Scotland with Jacky and Steve, May Day, 2009
Carlyn and Cari's Web Page
Carlyn and Cari's Guest book
Venice in November
Spain with Lin and Monica
The Louvre and Monet's House and Garden, September 2009
Disneyland Paris- The end to my month long 50th birthday celebration
London Skyride- September 20, 2009
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Switzerland- July 2009
Carlyn's Birthweek 2009- Fun, Food and Henry VIII
Sailing Trip on the Solent of the English Channel, June 2009
Istanbul, Turkey- May 2009
Aberdeen with Jacky and Steve
The Loire Valley with Mom and Sheri
Budapest, April 2009
The German Christmas Markets with Joyce, December 2008
The Lord Mayor Show, November 8, 2008
Madrid and Andalucia, October 2008
Krakow, Poland- September 2008
Cari's Birthweek- Germany
Dinner at Muspatts Farm celebrating Carlyn's
Italy, June 2008
The Lake District- May 2008
York- May Day Holiday Weekend 2008
Cornwall and Wales- Page 1
Cornwall and Wales- Page 2
Hever Castle
Blemhein Palace
Hastings and Battle- 1066 Country
Brighton
German Christmas Market
Fall in Provence
Paris in a Day
Visitors at Parliament Square
Amsterdam and Kuekenhof
The South West "Jurassic" Coast
Cambridge
Christmas and Canterbury
Normandy
Austria
Prague, Czech Republic
Belgium break
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Blog
We traveled to Aberdeen Scotland on the May Day holiday to visit our English friend Jacky. She is working in Aberdeen for two years while husband Steve remains working in London as well as keeping up with their two properties and other family duties We arrived late Friday night to get an early start on Saturday and we bird watched and sight saw the length and breadth of the Eastern coast of Scotland.
A bit of Scottish scenery during our lunch stop
Daffodils were at peak, several weeks behind London
Cash crop of daffodil grown for bulbs along the coast
A closer look at the fields of daffodils
Walking between the town of Montrose and the sea on an absolutly lovely Scottish day (and these two words usually don't hang together)
I loved this pub sign in Montrose
A beautiful lighthouse along the coast near Montrose
Jacky and Steve enjoying the coastal views
Arbroath Abbey was founded by King William the Lion in 1178 in honour of the murdered St. Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury. The Abbey hosted the most significant event in Scottish history. On 6 April 1320 the Scottish Declaration of Independence was signed by the assembled Scottish nobility in Arbroath Abbey. The Declaration was addressed to the Pope who had given his support to Edward II and excommunicated Robert the Bruce. The nobles had to intervene in the dispute between the Bruce and the Pope. The Declaration explained how the Bruce had rescued the country from a dreadful situation and for this they would support him in all things. The Declaration was an inspiration for future generations. The most famous quote is this: "For, so long as a hundred remain alive, we will never in any degree be subject to the dominion of the English. Since not for glory, riches or honours do we fight, but for freedom alone, which no man loses but with his life."
Here I am purchasing a load of Arbroath Smokies. Arbroath Smokies originated in Auchmithie, a small fishing village a few miles north of Arbroath, once populated with fisher folk of Scandinavian origin; 'Spink' is a Norse surname. The fishwives originally smoked the fish in halved barrels with fires underneath, trapping the smoke under layers of hessian sacking. At the start of the 20th century the first Auchmithie fisher-folk began moving to Arbroath, and the process soon became known as the Arbroath Smokie, as we know it today.
Just another excellent Coastal view on our way to dinner at Stonehaven.
Yep...Frog crossing.
Your not in Scotland if you don't have a Highland Cattle spotting
A fishing village just outside of Stonehaven where I got to experience my first native lobster dinner at "The Tolbooth". Excellent.
Early Sunday morning Steve arranged for us to view Balmoral Estate via a luxury Estate Range Rover Safari. The safari took us through the manicured parkland and gardens in front of Balmoral Castle http://www.balmoralcastle.com/balmoral_safari.htm.
We then traveled through the Estate farm to enter the old Caledonian Pine Forest.
This bridge on the estate was built by Queen Victoria over the falls. The bridge goes absolutely no where but the view of the falls is stunning!
After spending some time exploring this pristine area we headed out of the woods onto the open hillside. The views soon started to open up as we travel through the heather high up the flanks of Lochnagar, one of Scotland’s most famous mountains.
Enjoying the views
After the safari we stopped at the Darrach Learg Hotel and Restaurant for an outstanding Sunday lunch. Steve and Jacky have been staying and eating here for years. They truly know where to eat in this part of the world. www.darrochlearg.co.uk
After lunch we headed to Tomintoul in the heart of Scotch Whisky country to the Whisky Castle http://www.whiskycastle.com/ . We did some serious tasting and learning about single malt Scotch. The Collection of Scotland's Malt Whiskies to buy at the Whisky Castle is quite outstanding, with every working Scottish Distillery represented by multiple expressions of fine Malts wherever possible. In addition they stock many rare whiskies from those distilleries at present mothballed or those long gone. Steve also purchased several pieces of Haggis for us to “enjoy” at our leisure.
On our way back to Aberdeen
Steve arranged first class tickets on the train back to London where we travel along the coast of Scotland all the wway to Edinburgh.
Coastal views from the train
The bridge crossing the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh
....just because it's beautiful!
