Greenock and Inveraray Castle

 July 31, 2024

We got docked in Greenock this morning as we were waiting in the theater for them to lower the gangway. We were on a pier, so we just had to walk off the ship and to our waiting buses. 

Our bus and narrator took us on a beautiful drive through the mountains and the valleys on our way to Inveraray Castle. We first stopped at the village of Luss where we took a short walk to the shore of Loch Lomond. As we had been hearing all along from our other tour guides, the weather up until the day before was “winter.” They say they haven’t had spring/summer, but the days we have been out have been glorious. Today was sunny with no rain in sight. We had a great day weather-wise. We were able to get very pretty pictures of Loch Lomond and the countryside/mountains around it. Loch Lomond is the second largest Loch (lake) in Scotland with Loch Ness being the largest. They are lakes formed during the glacial age and they are all very deep. No matter the time of the year, they are very cold, even in the summer. We were there a short time, then re-boarded the bus for the next stop.

The countryside in Scotland is unrivaled anywhere I think. It is breathtaking no matter where you look. As we drove on to Castle Inveraray, we stopped at a waypoint called “Rest and Be Thankful.” It was located at a higher elevation and you could look through the valley to view a very old road called the “military” road. It was built for soldiers to traverse the area. While we were there I spotted two Westies with their owner sitting outside their little motorhome. So sweet. Same setup as mine. I talked to the owners a bit and they let me pet their sweet dogs, Isla and Cooper. I showed them a picture of my dog and the man said, “Oh, you’ve got a Scottie!” I said yes and his name is Brrrendon! I rolled the r’s to try and sound Scottish! LOL The owner let me take a pictures of them!

Our next stop was Inveraray Castle, which is the home of the Duke of Argyll. I think the guide pronounced it “air-gill.” It dates from 1770 and took 40 years to build. It was beautiful inside and out and had actually been visited by Queen Victoria. There is a lot of artwork, 18th century furnishings, china, and family artifacts. The current Duke and his family still live there, but due to the expense of keeping up the property, they have allowed visitors to come on certain days to help with the expenses. It was a truly beautiful home. Our guide said that sometimes the Duke himself works in the gift shop and he wears an apron that says “The Duke.” I thought that was amazing and I really wanted to see him, but he wasn’t in the shop today. They live in half the castle and the other half is open for tours. 

After our visit to this stunning castle, we went into the town of Inveraray and had a lunch at the Brambles bistro. This had been all pre-arranged and they were all ready for us. The service was very quick and very good. Our lunch was very interesting and tasty, although I am not a couscous lover, so I picked out the chicken and left the rest. Our dessert was Queen Victoria’s sponge cake. It is a cake made famous by the late queen and it was very good. 

We did have some time after lunch to do a little shopping, so I tried to make good use of that time. But I would have liked a lot more time. They just don’t give you enough time on these excursions.

The trip back was on a different , longer route and included a ferry ride, bus and all! We crossed the Firth of Clyde on the ferry and made our way back to port. After a quick stop at our room, we all went down to the dining room for dinner. I sprung a little extra to get the lobster. I wasn’t thrilled about the other choices, so I got the lobster. It was delicious. As usual, I couldn’t eat everything, but the food is really good. We left the dining room and had a nightcap at one of the bars, then called it a night. Today’s excursion was an all-day affair, so we were ready for a little R&R. Tomorrow is a “sea day” and we will be sailing up to Invergordon where we will see Loch Ness and Culloden Moor on Friday.

Till next time. . .

Dale

Holyhead, Wales and Penrhyn Castle

 July 30, 2024

Today when we got up, we were almost to Holyhead, Wales, where we anchored out in the harbor. We were one of two cruise ships, which our guide told us only happens once a year. There were two ferries, which operate in/out during the day.

We again used the water shuttles/tenders to leave the ship and get to shore. They are really the lifeboats and the seats are hard, but they are enclosed; and the ride is generally short.

Once in the port, we boarded our bus and were treated to a narrated tour of the countryside on our way to Penrhyn Castle. The castle is really not a castle in the traditional sense of the word. . . It was built by a Baron in the design of a castle, but actually functioned as a manor house. The house looks like a castle, with all the accoutrements of traditional castles. It was beautiful with elegant doors, stunning woodwork, slate and limestone work. The grand staircase took ten years to build. The family made their money in slate which was mined from a nearby mountain. They became extremely wealthy and so the Baron built this magnificent home. Our guide said subsequent generations squandered the family money away and now the house is in the National Trust. He did comment that the family still lives locally.

We were taken into the castle in a group, but then left to explore it on our own. There were docents around the home to provide information about the home and furnishings. And it was self-guiding. We got to see quite a lot of the house. . .more than other historic homes I’ve been in and it was fun to explore. We went up the staircase which was magnificent. You go up in one area and come down around the corner. The posts around the staircase were very ornate. Upstairs were the bedrooms of those living in the castle. It is in remarkable condition with original furnishings. The castle was built between 1820-1833, so it’s not as old as the castles built as fortresses to protect the aristocracy from invaders. But it was still an exceptional property to view. The grounds were spectacular as well and locals drive up daily apparently, bringing their families and picnicking on the grounds while their children play. It was very peaceful and serene. The weather was very cooperative. Course, this Florida gal was prepared, having researched the weather history. It never made it out of the 60’s, so I had on heavier weight slacks, a top, sweater and my jacket. At one point in the house I took off my jacket, but put it back on when we stepped outside again. Fortunately, it did not rain! We had about an hour and a half to explore and we even had time to sit in the cafe and have a spot of tea and half a sandwich. A lovely day.

We had about a 45-minute ride back to the dock and boarded a tender once again for the ride out to the ship. I am impressed that the shuttle system works so well. I thought it might not be as efficient getting groups together and out to the tenders and then getting back on. But it has worked remarkably well.

Once back on the boat, we returned to our room to shed our jackets and then went to the International Cafe. We enjoyed a small dessert while we relaxed, then we came back to the room. I sat on the balcony for awhile and Sharon put her feet up. She broke her ankle years ago and it tends to swell a bit when walking a lot. But all is good.

We went down to dinner at our usual time; but our friends weren’t back from their excursion, which ended up running about an hour late. We enjoyed a pre-dinner drink and after about 20 minutes we had to order. But it’s a four-course dinner so we kinda drug out the different dishes and we soon got a text that our friends were on their way. We asked that our main course be delayed until our friends were ready and it worked out great. The staff was very accommodating even though we finished up a bit later than usual. The other girls were very tired from their long day so we all decided to make it an early night and we are once again ready and in bed by 9 p.m. 

Tonight we will be sailing on to Glasgow. Tomorrow we have an all-day event around Glasgow. We will be in coaches and ferries  and are supposed to have some free time.  So it will be a long day and our dinner will be later tomorrow night. 

Till next time. . .

Dale

Dublin

 July 29, 2024

Today we met in the theater at 7:30 and were quickly moved to the water shuttle which took us into the port at Dublin. We boarded a bus and drove through Dublin with our guide pointing out landmarks along the way as well as providing us some history. We passed through several neighborhoods before arriving in the town. 

We made one stop for pictures of some buildings. We also saw a monument/statue to Oscar Wilde. We also saw his boyhood home. The guide here and the guide in Cork provided a bit of history about Ireland’s war for independence. It was quite interesting and I plan to read up more about that. 

We made a stop at St. Patrick’s Cathedral which is the largest cathedral in the city. It is an Anglican Church and  only about 3-4% of the population is Anglican. It was quite beautiful and we got a few minutes to look around and take pictures before we met back at the bus.

We again were treated to a scenic drive around the city. Personally I don’t know how those bus drivers negotiate the large buses on the narrow city streets, but they manage. We stopped at a shopping district and had planned to have about an hour, but ended up with about 40 minutes. I don’t think enough time is planned for shopping. It’s just hard to browse and make selections without having time to think!

Our bus took us back to the tender which took us out to the ship. We went to the buffet and had a light bite of lunch. I am eating way more food than I usually do, so I am going to start cutting back. I will feel better I am sure.

We went back to our room and rested up a bit. Sharon is still feeling stiff from her fall yesterday, so we just relaxed. The other gals got back soon after that and they rested as well. Later we all went to dinner. We have reservations at the same time every night and we have the same table with the same waiters. They have been very nice and we all know each other’s names. They work to make dining a very pleasant experience.

After dinner we all walked down to the theater where we watched a production of Mo-Town hits. The singers are very good and they have some choreographed dance routines that are fun to watch and entertaining.

We are once again sailing enroute to Holyhead. Our meetup time tomorrow morning is a half hour later than we have been meeting, so we won’t be rushed in the morning.

Till next time. . .

Dale

Blarney Castle

 July 28, 2024

Today was our first excursion. We set an alarm to get up at six, got ready and our breakfast was here at 6:30. We ordered breakfast sandwiches and coffee which was just right. We left to get to our station at 7:20.

We boarded tour buses in groups and we were one of the first groups. As soon as we were all in our seats, we headed off to Blarney Castle. We arrived there by 9:30, so we had two hours to tour the grounds and see what we wanted to see. 

We started with a walk up to Blarney Castle, home of the famous Blarney Stone which  a lot of people want to kiss. We were probably the first group to arrive, so we could have done that; but Sharon nor I had any desire to kiss the Blarney Stone which is said to bestow the “gift of gab” which neither one of us needs. LOL We walked around the outside of the castle and took our pictures next to the piper. Strolling along we saw the dungeons which were closed due to it being a habitat for the horseshoe bat. ‘Nuff said. Then we saw the Badgers’ Caves which were passageways used to evacuate the castle when it was being attacked. Victors would race in, intending to kill or take prisoners, only to find no one there.

As we were walking through the woodlands toward the Carnivorous Gardens, Sharon tripped and fell on the steps, which were dirt with wire on top. I heard something and when I looked back, Sharon was sprawled out and I was terrified she was badly hurt. But she wasn’t. She sat up and a very kind man behind us came to her aid. After a minute or two, he and I lifted her up. She had dirt on her face where she had smacked the ground and later I saw where she had a good size goose egg above her eye at the end of her eyebrow. When we got home she put ice on it.

We continued on to the Carnivorous Gardens which was interesting. Just past that, though, was the Poison Gardens and that was full of poisonous plants. Some plants have poisonous seeds and on others, everything about the plant was deadly. We took pictures, but didn’t sample anything! 

We continued on around the grounds and went to the Coach House and Stable gift shop. It was interesting and we bought some water. One section had been the stables with stalls and the stalls were all still intact, but had tables set up in the individual stalls for eating. Once we were refreshed, we walked out to the Blarney Woolen Mills and a large shop. There was so much to see, but we didn’t have much time to shop. That would be my biggest complaint with excursions. We just don’t have much time to visit the site, then do a little shopping.

We soon boarded the bus and made it back to the ship. We dropped our stuff at the room and went to lunch at the buffet. Now we are in the room and Sharon has iced down her eye. She said it doesn’t hurt but it looks nasty.

Later we went up to the Sky Walk and walked along the glass floor, which was eery.  We had an ice cream cone and then went back to the room and sat in the sun on the balcony. It felt really warm here in the sun, and we did have very nice weather today; but we were told many times that this was not the norm. Tomorrow is supposed to be another similar sunny day in Dublin. Hopefully it will be.

We went to dinner at our usual 5:20 time and Pam and Carol were going to arrive late after their excursion; but as luck would have it, they were just a few minutes behind us. So we again enjoyed a lovely dinner with the same waiters and servers we have every night. They are most pleasant and have all learned our names.

After dinner, Sharon went for a scheduled massage and I went to the theater with the other gals to watch a magic/music show. It was good, but not my favorite in entertainment; and, unfortunately, his act included balloons. Not good for someone with globaphobia.

We started sailing to Dublin while we were at dinner and we should arrive early tomorrow morning in time for us to disembark on the day’s excursions.

Till next time. . . 

Dale

Sea Day!

 

Today Sharon and I planned to join our friends for breakfast at the buffet at 9 a.m. We both slept well and when I awoke, I went to get my watch across the room (only plug-in). It was 8:34! Wow! I guess we slept well. LOL   I told Sharon we were late and we better get on the move. Shortly after that, Carol rapped on our balcony door (our balconies adjoining) and they had just awakened as well and were going to be late. Score! So after we all got ready, we walked down to the buffet breakfast. It was very good and we talked about what we were going to do. 

Sharon and I went to a “talk” about our ports of call coming up and the various excursions. At the very end, the speaker gave away two vouchers for $100 each. They used an IPad to shuffle the cabin numbers and they called OUR cabin number! Imagine my surprise . . . Then they called MY name! I was shocked! So when we left the theater, we went right to the proper desk and got the two $50 credits applied to our accounts. I shared it with Sharon!

We decided not to eat lunch because we were going to a “High Tea” at 3:00. We found a table in a lounge, ordered drinks and played Hand and Foot.  When it was time, we moved on to the Concerto Dining Room and were treated to finger sandwiches, pastries, desserts, and of course tea. We didn’t want to eat a lot because our dinner reservations were at 5:20. After tea, we retreated to our rooms for a little R&R. 

We have dinner reservations every night in the same dining room, same table and same waiters. They are getting to know us and we chat with them. It’s been a very good time. Tonight I had the halibut which is my favorite fish. I turned down dessert. It would have been good, but I was just too full. The food has been wonderful!

After dinner, we walked to the theater, where the cast was putting on a show titled, “Bravo!” A wonderful orchestra accompanied various singers as they sang and danced to many different show tunes. They had one opera singer who was exceptional, but they were all very talented. We are now back in our rooms and ready for bed. Tomorrow is a big day with our first excursion being “Cork, Ireland.” Sharon and I are on a four-hour tour to Blarney Castle (home of the famous Blarney Stone), then we will come back to the boat.

Till next time. . .

Dale

Boarding the Ship, the Regal Princess, July 26, 2024

After a wonderfully long night’s sleep, we awoke, put our luggage in the hall for Princess to collect, and went down to a buffet breakfast in our hotel. It was very good and we met up with Carol and Pam to eat. After breakfast, we went back to our rooms and relaxed for an hour till it was time to gather for the motorcoach ride to Southampton. They told us it was a two-hour ride to the boat, but it ended up being just over three hours. We had about a 45-foot coach on a Mercedes chassis. It was a very new bus and very comfortable with a very smooth ride.  

We arrived at Southampton and there were a few cruise ships in the harbor. We were directed to the Regal Princess and we actually breezed right through check-in. Once on board, we found our rooms on the 9th deck. We have balcony rooms and since we are next door to each other, they opened the divider on the balcony so we can all sit outside and visit. It was actually a bit on the cool side today, so that didn’t really happen. We went and got afternoon cocktails and at 3:30 we attended the “Sail Away” party. They played some good music and got the crowd riled up and ready to go. We left the dock promptly at 4. Afterward we went back to our rooms to freshen up and then went to dinner. Dinner was really good. I had the New York strip, but there were many good things on the menu. We all got something different and none of us were disappointed. After dinner we went back to our rooms and met later for a nightcap. 

Tomorrow is a “sea day” and we will be sailing all day to Cork, Ireland. Sharon and I have an excursion planned there on Sunday. Today was a fun day and we are finally settled in and the stress of traveling, catching planes, etc., is behind us.

Till next time. . .

Dale

British Isles Trip, July/August 2024

I have been busy packing for the trip to Europe next week. A flight on Monday will take me to Norfolk, Virginia, where Tom will pick me up from the airport. I got in shortly before 11 a.m. Tom, Sharon and I visited that day and I helped Sharon pack. Tuesday we spent running some errands and in the evening we went to a birthday party for the daughter of friends of Tom and Sharon.

Wednesday morning at 11 a.m., Carol and Pam picked Sharon and I up at the house and we drove FOUR hours to Dulles airport. Actually we parked the car at the Fairfield Inn where we plan to spend the night when we return in 12 days. We walked next door to the Cracker Barrel for dinner. Afterwards, with luggage in tow, we waited on the airport shuttle which was soon there. It was mid-afternoon, having planned to get there early as you never know what problems you may run into.

We got to the airport and checked in and sent our big luggage on its way. Then we passed through security, which was a bit tedious, but it helped that we had Global Entry/TSA precheck. Then we walked and took the train out to our gate. We learned on the way there that our flight had been delayed an hour. The plane actually did get there but it took them about an hour to clean it for the new passengers. It was an Omnibus with and upper and main decks. We were on the main deck. 

We started boarding just before 11 p.m. and we were leaving the gate at midnight. I had planned on sleeping as I was dead tired, but that was not to be. The seats were really cramped. They had TV screens in the back of the seats in front of us, but when the people in front of us pushed their seats back, the screens were too close for us to really see much. We could listen to music. Shortly after takeoff, they came around with snacks and drinks. Then at 1:30 a.m., they served us a meal. Not much to write home about and I really didn’t think a meal at that time was necessary. I didn’t eat much of it. It was a 6 hour flight and when we were about 45 minutes from landing, they came around with bacon sandwiches. The bacon was decent, but the roll around it was awful. More drinks as well.

We deplaned at about 6:30 USA time, but about 11:30 a.m. their time. We passed through immigration which was a breeze. . . Just had to scan your passport. But we did walk about a mile and a half, plus rode a train to get to the front of the airport. We finally found the representative for Princess Cruises who loaded our luggage and drove us the LONG way to our hotel. I don’t know if he didn’t know where it was or what the problem was but we must have taken about every street in London to get here. We passed the London Eye, the Chard, Parliament, Big Ben, etc., but all a bit far away to get good pictures. We drove across Tower Bridge and could see the Tower of London, but again, it was fleeting.

We arrived at our hotel, the Tower Bridge Leonardo, finally and got checked in. We went to the dining room and had a bite of lunch till our rooms were ready, then moved our stuff in. Sharon and I laid down for a bit as we didn’t get any sleep on the plane. But we didn’t get any sleep then either. We met up with Carol and Pam at 6 p.m. and walked to Jack the Chipper’s (fish and chips) for dinner. It is on White Chapel road, which is the road Jack the Ripper was famous for. We walked back home and we are ready for bed. In the morning after breakfast here we will board a motorcoach along with 200+ other people staying here and drive the couple hours to Southampton, where we board the Regal Princess for our 12 day cruise of the British Isles. More later!

Till next time. . .

Da