The previous "Best of Britain" post gave an overview of the luxury coach tour,
and I'd like to continue with some highlights from the C.I.E. Best of Britain
tour.
Having arrived at Heathrow Airport midday, C.I.E.'s driver
picked us up and loaded our luggage into the shiny black car that took us to
our hotel, the Hart and Garter, right across the street from Windsor Castle.
Portage was included throughout the trip, so we didn't have to haul our
suitcases up a couple of flights of carpeted stairs to our room. We met our
tour guide, David, who gave us vouchers to head across the street and visit the
castle before dinner. We changed out of our traveling gear and headed out to
explore. After dinner with the tour group, we had time for more exploring
before nightfall. We found Windsor to be
easily walkable on a warm summer evening.
The next morning, our squeaky clean and comfortable coach
awaited after a yummy British breakfast which included the ubiquitous beans and
broiled tomato that we would see every morning throughout our trip, no matter
the city, along with eggs, juice, pastries and sausage. Our first stop was Cambridge, then on to York. Since my grandmother's
surname was York, I asked a young clerk in a shop in the Shambles if there were
any residents of York with that name. She looked a bit surprised at the
question and her answer was 'no.' Slightly disappointed, I went off to Betty's
and bought a handmade Cru Sauvage Dark Chocolate bar and a couple of tins of
shortbread biscuits to bring home as gifts. The tins were decorated to
commemorate the Queen's diamond jubilee. Full disclosure: I ate the chocolate
bar and it was delish!
Onward north on the following day. Next stop: Alnwick (pronounced "Ann-ick") Castle and Gardens. Although it was one of the
sites used in the filming of broom-flying lessons of Harry Potter, I was more
intriqued with the Poison Garden. Surrounded by a substantial locked gate with
large skull-and-crossbone signs reading, "These plants can kill," the
Poison Garden can only be toured in small groups with a docent in attendance.
Our guarding-guide pointed out the medicinal or evil uses of many different
plants and some gruesome stories to
illustrate her point. Horror stories aside, the plants and flowers were
beautiful. The grounds also featured a bamboo maze, a sod house for the poison chemist,
a rose garden, a trellis garden, a allee' of shade plants, and a mammoth central
waterfall-fountain with dancing water. With a wonderful gift shop, cafe, and
castle to explore, we also took time to have lunch in a local pub down the lane
outside the castle gate.
In Edinburgh, (pronounced "Edd-in-burr-uh") we
picked up a local guide to assist David with the hundreds of years of
historical references. We had two days in Edinburgh, so plenty of time to
explore on our own and with the guides. Our hotel was situated only 1/2 block
off the Royal Mile and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was in full swing.
A tour dinner was included the first night at a Scottish pub
featuring kilted pipers, singers, and dancers. It was a little touristy, but
when you're only in the city for a short time, it is still a fun and easy way
to see some of the local traditions on display. After dinner and before
dessert, the haggis was piped in and addressed with a traditional Robbie Burns
poem, "Ode to a Haggis." Served with 'neeps & tatties (a turnips-and-potato mash), the haggis
was quite peppery, but I managed to clean my plate.
On the second day, we spent a lovely time at Edinburgh
Castle (you must have tea in Mary, Queen of Scots' tea room - order the
scrumptious toffee caramel biscuit!) and shopped along the Royal Mile. We found
a kilt weaving establishment and toured the massive looms. Afterward, we were
dressed in the plaid textiles, handed an assortment of props from bagpipes to
swords, and had our portrait made.
One of my long time goals was to see the monument to
Greyfriar's Bobby on Candlemakers Row, which was just a short walk from our
lodging. We found the monuments to the famous and adorable little dog, and a
pub of the same name with excellent shepherd's pie, fish and chips, and beer.
Alas, we could not find the geocache hidden in Greyfriar's kirkyard. Excitement was building, though, because the
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was coming right up.
We walked up the Royal Mile onto the castle esplanade with
our special reserve tickets in hand. The evening was definitely a highlight of
the "Best of Britain" tour. Although a summer rain threatened, the
skies cleared enough for a thrilling night of music, dance, light shows,
drumming, piping, pageantry and fireworks. Highland dancers told the story of
whisky, whilst the Scottish massed bands passed through medieval Scotland, its
agricultural age and mechanical era with music, fire, and dance. Among the many
different performances were local children dressed in period costume acting to
music written for the Disney-Pixar movie, Brave.
From great kilts to modern uniforms, several countries were represented by
their marching or performance bands
in a variety of musical styles. Our hands-down favorite was Switzerland's Top
Secret Drum Corps, whose precision drumming lit their drums in a technical
light show of unbelievable thrills. Throughout the night, scenes were projected
on the side of the castle to illustrate the theme of each particular
performance, and at the end of the evening, the lone piper appeared on the
castle ramparts to close the tattoo. It was such a wonderful evening, we pre-ordered the DVD that would be available at the end of the two-week run of the Tattoo.
Tattoo? The story from 1594 goes that it is a derivation of
the curfew statement "doe den tap toe" which Dutch for "turn off
the tap." In the Thirty Years War,
Scottish, English, German and Swiss mercenary soldiers were commanded by the
Dutch States Army. Drummers would be sent out of the garrison into the towns to inform soldiers it was time to return to barracks at 9:30 each evening.
Drummers would continue to play until 10:00 p.m. "Tattoo" was earlier called
tap-too, with the same meaning as the Dutch "tap toe."
Our last stop in Scotland was Gretna Green where young
couples have eloped to be married over the blacksmith's anvil since 1754. There
was actually a wedding in progress when we stopped in, and the young lady who
sold us our kilt portrait back in Edinburgh told me she was also married there.
On site is a cafe, clean restrooms, a souvenir shop serving sample shots of various whiskies, and lots of sheep in the
surrounding pastures. All that and a wee bit of history in the old blacksmith's
stone shop that serves as a wedding chapel.
