Tag Archives: Overseas Adventure Travel

UNITED KINGDOM #9: ONWARD TO ORKNEY ISLANDS

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It was a beautiful day to fly to the Orkney Islands!  Located off the northeastern coast of Scotland, Orkney is an archipelago made up of 70 individual islands, only 20 of which are inhabited.  Kirkwall, our home base for three nights, is the largest town of the islands with a population of 8-9,000.  A total of 23,000 people live on the Orkney Islands.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Tom took us on an orientation of the little town; it’s hard to get lost!  Still, his orientation tour was a great way to get the lay of the land and get filled in on the history of the place.

The highlight of Kirkwall is St. Magnus Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Scotland.  Founded in 1137, it was originally Roman Catholic and built when the islands were ruled by the Norse Earls of Orkney.  Today, it is owned by the burgh of Kirkwall rather than by any church. 

Built of local red sandstone, the Norman architecture of the cathedral is gorgeous.  We enjoyed returning on a couple of occasions during the following two days, just so we could see it in different light—especially in the late afternoon and early evening.

Following our orientation of the town, we walked up to the University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) to meet with Laura who works in the Culinary Department where they teach hospitality and restaurant business.  They have a restaurant on site that students run, and customers give feedback on the service and food.  Another wonderful program the university offers is remote courses on TV that are linked with other universities.  Kirkwall is quite isolated, it’s expensive for students to travel to the mainland, and there is a housing crisis in Scotland; so, being able to go to UHI and “attend” class on TV is very helpful.

After learning a bit about the university and Laura’s background (She’s a huge Yankees fan and got married in Central Park!), she taught us how to make Bannocks, a Scottish bread made from bere barley, which is grown in Orkney and milled at Barony Mill, the only mill for bere in the world.  Bruce and I teamed up, and ours came out tasty!

Throughout our U.K. tour, in addition to the history, we learned a lot of interesting facts from Tom that baffled us as much as it baffles him!  Check this out:

Electricity that is generated by wind turbines in Scotland doesn’t stay in Scotland.  It goes to the grid in England for their benefit.  Scotland actually pays more for electricity, even though they produce it!  Ditto for oil.  Profits from oil drilled in Scotland go to England.

Wales gets the same shaft from England, but in their case, it’s water.  Wales water gets transported to England, and then it’s sent back to Wales at a premium cost.  What the…?

Although Wales could not survive independence, Scotland has the resources to be completely independent, but England won’t allow them to vote on it.  Go figure…

Here are some final sunset scenes around town:

Coming up next: UNITED KINGDOM #10: ORKNEY’S CHURCHILL BARRIERS & ITALIAN CHURCH

UNITED KINGDOM #8: ROSSLYN CHAPEL

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Have you ever read the best-selling novel, The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown, or seen the movie adaptation of the book? Rossyln Chapel is the setting for the finale.  Founded in the mid-15th century, the chapel is famous for its interior of intricate stonework and vibrant stained-glass windows.

Located in the village of Roslin, in Midlothian, Scotland, the Episcopal chapel is still an active place of worship.  It was founded by William Sinclair, but largely abandoned after the Scottish Reformation in 1560.  Centuries later, Queen Victoria took a liking to it during her visit, so she rededicated it in 1860. 

There is much more to the chapel’s history, but fast-forward to the 1980’s, and speculation circulated that the chapel was connected to the Knights of Templar and the Holy Grail, and Freemasonry—something medieval historians say has no basis in fact.

Regardless, the book and movie made the chapel a famous destination for visitors.  It’s worth the visit; the stonework is amazing!

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Although they don’t permit photography inside the chapel (“Please note that there is no photography or video allowed inside Rosslyn Chapel, as this can distract and inconvenience other visitors.”), I discreetly sneaked a few photos when nobody noticed. 

Inspired by a dream, an apprentice mason is said to have carved this pillar in his master’s absence. On his return, the master mason flew into a jealous rage killing the apprentice.
This was located in the basement museum.

The remainder of the afternoon and evening were free, so Bruce and I took a walk into Old Town and revisited the fabulous National Museum of Scotland and took advantage of the gorgeous day to get this shot from the rooftop terrace:

A cemetery located near the museum.

Next up: UNITED KINGDOM #9: ONWARD TO ORKNEY ISLANDS

UNITED KINGDOM #7: ENCHANTING EDINBURGH

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For those who have followed my travels, you may remember last year’s blog posts on Scotland.  We hadn’t planned on returning so soon; however, Edinburgh is on Overseas Adventure Travel’s U.K. itinerary.  It was great getting to see this enchanting city again!

If you first travel through the Lake District of England, and then continue to Scotland like we did, you will notice some differences.  The small fields of sheep in the Lake District become larger fields of mostly cattle, and the land is flatter.  The accent is different, too.  “Carlisle” is pronounced “Car-lyle” by the English and “Ker-leel” by the Scottish.

Scotland has 1/3 the land mass but only 8% of the population of the United Kingdom.  Their population is a well-educated one, too– the most educated workforce in Europe.

Even though the country is in the United Kingdom, it still has a degree of independence, because it voluntarily joined the U.K.  They can choose what they keep independent, such as their legal system. 

Unfortunately, like in many other cities around the world, Edinburgh is experiencing an extreme housing shortage, and it is very expensive to buy or rent in the city.  A one bedroom/ one bath rental apartment south of the city will cost you 1,500 – 1,600 British pounds ($1,900 – $2,000+).  There are many Edinburgh workers that live in Glasgow and commute to Edinburgh—a 45-60 minute drive each way. 

We began our first day with a walking tour of Edinburgh’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, revisiting the places I wrote about in Scotland #1, Scotland #2, and Scotland #5.  It was a beautiful day until the clouds and drizzle moved in during the late afternoon, so I found myself shooting many of the same subjects again.  Déjà vu!

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Edinburgh Castle
The view from the castle looking down on Edinburgh
Victoria Street
Calton Hill
The view from Calton Hill to Arthur’s Seat
Holyrood Palace

As always on an OAT tour, we experienced a home-hosted meal, and on this itinerary we visited a home in Edinburgh.  We were hosted by a lovely young couple, Ashley and Ian, and Ian’s father, Ross, a cool guy who shared our taste in music.  The dinner was at Ross’s home, but Ashley and Ian did the cooking.  They are working towards growing their catering business to eventually opening a vegan restaurant, so they tried out some recipes on us.  I especially enjoyed the dessert—chocolate mousse made with 350 grams (12 ounces) of silken tofu, 150 grams (5.3 ounces) of dark chocolate, and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup.  Whip it up in a food processor and chill!  How easy is that?

Coming up next: UNITED KINGDOM #8: ROSSLYN CHAPEL

UNITED KINGDOM #6: HISTORICAL HADRIAN’S WALL & VINDOLANDA FORT

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You can’t tell by these pictures, but this was the day our luck with weather ran out.  It was bitterly cold and windy, and at one point while we were at Hadrian’s Wall, we all gave up on our local guide and asked if we could go back to the bus to listen to the rest of his talk.  I didn’t wait that long; I was already on the bus by the time the rest of the group followed my lead.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Thankfully, the blustery cold was a one-and-done.  The weather was (mostly) fabulous (by U.K. standards) the remainder of our trip!

Back to Hadrian, he was a Roman emperor from AD 117 to 138 and the first ruler to divide Britain.  The wall he had built (I’m sure he didn’t lift a finger) beginning in AD 122 was a 73-mile-long stone defensive fortification that runs east to west.  It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It amazed me that so many centuries ago, this barricade was just part of a multi-cultural military zone comprised of forts, barracks, towers, and small towns.

After we thawed out, we visited Vindolanda, near Hadrian’s Wall.  It was a Roman auxiliary fort that dates back 40 years prior to Hadrian’s Wall and was occupied until around AD 370.  It is considered one of Europe’s most important ancient Roman archaeological sites. 

Ongoing excavations have unearthed many amazing artifacts which we were able to see in the adjacent museum—a welcome reprieve from the cold!

Vindolanda has the largest collection of leather items found anywhere in the Roman empire.
Some of these coins date back to 100 BC!
The Romans used a variety of different dyes and chemical treatments to color their textiles. The root of the madder plant was used to produce red dye and lichen was used for purple. A variety of tree barks, lichens and heathers were used for yellow dye. Thanks to the ground conditions at Vindolanda, these textiles survived where they would have completely decayed anywhere else after so many centuries.
This is a silver military award depicting Medusa and dates back to AD 105-120.
The Vindolanda tablets have been voted Britain’s Top Treasure by the British Museum.

Next, we continued our drive to Edinburgh, Scotland, the subject of my next post:

UNITED KINGDOM #7:  ENCHANTING EDINBURGH

UNITED KINGDOM #5: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LAKE DISTRICT FARM

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The Lake District, in North West England, is 912 square miles of beautiful mountains, lakes, and coast that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We spent the morning visiting just a portion of the district, getting a tour of Gary and Hazel Miller’s Family Farm.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Their story is an interesting one.  They are first generation farmers by choice rather than inheritance like many other farmers.  Farming is a passion for the Millers and their four kids.  They have 600 sheep (which produce about 400 lambs each season), 11 sheep dogs, 6,000 free range hens for egg production, cattle, pigs, horses, and beehives. 

While touring the farm and meeting their animals, Gary demonstrated how he shears his sheep.  This guy looked quite naked after losing his full coat of wool!

Unfortunately, wool is no longer worth enough to sell (thanks to synthetics being used for clothing), so they raise their sheep for lamb, which is more lucrative. 

Their eggs produced by the 6,000 hens are mostly sold to McDonald’s; however, they make more money selling them directly to the public at local farmers markets.

It was fun getting to meet all of their animals, including the Belted Galloway cows, better known as “Oreo” cows.  I’m sure you can see why they got that nickname:

Gary’s wife, Hazel

To diversify their income, they do farm tours and sheep dog demonstrations.  Gary is also a plumber by trade and still does plumbing work, because it’s tough trying to make a living on just the farm alone.

The sheep dog demonstration was the most enjoyable part of our visit!  Gary is self-taught at training sheep dogs and has done well in competition, placing 3rd at the English national competition one year.  Here’s Gary in action: https://youtu.be/tydPhrQZEJI

Following our farm visit, we had free time in the afternoon to explore the town of Grasmere.  The weather had improved, so I also took a hike in the hills behind our hotel.

Swan Hotel

Coming up next:  UNITED KINGDOM #6: HISTORICAL HADRIAN’S WALL & VINDOLANDA FORT

UNITED KINGDOM #4: THE LOVELY LAKE DISTRICT

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This was one of the few days it rained during our six weeks in the UK and Ireland.  We had expected it to rain a lot, and we figured we were due after having such great luck with the weather during our travels this year.

Our bus ride took us through the Yorkshire Dales National Park, a beautiful region in northern England known for its white limestone cliffs, rivers, and lush green valleys (“dales”).  Had it not been raining I would have snapped photos through the window during the drive. 

I did manage to capture a few scenes in the rain when we stopped for a hike to see Devil’s Bridge in Kirby Lonsdale.  This 3-arched bridge is said to date back to the 13th century. 

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

We continued our drive to the quaint Swan Hotel in Grasmere, our base for two nights.  Typically, our guide would take us on an orientation walk upon arrival in a town; however, we opted to pass on it until the following day, since it was raining and the paths would be muddy.

Prior to dinner at the hotel, we met with Robert, a local dry stone waller, to learn about his craft.  A potentially boring topic turned out to be fascinating and fun, because this character injected much humor into his presentation.  And, the information he shared stuck with us all; we found ourselves commenting on and judging the quality of the many miles of dry stone walls we saw throughout northern England!

These walls are difficult to construct and require a skilled and experienced craftsman, because no mortar is used to hold the walls together.  Instead, the stones are expertly fitted together and locked in place without concrete—a very time-consuming process.  Unfortunately, this age-old craft may become a thing of the past, because fewer people are learning this difficult technique.

This was just the first of many stone walls photographed in the coming days!
What a clever idea! This outdoor launderette was located at a truck stop/ gas station where we stopped for a restroom break.
One of the hard ciders we sampled in the U.K and Ireland– a popular alternative to beer and wine.

Next up:  UNITED KINGDOM #5: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LAKE DISTRICT FARM

UNITED KINGDOM #3: WELCOME TO WREXHAM!

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When Bruce and I asked our tour leader, Tom, if our day in Wales would take us anywhere close to the town of Wrexham, he said we would be going right through there on the way back to Chester.  “Why?” he asked, and when we explained, he smiled and offered to drop us off right at our destination: The Turf Pub.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Bruce and I are only occasional drinkers, so why would we want to go to a pub—and, that pub in particular?  Welcome to Wrexham.  It’s an award-winning docuseries we read about in a short write-up in The Week and started watching during the second season.  We enjoyed it so much, we went back and watched all of Season 1, and then continued watching through Season 3.  (Season 4 begins in spring of 2025).

The Emmy-winning series, often filmed at The Turf Pub, which is located next door to the stadium, follows Wrexham A.F.C., the Welsh football (soccer) club. But the series isn’t just about football or the team; it’s also about the people of the town who follow their team with unmatched loyalty.  

This team—and the pub—has a rich history.  Founded in 1864, the club is the third oldest professional association football team in the world.  At the time it was founded, Wrexham was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and a hub for coal and lead mining; the production of iron, steel, and leather; and brewing.

The Turf Pub was established on Wrexham A.F.C.’s stadium grounds, and it’s the oldest public house at any sports stadium worldwide.  It’s THE home base for the fans and THE place to gather following the games. 

For many years, Wrexham was a booming industrial town, but then the 20th century— and de-industrialization —happened.  The town fell on hard times, and the only thing that seemed to keep spirits up for its people was Wrexham A.F.C. 

Enter Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, two actors who came on to the Wrexham scene in September of 2020 and announced they were buying the team.  By February of 2021, the deal was done, they infused a TON of money into the club, and The Red Dragons began their ascent up the ladder.  What used to be a fifth-tier team (bottom rung; lower than the Premier League and the three tiers of the English Football League) worked its way up in the rankings to the top tier of the EFL with the goal of making it to the Premier League.

These two guys are considered heroes in Wrexham, because they saved the team from mismanagement and near-collapse.  And, not only have they put their money into Wrexham A.F.C.; but they have invested their hearts and souls into the team, the players, the fans, the community, and, yes, The Turf Pub.

In August of 2022, the premier of Welcome to Wrexham aired, and it has won 8 Emmy awards and a few other prestigious awards during their first three seasons. 

The series, at times, is hilarious and irreverent, and at other times, heartbreaking.  It doesn’t just follow the highs and lows of the team; it also features the ups and downs of its players, staff, and fans.  Everything from stillbirth to autism, and mental health to divorce has been covered, along with the celebrations of team wins.

In one word, we are hooked.

When we learned how close Chester was to Wales, we looked up the team’s home game schedule and discovered we were in luck!  August 24, our day in Wales, was a home game against Reading.  We figured we would get to Wrexham too late to attend the game, but we knew The Turf Pub would be hoppin’ afterward! 

We hoped to meet Wayne Jones, the owner.  He seemed like a great guy on the show, we enjoyed reading his story on the pub’s website, and he was nice enough to email me back when I wrote to him.

When we arrived about an hour after the game had ended, the large crowd still spilled over into the parking lot.  A film crew was interviewing some fans for the show, and I immediately spotted Wayne.  He was very busy, but graciously paused for this photo:

Inside the pub, there were wall-to-wall people and the music was booming.  We just took it all in, recognizing the memorabilia on the walls from the TV series, and watching the fans celebrate the team’s win.

There was nowhere to sit, but a local couple with two seats to spare at their table invited us to join them.  Chris and John were warm and welcoming, and we immediately hit it off. 

All of a sudden the entire pub broke out in song.  Somebody started, and everyone joined in with cheers and chants for Wrexham A.F.C.  The Welsh love to sing, and all it takes is one belted-out note, and then it catches on like wildfire!

It was fun being outsiders among the locals and getting to know Chris and John.  This is what travel is all about (for us) and the reason Tom smiled when we told him our plan.  It’s not just about the sights; people are what make a place.

Coming up next: UNITED KINGDOM #4: THE LOVELY LAKE DISTRICT

UNITED KINGDOM #2: WONDERFUL WALES

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In case you are confused about the terms “Great Britain” and “United Kingdom,” this is the difference: Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales; the United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland.  Our tour covered all four countries.

Located west of Chester, England, Wales is the “forgotten” country of the United Kingdom.  At least, that’s how Tom, our tour leader, and probably many of the 3+ million other Welsh people feel about how they are treated by the English government.  And, if I were Welsh and living in Wales, I would feel the same way!

This country of 10 million sheep, roughly the size of New Jersey, was (literally) beaten into submission by England to join the U.K., unlike Scotland who volunteered.  As a result, the two countries are treated differently with Scotland enjoying a higher status.  Wales has its own government; however, London controls the purse strings and seems to ignore the needs of Wales.

Brexit has had a huge economic effect on Wales, and the farmers will have some big decisions to make at the end of the year when the subsidies they received and relied on while part of the European Union will end.  Beginning in 2025, farmers will have to convert 10% of their farmland to trees and 10% will have to remain a natural habitat.  As a result, food production (and their incomes) will decrease.  If farmers comply, they will continue to receive subsidies, but will it be worth it financially?  They make so little income as it is and can barely make ends meet.  How will the land of Wales change? Will the cost of food increase? There are so many other questions, but the answers remain to be seen…

Currently, one of the big issues in Wales is the housing crisis.  The former government promised to add enough housing; however, they failed—miserably.

Bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west, Wales is a mountainous, beautiful country.  It is a draw for rock climbers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts, most notably Sir Edmund Hillary, who trained alongside his team on the technically difficult mountains of Wales to prepare for climbing Mount Everest.

While driving north through Wales on our way to Conwy Castle, we enjoyed the mountain views and looked forward to seeing more in the afternoon.  But first, we headed to visit the castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The weather was a bit questionable at first, cloudy with a brief, light sprinkle. But then the skies turned blue with beautiful clouds adding photographic interest.  Again, our weather luck continued…

Built between 1283 and 1287 by Edward I during his conquest of Wales, this castle is remarkably well preserved.  The adjacent town of 4,000 people is still protected by an unbroken 4,200-foot ring of stone walls.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

I tried out the “Expressive” setting on my camera having no idea this picture would turn out so– uhh- expressive!

While our local guide went into detail about the history of the castle, I noticed people way up high at the top of each tower.  Tom noticed I kept looking up, so he pulled me aside and asked if I would like to climb the towers and do some exploring on my own.  The local guide wouldn’t be taking the group up the towers, so if I wanted to see them, I had to split off.  Tom showed me the way and then promised he would keep an eye out for me when it was time for the group to leave.  Thank you, Tom!  It was at this moment I knew we had a great guide!  He was excellent at helping each of us in the group see and do what interested us the most.

After visiting the attractive little town and having a group lunch, we continued our drive south.  In the north, Welsh is the language spoken, and signs are in English and Welsh; but, in the south (where most of the Welsh population lives), English is the predominately spoken language.

We stopped to see the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct that was built over 200 years ago over River Dee. What an amazing sight seeing canal boats cross the 336-foot long,12-foot wide canal that flows 126 feet above the river!

Our drive through the Snowdonian Mountains to Snowdonia Park was beautiful, but I was looking forward to getting out and doing some hiking for an up-close look.  Our hike took us to Llyn Idwal, a small lake with spectacular views, including the mountains where Sir Edmund Hillary trained.  Slate is also mined in this area, and it’s the standard stone used for fences and roofs.  I enjoyed the hike very much!

Another shot on the “Expressive” setting.

On the way back to Chester, Tom honored a special request Bruce and I had: Drop us off in Wrexham.

Next up:  UNITED KINGDOM #3: WELCOME TO WREXHAM!

UNITED KINGDOM #1: CHARMING CHESTER

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In August, a few weeks after returning from Peru, Bruce and I traveled to the United Kingdom and Ireland for back-to-back tours with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT)—a six-week long trip including post-extensions for each tour.  We returned home in early October, and then switched gears for craft show season for his fused glass jewelry.  In between, I finished up my posts and slide show on Peru, so I am finally able to begin posting about the U.K.

Welcome to England, dear readers!  We begin in the charming city of Chester, located in the northwest region of the country.  This city of about 93,000 people is old.  Founded in 79 AD as a Roman fort, it is surrounded by walls considered to be the best preserved in the country.  We enjoyed walking the walls, a two-mile circuit providing great views of the city, including the half-timber Tudor buildings and two-story covered arcades in the shopping district. 

Before Bruce and I embarked on our wall walk, we joined our group on a walking tour and tearoom lunch with Tom, our guide for the next two weeks.  Tom is from Wales, and we instantly liked his gentle, easy-going personality. 

Here are scenes from around town during our stay in Chester:

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Looking out from an ice cream shop located on the top of the city wall near the clock (below).
This was a Roman Amphitheater. An artist was quite creative in painting a mural to continue what was left of the original stone wall.
Remaining walls of what was originally Cathedral Church of St. John, dating back to 689, and is now Parish Church of St. John the Baptist.
Chester Cathedral

Coming up next: UNITED KINGDOM #2: WONDERFUL WALES

PERU #17: PERU IN PICTURES: A SLIDE SHOW BY ELAINE KRUGMAN

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I hope you enjoy my final post on Peru, a slide show featuring my photography accompanied by the music of Eder Alvarez Alejas.

For the best viewing experience, use a desktop computer, turn up the speakers and view on full screen by clicking on the symbol in the lower left corner of the YouTube screen after the show begins.

Cheers!