Dropping the Ball... and Touring Scotland

Hello Dear Blogging Buddies... if you're still out there at all.  I have once again dropped the blogging ball as life has taken on a new super-speed pace.

When I last left you here at the old Lemonade Stand, Hubby and I were in Merry Old England, on our way to Scotland to visit family.  To update quickly, we had a blast!  My cold was history and even despite the cold and rainy weather we encountered on part of our Scottish holiday, spending time with family was AMAZING!

We flew into Edinburgh on Thursday morning and were picked up at the airport by my Dad's cousin, Shirley & her hubby, Andy who I'd met 2x prior - once in Canada when they came to visit and 26 years ago when my Mom and I came to visit them in Scotland.  After a quick stop for lunch at their place, they took Hubby and I to the waterfront in Edinburgh (which I never knew existed 26 yrs ago due to the dreary weather).  We toured the Royal Ship Britannia that has been docked along the water and it was very interesting for this big Royal fan!

Aboard the Royal Ship Britannia
(where Prince Charles and Princess Diana Honeymooned)

After the tour, Andy took us on a private tour of one of the beautiful cathedrals downtown Edinburgh (St. Gilles) giving us a ton of "insider information".  Back at Andy & Shirley's we met up with my 2nd cousins, Brian (with his daughter) and Kevin (who was coming to hang out with us before taking us up to his place in Aberdeen on the weekend) and his daughter.

Friday was a full day back downtown as we toured Edinburgh Castle and walked the Royal Mile, stopping for Andy's stories of hidden secret places and a little shopping.

Love me a Bagpiper!

At Edinburgh Castle

Before heading back "home", we stopped into the Scottish Parliament building which is across the street from the Queen's Edinburgh residence, "Holyrood Palace".

Group Shot inside Scottish Parliament

Holyrood Palace

Saturday morning we bid Andy & Shirley goodbye and Kevin whisked us away, across the Firth of Forth (the auto bridge and not the actual Firth of Forth rail bridge) and up to his home in Scotland where we met his adorable wife, Fiona!  After picking her up from work, we took a stroll along the beach on the shores of the North Sea in Aberdeen.

The Famous 'Firth of Forth' Bridge

A Chilly Walk along the North Sea beachfront

One of the cool parts of visiting Scotland is visiting the areas of my heritage and Sunday was the day we ventured out into the lands of my ancestors.  Kevin drove us from Aberdeen through the countryside and along the River Dee where we had a very chilly picnic alongside a field where we watched glider planes take off.

Deeside Picnic Spot

Even the "kids" needed something warm to drink!

From there we head west through the village of Ballater (where the Royals shop when at Balmoral) to Crathie (where the Queen attends church and where Balmoral Castle sits).

The Queen's Church in Crathie

Hubby, Fiona & "the kids"
at the Queen's entrance to the chapel

At the gates of Balmoral

We walked from the chapel down the road and across the river to the gates of Balmoral Castle.  The Queen was in residence so we couldn't get in, but that didn't stop me from chatting it up with the policeman guarding the gate.

Chatting it up with the Queen's Guard

Back in my Princess Di obsession-filled days, I had shared one of my many books on the Princess with my Grandma.  She had returned one of my books with a slip of paper inside.  On the page with a distant picture of Balmoral Castle sat a small cottage on the bottom right hand side.  Grandma had "X'd" the cottage and written a note on the little piece of paper, telling me that her Uncle Alan (or her cousin Alan... can't remember which it was) used to work for the Queen.  He looked after the Queen's horses.  I remember a picture in Grandma's house of this relative with Charles and Anne as small children with the Queen from Balmoral.  I, of course, told the Guard this story, secretly hoping it would give us some perk of special treatment.  I mean seriously... we're practically family with the Queen, right?  He did tell me that I could go to Braemar and look up this relative as the Queen keeps meticulous records of her employees.  If I had more time I'm sure I would have totally tried to do that!

On the way back to Aberdeen, we stopped in Banchory (where my Grandma lived until she came to Canada at 8yrs old) and met up with Brian, his wife Carol and youngest son, Kyle for dinner.  It was great seeing them as they were newly engaged when I first came to Scotland back in 1986.  Brian was a real trooper and even played his bagpipes for us!

Brian... the Piper!

Brian, Carol, Kyle with Hubby and me

The weather turned terrible on Monday so we stayed put for the next couple days just hanging out at Kevin's and catching our breath before heading down to London for the last leg of our 3 week journey. I'll come back SOON (I promise) to finish off this trip!