A Coo & a Castle in Oban, Scotland

Look!  It's a Wee Coo!  They are adorable and I must have one.  It will fit in perfectly with my dream menagerie that includes a hippo, giraffe and camel.  Matt continues to tell me NO, but I think I'm wearing him down.  Someday.  This gorgeous Highland Cow was spotted as we explored the area around Oban, Scotland.  Scotland continues to be a top three favorite destinations for me. Everything about it is perfect including these shaggy beasts.

Starting 2017 with a Walk & a Word

I like to start the new year off with a walk and a good think.  I don’t really do New Year Resolutions. (It’s January so I can still talk about this stuff , right?) Not only am I never successful with resolutions, but I can’t even remember them come February. Last year at the encouragement of a few friends, I picked a Word for the Year. A word to guide and encourage. Something to focus on. They all expressed that this was a positive thing for them, that it made a difference. So I went for a walk on New Years Day in Folkestone to come up with my Word for 2017.

Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean

You may have noticed that it's been pretty quiet on the blog and social media lately.  That's because I'm in Texas bonding with my grandbabies and enjoying time with family and friends.  It seems wrong to spend much time doing anything but that.  But I have a quiet moment so I wanted to share some photos from a recent adventure back home in England.  These photos are from the most fascinating place.  This is Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean. 

Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke Mill

If you know me then you know I love a Gin & Tonic.  It's just one of the wonderful things that my British husband has introduced to me.  Crisp and refreshing, over ice with a twist of lime.  Yes, please.  We were walking through Heathrow recently and passed a Bombay Sapphire pop-up experience.  Two thought bubbles appeared above my head.  "Are they seriously just giving drinks away?" and "can you really get away with drinking before breakfast when you're in an airport?"  Let's just ignore the second question for now.  The answer to the first question was "yes, but first put on these VR glasses and take a quick virtual tour of our award winning distillery."  Between the virtual tour and the breakfast cocktails, we were convinced enough to visit the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in real life at the next opportunity.

Chobham Show 2016

So, we did make it official last year, I am a British citizen.  But, I'm not fooling anyone, especially since we moved out of the city into the country.  In London, I was one of many migrants.  Here in Surrey I stick out like a sore thumb.  I once described being an American in the UK like being a Labrador puppy in a room full of cats.  I've been feeling my inner lab much more since we moved to Chobham.  But I learned a few years into this expat experience that I should just embrace my American self and join in.  Most recently we went to the Annual Chobham Show.  The village show is a great British celebration and a great way to get to know our new home. 

Horningsea, England

During our weekend excursion to Cambridge,  we stayed in a tiny village just outside the city called Horningsea.  The village has one pub and one restaurant with rooms which is where we stayed.  The Crown & Punchbowl is an old coaching inn dating back to 1764.  Old coaching inns are dotted around England and we will always pick one of these over a regular hotel.  We've had the best luck. 

The City of Cambridge

After two years and only 4,000 miles, we decided that it was time to get rid of the car.  It was used so rarely and just costing money.  But not before one last UK road trip.  As you know, I love London.  But I also love getting out of London, so our next weekend city break was Cambridge. 

Our Family Road Trip Wrap Up

I can't tell you the number of road trips I've taken with this guy.   Philip is younger than me by four years.  We would pile into the car and spend the next 8 hours playing "Mom, he's looking at me!", "Her foots on my side!", "Dad, are we there yet?", "I have to pee!" and that old classic "She's touching me!"   We were always pretty adept at tormenting each other.

Our road trip from the UK to Ireland, Scotland and back last year was much of the same.  This time I got smart and claimed car sickness which meant I got the front seat!  It brought back so many memories of traveling together as children.  It was so great to spend a whole week with my brother, my dad and my husband.  My three favorite guys.  Im certain they all still love me, in spite of putting them through that road trip.

I don't have my UK drivers license, so Matt had to do all of the driving.  It was a lot of driving.  (What was I thinking?)  Matt loves my family, but we're a pretty odd bunch which I'll be the first to admit.  After a week in the car with the three of us, he took on this stunned expression. 

I'm sad this is my last post about our epic Too Much Road Trip with stops in Dublin and the Great Mounds in Ireland,  Belfast and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, then over to Scotland and the Trossachs, the Highlands, and Balmoral Castle. 

Of course we had to visit Loch Ness, we grew up on those legends. The freshwater loch extends for about 23 miles so we drove along it for quite awhile.  We were in search of the perfect place for my brother to jump in.  He really wanted to swim in the loch, but it was a cold, rainy day.  He was easily talked out of taking a dip. Alas, no sign of Nessie.

As we were driving along, I shouted "Castle!"  Matt knows it's futile to resist.  I can't pass up a castle.  This one was the Urquhart Castle in Drumnadrochit.  It was built between the 13th through 16th centuries and the ruins are now one of the most visited in Scotland. 

We bypassed Inverness and turned South towards the Cairngorms National Park.  We spent a memorable night in Aviemore at the charming Cairngorm Hotel.  There were bagpipes, live Scottish music, whisky and a ton of laughter.  The next day we continued south driving through the Cairngorm National Park which spans over 1,500 square miles in central Scotland.  Hours and hours of spectacular views, although there may have been a few naps that day.

Scotland is breathtaking.  I just sat back and took it all in.  There is no chance that I was going to capture it with a camera.  But all I have to do is close my eyes and I can see it.  The clouds move slowly across the landscape changing the light which reflects off patches of color.  It's like looking through a kaleidoscope.

I'm just dying to know the stories behind this house with the star shaped wall surrounding it. You get the sense that Scotland is just full of stories.  You can almost feel them swirling around you, stories of heroes and battles, intrigue and love.  I've obviously spent too much time reading the Outlander series.   

In the afternoon, we came across a guy paragliding.  Or he attempting to paraglide but things were not going his way and he had to keep starting over.  We drove a little further along the valley, pulled over for a stretch and to see if he would make it.  (He didn't.)

Somehow one of us saw some deer hiding in the brush on the other side of the valley.  Can you spot two of them in the photo above?  It was taken with the telephoto lens, I can't believe we spotted them.  Matt took the camera over to the ledge to get a few more photos when he gestured for us to come look.  We had almost missed these beautiful creatures down in the valley. 

They were a distance away and not too disturbed by us.  I think they are red deer.  There is something so exciting about spotting and photographing animals in the wild.  Oh, to be a wildlife photographer.  I could have watched them for hours. 

Our last night on the road was spent in one of my favorite cities, Edinburgh.  Matt and Philip went to explore the castle, while dad and I took a bus tour of the city.  My dad fell in love with Edinburgh, too.  He could quickly imagine himself living there. 

I love the feel of Edinburgh and the people are so open and friendly.  There is a lightness to the city that is a nice change from London. 

Dad then went in search of a nap and I went in search of the guys who were on their way to a whisky tasting. 

I think Philip loved Scotland. The chance to travel with him again like we did when we were kids was a highlight of my time in the UK.  From the day that I arrived on this side of the pond, I've been dying to share some of this with him.  I'm ready for them to come back. 

The next morning it was time to head back to London.  But not before we fulfilled one of Philip's bucket list requests. He wanted to drink a beer on Hadrian's Wall.  So that's exactly what we did.  Cheers, Bubba.

I'm so incredibly thankful to have had that week with my three favorite guys doing what we all love to do... explore.  It was a week of moments that I will treasure for the rest of my life, peppered along with moments of "Dad, he's looking at me!!!"

Who are your favorite road trip companions?

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Balmoral Castle, Scotland

I can't believe it's been almost eight months since my dad and brother were here and we took our jam packed road trip.  I thinks it's time to finish up the posts from our trip. My blog schedule is getting backed up.  Luckily I use post it notes in my blogging calendar and they're easy to move forward as needed.  So, lets' talk about one of my favorite stops during the week, Balmoral Castle in Aberdeen, Scotland. 

I sure do miss this guy. 

"All seemed to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils".  Those were the words Queen Victoria scribbled in her diary when she first visited sprawling estate. 

So her sweet Valentine Albert purchased it for her in 1848.  It was a private purchase which means this property doesn't belong to the Crown but rather to the Royal family.  It's been a favored residence of the family since then.    

I don't think I would ever want to leave this Highland retreat.  Queen Elizabeth spends several months each year here amongst the deer and grouse.  We strolled the gardens and walked through the ballroom which is the only interior space open to the public. 

Like all castles, it's straight out of a fairytale with incredible views in every direction.  Rolling lawns and majestic trees. 

Even with people milling about it was the most relaxing and quiet place.  Incredibly peaceful.  I can see that it must be such an oasis for a family that is usually in the middle of a whirlwind of activity. 

As majestic as it is, it felt like a home and there was an elegant casualness to the gardens.  I would highly recommend a stop at Balmoral if you are in the area.  Oh, those views.  The colors of Scotland, purple and green.

Happy Valentines Day!  Okay, I didn't get a castle from my love but I did get a new Nikon camera which I'm thrilled about.  I can't wait to see what kind of photos I'll get out of her.  She will soon be featuring prominently on the blog.  Although the D90 will always be my first love. 

 

Where's your favorite castle?

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