One of the positives to the UK during the summer months was to be the fact that we would be escaping the heat in Turkey. Well, there was quite a heat wave happening in the southern part of the UK so luckily our for cat sitting was farther north in Aberdeen, Scotland. We had heard that some of the trains werent running due to the heat of the tracks, but again, our luck was holding out and nothing interrupted our travels north. There also have been railway strikes, but fortunately none of the strike days have been on days we needed to travel, at least yet. We are keeping our fingers crossed that will continue.
We had heard that the train ride from Newcastle along the coast was a beautiful one and fortunately this is the route our train was scheduled to go. They didnt lie as this was one of the most scenic rides weve been on as it included miles and miles of the coast and around the Bay in Edinburgh as well as through some beautiful agricultural areas. I am surprised when riding the trains that I seem to be the only one
with my camera ready and looking out the window constantly. I always feel that there may just be something around the corner or through the fields that I might miss if I dont always look. I do always bring a book to read, but have found recently that it isnt even worth getting it out of my backpack as I never want to take the time away from enjoying the scenery we pass. Bob did check at one time with his navigational software on his iPad to check our location and to see the speed we were traveling. It registered at 103.5 knots which when converted is 123.5 miles per hour. Im just glad that I have been able to get the photos that I do with that speed!
We were sorry that we were not going to meet Claire or Anna in Aberdeen as we talked to them on a video call before finalizing and they seem very lovely and enjoy traveling as well, but it didnt work out to do so. They were very flexible with our arrival and departure time, but it meant not meeting up, but it still worked out well as they
were very informative with all the information, we would need to take care of Leyla and Gerry and even gave a few suggestions of things to see while in the area.
When we got off the train and walked the streets, we were almost overwhelmed with the amount of grey granite! There didnt seem to be any color at all. We did hear later that Aberdeen many times has been referred to as the granite city and we understand why. It almost seemed dreary when we first arrived, but as the days went by it wasnt as overwhelming (but as Bob kept saying, it is still really grey!). Fortunately, the place we were staying was on a bus route so we learned our way around quite quickly.
One of the days we decided to take in the Maritime Museum as it was rainy, windy and cold. Actually, it was cold enough that I put on my jeans and fleece again after being in shorts and all the time we have been here. As Bob said, we have been wanting it colder so we are getting it! We have been to many maritime museums in other locations, but
this one was different in many ways. The major industries over the years here have been fishing as well as oil production from the numerous oil platforms located in the North Sea. They did an excellent job of providing information on what it is like for the people that live on the rigs a few weeks at a time. Information was also provided on the safety equipment and designs that were added after a major fire occurred killing many. We were able to see a video of the of a platform and how such a large structure is removed. Other parts of the museum covered the fishing industry – the industry itself and the fishermen and their families that have struggled over the years to make a living from it.
Bobs neck and shoulder were still bothering him so knowing that we were going to be in Aberdeen for a week I had done research from Newcastle and made 2 appointments for him with a physical therapist.
