Paris 17th August

Today we contemplated going to Versailles but it was raining so we had breakfast then listened to a weather report which said it would stop raining in 8 minutes.  It actually stopped in 8 minutes very impressed.  We decided to just walk into Paris go where our heart led us.  With brollies and map in hand we set off.  We did wonder where everyone was it was very quiet.  We walked past Notre Dame des Champs about ten mins from us.  We continued on just taking in all the beautiful architecture making mental notes to go back if there was time. We walked along the Blvde St Michel looking up a street we saw a beautiful building so went to investigate.  It was a building which had been a military hospital quite magnificent but locked it would have opened later in the day.  We made our way thru the Luxembourg Gardens down past the Sorbonne and came to Notre Dame which is on Ile de la Cite.  We just sat in the park next to the Pont Neuf then crossed to the right bank and came to the Louvre complex which was also unnaturally quiet, actually you could take this all in very differently than when it is extremely busy. 

We passed thru Jardin des Tuileries which was established by Catherine de Medici, to the Place de la Concorde and the beginning of the Champs Elysees, past Cleopatra’s needle.  We crossed the river, gradually making our way back to our hotel all the while drinking in everything before us.  We had a few minutes respite and headed back down to the Blvde du Monparnasse and found a lovely place for dinner, there is so much choice.  It really is a very easy city to find ones way around Paris with a good map of course, there are also many maps on the streets to help you on your way.

When we arrived home we Googled why was it all so quiet and we found that Parisians leave Paris for holidays from mid-July to the end of August and leave it all to the tourists and those who do not go away at this time.

Also when we arrived home we learned of the terrible situation in Barcelona you never really know whether you will get home safely I must admit I am always very grateful.  No one can imagine being in such a situation. Just innocent people on holidays perhaps, doing their normal everyday things.  Sabine and Sam     

12 days with Sam's family Friday 28th July, 2017 to Tuesday 8th August, 2017

I am going to do these 12 days as a block.

We left Inverness on 28.07.2017 and travelled to Leuchars to stay with Sam’s cousin Donald.  Donald and Sam spent a lot of time together as children and young teenagers before Sam came to Australia when he was 15.  Donald very kindly looked after us until the following Tuesday when he took us to Katy and Joe’s, Katy is Donald’s sister.  Sam spent a lot of time with their family. 

Donald lives not far from the University Town of St Andrews where the famous Golf Course is situated.  It is a beautiful town very much like stepping back in time.  It is also very busy as is all this part of the country parking is scarce as hens teeth.  The following day Donald took us to Crail it is a fishing village Sam remembered going to as a youngster it is very pretty place.  We continued on along the coast to all these beautiful little fishing villages to name a few, Anstruther so busy not a parking space in sight, then Pittenweem, we continued along to many more fishing villages all the while the secenery is quite breathtaking and around every corner there is a castle or ruins of one, gorgeous manor houses and the color of the countryside is beyond green. 

We travelled through the centre of Fife through towns including Cupar, a Royal burgh since 1328 then came to the north coast of Fife to the town of Newburgh then travelled along the absolutely beautiful south side of the Tay River.  The vistas are just stunning.  A storm blew up over the Tay quite like we had not seen before we stopped and watched it come down the Tay.  Sam was very taken with a tiny village called Balmerino.

On the Monday another of Sam’s cousins Margaret came to see us with her husband Jimmy their daughter Cathy kindly brought them it was lovely to see them they had come to Australia about 20 years ago.    

On the Tuesday the three of us went to Katy and Joe’s in Huntly, Donald did a lot of driving taking us through countryside one would not see on ones own all breathtaking really. 

We spent 8 very lovely days in Huntly being very spoilt.  Lots of laughter and some partaking of whisky involved. 

On the first day Donald took us to Strathdon where Sam had lived as a child, his Dad was the headmaster of the primary school.  We went past Candacraig House which was up the street from where Sam lived, until recently it belonged to Billy Connolly.  We continued into the mountains where there is skiing in the winter.  We were very fortunate to see the mountains covered in Heather.  We then continued to Speyside where there are many whisky distilleries.  There are many gin distilleries now as well much quicker to get a return on gin than on whisky.  We also visited Dulsie Bridge over the River Findhorn built in 1795 Robert Burns was said to have stayed at the farmhouse known as Kings House during his Grand Tour in 1787. 

On the way back to Huntly we went to see Edinglassie the farm where Sam’s Dad was born.  There were nine children in his family six boys and three girls. 

The following day we went to Ellon where Sam was born, the hospital now being a Golf Club.  We left Kimmy (Donald’s puppy) to be babysat with Joes’ cousin Iain and his lovely wife Wilma, a delightful couple.  We then went to Peterhead which is now the biggest fishing port in the UK, we visited the old prison closed about four years ago, there was a gentleman there that day to greet visitors, he had been a prison warder,  he had been taken hostage in 1987 by some prisoners who were hopeful of escaping, he was taken onto the roof (in freezing Scottish weather) and kept there for five days, he was amazing told us of his ordeal, no days off for him afterwards just back to work, gracious if that happened to someone today they would be on stress leave and visiting the psyche for the rest of their days.  He is now 87 what a trouper I love someone courageous. 

We then visited the old lighthouse and museum in Fraserburgh meanwhile the sun shone most of the time a little rain now and again but it did not stop us seeing all the delights Scotland has to offer.  We went back to Ellon where Wilma and Iain had a lovely dinner for us all such a lovely day.

On Saturday the five of us headed to the Cairngorms where everyone skis we took the funicular, a new one now built about 20 years ago.  This is a very modern funicular,r such scenery breathtaking.  On the way home we visited the Reindeer Complex I have to say I have not ever seen such beauty we could touch them.  They were brought to Scotland in 1952 by an amazing man and his wife a huge undertaking, with breeding programs in place they are of course protected, They grow new antlers every year, whilst they are growing they are covered in velvet and once grown the velvet falls off the blood supply to the antlers stops and they eventually fall off and they grow anor set.  They are the prettiest animal I have ever seen. We called in to Aviemore on the way home to a ski village yet anor lovely day. 

I am going to let Sam take over.      

On Sunday Katy and Joe had a family barbecue with all their children and their partners coming over to say hello, we had not met Katy's daughter Gail or her partner Jamie before.  It was a lovely day and luckily the weather cooperated.

Donald (and Kim) headed home on Monday, who knows when we will meet again but we will make sure we do.

On Tuesday we went for a number of walks through Huntly with the highlight being a visit to Huntly Castle.  Sabine will do this separately.

Monday 14th August 2017 to Thursday 17th August, 2017

We were up early this morning. We were all packed and ready for our journey to Edinburgh.  We went down to breakfast were chatting to a young man at the next table he had just walked in he was a chef for Jamie Oliver telling us how busy Edinburgh was and how crazy really.  We said we had been there four weeks ago and agreed with him.  We were journeying to Edinburgh today.  Caught our train we actually alighted at Edinburgh Park and called a cab to our our hotel we are staying at the Edinburgh Marriot which is a bus ride into town.  We settled in and stayed put for the rest of the day.

Tuesday 15th August, 2017

We had a reasonably early start today had breakfast then headed into Edinburgh by bus just outside our hotel left about 10.00am. We pretty much just did as much as we could around Edinburgh such a beautiful city and funny we did not find it as crazy as it was the month prior. We visited Calton Hill which we had not done previously, with some interesting structures including a half finished replica of the Acropolis which was started in the 19th century but the money ran out before they got far.  The views from there were superb across Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth and also in all other directions. I decided my hair needed to be cut so found a gorgeous hairdresser who totally knew what I wanted so now it is very short and easier for the rest of our journey.  We were due to pick up our tickets for the Tattoo at 7.30pm and our session for the Tattoo was due for 9.00pm.  We had dinner at an Italian place collected our tickets and made our way to the Royal Mile to go up to the Castle.  I must say organisation into the Castle seating etc very good. The whole event was just beautiful and exceeded our expectations, and as we had the late session the fireworks were very lovely.  We are delighted we decided to see this.  When it was over the organisation to get everyone safely out was excellent.  I have to say walking down the Royal Mile with lighting on all of those beautiful buildings was something to be seen no words really.  Everyone's safety was looked after lots of little alcoves along the Royal Mile and in each one a safety officer very impressive not intrusive but just taking care.  We walked down to where we were to catch our bus back to the hotel plenty of public transport we arrived back to our room at midnight on the dot.  We are to be up and gone by 10.00am for our journey to Paris.  Goodnight Sabine and Sam.

Wednesday 16th August 2017

We had an early start again this morning. Breakfast in the hotel and left by 10.00am.  We caught the bus to Edinburgh  Airport very efficient.  Bags dropped very busy but you know very efficient really the world is a very busy place.  Through security good really an extremely lovely young woman getting everyone thru she was a delight lots of people she assisted everyone with a smile what a huge difference that makes to everyone we all smiled back at her no one was stressed or angry and that certainly happens huge difference I wanted to hug her.

Our flight was delayed one hour but we did not mind we have had everything one time so far every train everything really.  We had a coffee and there was a girl opposite us gave us some entertainment.  On all of these what they call domestic flights you can only take one bag be it a handbag or anor type of bag. She had her bag but had done heaps of shopping in the airport after security well I have to hand it to her she managed to get most of it in her bag very impressive indeed I had visions of it all coming out of her case on the flight.  We arrived safely at Paris Orly airport, found our bus "Le Bus" to take us to Montparnasse Railway Station and we walked from there to our hotel. We unpacked to a degree went downstairs to the restaurant for some dinner and were asleep in two seconds, I think we slept for over ten hours.  Busy day.  Sabine and Sam  





  

Sunday 13th August 2017

It is Sunday today.  After a lovely day yesterday getting our chores done and in readiness for Monday we took a walk to see Cambuskenneth Abbey just a short walk from where we were in Stirling in Cambuskenneth a little village across the footbridge.  Years back it was proposed to build a road bridge across but that would have meant progress they did not want so the residents of the village protested against it and they won good for them, and a bridge for pedestrians only was constructed.  It just meant the village did not get any bigger, one can get there by road of course but it is a long way around.

We walked there thru a field of cattle very beautiful they were too we went thru the gate of the old Abbey the only part still standing is the Clock Tower kept probably to keep watch.  Sam and I were the only people there what a privilege.  The foundations of the Abbey are still there of course. Within these now ruined walls, history was made.  This is where Parliament met after the Battle of Bannockburn, where the future of the Stewart dynasty was determined and where King James III was buried. I photoed this little bit of info Sam is going to read it from phone:

Welcome to Cambuskenneth.  The name means Field of Kenneth after the 9th C Scottish King Kenneth MacAlpin fought and defeated the Picts in a battle near this area in AD834. Traditionally this battle has marked the foundation of Scotland when Kenneth MacAlpin became its first King.

Cambuskenneth Abbey was founded around 1140 by King David I and was originally home to Arrousaisian Canons.  The Abbey later became home to Augustinian Canons.  The Abbey was disbanded after the Reformation and its stones used to construct other buildings in Stirling.  (This is what happened to most Abbeys after the Reformation). The Campanile or Bell Tower along with the Western Doorway is all that survived of a structure that dates back to around 1300.

In the churchyard is buried King James III along with his wife Princess Margaret of Denmark. This was not their first resting place.  Queen Victoria paid for this resting place in her reign some 600 or so years later.

To walk in these places among these people from so long ago just gives me goosebumps not so for poor Sam.

We walked back sheltering under trees bus shelters the railway station until we made it back to our hotel.  I packed us in readiness for Monday and we had dinner in a beautiful Indian Restaurant called Ranas (I think) two doors from our hotel best Indian I have had.

Stirling is a delight and well worth a long stay.  Our hotel was in the perfect location and the staff could not have been lovlier.  It was extremely busy for breakfast lunch and dinner only small but delightful.

Sabine and Sam

Saturday August 12, 2017

We decided to do a day in Stirling today.  A very lovely city we both felt at home in and like it very much.  We had been here before but had only passed thru we went to Stirling Castle that day but did not have time to do anything else.

Sam had booked us five days here this time because of its close proximity to so much.  We have been able to walk to many places.  After breakfast we went to find the laundromat we had found on the map but alas it was a laundry so we left our bag there and and collected it all clean and folded later in the day what a good service Fresh N Clean, all I had to do was iron it and ready to pack again for our journey to Edinburgh on Monday.

We took ourselves up to The Church of the Holy Rude absolutely amazing really.  "Rude" or "Rood" is an old medieval word signifying the Cross of the Crucifixion.  The first Church on this site was founded by King David 1, King of Scots, in 1129,but destroyed by fire in 1406.  Shortly afterwards a grant was made by the Lord Chamberlain of Scotland to have a new Church built and the Nave, South Aisle and Tower were completed about 1414.  This part of the Church with its rounded Scots pillars, its Gothic arches and its original oak timbered roof now appears, after many changes, much as it did when first built. It was added to between 1507 and 1546.

In 1656, following a quarrel between the two ministers of the Church and their followers, the Town Council built a partition thus forming the East Church and the West Church each with its own minister. This continued until 1935 when the two congregations were united under one minister.

As always it is the generosity of members of the congregation which enable these places to exist today otherwise they would not be here for us to see.  A fellow by the name of John Rich and his daughter defrayed the cost of the organ, built in 1939, and a stained glass window.  This was kept in safe storage during the Second World War.

There has been lots of restoration the latest being between 1987 and 1993 costing 1,250,000 pounds. A beautiful stained glass window depicting the First World War has been installed about 18 months ago.

Mary Queen of Scots, worshipped in this Church.  Mary's infant son, James, who later became King James 1 of England in 1603, after the death of Queen Elizabeth, was crowned here as as King James VI of Scots on 29th July 1567 making this Church the only Church in Britain, in regular use for worship, apart from Westminster Abbey in London where a Coronation has taken place.

We went to a concert there this evening joined in with the locals and had a glass of wine afterwards met a very nice chap called Finlay who is part of the Church gave us lots of info told us how they have celebrations of all of these events throughout the year full pipe bands etc etc.  I love all this info poor Sam is suffering info overload.

We walked down the street and went to a very busy pub and wandered back to our hotel.  Sam cannot believe he has anor 8 weeks of info gathering to go.

There was also anor fellow Alex Cunningham  who in AD 1809 generously gave 4,000 pounds to educate poor boys who would not have received an education and also 1,000 pounds for the benefit of the widows of Spittals Hospital.  If not for the philanthropy of such people that education would not have been given which would have benefited countless people as it went down the line. Amazing stuff really.
 
Sabine and Sam  

Brig O' Doon

.Friday 11th August 2017

Today we started out with a train  from Stirlingto Glasgow Queen Street Station then headed on foot to Glasgow Central to catch our train to Ayr.  When we arrived in Ayr we contemplated walking to Alloway but it was raining a little so we caught the bus.  We alighted from the bus outside the cottage where Robbie Burns was born.  We handed over our National Trust cards and the lovely gentleman guided us to what we should do and see.  We went to the cottage first where we met anor lovely gentleman who gave us the story of Robbie's early years while we were standing in the home where he was born. Robbie Burns was the first child of William and Agnes born on January 25, 1759 then followed by his brother Gilbert two years later a sister Agnes and Anabella then William John and Isabella.  His father William wanted more for his sons so he formed I guess a partnership with five other families closeby and they employed a teacher by the name of John Murdoch who was 18 to teach the children in the Burns family home. Robbie was 6 and Gilbert 4 but they learned quickly and well they could speak French as well as English.  The education they received at such a young age gave them their future.

The teacher lived with the family as did Betty Davidson a cousin of Agnes she helped about the house and the dairy in return for board and lodging and her influence on Robbie was far-reaching.

Time went on they moved to different farms being tenant farmers. Robbie had a thirst for knowledge and his education far reaching he remained friends with John Murdoch and wrote to him always. He became a Freemason at age 22 he had nine children by different women two sets of twins one set daughters born in March 1788 died in infancy.  He became an Excise man as well to earn money and keep his family.  He wrote endless poems and is of course responsible for Auld Lang Syne.  He died in 1796 it is thought heart disease.  The first "Burns Supper" was held in a cottage in Alloway in 1801 and they are still held to this day in many places around the World.

We then made our way to Brig O' Doon which was way more stunning that I could ever have imagined I had always wanted to see Brig O' Doon since childhood it was worth the wait.  There is a hotel

called Brig O' Doon House just by the bridge and there was a wedding there today a very beautiful bride.  We went thru the gardens quite outstanding and then the Museum and there are many thousands of artifacts one could have stayed there all day.  We had coffee in the coffee shop then went to the present Alloway Parish Church of Scotland which was built in 1858, but the recorded history of the Church in Alloway dates back to 1236.  The now ruined Alloway Kirk, across the road from the Parish Church was built in 1516 this is where William and Agnes Burns lay at rest. The Church was beautiful and very welcoming and the stained glass windows stunning.

We walked back to Ayr about 45 mins then caught the 16.52 train to Glasgow Central Station and then walked to Glasgow Queen Street to catch our train home to Stirling arriving at 7.00pm.  This was a big day we walked back to our hotel and had dinner there as well.  Very special day indeed.

Tomorrow is a day around Stirling and a visit to the laundromat in readiness to head to Edinburgh on Monday.  I hope I have all of this correct.  Sabine and Sam  

August 9 and 10 , 2017

Wednesday 9.08.2017 and Thursday 10.08.2017

There is a 12 day gap which I will catch up with.

We have spent the last 12 days, 4 with Donald, Sam's cousin and then anor 8 days the three of us spent that time together with Sam's cousin Katy and her husband Joe in Huntly we had a very lovely time together being looked after going beautiful places generally being very spoilt.  Lots of laughter and catching up to do I will fill all this in later.

We left Huntly Wednesday about midday, Katy and Joe took us to the station and we travelled to Stirling where we are staying at Friars Wynd very close to the station it is a very cosy boutique hotel.  We went out when we arrived to orient outselves, it is a very beautiful place, then we had something to eat and then Thursday after brekky we caught the train to Glasgow beautiful architecture we both really liked Glasgow.  The beautiful architecture being because it was built from all the richness of Glasgow's position in World Trade in the early 19th Century. Much of the wealth came from the trade in tobacco and sugar, which was very much based on slavery in America and the West Indies.  There are many bridges over the Clyde all contributing to the city's economy, these bridges were all built with the latest civil engineering technology available at the time.

We saw a lovely Cathedral which turned out to be St Andrew's Roman Catholic Cathedral there was a wedding in process when we visited very lovely.  I must admit I know little of St Andrew on his Feast Day is November 30 and I have not ever known of a Roman Catholic St Andrews.  After a google he was Simon Peter's brother and one of the Lord's disciples.  You learn something new every day.  We really spent our day seeing as much as we could and went to the Gallery of Modern Art beautiful building.  We caught the express to Stirling train home had dinner at our hotel and tomorrow we are booked to go to Ayr and from there we will walk to Brig o" Doon.