Scotland, Germany and Prague

September 2008

 

 

10/07/08

 
We couldn't make our nephew and godson's confirmation last winter, so we scheduled ourselves across the pond in late August, flying into Edinburgh.  We took the train up to Aberdeen and on to Keith, down to York and back to Edinburgh where we boarded a flight for Nuremburg where Mary's brother lives.  We picked up our nephew and took the train to Prague where we walked around the old part of the city for three days and reveled in its architecture.  I think it's the most beautiful city I've ever seen.  We returned to Nuremburg, visited with Mary's brother's family and then flew to Dusseldorf to spend time with one of our "adopted" German daughters and our faux grandbaby!  We got to visit with my German soul brother, Horst, and his wife and our other "adopted" daughter and her family.  In all, a wonderful visit with family and old friends.  Frequent flyer points got us over there and with almost everyone putting us up in guest rooms, it wasn't too bad considering the exchange rates at the moment. 

 
Dunnotar Castle on the coast near Aberdeen.  The Honors of Scotland were hidden from Cromwell here in the seventeenth century.  Dunnotar Castle was used for part of the Mel Gibson movie, Hamlet and for The Amazing Race, a TV show. 
We had to have a look at the castle above Edinburgh... ...and stroll the botanic gardens.

From Keith, we toured the whisky region, home of many a famous, single malt whisky.  I have to confess, we stayed up until 2 AM sampling the local product, too... 

Just a little country estate....
Auchindoun Castle stands alone off the beaten path... ...it's walls only somewhat preserved and its fine stonework scavenged for other buildings in the region. 
The happy couple in one of the old doorways... Looks like the bridge from some famous painting, doesn't it? 
In York, we visited with Jane, a friend from the 1969 Quaker Youth Pilgrimage whom Mary Louise had not seen since!  We took in the narrow streets of York and of course, the Minster...
St. Francis of Assisi Church near the Charles Bridge just across the river from the castle above Prague.  We heard a concert of seventeenth and eighteenth century music here, part of it on an organ that Mozart played.  I was almost in tears from the music.  It was wonderful!  It was the 40th anniversary of Prague Spring and there were memorials and displays on Wenceslaus Square. 
We walked for hours on the streets of Prague and there was always something like this around the corner... ...or a street of Baroque houses like these. 
There were squares with restaurants in the open air... ...and more ornate churches than we could have imagined.
In Dusseldorf, we stopped for a brew.  Our faux grandbaby and proud parents
We had to do a bit of site seeing, taking in a medieval, walled city... ....and it's surrounds.
The castle in Bad Hamburg... ...and our hosts. 
A tour of the wine region near Nuremburg ... and Mary's brother and part of his family. 

Utah - March 2008

This site was last updated 10/07/08