Travel Quotes

Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” Maya Angelou

_____________________________________________________________________________________
....................."One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching." Unknown..................


I would like to welcome new readers to my travel blog. If you are reading this for the first time, then I suggest you first read my introduction which I wrote last November when I started this. It explains why I am writing this and it gives you a little about my background. And most importantly it explains about my list and how it works. To go to that post, click on the following link - http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/2011/11/have-list-will-travel-introduction.html


May 2012 Trip to Scotland and Ireland


 Trip to Scotland to visit our friends Myra and Malcolm
May 2012
Arbroath Harbor in Scotland
We arrived safely in Edinburgh at about 8 AM on Tuesday morning.  Malcolm and Myra met us at the airport and we drove about an hour and a half to reach their home in Carnoustie. 
The trip to Scotland was uneventful.  Although we had some worries as we waited to leave San Diego.  We were boarded on the plane and then they announced that our takeoff had been delayed for about an hour due to heavy rains in Newark.  Several people got off the plane because the delay would cause them problems and went to see if they could make other flight arrangements.  After about 30 minutes they released us from the gate and we were finally allowed to take off.  Laura had asked for us to be upgraded to First Class seats and we were assigned them from San Diego to Newark.  That was very nice.  Breakfast served on china with linen napkins instead of plastic bins and paper napkins.  The flight was smooth and we landed in Newark in a gentle rain at about 4 PM local.  Our flight to Scotland did not leave until 8 PM so we had plenty of time to wander around the airport. 
When it came time to board we were told that there were no First Class seats available so we were disappointed but trudged back with the huddled masses to the Coach seats.  Just before takeoff the flight attendant came up and said that several First Class passengers had not made the flight and we were being upgraded.  We grabbed our bags and headed to the front of the plane.  Our empty seats were not together but I asked the gentleman in the seat next to me if he would trade with Laura so we could sit together and he graciously consented.  Oh what a difference First Class made.  Our dinner was served in courses - again on china.  It started with warm cashews, followed by an appetite course, then salad, then we had chosen the steak which came with potatoes, asparagus, and spinach soufflé.  Then they brought a cheese plate and a glass of port.  Dessert was an ice cream sundae. 
Laura watched a movie while she had dinner then we activated the bed option on our seats and settled in for a little nap.  I found that it reminded me of being back on the USS Ranger.  The noise, the movement and confined space.  Laura slept for about 3 hours; I maybe slept for a little over an hour.  Still it was much more comfortable than what our coach seats would have been.  Laura is afraid that we will have become spoiled as a result of this trip.
Laura, George and Myra on RIB
So after arriving and being met by Malcolm and Myra, we made our way to their home.  We unpacked, stretched our legs and since it was such a beautiful day, Malcolm suggested that we take a trip out to the Bell Rock Lighthouse which was about 10 miles off the coast.  We drove to the seaside town of Arbroath where we boarded a 30 foot Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) which cruised at 25 knots.  
Bell Rock Lighthouse
It took only 20 minutes to reach the lighthouse; we circled around it taking plenty of photographs.  We then returned to the shoreline to the red sandstone cliffs south of the town to go into several sea caves.  We went completely inside one and turned around.  Laura took many pictures of the sea birds and we hoped that none of them would bless us as we disturbed their roosts. 

Arbroath Abbey
After the trip to the lighthouse, we drove up to the Arbroath Abbey.  It is a large ruin that is constructed of the local red sandstone.  Many of the walls were still intact and it gave a real sense of the size of the place.  It is a historical site as it was where the earls and barons met to unify Scotland in the 1300’s.

Glamis Castle

On Wednesday, we were taken on a road trip out of the area.  First we visited the grounds of Glamis Castle which was the home of the Queen’s mother.  We did not go into the Castle but chose to just stop and photograph the exterior view.  We also stopped to allow Laura to take some pictures of the Highland cows.
Glen Doll
The purpose of the trip was to picnic lunch at Glen Doll which was about an hour away in the low highlands.  It was a nice drive though the countryside on narrow and twisting roads.  We saw many sheep and a few pheasants in the fields.  We had a nice lunch next to a small stream in a little park complete with picnic tables.  There were a fair amount of people out enjoying the sunshine, walking their dogs and picnicking.  On the way back to town, we stopped at the Glen Clova Lodge for refreshments.  Laura and Myra had a shandy which is half beer and lemon soda.  I had Scots ale which I thought was called Hanky Panky but was really Hinky Pinky. 
On the way back we also stopped in Dundee at the Dundee Law which is a high hill.  Law in Scottish terms means hill.  The hill is actually the volcanic plug from an ancient volcano.  It has a beautiful view of the city of Dundee and the River Tay.  Afterwards, we returned home to clean up for dinner.  We ate at the Station Hotel.  It was quite pleasant dining with Scot who is Myra’s son, his girlfriend; Fiona, Graham and Wilma who are friends of Malcolm and Myra.  Laura and I had the steak pie which is a favorite of customers at the Hotel. 
House in Crail
Thursday was a road trip out of Carnoustie along the Fife Coast visiting the St. Andrews Golf Course, the towns of St. Andrews, Crail, Anstruther, and St. Monans. St. Andrews is a University town while the others were small fishing towns.

But before we departed we went to meet Bill, an 83 year old friend of Malcolm & Myra. He has a large cottage on the edge of the sea with a beautiful view from the front of the cottage. Bill was a Merchant Mariner for the Cunard Line and one of his final assignments was as First Officer on the Queen Elizabeth. He was every bit a gentleman and his cottage is filled with mementos of his travels and antiques that his deceased wife had collected. Bill’s hobby is making model ships which are powered and radio controlled. He was just working out the arrangements to donate his model of the Cutty Sark to the local maritime museum.
George & Laura on St. Andrews Golf Course

We did drive into the town of St. Andrews and found parking alongside the approach to the 18th hole. Laura and I walked out onto the course and had our pictures taken on the Swilcan Bridge. We then walked up into town until we were looking back on the golf course and the beach where they shot the running scene in the movie “Chariots of Fire”. We walked through part of the shopping district looking at all the golf specialty shops before returning to the car.
Crail Harbor
We drove up to Crail and wandered around the harbor area looking at the fisherman’s cottages and the lobster boats and all their assorted lobster traps stacked along the harbor walls. We then drove to Anstruther to view it’s harbor. It was a much bigger place than Crail. While there Malcolm remembered there was a Mariner’s Church somewhere nearby so we stopped in the Tourist Information Center and learned that it was located in St. Monans. So it was back into the car and off to St. Monans.
We got there to find the church perched on a cliff overlooking the water. It was closed for repair of the heating system but the contractors let us stick our heads into the church and get a couple of pictures. What made this church different was that it was for the fishermen. There were models of the fishing boats suspended from the ceiling. Like most European churches, it is surrounded by the graveyard. I did find several interesting stones most were from the 1700-1800’s. The one stone that struck me the most appeared to have a bas-relief carving of a hourglass on one side of the front of the stone and across from it was a deaths head. Afterwards we returned to Anstruther harbor to have a fish and chips dinner from an award winning chip shop. Upon our return to Carnoustie, we were taken over to Dave and Shelia’s home to have a gin and tonic before retiring for the night.
Blair Castle
The next morning we arose to a very misty morning. It was our hope that it would burn off before long. We headed up into the Highlands stopping at Blair Castle which was a very nice stop. We toured the inside of the castle viewing quite a few rooms that had been restored to show what it looked like during the Victorian and Edwardian time periods. The castle is quite old with the first construction being a tower that was built in 1269. After the castle tour, we stopped for lunch at a tour stop which had not only a very large dining area but included many upscale shops to relieve the passing tourists of their excess funds.

We then stopped briefly in the town of Inverness. The plan was to find parking and then walk along the riverbank to allow our legs to stretch, but we could not find parking except up in the center of town. We did park there and walk down to the riverside. Malcolm was disappointed because the town had gone downhill and the area was getting pretty seedy. We did find the old Victorian Market but the shops were in the process of closing for the day so we headed back to the car and headed on towards Loch Ness.
Loch Ness with Urquhart Castle in background
We did stop alongside of Loch Ness and allowed Laura to get out of the car and call for Nessie. Unfortunately, Laura was unsuccessful in getting her to respond. Depressed, we travelled on to the Loch Ness Inn where we were staying for the night. We had a nice dinner – Laura had mussels in wine sauce and the rest of us had Hunter’s Pie. The girl in the bar gave me a beer glass to add to my collection, now I only have to find one in Ireland. Afterwards, we strolled out down the road to work off our dinner before returning for bed. The day was beautiful after the fog burnt off.
Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness
Saturday morning, we left the Loch Ness Inn for a visit to the ruins of Urquhart Castle which was destroyed by its defenders to keep the opposing forces from using it during the 1689 uprising. It is built on a point of land overlooking Loch Ness. Laura had been here before in 1989 but since that time, they have added a Visitor Center with a historical movie showing the history of the castle in 10 minutes. They also have a trebuchet on the grounds which was one of two built to show that the trebuchet was an effective weapon.
After the visit to the castle, we hit the road for Skye. The weather has continued to be bright and shiny. Malcolm and Myra are really happy that we brought the good weather with us from California. The drive was long over narrow roads. I am glad that I am not driving this time. It is bad enough that in town the cars are parked in the lane and you have to stop to let other cars coming the other way pass before you travel on. Now out on the Isle of Skye the road is only wide enough for one car in places so they have pull offs to allow cars to pass each other from opposite directions.
Eilean Donan Castle
We stopped briefly to take a picture of the Eilean Donan Castle and for ice cream from a roadside vendor. 

While on the way to the B & B, we stopped in the town of Portree to look around. One thing I need is a hat because the bright sun is making my nose a bright shade of red. We did not find any hats that were appropriate but we did stop for a beer at a local pub. Today and the past two days, they have been having a Fiddle and Accordion Festival. They were playing Scottish folk songs and it was beautiful to hear. The beer was good also. I have been trying the locally brewed dark beer. While it takes a little getting used to drinking beer that is at room temperature, I have found the choices so far have been much better than the Guinness that I have drank at home. Laura has stuck with the Shandies. She likes them also.



Sunset on Skye
Before I get started on Sunday’s adventure in Skye, I should say that we are staying in a nice little B&B in Waternish which is on the northwest coast of the Isle of Skye. The Loch Bay Inn is only 4 bedrooms with two shared baths. But it is very comfortable and the breakfast is excellent. The owner is Johnny and he has a great dog, named Dude. Saturday night we dined at the Stein Inn which is about a mile from the B&B. It is the oldest inn on Skye. It is located just across the road from the water of Loch Bay. Dinner there was very good. Laura and Malcolm had breaded shrimp & chips while Myra and I had breaded haddock & chips.
Sunday was a driving day over the southwest coast of Skye and then across to the west coast and back up to Waternish. Our first stop of the day was at the Talisker Distillery. As luck would have it, it was closed. If we had come next week, it would have been open on a Sunday. But we were able to sneak a peek at the big copper stills before we left. It was most likely a good thing that they were closed as we had many more hours of driving to complete before we returned to Waternish.
Fairy Pools on Skye
Our next stop was at the Fairy pools. We hiked down the hill about a mile and found some small pools being fed from the remains of the snow melt. Did not see any fairies but did see a couple of gentlemen of questionable gender.
We stopped for lunch in Broadford and had a impromptue picnic on the grass next to the parking lot of the food co-op. We continued on down to almost the end of the road to Glenbrittle and stopped at the local boot sale to see if we could find any treasures. Alas none were found.
Skye
We cut across the island on a very narrow (one car width) road that went up and down and back and forth. It was lucky that none of us suffered from motion sickness. Besides steep hills and worrying if you would meet another car on a corner, we had to watch for sheep and cows wandering out onto the roadway. A most exciting ride. 
The countryside had many faces. At times we saw barren rock and heather, there were also places where some trees grew. Some evergreens, many beeches. My favorite tree was the copper beech because its red coloration really set it off from the others. We saw meadows of bluebells that tinted the hillsides. Near the southwestern end of our journey there were many rhododendrons growing wild. We also were able to see primrose, daffodils and irises.
Edinbane Inn, musical group

The owner of the Loch Bay Inn had recommended that we stop at the Edinbane Inn for dinner. We got there at 5 PM and they did not start serving dinner until after 6 PM so we were forced to have a drink in the bar. It was quite a pleasant place packed with people who came to listen to the live music.
We awoke Monday to gray skies and a cold wind whipping about at 20 mph. It was a certain change from what we have been experiencing the past week. But as we got on the road to leave Skye, the sun came out and the wind died down. Our good luck for weather continued. 
Ferry from Dunoon to Troon
Monday was a travelling day for the most part. We drove back to the bridge off Skye and then headed on the high road to Loch Lomond. I don't know who got there first.
The plan for the day as to reach the city of Dunoon where our hotel was and then go past about 9 miles to search for the Castle Toward, which belonged to the Lamont Clan. If my family research is correct, the Lusk (Luck) family was a sept of the Lamont Clan.
After several attempts and after stopping to ask directions, we tramped through the waist high grass and bushes until we found some stone walls that were covered with moss and debris. The castle is a ruin so we think we found parts of it.   Anyway, I was happy.
Burns Memorial in Troon
Tuesday morning was a repeat of yesterday. Grey clouds and wind which cleared by afternoon to give us another pretty day. We crossed the Firth of Clyde on a ferry. The journey took 20 minutes then we turned south towards Troon. This is Robert Burns country. We stopped to see the Robert Burns Memorial which was a 3 story tower and a number of small cottages that were used for low cost housing for the elderly. We then went to a Robert Burns Museum which was very nice. They had a 20 minute video which explained his influence on the area. Upstairs was a recreation of his room where his son and daughter were born. They also had original preserved letters from him to his friends and some of his poems. 
Culzean Castle

After we left there, we drove down to Culzean Castle. It was late in the day so we did not opt to visit the interior of the castle but instead walked the castle grounds stopping for a coffee and soda after the mandatory shopping experience.
We then headed off to our hotel . We arrived there only to find that they had suffered a plumbing accident on the 3rd floor and that had damaged rooms below so we were being shifted to another hotel about 8 miles north of there. The Gailes Hotel is nice but it is much more modern that the Royal Mariner.
Laura crossing rope bridge
Under grey skies and the threat of rain, we departed Scotland for Ireland. The 2 hour ferry ride was uneventful. The sea was calm so we had no difficulties. We arrived in Northern Ireland at 12:00 PM and headed north up the coastal route. We stopped at the Walled Garden Teashop at Glenarm Castle in the town of Antrim. The coffee and tea was refreshing as well as the fruit scones with butter and jam.
Cliffs at Carrick-a-Rede
We then stopped to view the rope bridge to the island of Carrick-a-Rede. It was about a mile walk along the sea cliffs. The changes in elevation of the path were not as much of a problem as were the several sections of uneven stone steps. Going down was alright, coming back was a strain. The bridge is 100 feet above the sea and spans a 60 foot gap from the mainland to the island. After our hike back to the car, we drove on to the Giant’s Causeway. We arrived to catch one of the last buses down to the causeway. We hopped on and rode down then walked about the area. It was very interesting how the rocks were formatted in the area.

Giants Causeway
It started to rain which made the rocks very slippery. Laura and I had climbed to the top of one area and rather than trying to come down the other side, we opted to retrace our footsteps. We knew we could maneuver on those rocks but the other side looked much steeper and we did not want to send the next trip report from some Irish orthopedic ward. It was getting pretty wet compounded by the fact that Laura had left her coat in the car. I gave her my coat, nice guy that I am. We lined up for the bus but unfortunately both buses filled before we got to the front of the line. I won’t say it was Laura’s fault but she did wander off to get some pictures and a bunch of German students crowded onto the bus. Fortunately we only had to wait about 15 minutes until the next bus arrived to take us up to the visitor’s center and another shopping opportunity. At the shop, Laura purchased a gray fisherman knit long sweater with a hood, I bought a T-shirt.
Portrush Harbor
We departed the Giant’s Causeway and headed to our night’s lodging in Portrush. We had a lovely dinner at the Harbour Bistro. The plan for tomorrow is about 5 hours of driving to travel 180 miles.
I understand why Ireland is called the Emerald Isle. It is very green. As we drove along through the countryside, we could see one green field after another. Unlike what we have seen of Scotland and Skye, the soil here appears to be deeper and richer. Don’t get me wrong, Scotland and Skye were beautiful but they also had vast areas of peat bog and heather.
Thursday morning was started under leaden skies with some minor misting rain. The rain did clear but the sun never broke through the clouds. We stopped at several castles during the day but mostly kept on the road. We stopped in Sligo for a quick look around and a shopping opportunity presented itself. Laura bought me a hat because when we had good weather, I had sunburned my nose. I thought buying a hat would be a good idea and maybe would be a charm to bring the sun.
George with his new hat
So now I am a jolly leprechaun.
Malcolm calls the roads the “BWE” roads meaning that they are barely wide enough. His GPS Navigator who we have nicknamed Satellite Sally had taken us on some roads that would be a stretch to call a paved road. We spent the night in Galway. Our dinner at Maxwell’s was very pleasant. I had a beef and vegetable stir fry that left my lips tingling and Laura had a seafood pie.
Friday morning was also gray and cloudy but no rain. We continued our drive south. We stopped at the Cliffs of Moher but because of the fog could not see anything.
The first picture is what we saw, the second is what we should have seen if the fog had not blown in that morning.
The Cliffs of Moher how we
wished we had seen them
The Cliffs of Mohr in the fog













We continued down the road, we stopped at Dunguaire Castle and then later at Bunratty Castle. We passed through the town of Limerick and in honor of that event the following is submitted:
There were two tourists from Chula Vista,
who came to Scotland and Ireland with a list-a.
When the roads got rough, the driver stayed tough
and we are writing this to tell you we miss ya.
Bunratty Castle on our way to Limerick
We finally reached our final destination for the night, the city of Killarney in the County Kerry. As we came down the road, we noticed increasing numbers of motorbikes on the road. In Killarney, we learned that they were having a motorcycle weekend in town. Lots of bikers from all over, we saw a group from France at one of our stops. It was strange to see that many Harley Davidsons on the road this far from the U.S. of A.
We are staying in the Abbey Lodge which is the best bed and breakfast that we have stayed in so far in Ireland. It is time for bed now, we are going to try to beat the tour buses out to the Ring of Kerry before we continue down to Waterford.
Rainy drive on the Ring of Kerry
Saturday, more rain, more driving. The Ring of Kerry was much the same as the Cliffs of Moher; covered with clouds dripping rain on us. So we were a bit disappointed with the results, it was 2 ½ hours of driving with few items of interest visible.
We arrived in Waterford and found our way to our night’s accommodations. They were not the best that we have had on the trip so far. They met the minimum standards as to cleanliness. But it was cheap. We were pleasantly surprised by the breakfast. It was very good, certainly not what we had expected from the rest of the place.
Jerpoint Abbey
Sunday morning, the rain continued. We headed out for Dublin. This was the shortest driving day that we have had since arriving in Ireland. We only drove for 2 hours. We did stop at Jerpoint Abbey for an opportunity to stretch our legs. It was a ruined abbey with original construction from in the 1200.
We continued on into Dublin arriving at our home for 2 nights.  Ah, fair Dublin towne. After we left our luggage at the B&B, we caught one of the local buses to the city center. We knew it was going to cost us 1.90EU apiece but what surprised us was that they would not accept paper currency; it had to be in coin. We did scrape up enough to almost completely pay for the journey and the bus driver told us that was close enough. We got off the bus and wandered around for a while until we ended up at Grafton Street which is a prime shopping area. We walk through it and onto the grounds of Dublin Castle.

There tragedy struck. I was not watching where I was stepping and my foot hit an area where a cobblestone was missing. Down I went, rolling in the gutter like some drunk. Other than wrenching my back and knee there was no major injury except to my dignity.
Exterior of Dublin Castle
We entered the castle grounds and found a tour group that was getting ready to enter a building, so we tagged along with them and listened to the tour guide explain about the castle fortifications and the city wall. The tour then ended, we went to the ticket office and found that all the tours for the day were sold out so we just took some pictures of the exterior of the buildings. We then went to Brewley’s, a famous coffee shop/restaurant. James Joyce was a patron of the establishment. After a nice lunch, we continued our wandering about the city center. It was quite noisy as they had streets closed off for a grand prix type auto race. The cars were roaring through the town, tires screeching on the cobblestones which were made even more slippery by the rain.
On the Streets of Dublin
We crossed the Grand Canal and then re-crossed it via Ha’ Penny Bridge. The hour was getting late so we caught a bus back and rested for a little while before we headed out for dinner. The girl at the reception desk had recommended a restaurant about a mile away so we headed there. When we got there we were told that they were not serving dinner tonight because it was a Bank Holiday weekend so we continued down the road a bit until we found another restaurant which was open for business. Dinner was very good and the staff was very friendly. The restaurant was up at least 4 flights of narrow stairs which were a little exciting. We had to stop on a landing to let another party come down the stairs because they were so narrow.

Monday morning, we arose to blue skies. It was a first for Ireland. After breakfast, we caught the bus back to the city center. Our first stop was Trinity College. We took a 30 minute tour lead by a young student who told us about the college and added a fair amount of humor to his presentation. We then entered the Old Libary to view the Book of Kells. In the Old Library, we saw a copy of Shakespeare’s first folio and a second edition of his works. Laura noticed that both books were open to the Tempest. While we were touring the College, students were handing out flyers advertising an “Indian Tempest” being presented by the Dublin Shakespeare Festival. Laura asked one of the attendants if that was in coordination with what the students were presenting. She was informed that it was highly unlikely that the staff of the library would coordinate anything with the students.
Swans at St. Stephens Green
We then walked down to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and found that they charged an admission fee to go in so we opted to walk around the outside. We walked back to Brewley’s for another lunch and then wandered around St. Stephen’s Park. There were lots of people out today. One of the reasons other than the Bank Holiday was that they were having a Woman’s Mini Marathon. So there were thousands of runners wandering around before the start of the race. We had a nice time in the park, watched a mother swan herd her flock of young swans about while people threw bread to them and the multitude of seagulls.
Street Entertainers in Dublin
The streets were filled with shoppers and there were many buskers out attempting to entertain the shoppers. We stopped to watch a young man on the violin that was very good, a juggler who was mediocre and a bubble-maker who was pathetic.We decided after a bit to head back to the B&B, now it got a little exciting. Because of the Marathon, the bus routes were modified. The bus drivers we talked to did not know where the bus that we needed was picking up passengers, we went to the tourist information booth and were told to go down a street. When we got there we found that it was the bus stop but no busses were going there because of the race. The entire street was filled with busses to take the runners to their rally points after they completed the race. We finally gave up and caught a taxi but even he could only get us about a quarter mile from our destination because of road closures. So we walked the remaining way which was exciting because we were walking against a sea of runners. They filled the four lane street and overflowed onto the sidewalks. It was colorful, exciting and a little frustrating.
George at Lusk Round Tower
 Tuesday morning, we awoke to what has been typical Irish weather – grey and drippy. Lusk was only about 30 minutes north of Dublin so it took us an hour to get there. The round tower was easy to find as it was the tallest structure in the area. We walked around it but did not venture into the town at all.The round tower was built in the 500’s and the church was added to it at a later date. It was a cool feeling to stand there touching the wall of the tower and to think that Vikings had attacked it in the past.

Carlingford
After Lusk, we continued north stopping in the small village of Carlingford for coffee and a berry scone. Carlingford is a medieval village complete with its own castle, which was called Carlingford Castle until the village fathers in the 1990’s thought it would draw more tourists if they renamed it King James’ Castle, even though he only stayed there 3 nights. James was the brother of Richard the Lion Hearted.
After Carlingford we continued on to Lisburn, in Northern Ireland, where we toured the Irish Linen Museum. It had a good display of the process of how flax was turned into linen cloth. The biggest let down was that the weavers had the day off so we did not see them working the looms. We did get a demonstration by a young lady of how the flax is spun into thread.
Entrance to Stormand Estate
We then drove onto Stormont Estate which is the seat of the Northern Ireland government. It was wet and rainy and we were getting tired so it was a quick Kodak moment and then back into the car to head to find our B&B for the night.
Like Joseph and Mary, we found that there was no room at the inn. When we arrived at the B&B, there was a note on the door – Back in 10 minutes. We waited 20 minutes and then called. The manager showed up and told us that he did not have a reservation for the 4 of us and he was full. He was very helpful and arranged a place for us nearby, got us a better price and made up the difference between his price and the new price. It turned out that we ended up in a much nicer place so all are happy. Tomorrow the plan is to visit the Titanic exhibit and then head north again to catch the ferry back to Scotland. We estimate that we will arrive at Myra and Malcolm’s home at about 11 PM.
For those of you who know me or have visited us in Chula Vista, you know that I have collected beer mugs/glasses from the various countries that we have visited. I have added 3 more to my collection – a Harp glass from Belfast, Northern Ireland; a Murphy’s Irish Stout glass from Cork, Ireland; and a Bellhaven Best glass from Scotland.
Titantic Exhibit in Belfast
We arose and headed out after breakfast to the Titanic Quarter which was only about 3 miles from where we were. The display is located in a fantastically shaped building. We arrived to find out that there were no tickets available to view the display.  That was very disappointing because we had called ahead and was told that since we were arriving mid-week that we didn't need reservations.  We wandered around the gift shop. It is surprising how many products they have developed for sale to commemorate the loss of life of the Titanic disaster. We finally decided to take the Titanic Walking Tour which included the building where the plans for the ship were drawn, the area where the ship was laid out, the dry dock and pump rooms.

The older Building is where the Titanic was designed
The new modern building is the Titanic Exhibit

 Laura standing where the bow of the Titanic rested when she was being built on the slips
Afterwards we headed for the ferry for our trip back to Scotland. The crossing was smooth and we arrived back in Carnoustie at about 11PM. Thursday morning has been a time to recover from the weeks journey. Laundry to do, souvenirs to sort, photos to download and just relaxing.
Thursday started off as planned. We did laundry, Laura sorted her swag and we generally relaxed for the morning. In the afternoon, we drove to Arbroath to visit the Signal Tower Museum and to purchase some Arbroath Smokies. When we arrived at the museum we found that they were being attacked by hordes of school children so we decided that we would drive into town and purchase the Smokies. They are haddock which have been smoked over an oak fire.
Lighthouse Museum-Arbroath 
We wandered around the port area for a little while; visiting the tourist information center and indulging in yet another shopping opportunity. We then went back to the museum to find that the children had all gone off so we had the place mostly to ourselves. We watched a 30 minute video which had been produced to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the construction of the Bell Rock Light which we had visited on our first day in Scotland.  The video was very well done and told of the dangers and hardships that the men who designed and constructed the Bell Rock Lighthouse had to face. The Museum was a combination of life in the town of Arbroath and about the lighthouse. It was very interesting and we learned much about the area.
 We also visited the Barry Mill which is one of only two mills operating in Scotland. It was very beautiful walking through areas of the mill.   
Stream by Barry Mill
Friday, Malcolm, Laura and I went off on a drive. Our first stop was the Hermitage which was a nice walk in the woods along a river and a waterfall.            
Our next stop was at the Blair Atholl Distillery for a tour and a tasting of their Single Malt. It was a nice break in the trip and I learned much about the making of Single Malt. The Blair Atholl distillery is the base for Bell’s Whiskey which is a blend of the single malt and other grain whiskeys. One of the key points of the Blair Atholl whiskey is that it was made without adding peat to the mix. It was quite nice to taste.


Queen's View Lookout
We then drove up to Queen’s view. This was a spot that Queen Victoria when she came to Scotland thought was the most beautiful scene she had seen. Each year that she visited she returned to the site. It was a nice view out over Loch Tummel and the surrounding countryside.

We then stopped for lunch along the road before continuing on to visit several small towns and their shopping opportunities. 



Falls of Acharn
Malcolm remembered a picturesque waterfall called the Falls of Acharn that he had visited during his days of hill walking so we headed off to see if we could find it. The gentle climb up the road turned out to be a little more strenuous than we anticipated. He admitted that he was much younger when he had visited previously.   To view the falls, you had to pass through what was called the Hermit’s Cave. It was more of a tunnel than a cave but it was dark and the falls were spectacular when you emerged from the other side.

The day was coming to an end so we headed back for home then. Myra had a nice dinner of Smokies for us and then we continued our education on Whiskey by trying a wee dram or two of Glenmorangie, a 10 year old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Glenmorangie translates to Glen of Tranquility and after a drink I certainly felt tranquil. To finish off the night we had a drop of Glayva which is a whisky liqueur which is lighter than that of Drambuie. Then it was time to toddle off to bed to dream.
Saturday morning, we arose to what was becoming a typical weather for the day – gray with the chance of rain. After a late start, we headed out for Falkland Palace in the Kingdom of Fife. It was the hunting palace for Mary, Queen of Scots and King James the 4th who was her father.
Falkland Palace
The gardens on the castle grounds were beautiful. We also saw the first tennis court. Mary, Queen of Scots liked to play tennis and shocked the royal court by wearing pantaloons in which to play. Tennis has evolved since her time. Servants tossed the ball to the players hence the term “service” because it was too difficult to bend over to pick up the balls in their court attire. 
We did manage to evade any rain and returned safe and sound to Carnoustie for a dinner of Macaroni and Cheese. I also received my second lesson in Single Malts – Malcolm served a dram of Highland Park which is made in Orkney, Scotland. It is the most northern distillery in Scotland. It had a definite smoky taste from the peat added to the mix.

Sunday morning, we ventured out to Stirling to visit the William Wallace National Monument and to take a tour of Stirling Castle.

Plague on the wall of the Wallace Monument
The William Wallace National Monument is on a rocky crag overlooking the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge where he and his followers defeated the English in 1297. It is a tall tower consisting of a tower with 246 steps up to the top with the view overlooking the countryside. There was a small museum inside on the first level of the tower that displayed Wallace’s sword. It was huge, maybe about 6 feet long.
Laura and Myra climbed to the top of the tower which was much more than I wanted to try. The view from the ground was just fine. Outside the tower was a re-enactor who was dressed as one of William Wallace’s warriors. He described the Battle of Stirling Bridge and about what had happen to Wallace after that battle.   We then stopped for a light lunch and a shopping opportunity in the gift shop.

Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle is located on a volcanic plug several miles from the monument. The Castle is being restored to represent as much as possible how it looked during the time of King James the 4th. The importance of the castle is that it guards the gateway to the Scottish Highlands. It is located on a rocky crag overlooking the River Forth. The Stirling Bridge was located at the ford on the river. The castle had views in all directions so it could guard against movement in all directions but most importantly from the English coming from the south.  Many of the guides in the castle were dressed in period costumes and responded to questions like they were in the 1600’s. 
                     
Most of the castles that we have visited have been just gray stone but Stirling Castle they attempted to show what the colors were both inside and outside the buildings. The great hall was repainted a few years ago and the local populace was in an outrage but the archeologists had found traces of the original paint and had duplicated the hue
Inside Stirling Castle

We had a nice visit to the castle and enjoyed the guided tour which was offered. We then returned to Carnoustie for dinner and another lesson in the appreciation of Single Malts. Tonight’s sampling was a twelve year old single malt called The Balvenie, a DoubleWood whisky. This means that the first aging is done in a traditional Whisky oak cask and the second aging is done in a Sherry oak cask. It was very smooth and had none of the smokiness of the Highland Park. It was a suitable ending for a glorious day of adventure.

Monday was a quiet day; we started packing for our departure tomorrow. We went with Malcolm and Myra to the store while they shopped for dog food and other necessities for Clova and Kia. For dinner we accompanied them to a friend’s home – Ronnie and Rachel. They have a nice home outside the town of Carnoustie. A small river runs along the property. One side of the property opens out on a field so they have a very pastoral view. There were red squirrels which came down to feed in their back garden as well as several China pheasants.
We are now settled in for the evening and enjoying my final single malt lesson. Tonight’s sample is a 15 year old Glenfiddich – Solera Reserve distilled in Banffshire, Scotland.
Tuesday was up early and at the airport in Edinburgh by 9:30AM, plane left at noon, we arrived in Newark at about 2:30PM local time and left for San Diego after 6PM, arriving at about 9:15PM. The plane trip was long and tiring. It was fairly smooth except the portion from Newark to San Diego; there we had a lot of bumpy air with which to contend. We arrive home at about 10:30PM and were greeted by two very excited schnauzers.

I hope you have enjoyed the reports. We like to share our adventures. Hope your travels are safe and you have many adventures. George & Laura
Highland Cows in Scotland



No comments:

Post a Comment