Wow — it’s been so fun to read all your comments on my last post! Thanks to everyone who has entered to win a fat quarter pack of CrazyMom’s new fabric (there’s still time to enter if you’re interested!) and Thanks for playing along with my request to tell me the one place that you want to visit. There have been some fun and interesting answers. No surprise, a lot of you want to go to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and lots of places here in the US. And really fun for me to read, is that a lot of you want to go to Scotland or England, since that’s where my latest little trip took me.
**Warning** – Picture Heavy Post (LOL)
It was a complete accident that I ended up with two big trips in the same month. We’d been talking about taking a family trip to Canada and Montana for a long time, but at the beginning of the year, the kids said they wouldn’t be able to go this year. But “I” wanted a little break somewhere and about that time, Meredithe and Anne were planning a little get-together in Scotland and invited me to come along. It was the perfect opportunity for me to get away, so I decided to go and made my reservations. THEN, the kids called and said they really wanted to go out west anyway and could only go during the second and third week of August. What’s a girl to do??? Say no to one of them??? Nope — I used up all my vacation from work in one big bundle! I’m a REALLY LUCKY girl!
My Scotland trip divided neatly up into three little segments, so that’s how I’m going to post about them. I can’t go to Scotland without begging for an audience with my Best Scottish Girl, Pam and she very kindly said yes. This was my third visit with Pam. The first time was in 2008 when TheManoftheHouse and I were cat-sitters for The Life family while they went on a trip and the second time was in 2012 when SweetiePie and I dropped in on The Lifes for a visit. On both of those trips I had every second planned with activities. This time was different. I just wanted to relax and visit. I only had two requests — I wanted to see Pam’s adorable little grandbabies, and I wanted to see The Kelpies. (Ok, I had three requests — I wanted to go places that Pam loves to visit. Live her life, so to speak!)
I was SO excited — in “living her life”, I was fortunate enough to be able to meet all of her family that I hadn’t met before, as it was her son’s birthday and everyone was there the night I arrived to celebrate his birthday. I felt terrible that I hadn’t remembered his birthday when I planned the trip and it was so naughty to crash the party. But. I felt very honored — they were so kind to include me and I loved every minute. No picture, I forgot to take pictures. Or, I could have just been jet-lagged or something.
Anyway, the next day, in between chasing down my lost luggage, Pam and I went to the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens. She posts about them often and they’re beautiful!
And Look! There was a wedding reception — MEN IN KILTS!!!
We also went to My Bear Paw — a cute little quilt shop in Edinburgh. ‘Cause I’m on a quest to get Pam quilting and it’s working! She’s made three beautiful quilts so far. And did I get pictures? No. I didn’t get any of the adorable grandchildren either. I’m so sad, but I was busy playing with them, so I do have a good excuse.
On Sunday, The Lifes took me to see The Kelpies. They’re really beautiful. And big. It was so fun to finally see them.
Very close to The Kelpies is The Falkirk Wheel. I’d heard about it, but thought it was some sort of thing used to generate power. Wrong! It’s a really cool “wheel” that takes the place of locks. Boats are loaded into the top and bottom of the “wheel” and it rotates to move them to the lower or upper canal.
After Falkirk, we went to Crieff. Pam grew up going to Crieff Hydro and then took her children there when they were growing up. I loved getting another glimpse into her Scottish life! While we were there, we hiked up the knock (did I say that right Pam? LOL???). The views from the top were beautiful — the heather was in bloom! (And please note my darling little tour guides!)
(Look at the children on the top of this building at Crieff — I want that pattern on a quilt!)
On the way home, we stopped at Queensferry, a pretty little town on the Firth of Forth. The views across the water were beautiful. (In the third picture, you can see new towers for a new bridge behind the existing bridge — those towers are huge!)
Whew! Are you tired yet? Poor Pam and Mr. Life — we were busy! On Monday, we went for a beautiful walk along the Water of Leith walkway. It was a perfect — I loved just being out and walking along a pretty river. If you look closely in the second picture, a local artist had been there and made lots of little standing stone sculptures in the middle of the river.
(I want this wheat on a quilt too!)
We stopped and had lunch and then made our way to the New Town part of Edinburgh. It was fun to see all the Georgian architecture and we went to The Georgian House too (no pictures allowed ;-( ).
On the way home, we walked through Princes Street Garden. The gardens are so pretty and there were people everywhere — it was the last day of the festival season in Edinburgh. A symphony was practicing for a concert that night — what a beautiful setting under the stunning Edinburgh castle!
And finally, on my last morning in Edinburgh, Pam and I went to High Street. Edinburgh has such a fascinating history with buildings being built on top of each other (even streets on top of each other! — and the closes are amazing) and I love to pay a visit to The Royal Mile just to take pictures. We also visited Gladstone’s Land and the John Knox House –again, no pictures.
There is so much to see and do in Edinburgh and I loved having Pam with me this time. I saw so many little details that I wouldn’t have noticed without her!
Sorry, I rambled on so long — and this was only 4 days! There’s just so much I want to remember about this trip — i had the best time with Pam and Mr. Life — I loved every minute of it!
Next time, I’ll tell you about my visit with Anne.
XOXO,
Anna
It looks like you had a lovely trip…sorry I missed you this time.:-)
Fun fact – my mum volunteered for a charity that provides canal barges to take disabled people for trips.aong the canals of Scotland – The Seagull Trust. They have 2 boats in their boathouse on the Union Canal in Falkirk and my mum was on one of them, on the wheel, when the Queen pushed the button to formally open it.
you sure are a traveling gal – looks like you had fun meeting up with blog friends
Looks like a fabulous trip!
Wow, so many interesting things Anna. The wheel is amazing. I would like to see it in person some day. What I especially love about Ireland and England and much of Europe I think is that they do not feel the need to destroy the past to build up the future. All the lovely stone architecture remains for generations to come to admire. glad you had such a lovely summer, I have enjoyed coming along!
Anna! BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!! So exciting. I loved seeing all the pictures and hearing about your adventures. Keep em comin……….xo
oh i wish i would have stowed away with you Anna. this all looks so lovely…and im into the 5th book of the Outlander series so im “all things scotland’ at that moment!!! lucky you
that wheel is amazing!!! so are the kelpies! never heard of either one of them. ;p
Glad you enjoyed the Kelpies and the Wheel – we used to live near them (Stuart and Alison still do) and we don’t get back often enough. And lucky you, seeing so many fine Scotsmen in kilts!!!!!
Nothing can beat a Scotsman in a kilt. Nothing. At. All! Glad you had a good time in and around our capital city. :o)
Awesome photos of amazing things and scenery, and this was just 4 days?!? I look forward to the next installment of your grand trip.
How neat! Scotland is another of the places I’d like to visit. But until then, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your pictures and insights. Blather on! (You weren’t really blathering, I just like to say it.)
I want to go in your luggage! What a well deserved fun summer you’ve had. Hope you saved some vacation time for Utah this winter.
Oh My – what wonderful wonderful travel photos. Makes me want to book a trip there right now!! My sailor hubby would love that canal wheel – crazy stuff.
The gardens are incredible. Must be all that good cool humid air. Loved seeing the wedding party. I just love running into Brides :)
thanks for sharing your incredible trip. Glad you had such a great time.
What a wonderful trip. Can’t wait to see more pictures!
Beautiful pictures! My trip of a lifetime will be to Ireland.
Awesome photos – thanks for sharing!
You take some wonderful trips, Anna! Thank you for taking the time and sharing your adventures with us. I live in Scotland too. :) True! Just not Scotland the country. Scotland the little town in the US. :) :)
Love it!!! Now I know why I want to go to Scotland — men in kilts!
Looking forward to part 2.
WOW!!!!! Ahhhhhhh!!! Ooooooooo!!! I’m now going to go back and re-read and look at all these lovely photos again. What a wonderful, beautiful, fascinating trip! I’m not sure about the giant horses – they seem a little disturbing to me – I think it is the texture on the outside. I do love those kilts! Very handsome all around. Now back to another round of your trip for me. Thanks Anna!!!
you sure have fitted lots in so far……………
Thanks for sharing your beautiful photo’s Anna! Living so close to Scotland and never having been there, makes me feel awkward!
What a wonderful time you had! Thanks for taking me back to our trip (10 years ago!) to Edinburgh. And gotta love a man in a kilt…….
Wow, Scotland looks amazing! Great pics. It looks so nice and cool and lush there. Maybe some day …
What a wonderful post…I love Edinburgh and you have captured it so beautifully here! So glad you had a lovely trip.
Helen xox
Woooow, so gorgeous! I’m especially loving the flower gardens and kilts! Glad you had fun, and thanks for sharing your beautiful pix. It is bittersweet torture hearing what pix you forgot to take. ;-)