Lauriston Castle

Modern Toilet

We walked about five miles from our flat to the coast where Lauriston Castle sits on a bluff with beautiful views. Although the castle dates back to 1593, what most visitors enjoy during their visit are the "modern" authentic furnishings. When the last occupants moved into the castle in 1902, they installed central heating, hot water, toilets (see photo) and even double glass windows. Quite advanced. When they donated the castle to Scotland in 1926, all the furniture was left inside the house; you can really catch a glimpse of what living in the Edwardian time must have been like. There was even an original copy of the Daily Mirror reporting about the Titanic disaster in 1912.

 

Rhododendron

Invasive

Yet another stunningly beautiful scene while out hill walking. This time it was rhododendron, masses of brightly flowered rhododendron (see photo). Turns out that they are an unwelcome non-native invasive species.

They form dense thickets, shading out native plants and preventing them from accessing sunlight, water, and nutrients. Its extensive root system and leaf litter is toxic to many other plants. Worse still, it harbors Phytophthora, a fungus-like pathogen that affects many other trees and plants. Organizations like the National Trust for Scotland are actively involved in control efforts, including removing invasive plants and restoring habitats. Now you know.

Highland Cows

Hairy Coo

Lucky us. This particular hill walk took us north of Edinburgh to the edge of the Highlands, about a two-hour bus ride. In addition to the stunning mountainous scenery, we happened upon a herd of Highland cows (Hairy Coos in local lingo). What a treat. This animal is highly symbolic of the Scottish Highlands. There are only about 3,000 of them in the country.

They have an unusual double coat of hair (see photo). On the outside is the oily outer hair, the longest of any cattle breed, covering a downy undercoat. This makes them well suited to conditions in the Highlands, which have a high annual rainfall and very strong winds. And, they are cute.
 

24 Hour Delivery

Yea Amazon

It's a small thing; not particularly important. But impressive nonetheless, at least to Mike. His order on Amazon for a pack of replacement razor blades arrived in fewer than 24 hours (less expensive than in the super market). He is a regular Amazon customer and does not belong to Prime or any other special groups. Yet, the package arrived lickety-split.  It turns out that one of their mega-distribution centers is fewer than 20 miles from here. How convenient.
 

Heat

Hottest Day

We know that the summer weather back in Roanoke has gotten hot. Seems like the hottest temperatures of the year will be with that region for quite a few days, mid-90s and high humidity. Well, relatively speaking, it has gotten hot here too.

Mike was out hill walking for the day with a friend on the hottest day of the year here; just take a look at his red face in the photo. The treeless route they took on a cloud free and windless day involved many miles and 2,500 feet of elevation gain. He said that the two of them really struggled. The good news is that they did manage a pub stop at the end; funny how that worked out. Oh, by the way, it was 80 degrees.
 

Four Hours

Midnight

Four hours. That is the current length of the night-time here. Not much. And, that four hours doesn't really involve but so much darkness; let's call it twilight. Not dark enough to see stars. And, not dark enough to preclude a game of golf; courses have an "honesty box" to be used after hours when the clubhouse is closed. The posted photo was taken about midnight; still plenty of light at that late hour. 

We are pretty far north. Edinburgh's latitude is 800 miles north of Montreal, Canada, which is 800 miles north of Roanoke,Virginia. Thankfully, our flat has black-out shades. Otherwise, we might never be able to get to sleep.

Super Sweet

Strawberry Farms

Who knew? Well, probably most everyone who lives in Scotland. But we didn't know. And now we do. During our grocery shopping trips we have been purchasing bananas, blueberries and red raspberries. And, we have been paying attention to the country-of-origin labels. Often we see a country in Africa listed; often it is Morocco.

Lately, strawberries have been available. And, unlike the red and often tasteless strawberries back in the US, these have been delicious. Every one has been ripe and super sweet. Today, on a hill walk, we learned why the strawberries are so superior here. They are grown locally. That's right, strawberry farming is big here. We looked out from the top of a hill on our walk and saw endless miles and miles of strawberry farms (see photo). They are being grown under covers. They grow more strawberries here in Scotland than any other fruit crop, by far. Turns out that Scotland's temperate climate, with long days and sunlight, allows for slow ripening, resulting in sweeter berries. Now you know.

So Confusing

Pint

Measurements here are confusing, at least at first. Beer in a pub is measured in pints (I'll have a pint). That same beer in the grocery store is measured in milliliters (typically a 500ml bottle). Two different measurement systems for the same product. Same for elevation. The UK government provides a very comprehensive set of topographic maps available in hard copy, online, and in a mobile phone app. Brilliant and essential for hill walking. However, the elevations listed for the mountain tops are in meters while the elevation gains listed for going up hill to the top of that very same mountain are in feet. Road distances and speeds are in miles.

As for money, thankfully they straightened that out in 1971; it is based on a decimal system just like in the US. However, up until just over 50 years ago, the money system was more complicated. The pound was divided into 20 shillings, and each shilling into 12 pence, making 240 pence to the pound. This brings to mind the confusing 12 inches to the foot, 3 feet to the yard, and 1,760 yards in a mile in the US.

Time for another pint...or 500ml...whatever.

Scrounging Gum Bands

Rubber Bands

It is interesting to see someone who, in what would be considered an embarrassing situation for most, is not the slightest bit embarrassed. No surprise, we are talking about Mike. He doesn't embarrass easily, even at times when maybe he should.

For example, as we walk along the medieval cobbled streets in Edinburgh he occasionally stops abruptly, stares down at the pavement, and stoops over to pick up a discarded rubber band (called gum bands here). He is scrounging. The Royal Mail postal carriers occasionally drop these as they go about delivering mail. We have about a dozen of these scrounged gum bands in a kitchen drawer. He says that it doesn't make sense to buy a package of 100 gum bands when we only need a few. What more can be said?

Compact Subway

Glasgow Subway

Well, this particular hill walk with our club included a new and unexpected feature; we rode on a subway. And not just any subway, but the world's third oldest subway. Side note, we have previously ridden on the world's first and second oldest subways (London and Budapest).

After boarding an express bus in Edinburgh, we arrived in the center of Glasgow in a little over an hour (round trip tickets were a bargain at only $13 each). Then, all 13 of us exited the bus station and walked through a large shopping mall to a subway station. When the subway was built in 1896, it was powered by a clutch-and-cable system driven by a steam-powered plant; the power has since been updated to electric. What hasn't been updated is the compact size of the subway cars. As seen in the photo, headroom is barely six feet, and seating/aisle space is quite limited. This historical urban element complemented the natural green scenery we enjoyed as we walked 10 miles beside the river Clyde and Glasgow canal. 

 

Don't Understand

Lannan Bakery

Try as we might, there are some things we just don't understand. We don't understand single item retail stores that sell cupcakes or olive oil (how do they stay in business). We don't understand a sanitary landfill (it is a dump, or a parkway (it is a highway). Side note, the list of things we don't understand seems to be getting longer the older we get (guess we are not getting smarter). Now, we can add one more item to the list.

We don't understand the bakery on the corner where we have our flat. Walk by there any of the four mornings a week they are open, and there is queue (a line), a very long queue (see photo). The queue persists. It is there before they open, and it is there for hours and hours until the bakery sells out for the day. People are coming, not just from our neighborhood, not just from Edinburgh or Scotland, but from all over the world. We don't think any baked goods can be worth that wait. That's right, in the few years since this place opened, it has gone viral. Thank you, Instagram.
 

Local Walk

Cramond

We took another scenic local walk. This time, to Cramond. It is a village in the city of Edinburgh along the coast about five miles from our flat. For a time it was considered the earliest known site of human settlement in Scotland; it is also the site of a Roman fort. And it is the site of Cramond Island which is linked to land by a one-mile causeway constructed as a WWII anti-shipping barrier. At low tide, sand extends to the island; we were able to walk out there. Quite scenic.
 

High Society

Scottish Arts Club

In addition to Beth's hill walking around the Scottish countryside and in addition to her volunteering, she has ended up being invited as a guest on a couple of occasions to the Scottish Arts Club. Hoop-de-doo. Good for her.

This sociable members club full of arts enthusiasts and creatives has existed for over 150 years. Sort of exclusive. One invitation came from a good friend; the other invitation came from recently met co-volunteers at St. Cuthbert's Church. She remarked, after both club visits, that she felt energized by the level of intellectual discourse; plenty of well-educated, smart members. The club serves lunch, and members listen to speakers. Beth was struck by the breadth and depth of Scottish history knowledge of the latest speaker.

Crazy Talk

Leading Hill Walks

What? You want someone from the US, who obviously doesn't know their way around Scotland, who can hardly recognize or pronounce the place names, to lead walks for our one-hundred-year-old hill walking club? That's crazy talk. This seems to be an indication of desperation. And, indeed it is.

Mike was invited to begin leading hill walks. Our club, like so many other organizations that once thrived, is now dealing with an aging and declining membership. Leaders are harder to find. Sound familiar? Similar is happening with many churches and civic organizations, including our beloved Kiwanis Club of Roanoke. Maybe our hill walking club needs a dose of "outreach." So be it.

Consequently, Mike has been learning how our club develops walks and how those walks get included in the official program. Yes, he has led countless backpacking trips and hikes back in the US, he has taught classes about doing the same, he has adventured into the mountains on several continents, and he has hill walked several hundreds of miles in Scotland. Yet, he doesn't assume he understands how our hill walking club wants it done. He is finding that quite a bit is involved with this process:  route selection, route planning and grading, use of the national mapping system, transportation planning, a walk recce (reconnaissance), and listing in the club's official program. Luckily, many club members have stepped forward to help and mentor him; super nice people. Wonder how many will risk going on a walk he leads? Let's see how this pans out.

Real Bummer

Scottish Seabird Center

Real bummer. Our trip to see puffins on the Isle of May was canceled the day prior to departure. Big disappointment. The island lies about an hour's boat ride off the costal town of North Berwick, which itself is about an hour's train ride from Edinburgh. This is peak season on the island, thousands of puffins and thousands of other seabirds are currently  on the island. Beth's favorite bird is, you guessed it, the puffin.

Access to the island is strictly limited. We were supposed to ride in a small boat operated by the Scottish Seabird Centre (organization with official responsibility for island management) and spend 3-4 hours there. Demand is high, the boat is small, so seats for the entire season book up far in advance; we booked back in January. We have our birdwatching equipment with us:  binoculars, SLR camera, big lens for the camera, tripod.

To add insult to injury, we don't think the cancelation could have been due to weather; blue sky, calm winds, and calm surf were predicted. We suspect, but could not get them to admit, that they were understaffed at the Centre for the annual festival that they are holding this very same weekend. Real bummer.

 

About Time

Fish and Chips

Mike returned from another hill walk with a friend. They had a day of stunning weather and stopped at a pub afterward. For Mike, it seems as if hill walking often leads to a pub stop afterwards. Good thinking.

It was during this particular pub stop that he realized he had been neglecting an important tradition in Scotland (as well as elsewhere in the UK). Unbelievably, since arriving in Edinburgh two months ago he had not eaten fish and chips. That really was an oversight. Fish and chips is to the UK what hamburgers and hotdogs are to the US. Hope he doesn't admit that oversight to any of his hill walking buddies. Clearly it was about time to correct the oversight. Even better, he reported that the village pub where they stopped was running a special; the fish and chips he ordered came with a pint of beer, big smile. However, the food also came with the traditional side order of peas; he hasn't become Scottish enough yet to appreciate that. Go figure.

 

The Yellowest

Gorse

It is yellow, really yellow, to an extreme yellow. And, this time of year it is everywhere. Hillsides and fields are lush with a shrub called gorse. This is our first time in Scotland in the month of May, and our most pronounced and pleasant surprise is the intensity of the yellow landscapes. And, complementing the color of gorse is its aroma; it smells like coconut. These shoulder high bushes present an impenetrable barrier to hiking off the trail. They are extremely prickly and spiky. Look, but don't touch.

VIP Visitor

William Arrives

Big day. Our son, William arrived to stay with us for two months. His teaching responsibilities at Texas Lutheran University have paused for the summer. This is the time of year when he focuses on research, and he can do that anywhere there is an internet connection.

He flew out of Austin, Texas (a bit over an hour from where he lives) directly to London, and then took one of the many available flights to Edinburgh. Should be a special time together.

Church Volunteer

 

Saint Cuthbert Church

Beth has settled into a volunteer routine at the Parish Church of Saint Cuthbert. Founded by Saint Cuthbert around 670 AD, it is believed to be the oldest Christian site in Edinburgh. The church's interior includes one of just a handful of Tiffany stained glass windows in all of Scotland. The surrounding graveyard, one of the largest in Edinburgh, draws as many, or more, visitors than the church itself. The church is located in Princes Gardens in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.

Once every week she walks 30 minutes from our flat to the church to work a shift as a welcome guide; she also works during the monthly coffee. She shares what she has learned about the church's history and offers a handout (which has been printed in over 30 languages). Now, about that history, there is too much. Although she says can never learn it all, she takes comfort knowing that a couple of the parishioners who volunteer have been at the church "forever." They seemingly do know all of the history and generously share with her. "The nicest people," is how Beth describes them. Another win-win.

Our Flat

Top Floor

Where do we live in Edinburgh? Thanks to the many who have asked. We are living in a two bedroom two bath flat (apartment) on the top floor of a four story building in the Stockbridge neighborhood in the New Town (200+ years old) section of Edinburgh, a few blocks from the city center. We can come and go whenever we like anytime during the year. Since our flat is an end unit, we benefit from bright windows on three sides; all rooms get plenty of sunlight. No elevator, we walk up 45 steps. Lucky for us, the silver mills industry that occupied this area was replaced by four relatively modern buildings (30 years ago); that means we have all of the Western conveniences that may be lacking in the older flats. We are next to the historic St. Stevens church (and clock tower). As centrally located as we may be, it is super quiet here.

To be sure, the 1,000 sq. ft. size of the flat is smaller than our home in Roanoke. However, we have discovered this is a big plus; helps to focus us on what is really important. The flat came fully furnished, all we had to do was supply bed linens. We also added a few framed local wall scenes that Mike photographed and a few artistic touches that Beth supplied. The kitchen is "European" sized, meaning that it is best if only one person cooks at a time. We pay for all utilities including gas heat; no need for air-conditioning here. Also, no need for window screens:  no bugs.