Stout and Shortbread, a siren's song

Sea Day Last night the Captain announced a change of plans. The Le Havre chaps were on strike and we could not dock there. The Captain said we would put in at St. Peters port Guernsey after all! We slept through the night, feverish and racking  coughs. I awoke at 8:30 and showered. I feel better, Dan is worse. . . Achy. We made it to breakfast for a fruit plate and poached egg. Now back to bed;) waking at 12:40. At two we head to the Lido for plate and a look T the sea. Lots of wind turbines,could we be off Holland? Back to bed we go. A day of rest. We wake at seven to declare not hungry. I awake at eleven and take my melatonin. Its amazing to sleep for 30 hours. Blowing the nose, sipping water and taking advil to stop the headache and teeth from ringing. What a day! Thankful for the feather bed made fresh daily, a book to read and food at our fingertips!

Edinburgh I did not sleep well last night. I just couldn't drop down until about 6:00 but I rested. The nap or 4pm or'cuppie' may have been the culprit. I push through, shower and dress in yellow to please the lady who seats us and happens to LOVE yellow also. Tea today with lemon and honey, s bran muffin and an asparagus and chard scramble. The dark haired lady told us the staff considers us the Most in Love couple on the ship! They talk:) I redress for out trek to Edinburgh. Taking a number we seat ourselves in the dining room waiting our turn to tender to Queensferry. We are called efficiently to our tender. We look for toilets and catch a taxi to take us to Dalhousie Castle seat of the Ramsay clan. We intend to place Robert's ashes there surreptitiously!  As we arrive falcons are sitting on their perches and one soars. Despite my aches and pains this is a big deal! Finding the perfect place to leave Robert. As we circle the castle i notice a stand of Sc...

Invergorden Scotland. Awaken at 6:45 with a sore throat of the left side only. Raoul is good to me. He brings tea, lemon and honey. I order oatmeal with almond milk and Dan gets the salmon scramble. We debark into town. Our goal is a stroll, a lunch and a tour of Glenmorangie. In a charity shop I try on a plaid woolen skirt and buy it for $10. Then a plaid plate for Mary in a Ramsay plaid. Dan leads us to the Seafarer's Center in a Presbyterian church where we are served tea and shortbread. We stroll back to Crazy Horse Cafe with a local where We enjoy lentil soup and a cheese scone which is huge! At the bus stop a lady says you need'n t go to Glenmorangie, there is a distillery in town, Whyte MacKay. We walk there a good two miles. My blister has a blister! The sign says, " no tours". We limp back to the ship and pour a wee dram of Johnnie Walker Red. We be resting our feet now. And reading. Dan's breath softens to a snore. I set the alarm for thre...

Day at Sea. Whew! We can use a day of rest. Shabbat. Sleep in, rising at 8:15 to shower and dress for breakfast. Lightening the intake of calories today. A bran muffin, fruit plate that looks like a tulip, and decaf. Dan shares a slice of bacon with me. That should provide the protein 'anchor'. At sea days are  sheer whimsy. Nothing planned but every imaginable option available. Last night Dan bought the internet plan that allows us 10 minutes a day. I returned the Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and Borrowed a book which I found searching for 'Scottish'. It is written my a nurse in the Hebrides Islands. After a lecture introducing Invergorden, Inverness and Edinburgh we stroll our 2.7 laps while cruising through the Hebrides! A few snaps;) Then i am hungry. Salad with a spot of Chardonnay hits the spot. Dan is disappointed with the pizza slice, soggy. We settle to read outside the art auction. Dan enjoys a bloody mary. I get chilled do we seek a c...

Reminder wake up call 6:15 Snooze shower dress Orange segments Bran muffin Finnan Haddie smoked cod Meet tour meets at 8:45 Barry- Marilyn Fl Ron - Evelyn N Dakota Rotate seats in van frequently. I LOVE Scotland! Greenock Stirling Castle Ghost alert. We were enjoying a cup of coffee at the castle and my chair revolved!!!!!!!!! I am sure, no one was there. Gilfillan. Lunch tomato cheese panini pinot grigio Cherry scone Buy swan card Highlands Loch Lamond Scotch whiskey Nockie Glasgow Drop off my new SWAN card for framing. Happy hour and sail away at 6:15, then a late supper: Scallop ceviche Roasted mediterranean veg with goats cheese Frennette pasta with pesto A Zeni Valpolicella Grand Marnier souffle Best Meal ever(^^)! Then we dance to Nexus And move to the Wheelhouse lounge to dance to a vocalist. Yes, John and Cathy are along!

Glasgow tour notes John Duncan River Clyde Ship building Barton Rock on the Clyde 650,000 pop Union of Crowns 17 thc City of paisley pattern Tobacco- ships- financial   St Mungo Stirling and Edinb were strongholds River Forth sep N/S  Scotland 'Buckle on the belt' of Sco Sac of Berrick Stone of Destiny coronat Bannock Bern - stream Kings knot (pyramid) Church of Holy Rude /Cross Royal Beast of  Scotland Is the Unicorn ( piety) Magpie crow family Highland boundary fault 3 faults  Dune Castle river   5 m people 6 m sheep Callender-- Trossachs Roman had a fort here Three lochs glacial When it rains in Scotland it's not water it's whiskey The Lady of the Lake- scott Brig o turk -Bridge  o boar The Dukes pass it was. Toll road Rowan - mt ash & Heather Elves and Ferries book Rob Roy McGregor 1672 Cattle drover exporter Still from ouch and gave to the poor but in actuality see the ...

Sleep well. Up four minutes before the alarm to read. Shower, shampoo, dry and dress. Three times.  Breakfast in the dining room: pineapple sunrise with a yogurt drizzle, and a frittata. Meet the hot pink shuttles to Belfast out past the ramp. The noisy ride takes 15 min to town. We step through a barrage of Hop on hop off sales people to the TI desk and purchase train tickets to Derry. Micheal Palin says its the most beautiful train ride in the world! Along the Antrim Coast. Possibly the greenest with two rainbows, sheep and cows. On the sea side is theNorth Sea! Just outside the window. We visited with a college professor who was a apE major and loved talking sports, then a mother and daughter who was enrolled to. Begin nursing school in Derry soon. We taxi into town for $3. And walk  up the street past charity shops. Some benefit Hospice, others the Blind. We look and then settle in at Brickwork for a burger, fish and chips. Great meal with a local red beer. ...