Category: The DayBook

Took the train to Stirling to checkout their castle today. Mighty fine graveyard next to the Stirling Castle. Carlton loved cemeteries. We examined every cemetery we found in our wanderings. He used to ride his bike to Columbia Cemetery everyday and he was buddies with the grave diggers. So, I had to inspect the cemetery. Lots of gloom and tombs. 

Stirling Castle was more than just a pretty place for King James the what’s it to hang his crown. It was in a hugely important strategic location. It changed hands numerous times and was under siege at least 8 times.

The guide said that the garden serves as an early warning system about an impending royal visit . The queen comes calling every couple of years. Mostly to check on her regiment which still calls Stirling Castle home  

Anyhow, the queen likes gardens. So, before she arrives much money is spent buffing up the garden. Which is pretty sweet just the way it is today.  

When I got back to Edinburgh, I stopped to pick up a takeaway sandwich at the grocery store.

Don’t think you would see this back in Falls Church.  And the train was also in an LGBTQ+ kind of a mood. They had a booth setup with info about job and training opportunities for LGBTQ+ kids with the railroad. That seems more useful than rainbow wrapped sandwich’s. 

Sinuses still crappy.  But that would be my only problem. 

Good thing that I woke up too early this morning. If I had snoozed to a civilized hour, I would have missed the show.

Today’s event was a visit to the Royal Highland Show  Think state fair. Without the midway.  It was interesting but not on the regular tourist route.  I might have been the only foreigner there . My only disappointment is I missed getting to see the inside of the cow barn and the hairy Scottish cows .  By the time I found the cow barn it was closed for cleaning.  

 I saw cows, just not the one I wanted to see.

And, I watched the preliminary round of sheep shearing.  I was rather impressed, one guy sheared 3 sheep in 5 minutes . But apparently the really good/fast guys don’t compete until Sunday.  Not real sure that I would like to be one of the sheep!

Lots of things to buy. Everything from ginormous tractors to alliums.  

When I got back to my hotel, red chairs had sprouted in the square and folks were lapping up summer as only folks from the north can.

6 miles walked in the brisk summer air – high was 58 degrees – left me rather tired.  And, I am enjoying a little case of sinusitis. When I consider how much time I have spent on airplanes I am not surprised.  

 I know that it is not-but I always think of this as St. Pancreas as in the anatomy and not as St. Pancras  as in the church.  

the weather was nice. The scenery was pretty. Lots of sheep. Plenty of cows. A few horses. The trip took 4.5 hours and the train was packed.  Glad that I got my ticket last night. 

So, all day it had been sunny, the instant that I stepped out of the station it starts to rain. Cold, driving rain. Nothing to do but dig out the umbrella and trudge off to the hotel. 

My room has a nice view.  The clientele is much younger than I am.  That shouldn’t be surprising but it is. 

While I was getting settled and having a nice cup of tea, the rain stopped so, I went for a little walk. 

i didn’t find any bag piping, that was good. Nor did I find any studly guys in kilts. Most everyone had on parkas, puffy jackets etc.  I may have to acquire another layer.  At the very least I can wear my rash guard. I have new respect for anyone female or male who wears a skirt in Scotland!

More tomorrow, the goddess willing.  

pretty sure that it will be lights out early.  It is 5pm and I am going to have to force myself to go out on a scouting mission.  

As far as travel days go, this was an easy one. British Airways isn’t my most favorite airline, but it got me here in one piece. And on time.  

the plan is to go to Edinburgh by train tomorrow. That is why I should go scout out the train situation this evening. I should go out anyway. Need fresh air. 

 I would not have said that a few days ago.  But the place sort of grew on me. 

And now it is after 9, my bedtime is approaching and I have done zero to be ready to depart for the airport at 7am. Well I took a bath and got my passport out of the safe.  I will now drink a cup of coffee and eat a cookie  and put off packing until tomorrow morning,

Next stop London. 

 I am suddenly taken seriously sleepy. So, I shall retire for the night.  

My hotel is also the tallest building on the planet. Most of the day I felt like I was a trustee in a very nice prison. I got stopped a couple of times while walking around outside. I had to be escorted to and from the world’s largest shopping mall. My purse got run through a scanner when I was let back in from the mall.

 I was generally hating Dubai, the hotel everything thing. So, I took a nap. And when I woke up I realized that I wasn’t the problem. The problem was the building. After all, remember what happened to the world’s tallest building 18 years ago.  

That simple realization made everything all better. I went outside again, got jacked up by security. And continued on my outside night time adventure. 

It had cooled off to a delightful 105 degrees by 9pm.

And, Dubai is worth the trip.once I realized that I wasn’t really a prisoner  

This is what I walk down to get to my room. It is majorly weird. The rooms don’t have door knobs.  Now, actually you don’t need door knobs but, after 75 years, I am sort of used to door knobs.   

Made it to my suite. When it’s 99degrees at 11pm you get upgraded to a suite.

More tomorrow. Nite nite time for me now😎

The dark green seems to be coconut trees. Plantation style. Don’t know if they are still working plantations.

It is a gritty airport with very few female passengers. The plane lands and you walk down the stairs like in Kona.

The first plane was a very old never refitted A320. That was actually a good thing, the seats where like the were 30 years ago.

Next stop Dubai.

I was tired of seeing stuff today, so I just went walk about. Found some cool public art.

Also found an entire street of lovely  old town houses that have somehow missed the wrecking ball  

One of those elegant old houses had this sign out over the front gate.

And, I don’t know if you can read the sign, amongst other things it is directing folks to a Surgery Centre.

I keep imagining the receptionist saying “now for your bunion  operation, turn left at Jimmy Choo,s”

Everyone, taxi driver, hotel doorman, barista, they all say that I should head out to the airport right after breakfast for my 3:15 flight. Apparently the airport is that wonderful. I should want to spend an extra 6 hours there.

And, I finally have lodging in U.K. one night London, four nights Edinburgh, and then Four nights in London. then Bermuda, then back to the Asylum. I have no way to get to and from Edinburgh yet. But, I don’t imagine it will be much of a problem.

Singapore has been great. I would come back in a wink. It’s like Japan only hotter and the streets have names and I can read the signs.

Riding the bus this morning, I spied this fountain. That is so Carlton.  Thank you, Mr C.  (But, I hope you don’t mind that I took a cab back to the hotel.)

Today was devoted to the Crazy Rich Asian part of Singapore. The biggest difference in in the old part of town, you will likely be run over by an Aston Martin, in the new part of town, you’ll be run over by a Ferrari. 

Went to see the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest green houses. One is 3 acres and the other just 2.5 acres.

And finally: Crazy Rich Asian dog walker

Dog walkers amuse me.

Oh, those huge green houses are air conditioned. The cloud forest one uses forced air. The flower dome has cooling coils in the concrete. I actually got chilly.

But seriously, Singapore has a fantastic little zoo. It seems to be very well funded.

They have a small herd of white rhinos, according to the wayside in the 1890s there were fewer than 100 white rhinos. Now there are about 20,000 mostly in zoos and preserves. Much like the North American bison story.

The zoo has lots of baboons and orangutans. No gorillas. The orangutans are pretty much able to go where they want to go. The zoo calls them “free range” orangutans.

And then there’s this.

There’s a lot to love about Singapore.