Flowers,Art and the tour begins

First to answer a question.  North Berwick is only a 1/2 hour train ride from Edinburgh.

We did our usual 7:30 am breakfast.  The Royal Botanic Garden did not open until 10 am so we were not rushed.  But we decided to walk to downtown.  Went into some of the tourist shops.  I found out a little more about my family names.  Strang - small family - never had its own clan.  Abernethy - part of the MacDuff, Leslie or Pierce Clans, Donaldson is part of the MacDonald, Walker is big here.  I have seen a few Donaldson and Abernethy things.  Nothing with Strang.  But it is nice to know what to look for.

a random photo!

After walking around on the Royal Mile we grabbed a taxi to go to the Royal Botanic Gardens (they do not say Botanical).  We spent several hours there.  Very nice.

John Chamberlain's aluminium sculpture

so many flowers so little time.  Not sure how to choose.

Then we stopped for lunch at the Cafe

nothing stupendous but it hit the spot, especially because we were sitting down.  Nathan had a brie and butternut squash pizza - very interesting.

Then more wandering

Andy Goldsworthy, slate sculpture

Barbara Hepworth (we missed her are in London)

Then we caught the bus to the Royal Mile again to go the the Scottish National Gallery.  First stop was the cafe to give me a break.  George and Nathan were just humoring me.  But I needed a sit-down.  

Our goal was to find this painting if we could.  It is of Rev Walker (George's distant relative).  We thought it would be obscure. But come to find out it is sort of an icon of the whole museum.

But unfortunately the original was on loan to a place in Texas right now so we could not see the real thing. This museum has mostly older art.  This had one room with a few Monets, Degas, Gauigins, and 1 Van Gogh.  

They did have one room of this Scottish artist I liked William McTaggart

Note the walls, Sharon.

We then caught a taxi to take us back to the B & B.  It waited while we went in to get our luggage.  Then the taxi took us to the Novotel.  

It is a big fancy place but odd in many ways.  But it has very fast internet.  We were not at the room long.  It was time to go down stairs to meet our Trafalgar Tour group.  I think that we have 51 people on our tour.  We did not do any introductions - mostly because it is a big group.  Simone is our tour director. She seems very nice.  We met in the lobby at 5:15 pm to go to dinner.

This is a TV screen that they have framed like a piece of art.

It was a buffet and we were seated at small tables around in a big room.  We were allowed 2 drinks a piece.  I started with a pinot grigio and ended with a cab.  Food was ok.  A lot of variety.  We went to the restaurant on the bus.  When we sat down we were told that those were our assigned seats for the next day.  After that we will rotate.so that we will gradually get to know other people on the tour.  The people we sat near this time were from Canada.  Very nice people.  We sat with them at dinner as well.  Mom, Dad and a daughter, who had been teaching in England for a year.

After dinner we came back to the hotel to relax.  This time I am getting the blog done tonight.  Plus I may have way more pictures than you want since they upload so quickly.

Dolphin clip

Nathan took my movie and cut out a lot of the waiting parts in between the seeing parts. Because the internet is slow here it may not work..Let me know if this does not work

North Berwick Boat Tour, Beaches and Castles

We are not spending a lot of time at our B&B.  But it is a cute house, quiet.  Good access to the bus.

Here is our already messed up room  It has 4 beds and a bathroom.

only other room we have been in is the dining room.  We are seated by our room number.  we had to fill out a menu when we checked in for this morning and we have filled out tomorrow morning's menu this morning. We are upstairs.  Dorothy and Richard are very nice.  

After breakfast this morning we took a bus to the train station and caught a train to North Berwick (pronounced Bear ick).  Cute little town.  We went to the Seabird Center to sign up for a boat tour.  We got signed up for the 1 pm tour.  So we wandered around town. 

Went to a local Art Gallery,(I got in trouble for taking a photo so I only got 1 photo) poked in some shops, wandered through a garden and then went to lunch at Tea at Tiffany's/  It was a soup and sandwich kind of a place.  I had the tuna melt, potato leek soup and black current squash (drink). It came with a garni (like a whisper of salad)/

After lunch we wandered on the beach until time to go for the tour.  WOW what an experience.  The best thing is that a pod of dolphins were passing through and we went along with them.  

Gearing up

We saw DOLPHINS!!! We followed a long a pod of dolphins.  They were everywhere.  Amazing. I will try to upload a video later.

A seal 

Bass Rock with an abandoned light house.

We  saw a lot of birds including puffins and even a jellyfish.  Amazing day.  On top of that there was an air show so we got to the Red Arrows do their loop-de-loops. And there was a lifeboat fundraiser festival.  All for us.

Then we went to have a Gelato.  

Then we took a bus out to Dirleton Castle.  It was a fine castle until Cromwell came along.  Very impressive. 

Took the bus back to the train station.  Got there just in time to catch the train back to Edinburgh.  Very nice day.  

So dinner?? We thought maybe Italian. So we started heading off towards the food area.  We saw a side alley and thought that it might bo where we wanted to go, Craig's Close (a tiny alleyway).  

Part way up we came to a Thai place and decided to go with it.  It was very good.  What a find.  Nathan and I had the house tempranillo, we had Pad Thai, a mild curry, rice and spring rolls.  

We took the taxi home.  A perfect day.  The weather was nice.  

Arthur's Seat and Turkish Food

We arrived in Edinburgh about 2:15 pm.  Uneventful trip.  Once we arrived we hailed a taxi to the B & B.  It was not far.  We checked in, changed clothes and then went for a 3 mile hike up to Arthur's Seat and into town.  It is a peak that is an extinct volcano 820 foot hill. It seemed a lot more than that to me.  But I made it.  Gorgeous view.

our B & B

Arthur's Seat

part way up

some of the paths were "paved" and some were very rugged and there were a lot of paths. We went on one of the more gradual assents 

note the number of people already at the top.  I was surprised about the numbers of people.  Joggers, serious hikers, old, young, people just as out of breath as me, families and photographers.  There were so many paths it did not feel crowded.  People moved a long at the top as well so everyone could take their turn getting to the plaque.

people heading down

 view of the ocean

Plaque at the top

the view

on our way down a different way

a butterfly and a bee - can you find them both.

we went on the lower path right below the cliff because we were on our way down.  Nathan would have liked to go to the top of this peak as well.   

Nathan is in his element.  He is ready to move to Edinburgh.  To have this place in his back yard.

Not sure what this structure is.  Maybe we will find out on the tour.  

Holyrood palace

We ended out on the Royal Mile in downtown old town Edinburgh for dinner.  We went to a Turkish place. Nathan and I had a Turkish red wine that was quite good.  I do not know what it was.

I had the chicken shish kabobs. Delicious

The train to Edinburgh - July 24

We are on the train to Edinburgh.  I was quite stressed getting to the train.  The Underground was supposed to take 10 minutes.  Our train was to leave at 9:30 am.  We had to walk to the underground and we knew we had to find the train at King’s cross.  We had to get our tickets at will call and we had to turn in our oyster cards for a refund. So calculating back, we thought leaving the hotel at 8:15 am should give us  plenty of time.  First glitch came when we tried to enter the underground.  They had closed the gate to enter due to some construction/emergency problem – Then it open but it was rush hour and  there were masses of people to slow us down as well.  Of course we were carrying all of our luggage.  Then we got on the right underground.  That part did take just 10 min.  But when we got to Kings Cross it was 9 am already. We found the place to get the will call tickets.  Nathan went off to try to turn in the oyster cards for a refund.  He was not successful.  Long line and then problems with the machine.  Plus I had texted him saying the train had arrived.  They have a terrible system here.  You stand in the main station near a screen that tells you which platform your train will come in on.  Once it arrives you have 10 minutes to run to the platform, find the right coach, store your luggage and find your seat.  So we were nervously waiting for Nathan to return.  I hate that rushing thing, afraid that we would miss the train.  Well we made it.  Now I can relax.  We will be on the train until 2:15 pm.  I am using my phone mobile hotspot.  

my lunch

I don't know what the wifi situation will be in Edinburgh.