Thursday, August 16, 2018

BRITAIN 2018. WEEK 3. SCOTLAND AND LONDON

August 9, Thursday. Day 15. Tour day 7. Edinburgh and the Tatoo.

We are back on the bus for a city tour of Edinburgh. Looks very prosperous and substantial. Lots of old stone buildings and town houses. We passed our next hotel, the Mercure, right on the Main Street, Princes St., so that will be very convenient for us. We stopped at the Holyrood palace, built by Queen Mary, but no time to go in. This is at the bottom of the Royal Mile, the famed shopping and tourist street. After a brief stop for a photo of the huge group, 44 of us, we went up to the castle. Quite a hike from the bus stop, but our guide took it slowly as he explained about the history of the place. We waited for the canon shot at 1 pm to tell the sailors the time each day. Back to the bus and to our hotel out of town near the airport, for a rest up before the reason for the trip, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

It was truly spectacular, even more than anticipated, and expectations were high. Imagine a football field full of masses of bagpipers marching around. The sound was intense, and the kilts were flying as they played tune after tune for several minutes. Of course there were other acts as well, dancers and singers and bands from several countries, Mexico, Chech Republic, etc. most amazing was a band from Oman, with bagpipers and drummers on horses, a female musicians in head scarves and band uniforms. Two poor horses had huge drums on them, with the drummer banging away, but at least they had someone leading the horses. At the end, the entire cast assembled on the field and played and sang together. What a great end to our tour!

August 10. Friday day 16. Tour day 8. Only Breakfast.

Checked out of the Notion House after a hearty breakfast. They called a taxi to take us to our next hotel, the Mercure on Princes St. The very helpful driver took our bags around the corner since he could not drive on this busy shopping street. The hotel location was great but we couldn’t check in until 2pm so we went out for a walk and lunch. First stop the Apple store down the block for a few questions. Then a wander into the grand Balmoral Hotel next to the train station. Tea time all booked for today so we booked for tomorrow at 5pm. Very pricey of course but oh so elegant. We will wear our hats!

Next we went to the train station to find our tickets from a kiosk, and amazingly it worked! Located a few platforms since we won’t know it until Sunday, and found the lift for our bags then. It takes two lifts to get down to the platforms, way way down the hill. Now it’s time for lunch at an outdoor pop up cafe in the gardens across from our hotel, put up for the Festival Season. Then a Ferris wheel ride to get a nice view of the city areas. And finally check in to the hotel. Bare bones room with no amenities but a big TV, but it’s the location we wanted.

After a short rest we took the hop on hop off bus for a tour of the city. We had seats up front so made it very interesting! Our dinner was a quick one in the Marks and Spencer Cafe next to the hotel as we were too tired to wander far. After that I stopped across the street to check out the Fringe Festival venue and some idiot street performer.

August 11. Saturday Day 17. Edinburgh all day!

Hop on bus ride again with our 24 hour pass. Get off at the National Museum of Scotland, a gorgeous Victorian building with a very modern annex. This holds everything from soup to nuts and more. Dolly the cloned sheep is stuffed. Some of the Lewis Chessmen are displayed. A Roman hoard of silver is shown, and much more. I could have stayed all day, but after a tour and lunch we walked through the crowds of Fringe Festival goers down the Royal Mile to the New Parliament building. We went inside for a look and it is quite beautiful.

Across the street was the Queens Gallery with a Canaletto exhibit of paintings and drawings, well worth our brief visit. Back on the bus back to our hotel, a quick change and off to the Balmoral Hotel for High Tea in their Palm Court. Pricey of course but delicious, with the usual little sandwiches, scones, and pastries. Couldn’t even finish so we took some back to the hotel for breakfast.

August 12. Sunday Day 18, to London by train!

Raining lightly today. Damn, well we left the hotel around 9 to walk two blocks to the station. Getting damp but not soaked. Of course we got there too early and the first class lounge that we found wasn’t yet open. Well we sat there for half an hour, a cup of tea, and then to Platform 2, fortunately nearby, but no train yet and hundreds of people on the platform. Train came half an hour late, so we fought our way on and found our seats occupied, but convinced the young guy that we had those seats. Good thing too as the next announcement said no reserved seats on this train after all. Left at 11 not 10:30 so maybe they will make up the time. Nope, came in almost an hour late, but got a taxi quickly from the queue. This train was crowded and not as nice service as the west coast train.

Our hotel, the Grosvenor, is near Victoria station, convenient for our tour tomorrow to Windsor. Nice room, but a quirky route to get to it in a different wing, taking two elevators. We’re too tired to go out for dinner but after I scouted the route to the Coach Station for tomorrow, we ate in the hotel restaurant. Fish and chips not bad, no drinks for me.

August 13. Monday. Day 19. Windsor and Buckingham

We left at 7 to get breakfast on the way in Pret a Manger as Cafe Nero wasn’t open yet. Of course too early as thousands of people were going everywhere. Very confusing but eventually we found the bus, but only seats left on top in the back. Left a bit late but got there in less than an hour. From the bus park to the back of the queue to get in was a tricky route through the town, over an hour in the queue though so didn’t get into the castle until almost 11am, having left London at 8:25am. It was splendid though, but hot and crowded so we kind of breezed through it, and got out by 12 to find some lunch. It seems the town shops specialize in pastries, which I had, and finally a little sandwich just before boarding the bus at 1pm.

Back to London from Windsor and the bus left us off at the gate to Buckingham Palace. Took pix outside as in Windsor but not inside. This was quite grand and very different from Windsor. A nice contrast. We saw just the state rooms, quite lavishly decorated and added on by various monarchs.

We could hardly walk back the few blocks to the hotel we were so tired. After a rest we went across the street to the very old Victoria Pub for a gin and tonic and really scrumptious baked potato with chicken on it!

August 14. Day 20. V&A. Proms

Today we had a quick breakfast en route to the C1 bus which took us right to the V&A Museum just before 10am. I bought tickets on line while we waited to the special exhibition “Fashioned from Nature” and it was well worth it. Many odd things were shown, such as beetle shells sewn on dresses, spun glass made into ornaments, etc. I saw a bit more of the museum, but part of the cast collection was closed. A nice lunch in the garden cafe, and back on the C1 bus to our hotel.

A little rest then on to the 52 bus straight to the Royal Albert Hall for a tour of the building before the concert. It was designed by Prince Albert before he died, and Victoria had it finished by 1871 and renamed in his honor. Lots of the letter “A” throughout the building for him and a huge monument in the park across the street as well. The concert was splendid. Daniel Barenboim and his East-West orchestra made of Israeli and Palestinian musicians, with the violinist Lisa Batiashvili playing Tchaikovsky. Afterwards, there were huge crowds of people waiting for buses in front, as no parking nearby, but we managed to get on the right bus and get off at the right stop too!!

August 15. Day 21. Last Day. Fly to Newark

Had a big breakfast in the hotel for 11pounds but we won’t get much lunch as we leave for airport around noon. First we took the C10 right in front of hotel to the Tate Britain, where I feasted on the Turners again for an hour, and then a bit of the preRaphaelites. Back to hotel on the C10. This hotel is super convenient for our excursions. Just time to finish packing and into the taxi we ordered at 12:30.

Heathrow busy but not too bad checking in, and it only took around an hour, so we were able to sit down for a little lunch by 2pm. Boarding was at 3 and went smoothly. We left the gate at 4:06 a minute early on Virgin #1 to Newark. Not bad food in flight, and even though there were two babies near us, they didn’t cry much thankfully. I read one Agatha Christie, and watched one movie, The Greatest Showman.

Got into Newark a bit early and hardly anyone at customs or baggage claim at 7pm. This is the best time to fly home from Europe it seems. And on a Wednesday too!! Got the air train, NJ Transit, and a taxi from Penn Station and was home by 9pm and in bed by 9:30!! A great trip with so many adventures and sights and hundreds of photos to now sift through!!

BRITAIN 2018. WEEK 2. SCOTLAND TOUR

August 1. Wednesday. Day 7

Today we left our cute B&B and took a taxi to the Euston Station for our train to Glasgow. Taxi was 25 pounds and took only half an hour. Of course we were much too early so found the cafe on the second floor where we could watch the board and see everyone else watching it down below us! Finally got our First Class coach and nice comfy seats at a table opposite a nice older couple. We left on time and right away porters came by with tea or coffee and then breakfast! Too bad we already had two breakfasts while waiting. And throughout the nearly five hour trip they kept coming by with snacks, drinks, wine, and then lunch. We were pretty stuffed by the time we arrived at Glasgow Central Station.

Very nice modern hotel, Jury’s Inn again, right on the river. Only a ten minute walk from the station. Room quite nice, again with one big bed and one twin bed. I’m the child in the small bed! Too tired to go find a restaurant so we ate in the bar, as the hotel restaurant was booked full of kids here for the European Games. It was thrilling to see these gorgeous young ones in their team jackets, Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia, Nederland, etc. why was Israel here?

August 2. Thursday. Day 8. Glasgow on our own.

After a sumptuous breakfast buffet in the hotel, we walked to George Square to find the sightseeing bus. But the square was closed off for music events with the Games. So we walked around the block, saw the red bus and followed it to its start. 14 pounds for the day, one more for two days. One bus was full so we waited for another and got two seats right in front upstairs. After going through the western part of Glasgow we got off at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which is a fascinating place with a huge variety of exhibits. I was interested only in the Charles Rennie Macintosh things, mostly furniture and drawings, very much like Frank Lloyd Wright designs. At 1pm there was an organ concert, so we had lunch in the Great Hall Cafe, the very spectacular huge main room.

Back on the bus to home, a short walk from the bus stop! For dinner we decided to go to the Mussel Inn, for of course mussels. We went by Uber since it started to rain a bit. Only 3 pounds for a ten minute ride. Food and drink was terrific, and we left feeling very satisfied. A slow walk home in a light drizzle, and so to bed!

August 3. Friday. Scotland Day 9. Tour Day 1

Found the hop on and off bus to go to the Riverside Museum, a transportation museum designed by the late Zaha Hadid. We got there too early as it didn’t open until 11 on Fridays, so we went on the Tall Ship first. It was huge with more than three deck levels, a vast floor which holds wedding parties! I bought a ship model to remind me of it. Views of the Museum were fantastic from all sides, particularly from the river. The tall ship reflected in its glass front was beautiful.

The museum itself is fascinating inside, huge with a curved floor plan to provide various spaces for displays of locomotives, trolley cars, buses, bikes, ship models, cars of all periods, the second oldest Rolls Royce. We were so tired after that we just wanted lunch, and were determined to find the Willow Tea Room designed by Charles Rennie Macintosh around 1900. On the way we passed the burned out shell of the Glasgow School of Art, a most famous building designed by Macintosh and just being restored after a previous fire. What a great loss as it is now being demolished. After several blocks detour around the burn site, we found the Willow Tea Room. Even without reservations, they seated us. Food was so-so and service pretty bad since they had just reopened in June. We walked back to the Hotel where we met our tour group, got in the bus for a ride around town and a short visit to the Kelvingrove again!

Dinner with the group in a private room, 44 people.

August 4. Saturday. Day 10. Tour Day 2. To Loch Lomond.

Bags out at 6:45, and to breakfast as we leave at 8 for an hour ride to a cruise on the Loch in the rain and fog. Too bad as it would have been nice in a the sun. Then back on the bus to Inverary, a quaint little town with minimal stores and we found a little place to eat a nice fish lunch. After wandering the town we took the bus around the corner to the Castle. Downtown Abbey filmed one of their Christmas specials there. the rooms were not large but with lots of gold, paintings, and weapons! It is still the home of the Duke of Argyl, of the Campbell clan.

Leaving there at 3 we drove through some wild hills, stopped once to take photos, and on to the Nevis Bank Inn on the outskirts of Fort William. A very nice dinner with some new friends here at the hotel restaurant.

August 5. Sunday. Day 11. Tour Day 3. To Skye

Left Hotel at 9 today for a not too long trip to Skye by ferry. On the way made a short stop at Glenfinnan, with its monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie, last of the Stuart claimants to the throne of England.

At Mallaig, we got off the bus to walk on the ferry, and it was a huge one, more than four levels of decks, and with several big tour coaches plus cars. The landing on Skye is at Armandale, where we went to the Donald Center with its history of this most powerful clan. In a long list of names I found an ancestor name, Addison, from Henry Addison Jones, my great grandfather who came to the US from Wales in 1820. This Addison may have been on his mothers side.

A lovely lunch in the castle Inn and Restaurant, and a walk up to the Museum there. Still damp but at least not raining. After this stop we traveled along Skye for a few miles to cross back to the mainland by bridge. This one had tolls when it first opened, but is now free.

Lastly we traveled along the Loch Ness without seeing the famed monster. But we did see a guy (we think) swimming along behind a boat. Maybe training for a triathlon, since the loch is 24 miles long! Finally arrive by 5 pm to our hotel, The Palace Hotel in Inverness, right on the river in the center of the city. Another tasty dinner in a noisy dining room holding two big tour groups!

August 6. Monday. Day 12. Tour Day 4. Ardoe Mercure Hotel.

Today out of the hotel and on to another one. Long trip on winding roads again. I’m almost getting carsick as we were in the very last row due to the rotation schedule. The SUN is out and blue skies are shining though, so we are cheerful. First stop Culloden Battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites were soundly defeated in less than an hour by the government forces. Clans fought against clans on both sides. The opera Donna del Lago is about some of the clan warfare. Of course the lovers are on opposing sides a la Romeo story!

Then a quick lunch stop in Aviemore for fish and chips, really excellent fish. And on to Aberdeen for two nights. Actually a castle-like Hotel way outside of the city, so no city walks today or tomorrow.

August 7. Tuesday Day 13. Tour day 5. Ardoe Mercure Hotel, Aberdeen.

Whiskey for breakfast! The Lochnagar Distillery (accent on last syllable!) was our first stop. First to a tasting table, with little glasses of tiny amounts in them. Sniffed it first, then sipped. Didn’t like it at all. After explanations about their product, which Queen Victoria really liked, and we are very near Balmoral Castle too, we were taken in small groups around the works, from one area to another. Quite a complex process to ensure that all batches are the same.

A short stop in a very little village for a tasty lunch, then on to another castle. Crathes Castle was built in the 16th century and it looks the perfect little tower, with extremely tight winding stairs going up one room at a time! Ropes to hang on made it possible but not easy. I took it slowly and arrived safely! Best thing was the rooms with painted ceilings. One room had the nine nobles painted between the beams, with words along the sides of the beams. Another room had the muses painted there. Of course another stone circular stair led us down to the very gorgeous gardens. Clipped hedges and trees, and a grand assortment of flowers was a beautiful site across expansive lawns. Back to our same hotel, the Mercure Ardoe, and another full dinner here.

August 8, Wednesday, Day 14. Tour day 6. To St. Andrews

Checked out of the hotel, and stopped off at Glamis Castle, childhood home of the Queen Mother Elizabeth who was born there. It was a big one, and nice, but filled with too much stuff! Couldn’t take pictures as some family still lives there. We had a young tour guide with a shrill voice. The castle again had many steps up and down so we certainly only saw part of it. A lunch stop in St. Andrews for only two hours. I got a sandwich to go, and walked the town from the university at one end to the beginning of the Old Gold Course at the other end.

Then on to our hotel near Edinburgh, the Norton Hotel, in the country again. Change clothes and on the bus to our dinner show! It was a lively mix of bagpiper, four lassie highland dancers, a terrific guy dancer, a funny mc, and a few other musicians.

BRITAIN 2018. WEEK 1. CORNWALL TOUR

July 26. Thursday. Day 1

Day One of my three week trip to England and Scotland with Thaisa Farrar, who joined me on a memorable previous trip to Britain in 2015.

First stop from the airport was a taxi to our hotel since we couldn’t find the National Express bus stop. Room was not ready at the Astor’s Belgravia, 144 pounds for one night.

We couldn’t check in until 2 to the Astors Belgravia near Victoria, so we went to the corner tea shop for cake and tea. Too bad our room was on the 2nd floor of a quaint old townhouse. Won’t be running in and out a lot. I found the Vodaphone shop in Victoria Rail Station and paid for another 30 days service only 10 pounds. They changed the SIM card so I’m all set with local service. I had used this on my December trip also.

Later We went out in search of the Victoria coach station for our tour tomorrow morning but we didn’t find it. So after a walk around Belgravia we went for dinner instead to a little place Oliveto. I had melon and ham and we both had most delicious cold tomato soup. Then we looked again for our tour meetup and found it was across the street from the big station in the Greenline coach station. Ready for bed by 9 after a long day.

July 27. Day 2, Tour Day 1

After a simple breakfast we checked out of the Astor’s, leaving one small bag for our return in 5 days. And we finally found our gate only a ten minute walk. Our small bus is for 16 although there are only 6 of us on the tour so we had room to spread out. Our driver/guide, Russ Chapman, was wonderfully knowledgeable about the history of places we stopped and also very nice about the variety in our group from youngish Japanese Taki to middle-aged couple of Australians, Frank and Ann, to us oldies and to an even older, 83 year old Julia from north eastern Connecticut. She did very little on the tour when we stopped to mosey around towns and castles.

Our first stop on the trip was Winchester Cathedral which was awesome. We picked up Julia who had come from Southampton by way of the Queen Mary. Then on to Stonehenge. They had a new Visitors Center and we took the bus shuttle to the site. Then back on to the bus towards Exeter for two nights at the Jury’s Inn Hotel, convenient to the center of town. We were too tired to go to the town though so we had a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant.

July 28, Saturday, Day 3, Tour day 2

First stop was Dartmoor, the real thing, a wild and barren landscape with wild ponies. We did see one mother and baby just standing there waiting for us to take their photo! We also saw a few Highland cows, or hairy coos as they called them, down from Scotland somehow! It was incredibly windy there, and cold. After this we drove on to Tavistock still in Devon, for a group cream tea reserved by Russ. We started sitting outside but it rained on us so we had to move inside. In Devon you put the cream first on your scone and then the jam, while in Cornwall you put the jam on first! After a walk through the indoor market since it was seriously raining, we found the bus by way of the river walk, and headed back to Exeter in time for the 2pm tour of the medieval buildings, mostly small churches and a few buildings left over. The cathedral is a beautiful yellow limestone. It was over-cleaned in the 60s and is now looking very worn. But we saw musicians in the cathedral when we went back for Evensong and learned there was a concert that night with the Coldstream Guards, so we were able to get tickets for the side aisles, and it was fantastic! We just had time for a small bite to eat before the concert at the Tea on the Green place right near the cathedral. We did walk down the hill back to our hotel and hit the hay quickly! My iPhone GPS really helped.

July 29. Sunday, Day 4, Tour Day 3

Left Exeter for Boscastle, where three rivers joined to flood the town in 2004 and we saw the watermark on the door lintel of the visitor center. The town was very small and quaint and very low tide with the boats stuck on the beach. Everything was made of the local granite, and the walls were just beautiful stonework. After this we went on to Tintagel, home of Arthur and his castle in ruins. It was incredibly cold and windy there, in fact the castle was closed so our friend Taki who wanted to see Arthurian places was disappointed. The town was cute but we didn’t have time to see much there.

On to Port Isaac of Doc Martin fame. Again we parked on top of the hill and walked down to the water. Again extremely low tide and boats stuck on the sand. A little walk through the town, and I picked up a crab sandwich for our lunch having no time to stop. Then on to Falmouth for the night. Our B&B is right on the harbor with boats and restaurants right opposite. Nice room at least on the ground floor. We tried for one restaurant but no reservation, so we went to the next one, which was very good, for fish!

July 30, Monday. Day 5, Tour Day 4

To St. Ives. As I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with 7 wives, etc. well we met many men as we walked the very small narrow streets to find the Tate St. Ives, which was on a lovely long beach, again low tide but with quite a few surfers out there and bigger waves than we’ve seen before. Even tiny kids had wet suits as it was still kind of chilly and windy.

The Tate was marvelous, interesting paintings and a great view of the beach and the town from its little cafe. I bought a tray with image of a ship painting, and Ti bought a pink and blue scarf, again from a painting. We walked back to the car park by way of the very busy harbor. And it was a good thing Russ changed the schedule to go here first before the crowds, as it was getting very crowded by the time we left at noon! Next a brief stop to look at a small abandoned tin mine with its tower and smoke stack.

Then another short stop to see a 6th century church of St. Sennen very small. Next to “The Last Pub in England” just before Lands End. And a very brief stop in the tourist pavilion with huge car park and tons of people at Lands End. Nothing to see out there but sea, ha ha.

Our last stop of the day was the very spectacular cliff side theater created from the 30s by Rowena Cade with the help of her gardener for one production. Then it became popular and kept expanding until today. Seats only 700 and I can’t imagine how they got there from wherever. Great views from the seats though. They had to bring all building materials down the cliff by hand and get sand from the beach up to make cement. Some effort! Truly a great visit there.

July 31, Tuesday. Day 6. Tour day 5. Back to London

Leaving lovely Falmouth for the long long ride back to London. First stop was Launceton and it’s Norman ruins. I didn’t go to the top, but Ti did. Instead I walked around the sweet little town. Quite a lot of old people here, as I suppose the young have gone to some city. Ann from our group went to look up one of her ancestors and found where they had lived, although it was quite different now. Then on to Glastonbury. It’s Abbey was famous but in ruins, although quite beautiful ones of some yellowish limestone which had originally been painted in bright colors. The abbey was destroyed after Henry VIII closed the monasteries. The town itself was quite festive as there was a “Goddess Conference” going on. Street vendors sold tie dyes, Indian wares, stones and beads, all the hippy regalia.

Leaving there for hours on the bus, with only a brief rest stop en route to London which we reached by 7pm. Same room at the same b&b, up two flights and very tired. After a short rest we went out to dinner, walking to Sloan Sq. to find the Cote Brasserie.

Walking back I took a wrong turn and went way out of our way, but it was interesting to see other parts of Belgravia.

Monday, July 20, 2015

London 2015

Here are my London trip notes:
http://lindaroccoslondon2015.blogspot.com/

Saved from my daily updates to family about my travels with Thaisa Farrar, from June 29 to July 15, 2015.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Spain 2011

Here are my Spain trip notes:
http://lindaroccosspain2011.blogspot.com/

Saved from my daily updates to family about the Globus tour that I took with Thaisa Farrar.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

China 2009

Here at last are my notes from our fantastic trip to China in June 26-July 21, 2009, the fifth and last College of Staten Island/CUNY Educational Seminar. Not many notes from the actual lectures and meetings however, as the notes started as just memos to my kids to let them know where I was keeping myself. Hopefully someone else will update those meeting notes. There were five cities and many colleges, with an added trip to Xi'an at the end.
http://www.csi.cuny.edu/international/china_programs.html