Two Weddings and a pandemic.

[love_the_life]

Nice of them to celebrate a birthday....

View attachment 278926

You knew you were important....

 

[love_the_life]

Bummer. They just cancelled the boat trip. Refunds coming.

Did they give a reason?

 

[Pushka]

Did they give a reason?

50 knot winds in an email later sent.

So we decided to collect the son and go to Brighton. So son could give driving tips along the way . It's just over an hour away. Quickly did some research.

I do love a good sandy beach. Oh wait.









So many windmills. It's kinda strange seeing people sitting on, well, rocks.



Bit different to the rather luxurious Surf Life facilities in Australia.

 

[Pushka]

My earlier research had told me that a 360 platform had just reopened. Covid etc. So tried to find it on the beach.

Spotto. My two boys.





Tickets in hand. Yes, an airline experience.











Why not!

 

[Pushka]

The views were pretty good and a clear day. Taken through glass.





The White Cliffs of.....Brighton?









Across to the Isle of Wight.



About 30 minutes flight. Had some lunch on the beach cafe then back to TW.

 

[RooFlyer]

Tickets in hand. Yes, an airline experience.

You mean an hour through security, then finding your seat had been given to someone else etc...

Apologies ... loving the TR. Wasn't the Grand at Brighton the one that got bombed during the Conservative conference?

 

[VPS]

You mean an hour through security, then finding your seat had been given to someone else etc...

Apologies ... loving the TR. Wasn't the Grand at Brighton the one that got bombed during the Conservative conference?

Yes it was. I went up the tower at sunset and it was excellent.

Enjoying this TR too

 

[SYD]

Wow, haven‘t been to Brighton for years. Definitely before the i360 and I don’t recall seeing *any* wind turbines!

The stones were still there - a bit of a cough playing beach volleyball!

Get down to Cornwall. They have actual sandy beaches there.

 

[andye]

I lived in Brighton for 3 years in one of the big Regency squares. The shared central garden had an private tunnel to the pebble () beach-it emerged near the nudist part.
Despite the stones it's a great town with a real energy

 

[Pushka]

Wow, haven‘t been to Brighton for years. Definitely before the i360 and I don’t recall seeing *any* wind turbines!

The stones were still there - a bit of a cough playing beach volleyball!

Get down to Cornwall. They have actual sandy beaches there.

We are doing the opposite. Going north. First to Grantham, then Edinburgh and then into Inverness. All of which starts Wednesday. Not much touring for the next couple of days. Sleeping a problem in this tiny bed and its bright from around 4am and window faces sunrise.

 

[love_the_life]

We are doing the opposite. Going north. First to Grantham, then Edinburgh and then into Inverness. All of which starts Wednesday. Not much touring for the next couple of days. Sleeping a problem in this tiny bed and its bright from around 4am and window faces sunrise.

When in Inverness are you visiting Culloden? It is a very moving place with many burial mounds for the clans (including my forebears).

 

[SYD]

We are doing the opposite. Going north. First to Grantham, then Edinburgh and then into Inverness. All of which starts Wednesday. Not much touring for the next couple of days. Sleeping a problem in this tiny bed and its bright from around 4am and window faces sunrise.

We did EDI after Cornwall and Berlin. Hopefully its a little warmer by now!

 

[Pushka]

When in Inverness are you visiting Culloden? It is a very moving place with many burial mounds for the clans (including my forebears).

Absolutely. I've read all the Outlander books since I started reading them in 2000 before they became cult status. I have a Culloden tour booked with a small Scottish Tour company and we are doing a trip to Skye with them. I'm visiting Culloden while MrP has booked a Fly Trout Fishing expedition. What name should I look out for? We are both buying ourselves a cashmere scarf at Frasers in Inverness for our wedding anniversary. Which is the same day as my birthday. Which is the same day as sons wedding recap. Oh. And the Westminster Service I think for the Queens Platinum.

Which tartan should we get?

We did EDI after Cornwall and Berlin. Hopefully its a little warmer by now!

Yep but we have a Sons wedding to go to as well. It's sunny today. Well, this morning. We planned and booked our trip on the basis that we needed to test and isolate on arrival to UK, months ago so we spent more time in London than we normally would. Cutting it less to explore.

 

[love_the_life]

Absolutely. I've read all the Outlander books since I started reading them in 2000 before they became cult status. I have a Culloden tour booked with a small Scottish Tour company and we are doing a trip to Skye with them. I'm visiting Culloden while MrP has booked a Fly Trout Fishing expedition. What name should I look out for? We are both buying ourselves a cashmere scarf at Frasers in Inverness for our wedding anniversary. Which is the same day as my birthday. Which is the same day as sons wedding recap. Oh. And the Westminster Service I think for the Queens Platinum.

Which tartan should we get?

Do you have Scottish forebears at all? If so that's the tartan. If not just pick one you like the colours of . Many clans have several tartans - there might be an ancient, a dress, a modern. I'm Mackenzie clan but it is not one that non family would choose though it is green, red, blue and white.
For a little research The Scottish Register of Tartans
There is probably a special jubilee tartan that might be nice.

 

[drron]

When in Inverness are you visiting Culloden? It is a very moving place with many burial mounds for the clans (including my forebears).

Well you are not going to like me as my scots forebears fought with the English. They were Covenanters.

Covenanters - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

But unlike most they did not rejoin the Church and became a persecuted minority.
An interesting experience when we did our big Scotland trip. first went to the Bannockburn battlefield. I felt sorry for the fellow dressed as an englishman. Was being totally ignored so I went up and talked to him. he asked if I had any Scots ancestors so told him my story. Well laddie they would have fought with Robert the Bruce. Well done.
So later we went to Culloden and i did the same thing and talked to the fellow dressed as an Englishman and repeated my story. Oh laddie they would have fought with the English to which i exclaimed -yes winners again. sorry.

 

[Nukie]

Loving your trip report. Look forward to hearing about Grantham. Our daughter and SIL lived there for 3 years. She worked at Belton Woods hotel. Wedding reception not there??

 

[Pushka]

Loving your trip report. Look forward to hearing about Grantham. Our daughter and SIL lived there for 3 years. She worked at Belton Woods hotel. Wedding reception not there??

They are having a marquise at their home and catered for. I think things are a bit chaotic at large reception places because of the Queens thing.

Well @love_the_life thanks to that link we can take our pick of 3 tartans. We have a generic Caledonian one, Graham (origins of that name are family) and Jenkins of Wales - my great grandfather. Hmmm.

 

[love_the_life]

They are having a marquise at their home and catered for. I think things are a bit chaotic at large reception places because of the Queens thing.

Well @love_the_life thanks to that link we can take our pick of 3 tartans. We have a generic Caledonian one, Graham (origins of that name are family) and Jenkins of Wales - my great grandfather. Hmmm.

I think you might have had a finger slip there or a rogue autocorrect unless you have deliberately chosen the archaic term or perhaps are having a titled guest at the wedding.
(But it is not as glaring as my error with the butler's pantry which was truly groan worthy)

 

[Pushka]

Nothing much to report over the last couple of days. On Monday I even cooked a roast! The Brits love their roasts on Sunday and the pubs do Sunday roast at lunch time then many close...so it was a light meal of chicken wings and tenders. Monday I schlepped around while MrP went to the gym - two visits for £6 and the gym is three floors over a restored church. Rehearsed our parents speech - we are doing it in tandem, then cooked the chicken which was the smallest cheapest Sainsbury chook and it tasted just like an organic one from Australia. It was excellent.

Tuesday we did a big grocery shop for our time in Scotland at AirBNB. Plus some butter cake as I'm making Lamingtons (we are doing a UK-Aus theme. . . ), got the apple car play working which will save our marriage in the next few days, then grabbed a drink at a pub at 6pm where a family of three young kids were running havoc (and there were two more at home!) And the Dad was having a major Barney with someone while using speaker phone and he was yelling. . The pub was tiny. Everyone could hear and he clearly didn't give a toss.

Decided to have dinner elsewhere so visited the pizza express which was packed. We couldn't even get in the other day. We decided that of we don't have Covid by next Monday (after the time we've spent in planes, packed pubs and restaurants) then for the time being, we won't. As we are doing small coach trips in Inverness then we will wear masks then if not already positive.

So yesterday's brief photos.

Lovely character mews


Gorgeous items. Not cheap.



Hmmm. The pub.



Dinner



Today we are off to meet the Fokkers. Except I think we are the Fokkers.

These are everywhere

in preparation for the Special Four day public holiday Queens Platinum celebration.

Oh, and we booked a Med Cruise as well.

 

[love_the_life]

Those Japanese ceramics are widely available here as well. I love them. I have quite a few of the patterns in your photo. We have a cute shop in Manuka with a really good selection.

And how exciting about the cruise - when and on who?