August 26th, Day 30(1/2) - Arrival in Shetland

We left the Mousa Ferry (and, sadly, Ranger Howard) and headed north for the big city (relatively speaking of course) of Lerwick.

Being that there is really just one main road in Shetland, finding Lerwick was absolutely no problem whatsoever. Finding our bed and breakfast on the other hand proved to be a little more challenging. I guess I was a little over confident in my navigating ability because I thought I knew exactly where we needed to go once we hit the town, but before I knew it, it seemed we were headed out of town on the other side! Lerwick isn't that big and it didn't take very long to get to the other side.

After some backtracking, checking and rechecking of the map that we had, we finally found our way to Fort Charlotte Street - home of our bed and breakfast, the Fort Charlotte Guest House! Yay!

Or so we thought.

Fort Charlotte Streeet, it turned out, was nothing more than a one lane alleyway - a dead end alleyway at that! Cars were parked on one side of the street and we had gotten to the end before we realized there was no way out - and we still hadn't located our B&B! I somehow managed to turn around - while being stared at (and I'm sure later on, mocked) by a little boy who had the good sense to stand way off to the side of the road as I tried to maneuver our sporty litte (but too big for this alleyway!) Kia.

Tired, hungry and severely frustrated at this point, I found a spot to park and got out to find the B&B on foot. Did I mention this alleyway was also a very steep hill? Well, it was. I left Constance sitting in the car looking terribly worried - not so much that we wouldn't find our B&B, but more that she knew I was getting hungrier (and more grouchy) by the minute - while I made my way down the hill, to the adjacent road looking for our B&B.

No luck.

I decided to head back to the car when I saw the sign - the sign that was facing the opposite direction from which I had originally come of course! - pointing the way to the Fort Charlotte Guest House.

Hallelujah!

I get to the front door only to find it locked, but through the window I see an old lady wandering from one room to another. I manage to get her attention - and actually get her to open the door - and tell her that we have reservations and would like to check in.

She very politely directs me to the "chip shop" down the way and says the gentleman there will be able to assist me.

Oookaaaaayyyyy.

So I find the chip shop - and a very long line to the counter. So I stand in line.

About 10 minutes later I am finally at the place where my order will be taken and I explain to the nice girl behind the counter that I want to check in at the Fort Charlotte Guest House up the street. I half expect her to not have any idea as to what I'm talking about, but the very grim looking man who has not said a word to anyone the whole time I've been standing in line suddenly lets loose a very bemused grin and proceeds to give me an envelope with keys and a welcome note to the Fort Charlotte Guest House. He apologizes and says I needn't have waited in line. Oh well.

At long last Constance and I are in what will be our home for the next two nights.

Sigh of relief.

BUT! I have yet to eat and so before I have a complete meltdown so Constance and I head out to find ourselves some nourishment.

We ended up at a little pizza/cafe the name of which I can't remember but it was just a few doors down from the B&B and at that point, that was all that really mattered.

After dinner we took a short walk...

It seemed all the streets in Lerwick were about this narrow!

The street eventually opened up to this little beach with this little replica of a Viking longship floating in the bay.

After our walk we decided to find a nice place to have a little after dinner drink (naturally) before heading back to the B&B and to bed. What we soon discovered is that while Lerwick is a lovely little town, there weren't many places open for a little after dinner drink on a Thursday evening.

We wandered into a bar called Da Noost. It seemed friendly enough from the outside, but we couldn't see in until we actually walked in and by that point, it was too late to walk out! Not there was was anything or anyone terribly threatening inside - in fact, there were only two people inside: one patron and the bartender.

The patron introduced himself as Donald - pronounced "Donalt" with a "t" on the end - and the bartender (also owner) as Bill. We ended up chatting with them for an hour or so and left only after promising Donald (with a "t") that we would be back the next evening to meet his "lady" Denise.

What a wonderful way to begin our adventure in Shetland!

August 26th, Day 30 - Arrival in Shetland

From the hubbub of the big city of Edinburgh, Constance and I headed north - over 300 miles north - for the remote islands of Shetland. Shetland came to be on our itinerary by the sheer whimsy of Constance. On our last trip to Scotland in 2004 we made a day trip to the Orkney Islands which are just north east of Scotland. She was so taken with our time there that it peaked her curiosity about Shetland and on it went to our itinerary! Actually, this is the way much of our trip was planned - by the sheer whimsy of Constance herself!

We had received mixed reactions from people we told about our plans to visit Shetland. Some were intrigued and excited for us while others couldn't fathom why in the world we would want to visit such a cold, windy and remote place. The American woman we sat next to during dinner before the Tattoo was a little bit of both - intrigued by our choice, but probably wouldn't ever make the journey herself - "I think there is a tree in Shetland...just the one."

Nevertheless, we were on our way! Constance was a teeny tiny bit anxious about what size airplane we would be taking to the islands - not only is it a short flight from Edinburgh, but there couldn't be that many travelers to and from Shetland on a daily basis so the plane, she imagined, would probably be one of those rubberband propeller jobs.

It turned out that while our plane wasn't exactly the size of a 747...

... but it wasn't wound up with rubberbands either...

It was a smooth and uneventful flight - the best kind! - and once we were in Sumburgh (pronounced Sumbrah - who would have thought?) Airport we picked up the keys for our car (yes, Constance and I were venturing onto the highway!) and visited the airport tourist information desk before hitting the road.

One of the things Constance was absolutely sure of was that the people in Shetland would be very nice and if the woman we spoke to at the tourist information desk was any indication, she was absolutely right. This woman was so helpful and friendly - and clearly proud of her home as she gave us loads of advice and ideas of things to do and see during our visit. Granted, this was her job, but there was something a bit more warm and inviting about her than I've experienced at other tourist information centers. She seemed genuinely interested in making sure we had a good stay.

Considering we had to drive north to Lerwick, she suggested we stop on the way and take a ride on the Mousa Ferry to a little island called...Mousa! Given that it was a beautiful day - something we were sure was a fluke and wouldn't last beyond this day - we decided to take her advice and take a ride on the ferry.

We got there a little after noon...after making a few scenic stops along the way...

...this is a loch just outside of the airport - we couldn't believe how beautiful it was everywhere we looked!

Our second stop was at the Sumburgh Lighthouse - constructed in 1821 (oldest lighthouse in Shetland) and constructed by Robert Stevenson - grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson!

It was a little windy...

...but we were so excited to be there!

Eventually, we did make it to the Mousa Ferry...

The Mousa Ferry!

...and we're off!

...and oh so cool...wearing my dad's hat to keep my head warm.

...no looking back...

On the island...and our guide Ranger Howard on the right...

...unfortunately, we missed the puffins by a week, but there were seals...that's the head of a seal way in the distance...

Ranger Howard and his sidekick...

...cold but enjoying the scenery...

...the seals didn't seem to mind the cold...

...me studying the Mousa map...

One of the most intriguing things on the island was this round structure called a broch. Brochs are stone structures (obviously) from the Iron Age and they are found only in Scotland, but there is still some question as to their origin. Some believe they were used as defensive military structures while other argue they were farmhouses.

Whatever their origin they are impressive. The broch on Mousa Island is one of the most intact brochs in all of Scotland. This was taken inside the broch from a small window in the inner circle staircase! Hello Constance!

From the top of the broch - it stands 13 meters high.

We were on the island for a couple of hours and during that time there were a couple of passing rain squalls. Nothing too serious, but during one such squall there was an old lady...older lady who took it upon herself to shield me from the wind and rain as best she could with her raincoat. I don't know what it was about me in particular, but once the squall was a upon us she got almost immediately behind me and opened up her raincoat to protect me from the wet and cold. It was a little strange...very nice, but a wee bit weird. Once we were back on the mainland we chatted with her and her husband and it turns out they were Ranger Howard's parents visiting from Edinburgh! At first Constance thought it was fate because she had her eye on Ranger Howard as a perfect match for me, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be as we soon learned they were there to get to know his new wife! Oh well. Easy come, easy go.

We did learn from them, however, that Ranger Howard was also an artist and that his work was being shown at the newly renovated Lerwick Museum! More on that later....

For now we were anxious to get to our B&B in Lerwick as we had both worked up quite an appetite traipsing around the island...

August 25th, Day 29 - Edinburgh Tattoo

We had a big night ahead of us, but Constance and I headed out bright and early in the morning anyway starting at the National Museum of Scotland...

Upon entering the museum we went directly to the nearest elevator which took us to the 5th floor where we went outside to walk up two flights of these spiral stairs...

...and here is Constance giving me a dirty look for making her walk up those stairs...

...but once we made it to the top we had a spectacular 360 view of Edinburgh....here's the castle...

...and Constance enjoying the view of the castle...

I think this tall building is the Tolbooth Church - now known as the Hub - information central for all theatre festival...

The museum itself was one of my favorites we've visited so far. Among the many exhibits, there was one in particular that I managed to get lost in for a good long time. It was about Britian during World Wars I and II and contained the stories of real life people.

The museum also had a special exhibit of the Lewis Chessmen... 

Ninety-three gaming pieces were found on a beach in Scotland in 1831 - they are carved out of walrus ivory and whales' teeth. There is much mystery surrounding the origin of the pieces and how they came to be buried on a beach in Scotland. Whatever their history they certainly are intriguing to look at and wonder about!

We eventually made our way out of the museum and up the hill and down the other side to Princes Street - the big fancy shopping street in Edinburgh...strickly for browsing though we did go into the Marks and Spencer for some picnic food. It was a gorgeous day and we found a bench in Princes Street Gardens to rest our bottoms and enjoy our lunch.

After that it was back to hotel for a rest before our big night out - the Tattoo! We wandered around looking for a place for dinner before the Tattoo and landed in a little cafe sitting next to woman eating alone. A few men in uniform walked in all three of us turned to look and she said, "You're never too old to look!" which, naturally, sparked a conversation. It turned out she was from the American south, but married a man who was "in oil" which moved her family to Aberdeen for many yearas - though she was currently living in Paris. How glamorous! Her kids were all grown and she never said where her husband was, but she was in Edinburgh for the theatre festival. She "flew over for a long weekend..." Ah, what a life....

But I digress...we were headed for the Tattoo...

...the view from our seats - perfect!

...the crowd!

Some spectators really got into the spirit...

Constance and I were just happy to be there...

Opening the event was the Massed Pipes & Drums, featuring an enormous band – 12 pipe bands in all – made up of the very best pipe bands from across the globe!

It a bit fuzzy, but this is a picture of the Imps Motorcycle Display Team - a group of 38 youngsters aged 5 (FIVE!) to 16...

The Citadel Pipes from the Military College of South Carolina...

Echoes of Jordan

77 armed forces musicians from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, accompanied by a 24-strong Drill Team, a Mounted Honour Guard – astride 8 military horses – and its six member Circassian Guard of Honour!

Kinloch Anderson Highland Dancers together with a young group from New Zealand

 Representative Band of the Border Guard of the Republic of Poland...I think that is what this picture is of...grrrr...my photos came out so blurry! They were wearing green capes and round hats with an eagle feather.

The New Zealand Army Band

I know - another blurry one, but this is some of the British Army's "finest gymnasts." The Army's Physical Training Corps was celebrating its 150th anniversary.

The grand finale brought everyone back onstage...

Such an impressive production!

Constance and I had a great time at the Tattoo, but she refused to go along with my idea of the two of us getting an actual tattoo to commemorate the experience...

August 24th, Day 28 - Edinburgh

Once again, Constance and I hopped on a train and headed for her homeland - Scotland! Edinburgh to be exact. Our mission was the to see the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo which is a giant military musical extravaganza that has been held every year for a few weeks since 1950. In fact this year marked the Diamond Jubilee of the Tattoo! For those of you who don't know, the entire UK portion of our trip centered on our tickets to the Tattoo. Once we secured our tickets to this event we were able to plan everything else around it. So you see, this event was a main event of our trip...if not, the main event.

But first we had to get to Edinburgh. The train was no problem...we took a cab to the train station in York, got on the train (we were old hands at this part by now) and got off the train at the Waverly Station in Edinburgh. The real challenge, believe it or not, was getting out of the train station! One thing we noticed right away about Edinburgh is the lack of elevators and escalators. Constance is a strong gal (she plowed the back 40 acres for years according to my dad), and I'm in relatively decent shape, but neither one of us is what you would call a spring chicken and when you add on a couple of pieces of luggage and no elevator or escalator in sight, you end up with two tired old ladies before we even get started!

What we did find was a ramp...a long relatively steep ramp, so I would say it was more of a hill...that we were able to make our way out of the station on. Once out, I had the brilliant idea (yet another one) that we could walk to our hotel, but after looking around and seeing all of the other hills we would have to climb, we opted for a cab and made our way to the Apex International Hotel. The Apex is a modern hotel and both Constance and I were glad for it after our historical stay in York...not that we didn't enjoy York and all it's history, but we are a couple of modern old gals after all!

We decided to take a walk around the city and find where we would need to be the next day for the Tattoo. This meant that we had to walk...up a hill! Buns of steele is what Constance and I will have by the end of our time in Edinburgh! Well, we should have had anyway...

...the first part of the hill...West Bow...

Buns of steele or not, this is what we found at the top of the hill...a new wave bag piper and drummer...one in a kilt and one with tattoos and funny goggles!

From there we found directions to the queue for the actual tattoo...

 

From there we found the Deacons Cafe and had a delicious lunch. On one of the walls hung this plaque of thistle...the words underneath mean (in Irish Gaelic apparently) One hundred thousand welcomes...

This gothic building is disappointingly called The Hub and is a place of information on all that is going on for the Edinburgh Festival - the theatre festival we landed in the midst of...

Further on we found a proper Scottish piper...

...and then, the stands where we'll be sitting for the Tattoo just outside of the Edinburgh Castle...

...where all the action will take place for the Tattoo...

...over the Castle bridge, but not in the Castle itself - Constance wanted a picture of the the coat of arms...

...and of course, a picture of her in a phone booth...or phone box in the United Kingdom...

High Street, Edinburgh...

As we walked along High Street - which turned into the Royal Mile (the stretch of road that runs between the castle and the Palace of Holyrood House) we ran into the new Scottish Parliament Building designed by Catalan architecht Enrico Miralles and build in 2005...

...the side of the building is filled with engravings of various sayings by various poets...this one Constance and I especially liked....

...but the building itself, we thought, was quite an eyesore...

From here we took a walk through the gift shop of the Holyrood House before getting on a city bus (so as to avoid walking up yet another hill) and making our way back to the Apex Hotel..

...the view from which was lovely...Edinburgh Castle at night...