A Change in Plans

 SONG - Bring it on Home to Me by Sam Cooke

(Or in my case “If You Ever Change Your Mind”)

Day 32 - Fri. May 31

Breakfast at the Crêperie across the street which was fun and reminded us of France. Then off to Westminster Abbey….which was sold out for the day. What?  It’s huge so how can it be full?? Drat….that made me sad and I had to quickly rethink our plans for the day. Where to next?  

The National Gallery has several rooms of Impressionist painting. That will cheer me up. Well done, it kind of cheered me up but it was packed and difficult to get close to a painting. But we preserved!! 

Van Gogh

Sorolla

Monet

Morisot

I thought of the close crowds & Covid halfway through but didn’t have a mask. There was an “sporting event” right in front of the museum at Trifalger Square which made movement outside on foot or in cabs impossible. We limped into a nearby cafe to get a cold drink and re-assess our next move. We suddenly realized it was almost 3 pm and our grandsons were going to FaceTime us shortly.

 We had a lovely visit with the boys where Henry warmly, calmly greeted us & said he really misses us.  Then Charlie got hold of the phone and ran around yelling “My YaYa, My YaYa, hi YaYa Papa” and everyone chasing him for the phone. So very sweet and thrilling in their own ways. 

The phone that I called them with…

Mr. B took this from a moving cab but it is 

Harry Potter playing at the Palace Theatre 

We walked down a few streets that Mr. B recognized as the theatre district and finally found a cab to bring us home. However it took us over an hour due to road construction, closures and barriers put up for a big event happening in a few weeks.  I felt sorry for the driver but after we paid the bill, I felt sorry for Mr. B!  Oooh, la, la. 

Dinner was at a Lebanese restaurant across the street that we had been to in 2017. Even though it was cold and windy we sat outside as they had heat lamps on. We had a good dinner and good wine. 

After dinner we walked to the “Thin House” which was interesting to see and only a block away. 

I decided last night that the rumble of the Underground reminds me of being at the ocean and hearing waves roaring in. Kind of a more soothing thought than a train in a tube beneath your room!

Boats in the Air & Mythical Beasts

 SONG - Myth - Celtic Music

Heading north from Glasgow to Stirling we had some time to explore before going to our next lodging for the evening. So we took a small detour to the Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies.  But first I have to share with you that it’s our grandson, Charlie’s second birthday today! Not to worry though, we will celebrate when we return home. He is such an enthusiastic and sweet little boy who tries to keep up with his big brother at every turn!

Happy Birthday Sweet Charlie!

Our first stop was the Falkirk Wheel that connects the Forth and Clyde Canals with the Union Canal and is the only rotating boat lift in the world. 

Signage at the site state that it could turn itself with the energy from just 4 teapots because it’s engineered so well and expertly balanced.  They also state that it could hold 100 elephants!

The gate opens up,  asking sure the water levels are the same inside the holding tank as it is in the canal, and the boat glides in. 

The giant gears begin rotating the boat and another holding container full of water & a potential boat above. 

The device raises one boat up and lowers another. 

Once both boats are where they should be the gates go up or down depending on where they are - top or bottom and the gates open to release the boats to sail happily on their way. 

As we were leaving we noticed several narrow boats on another canal. They were beautiful and fun to watch - along with a mama swan on her nest and daddy swan on the lookout. I saw a crow come close and boy did he go after it!

On towards the Kelpies……

The Kelpies are mythical water creatures that can turn into humans.  And they represent the horses in the Scottish culture.  The sculpture was made by Andy Scott and unveiled in 2014.

Just incredible

We then traveled further north to Stirling so Mr. B could do some of his family tree research but after contacting the minister of the town near Stirling, he found out that they didn’t have the records he was looking for nor could he go into the cemetery where his relatives were probably buried due to unsafe conditions (most of the headstones were toppled over).  So since we already had reservations there we decided to visit Stirling Castle and see what else we might take in.

Our home for the next two nights and it looks like something out of Harry Potter, doesn’t it?

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”

- Harry Potter