Rocky cliffs coming out of a misty ocean...the scene for most of the day from my balcony on the ship. We spent the day at sea, going around the top of Scotland in the North Sea. Beautiful! So serene, looked like a movie from some exotic place, although the weather went from being sunny this morning to cool and cloudy this afternoon. A perfect day for catching up. A perfect day for sitting on the balcony reading and thinking. It is almost 10:30 PM and the moon is now almost full and sitting in the blue sky over the island we are passing, with the only other sight, the light from the lighthouse on top of the cliffs. Other worldly feeling. Dusk but far from dark. The mist is barely visible at the foot of the cliffs now and tomorrow will probably dawn a beautiful day. We have had wonderful weather and I am sure it will continue, regardless of the fact that we are so far north.
Yesterday was an interesting day in Scotland. The ship docked in Greenock and it was a beautiful day, so unlike the torrential rains that met me on my last trip there. That time I had a trip to Loch Lomond in the afternoon and the rains dampened, pun intended, the journey, but not my spirits! I remember going to the bus in the downpour and César told me I didn't have to go in that weather, I could cancel and get a refund and I asked him if he was crazy, a little rain was not keeping me from the Scottish countryside! I can still see his smile with the rain pouring down around him, saying he didn't think so but wanted to be sure. And the day was wonderful. This time I decided to take a tour that drove along the coast of Scotland to the castle of Culzean. Such a scenic drive, the ocean and the hillsides covered with sheep! The castle was wonderful, still furnished and there were various things to see on the grounds. I ate lunch in the visitor center, the only place, and passed up the Scottish staple, haggis, and opted for a mushroom strogonoff that was quite good. After the castle, I purchased 2 tartan scarfs, which are marked with the clan's name. Our driver was from the Campbell clan and he was actually able to tell me by the pattern of the scarfs which clan it was from! I was impressed! It is a big deal over here! After the lunch and shopping I was in for another real treat. I took the walk to the walled garden. My first experience in one and I felt like I had walked into the 'Secret Garden'. The view was spectacular and the roses growing up the wall were so beautiful! I talked to one of the gardeners and it was a pleasure to stroll through the gardens. After the garden experience, there was one more thrill for the day. The herd of red deer that live on the castle grounds were near the fence and I was able to pet 2 of them and I have pictures of their beautiful faces so close! What a thrill! A highlight for sure for me!
We went by Robert Burn's cottage and I learned more about him. He is the author of Auld Lang Syne, that I didn't know. As always, I was filled with interesting information that will motivate me to learn more when I get home. It was a beautiful day in the Scottish hills and I look forward to tomorrow, a day in the highlands and at Loch Ness.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Giant's Causeway
Finn McCool, an Irish folk character, got in a war with a giant Scottish character and they had a challenge to make a path across the ocean between the two countries and the famous Giant's Causeway is the result of that challenge. What a sight to behold it was! Unfortunately we didn't have long to spend there, it is about a mile walk downhill to reach the site and then a shuttle is the best way back up. Everyone in the Belfast area must have been there that day and the wait to get back was so long that I only spent about 5 minutes exploring the rocks and the geological site. A beautiful place near the ocean, where you could climb to your heart's content on the large stones. Something to see and I only wish I hadn't had to spend 40 minutes in the line to get down to get the bus to leave. But I've seen it and the way things go, who knows when I might be there again, with more time to spend. For now, what an experience it was!
The drive through the countryside did not disappoint at all. Many shades of green on the rolling hills in the countryside, speckled with cows and sheep along the way. So peaceful and so like all the pictures you see of the Irish countryside. Rock walls and blue skies and castle ruins along the way. So many castles here, so many in ruins, however many are still lived in too.
I was a little nervous about being in Belfast, after all the years that the 'civil war' made the news, but in the 10 years since the Friday Agreement was made, the different sides have settled into a peace that feels safe. It is hard to imagine the city the way it was during the 30 years of the conflict. We drove past a wall painted with a mural representing the different factions of that time and the wall was quite unsettling to me, although our guide felt it was a sign of the peace they have reached. So although Belfast is in Ireland, it is a part of Britian.
And after one more very long day, we returned to the port of Belfast, so sail away to more adventures.
The drive through the countryside did not disappoint at all. Many shades of green on the rolling hills in the countryside, speckled with cows and sheep along the way. So peaceful and so like all the pictures you see of the Irish countryside. Rock walls and blue skies and castle ruins along the way. So many castles here, so many in ruins, however many are still lived in too.
I was a little nervous about being in Belfast, after all the years that the 'civil war' made the news, but in the 10 years since the Friday Agreement was made, the different sides have settled into a peace that feels safe. It is hard to imagine the city the way it was during the 30 years of the conflict. We drove past a wall painted with a mural representing the different factions of that time and the wall was quite unsettling to me, although our guide felt it was a sign of the peace they have reached. So although Belfast is in Ireland, it is a part of Britian.
And after one more very long day, we returned to the port of Belfast, so sail away to more adventures.
Back again...
Okay, I'll try this again, with my eyes rested! Finally we have a sea day, a time to catch up with rest and thoughts and emails!
After our cruise of the Lake, we ate a typical British lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake. Not far away was the Beatrix Potter museum and we drove past it, a lovely building. That visit will have to wait for a future tour, but it was so special knowing that I was in the spot where Peter Rabbit and his friends were created! We continued our drive into the hills and arrived in Grassmere.
In Grassmere we visited the gravesite of William Wordsworth in a lovely little cemetary and had famous gingerbread, quite different than anything I've had before, quite gingery! The Lake district was beautiful, as I mentioned, but hot, did I mention that? Oh my, the weather in England, as well as Ireland and Scotland has been quite warm for me! I don't believe the stories people tell of all of the rain and clouds here at all! So in the heat, I rested in a little cafe as the others went walking and enjoyed their rare sunshine.
Time with Peter and Terry flew by and before we knew it, it was time to head home, back to the ship in it's new port in Liverpool. This ship seems to have made the news twice this trip, on it's docking in the new berth in Liverpool and in Belfast, the largest ship to ever dock there.
It was time to adjust to just being one of many in the rest of the ports after our personalized P&T tour of the Lake District of England!
After our cruise of the Lake, we ate a typical British lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake. Not far away was the Beatrix Potter museum and we drove past it, a lovely building. That visit will have to wait for a future tour, but it was so special knowing that I was in the spot where Peter Rabbit and his friends were created! We continued our drive into the hills and arrived in Grassmere.
In Grassmere we visited the gravesite of William Wordsworth in a lovely little cemetary and had famous gingerbread, quite different than anything I've had before, quite gingery! The Lake district was beautiful, as I mentioned, but hot, did I mention that? Oh my, the weather in England, as well as Ireland and Scotland has been quite warm for me! I don't believe the stories people tell of all of the rain and clouds here at all! So in the heat, I rested in a little cafe as the others went walking and enjoyed their rare sunshine.
Time with Peter and Terry flew by and before we knew it, it was time to head home, back to the ship in it's new port in Liverpool. This ship seems to have made the news twice this trip, on it's docking in the new berth in Liverpool and in Belfast, the largest ship to ever dock there.
It was time to adjust to just being one of many in the rest of the ports after our personalized P&T tour of the Lake District of England!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Peter Rabbit Ferries Cross the Mersey
Exhausting! This trip, with a port and a long tour each day is exhausting! And Peter and Terry were wonderful but you should have seen me at the end of the 10 hour day we spent when in port in Liverpool yesterday! I barely could walk onto the ship and up to the buffet for dinner. Bedtime was quite early once again, but what a wonderful day it was!
We arrived on the Mersey River and although I didn't go on the ferry, I saw it when we returned at the end of a very long day. We drove to the Lake District, on the wrong side of the road, I might add, and it was beautiful! I know now why it is so famous. And Peter had planned the perfect day! I had to smile when I saw Terry walking towards us on the street, US flag waving in his hand! So sweet! We made it to Windemere in time for the steam train ride. It was short and smelly but beautiful. Then we joined hundreds of other cruise passengers who were on a tour to take a cruise on Lake Windimere. It was SO hot! They always tell me that it is unusual, however it is always very hot when I am here so I don't believe my British friends!
Well, I thought I could write more, but my eye is closing so it seems the rest will have to wait...
We arrived on the Mersey River and although I didn't go on the ferry, I saw it when we returned at the end of a very long day. We drove to the Lake District, on the wrong side of the road, I might add, and it was beautiful! I know now why it is so famous. And Peter had planned the perfect day! I had to smile when I saw Terry walking towards us on the street, US flag waving in his hand! So sweet! We made it to Windemere in time for the steam train ride. It was short and smelly but beautiful. Then we joined hundreds of other cruise passengers who were on a tour to take a cruise on Lake Windimere. It was SO hot! They always tell me that it is unusual, however it is always very hot when I am here so I don't believe my British friends!
Well, I thought I could write more, but my eye is closing so it seems the rest will have to wait...
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Braveheart
Yes, William Wallace was Scottish, however the movie was filmed, at least in part, in the Wicklow hills of Ireland, where I was this afternoon. Actually it is the middle of the night so it was yesterday when I was in Dublin and the surrounding area. I succumbed to exhaustion last night, ate an early dinner at the buffet and was in bed at 7:30PM and I'm sure well asleep by 7:31PM! So now I'm somewhat rested, but it is still the middle of the night. Ahhh, the down side of being on the other side of the world. But the upside far outweighs my trouble with the times!
Dublin was a nice city, Diana, Alec and I went into town this morning and since it was a Sunday, not much was open so we took the hop on/off bus and saw an overview of the city. So many famous people from Ireland! Even Bram Stoker went to college here at the famous Trinity College. The famous Book of Kells is there, but I was told that it is currently not on show so we didn't visit there. Another trip another time! We saw the grave of Lord Weston, the man who invented the crossword puzzle. The driver did a great tour, filled with Irish humor. Quite enjoyable!
Then I took the shuttle back to the ship for my afternoon tour and they stayed and enjoyed the city. I was on a tour to the Irish countryside and Glendalough. It means the 'valley of 2 lakes'. The drive was beautiful, green hillsides and spots of cattle and sheep roaming. Just like you might picture Ireland! I became bored with all the history of the monks in Ireland so I left the tour as they roamed through the remains of Glendalough and I talked with local people at the stands of 'wares'. Met an interesting couple who told me about the real story of what is going on with religion in Ireland. I had hoped to learn more about the Celtic background, but that wasn't mentioned at all on the tour. I walked through the ruins of the ancient monastery of St. Kevin and did find it fascinating. There were two stone archways and right inside the 2nd one was a large stone with a cross carved on it, and if someone looking for safely reached that rock they were safe from the outside world, as long as they lived and worked inside the monastery. That is mentioned in a lot of historical books, so it was moving to stand by that stone, knowing the history. I don't usually buy jewelry, but loved a pair of earrings, with the Celtic symbol for the seasons on them, so they are now mine.
Tomorrow will be exciting because my friend Peter will be picking up Diana, Alec and I from the ship when we dock in Liverpool and taking us on our own private tour! We will be heading to Wales and to the charming English town of Chester. So more beauty and fun awaits! There is even a 'Walk in the Steps of the Beatles' tour here and you can actually take a 'Ferry cross the Mersie'! It is supposed to be a beautiful place, developed in the Victorian era. And so, the journey continues!
Dublin was a nice city, Diana, Alec and I went into town this morning and since it was a Sunday, not much was open so we took the hop on/off bus and saw an overview of the city. So many famous people from Ireland! Even Bram Stoker went to college here at the famous Trinity College. The famous Book of Kells is there, but I was told that it is currently not on show so we didn't visit there. Another trip another time! We saw the grave of Lord Weston, the man who invented the crossword puzzle. The driver did a great tour, filled with Irish humor. Quite enjoyable!
Then I took the shuttle back to the ship for my afternoon tour and they stayed and enjoyed the city. I was on a tour to the Irish countryside and Glendalough. It means the 'valley of 2 lakes'. The drive was beautiful, green hillsides and spots of cattle and sheep roaming. Just like you might picture Ireland! I became bored with all the history of the monks in Ireland so I left the tour as they roamed through the remains of Glendalough and I talked with local people at the stands of 'wares'. Met an interesting couple who told me about the real story of what is going on with religion in Ireland. I had hoped to learn more about the Celtic background, but that wasn't mentioned at all on the tour. I walked through the ruins of the ancient monastery of St. Kevin and did find it fascinating. There were two stone archways and right inside the 2nd one was a large stone with a cross carved on it, and if someone looking for safely reached that rock they were safe from the outside world, as long as they lived and worked inside the monastery. That is mentioned in a lot of historical books, so it was moving to stand by that stone, knowing the history. I don't usually buy jewelry, but loved a pair of earrings, with the Celtic symbol for the seasons on them, so they are now mine.
Tomorrow will be exciting because my friend Peter will be picking up Diana, Alec and I from the ship when we dock in Liverpool and taking us on our own private tour! We will be heading to Wales and to the charming English town of Chester. So more beauty and fun awaits! There is even a 'Walk in the Steps of the Beatles' tour here and you can actually take a 'Ferry cross the Mersie'! It is supposed to be a beautiful place, developed in the Victorian era. And so, the journey continues!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Moby Dick??
Moby Dick? What in the world does that mean? Well, my day in Ireland started in the town of Youghal, pronounced yo'll, with a long 'o'. And it just so happens that Moby Dick was filmed there in 1954, I have pictures to show to prove that! So now on the 'have to see' movie list for the end of this trip, is now Moby Dick, along with My Fair Lady. Those are extremes!
Ireland is beautiful! So green everywhere you look! After a little rain at Youghal and some time to browse through the town, we drove through the countryside, through several little towns that were beautiful! We drove by where Sir Walter Raleigh lived, the town where William Penn came from and the town where the namesake of Berkely University came from. And that is just the people I remember! We ate lunch at a hotel in Cork, having some Irish music and dance to entertain us. It was not my favorite meal, although I will say the salads I've had in each place have been delicious. But the stew was not my favorite meal, by far.
Next we drove to Blarney castle. I have to admit that I did not kiss the Blarney stone, the climb up might have been okay, but lying on my back on metal rails to scoot out and kiss the stone upside down just didn't sound like anything I could do and walk afterwards. Our cute Irish bus driver told us that if we couldn't get up to the top of the castle to do that, we could kiss him and be gifted with eloquence by proxy, I think he was surprised when I decided to do this instead! What a fun man, told me we could go out dancing if I were staying the night, I know I would have laughed a lot with him. I think of what a fellow teacher said on her blog, "Disneyland is not the happiest place on earth, Ireland is" and I believe that is true. However I asked a store clerk why the town was so quiet this morning and she said that it was a Saturday morning in Ireland, NO ONE got up unless they had to go to work! What a lot I've learned!
Shopping at the Blarney Woolen Mills was a delight, so many beautiful things to look at! And I was lucky enough to meet a children's author and got a book autographed by him! What a nice man and he seemed full of Blarney too!
Tomorrow is another day in Ireland, Dublin this time. A year and a half ago the internet didn't work in Dublin so I think this may be the last entry for a couple of days. On Monday we will be in Liverpool and Peter will be meeting Diana, Alec and me at the ship for a fun day of sightseeing with friends. Not sure which places we will go, but wherever will be fun!
Moby Dick...
Ireland is beautiful! So green everywhere you look! After a little rain at Youghal and some time to browse through the town, we drove through the countryside, through several little towns that were beautiful! We drove by where Sir Walter Raleigh lived, the town where William Penn came from and the town where the namesake of Berkely University came from. And that is just the people I remember! We ate lunch at a hotel in Cork, having some Irish music and dance to entertain us. It was not my favorite meal, although I will say the salads I've had in each place have been delicious. But the stew was not my favorite meal, by far.
Next we drove to Blarney castle. I have to admit that I did not kiss the Blarney stone, the climb up might have been okay, but lying on my back on metal rails to scoot out and kiss the stone upside down just didn't sound like anything I could do and walk afterwards. Our cute Irish bus driver told us that if we couldn't get up to the top of the castle to do that, we could kiss him and be gifted with eloquence by proxy, I think he was surprised when I decided to do this instead! What a fun man, told me we could go out dancing if I were staying the night, I know I would have laughed a lot with him. I think of what a fellow teacher said on her blog, "Disneyland is not the happiest place on earth, Ireland is" and I believe that is true. However I asked a store clerk why the town was so quiet this morning and she said that it was a Saturday morning in Ireland, NO ONE got up unless they had to go to work! What a lot I've learned!
Shopping at the Blarney Woolen Mills was a delight, so many beautiful things to look at! And I was lucky enough to meet a children's author and got a book autographed by him! What a nice man and he seemed full of Blarney too!
Tomorrow is another day in Ireland, Dublin this time. A year and a half ago the internet didn't work in Dublin so I think this may be the last entry for a couple of days. On Monday we will be in Liverpool and Peter will be meeting Diana, Alec and me at the ship for a fun day of sightseeing with friends. Not sure which places we will go, but wherever will be fun!
Moby Dick...
Friday, June 26, 2009
Greetings from Guernsey!
Finally, today I feel human! After 11 hours of sleep, I arose to look out on the beautiful island of Guernsey. I was going ashore with Alec and Diana but woke up at some point and told them to go without me, I still needed more sleep. I'm glad I made that decision so I could enjoy the island when I did go ashore. So once again, I headed to shore alone. We had to tender in, which means a wait until it is time for your ticket to be called. I have been a little spoiled in the past, when on César's ship he always let me go on the tender when I wanted, it pays to have friends in high places. Now I have to wait my turn just like the other 3,000 passengers. Once ashore I didn't want to just walk around the little town, I wanted to see the island. I'd read the "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" and wanted to see where the characters lived. I waited at the taxi stand and finally a man came up and I was able to take a taxi ride around the island for about an hour and a half for 30 pounds. Les, my driver, was from Manchester, lived here for 26 years and moved to France 2 years ago but comes back every year to see his son and drives a taxi for his friend. He hadn't read or heard of the story so didn't know where to take me to see that part of the village, but what a delightful ride it was and what a kind man. He fought in the Falkland war and is quite happy to not go near either of the Americas again. His parents live in Warrington, Terry and Peter, it is a small world! He took me to the first mail box in guernsey, one of the scenic places here, which tells you about the island I think. We went to the home where Victor Hugo lived when he was exiled and where he wrote "Les Miserables". There was no time to take a tour of the home, but on peeking in the door, it was amazing inside, things were so old! I did go out in his garden and tried to imagine a famous writer sitting there creating, what a lovely place it was, although small and green, quite unlike Monet's garden in Giverny. We went up to the top of the cliffs to look down at the area where Renoir painted, but we were met with thick fog, so that sight will remain a mystery to me. We drove to the other side of the island and there was a group of kidsat the Guernsey Surf School, waiting for the tide to come in. This is a charming place and one to put on the list of places to return to! I even saw a Guernsey cow along the way. There is a little chapel, which is quite small and made of broken plates and other pottery, built by a monk. My thought, they must have been clumsy to have broken that many things to be able to build a miniature chapel with pieces. After the wonderful taxi ride I walked through the main part of town. I was in a little store and asked the lady if she had bookmarks, and a young man said he'd seen them at another store so he walked through the town with me to find the store. He saved me a lot of work by taking me there. What a nice young man, he was from Canada visiting a friend who lives here. I stopped at a market in town after buying the bookmarks and got a little snack. I asked the server what he recommended and he suggested potato wedges with bacon and Guernsey chedder cheese. How could I resist? Bacon here is not like bacon in America, it is more like what we call Canadian bacon, and it was delicious! And that, my friends, was a day in Guernsey, the 2nd largest of the Channel Islands, occupied by over 90,000 german troops in the 2nd world war. The sun shone the whole day with just areas of fog in places, which is quite normal I was told. And in about an hour we sail away to Cork, Ireland, where I will have a tour for the entire day around the area, including the Blarney castle, where the Blarney stone is.
Small world, last night in the elevator going to dinner there was a young boy and it turned out he is from Aurora! The first person on the ship I talk to, all the way in England and he is from my home. Amazing! Having dinner with Diana and Alec and other table mates was quite an enjoyable experience. I am going to love having friends to share this adventure with!
My day in London was a delight. I saw the concierge who I have known since my first trip here, so that was a nice welcome, what a kind man he is! I took the tube all alone to Covent Garden and walked around the area where "My Fair Lady" was filmed. that was exciting for me, one of my favorite movies when I was young. When I arrived in Southampton, Pat and Ernie picked me up from the terminal and we went out and had a nice lunch, and Diana and Alec joined us when they got to town. We were all on the Antarctica cruise together, so it was a nice reunion! We missed Terry and Peter though.
Well, time to nap. Tomorrow, Cork, Ireland.
Small world, last night in the elevator going to dinner there was a young boy and it turned out he is from Aurora! The first person on the ship I talk to, all the way in England and he is from my home. Amazing! Having dinner with Diana and Alec and other table mates was quite an enjoyable experience. I am going to love having friends to share this adventure with!
My day in London was a delight. I saw the concierge who I have known since my first trip here, so that was a nice welcome, what a kind man he is! I took the tube all alone to Covent Garden and walked around the area where "My Fair Lady" was filmed. that was exciting for me, one of my favorite movies when I was young. When I arrived in Southampton, Pat and Ernie picked me up from the terminal and we went out and had a nice lunch, and Diana and Alec joined us when they got to town. We were all on the Antarctica cruise together, so it was a nice reunion! We missed Terry and Peter though.
Well, time to nap. Tomorrow, Cork, Ireland.
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