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British Isles
  • Chuck Cook
  • Glenda Cook

British Isles

We will spend about one month exploring England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Perhaps we will discover our roots. Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 19, 2015
    British Isles

    Starting in Charlotte

    August 19, 2015 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    Our flight out of Charlotte has been delayed for more than one hour so far. A severe thunderstorm has closed the ramp numerous times, and now we just were connected to the fuel truck. So in maybe half an hour or so we will be moving.

    It is now 8:40 pm. There was miscommunication with the fuelers. We have sat in the airplane for two hours and forty minutes. It looks as though we are ready for push back now.

    We sat on the airplane for four hours, and finally took off at 10:00 pm.    Read more

  • British Isles
    St. Paul's from the Globe Theater
    On the Way to the GlobeGlobe Theater StageKensington High StreetThe Blue Lagoon Thai Restaurant

    First Views of London

    August 20, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    We arrived in London some three hours late, not landing until about 10:30 am. Then we had to go through customs and passport control. We were obviously not going to meet our appointment to tour Kensington Palace. We initially did not see the representative from British Cars, but after just a few minutes he showed up and took us from Heathrow Airport to the Kensington Olympia Hilton Hotel. Although our room was not ready, we were allowed to check in and to store our luggage with the concierge. He advised that the fastest way to the Globe Theater was by taxi. We caught one in front of the hotel, but the traffic, according to his own admission was worse than usual. He attributes the problems to the current mayor's efforts to turn every major highway into a bicycle path. We passed Buckingham Palace, as well as the site of the Blackfriars abbey on our way, arriving at the Globe shortly after 1 pm. We bought a sandwich, which we split, and a small salad. Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” was hilariously funny. We decided because of Glenda's arthritic hip, not to walk up to Trafalgar Square, but to take a cab back to the Hotel. Besides, it had started to rain lightly, and all of our rain gear was still packed up and locked in the offices of the concierge. When we got back to the hotel our room was ready, and we again enlisted the services of the concierge to reserve tickets for a tour of Buckingham Palace on Saturday. Instead of dining in the expensive restaurant at the hotel, we walked back down toward Hyde Park and found a wonderful, inexpensive Thai restaurant called the Blue Lagoon. After our meal we just went strolling back down toward the memorial for Prince Albert, and we decided to stop into a little shop owned by a young Egyptian from Alexandria to buy bottled water. I had a short conversation with him, then we continued our walk. Almost back to our hotel, even though she was holding my arm, Glenda's hip seized up on he and she dropped like a rock onto the sidewalk. Bystanders stopped to assist. They were very kind and concerned. She was all right except for skinned knees and elbows. We came back tot the hotel and settled in for the night. At this point we have been awake for over thirty-six hours. Sleep will come easily tonight.Read more

  • British Isles
    The Elizabeth Tower Holding Big Ben, the largest bell in the carillon
    Trafalgar Square, where King Charles II was beheadedSt. Paul'sTower BridgeGlenda on the South Bank of the Thames near City HallBuckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace

    A Day on the Town

    August 21, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    We mastered the bus system in London to arrive at St. Paul's Cathedral and took an excellent tour of that wonderful building given by a guide who obviously loved the place. The tombs of Wellington, Nelson, John Donne, and Wrenn are there. I feel as though I am in the place that actually formed the world in which my parents and I lived our lives. We saw Churchill's underground bunker, the home of Baden-Powell, the site of Blackfriars. On the way back to the hotel, I took a seat in the front of the top level of the double-decker bus, and got some acceptable shots of London street scenes. Note that the shot taken at 1:05 pm is a picture of the Admiralty Arch just west of Trafalgar Square. The bus brought us back to the hotel precisely in time to start the C. I. E. Panoramic bus tour of London. We stopped on the South end of the Tower bridge for photos. Since we had already visited the Globe Theater and St. Paul's, we were starting to feel as though we know our way around. At 6:00 pm we will go downstairs for a complimentary drink before dinner. I think the main purpose of this gathering is to let our guide David learn our names and to give us some common information for the rest of the tour. At 8:25 pm we just returned to the room from a supper of shepherd's pie, cod, and chicken. We met some of our fellow travelers and received further information from David. It will be good to get to bed early tonight.Read more

  • British Isles
    Tower of London
    Interpreter at the Tower of LondonInterpreter at the Tower of LondonRecreation of the Bed Chamber of King EdwardMillennium Bridge and City of London SchoolSt. Margaret's, WestminsterLunch on Westminster Close

    London in Depth

    August 22, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Much of the morning was spent visiting the Tower of London with new friends we met on the trip. In the afternoon we took a boat ride from the Tower to Westminster. On the Westminster Close we grabbed a hotdog from a street vendor, then started the walk to Buckingham Palace for our appointment there. We had planned to take the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus back to our hotel on Kensington High Street, but found that they stopped running at 5:30 pm. We tried to catch the No. 9 city bus, but found that the buses do not accept cash, only Oyster Cards. A kind bus driver saw our plight and let us have a ride back to the hotel.Read more

  • British Isles
    Shakespeare Home
    Pub in BladonSt. Martin Church, BladonWinston Churchill GraveAnne Hathaway HouseGlover Exhibit at Shakespeare HomeGlenda at the Home of the BardRain in the Restaurant at York

    On the Trail of Shakespeare

    August 23, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    At 7:30 am we had breakfast and our suitcases were retrieved. By 8:00 am we will be rolling toward the Cotswolds.

    At about 9:00 am we arrived at the little town of Bladon, which is adjacent to Blenheim Castle. There were viewed the lovely little churchyard where Sir Winston Churchill is buried. The little parish of St. Martin was just about to begin Sunday services, so without disrupting them, I popped inside to take a quick photo just as the procession was about to begin.
    At 11:30 am we arrived at Stratford-upon-Avon, took a quick photo stop at the home of Anne Hathaway. Just before the rain started we had a wonderful visit to the birthplace of Shakespeare and a walk through the lovely town. There was a craft fair on the riverside, and lovely half-timbered houses scattered throughout the town.

    At 5:30 pm we arrived at the Marriott Hotel in York. Rain all day. David pointed out the ruins of the castle built by Bess of Hardwick, the second wealthiest woman in Elizabethan England, and other points of interest along our route. I was surprised at our rest stop around 3:45 pm to find a Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop. Supper is at the hotel tonight at 7:00 pm, and tomorrow we will enjoy a walking tour of the old, central part of the city and a guided tour of Yorkminster.

    At 9:00 pm we returned to the room from supper. Guests in the dining room next to ours had to scurry quickly when a sudden downpour sent streams of water cascading through a skylight and onto their table. Glenda and I ate with Dana and his wife Carol.    Read more

  • British Isles
    Yorkminster
    Betty's Tea RoomThe Shambles, YorkConstantine, Proclaimed Emperor at YorkRemnant of Hadrian's Wall

    Yorkminster

    August 24, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    We just finished fantastic tour of York and its cathedral an hour ago. Betty's Tea Room was frequented by GI's in WW II. Lovers carved initials in glass with diamond rings. Saw Roman wall. Saw Yorkminster and the Roman foundations. Now headed to Hadrian's Wall for a pit stop.Read more

  • British Isles
    Remnant of Hadrian's Wall
    St. Andrew's Church, Heddon on the WallView from the Swan, Heddon on the Wall

    Heddon on the Wall

    August 24, 2015 in England ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    At 2:00 pm. We just left the lovely village of Heddon, where we saw a piece of Hadrian’s wall, and had a good lunch at a pub called the Swan at Heddon. Glenda had fish and chips and I had soup and sandwich with Newcastle Brown Ale. The view from the back yard of the pub is sensational. One can see for miles. A church across the street was founded in 640 AD. Now we will drive through Northumbria National Park.
    At 3:10 pm we stopped briefly at the Scottish Border for photos.    Read more

  • British Isles
    Melrose Abbey
    Melrose, ScotlandDoris, a Resident of Melrose, Scotland

    Melrose Abbey

    August 24, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    We stopped to tour the ruins of Melrose Abbey, one of the largest and most powerful centers of Christianity in the twelfth century. Glenda happened to meet one Doris, who invited her in for tea and showed her the hydrangeas.Read more

  • British Isles
    View of Edinburgh Castle from the City
    A Piper Welcomes Us to DinnerCutting the Haggis

    Arrival in Edinburgh

    August 24, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    At 6:00 pm we arrived at the Novotel in downtown Edinburgh and had an hour to refresh before our departure for a song and dance show called the Spirit of Scotland. Kathy and Gil Dickson met us at the hotel just before supper. Gil had to delay his departure from North Carolina because of emergency gall bladder surgery two weeks ago. This show was accompanied by a meal in which I sampled haggis and actually found it delicious. At one point, one of the dancers invited me to come up and do a Scottish dance they taught us. We came back to the hotel, did our laundry as we showered, and got ready for tomorrow's tour of the city and visit to Edinburgh castle.Read more

  • British Isles
    Edinburgh Castle
    A Street in EdinburghStatues of William Wallace and Robert the BruceOfficers' Mess, Edinburgh CastleAn Interior Room Featuring Portraits of James VIFireplace in the Armory, Edinburgh CastleScottish ClaymoreView of Edinburgh from the Castle

    Edinburgh Castle and Downtown

    August 25, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    We had breakfast in the hotel with Kathy and Gil, then went on a panoramic bus tour of Edinburgh. Our city guide Jackie was amazing she is a remarkably intelligent woman, very entertaining, witty, and funny; yet she has bright scarlet hair, wears crinolines under a full, low cut dress and pink high heels. She gave us a thorough look at the history of Edinburgh Castle that was in no way boring or pedantic. Afterwards, Glenda and I had lunch at Howie's Pub on Victoria street on our way to the Museum of History. The city is packed with people because the International Art Festival, the Fringe Festival, the Book Festival, and eight other festivals are going on simultaneously in the city. When we arrived at the museum we were told that the section on the Kingdom of the Scots was closed because of an "industrial action," that is, a strike. Jackie's explanation of the strike held that the workers are striking for pay on Sundays, even though the museum is closed on Sunday. We came back to the hotel, organized our gear and rested up for tonight's presentation of the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.Read more

  • British Isles
    Edinburgh Tattoo
    Edinburgh CastleFormalities Precede the TattooDrum Major of the Host Unit at EdinburghPerformance by a Troupe from the People's Republic of ChinaRoyal Air Force Band

    Evening Tattoo Edinburgh Castle

    August 25, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ 🌙 55 °F

    The military tattoo was an amazing feat of showmanship and organization. There were units from all over the world, including China. I would have been pleased to see a little less razzle-dazzle and a little more military precision. We were especially glad to see the band from the Citadel in Charleston, SC.Read more

  • British Isles
    Ruins of the Abbey at St. Andrews
    Ancient St. Andrews Golf CourseGolfers at St. AndrewsGeorge Wishart Execution SiteRuins of the Abbey at St. AndrewsRuins of an Interior Chapel, St. Andrews AbbeyStudents at Madras College Breaking for LunchCooks and Dicksons at Lunch, St. Andrews

    St. Andrews

    August 26, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    On the way to St. Andrews we took a one-hour break in the lovely little town of Pitlochry. A morning visit to St. Andrews took us by the Ancient and Royal Golf Course, where the game of golf was invented. Next we stopped at the place where George Wishart, a Protestant leader, was killed for his faith in the wars between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland. Our bus quickly passed by the University of St. Andrews, where Prince William, Duke of Cambridge met his wife Kate Middleton. Our guide mentioned that neither was an especially good student, and that this university is more noted as a party school than a serious institution for scholarship. We especially enjoyed seeing young students from the high school being let out for lunch. Almost all of them made their way to a pizza parlor, while we went just a bit farther to get some soup and scones. The ruins of the cathedral are remarkable. This must have been a huge complex when the abbey was active. Even now in its ruined state, the building is impressive.Read more

  • British Isles
    Downtown Pitlochry
    St. Athanasius Church, Outside St. Andrews, ScotlandRMS Discovery, Docked at DundeeCountryside Approaching PitlochryPitlochry Golf CourseCatholic Church in PitlochryThrough the Locked Doors, Catholic Church Pitlochry

    Birnham Wood and Pitlochry

    August 26, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Leaving St. Andrews at 1:15 PM, we passed through Birnham Wood, a location mentioned in Shakespeare's play Macbeth. We passed a replica of the ship Discovery docked at Dundee. It was the vessel used by Robert Scott in his Antarctic explorations. It is also the last three-masted sailing vessel ever made in Britain for regular use. When we came to the lovely little town of Pitlochry we took an hour-long rest stop. We explored the town. I tried to find the local Catholic church, guessing that it would be old and historic. We finally found it nestled between the golf course and the World War I memorial. It was a modern pre-fabricated construction that was locked when we arrived. I took a photo through the glass front door.Read more

  • British Isles
    The Free Church, Inverness
    Morning in InvernessGlen Mohr HotelStatue: Faith, Hope and Charity, InvernessInverness Town HallThe Apartments Comprising the Glen Mohr HotelBreakfast at the Glen MohrWalking Bridge, InvernessInverness Town Hall

    Inverness

    August 26, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ 🌙 50 °F

    9:48 pm We arrived at the Glen Mhor Hotel right along the bank of the Ness River in Inverness. It is a bit unusual in that our rooms are strung out among six different cottages. Ours is very small, rather old and very modestly furnished. We all met in the dining room in the main building for supper. I started with a delicious lentil tomato soup that had much the same flavor as spaghetti sauce. Glenda says she wants to duplicate that recipe when we return home. She is starting to get a sore throat and her nose is running. The dining room has no curtains, and a late nineteenth century pressed tin ceiling so that our dinner conversation became extremely loud, and it was hard work to be required practically to shout to be heard over the din. After supper I went for a walk along the river. The sun had set about half an hour before and I got some great shots of some of the buildings with their reflections in the Ness. We got to bed in our very tiny room about 10:00 pm.Read more

  • British Isles
    Urquardt Castle
    Inverness at SunsetBreakfast with the Dicksons at Glen Mohr Hotel, InvernessGlenda at Loch NessLoch NessOn the Water, Loch NessHigh Tea at Spean Mill Bridge

    Inverness to Loch Ness

    August 27, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    12:30 pm We drove from Inverness to Loch Ness in the morning, passing Urquardt Castle. The present ruins date from the 13th to the 16th centuries, though built on the site of an early medieval fortification. Founded in the 13th century, Urquhart played a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. It was subsequently held as a royal castle, and was raided on several occasions by the MacDonald Earls of Ross. The castle was granted to the Clan Grant in 1509, though conflict with the MacDonalds continued. Despite a series of further raids the castle was strengthened, only to be largely abandoned by the middle of the 17th century. Urquhart was partially destroyed in 1692 to prevent its use by Jacobite forces, and subsequently decayed. In the 20th century it was placed in state care and opened to the public: it is now one of the most-visited castles in Scotland. We took a boat tour of Loch Ness. An RV knocked off the right mirror of the bus and shattered the driver's right-hand window. Stopped for lunch at Spean Bridge Mill. Will leave in a few minutes for Glencoe.Read more

  • British Isles
    Glencoe

    Glencoe

    August 27, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    1:47 pm Photo stop at Glencoe. David showed us the site at Glencoe where the filming of the scenes of Hagrid's house took place in the Harry Potter films and explained the significance of Glencoe in Scottish history. The Campbell's murdered the McDonalds, who were guests at their estate, at the order of King William of Orange. This atrocious breech of hospitality has become legendary in Scotch history.Read more

  • British Isles
    Oban Distillery Visitors' CenterOur Home in ObanOban WaterfrontCatholic Church in ObanInterior, St. Columba Catholic Church, ObanBoats in Oban BayOban from the BayLounge at the Oban Bay HotelOban Bay Hotel Dining Room

    Exploring Oban

    August 27, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    3:00 pm. We toured the distillery with our guide Stuart, and received two very small samples of Oban whiskey. Whiskey is still something for which I have not developed a taste. They gave us as a souvenir a little Oban Whiskey glass. I gave mine to Gil Dickson. We checked into the hotel around 5:00 pm and I went looking for the pipes and drums. A demonstration of bagpipes and drums is one of the events of the Highland games now being held in Oban. I was not able to find the pipes and drums, but did find John our bus driver repairing the window that broke when his rear view mirror got popped off by a passing RV. I took some photos of the town, then of St. Columba Catholic Church before returning to our hotel. Glenda is feeling a little better, but her nose is still running.Read more

  • British Isles
    Waiting for the Ferry
    Monument to Nothing in ObanDuart Castle, Home of the MacLean ClanDinner Table, Duart CastleGlenda in the Garden at Duart Castle, Isle of MullTobermory WaterfrontTobermoryCafe Fish, TobermoryDressed for the Ball

    Isle of Mull

    August 28, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    This morning we boarded the ferry for the 45 minute trip to the Isle of Mull. Rain on and off made clouds that gave the island and otherworldly air. We drove south to the village of Tobermory for lunch at one of the finest fish restaurants I have ever visited. I had a smoked fish plate and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Then we took a tour of Duart Castle, the home of Clan MacLean. It was not huge, and the chief of the MacLean clan still lives there. We drove back to the ferry and I was able to get some shots of the castle from the sea. As we came back to the ferry terminal at Oban we noticed several young men wearing kilts and formal wear. David our guide told us they were to attend the summer ball, part of the Highland games celebration in Oban. I was able to find some of these young men and women in their formal Scottish attire lined up to enter a hotel near ours, so I went to take some shots. I was still so full from lunch that I made a pretense of eating supper. Then we went back to the room for an early bedtime.Read more

  • British Isles
    Eilia, our Sprightly Waitress in Oban
    Churchyard of LussLuss GothicLuss CottageLuss, Noted for its Flowersinverary Castle, Home of the Duke of ArgyleLoch Lomond

    Oban to Luss

    August 29, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    Rain again today. At breakfast we were attended again by the most delightful waitress, Eilia, who has a major in the Gallic language. At 8:15 am we are on the way to Loch Lomond, the Bridge of Doon (Brigadoon) and Robert Burns's birthplace in Alloway. Then we will take the ferry to Belfast. At 9:05 am got a quick photo of Inverary Castle, a nineteenth century reconstruction, the home of the Duke of Argyle. At 9:45 photo of Loch Lomond. At 10:45 am we had 45-minute stop at Luss, where we made a Limerick:

    There was a young lassie from Luss
    With hydrangeas as big as a bus
    She adored each begonia
    Growing in Caledonia
    And the prizes she won were a plus.    Read more

  • British Isles
    The Bridge Over the Doon--Brigadoon
    Glenda at Robert Burns' BirthplaceChurch at AllowayRuins of the Old Church, AllowayAlloway ChurchyardGlenda in Alloway Churchyard

    Robbie Burns and Brigadoon

    August 29, 2015 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    At 2:15 pm we ended our tour of Robbie Burns’s birthplace. At 2:30 photographed Cross Raguel Abbey just south of Maybole. I was very much aware of the fact that just east of us, behind some hills lay Galloway National Park. I yearned to know whether my ancestors had been in this place, why they left, and what kinds of lives they lived.Read more

  • British Isles
    As Close As I Get to Galloway
    Over this hill is GallowayFerry Terminal to IrelandThe Ferry to Northern IrelandGlenda on the FerryFratelli's Italian Restaurant, BelfastThe Most Bombed Hotel in Northern IrelandThe Crown Pub

    Belfast

    August 29, 2015 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    We took the ferry across the Irish Sea and landed in Larne. The bus brought us to Belfast's Europa Hotel. A very helpful desk clerk named Daria made last minute reservations for us at Fratelli's Italian Restaurant. I had lasagne and split a bottle of chianti. I went to take photos at the Crown Pub and Great Victoria Street. I wrote a commendation for Daria, and when she read it she teared up and said that she was going to frame it.Read more

  • British Isles

    Giants' Causeway

    August 30, 2015 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    We drove along the Antrim coast to the Giants' Causeway, an unusual geological formation consisting of thousands of hexagonal basalt columns protruding up through the earth's crust. The drive down this coast is reminiscent of the drive along Monterey Bay from Pacific Grove down to Big Sur. We had a quick photo stop at Carrick-a-Reed swinging bridge. Along the drive I was surprised that one can see Scotland from Ireland. We arrived at Londonderry, or Derry as the Irish nationalists call it, at about 4:00 pm. Just before we arrived in the town, I noticed traffic signs giving directions to Cookstown. I can't help wondering whether this place may have some connection to my family's ancestors. Our hotel, the Everglades, is very modern. We settled in and did our laundry, and had a few hours' rest before a 7:00 pm supper.Read more

  • British Isles
    Typical Irish Farmhouse
    Reconstruction of Nineteenth-Century Irish SchoolhouseReconstruction of Nineteenth-Century Irish Store

    Irish-American Emmigrant Museum

    August 31, 2015 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    After breakfast we drove to the park showing the history of the emigration of the Scotch-Irish to America founded by Andrew W. Mellon. His family came from Ireland and settled in Baltimore. It was remarkably laid out, starting with Irish buildings, transitioning in a visit onboard the reproduction of a ship that carried Irish emigrants, then finishing with a reproduction of Baltimore in the middle nineteenth century. We had a light lunch of soup and bread before returning to Derry for the walking tour of the city with our guide Ronan.Read more

  • British Isles
    Friendship Monument, Derry
    Ronan, a Brilliant MindIn Derry City HallDecorated BuildingPolitical PosterRenovated DerryLondonderry City HallBomb Damage to Queen Victoria StatueGlenda at the Peace Bridge

    Derry

    August 31, 2015 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    We had a light lunch of soup and bread before returning to Derry for the walking tour of the city with our guide Ronan. He has an Irish father and a Chinese mother. She is Buddhist, so neither she nor her so have any vested interest in the Protestant-Catholic controversy. He led us on a tour of the city which dealt honestly with the troubles that lasted from the late 1960's until the late 1990's. While there is an uneasy peace now, at least there is no violence. He ended with a moving presentation about how we can disagree without resorting to violence. He contends that at least a generation must pass before the grievances of both sides can be forgiven. He also brought a moving statement about how it is possible that fights can continue long after the reasons for them have been forgotten. We spent an extra hour looking around the city and enjoying coffee and scones. I returned to the Everglades Hotel to a dinner of wonderful beef stew, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and Guinness Stout.Read more

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