On the bonnie bonnie banks

The Scottish Highlands are absolutely idyllic.

More than forty years ago, I visited the United Kingdom with my parents and my brothers. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, including New Year's Eve, (a day Edinburgh is known to celebrate in lively fashion), but I can't remember much about our visit to Scotland's capital city. I think maybe we all had bad colds and stayed huddled in our hotel rooms. This time, things would be different.

One of those aforementioned brothers and his wife had planned to travel to Edinburgh from Pennsylvania two years ago, but the pandemic delayed their trip. They were finally able to travel across the pond, so my sister and I, along with our husbands, invited ourselves to meet up with them in Scotland. 

Edinburgh Castle is perched above Edinburgh's lively Grassmarket
neighborhood.

St. Giles' Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk
of Edinburgh, isn't actually a cathedral.

We base ourselves in Edinburgh, which is a great city with oodles of brutal history. But our side trips turn out to be some of the week's highlights. 

Our tour makes a short stop for photos of Castle Kilchurn,
set in the middle of a loch.

We have a few days before the family arrives, so after our requisite Day One walking tour of city, we spend our second day on a Timberbush bus tour of the West Highlands and Loch Lomond. Our driver/guide is terrific, and the scenery is incredible. 

What beautiful weather for visiting the Scottish Highlands!

Our first stop is at Doune Castle. We enjoy our visit but are a wee bit underwhelmed: We have many more impressive châteaux near our home in France, and we've never seen the TV show "Outlander," where this particular castle is featured. 

Inveraray is located on the western shore of Loch Fyne.

Later in the day we have a two-hour stop in Inveraray. This time we skip the castle and find an offbeat garden restaurant for lunch and a spot of single malt. I have been especially looking forward to our visit to Loch Lomond, a place I had romanticized because of the song. We only get to see one small part of the huge lake, and it's not quite as dazzling as I had anticipated, but I am thrilled to stand on its bonnie bonnie banks with my true love.

We pose on the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

Throughout the day, our guide tells us all about Scottish history and in great detail debunks everything depicted in the film "Braveheart." His narration is fascinating and the landscape is spectacular. 

The nine-hour ride allows us to rest up before spending the next five days on our feet. Edinburgh has a great public transit system, but we opt to walk everywhere. It's about a 10-minute walk from our apartment to the start of The Royal Mile, the road that runs between the Palace of Holyroodhouse (the official residence of the Queen King) and Edinburgh Castle, a grand love letter to war and weaponry. 

A sphinx rests atop the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh.

We aren't able to crack the code on the Canongate
Tolbooth clock on Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Here's a view across Edinburgh toward Leith Harbor from
Edinburgh Castle.

We prefer to stroll the grounds of Edinburgh Castle
rather than lingering at the military exhibits. 

I wonder where a cannonball shot from Edinburgh Castle would land. 

I'm dwarfed by this sailor standing alongside the Royal Yacht Britannia.

On Day 3 we walk to Leith harbor and visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. Our self-guided tour of the yacht is surprisingly interesting. Who knew that the royal beds would be so small, or that the royal family traveled with about four tons of luggage and a crew of more than 200? Today, private parties can book the yacht for fancy soirées where all the food is prepared onboard in really tiny kitchens. 

The living room aboard the Britannia is dotted with game tables.

Dining room tables of the Britannia are set with precision and care.

Crew quarters aboard the Britannia billeted more than
200 sailors and staff.

The National Museum of Scotland's natural history gallery
contains hundreds of animals.

The major museums in Edinburgh are free, and we spend a few hours at the Scottish National Museum, which includes natural history, technology, culture, and a whole wing of Scottish history. We spend most of our time in the animal and tech sections. If you go there, check out the view from the roof. 

We've asked this robot to spell our pseudonym with blocks. 

On our last full day, we take a short train ride to the seaside village of North Berwick. In addition to a leisurely stroll without crowds or traffic, we enjoy a good lunch and my husband treats himself to a Turkish hot towel shave. 

The seaside town of North Berwick upon the Firth of Forth
is home to the Scottish Seabird Centre. 

This kirkyard in North Berwick is adjacent to the Parish Kirk,
also known as St. Andrew's Church and the Old Parish Kirk.

Speaking of food, I am impressed that nearly every restaurant in which we eat offers a menu with several vegetarian and vegan options. I have no desire to try the haggis, but I do try the vegan haggis eggs Benedict on crumpets. Now, there's a dish I'd never find anywhere else! 

I'm compelled to order the vegan haggis Benedict at Mimi's
Bakehouse in Edinburgh. 

Our favorite sign in Edinburgh is found at this
hotdog stand along the Royal Mile.

Bumped into Dublin

The Temple Bar area of Dublin is popular with tourists, but watch out:
The bars raise their Guinness prices as the night wears on.

We took a different route to the U.S. this fall. Foregoing our usual itinerary that takes us from Bordeaux to Amsterdam to Salt Lake City to Reno, we found a great fare on Aer Lingus and decided to give it a try. The itinerary requires us to spend a night in Dublin both en route to San Francisco and again on the way back to France. Thanks to what I call a happy inconvenience, we incur an unexpected delay and end up having an adventure as well as dodging a few fires.

Posing on the Ha'Penny Bridge, Ken is happy how great our surprise extra day
in Dublin has turned out. 

The Ha'Penny Bridge in Dublin was built in Shropshire,
England, in 1816 and was originally called the Wellington
(as in 'Duke of') Bridge. For more than 100 years,
those crossing the bridge over the River Liffey were
charged a toll of one ha'penny.

Our flight from Bordeaux to Dublin is uneventful, and both our room and our Airbnb host are very nice. We arrive too late in the day to take the bus into downtown Dublin, so we grab a bite at a convenient but uninspiring American-style diner.

The next morning, we arrive back at the airport and are told that our flight to San Francisco has been over-sold and we have been bumped. At first, I am indignant and a bit rude to the bearer of bad news: an Aer Lingus customer service representative (and saint) named Chloe. But as it turns out, I couldn't have ended up more satisfied.

Molly Malone, of 'Cockles and Mussels' fame is a popular statue in Dublin.
For some odd reason, it's apparently acceptable to grope her. The song is the
city's unofficial anthem.

I strongly suspect that these blokes are brothers, busking in Dublin.

Aer Lingus puts us up in a nearby hotel, which we arrive at just in time for a traditional Irish Sunday roast dinner. The receptionist asks what time we would like dinner that evening and reminds us that the next morning's breakfast is also included. The food is delicious, and oh, did I mention that Aer Lingus also paid us 600 euros each for our inconvenience? (This is the law, but it's still a delightful consolation prize as it nearly covers the cost of our airline tickets).

We are urged to go to O'Neill's in Dublin for good food and music,
but we aren't able to stay up late enough. Maybe on our next visit. 

The old and the new provide an interesting contrast in Dublin. 

We also get to spend a lovely sunny afternoon in Dublin (we're told it's the first day without rain in many weeks). And finally, arriving one day late in San Francisco means that we missed the wild fires that had caused traffic havoc the day before. 

Ken stands beside Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin's oldest working structure.

The bronze sculpture entitled 'Homeless Jesus' was installed in the garden of 
Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral in 2015. The same sculpture by
Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz are located in several cities in the U.S.,
Canada, and Europe.

I am sharing pictures here that were taken on that beautiful afternoon, along with some that were taken six weeks later when we passed through Dublin on our return. On that day, we take a pleasant free walking tour of the city, which helps to fill in the gaps on the sites we had seen on our earlier visit. And when we arrive at the airport the next morning for our flight to Bordeaux, I am able to find and thank Chloe for her patience and professionalism. 

Although Dublin Castle is not particularly fancy, it is still a popular tourist
destination. It was the seat of the British government's administration in Ireland
until 1922, and it now contains government offices and ceremonial halls.

Saint Patrick watches over the portal of Dublin Castle's
Chapel Royal.

Trinity College Dublin is home to this bronze sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro,
called 'Sphere Within Sphere' ('Sfera con sfera').

If our train from Bordeaux to Marmande hadn't been been cancelled because of les grèves, I would have been able to declare our three-day voyage home practically perfect. Thank goodness for good friends like Paul who drives to the airport to pick us up. Cheers, or as they say in Ireland, mianta!

We duck inside this galleria in Dublin for a coffee and a quick browse.

Dublin's main shopping street is decorated for the holidays.

The lawn Dubh Linn Garden contains a Celtic knot pattern. The park is the site
of the original dubh linn or 'black pool', which gave Dublin its name. The Vikings
anchored their ships here, and today the lawn is used as a helicopter landing
pad for VIPs, few of whom get bumped from their original flights.  

'Hamilton' provides excuse to go to London

So much is written about London that I demur at the task of writing a detailed, well-informed post about England's capital. Our recent trip is Ken's first and, since my only other trip to London was around 40 years ago, I am also a novice.

We came upon St. Pancras Old Church on our way to Camden.

When friends ask us about our trip, the first question is, "How was the weather?"  We spend six days in London, most of them sunny, with a wet weekend in the middle. It is also windy, so our umbrellas are of little use. On gray days we visit museums and go to the movies.

For some unknown reason, there's an orange lion in Trafalgar Square. 

By the time we reach Buckingham Palace on our London Tour,
we'll rest wherever we can find a spot to sit.

We receive an orientation to the city by taking an excellent six-hour walking tour from Strawberry Tours. Our guide, JJ, is a London native and an aspiring actor. (We'll be watching for him in the new season of "Call the Midwife" this winter.)

Our visit to London starts with an all-day walking tour, led by JJ of Strawberry Tours.

The windows had to be covered on this London skyscraper
after a car melted from the sun's reflection.

Marigolds pop near Fleet Street in London.

The dragon marks the boundary of the City of London.

It doesn't take us long to figure out that some of the main attractions — Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Tower of London, the Shard — are expensive, and we just can't justify spending around 75 USD for the two of us to visit these popular sites. However, London has some amazing free museums, and we visit three of them: the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the National Gallery.

Ken makes the acquaintance of a resident at the British Museum in London.

We barely scratch the surface of the enormous British Museum in London.

The courtyard at the Victoria & Albert offers us a breather during our
visit to the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design.

I am confused at National Gallery (I should have sprung for an audio guide),
but despite getting lost, the architecture and art here are amazing.

We stick close to London proper, although one of our best days is a visit to Greenwich via a ferry, after a long walk on the South Bank of the Thames.

I take advantage of an open door and pop in for a peek of the
stage at Shakespeare's Globe on London's South Bank.

Ken is happy to pose for a picture with the Tower of London as a backdrop.

Ship figureheads are on display at the National Maritime
Museum in Greenwich.

The Queen's House in Greenwich is a formal royal residence designed by
Inigo Jones. It contains an impressive collection of of paintings.  

But by far the highlight of our trip is "Hamilton." I scored tickets about six months ahead of time, and the musical became the reason we finally decided to go to London. Bargain fares on Ryan Air from Bergerac to Stansted, and a lovely room at a reasonable price in Walthamstow, complete our plans. Oh, and if you go, buy your Oyster Visitors Card in advance. It saves a bundle on transportation.

Our last evening in London is spent at the Victoria Palace
seeing 'Hamilton' where I try not to sing along too loudly. 

Here are a few other "bits and bobs."

• Fish & chips: Ken tries them; I pass
• Scones with clotted cream: Divine!
• Thai and Chinese food: Yes! Yes!
• Double-decker buses: provide a good chance to rest while traveling at a snail's pace
• Camden Market: I think we're too old for this scene
• Street performers: Hell yes! and don't forget to toss a few quids in the hat

A street performer at Covent Garden performs a 'How'd he do that?' trick.

A puppeteer makes Michael Jackson dance at Trafalgar Square.

I'm guessing these might be Harry Potter fans at King's Cross station in London.

We walk through St. James's Park during our London tour.

Descended from pelicans brought to London hundreds of years ago,
and inbred-to-boot, these residents of London's St. James's Park
have been known to eat pigeons.

Window dressers are at work at Harrods in London.

A statue of Abraham Lincoln stands in Parliament Square
in London.

This statue of Sir John Betjiman, famous poet and railroad
enthusiast, is located at St. Pancras station in London.

'The Meeting Place' statue at London's St. Pancras station
depicts the romance of travel. 

Don't miss the details at the base of 'The Meeting Place' statue
in St. Pancras station in London.

London's Camden Street may be happening, but makes us feel stodgy. 

And as Uncle Walter used to say, this one is just to prove
I was there.