots in the paddocks; these were sheep a long way down below us. In the distance could be seen the mountains around Glencoe, an area we had visited several days ago. I bought a small book of Scottish jokes at the locality shop. Rain was still falling from the skies; it did not clear ‘til we were back at our B&B around 4pm.
At 5:30pm we went for a short walk and found a restaurant; we dined well.
We set of for Blair Castle in light rain; the future outlook was for the weather to clear. After entering the gates we drove through a beautiful avenue of mature trees for about ¾km before reaching the car park. We walked about 400meters through manicured gardens crossing a small footbridge over a rocky stream before reaching the castle. The castle did not have the usual stone look being painted white all over. Small artillery guns were at the ready to the right of the main entrance. The walls of the entry hall were decorated with many old style flintlock rifles, all with fixed bayonets as well as the occasional sword and deer antler; we moved on to a long hall of about 100metres (my estimate ) it was adorned with many stag antlers. All the carpets were red. In the many beautiful rooms displays told of the history of the castle, the land, the ruling monarchy and the Clan Murray family. We spent three hours of interest before we reached the huge ballroom at the end of our tour. We lunched at the castle cafe.
We next set off for a new shopping complex we should visit we had been told about; on the way we stopped to view a water wheel attached to a bakery in a stone building; the wheel turned the mill to make the flour for the bakery.
The shopping centre was built in the traditional style of the towns in the area; not the modern styles we see in New Zealand. We did not buy any goods; just window shopped.
Our next visit was to a scenic viewing point high in a beautiful forest. We overlooked a lovely lake bounded by forest and farmland with small white dots in the paddocks; these were sheep a long way down below us. In the distance could be seen the mountains around Glencoe, an area we had visited several days ago. I bought a small book of Scottish jokes at the locality shop. Rain was still falling from the skies; it did not clear ‘til we were back at our B&B around 4pm.
At 5:30pm we went for a short walk and found a restaurant; we dined well.
Day 30 August 10th Elgin to Pitlochry
Day 30 August 10th Elgin to Pitlochry
The day dawned sunny and bright; we headed for pitlochry at 9am. An hour later after travelling through green pastures and wooded hills we arrived at the small town of Rothes in a valley of trees. A sign saying Glen Grant Distillery and Garden tours beckoned to us so we answered the call. While A and I were shown how whiskey was made our two ladies spent time in the garden. At the end of the tour of the distillery we all sampled the product.
Our next stop was at the vintage Strathspey Railway. Fay and I boarded the steam locomotive hauled train at the Broomhill Station for a £5.00 ride to Aviemore where A&H picked us up to continue our journey to Pitlochry. Aviemore was a beautiful town with flower gardens in full bloom and the main street adorned with colourful hanging baskets.
I thought the flowers and hanging baskets of Aviemore were great but they were not in the same league as Pitlochry.
Our B&B is called “The Ferryman’s Cottage” which is exactly what it was way back in 1750 until 1913. It is a beautiful stone building beside the River Tummel with its own set of hanging baskets.
We are only 200 metres away from a live concert venue. As we are here for three nights we might see a show. We are only 70 metres away from a lovely restaurant as well. I reckon we will enjoy our stay in Pitlochry.
The day dawned sunny and bright; we headed for pitlochry at 9am. An hour later after travelling through green pastures and wooded hills we arrived at the small town of Rothes in a valley of trees. A sign saying Glen Grant Distillery and Garden tours beckoned to us so we answered the call. While A and I were shown how whiskey was made our two ladies spent time in the garden. At the end of the tour of the distillery we all sampled the product.
Our next stop was at the vintage Strathspey Railway. Fay and I boarded the steam locomotive hauled train at the Broomhill Station for a £5.00 ride to Aviemore where A&H picked us up to continue our journey to Pitlochry. Aviemore was a beautiful town with flower gardens in full bloom and the main street adorned with colourful hanging baskets.
I thought the flowers and hanging baskets of Aviemore were great but they were not in the same league as Pitlochry.
Our B&B is called “The Ferryman’s Cottage” which is exactly what it was way back in 1750 until 1913. It is a beautiful stone building beside the River Tummel with its own set of hanging baskets.
We are only 200 metres away from a live concert venue. As we are here for three nights we might see a show. We are only 70 metres away from a lovely restaurant as well. I reckon we will enjoy our stay in Pitlochry.
Day 29 August 9th our day in Elgin.
Day 29 August 9th our day in Elgin.
Not much happened on this morning of rain. A & H went to the seaside for a walk along the seashore near Lossiemouth while Fay and I stayed behind; Fay writing postcards and me catching up with this diary. About 1pm the weather had cleared and the sun was shining so Fay and I walked for ten minutes into town for a bite to eat and to post the postcards. Mission achieved we bought some chocolate at the supermarket and walked home. We enjoyed an evening meal at the local hotel; reasonably priced and pleasant to eat.
I could not see any high-rise buildings in Elgin. The buildings in the main street were all constructed of grey/brown stone no taller than tree stories high; the shops were on the lower levels; the centre was a pedestrian area only.
Not much happened on this morning of rain. A & H went to the seaside for a walk along the seashore near Lossiemouth while Fay and I stayed behind; Fay writing postcards and me catching up with this diary. About 1pm the weather had cleared and the sun was shining so Fay and I walked for ten minutes into town for a bite to eat and to post the postcards. Mission achieved we bought some chocolate at the supermarket and walked home. We enjoyed an evening meal at the local hotel; reasonably priced and pleasant to eat.
I could not see any high-rise buildings in Elgin. The buildings in the main street were all constructed of grey/brown stone no taller than tree stories high; the shops were on the lower levels; the centre was a pedestrian area only.
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