August 2019

Beautiful Ballater

August 28, 2019


Hello from Scotland!

Seems like a long time, but it has only been 7 weeks since my sister Hanna and niece Lydia and I left Seattle. We were together for about 9 days before they returned to the US. You'll see them in pictures from our time in and around Aberdeen. As promised, I'm sending notes and a few pictures to share the journey so far. I hope you are well and that you miss me terribly. lol

Notes about logistics:
Address: You'll need an address where snail mail can be sent. I'm using Anytime Mailbox. This virtual mail service provides a street address and a full range of services including check depositing, forwarding, scan/email, recycle & shred. Works great for receiving my mail, but beware, you may also have to provide a "residential physical address" to your credit card company or bank.

Banking: Make sure that you have online access to your bank account and that you can manage paying bills online. Set up direct deposit and auto pay for anything you can. I use US Bank and have done all of my banking online for years, so this wasn't a big deal for me. Do check on ATM fees for international transactions. I can withdraw money internationally twice a month without a bank fee, but of course the exchange rate to local currency still applies.

Credit Cards: Check your credit cards to make sure you are not being charged an international transaction fee. I prefer to use my American Express, but have had to use MasterCard, VISA, or cash in a few places that don't take Am Ex. Don't rely on just one payment method.

Phone: I'm using Ting - generally a good plan and I like that you only pay for what you use. There is still a charge for international cell service, so for me it would have been better to use a separate sim card. My strategy: I only use the phone when I have free WiFi. If I need a map, I use paper - museums usually have a local city map for free. Or, I study the map before leaving the flat and make note of major roads. Then I just risk getting lost - an adventure!

TV: If you need access to television know this: Amazon video will not work in every location. Neither will hulu or other providers (yes, even if you have a paid subscription). And, in the UK, you need a license to have TV in your residence. If you are staying in a place that has television, no worries. If you're not, and you're on your computer, your access may be limited. No worries, read a book!

The trip so far. . . 
Starting off in London:
There is a new Hilton Garden Inn in Terminal 2 at Heathrow. If you only have a night in London, as we did, it is really handy to drop your luggage at the hotel and take the tube to check out your neighborhood of choice. My phone was at the hotel charging while we were in London, so no pictures of our LONG walk around Hyde Park and Bird Cage walk to Buckingham Palace and adjacent grounds. Images and info here if you're interested in that area:  https://www.rct.uk

Aberdeen


We flew from London to Aberdeen where we picked up the rental car. I intentionally ordered the economy stick shift but had forgotten that I'd be shifting with left hand. Not too big a deal, but I recommend taking time while parked to get the feel of the gears.

There's a code to raise the gate to get out of the secure rental lot - it will be written on your rental agreement. If you don't have it, you can't get out. Rental agents are not allowed to help, rather, they have to refer the stuck motorist to walk over to airport security to deal with the matter. A taxi driver stuck at the gate provided an introduction to swearing in the UK as he hurled abuse at our nice rental agent. Note to self - save that code and don't make anybody angry!

The very short drive from airport to hotel took much longer as I killed the engine, drove in the wrong lanes, and generally had anxiety. Thanks to Lydia's co-piloting and encouragement from both Hanna and Lydia, we arrived safely at our Hampton Inn where I learned later (via pretty big ticket) that I parked in the wrong part of the lot. Good grief!

Before leaving Aberdeen, we took a cab to Duthie Gardens where we wandered through the fabulous greenhouses. We took pictures as though we'd never seen a flower - although most not unusual, it was a riot of color and beauty. I'll just share a couple of pictures from the carnivorous plant exhibit.

If you're ever in Aberdeen, we recommend The Tartan Pig Coffee House for lunch. Then, walk through town past newer universities to The University of Aberdeen founded in 1495. These links take you to history and photos of U of A.
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/about/history/index.php

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/university-of-aberdeen.html

It was cool and overcast. Be sure to bring your coat and umbrella.

Craigendarroch Lodge, Ballater 

This is the main building of what is now a Hilton property with 100 cabins on a wooded hillside. Our suite was in the main lodge - a beautiful, historic building (pictured) where we enjoyed the restaurant, lounge, and spa

We took a short walk down the road to the village of Ballater for shopping and lunch, drove to the Royal Lochnagar Distillery and to Balmoral Castle - the royal summer residence. The forest and rivers of this area reminded me so much of parts of Washington and Oregon.  Really beautiful.
https://www.malts.com/en-gb/visit-a-distillery/royal-lochnagar
https://www.balmoralcastle.com

8 pictures below:
1) The view walking from the Craigendarroch Lodge to Ballater. 2) Entering Balmoral castle grounds. 3) A royal hen. 4) Royal vegetable garden. 5) Wannabe royal gardeners! 6) Grounds with castle in distance. 7) Part of castle. 8) Leaving the grounds on the riverside trail.

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History:
In the autumn of 1842, two and a half years after her marriage to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria paid her first visit to Scotland. She noted the peaceful quality of this particular area.

Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848.













A visit to Stonehaven for the ice cream was recommended enthusiastically, so upon our return to Aberdeen, Lydia figured out how to find a local bus from near the hotel and handled all navigation with her iPhone. By now I had figured out that cellular service on my phone plan would cost an arm and a leg, so I restricted myself to wifi only. It was a cool day for poking around this seaport town. We visited the Tolbooth museum and got delicious ice cream at E. Giulianotti's sweet shop & homemade ice cream. Soooo yummy! The next day Hanna & Lydia flew back to London and I took the train to Edinburgh.
1) Stonehaven. 2) Beautiful Edinburgh. 3) St Mary's Episcopal, Edinburgh. 4, 5, 6) At Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden.
In addition to walking all over, I visited the Palace of Holyroodhouse (no pictures allowed) https://www.rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse

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Edinburgh to Glasgow
After a few days in Edinburgh, I set off from Haymarket station, Edinburgh to Glasgow Central station by train to go to my first airbnb experience. Was going to return to Edinburgh Fringe Arts festival, but rain caused flooding on the tracks, and I honestly didn't want to brave the crowds. I've spent the month of August exploring Glasgow with one excursion to Balloch on Loch Lomond. My flat is on Dumbarton Road in Whiteinch (West Glasgow). From here, I've walked on city streets and trails through extensive city parks.

A typical route from the flat is to stop at the St. Louis cafe & bar for breakfast where Francis, Karen, Sean and Sue provide breakfast and good company.

  

  

  

Continuing up Dumbarton Road through Partick into Glasgow, I often stop at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery/Museum where there is a daily organ recital in the impressive open gallery. Coffee shop downstairs, free clean restrooms, and music. It's great. If you look carefully, you'll see the TV screens allowing the audience to see the organist's foot pedals and keyboard.

   


From the Kelvingrove, the route is often along the River Kelvin walkway that includes Kelvingrove Park, University of Glasgow (photos include the famous cloisters that connect east and west quadrangles, more info here - https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/visit/attractions/tour/ - then to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens.

     

 

Some days I walk along Sauchihall Street to Buchanan pedestrian mall complete with buskers on a warm summer day; continue to Cathedral Street, past the relatively new Strathclyde University to St. Mungo's Cathedral and the spectacular Necropolis cemetery/park. Pictures of St. Mungo's and necropolis in the Cathedral district below. I can return to the flat along the River Clyde walkway that separates north and south Glasgow.

Well, friends, this may have been WAY more than you wanted to see or hear about, yet it is just a taste, not really beginning to scratch the surface of my experience.  I imagine that I'll get better at publishing format, so please forgive the novice look of this first post. Always learning.

I am well and I hope you are too. Take good care.

Wendy