NEWCASTLE

 We docked in Newcaste and did a ships tour today to Alnwick Castle and Gardens.

We took a scenic route to the castle which showed the lovely shoreline and how things have been modernised on the coast. 

Alnwick castle was very impresssive with the beautifu state rooms where you were not allowed to take photographs. We stopped for coffee and ice cream before goin into the gardens about lunchtime. The weather was perfect blue sunny skies temperature about 23.

Back on the ship just in time for Trivia, we did better today. Then in the evening a lovely dinner with the Shamrocks.

ROUND THE TOP OF SCOTLAND TO EDINBURGH

The weather for the day at sea was poor. However we had trivia and name that tune as well as a matinee concert by Dominic Ferris who is such a talented pianist.

Arrival in Leith was on time and the sun was shining. We got the tram into Edinburgh and wandered around, even going in the National Gallery which had amazing paintings inside including The MOnarch of the Glen, until it was time to go to Marys Close which is a tour on the undergound streets as Edinburgh used to be. Not allowed to take photos inside and the stories they tod were fascinating; actors were good.

We then climbed up Calton Hill which had tremendous iews of the city and our ship 2 miles away. Sat watching the world for a while then came back on the tram to the ship.

Sat outside readin in the glorious weather.

OBAN

Well at home the weather is very hot here it is cold and wet. We went by tender to Oban and managed to walk up the hill and back down before the rain. The weather deteriorated as we walked around the town. We passed the Chocolatier but too busy to go in, went to the distillery and a coupe of whisky shops. Oban is a lovely town bigger than I thought it woud be.  

Views to the Isle of Mull poor!

Got the tender back and it was really cold and windy by this time and as we got back on board the Captain announced tender operations were stopping and only bringing people back to the ship.

Greencastle for Londonderry

The weather was cloudy and cool. We were on a trip to the Walls of Derry in the afternoon. SO no rush in the morning.

Left at lunchtime and had the most useless guide possible who hated the English!! We realised soon on we should have done the shutte and walked ourselves around the town.

Londonderry very interesting due to all the troubles there were here and Sunday boody SUnday in 1972. Walked the walls went in the cathedral and the guildhal, across the peace bridge. At least it did not rain. Guiness of course. Hearing about Bogside which we remembered from the news and H block for the prisoners.

Many druggies around which seems very common in al these cities we visit.

Greenoch for Glasgow 4th July

 The weather could not have been more Scottish, it was cold and rainy. We were getting a train into Glasgow to meet our friend Aileen.  On the train we encountered a lot of drunk people (it was 930 in the morning!). The journey was 35 minutes into Glasgow Central and only cost £6.60 for the return journey. We seem to pay a lot more for services in the south of the country!!

Her train arrived five minutes after ours and we then braved the weather and walked to the Cathedral. In Glasgow today there was an Orange march and there were thousands of people marching; I have never seen anything like it. 

We wandered the city and then had a coffee and cake in a church in the middle of the main area before we caught the train back to Greenoch.

Back on board the captain announced that the last surviving paddle steamer was about to go past so i had to rush on deck to take a photo.