Final Blog Post

Kiwanis Rubber Chickens

We intend to return to Edinburgh and pick up where we left off, when circumstances allow. We were fulfilling the two primary purposes of the trip, lifestyle with some volunteering, and can easily continue doing those when we return.

As far as lifestyle, living in a flat in the Stockbridge neighborhood of Edinburgh really suited us. Beyond the novelty and excitement of a new place, which there was and will continue to be when we return, we found ourselves quite at home. The people we met and spent time with were so very warm and friendly. The conveniences and amenities just outside the front door of our flat were wonderful. The spectacular diversity within a country smaller than the state of Virginia excited us. And the societal values, which more often tilted to the long-term greater good of all, were closely aligned with our own.

The volunteering piece was falling into place nicely. Beth had already begun two volunteer jobs and had been accepted for two additional volunteer jobs that were about to start. Mike easily managed to support a client back in the US while an ocean away, joined a wonderful hill walking club, and had applications in the works for two volunteer jobs.

Now, we will get back in the swing of life in Roanoke at a pace dictated by the coronavirus situation. And yes, as shown in the picture of us at the black-tie 100th anniversary celebration of the Roanoke Kiwanis Club taken shortly before we departed the country, we will even reunite with the rubber chickens.

We will close this blog with a quote from Khalil Gibran, best known as the author of "The Prophet," which is one of the best-selling books of all time. "Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."

Returned Home

Home in Roanoke

We are home in Roanoke. Because of the coronavirus, the situation in the UK, Scotland, and Edinburgh was degrading quite rapidly. We were no longer able to meet the two primary objectives for taking the trip:  lifestyle with some volunteering. A doctor friend in the US, whom we highly respect and trust, advised us to return. The President urged all US citizens to return. And, importantly, our son urged us to return.

Not only that, our son is largely responsible for the fact that we actually did make it home. Thanks to his quick and clear thinking, we abandoned our initial plan to return next week on a flight from Edinburgh. He accurately advised that flight, and virtually all other flights from the relatively small airport of Edinburgh, would be canceled; they have been. He accurately advised that a direct flight from the major London Heathrow airport to Washington Dulles would be our lowest risk option if we could get to it the very next day; we took that flight, which turned out to be the last one to be flown on that route. Our trip home involved a rather hurried effort to pack and exit from our flat, a ride on a train for six-hours from Edinburgh to London Heathrow, a non-stop flight, screening at Washington Dulles airport by TSA and the CDC, and a car rental drive to Roanoke; that train from Edinburgh, and most of the others on that route, have since been canceled. Many of the doors to get home were closing right behind us. We are now self-quarantined for two weeks.

We thank our doctor friend. We thank our son. We thank the young man who house-sat for us. We also thank the many friends and acquaintances who corresponded with us while we were in Scotland. And, we thank the many who followed us on our blog.

Episodic

Holyrood Palace

Here we are in from of the Holyrood Palace, one of the homes of the Royal Family. We toured the place just prior to the coronavirus shut down. This is a terrific place to visit for sure, but not really the subject to be addressed here. Instead, let's address the associated fool's errand. Note the Wikipedia definition of fool's errand is "to travel some distance and request an impossible object by name." Not saying who the fool is here. Follow along.

Since we like to walk, we enjoyed the five-mile round-trip walk from our flat to the Palace and back; took us through both the Old Town and new Town sections of Edinburgh. However, when we arrived back at our flat we realized that the $37 we paid for admission could have been converted to a pair of annual passes at no extra charge if we had gotten our tickets stamped upon exiting the Palace; we did not do that. So, one of us gets up early the next morning and walks back to the Palace, arriving there when the doors open, and determined to return to the flat with a pair of annual passes. Not saying which one of us is doing the extra five miles of walking.

But, that individual returned to the flat empty handed; did not realize that more than the previous day's purchase receipt was needed. Undaunted, and highly motivated to save money, that same individual, within minutes after completing the fool's errand, sets out on yet another Palace five-mile round-trip walk. Well, not quite immediately. Since the crucial documentation had already been deposited in the kitchen waste bin, together with wet and smelly food scraps, and since that waste bin had already been bagged and deposited in the rubbish bin on the street, a bit of dumpster diving was in order. Ever persistent, the valuable documentation was retrieved, carried to the Palace ticket clerk, who definitely remembered the the failed attempt a couple hours earlier, and success. This is where the angles sing. We now have a pair of annual passes to the Holyrood Palace. That evening, Mike enjoyed a wee dram of Scotch.

Michelin Star

Innovative Taisteal

At the other end of the dining spectrum from the haggis kiosk we ate at recently is a Michelin stared restaurant we went to just prior  the social distancing we are now doing because of the coronavirus. Yet again, this place is located just down the block from our flat. As expected, outstanding. Familiar ingredients combined in innovative and flavorful ways. How can a simple salmon fillet be elevated to such a level? Or mussels? Or even goats cheese? Don't get me started on the sauces; how do they do that? Before we knew it, we had spent three-and-a-half hours eating dinner. Oh my.

Sunny Days Ahead

Rainless Forecast

A little sun can go a long way toward brightening things up, or at least making it seem that way. This is all the more pertinent given the sudden, unexpected, and drastic coronavirus actions that were taken two days ago here in the UK, Scotland, and Edinburgh. So, it is with pleasure that we present our weather forecast; no rain predicted as seen in the image taken from Weather Underground. Mind you, we have not seen a rain-free forecast since arriving here five weeks ago. Wow, perfect timing. A bright spot just when we needed it.

Changed Priorities

Future?

The UK, Scotland, and Edinburgh have just been suddenly hit with the coronavirus reality. It was like a switch suddenly being activated. We watched from afar as the US began to react, slowly at first, then suddenly. Friends we have continued to correspond with have added depth and significance to the news we have been reading. Their lives are being impacted.

The Roanoke Kiwanis Club, where Mike has been an active member, just suspended all in-person meetings. He just helped craft the policy that suspended in-person events at the Boy Scout Council where he serves on the Risk committee. The Taubman Museum in Roanoke, where Beth has been volunteering for years, has closed to the public. And, Washington University in St. Louis, where our son is working on his doctorate, closed.

Now, here in Edinburgh, we are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. One day, virtually normal. The next day, bam. As depicted in the photo Mike took of a road sign recently, the UK government just publicly announced sweeping coronavirus changed priorities ahead. Public events, museums, large gatherings, and much more...closed. Mike's hill walking club suspended all trips. Two of Beth's volunteer positions, which were to begin soon, have been suspended; same for the two volunteer positions Mike applied for. The two volunteer positions where she has already been working, uncertain. Upcoming shows we booked and upcoming hotels around the country we booked are all suspending operations. Our trip to a friend's wedding in the Netherlands is in jeopardy. Relatively speaking, minor inconveniences for us. Major issues for many others.

Haggis

Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties

In the spirit of getting a taste for traditional Scottish food, Beth tried Haggis. "It was pretty good," she said. Mike said, "no thanks."

Haggis is a savory pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the animal's stomach. For sure, its description is not immediately appealing. Beth had it served with the traditional sides of neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and mashed potatoes). And, she had it at one of the most popular restaurants. Well, not exactly a restaurant, but a small kiosk located on a busy street lined with very popular restaurants. Only £7.00 ($8.75). Let's hear it for inexpensive adventuresome eating.

Butcher

Meat Meat Meat

Three for three; cheesemonger, fishmonger, and now a butcher shop. Again, just down the block from our flat. Lots of choices of items commonly found in the US:  beef, chicken, and lamb. Now, this is where it gets interesting. Lots of choices of items we don't usually see in the US:  venison, squirrel, boar, pheasant, duck, and rabbit. And sausages, oh so many sausages, all made in-house. Bacon too, made in-house. We could be living high on the hog.

Fishmonger

Fish Fish Fish

It happened again. We walked into another shop just down the street from our flat and found ourselves impressed, just as we were in the cheesemonger shop. This time it was fish. Right in front of our eyes were four employees working side-by-side in a small shop, cutting up whole fresh fish. Edinburgh, after all, is but a couple miles from the North Sea. There must have been 3-4 dozen types of seafood laid out on a bed of ice. They were working much as their predecessors have been doing since the 13th century when the first fishmonger guilds were formed. And, unsurprisingly, we took home, cooked, and ate some deliciously fresh fish.

Cheesemonger

Cheese Cheese Cheese

Cheesemonger - someone who sells cheese. Well, there is more to it than that. Putting it that way would be a little like saying Shakespeare is someone who wrote plays. This is cheese taken to a level we did not know existed. And, lucky for us, there is a shop just down the block from our flat that has won UK Cheesemonger of the Year.

This small shop was custom built solely for cheese. It has massive masonry walls and an equally massive floor that simulate the coolness of a cave. The ventilation system is custom too. There seemed to be about 150 cheeses to pick from. Thankfully, there were also friendly and knowledgable staff to guide us on our first visit. We came home with three cheeses to try. And, we never knew cheese could be so packed with flavor. Consequently, cheese has accompanied our dinners in the flat practically every night. We are even signed up for an evening cheese-tasting event.

Grocery Shopping

Buying Eggs

Make a list, put on a daypack, walk a mile, cruise the increasingly familiar aisles, self check-out, use Apple pay, cram as much as possible into the daypack, load the excess into a plastic bag, walk a mile back, and figure out how to fit it all into a small under-the-counter refrigerator. Then repeat every couple of days.

Mike enjoys cooking, and he actually enjoys grocery shopping. Whenever we have traveled outside of the US, he has explored grocery stores. Not sure this can be fully explained. Maybe it is because of  the different variety of food products. Here, as shown in the picture, eggs are shelved and not refrigerated. Cream comes in double and triple strength, so thick it barely pours. Beer is mostly sold as single bottles. And, all four wheels on the grocery carts swivel.

Water of Life

Famous Grouse

Scottish whiskey, Scotch for short, or, in Latin, "Water of Life." Call it what you will, it seems to be an integral part of Scottish history, economy, and culture. All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years and made in a manner specified by law; no shortcuts here. The minimum bottling strength according to the regulation is 40% alcohol by volume. And, it is popular; there are 133 Scotch whisky distilleries operating in Scotland. That is all the more remarkable when you consider that Scotland is considerably smaller in area than the state of Virginia.

Although Mike has a taste for bourbon whiskey, he has never tried Scotch whiskey. That explains one of his objectives for this trip, learning to drink Scotch. Everyone need a purpose in life. So, when grocery shopping recently he opted to buy a bottle of the most popular brand of Scotch, Famous Grouse. His first taste, neat in a glass, did not go well. Bitter. Strong. Burns. However, Mike does not give up easily. So, he tried again. This time with a bit of honey. Not sure what the real Scotch drinkers would say about that, but he liked the taste. Now he can have the occasional dram; a term coined in Scotland that refers to a single serving of Scotch. Curiously, a dram has no specific size; depends on who is pouring. Gotta love Scotland.

First Bus Rides

Bus 36

We have been here for one month and have walked everywhere we have wanted to go; everything is so conveniently close. Now, we have used the bus system for the first time. Beth is considering another volunteer position; this one would be far enough away to require bus travel. And, like most everything else for us here, it is requiring an interesting learning curve.

Edinburgh, like virtually all cities in Europe, has an excellent mass transit system. Here, everything a bus traveler needs to know can be found in one comprehensive, easy-to-use, phone app. Routes, timetables, and live bus tracking are all there. So is ticketing; buy a ticket on your phone and use it for travel. Once over the learning curve, it is oh so convenient. A one-trip ticket costs £1.80 ($2.35 US), and an all-day pass costs £4.50 ($6.00 US); monthly passes can be also be purchased. Paper tickets can be purchased at various locations, if desired.

So, we took one bus from our Stockbridge neighborhood to the city center, changed to a different bus to travel to her potential volunteer location; then did the reverse. Later in the day, we ventured out again by bus for dinner and a movie in the city center. Although we have been walking to the city center thus far, this time we opted to take the bus just for the practice.

No Washington DC

Business Trip Postponed

Mike is not in Washington, DC today. Originally, he was going to be there. The new client he is working for, the one who hired him to do for them what he wrote about in his recent book, postponed his trip. Actually, they postponed all international travel company wide; a reaction to the coronavirus. Although the company is headquartered in our nation's capitol, near the White House, a number of their executives live internationally.

The purpose of Mike's trip was to spend time with two-dozen members of their senior leadership team helping them make some changes so their organization does a bit better with project management; they are a successful organization looking to get better. Now, instead of working away on a pressing deadline, Mike can refocus more on Edinburgh and Scotland. Yea.

First Hill Walk

Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park

Mike went on his first hill walk as it is called here, hike if you prefer. And, he had a terrific time. Since we know nothing about where to hill walk in Scotland, Mike opted to join a local club; there are lots of clubs in Edinburgh that organize hill walks.

He joined the All Year Ramblers; they have walks scheduled every week of the year, and they promote themselves as especially welcoming and friendly. And they were. The club president responded quickly and warmly to Mike's series of emailed questions, and the members he met were equally nice. His first hill walk involved meeting the club members at the Edinburg train station, riding for an hour-and-a-half to the town of Perth, venturing out from there for 10 miles of up-and-down hill walking, and returning via train.

The weather was what we have come to expect for this time of year; cool, windy, overcast, with on-and-off drizzle. No problem. The trails were easy to follow and muddy as can be. And, there were plenty to choose from. That is a big part of why Scotland is a hikers' paradise; just Mike's kind of place, Beth's too. Impressively, virtually every detail of every walking opportunity in the country, including topographic maps, are available in a single, comprehensive, brilliantly simple-to-use phone app.

20 Square Feet

Micro Kitchen

That's it. Tiny. Smaller than tiny. Micro-sized. The floor space in the kitchen in our flat measures only 20 square feet. That's right, 2 feet by 10 feet. Rather narrow. Not exactly the 300 square feet of our kitchen back home. No multitasking here. And, certainly no multi-people here; that would be comical, if not impossible. Need to open a drawer to get a fork, stand aside; not enough room to stand in front of the drawer while opening it. Likewise for the under counter refrigerator, the oven, and the under counter washer/dryer. Stand aside. Workspace, almost nonexistent. Sink, about the same size as a dinner plate.

Yet, it has not been hard to make it work. It is fully furnished; all pots, pans, utensils, and appliances are within arm's reach. Well, almost all; the microwave and micro-freezer are located in a nearby closet. Breakfast is easy, cereal. Lunch is more like grabbing a snack. Dinners have all been cooked from scratch. No need for a dishwasher; a quick clean in the sink and onto the drying rack is all it takes.

The micro-sized kitchen, and the small one-bedroom flat for that matter, all fit into the primary purpose of the trip:  to enjoy a different lifestyle. Check. Definitely being accomplished. And enjoying most every minute.

Yellow Ball

Crocus Flowers

I don't get it. And, I have not been able to figure it out. The past three days have been strange. By strange, I mean different. And not in a small way. Different and strange in a big way, a good way.

Each time we have left our flat, we have dealt with a big yellow ball. Honestly, I don't know where it came from. Given the past few weeks, we did not expect it. But, and I must emphasize this, we are delighted it is here. It is like an old friend returning, or a long-lost sibling I never knew I had. Friendship was immediate. As was gratitude. As was warmth. Thank you, sun, for making yourself known. And, for chasing away the wind. Spring is here.

Beth's Second Volunteer Job

Chest Heart & Stroke

Beth started her second volunteer job, at the Chest, Heart, and Stroke Charity Shop. It is conveniently located approximately five minutes from our flat, thus the best of all “commutes."

The shop's assistant manager spent time helping Beth learn how to ring up sales on the till, get familiar with the merchandise, learn the pricing scheme, and practice with the steamer.

The store brands itself as “upscale” and displays lovely, name-brand clothes at consignment shop prices. The gorgeous window displays entice customers daily, especially on the weekends. The village of Stockbridge has more charity shops per mile than any other village in the UK; folks come from myriad towns and cities to visit these stores!

Beth's First Volunteer Job

Cattitude

Beth was delighted to begin working at her first volunteer job. It is at Cattitude, the largest cat protection charity in the UK. This ties in nicely with the fact that all of the cats we have had over the years have been rescued. Catitude focuses on lovely women’s clothes; something that Beth certainly knows much about.

She works for the store manager, who is a delightful young woman, about 30 years old, originally from New Zealand, who is enthusiastic, funny, laid back, and quite friendly. Beth has learned the operation of the till, swept the floor, dusted, and assisted in reorganizing some of the store's clothing. She also sorted donated clothing into items that are to be sold in the shop or sent to less expensive cat protection shops or given to the rag man.

Happily, lots of customers came in, some to browse and others to purchase. She love's helping women decide which clothes suit them well, and many of the ladies engaged in conversation with her; something Beth is very good at.

Financial Victory

Online UK Bank Account

Small victories can be ever so sweet. In this case, the victory is financial. A simple, easy-to-do financial transaction that could have been accomplished in moments back home in Roanoke turned into a herculean task here in Edinburgh. The learning curve was very steep. And, it involved numerous false starts, much uncertainty, and considerable frustration. Mike is now victorious. Well, a small victory anyway.

Beth's membership at the local fitness club can be paid for with cash, with a credit card, or with direct debit. Turns out that there is a huge preference for direct debit here. So much so, that the membership fee doubles when not using a direct debit from a local UK bank. Mike, being Mike, is ever vigilant about spending unnecessarily, so he did not want to overspend for the membership.

That involved opening a UK bank account...which can not be done without proof or residency...which we don't have because we are renting an Airbnb flat...which drove Mike into the new world of online banks. He eventually found an online bank that offered a UK account without residency proof. And he eventually found a way to transfer money into the UK bank account so the fitness center could direct debit. So, after failed attempts at several banks, after several failed attempts to transfer money into his new UK bank account, and after two weeks of trying, he is declaring success. Interesting what makes some people happy.

Watchful Street Light

Observer

Here I stand as a watchful observer of the people in the flat opposite. Through the dark, and through the cold driving rain, when they have lights on, I can make certain things out. Things that I do not always understand. The man and women in that flat showed up a few weeks ago; no one told me they were coming, or for how long they are staying.

The man spends much of his time at a small table in front of a small device with a keyboard and screen, or he is standing along a wall of appliances. The women spends much of her time with her back to me while seated in a reclining position with either a book or a different small device with a screen. What are they doing? Why are they here?

Both of them frequently leave the flat together; they hold hands. What is that all about? More things I don't understand. Sometimes, they leave the flat separately. And when they do that they are dressed in unusual ways; not like the other passers by. He wears shorts. Who wears shorts in this cold damp rainy climate? And she, I don't know how to say this, she wears, she wears... She wears some kind of outfit. Who is going to believe this. Wish I had a camera.

Scottish National Museum of Modern Art

The Weeping Woman

Beth made her first visit to the Scottish National Museum of Modern Art, to building Modern One. A visit to the other building, Modern Two, will come soon. The museum opened in August 1960 in Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden and moved to its present site with much additional acreage in 1999.

Interestingly, the building, which was designed by William Burn in 1825, was constructed as an institute for fatherless children, but was renovated for the Gallery in 1984. The neo-classical building is quite spectacular as it sits atop a knoll, overlooking a stepped, serpentine-shaped mound complemented by crescent-shaped pools of water. The grounds offer a delightful setting for sculptures by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Tony Cragg, and others.

The first level of the museum houses temporary installations and the second depicts genres of contemporary and modern art, encompassing post-war European art, figurative art in Scotland in the twentieth century, art at the turn of the twentieth century in Britain, abstract art in Britain between the world wars, Cubism, Symbols of Suffering, and beyond Realism: Dada and Surrealism. Pablo Picasso’s black and white drawing of “The Weeping Woman“ captured Beth's attention because of its severity of style, Cubist details, and depiction of horror. Picasso was commissioned in 1937 to create a piece for the International Exhibition in Spain. However, after the bombing of Guernica where hundreds were killed, he decided to create a mural depicting the horrendous destruction continuous in every war. “The Weeping Woman” is one of the major studies for his masterpiece “Guernica”.  The woman’s face sports jagged lines, a jaw that seems removed from the face, chattering teeth, and eye-popping tears. The work is spell-binding and thought-provoking today as the horrors and ravages of war continue around the world.

Grand Museum Gallery

National Museum of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland is a gem. When Mike visited, it reminded him of when we lived near Washington DC and would visit various Smithsonian museums. Actually, he said it was like visiting a half dozen Smithsonian museums all in one building; animals, fashion, industry, space, technology, art... And the place, as seen in the photo of the Grand Gallery, is beautiful. The museum's construction began in 1861, and since a total renovation was just completed in 2011, the place looks new and shiny.

The exhibits were nicely grouped by subject. One grouping, in particular, seemed quite clever. In the Animal Senses gallery, animals of different kinds were grouped according to their dominant sense; sight, hearing, smell. Since it is only a mile-and-a-half walk from our flat, a return trip will be in order.