Edinburgh Part I - Whistle Binkie anyone?

I don't know if there is such a thing as a Whistle Binkie but it is the name of a pub in Edinburgh near the Royal Mile. And a wonderful name it is, don't you think?

Enough of the digression onward - a train ride from York brought us to Edinburgh and a jarring -cobbled streets- but speedy taxi ride had us at our  lovely B&B  (AmarAgua) in no time at all.
Tired and hungry after the mishap on the stairs, emergency room etc., and the two hour train ride, dinner and sleep were in order. Edinburgh would wait until the morning.

Shaved, showered, shampooed, and full of a delicious breakfast, the first order of business was a walk up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle - actually the city bus dropped us about half way up the Royal Mile, so the walk was not exactly a mile... but what a day we had. Edinburgh Castle kept us occupied the entire day. The castle which dates to the 11th century has everything from the crown jewels of Scotland and the royal palace to the Scottish National War Memorial and a pet cemetery to suits of armour and a large 13th century siege cannon, Mons Meg. This bad boy was a gift to the Scottish people from the Belgians(Merry Christmas do you like your new cannon?) and was capable of firing a 300 pound rock ball about 2 miles. Must've left quite the crater. This brings up the fact...

At 1:00 PM a cannon is fired-no not Mons Meg silly. A practice started (prior to standardization of time think keeping time) as a means for ships to set their navigational devices, gauged the tides, etc.  Castle visitors grab the best viewing spots about 45 minutes prior the firing. We were among those jostling for a prime location and snared good real estate. Cameras were everywhere awaiting the blast and with a poof and boom the whole things happened before the shutters could be clicked. More castle stuff...

Mary Queen of Scots resided in Edinburgh Castle when she gave birth to King James VI of Scotland- the year was 1566. James VI became the King of England but known as James I. It was this James I who authorized a translation of the bible -hence the King James version of the bible.

To tell you the truth -I am now utterly confused by the history of the English monarchy. Royal families all over Europe seem to be connected and a genealogical chart listing all the cast of characters would be very useful to try and track all these folks through time.  Wars were fought over who deserved to be crowned but I still find myself befuddled trying to keep all of the relations straight.

I don't think that this qualifies as a digression but I need to add a short bit about the Royal Mile. What a fascinating collection of medieval buildings, 21st century businesses, buskers, street performers and alley's with names like The World's End Close and Flesh Market Close.

Although it was a little slow going for me due to the ankle, Edinburgh Castle, yes I do believe we saw it all.  More later...Edinburgh part II is in the works...

Miscellaneous things you might not know

Date line Edinburgh:

Did you know that the origins of the term "toe the line" date back to the early British Parliament. During debate Members of Parliament would stand facing each other. The space between them was a swords length -holding the sword. Since MP's were armed, a line was drawn -toe line- that marked how far apart debaters should stand in the event that things got nasty and the swords came out.

Today the expression ear mark has positive and negative meanings. But the origin or the term may date back to the middle ages. A merchant found guilty of dishonesty had his ear nailed to a wall. It was a form of public shaming. Once the time was served -ear nailed to the wall- the nail was not removed first. Instead, the offender's ear was pulled off the wall making a permanent mark- ear lobbed ripped- on the ear.

When a child rides on an adult or an older child's back, we call it a piggy back ride. In olden time families shared their living spaces with pigs, chickens, cows, etc. When the baby pigs were around, children would ride them for fun. It was a literal piggy back ride.

The term pin money may have evolved when women wore lace collars that were pinned to their dresses. Because the pins were made of metal, they would rust in a couple of days especially during damp weather. New pins cost money and in those days women would need to ask their husbands for "pin money."

ps: My ankle is beginning to get a bit better and I am getting around Edinburgh. I did buy a walking stick which has helped. 

York -2000 Years of History in 3 days

How does one see the sights of a city so steeped in 2000 years of history? You walk and walk and walk. But if you are with the Big Fella, you start with a tour of the York Brewery. Our afternoon arrival by train 15 minute walk to our B&B and all the while feeling lost until a stranger stopped and asked if we needed directions and thank your favorite deity, she was a godsend because it was getting a bit tense. We deserved a reward.  Once settled we tried to orient ourselves by you guessed it...walking. And the funny thing is that walk took us directly to the York Brewery in time for the last tour of the day. Included in the tour? Well that would be a pint of whatever is on tap. Yes, a tall -I'd say cool one here but it was room temp- was enjoyed. Next was the hunt for a meal and we decided on The House of Trembling Madness which we almost missed due to it being in the same building -dates to the middle ages- as a "bottle shop."  The House of Trembling Madness -ya gotta love the name- is on the second floor of the building. The Big Fella enjoyed the sausages, mashed spuds, and mushy peas. I opted for the meat pie with mashed spuds, gravy, and grilled onions. Our first real pub food was accompanied by a couple of pints. A good meal with way too much food, good brew, and a good night.

On day two, after a tasty English Breakfast -eggs, sausage, bacon, tomatoes, and mushrooms- your intrepid travelers decided that a guided tour of the old city was in order. Our tour guide did walk us through the 2000 yrs of the history of York. Some of the stops included Roman ruins, bits about the Vikings, the remains of Norman Abbeys, walking on a portion of what is left of the city wall and of course how Henry VIII sacked the local abbeys.

Access to the historic places in York from our B&B was a shortcut through the York Botanical Gardens and the ruins of St Mary's Abbey. The Abbey must have been formidable. What's left and the foot print allows a visitor to imagine how grand it must have been. Unfortunately for the monks who ran the place, it was destroyed by Henry VIII when he broke with Roman Catholic Church, appointed himself head of the Church of England and well you need to read the history. But in short the monks were driven out, Henry VIII confiscated anything valuable and the once immense church fell to ruins.

Ok so now my reporting is out of order in an historic sense, but this brings me to the Vikings. That band of marauders arrived after the Romans and before the Normans. There was a significant Viking settlement in York -the name York is derived from the Viking name of Jorvik. You might be asking, hmmm is there a museum about the Vikings?. Yes,  and we visited the-ahem- Jorvik Museum. Oddly it bore no resemblance to Ballard.  There are plenty of artifacts to peruse including  a re-creation of what life was like in Jorvik. Real human skulls and bones with war injuries were displayed. Ugh. And the big attraction for the school kids was a petrified piece of human- um oh gosh how to I handle this- well it is human excrement. There I said it. Apparently, scientists were thrilled to find it as it revealed much about the Viking diet. That leads me to...

The National Railway Museum is in York and you know that we spent an entire day there. But folks I need to say that this was the very best railway museum I have visited -ever.  And trust me, the Big Fella has dragged me to plenty of railroad museums.I have the pictures to prove it. This museum was gold for him and more than made up for the erm Tank Museum being left off the itinerary.

The York Minster was today's attraction but that was canceled due to my infirmity. I hope to return to York if for no other reason than to visit the Minster.  What I saw of York I loved...the shambles, the cobbled streets, crooked alleys, buildings that date to medieval times, Cliffords Tower and the City Wall, lovely botanical garden, Roman, Viking, Norman ruins a, good beer and pub food, The Rivers Ouse and Foss and the friendly people. All are now fond fond memories.

The Real Perils of Pauline

I am not accident prone but...

Before leaving for Edinburgh, we were to visit the York Minster. It is the largest Gothic church north of the Alps (per Rick Steves) and dominates in skyline here in York. Construction on it began in 1220 and took 250 yrs to complete, as well it sits on the remains of an ancient Roman building. Today, new construction is not allowed to obstruct the views of the Minster which means there are no sky scrapers. But back to the topic at hand...why are we missing this wonderful church which is steeped in history?

Yours truly took a bit of a tumble down the stairs-at the B&B while trying get my suitcase to the lobby. It was a spectacle to say the least complete  complete with near fainting due to ankle pain, other guests gawking at me, the kind owner offering assistance,  paramedics ready with a joke, a ride to hospital with stories about being there at least 6 hours and experiencing the NHS (National Healthcare System, you get the idea.  )Lucky for me, we were first in the queue at the E.R. X-rays were ordered before ever seeing a Doc, and we were in and out, taxi ordered in about an hour. No fracture was seen just a bad sprain. So the trip will continue but I will be a bit hobbled for  a day or two or three.

My dear Big Fella is off to find some Tylenol and lunch so we don't starve, but of course there is no chance of that happening when he's on board -missing a meal that is. We will press on and hopefully arrive in Edinburgh on schedule. Meanwhile I am feeling a bit sorry for myself -I really wanted to tour the Minster but it gives us a reason to return to this wonderful city.  I have nothing but praise for the care I received from both the hospital staff and the paramedics -who asked me my age by stating, I hope you don't mind this but I have to ask it, how old are you?

A post devoted to York is in the works but without all of the drama.  And I will sign off with bit of the wisdom of Roseanne Roseannadanna.

"It's always something."

What are the Odds and Ends?

While waiting for a London Walk to begin, the Big  Fella noticed a young man wearing a Seattle Sonics jersey -as in a very old style Sonics jersey ala Fred Brown, Gus Williams, Jack Sikma era jersey. Wasting no time I said,  "Hi, can I as you a question?" He looked up from his phone - I continued-" are you a fan of the Seattle Super Sonics? I see you have the old style jersey." The young man from Italy eyes got very big and he said, "you can't be from Seattle."  The jersey had just arrived the day before -ordered on-line- and he cried as he opened the package. The jersey was donned today for the first time, and now he could hardly believe that he was talking to a couple from Seattle. We talked a bit about the old teams -Ray Allen was his favorite player. Folks our reputation as a casual place must be known outside of our universe. Apparently he'd heard that suits are rarely worn in Seattle, but nobody ever wears a tie in our fair city. Well, OK we are casual but there is - although the sheer number maybe small- a suit and tie wearing crowd within the city limits. But yes our dress tends to be informal. Indeed what are the odds of running into a 20 something kid from Italy wearing an old time Sonics jersey while in London. Go figure.

Onward and upward next topic the Perils of Pauline -well sort of. The Big Fella's luggage was too big-ahem- to fit into the overhead bin for the train trip from London to York. It was stowed in an official baggage area but kept falling over which triggered the door sensor between train cars and you get the idea -open close open close. So he moved it but that failed to do the trick, so he decided hey while I'm up here I will use the Loo. Unfortunately for him the Loo was awash-er clogged. Didn't anyone else notice and why not notify the attendant? Who knows but the Boy Scout did his good turn and unfortunately that facility was closed for the duration of the trip.  OK that was probably too much information. Grab a hanky for one more bit of train whining, we had to sit backwards. Oh no!As a result of our Grand Central Line train being cancelled we lost our reserved seats but were welcome to take any available seat in cars G or C. Festival seating but at least we were able to sit together. Trains are a great way to get around. They are economical if you purchase a ticket 2-3 months in advance, quiet, and pretty darn comfortable. More ramblings...

Although England and America are English speaking countries, we certainly use different terms to describe things. Take signs for instance- fly tipping was covered already-, another is no dog fouling -self explanatory,  humps ahead -speed bumps, mind the gap -watch your step. You get the idea and I will share them as I see them. 

So what about York? It is interesting and wonderful enough to have it's own post and it's in the works.

No Tanks for You

Put your feet up. This could be a long post,as there is some catching up to do. FYI: we are now in York

We said goodbye to London this morning and arrived in York around 1:30PM. There was a bit of a hiccup in the plan but I will get to that in a bit. Where was I...oh yes the Tank Museum. Turns out that said museum was about 2 hours away by train. Since buying the tickets the day of travel is on the expensive side, it made the Tank Museum a no go.  Aw Nuts! However gleeful I was at the turn of events, the Big Fella was NOT disuaded by the situation. He found what was -in his mind- a reasonable aternative that was actually in London. The National Army Museum served as the stand-in. Sigh. It was our morning activity on Sunday and suppose it was like going to church for himself. Enough of tanks and the army just what have we been doing?

Saturday was a 5 star day for us. My cousin Isabella and husband David spent the entire day giving us a tour of London that is sure to be a highlight of my trip. We began on a double decker city bus that took us through many of London's posher areas -Chelsea for instance. We got on and off buses a couple of times to save wear and tear on the feet but this was a walking tour for the most part. We hit Buckingham Palace just as the changing of the guard began. Due to the crowds, we were unable to get very close but saw enough of it to satisfy our curiosity. As we strolled by the Parliament building, David provided us with a bit of history about the building. Crossing the Thames at the Tower Bridge, we meandered through the area on the other side of the river -stopping to take pictures and wouldn't you know it, found a pub! Adult beverages were enjoyed by all. Hugs all around ended our wonderful day and it was back to our home away from home -the B&B in Fulham -which by the way is a great place to stay.

Our first day in London we bought a bottle of gin for Miller Time enjoyment and wouldn't you know it the small refrigerator in the guest area of the B&B did not have a freezer. Bummer dude - I don't know about martinis but gin and tonics need an ice cube or two. We went back and forth as to whether we should ask our host for ice but in the end threw caution to the wind.  Yup, she had ice and was more than happy to share it with us and what's more she liked gin! Woo Hoo! Two quite wonderful Miller Times were shared- one on her roof top deck and the other-our last night in London-included an impromptu piano and clarinet jazz set performed by she and her husband. Happy but hungry the Fella and I found a cozy spot to eat where it was trivia night. Never one to back away from a game of mindless trivia, we joined the fun -game over. The dynamic duo was dead last but finished. At that we called it a night. A wonderful end to a wonderful time in London.

Folks we are now caught up and that brings me to this morning's adventure. Packed and ready to go, we embarked on our last ride on the Underground which we actually got pretty good at -riding the Underground that is. Sooo, one transfer at Victoria Station would get us to King's Cross in order to catch the train to York. Turned in the Oyster Cards, got a refund on the unused fare, found the train station and then proceeded to orient ourselves and check on our train.  Found the 11:21AM to York, destinations listed but at the very bottom was a notice. The train was cancelled due to what was likely a mechanical problem. AAACK! Now what?! I stood in a line for a ticket agent only to be told that I was in the wrong line and go see customer service over there. Dejected, I found the end of that line and waited my turn. The other trains to York were  run by a different company and I was worried that we would not get out as scheduled. The agent informed me that the East Coast Train leaving at 11:30 Am would accommodate us. Our tickets were good for that line and I may get a partial refund for the inconvenience.   We arrived in York safe, sound, and relieved. A happy ending.

No Moose and Mosquito Tour is complete without a Wild Life Update: No wildlife  but there is No Fly Tipping. I am not sure what this means for the flies but there is signage in Fulham warning would-be fly tippers. I do believe that it has something to do about littering or perhaps putting garbage in a can that does not belong to you. But whatever it means, the flies are on notice.

 And everyone please, Mind the Gap.

Just say no to Tank Museums

OK, I planned this trip. I set up a spreadsheet for cryin' out loud.There was the reading. I won't list all of the books. But fun topics like the plague, heretics condemned to death by burning at the stake or be-headings, Henry VIII and all of his wives, jousting, and  lest I forget the War of the Roses (aka the 100 year war.). Downton Abbey(PBS series)provided an important backdrop for the lead up to World War I, and for a bit of the swashbuckling-ahem-the film version of Rob Roy made the agenda.  Then there was the extensive research into historic places and museums (the Imperial War Museum-snort) that might keep the Big Fella happy and occupied.

I asked the Big Fella on numerous occasions if there was anything in particular that I should include. Nope, he says -just along for the ride. Except in the late summer the Fella announced that he'd done a bit of searching and found a museum that seemed quite interesting. Might it be worked into the schedule? Well, it depended on where it was and by the way what is this museum? He replies quite proudly, The Tank Museum. Yes folks in England there is a museum devoted entirely to Tanks  -as in Sherman. and Panzers. Sigh. No dear -the Churchill War Rooms and the Imperial War Museum are both on the schedule. Those two should suffice, no?(All the while I am thinking Tank Museum he's got to be kidding!) And really there are so many things to see in London such as the British Museum -the Rosetta Stone anyone?- Westminster Abbey, Big Ben,Buckingham Palace, Parliament, The Tower of London... Confident that I'd nipped that in the bud, I tried to forget about it. But you must know, this saga is not over.

Our first day in London included several hours at the Churchill War Rooms, Churchill Museum, and a London Walks focused on the Blitz. It was a good day. This morning was Westminster Abbey and the Imperial War Museum. All was going well until it became clear that most of the Imperial War Museum was closed due to renovation and the big items -planes, jeeps, tanks, etc- were not on display.  I was foiled.!  Guess what came up today? Yup, that would be the Tank Museum.  Stay tuned.

Tomorrow is going to be quite wonderful as we are spending the day with a second cousin of mine and her spouse. This is our first in-person meeting and I am psyched. Our Dad's were first cousins and never met and I doubt knew of each others existence.  I'll be thinking alot about my Dad tomorrow. Good stuff!

Somehow I don't think that the Tank Museum is going away quietly.

Mary

A cloudy day in London town - people are so interesting

Long flights are not my favorite past time but can be quite interesting in the people watching category.   Yes, flying in steerage has its pluses. Aisle blockers are fun to observe and curiously oblivious. Take the guy who was kiddie corner from us -it seemed that every time the flight attendants needed the aisle for the beverage or food cart, up he popped to grab something from one of the two of the over head compartments that his bags occupied. Clueless to the surroundings or needs of the crew, at one point his rather large suitcase was sitting, open on his seat while he stood in the aisle rummaging through it. The flight attendants waited patiently. I snorted.  There are the folks who actually sleep on an airplane and those who can only make an attempt. It is all about finding the right position. Watching folks contort themselves into what they believe to be a sleeping position is an example of human ingenuity or torture. Most of us do our darndest to try and get comfy only to wind up stiff, tired, and grumpy by the end of the flight. And yes, I am one of those in the attempt to sleep category. The recline while they dine is a curious group. Just as a practical matter this does not make much of sense. Besides maximizing the potential for spillage, it really annoys the bloke sitting behind and the cleaning bills  -oy.  It is best to try and keep your sense of humor during these long excursions.

Needless-to-say, we arrived in London (cloudy and about 55), got through customs, and boarded the Tube to our destination -The Barclay House B&B. The Tube experience wasn't too bad except when I purchased the Oyster Cards, I called it an Orca Card, and the ticket agent was shocked that I'd only buy the minimum of amount of fare. It's all good. The first order of business was a nap. Greg snored and I was able to catch a couple of z's. But the real fun begins tomorrow. Ya, it's a couple of museums and more. Stay tuned.

Moose and Mosquito Rides Again -cue the William Tell Overture

It has been two plus years since the last Moose and Mosquito adventure, and I  know that you've missed me. Admit it. You've longed for my amusing anecdotes, descriptive digressions, wacky wit and madcap musings about life, love, and the Big Fella's quest to see every military, small town, automobile, goofy gadget, airplane, and farm machinery museum known to man. Folks, I am back, but you must be asking why such a long hiatus.

Well... our wanderings to Hell's Canyon and Desolation Sound  were as they say, off the grid -and by the way I don't know who "they" are. Hard to believe but there is no internet in Hell's Canyon - hence no blogging. which also means no Facebook.. Horrors, how do they survive in the wilderness! A cruise in Desolation Sound was too boring to blog.  It would have been a relentless whine about gorgeous scenery and seven days of beautiful weather and the best Miller Times ever, and my camera going for a plunge in Squirrel Cove and the mayhem following an anchor slip in the middle of the night. No WiFi, sigh. Some things will need to be left to the imagination.

But never fear Moose and Mosquito Tours is about to ride again to a part of the world with an abundance of WiFi. Yes!  The wilds of London,York, Edinburgh await us and for kicks and giggles a little tooling about Ireland is on the agenda. But do brace yourself as what I am about to say is hard to fathom  -in fact you should sit down. There will be no camping on this trip -oh darn.  It is bed and breakfasts all the way baby. There will be castles, museums, haggis, museums, Jack the Ripper, museums, negotiating the Tube, museums, leprechauns, museums, driving on the wrong side of the road, and museums, Guinness, and did I mention museums. Soooo.....

 Ladies and Gentlemen I suggest that you take your seat and fasten your seat belt, make sure your seat back and folding trays are in their full upright position. All aboard and hold onto your hats because Moose and Mosquito Tours is about to begin.