This time it's a
quick trip to Scotland to revisit places I knew in childhood and
adolescence, and to catch up with friends. Our travelling was about as
fraught as usual, even though we'd decided to fly from London City. The
taxi collected us in good time, and despite post-flooding hold-ups, we
were in good time for our train. The plan, encouraged by the national
rail enquiries web site, was to change at London Bridge for Cannon
Street, then walk to the Bank and pick up the toy town railway. Only
when we got off the train did we find that there are no trains from
London Bridge to Cannon Street at the moment. The sensible thing then
was to get the tube to Canning Town and change. The crowded, noisy tube
train dumped us a stop short, at North Greenwich, where we'd to go up
and over to another platform to continue our journey.
At City Airport, we got seats at a window in the departure hall, so we could watch the few comings and goings. Unfortunately, we were next to a couple of bimbos who seemed to be making a movie of some kind. We found only later that we could have had quieter seats nearer to the departure gate. We were quite impressed by the aeroplane, which was an Embraer 190. There was much more leg room than we are used to in the low-cost offerings. Perhaps it was because of the steep landing and take off paths at city airport, but the departure seemed rather more appropriate to a fighter jet than an airliner. Some interesting fellow passengers: a demanding Indian Grandma who kept changing her seat, including displacing that colourful politician, the Lord Reid of Cardowan, who reacted with more self-control than in his earlier years. All good fun.
At City Airport, we got seats at a window in the departure hall, so we could watch the few comings and goings. Unfortunately, we were next to a couple of bimbos who seemed to be making a movie of some kind. We found only later that we could have had quieter seats nearer to the departure gate. We were quite impressed by the aeroplane, which was an Embraer 190. There was much more leg room than we are used to in the low-cost offerings. Perhaps it was because of the steep landing and take off paths at city airport, but the departure seemed rather more appropriate to a fighter jet than an airliner. Some interesting fellow passengers: a demanding Indian Grandma who kept changing her seat, including displacing that colourful politician, the Lord Reid of Cardowan, who reacted with more self-control than in his earlier years. All good fun.
We had booked our hire car
through a consolidator as usual. Sometimes it works well, others less
so. There was a long wait at the airport for the shuttle bus, and a bit
of drama when there were more passengers than seats. On arrival at the
depot, it turned out to be an unmade site with a couple of portakabins.
The car we'd booked had come in damaged, so the best they could do for
us is a huge Korean seven-seater. Well, it goes, steers and stops, and
changes gear by itself, but, like the beat-up Clio we had in Gran
Canaria, our friends would probably rather we didn't park it on their
drive. .
A slow drive round Glasgow at rush
hour, but at least it didn't start raining till we were well out of
town, and the rain had just about stopped by the time we reached our
digs. We walked out in search of basics, and rather over-ordered a
Chinese takeaway. We ate most of it, but have to think of something
imaginative to do tonight with yesterday's cold flied lice. [Later:
Martyn made a tasty pilaff with diced bacon and mushrooms.]
Today
we took a ride into Dundee with mixed success. My watch strap started
falling apart yesterday when I took it off at the airport: the pins
securing the watch to the strap had weakened and bent. Running repairs
with a door key kept it in place till today, when a friendly jeweller
replaced both pins for £4, with the result that it's as good as new
again.
Along at the City Square, they were
busily unblocking drains next to the bronzes of Desperate Dan and Minnie
the Minx, so we refrained from selfies... Though our errands were a
bit frustrated, it was interesting to see how much has changed,
particularly along the waterfront by the old docks - it's all posh pads
and Porsches these days, though it's good to see that they have
integrated a lot of the original stone buildings into the redevelopment.
The new V&A is coming along apace, but a lot of the waterfront is
still behind hoardings.
Our digs are pretty
good. Close to everything in the Ferry, quiet (give or take the
nocturnal seagulls) and reasonably well equipped. I've had to do a bit
of amateur sparkying, since two failed bulbs in the kitchen left it
rather gloomy, and the recessed light in the shower was dangling loose!
(I only discovered this when, on washing my scalp, my hand encountered a
UFO...). The bathroom is pretty well equipped, with both bath and
shower box, and a wc branded 'Utopia'....
There
isn't a proper teapot in the place, but as Brook Street (like so many
shopping streets in the country) is now cheek-by-jowl charity shops, the
fifth one we tried in the space of five minutes came up with a
perfectly decent aluminium pot for £1.99. Our plan was to leave it as a
present to the flat, but it has scrubbed up well, and pours nicely, so
we may just take it home.
Martyn suggested
a birthday lunch of Smokie pancakes at Jackie's recommended But 'n Ben in
Auchmithie. We were lucky they could fit us in, since the place is very
popular. And rightly so - the pancakes were delicious. We went via
Carnoustie and Easthaven, where we spent a pleasant moment watching the
waves breaking on the beach where we were occasionally taken for a treat
when I was a child. The air was much clearer today, so we had good
views of the windswept landscape.
Friday
Fine
sunshine at 05:30-ish wasn't enough to get me up and dressed, which was
a shame, since by the time we were up and dressed it was raining.
Again. Still, we took a walk along to the Castle and back during a dry
spell.
Next stop, Dundee Contemporary Arts
Centre. The exhibition held our attention for about five minutes. Huge
canvases, semi-abstract, with interesting and coherent use of colour.
Mais pas ma tasse de thé. The tea in the café downstairs, par contre,
was very good.
Thence to Glamis and Forfar, and
back to the Ferry via Kingsmuir (we'd registered that the Forfar-Dundee
road was jammed up by road works just inside the ring road). It would
have been better had the sun deigned to make an appearance, but we had
some good views across Strathmore to the brooding Grampians, and across
the estuary to Fife.
Some of these roads were
familiar from the days when Dad used to take me to a disused airfield
for driving lessons before I was old enough to use public roads - they
stood me in good stead, since I passed after five professional lessons.
Oddly enough, our current digs are two minutes' walk from where I got
my pink slip, nearly 50 years ago!
Marco, DCS and Jackie |
Oddly
enough, we were ready to eat again by evening, so took a walk round to
M&S to get easy suppers that we could do in the microwave. For the
second time today, our ears were assaulted by the bagpipes. In the
morning, a piper was playing for some reason outside an Indian
restaurant in Gray Street, and in the evening, a large group of pipers
and drummers was practising in the doctors' car park next to our block.
They were really impressive - but a trifle intrusive later while we
were trying to watch the Prom on TV.
Saturday
Sticky
moment when we went to fill the tank before leaving Dundee. Although
the fellow at the depot had shown us where to find the filler cap
release we just couldn't find it. But as I rummaged round the floor
looking for it, I found a piece of plastic under the mat, and soon
spotted the little lever from which it had got kicked off. Although the car is not
unpleasant to drive, and has nice leather seats, a lot of the detailed design inside is pretty
cheap and nasty. for example, you have to look far too far away from the road to read the speedo, and as for the clock, forget it. And it rattles.
Our drive to
Dunoon was pretty unpleasant as far as Crianlarich, since we had rain
and poor visibility much of the way. We paused for cups of tea at the
Crianlarich Hotel before pressing on, and were not far off our target by
lunchtime. The A82 down the side of Loch Lomond was pretty busy, and
not a nice road on which to meet coaches coming the other way, which we
frequently did.
Having said we expected to
arrive between 4 and 5, we decided to go on to Inveraray for lunch, then
continue south into the Mull of Kintyre, crossing to the Cowal
peninsula by ferry from Tarbert. On this second stretch of the journey
we had slightly better views, since the cloud had lifted a bit. I'd
rather forgotten the fine detail of the way to Pam's, and stopped to ask
a chap if we were far off West Street. He had no idea, and it turned
out to be the next turn on the right, 100 yard away.
A warm welcome as always from Pam and Geoff, tea, a good natter, a splendid supper and an early night.
Sunday
Dawn from Pam's sitooterie |
Mantas, Colintraive |
Another
happy and convivial evening - Pam had made a superb venison pie, and
broke out a couple of bottles of very good Carignan from the Cabardès. Just goes to show that you can indeed make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Monday
Loch Awe at Cruachan |
Thence
on to Oban, which has some fine architecture, but rather a lot of
touristy shop fronts. Its port offers connections to a number of the
islands, and right next door is a station, offering links to Glasgow at a
somewhat relaxed pace. We stayed only for a cup of tea and to buy
sandwiches for lunch, then joined the coastal road southwards.
On
the way south, we called in at Arduaine gardens, and sort of followed
one of the walks down to the waterside of the Sound of Jura. Charming
place, with some of the bluest hydrangeas I've ever seen. We'll save
the longer walks for another time. From there we pressed on southwards
to Keillmore, which is at the foot of a peninsula off the Mull of
Kintyre. Apart from interesting geology and lovely flora, the area
offers good views across the Sound to Islay and Jura. On a mild, sunny
and practically still day, the experience was a delight.
We
paused again at the sea lock at the west end of the Crinan Canal, which
greatly shortened the journey for the Puffers on their journeys between
Glasgow and the islands. Like most canals these days, its main, if not exclusive,
use is by leisure sailors. At one point, we were held up at a swing
bridge to let a few of them enter a lock.
From
there we ambled south again to Tarbert to catch the ferry back. Once
landed, the fun began. We'd planned to return to Dunoon via
Tighnabruaich and Glendaruel. There were a few 'road ahead closed'
signs, starting a few miles out of Tighnabruaich, and, hoping that this
might refer to side turnings, we pressed on. Mistake. We finished up
having to back-track, and head for Glendaruel via Otter Ferry: no small
detour, and one that involved a narrow C-road with few passing places.
By
this time, we were getting rather late for supper with Pam, Geoff and
their other guests for the evening. Having taken a lot of photographs
during the day, I'd little charge left in the phone. Somewhat academic,
given the lack of coverage up in the hills hereabouts, so I wasn't able
to report in until we were five minutes from home.
Oh well, we made it, and enjoyed another convivial evening! I was mighty ready for bed by 11, though.
Tuesday
We
had hoped to be able to report that we'd been out on the water every
day of our stay in Dunoon with Pam and Geoff. Our plan today had been
to go for a trip on the paddle steamer Waverley, but unfortunately it
had been cancelled. No notification posted at the pier: a fellow
would-be tripper found out via his smartphone. So back we traipsed, for
a relaxing afternoon with our books, iPads and insides of eyelids.
Probably good preparation for our travels tomorrow.
So, we sat in the sitooterie for a while, watching RN and merchant naval vessels out on the estuary for a while. I'd prepared a simple supper, which we dispatched together before an early night.
Wednesday
Wednesday
Pouring rain through the early hours, and it didn't let up while we were in Scotland. We were on the 07:40 ferry to Gourock, depositing Pam and Geoff at a bus stop whence they were to head off to Glasgow to meet friends. We fuelled and returned the car, then eventually got the shuttle bus to the airport in good time, we thought, for a quick bacon sandwich, as tradition requires, before heading for the gate. In fact, our 10:50 flight was delayed to 11:55, so that left us time for a proper brunch, since we weren't to arrive in LCY until gone 13:00.
Replacement E170 at wet Abbotsinch |
The return home was pretty painless, and in good time for my evening meeting at the CAB. I had time for a cup of tea and to open the host of birthday greetings that awaited me. (Perhaps the most startling was one from Miss Leach: a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, with the legend 'Greetings from one old queen to another'). But as the evening wore on, I was conscious that the day had involved journeys in a rental car, a ferry, a shuttle bus, an aeroplane, three trains and a taxi (not to mention a return trip to town in the Ateca, to which I was very happy to return!).
Thursday
Mr Engineer Smith's 70th birthday. We mark it here with laundry, gardening and, I fear, shopping. The garden has plainly had quite a lot of rain. The courgettes need tying up, since some of the fruit appears to be rotting. We had the first of our French beans last night with supper, and I expect I'll turn out another bag of spuds later today. The forecast showers should exempt me from grass cutting, with any luck.
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