England’s Lovely Lakes and Tricky Transit

This blog is being sponsored by T Mobile! (Not really). Thankfully KO has the phone service which is based in Europe. Wherever we go, on trains, in pubs, on the lake, or in the inn his phone service has worked every time and he has been able to give me a hot spot so I can chat with all of you.  So kudos to KO and T Mobile for connecting me to the world.  In addition a shout out to KO for lugging our suitcase up and down the hills of these quaint little towns, even at 6 a.m.  I am grateful for all his help. KO also takes the photos and figures out how to insert them into the blog.  He’s an electronic whiz!

The road from Edinburgh to Windermere, in the Lakes Region, was full of drama and delays.  A trip that should have taken two and one half hours, ended up taking ten hours!  Apparently bank holidays and striking train workers were conspiring to upset my Type A carefully planned punctuality.  The universe has a way of sending us a lesson when we get too attached to things and this definitely taught me one about “You think you are in control, well I’ll show you!”  When I described our plight to the station agent, he looked bored and disinterested.  He proceeded to tell me that he had worked twelve hours that day and he had already been regalled with sordid stories like ours for weeks!  No sympathy or compassion there, it’s just the way it is here.  Then this guy informed us that our early morning train may or may not show up and the replacement bus may be AWOL as well.  I ask you, “Is this any way to run an airline?”  This is where my daily meditation practice and staying in the moment really came in handy.  KO was, of course, his usual unflappable self.

Our visit to the Lakes Region, even though it was cut short by a day, due to train snafus, was magnificent.  Adorable towns with Victorian architecture peppered by lofty church spires, colorful wildflowers spilling out of their stone boxes,  glistening lakes encircled by imposing mountains and delectable food greeted us there.  Our lodging was an Air b and b in Windermere as our base. Our room was huge compared to our cramped quarters in Edinburgh.  A large kitchen was at our disposal and I did prepare brown rice, red lental dahl and blanched watercress and kale on the gas burners.  The owner was so generous he told us to tour around for our only day while he washed all our clothes, dried them on the clothesline, folded them and placed them by our door!!  He was a “ prince among men.”

The air b and b was a scenic twenty minute stroll down hill to the enchanting village of Bownes-on-Windermere.  The town was teaming with tourists as it was a Bank Holiday.  Bownes perches right on Lake Windermere and has adorable local shops, pubs, restaurants and ferries that carry you to other  waterfront towns.  We located an open air table for breakfast called Mio Mondo.  We could people watch while we enjoyed a delicious Vegan English breakfast.  Munching on baked beans, hash browns and amazing vegan “sausages” created from creamy beans, corn and peas, we fortified ourselves for a day of sightseeing.

The Lake Country was the home of Beatrix Potter.  This talented woman was the genius who gave us Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Benjamin Bunny, and many other forest friends. We watched the movie, “Miss Potter” in preparation for the visit to her neck of the country.  We found out she was an artist, writer, conservationist, mycologist and very independent lady for her time.  She purchased land parcels so builders and developers couln’t spoil the landscape.  She self published her first books.  Unfortunately Beatrix let her mother’s opinions almost destroy her happiness. You see her mother thought marrying a tradesman was below her station.  Beatrix did finally defy her mom and become engaged to her love, only to have him succumb to leukemia one month later. Her mom gave her a difficult time about her next choice but she did marry him in her late 40s and they had many happy years together.  The books she wrote are beloved and many of us read them as children.

My favorite stores, which are all over England, are the Oxfam and other charity shops.  You can find everything there and pay very little for it. I head for the books 
first searching for that perfect romance that takes place in the Cotswalds, Cornwall or the Lake country.  Next the used clothes are my destination. Unique items not found in the states catch my eye. I ended up buying a lacy aqua tea hat, with a veil, for a relative.  Looking forward to these shops when we arrive in Cornwall.

We queued up with all the holiday crowds to ferry across the lake to the next town.  The ride was so lovely as we were surrounded by crisp white sailboats, imposing mansions from the 1940s, multicolored mountains in the distance and the pleasant breeze on our skin.  We have been so fortunate to have clear, warm weather as this area can be beset with rain and fog.

Ambleside was a less crowded place and we walked uphill one mile to town.  The quaint tea shops all over offer a place to rest while you can enjoy a scone( a type of biscuit with currants), a sweet treat( the windows are brimming with the most beautiful cakes you have ever seen) or a nice cup of tea. 

We opted for a bowl of Potato Leek Soup. It seems like this is the signature soup of the UK as it is offered everywhere!  After a look in the shops, we boarded the bus back to Windermere.  Riding on the top, with the tall trees whizzing by, felt like we were in a treehouse in the sky.  After returning to our guest house, it was time to get down to some serious macrobiotic cooking to balance ourselves once again.

I wanted to say a few words about staying healthy while venturing away from home.  I always bring certain items with me on my trips.  These items include umeboshi concentrate, a macrobiotic remedy for tummy trouble, and probiotic packets that

 do not require refrigeration.  I pack fiber packets as well in case we can not find enough veggies to keep us “regular.”  I believe in homeopathy and I take the ones that help in emergencies.  Arsenicum album is for food poisoning and has helped me out of a few jams when I have eaten bad food.  Apis is helpful for bug bites.  Passiflora Incarnata helps with jet lag.  I pack dry brown rice in a baggie and soak it overnight and prepare it the next day.If I have eaten “wide” on my trip the brown rice often centers me.  The idea I love about macrobiotics is that we learn to balance our eating and we know the steps to take if we want to counter the occasional beer or sweet cream tea with scones.  Having these “first aid” tools serve to avert possible sick days on vacations.

Hopefully this aids you supporters out there and a big thank youfor reading my blog and tracking our macro adventures.

Scotland’s Captivating Castles and Harrowing History

The past two days have been chock full of castles and history.  Yesterday we toured the Edinburgh Castle, one of the most visited in the world.  This castle dates back to the twelfth century.  The wonderful audio guide led us through each room in the castle which we could visit at our own pace.  I was most impressed by the number of gateways you must pass to even get close to the portcullis, an iron gate that comes down to keep invaders out.  In addition the Mons Meg on display was quite interesting. It is a 13,000 pound siege gun from 1449.  This weapon was used to fire 330 pound gun stones at the thick castle walls to create holes that invaders could then crawl in.

The oldest room in the castle was St. Margeret’s Chapel in use from 1124-1153.  The original stained glass window and peaceful ambiance evoked a time of yor.

Many cities have Hop On- Hop Off buses where a traveller can rest her weary feet and see all the city sites while listening to the guide’s narration.  It takes about an hour to complete the loop and you have the option to get off and on anywhere along the route.  Your ticket is valid for 24 hours.  We heard about the places we hadn’t gotten to and then the bus stopped to drop us off right at our hotel in Grassmarket.

Grassmarket was the perfect place to stay in Edinburgh.  It is located right behind the castle and just a few steps from the Royal Mile.  It is surrounded by a cobblestone plaza with pubs and restaurants galore. We opted for Italian food this night and enjoyed pasta with sauteed vegetables, a nice green salad and the ever present Leek and Potato Soup.  Then it was off to sleep for our early tour.

The next morning we woke up at 7 am to meet our Highlands Tour bus for a twelve hour bus tour up to Loch Ness and some more castles.  The bus was comfortable and we grabbed a seat right up front.  The ride up north was picturesque and took us down windy narrow roads decked with sheep roaming the kelly green mountainsides and fields.  In this country sheep outnumber people two to one.  Our driver told us they love their mutton and lamb chops. Certainly not my cup of tea!!

Finally we arrived at a pastoral photo opportunity called Glencoe.  As we stepped out to capture the scene our guide related the story of the MacDonald clan.  This family was constantly mixing it up with the English, fighting for land and castles.  In this place, the MacDonalds were assured that the English came in peace and so they fed and housed them only to be murdered by them.  At the Battle of Bannockburn 35 of the MacDonald clan were murdered by 900 English!  After this battle in 1314, the  Scottish and English finally united, except for five castles that were still in dispute.

Our next stop was to Loch Ness where one of those castles, in ruins, awaited to tell its story.  Loch Ness is a lake 23 miles long and 800 feet deep.  Legends tell us that a monster named Nessie lives there and people actually have had sightings of this creature.  She did not appear to us this day.

 

 
The castle that sits on the shore overlooking Loch Ness is called Urquhart Castle.  It hails from the twelfth century and was one of the five to be fought over and to change hands many times. Archaeologists have unearthed many artifacts here and have used models to recreate how the castle would have looked. We walked up winding staircases to the bed chambers and into the large kitchens and banquet halls using our imaginations to visualize how it would have been.  Outside the castle, on the grounds, is the Trichochet, an enormous weapon of war used to catapult large stones through the walls.  It was rolled from battle to battle. You would have been able to see this thing coming from miles away so forget the element of surprise!  Our weaponry has come a long way.
A lovely boat ride took us back to meet our group for the long ride to Edinburgh.

Finding something to eat in the Highlands was difficult. We did find some Scotch Broth that was tasty.  It was barley and vegetables in a rich broth served with thick bread. Then we went from 12-8 without finding something plant based. I had brought some nuts which KO snacked on.  Back in Edinburgh we took a long walk and happened upon a place that had wonderful vegan options and ended up being our best meal yet. KO had a creamy dahl over rice with coconut “bacon”, and I had a chickpea and cauliflower dish over mashed sweet potatoes with sauteed broccoli rabe greens.  For dessert we shared a vegan Polenta cake. Everything was so delicious.  We picked up falafel sandwiches for the train ride tomorrow so we will be prepared.

Looking forward to visiting England but feeling melancholy to leave Scotland... We had a wonderful visit here and hope to return one day.

Enchanting Edinburgh

Exhausted from travel, and jet lagged, we overslept our alarm and arose at 10:30 a.m. after a well needed rest.  Today is a travel day as we make our way by train to Edinburgh.  On the way to the station, we discovered a wonderful, Seinfeld themed breakfast venue called Serenity Now. It was a challenge to choose our meal as it all sounded so good. We shared a rich Kale Quinoa Soup, a scrumptious tofu scramble with sweet potato hash and, as a treat, a banana peanut butter smoothie.

The Queen Street Station in Glasgow has trains to Edinburgh,  leaving every 15 minutes,  every day.  We got our Britrail pass stamped and boarded the comfortable train for the one hour ride.

Edinburgh is one of the most enchanting and charming cities I have ever seen.  It has its own old world character along with a modern personality.  It has been named a Unesco World Heritage Site.  The Old Town and New Town are divided by bridges and they are as different as night and day!  The Old Town dates from the 15th century and the buildings are built in a Baronial Medieval architectural style.  The New Town was constructed between 1767 and 1890 and has a Georgian style reminiscent of Bath in England.  You need to be in pretty good shape to climb up and down the steep cobblestone streets of the Old Town.  Thankfully I am mostly recovered from a bout of plantar fascitis and was up to the task.

Our hotel is situated in the Grassmarket area, right behind the Edinburgh Castle.  Our room is quite tiny so the bed takes up most of the space.  It’s like being on a cruise ship but it’s nice to have a safe for our valuables and a pot to boil water for tea and oatmeal.  The location can’t be beat as we feel like we are in a medieval fairy tale every time we venture outside.  In addition, I got one night free by booking with hotels.com. When you book 10 times with them, the next room is free!

Since we didn’t arrive here until 4 p.m. we decided to feel the lay of the land, by way of a stroll through town.  We sauntered up the hilly streets to the Royal Mile.  This is a lane lined with local shops on one side and beautiful old buildings on the other.  We enjoyed photographing St. Giles Cathedral, a gothic medieval Presbyterian place of worship which is a spectacular sight to see.

Darkness began to fall as we reached the New Town.  For our dinner destination, we had chosen Hendersons. Hendersons was founded in the 1960s to utilize the organic veggies being grown on a local farm. It has been a vegan haven since then.  When we arrived after a 45 minute walk, the sign said they were closed. After a moment of panic, we realized the deli upstairs was closed but the cozy candlelit restaurant under the stairs was open.  A fabulous jazz band played as I sipped my relaxing fennel tea.  We ordered and enjoyed a brothy Beetroot Fennel Soup with homemade crusty bread. Then KO got a vegan haggis. Haggis is usually made of sheep’s heart, liver and lungs and is a Scottish classic. This healthier version was composed of lentils, peppers and gravy and was delicious.  I had a vegan version of Shepard's pie with a wonderful side dish of thinly sliced savory turnips.  The food was unique and well prepared.  It was the perfect end to a lovely day.

Walking back to the Old Town we were enchanted by the spires of the Gothic building silhouetted against the deep blue sky.  Time for a good night’s sleep to prepare for an early morning tour of the Castle.  Our trip so far has surpassed all our expectations and we can’t wait to see what surprises tomorrow will bring.

Adventures in Scotland

Today we set off on our fourteen day adventure to Scotland and England. We took the red eye from Dulles in Virginia to Glasgow, Scotland with a stop in Iceland. Concerned that I wouldnt be able to sleep up on the plane, I tried some melatonin the night before, as a trial run. I fell asleep quickly butg when I woke up, I felt groggy and walked around like a zombie all day. As a result, I embraced my awakened status on the five hour trip to Iceland. As everyone dozed contentedly around me, I stared at the colorful map and the blip that was our flight wending its way across the north Atlantic. I was the only passenger to see night turn to day as the horizon turned orange, yellow and red with the sunrise. In Iceland, as we exited the plane, the aggressive wind and 41 degree temperatures accosted us as we scrambled to don our warm jackets. The bus shuttled us to the terminal where we had just enough time to peruse all kinds of unique Iceland wares. Stuffed trolls and muscled Vikings, herring and salmon, sweet Icelandic chocolates, and more alcohol than I have ever seen in one place were displayed in the duty free area. Unfortunately time was short, so we located our gate, showed our passports one more time and boarded our three hour flight to Glasgow.

Here is a few words about food and traveling as a vegan. As vegans, we never know when we will find suitable organic plant based food. In Ireland, last year, the only veggies we could find were the neverending potatoes and canned mushy peas. In Switzerland, there were ornamental kale plants, but no kale on the plate! It was slim

pickings for sure.

I carefully planned this vacation so that we knew we would be in a healthy place every day. With happycow.com as my guide, I located all the vegan restaurants ahead of time, reviewed their menus and chose all our eating spots ahead of time. Edinburgh is known as the “vegan capital of the world.” I had at least 158 restaurants and health food stores to choose from. In addition, I packed healthy snacks including unsalted nuts, dried apples, oatmeal packets, miso soup, juice sweetened mini chocolates, almond butter, seaweed snacks and trail mix. I was about to purchase some McDougal soup we could prep with hot water when I checked the sodium and to my horror it was 1100 mg. I put that right back on the shelf!

We covered a great deal of territory today. The highlights included a lovely lunch at a spot hidden in an alleyway where Jack the Ripper could have made his domain. The restaurant was called Stereo. I enjoyed some vegan hot chocolate made with coconut milk to warm me up after walking in the cold temperatures. Our lunch was Jackfruit “fish” and chips, and a vegan mushroom pot pie. Both unusual

and tasty. KO warmed himself up with a Scottish lager. Its fun to sample dishes we don’t have at home and this experience was a pleasant one.

Next we walked for a couple of hours around Merchant City, the shopping district. The European clothes are a perfect fit for KO and he was able to find clothing,which is unavailable in the states, to match his slim build perfectly. We ended up in George’s Square surrounded by the beautiful architecture of the government buildings. As a break, we shared a blueberry vegan scone and a cup

of tea, as is the custom here.

The experts say to avoid jet lag, you should stay up until bedtime in the evening in the new location. Even though our eyes were bleary and I had not slept for twenty four hours, we soldiered on and took a long stroll through Glasgow University. The campus is breathtakingly beautiful! Built in the 1870s, it boasts Gothic towers and turrets as well as dark cloisters with commanding arches. Many famous citizens attended there including McGill who founded McGill University in Montreal.

The sun doesn’t set in Glasgow until past 9:37 p. m.so we had plenty of daylight left! We ventured over to The Hug and the Pint vegan pub near our air bnb. A light meal of rice, sauteed greens and veggie curry felt just right. It is 67 steps up to our air b and b, but the room overlooks the city and we have our own ample sized room and a private bath and we only paid 67 dollars for it! We also have kitchen privileges.

Getting ready to fall into a deep, well needed and earned slumber. We catch an early train to Edinburgh tomorrow morning.

People say travel can be too expensive and unhealthy. With some preplanning and research, I found lodging for less than 100 dollars a night including a washer, dryer and kitchen on night 5, vegan restaurants to fit our budget and transportation in a frugal range. Googleflights.com

lists flights for every day of the year for your destination. We chose the cheapest day to travel

here. Usually flights are 1100-1300 to this area but with careful monitoring of the sight, I captured flights for 606 a person, into Glasgow and out of London. Britrail passes saved us a lot of money too. We chose an eight day pass where you choose eight rides to be used in 30 days for a discounted price of $350. This is cheaper than some of the single rides we have taken and you don’t even need a reservation! This pass gives you flexibility at an excellent price.

So travel can be reasonable, healthy and tailored to your personal needs. As we approach our more golden years, we never know what the future holds. I keep hearing the story of the person who saves and saves and then waits to retire to travel and then suddenly comes down with a debilitating illness and never gets to go. Carpe Diem, seize the day! This means grab as much fun as you can, while you still can. I hope many of you will get to enjoy the wonderful, fulfilling, and life changing experience of travel too and you do not let the logistics of travel hold you back!

Looking to share the upcoming days with all of you!

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