My first official pet sit was outside of Newcastle in Annitsford. The three dogs were fun and it was nice just to relax for a bit for four days. I used the time to plan out some of the last months of my trip, scouring places in Germany and Ireland.
One day I took a guided tour around Newcastle Castle. Interesting history of when it was and wasn’t part of Scotland. We started at the church that was created from stones taken from Hadrian’s wall, the furthest advance of the Roman empire. This was built in Roman style as the walls of the tower have a square base.
This is in contrast to Victorian construction that started using round towers for better structural engineering. It doesn’t collapse as easy. Also, there are arrow slit windows for the archers.
We visited an old Black friars Monastery where ale was brewed.
In the center of town we learned about medieval life and trade.
The vampire hare is above the rear entrance of the cathedral building and was added in 1901 to deter grave robbers.
We ended at the castle which was used as a Garrison to house troops and they was also used as a prison.
On a different day I set out for a long walk in Annitsford and Cramlington. I noticed there was a sculpture in the field, called Eat for England. It is part of a national art trail. The artist felt a field that produces grain was the best place for the 15 foot spoon.
I took a train ride to Edinburgh and the Castle Rock hostel. it is by far the best hostel I have been in. Many large relaxing lounges, a large bedroom area, and the shower facilities were great.
Immediately I liked the vibe in Edinburgh even though it is touristy. I participated in a pub crawl which is something I normally don’t do. It was pretty fun with competitions between groups and I met some great people.
I also ordered Haggis, neeps, and tatties which is traditional Scottish food. So what is it?
Haggis: A savory pudding made from a sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs (often referred to as “pluck”), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, and spices. it looks a bit like ground beef but has a really good taste and is spiced well. Traditionally, it was boiled in a sheep’s stomach, but today it is usually cooked in an artificial casing.
Neeps: The Scottish term for mashed rutabaga or swede, a root vegetable similar to a turnip. It is typically boiled and mashed with butter, pepper, and sometimes nutmeg.
Tatties: The Scottish term for mashed potatoes. They are also prepared with butter and seasoned for serving.
I also walked to Calton Hill to see the views of the city and look at some of the art installations in the buildings there.
After the Isle of Skye tour, I came back to Edinburgh for a few more days. The National gallery and the National museum are free. The National Gallery has some amazing art from Scottish painters and others from around the world including many French impressionists artists. There was a person leading a discussion on the meanings of parts of the painting.
The National museum had many exhibits from all over the world. The most interesting was the body of Dolly, the cloned sheep. She had been preserved and was on display.
I walked along Victoria Street with all the amazing colorful stores.
I then visited Greyfriars cemetery which is said to be haunted. The first thing you see is Greyfriars Bobby. He was the Skye terrier of John Gray, a philosopher and writer. When he died, his dog guarded his grave for 14 years. The owner of the local pub right outside the cemetery gate, made him a house and bed and made sur he was fed until he died. He is. It buried with his master because of cemetery rules but is nearby.
other graves to note is this one that is said to be haunted by a poltergeist.
This is the grave of Thomas Riddle. I did not research about him, but all I could think of was Harry Potter. Some other pictures I took.
The Covenanter prison was located here. They were held in horrible conditions until they all died and were buried here.
Edinburgh castle was pretty good to tour though they do not show you all the parts of the castle or take pictures. They showed the crown jewels though no photos were allowed. I learned about the history and how they dealt with prisoners.
The views from the cannon holes are impressive.
As the house of the Stewart’s and pretty fierce Scottish fighters, this castle seeming to rise straight out of volcanic rock is truly formidable.
I also walked to one of the waterway paths. It was a beautiful walk. Edinburgh is an incredible city.
Gallows existed in the city on this spot and hangings continued until 1760. One woman, Maggie, convicted of hiding a pregnancy and killing a child was hanged but survived. They decided not to try it again and she was thought to be a witch. The condemned were taken to The Last Drop bar for a drink before being hanged.
i left Edinburgh on a 3 days Isle of Skye tour with Highland Experience tours. There were wonderful people on the tour as well as the tour guide.
On the way we saw the Jellies and Stirling Castle in the distance.
We then stopped at Loch Lomond which is referenced in the song You’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road. It is a song about captured brothers where one must die and the other can go back to Scotland. It is a beautiful melody.
we stopped to take pictures at the sites most people seem to stop and do the same. No matter as the scenery is breathtaking and spectacular. These are along the way to Inverness.
These mountains are called the three Sisters: Faith, Hope, and Charity.
At the Glencoe visitor center we could see an original earth house that past Scots would build. All the materials were sourced within a mile of its location. I could also watch birds as I ate lunch. I ordered a hot dog with haggis on it. It was the best hot dog I have ever eaten and made in Scotland.
We stopped at the commando memorial. Commando training here in Scotland is pretty brutal.
Next stop was Loch Ness. Along the way we were told many of the stories, sightings, and research into Nessie. Loch Ness is narrower than I thought but is really long. All the Lochs are connected with canals to let ships cross from one to the other.
Finally we made it to Inverness, our home for two nights. I did not explore much, choosing instead to relax a bit.
On the second day, we travelled to Isle of Skye. A lot of driving with not much opportunity to walk. But we saw some beautiful scenery.
I tried to get a good picture of the red squirrel but caught him in retreat!
The weather was so calm that the water was like glass and gave great reflections.
We stopped at Eilean Donan castle. It was the site of the Highlander series as well as other movies. It was built in the 13th century and housed the Mackenzie clan and allies. Now it is privately owned. I chose not to go inside the castle spending more time touring the grounds.
The pioneers that climbed the Cuillins were John Mackenzie and Norman Collie. Their statue faces the Cuillins. I joined in putting my face in the river as it is to bring good health and longevity.
The next stop was Ported for some sightseeing and lunch.
Kilt falls. We were also on the lookout for dolphins and seals as we were in the coastline.
The Quirang was formed when basalt flows from volcanoes spread over the area in the peninsula and destabilized the weak sedimentary rock beneath causing landslides to occur until settling into the current placement. It is a very striking landscape.
On the last day, we left Inverness and visited Clava Cairns. A cairn is an ancient burial ground and these are dated at over 4000 years old. This one has an entrance to the center and was found to have been reused centuries later (after the original dead were no longer in anyone’s memory!)
We also visited the Culloden battlefield. It is a great site to learn about Scottish history. For centuries the Stuarts in Scotland challenged the English throne to restore Catholic rule from the Protestants (I was always intrigued by Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I). The bonny Prince joined the Jacobite clans with some aid from the French to try to take London. The final battle was here where a series of unfortunate mistakes led to their massacre. The history of both sides is laid out well in the museum before entering the battlefield. Red flags for UK and blue for Scotland are marked where the battle lines started. Rock markers for where the various clans fell and were buried in a mass grave can be seen. Some weathering makes a few difficult to read. There is also a memorial cairn on the site.
We stopped at Pitlochry for lunch. In earlier times, people from Edinburgh would come to this resort town to escape the city. I ate Cullen skunk which is a stew made of smoked haddock and potatoes.
We then had a walkabout in Tay Forest Park where some of the tallest Jack pines are found. Really beautiful.
In Perth, we stopped at a family run farm and restaurant. The have highland coo (cows) you can pet and feed. These highland cows are able to walk better than cows in the boggy Moors and can feed on all vegetation there. Because of this, they use these highland cows to cross breed with regular cows. They also have super fatty milk which is excellent for cheese.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Isle of Skye. It would be beautiful when the heather is in bloom but fall was a great time to visit. I really miss those gorgeous colors.
On to the next adventure: Scotland and the UK. I was only in Glasgow for a day due to a change in a tour to Isle of Skye. Several sites like the museum were closed for repair. I wandered around the commerce district and visited the museum of modern art. In front of that building is a statue of the Duke of Wellington. Yes, that is an emergency cone on his head. A taxi driver told me that police keep taking it off but another appears overnight!
I also walked to the Necropolis. This picture is taken from the Necropolis and you can see the cathedral on the right. After funeral services, the body would be taken across the bridge into the Necropolis.
I did miss the grave of William Wallace who led Scotland towards independence.
I arrived in Santiago de Compostela by train and met my friend, Maggie. Our intention: to complete the Camino de Santiago from Sarria. 115 km with a 7 kg pack. We left the rest of our belongings in Santiago for when we return.
Some background: James was one of the apostles who was a martyr and was beheaded. His head was buried in Jerusalem but his body was taken by boat guided by an angel to Santiago where it was buried. In the 9th century, his room mains were discovered and a church was ordered to be erected at the site. His remains are interred in the church. When news of the discovery of his remains spread far and wide, religious people made the pilgrimage to Santiago. Some of these routes may have already been trade routes, but the paths were followed by others over the centuries and are known as the Camino de Santiago. There are quite a few paths over many countries.
I thought the Camino Frances would be good as there are many stopping points and it was the original one I wanted to do. Initially I was going to do the complete Camino Frances, walking over the Pyrenees and across the top of Spain for a total of 780 km.
Recovery from the knee replacement is proceeding but I am limited in how many km I can walk in a day. We averaged about 10-15 km per day and it still was a test of mental, physical, and spiritual strength.
Along the way were markers that counted down the km and had a yellow arrow to show the way.
Some people use a carry service for their backpacks. In life, you are responsible for yourself and what you carry. It is the same on the Camino and people often pack too much and leave something along the way to lighten the load. Quite a good life metaphor, right?
The shell is a symbol of having been changed as part of the experience. While walking, many things did not seem as important as they used to and you are reminded that you are only able to change things that are within your control. Not a new lesson, but a constant daily reminder.
I did a lot of research in preventing blisters, using Vaseline on my feet before adding socks, wearing two lighter socks, etc. I also used hiking poles to help reduce the weight on my knees and feet. It also helps you with better posture when walking with a pack. All the people that we met on the camino were encouraging for us and we to them as well. No one truly walks alone.
We stayed at albergues each night. Bunk beds in mixed dorm rooms and the price was quite cheap (15-20 euros per night). It was quite fine as everyone was tired. Pretty much everyone was asleep by 9 pm and people started leaving around 6 am. We generally left when it was light out just after 8. Some places had family dinners which were quite fun with the stories and personalities from people all over the world.
The Celtic influence is large in Galicia and bagpipes can be heard as pilgrims enter the square. The man offered a special stamp with a donation. We ate lunch while listening to him. You must collect 2 stamps a day to get the official certificate (Compostela) at the end.
In Portomarin, we had already walked 18 km and were greeted by these stairs….
We attended a pilgrims mass at one of the towns.
In Arzua, the albergue had a basket of statements you could randomly choose. This was mine….
We loved the little hand door knocker…
In this little town, we took the path to the right where you could put your feet into the cold water. Heavenly after walking for some time.
And finally, we were done….
We also attended the pilgrims mass in the cathedral.
The Botafumeiro has been used since the Middle Ages to help remove smells from the cathedral (not much bathing back then). Today it is a tradition in Santiago and we were privileged to see it.
As I have traveled around Spain, each move led me to a larger city. As it is the capital, it is the largest. I am pretty cautious with my knee especially with the varying types of cobblestones in the city. Also, standing for long periods is really tiring on the knee. As a result, I decided to avoid museums, cathedrals, and other places where waiting in line and crowds within ar a problem.
Instead, I thoroughly enjoyed people watching, visiting parks and the botanical garden. There is always something going on in this city.
I found the church dedicated d to Saint Santiago and the start of one of the Camino. Routes.
Plazas always have something going on. The Plaza del Sol had a demonstration against bullfighting.
Other plazas were used for children’s activities with police, taxi drivers, and others creating a obstacle courses for little ones to bike and scooter through. Everyone was having a good time and they even had vintage taxi to look at.
The botanic garden was great, especially the bonsai exhibit. Most of them ar 60-90 years old and made out of trees like elm, fig, pine, and olive trees.
Puertas which are city gates were built in the 16th to 18th century as entry to the city as it was a walled city.
Fountains and other images
Last, but not least, the food here is similar to many large cities. All is possible. The specialty here is sandwiches with lightly fried calamari rings in it (with garlic mayo). It was good but the fried calamari and shrimp that I had the next day was better.
I was pretty excited about Seville even though it is a much larger city than the others I have visited. I was starting to think a UTI that I had at the end of August had returned. After checking in, I asked the person at the front desk of the hostel about options. I chose a private hospital instead of the public one and once there it was confirmed I did have a UTI. I do have global health insurance with a pretty high deductible. My Spanish is intermediate enough to be able to comunicate and understand.
Needless to say, I tried to take it a little easier here and did not do long day trips that I had been thinking about.
Royal Alcazar of Seville. It originated in the 10th century as an Islamic citadel and was expanded by the Moors and again in 1248 by Christian monarchs. It is the oldest royal palaces in continual use in Europe. Currently the Spanish royal family resides there. It has architecture from all past influences.
The best part is the gardens which is immense and features fountains, formal gardens, and a wooded section. There is even a water organ, that played tunes as water flowed through.
And there were peacocks. Not sure why it looks like a stick is coming out of the back of one of them.
Down in the basement was tunnels that led to the burial catacombs.
The cathedral was originally built where a mosque used to stand. In fact, La Giralda is a tower that used to be a minarete of the mosque.
I stayed at the Black Swan Hostel. It was fabulous and they have many free events like family dinners, a flamenco show, and a tour of the bull ring. (I also took a cooking class to make paella).
I did a tour of Itálica which is a little further than the city center. This is an archaeological site of a Roman town and an amphitheater. After the town was abandoned for many centuries, much of the rock and structures were used to build Seville. After digging, they found statues, Roman columns, and beautiful mosaic floor work.
A marble fountain
This is part of a school for the rich residents. Note the toilets.
We then visited the amphitheater where several episodes of Game of Thrones was filmed including when Danaerus flew in on her dragon. That is me thinking the CGI dragon landed behind me.
Plaza de España was built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. The was designed to strengthen ties between Spain and Latin America. Along the base of the building are beautifully tiled alcoves representing each of Spain’s provinces. The mosaics are gorgeous. This structure was used in Star Wars episode 2 as the planet Naboo.
A stroll around the gardens and other parts of Seville.
i walked to one of the high points to see the city and also the Alhambra .
I also walked to the Monastery as it is one of the best examples of Baroque design and using good in the design.
As it was Sunday, many museums and houses were free (not the Monastery). At the Casa del Chapis, they had beautiful gardens and also a great view of the Alhambra.
Casa de Zafra
Other things I took pics of include some of the streets as they are narrow with cobblestones and lead to many turns and dead end which lead to some wonderful plazas.
The basilica in Granada was built for Saint John of God whose remains are interred here. It has a classic Baroque style.
September 15th commemorates the beginning of festivities for Virgen de las Angustias which if the patron saint of the city. Today was the day of the Floral offerings where people buy flowers and offer to the church. These flowers are placed in a scaffold to display in front of the church.
I also visited the Cathedral of Granada.
I ended my last full day going to a tapas bar. When you order a drink they also bring you a snack for free. After that, I went to a hammam to soak Ian warm and cold baths as well as a massage. Very relaxing.
The Alhambra is a historic palace and fortress here in Granada. It was built in the mid-13th century by the Nasrid dynasty who were the last Muslim rulers in Spain. It was a royal palace to the Nasrids with 5 palaces being built during the dynasty. 3 of them are still standing as during the Napoleonic war, the French destroyed palaces and the houses outside the palace where nobility lived. It also was a military stronghold, and a symbol of Islamic architecture and culture in medieval Spain.
There are beautiful entrances into the Alhambra.
The name “Alhambra” means “The Red One” in Arabic, because of the reddish color of its walls. What is amazing is the intricate Islamic art, including beautiful tile work, calligraphy, carved stucco, and serene courtyards like the Court of the Lions. The use of red and blue colors as well as the placement of water for cooling and to move water through the complex was amazing. The whole of the Alhambra is like a poetry book with the inscriptions throughout providing a lesson.
The court of the lions.
Here are some pictures of the tiles and the artwork of the ceilings which are crafted to utilize the light throughout the day and to create the illusion of the stars.
After the Christian conquest in 1492, the Alhambra was taken over by the Catholic Monarchs and later altered by various rulers, including Charles V, who added a Renaissance-style palace which was never finished (and paid for by local tradesmen, which did not go over very well.)
The views from the Alhambra are amazing.
These would be soldier houses in the Kasbah.
Ruins of one of the palaces.
There were also extensive gardens to provide not only beauty, but also to provide food for those living in the Alhambra. The water features help to bring the water up for irrigation.
