Our ride to Bordeaux was mostly uneventful, as our train coursed through countryside that could nearly have been plucked straight from my Okanagan homeland. Nearly, but for the stone construction of the farmhouses and barns, and massive hilltop estate properties and other “castle-like” structures, which would have looked distinctly out of place in BC, as… Continue reading Bordeaux, FR
Category: Europe
Tours, FR (part II)
Our last day in Tours, we took a half-day excursion out to the surrounding areas and visited Chenonceau and Amboise. In Chenonceau, we went into the grounds to look around the “Chateau des Dames”, built in 1513. It received this nickname because its decor and construction was highly influenced by its numerous female tenants. We… Continue reading Tours, FR (part II)
Tours, FR (part I)
The French really know food. While the town of Tours was nice enough for buildings and architecture, the biggest takeaway from this leg of the trip was how much I’ve enjoyed the food. The train ride from Lille to Tours on the TGV has been our best train experience to date. We were on the… Continue reading Tours, FR (part I)
“Dank, danke, merci” Brugge, BE
Waffles, chocolates and beer. That was what we had set out to do when we arrived in Brugge via Antwerpen Station. For a country that has three official languages (Dutch, German & French), we weren’t sure what we’d be getting into. Luckily most people here spoke fluent English. We have spent the past three days… Continue reading “Dank, danke, merci” Brugge, BE
“Hallo & tot ziens” Netherlands
We had an easy time getting out of Edinburgh, journalling on the train platform and then boarding our train on time. We had another pleasant ride through the immaculately cared for scenery, which I believe I will miss. A couple of hours on the train, and a couple more waiting in Newcastle, then we caught… Continue reading “Hallo & tot ziens” Netherlands
“Mar sin leat” Scotland
It’s time to say farewell to the bagpipes and kilts and what better place to do that in the charming city of Edinburgh. For the past two days we’ve explored Edinburgh’s old town and castle, checking out a tartan loom and the stadium where they hold the yearly Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Unfortunately, that will… Continue reading “Mar sin leat” Scotland
Stirling, SCOT
We had heard early on that Stirling had one of the better castles to check out in Scotland, so it was always on our list of places to see. The process of getting there started out a little roughly. Having participated in yesterdays Glenfiddich tour, “nosing & tasting”, and the private after-party, I was feeling… Continue reading Stirling, SCOT
Dufftown, SCOT
We had a very nice sleep in our Bed, and were looking forward to Breakfast as the second part of our stay. Always curious, I had signed on for the “Scottish breakfast”, which included haggis, black pudding, and some more typical breakfast components. It was my first try at these Scottish classics, and I must say that I… Continue reading Dufftown, SCOT
Fort Augustus, SCOT
Continuing from our last post in Fort William, we walked back to our B&B via the lakeshore just in time to catch a bit of the sunset. While the B&B itself was very nice and comfortable, I was woken up suddenly in the middle of the night by some yelling outside. This was my first… Continue reading Fort Augustus, SCOT
“Fáilte” Scotland
We arrived in the rain. Both in Glasgow and in Fort William. Our ferry ride from Belfast to Stranraer was nice, and I spent most of the time journalling. Christina didn’t enjoy it quite as well, but mostly due to worry, which I would argue is a self-inflicted problem. We arrived into a sunny day in… Continue reading “Fáilte” Scotland