Thursday, November 15, 2018

Discovering Scotland

I will be home in less than a month and I am getting excited!  The time has mostly flown by, especially when I view all of my photos and think of how many places I have been.  This has been a 6 month plus journey that was well worth the time and energy.  Due to colder weather, I have taken fewer walks and used time for some inside work – reflecting, organizing photos and files, trying to figure out the approximate cost of this venture, and also setting my next life goals.

Having a bit of “cabin fever”,  I traveled by train to Dundee, Scotland a few days ago.  The train view along the River Tay from Perth to Dundee was a nice trip.  I walked right out of the new downtown train station in front of the new Victoria & Albert Museum (Dundee) and the Discovery Center on the Tay river and found my new hotel just a few more steps away.  Good beginning.  

If anything, this trip reminded me to take advantage of nearby areas and seek out the events going on all around you.  We tend to say “not this week” and we can miss so much! Fairhope and the surrounding area always has something going on worth seeing. I have always said “If you are bored in Fairhope, somethings wrong with you!”.  As for me, I look forward to taking advantage of more events and activities in my own hometown of Fairhope and nearby areas in the future.

Dundee has an interesting history as a shipbuilding  and textile
center.  They also are known for jam.  The brand new Victoria & Albert Design Center by noted Japanese architect , Kengo Kuma is well worth seeing for the building design alone.  It looks like a futuristic ship. 

I visited the “Ocean Liners: Speed and Style” and “Designs of Scotland” exhibits.  The Ocean Liner exhibit showed the history and  “Style” of the great ocean liners of the past (no Celebrity Cruises here). Dressing for all meals, beautiful interiors and staterooms, and the oceangoing life of the really affluent who regularly travelled abroad.  A spacious First Class outside cabin with a private bathroom on the Queen Mary was just $295!  That is about $3,900 in today’s money.

Of equal interest was the actual ship “Discovery” built in Dundee in 1901.  Its first mission was the British National Antarctic Exposition with Capt. Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton that was very successful.  I did not know much about this and the videos and exhibits were really well done. 



The Discovery was locked in ice for two years and ice frequently had to be dislodged from the inside cabin walls.  Sadly, in 1912, when Scott tried to be the first to reach the South Pole, he arrived 5 weeks after the Norwegian expedition led by Roald Amundsen made the summit.  Capt. Cook died on the way back from his failed attempt to be the first person at the South Pole.  It was amazing to tour the insides of this ship and walk the same planks they did!

I enjoy movies and missed several now showing in the states due to limited movie houses and show times here.  That was rectified when I heard about the Dundee Contemporary Arts Center.  This exhibit space also had two movie venues with excellent movies showing while I was in Dundee.  I was able to see “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Fahrenheit 11/9”.  Both different and worth seeing.

Company is coming from Edinburgh this weekend and next week and that will be fun. Barbara’s mother bought this house years ago.  Nethy Bridge is gaining in popularity due to all of the nature and sports activities nearby and is a great place to visit. As for me, I am blessed to have friends who have places such as this and that they are willing to let me lease for this long period.
This Cartier tiara was saved from the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915,
Lady Allan, wife of a Canadian banker and shipping magnate was saved although her two daughters died.
Her maid put this tiara in her pocket for safekeeping.







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