Oktoberfest 2019

Mrs C and I were lucky to have a few days holiday in the glorious pre-brexit (this time we really mean it rubbish) last days of October.  Due to our foolish leaders and shortsighted elctorate, Scotland is having to leave the EU, and a by-product of this was that we needed to be back in the UK before the end of October. 

So the plan was to take Gino the Camper to France (St Avold) and pop in to the TinTin exhibition nearby, then take in Nuremburg, the Romantic Road, Neuschwanstein castle, and home via Luxembourg (cheap diesel and coffee). Plans are good - but can be changed!

So after a quick visit to Scottish Fine Soaps factory shop (gifts for France) we rocked up in Hull docks in record time. 

Someone at P&O has decided that a 4 berth cabin is the same price as a 2 berth, so we were delighted (or I was) to not have a top bunk for the night. 

Then, the following morning, we headed off to try our new holiday technique - doing things on the way to our overnight campsite, then heading on the next day to a new adventure.

There had been a fair bit of googling in the preceding weeks, and we had decided to visit the Americal Memorial at the Battle of the Bulge.  (https://www.bastognewarmuseum.be/en/the-museum)  It has a lovely carpark, and an art exhibition including 3 of my favourite Trabbis and a tank.  All a bit obscure, but interesting all the same.

Then we were out of Belgium, and into Luxembourg (where the roads are smoother than in Belgium) and found our campsite.  

Off in the morning to find Vianden Castle (in Vianden!).  Some years ago we had been on holiday in Luxembourg with a guide and a brownie. One of them had "organised" a day out for us that included Vianden becuase it has a chair lift.  Never have I been wetter in Vianden until this visit!





 

The old order changeth

The old order changeth - said the carving in my school as you left the Quad, and headed down the corridor past the girls toilets and the three staffrooms (male, female and mixed - we were progressive then!)

Anyway, this post isnt about schooldays or ancient history. It is about the sale of the "German Luxury Caravan" as it was called at my work.

We have had it for 4 years, and have loved the upgrade from the original Hobby caravan we bought in 2005. 

We had sort of planned to change it after another year, but with one thing and another, plans changed sooner than expected.

So after a lovely week away near Cheltenham (staying in an "Adults Only" site) where there were no small bikes/scooters/weans, we headed home and started planning our next trip!  (And while in Cheltenham, I did the local parkrun  - but that was to be expected)  This was the same day as the re-enactment of the battle of Tewkesbury.

And the reason for the change was that we went to look at a few motorhomes, and forgot to leave our chequebook at home!

So we now have Gino de Camper, the Italian Motorhome.

Once you sell the caravan, you may as well sell the car too, as it was now surplus to requirements, and too expensive to keep for the 5 mile commute.

And finally, to round off the year, we have replaced old Spogl (above) with Stonic the Hedgehog (another Kia).

 It has been a busy few months!

Scotland France 2019

The autumn tests are here again.  Less forbidding than the 6 nations tournament in the Spring - as the series of 3 matches seems less important than the 5 vital matches at the start of the year.

We dare to dream that we can win a couple of games. 

So tickets were bought months ago, and the date kept clear. 

 Then we got the surprise news that some of our french friends were coming from France to see the match.  We had a fantastic time with them - before the match.

We couldn't see them during the match, but they were somewhere over on the West stand.  
This was my first time at Murrayfield where I wasn't wearing full winter frost protection.  I even had the sun in my eyes at one point.  
Once again Mrs C and I forgot to bring water.  It is a recurring memory of the year.

And afterwards: where should we go to eat?  The Festival was in full swing and Edinburgh was mobbed as usual.  We sat on the steps around George Square and remembered Uni days in the 80's.  

It's nice to look at these places and have memories - much more than many of the other tourists.  I wonder if its the same for others when we are visiting their towns?

Do you remember the pizza cafe in Teviot?   We went to a show at the fringe this year, and it was great to be back in the basement where I used to play pool with Colin (from Blairgowrie).  I hope you are doing well, whereever you are.

So finally, back in the car, a quick tour of Edinburgh (Holyrood Park, Parliament, London Road, Queen Street, and out over the new bridge to deliver our friends back to thier B&B in darkest Fife.

It had been a great day, and the score didn't matter.

30 Long Years

1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1989th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 989th year of the 2nd millennium, the 89th year of the 20th century, and the 10th and last year of the 1980s decade.

1989 was a turning point in political history because a wave of revolutions swept the Eastern Bloc in Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power sharing, coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin Wall in November, and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, embracing the overthrow of the communist dictatorship in Romania in December, and ending in December 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. These are collectively known as the Revolutions of 1989.

1989 marked the beginning of the Heisei period in Japan, which lasted until 2019. It is also the latest year, when written in Roman numerals, to have an L, and Mrs C and I got married.

So we decided to celebrate with a few days away - like a second honeymoon.

Using the ryanair flight finder option, we easily selected Luxembourg. 

So now the photos:

The celebratory coffee stop

The art gallery

 A black ink fountain!

The anniversary feast

The view from the big lift.

 

Saturday's all right for fighting - get a little action in

As a Scot, the history we learned in School covered the Jacobites, the Russian revolution, East Africa, and more Jacobites.

It didn't cover the Wars of the Roses.   But I am educated, and know that this was fought between the Houses of Lancaster and York.  And I know where these places are.

But wait - the Battle of Tewkesbury (4 May 1471) was part of this war, and was fought in Tewkesbury.

Scroll forward 548 years, and Mrs C and I are enjoying a free day out, watching the re-enactment. (Check out the Archers in the background. 200 of them were shooting at each other all afternoon.)  

So we sat on the ground for a very long time.   And watched as the battle unfolded in front of us, with the action described by some highly respected professionals.

And the ambulance man was not here for long - the fighting can be a bit too real - and there are many collapses from the heat.

All good fun!

We forgot to take water with us. (again!)

Summer holidays i

This year, we had an interrupted summer what with having to attend the graduation of the first-born. We ended up with only a week away from the offspring and headed off to Cheltenham for a week.

Plans were made to visit Gloucester, Oxford, Bath and Bristol.  The caravan was prepared, and food left for the children.  So where did we end up?

We went to Gloucester on Sunday.

Monday was a wee tour around and about:

 

 Out for a walk on Tuesday - we saw this bug: 

and had a couple of pints.

Wednesday was Oxford.

Famous for punting and Morse. 

.-- .... -.-- / -.. .. -.. / .-- . / -.. --- / - .... .- - ..--.. 

We skipped the Uni tours but did enjoy the Ashmoleum. 

Fevriér en France (ii)

Tuesday - the day in the Stones

Carnac is famous for the standing stones.  We had visited in the past, but hasn't had the chance to get up close.  This is not Stonehenge with an entry fee and ropes to stop you getting close. This is Carnac. 3000 stones standing in lines, stretching for miles (or kilometres)

We also saw birds. At Quiberon.

Fevriér en France (i)

Dans le vacation, Madame C et moi sommes allez en France.
Mrs C had a week's holiday, and I had some time left in the holiday year.

We found an Air BnB near Carnac (Brittany) and got a wee deal on the ferry.  

Here are some of our highlights of the first day:

 

Portsmouth from the water

St Malo by fog. Our Ferry is almost visible from here

Pointing the way to Quebec

Breakfast in St Malo

Lunch in the DS3. We are professional picnicers

The beach at the Gite

We sailed into St Malo in a bit of fog, found the town, and went for a walk round. We really need to remember that Europe is closed on Mondays. Eventually I was allowed to stop for breakfast, then we headed on along the coast.  
We had a lovely day working our way down to Carnac in time for a 5 pm check in.  It was getting dark by the time we arrived, but we had time for a quick walk along the beach to admire the sunset before retreating back to the Gite for non-existant wifi, and a DVD.  

It was a lovely day.

Parkrun despite the snow

Junior and I are not really keen on this sort of thing, but we took the chance to run along the Aberdeen sea front on a chilly saturday (9:30 start)

Not our fastest time.

Happy New Year - 2019

Parkrun anyone?

The Candlish Juniors were delighted to see that after a year or so of encouragment and cajoling, Mrs C, Mr C and the kiddies all completed the first Saturday Parkrun together of 2019, in Victoria Park, Belfast.

Well done us!