Final Week spent in Scotland

Our final evening in Prague was spent with Steph and Jed at the local Pub having a tasty meal and enjoying our time together before leaving for the airport to catch our flight back to Gatwick. We arrived about eleven and spent the rest of the night chatting and having a nap before going through to the departure hall at four in the morning. While waiting for our flight we had croissants and smoothies before wandering through the shops. The flight took off just before nine and we landed not long after ten in the morning. We had our directions from Ros so were able to catch the bus outside and then the train from Inverkeithing to Kirkcaldy. Ros met us as we left the station and took us back to the flat where we had a catch-up time over tea and coffee. After a light lunch Ros took us around the area showing us the shops and sea front. Kirkcaldy is a lovely place and I could see why Mom had enjoyed living there so much. After an early supper of fish and chips we were all in bed by nine.
Friday morning we had a leisurely breakfast together, after which Ros suggested we go to St.Andrews for the day as she had things to do at the bank and funeral parlour and would be a bit busy for a while. After taking some bags into the charity shop Diane and I caught the bus to St.Andrews. Once off the bus we made our way past the golf course and down to the beach where we took some pics and had a short walk. The day was rather overcast and rather windy so we only stayed a short while before looking for somewhere to have lunch. We found ourselves outside the Russel Hotel and liked the look of the special of the day – soup and Panini with tea/coffee – so we went in. It was a quaint old-fashioned pub with really good food. It poured with rain while we were eating but by the time we left it had cleared. We spent the rest of the day wandering around St.Andrews Cathedral and down to the beach again by the harbour before going into the botanical gardens. The gardens were stunning and full of flowers and waterfalls. By the time we had been in there we were rather foot-sore so we made our way back to the bus station for the 5.15 bus. The drive back was all along the sea front and the views were spectacular going through little villages with lovely old churches. We were back about seven and after supper spent the rest of the time chatting and watching TV until about 11 when we went to bed.
Saturday we were up fairly early for breakfast and after doing some cleaning left for a day in Edinburgh. We arrived at Waverley station and right outside were the sightseeing buses so we got ourselves tickets – from a South African guy- and jumped on for our tour. It was very windy and Diane and I were glad we had our Prague beanies with to keep our ears warm. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour going through all the historical parts and especially the Edinburgh Castle which is amazing. After the tour we walked back up to the Castle to take pics and get souvenirs before going back down to Princes Avenue to find somewhere for lunch. While on the tour the guide had recommended a little pub for the good Scottish menu so we decided to go there. It was a lovely place with fabulous food which we all enjoyed immensely. We all had a glass of wine with which we toasted Mom and her happy times in Scotland. After lunch we went shopping for Ros who needed two outfits – for Steph’s graduation and the summer ball. We were very lucky as she found the perfect dresses in the British Home Store. After our successful shopping spree we went back to the mall at the station for a juice before catching the bus to Edinburgh Airport to collect Auntie Joan. Her flight arrived at 8 and we caught a taxi back to Kirkcaldy. After a light supper we spent the evening chatting and watching TV before finally going to bed after 11.
Sunday was another leisurely breakfast before going down to the shops. Ros and Auntie Joan went shopping for lunch while Diane and I went for some souvenir shopping – and a suitcase to carry all the stuff we had been buying. We were back for a chicken and veggie lunch with Terry who Ros had invited over. We had a pleasant time together though Terry’s accent is rather hard to understand. Late afternoon members of the family started arriving ready for the Service on Monday. Early evening Ros, Diane and I went for a walk around the area before having a light supper. We were all in bed by half ten.
Monday morning we were all up getting organised early before family members started arriving. We had a full house by the time the transport arrived to take us to the Service. When the cars left driving so slowly that was when the fact of Mom not being there any longer really hit me and I was devastated. The Service was really beautiful and just what Mom had wanted. Ros was very brave and gave a wonderful memorial speech on behalf of all of us reading the poems Mom had chosen. Afterwards we had a snack tea at a nearby hotel before returning to the flat. By now the weather was very bad with very strong winds blowing. By four everyone had left and we walked Fiona back to her hotel before running in to the shops for some shopping. While in the shop the assistants were saying the bridge had been closed because of the gale. Trees were blown down in a lot of areas and flights were cancelled. The ash cloud from Iceland was also blowing across Scotland. After a light supper we were all in bed by half nine as we were all emotionally exhausted.
Tuesday morning the news was full of the fact of the ash cloud which had closed several airports including Edinburgh. Ros decided to pack up the flat and get the train back to London that afternoon so she wouldn’t miss Steph’s graduation. The morning was a hectic rush of getting sorted and organising the things for storage. Diane and I went down to the library every couple of hours to see if the situation had improved at the airport as Auntie Joan was due to fly back Tuesday evening. Just before twelve we went to the station to get a ticket for Ros to London and book ourselves into the hotel for the night. We made a provisional booking as we weren’t sure about Auntie Joan. All was sorted and Ros was ready just after half one. Diane and I walked down with her to the station to say bye before checking the airport situation again. When we got back to the flat we organised the final packing and left for the hotel before dropping the keys at the council. We booked into the room and went into town. I went to the council while Diane and Auntie Joan went to the Post Office and the library. We met back at the library where they had discovered the flight was cancelled so we quickly went to the station to book the train for London in the morning. We were now able to go back to the hotel and confirm we were all staying and relax after our stressful day. The evening was spent enjoying a good supper in the restaurant before spending the rest of the night watching TV.
Wednesday morning after a leisurely breakfast we packed our bags and left for the station where we caught the train just before ten. Passing the airport we noticed there was no activity whatsoever so were glad to be on the train which was full of stranded passengers. It was a pleasant journey through some very scenic areas. We arrived back in London – Kings Cross- at three and then made our way to Victoria Station and onto Lancing arriving at five where we spent the night.
Thursday was a sunny day and luckily the ash cloud had moved off so we knew our flight home was going to happen. We spent a leisurely morning with Auntie Joan leaving after lunch for Heathrow. By the time we got there it was raining and cold. We checked in and were told our flight had been delayed but not to worry as we would still make our connecting flight to Joburg. While sitting in the departure area we were called to Swiss Air and told to go to Terminal Five where we had been put on the BA flight direct to Joburg leaving at 9.20. We got across to the terminal and after been given the boarding pass for the BA flight went through security again. The flights had been cancelled because of a huge storm over London and we eventually took off just before 11. Luckily the flight was fairly empty and we had four seats for the two of us which made it a bit easier to sleep. We landed in Joburg just before ten and were very happy to be home though our luggage hadn’t been put on the plane and only came through on Saturday.

Paris Pics

Paris Playtime

We were up to have an early breakfast before leaving for Paris. We got on the train to Frankfurt just before 8 and had a quiet trip reading in between watching the scenery. In Frankfurt we only had ten minutes to run over to catch the train for Paris settling in our seats just as the train pulled out. We had lunch on the train from the dining car. I had a meatball with potato salad and Diane had a baked potato. I finished my book during the afternoon – ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – and thoroughly enjoyed it. We arrived at Paris L’Est just before five and made our way out to the street to look for somewhere to book in. It was not a nice area at all so we went back in to the station where we got tickets on the metro for Gallieni – it was where Hubby and I had stayed before at Mr Bed City. This place was full so we booked into The Campanile( new since we were last there) which was a really super place right next to a mall. After booking in we went into the mall where we ate supper at an Asian restaurant. The food was really tasty! After walking around the mall we went back to the hotel to shower and relax in front of the TV for the evening.
Friday morning we were up for an early breakfast before catching the metro to St.Lazarus for our trip to Le Havre. The train only left just before 11 so we wandered around outside the station and sat for a while in a park close by. We arrived in Le Havre just before 1 and wandered around and down to the dock area before looking for somewhere to eat. It was quite sad to see how many places had closed – sign of the effects of recession. Eventually we found a little restaurant that was quite busy so we went in and placed our order. Diane asked for a vegetarian salad and I had chicken and chips with a fruit juice each. When the food arrived we were not impressed – Diane’s salad was smothered in shrimps and my chips were old and greasy. The waitress took the shrimps off but Diane was not able to eat much as the salad dressing was not very nice at all. My chicken was tasty but the chips were a definite no. After our disgusting meal we wandered around some more before making our way back to the station to have a piece of chocolate cake and tea/coffee. The trip there and back was the best part of our day as we found Le Havre disappointing with no catering for tourists. We were back at our room by about 8, getting a call from Ros to say that Mom was not good at all, which made us very worried. We went to the Asian restaurant again as we knew they made good food and then after an early shower relaxed while watching TV.
Saturday morning we were woken about half six with a call from Ros to say Mom had gone about five in the morning. We were very shocked and just couldn’t believe it. After trying to absorb the news we got ready and went for breakfast. We decided to carry on with our plans for sightseeing to take our minds off the sad news and got on the bus for our tour around all the historical spots taking plenty of pics. Once the tour was over we made our way back to the Seine and walked around enjoying the vibe. We found a little pub about a block up from the river and went in. The woman behind the counter was very friendly and able to speak some English. I ordered the meal of the day which was lemon fish and vegetables while Diane had pasta with vegetables. The food was absolutely delicious. We had a glass of Rose to toast Mom and the happy times she had had in Scotland. We enjoyed the food so much we decided to go for dessert as well and ordered ourselves a brownie with tea/coffee. Well that brownie was the best we had ever eaten and we were really pleased we had found the place especially after the awful meal in Le Havre. After that we went souvenir shopping before walking down to have our cruise down the Seine. The cruise finished at half five and we then walked down to the Eiffel Tower to take pics. We decided we were getting rather footsore now so decided to make our way back to Madeleine to find somewhere to eat and get the metro back to the hotel. What a walk – we couldn’t believe how far we had actually walked. In Madeleine we walked around looking at all the eating places before settling on a sidewalk café. We ordered a walnut salad with toasted cheese rounds and tea/cappuccino. Another good choice as the food was very tasty. It was also great sitting watching everything going on around us – all the traffic and people flowing through the square – and enjoying the vibe of the place. By this time both of us had aching feet from all the walking and were glad to get back to the hotel to shower and put our feet up while watching TV. Sunday morning we were up fairly early to go for breakfast before packing to go back to Dresden. We spent some time wandering around the area before leaving the hotel for Paris L’Est. We caught the train, which was packed, at 1 and got into Frankfurt at about five. The train to Dresden was just as packed and people who hadn’t reserved seats were sitting in the passageway at the end of the carriages. It was just gone ten thirty when we arrived in Dresden and we went up to the hostel to get a room for the night. After having a hot chocolate we showered and went to bed. Monday morning after breakfast we left for the station and after some last minute shopping caught the bus back to Prague.
Our time in Prague has been spent relaxing and clearing all washing ready to go on to Scotland. We leave tonight – Wednesday and arrive in Kirkcaldy tomorrow morning to join Ros for the very sad helping to clear up the flat and have the funeral on Monday the 23rd. We still can’t believe it and every now and again when the news hits again waves of sadness hit us. It is a very difficult time and so sad that we were not able to spend time with her as planned. Everything just happened so quickly and was so unexpected when we originally booked our time in Scotland.

more Dresden Pics

Dresden

Our Days in Dresden

We were up early to leave for Dresden with Jed dropping us off at Chodov to go through to the bus station at Florenc. The bus ride took only two hours passing through scenic views along the Elbe between the highways. Once in Dresden, with the help of a very friendly local, we booked in to the A & O Hostel a couple of blocks from the Dresden Station. After putting our bags in the room we went back down to the station to book our Paris trip. With that out the way our time in Dresden started in earnest with us going through the bustling and picturesque shopping centre on the way to the Old Town along the Elbe. We took plenty of pics along the way stopping at a spring market that was in full swing. Just off the main road along the Elbe we found a little section of shops and restaurants where we stopped at Las Tacos for a meal. Diane had fries and garlic bread while I had turkey with garlic cream and our usual coffee/tea. The food was really good and we enjoyed sitting among the bustle around us. We bought some souvenirs and a bag along the way back to the hotel going through more of the Old Town. When we had checked in we had been given complimentary vouchers for a glass of sparkling wine at their Sky Bar and we decided to use them. The view across Dresden was lovely and we enjoyed our time up there so much we ended up having a couple of Pina Coladas each with crisps. It was still light by the time we were finished so we went for a walk before settling down for the night. Unfortunately we had a light right outside our room so we battled to sleep. Tuesday morning we went down for breakfast at nine before walking down to the Elbe to go on a cruise. The cruise lasted an hour and a half which gave plenty of time to take pics as well as have tea/coffee with the local Dresden cake which we both enjoyed. After the cruise we crossed over the Augustus Bridge to the far side wandering around enjoying the gardens, shops, old buildings and the river. It was a hot day and we were very happy to find a tea garden situated under a canopy of trees alongside the Bridge. We sat enjoying the shade having an ice cream cone. The lure of the shade prompted us to buy a local pilsner to share which was light and very refreshing. By then we were ready to make our way back through the shopping centre where we did some more shopping. All the walking had made us hungry and footsore so we stopped at the station at Marche for an early supper. It was a good choice as we both enjoyed the delicious, tasty fare served up. Diane had a mushroom and asparagus pasta while I had a pork and asparagus pasta with freshly squeezed fruit juice – a banana mixture. Next was back to the room where we freshened up before making our way to the Sky Bar for another delicious Pina Colada. By now our feet were really throbbing so we did nothing more than go to the room where we showered before chilling in front of the TV. We slept better so obviously were getting used to the light outside the room or were really tired.
Wednesday morning we had a leisurely breakfast before making our way to the Grober Garten which was just a few blocks away. After wandering around enjoying the lovely gardens we made our way into Dresden Zoo. It was a very hot day again and we stopped for an ice cream before going through the zoo. Before leaving the zoo we chilled with a pilsner each which cooled us off ready for more walking. Outside the zoo exit was the little railway which goes around the gardens and we got on for a trip through the garden which we really enjoyed. We made our way down to the station afterwards ready for some more pasta and fruit juice as our late lunch. After wandering through some shops and buying some cake and pretzels we returned to our room for an early shower. The evening was spent chilling in front of the TV resting our feet and eating our pretzels which were delicious. Before going to sleep I packed ready to leave Thursday morning for Paris.

Prague Pics