Green Acres

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You're leaving today (tell him, friend)

I want to be a part of it, New York, New York

Your vagabond shoes

They are longing to stray

And steps around the heart of it, New York, New York

- Green/Camden/Bernstein, New York, New York

  

Times Square is hopping, day and night. Photos RGH

New York City, USA and we are staying in the heart of the Big Apple. We had a relatively uneventful flight across the Atlantic Ocean, landing at JFK airport and sailing through customs and immigration. After being gone for a year and travelling for a month, I anticipated a long and drawn out process, but we made it through long before our bags made it to the carousel. We arrived in the evening and all we wanted to do was get into the city in time to eat at John's Pizza in Times Square. Signs all over the airport tell people not to accept rides from solicitors, but the taxi stand was a hike and the line was long, so we made a rookie mistake and took the offered ride. We got to the car, only to discover that it was an Uber Black. We could have changed our minds and trekked back to the airport terminal; instead we swallowed our pride and took the hit to our pocket book, so our ride into the city cost us more than double what a taxi would have. We did this once before and vowed never to do it again. Fool me once ...

Whenever we come to NYC, we rent the same apartment if it's available. It's on Broadway between 48th and 49th ... a block and a half from Times Square. We stay in the centre of it all, with easy access to the subway, and walking distance to everything we want in midtown and Central Park. Of course, it means that the lights and noise of the city are a constant backdrop ... even from the 16th floor. The lights from Times Square shining through the windows keep the room lit well into the night despite having the curtains drawn. Still, it's right where we want to be.

Broadway from our rooftop. Photo RGH

Subway tales. Photo KAH

New York City is a big place, and can seem like a massive concrete jungle. If you look closely, though, there are pockets where you can find quiet solitude. There are several small green spaces, some less than half an acre, tucked away. They offer a chance to escape from the lights, noise, and crowds. Of course, there are much larger green spaces as well. Looking for some quiet reflection and leisurely walks, we spent time in Central Park, the Bronx Zoo, and the New York Botanical Gardens. This trip, Central Park was just a convenient route to get where we wanted to go rather than a destination in and of itself.

The storms ravaging much of the rest of the eastern seaboard have caused a late Indian summer here in New York. Temperatures are in the 70s and the skies are clear. We took advantage of the unusually warm days to dine al fresco when we could. In Central Park, we had lunch at Tavern On the Green. The food was good, though not amazing, the portions were large, and we had our first Bloody Mary in over a year. Yum!

  

Tavern lunch. Photos KAH

I have mixed emotions when it comes to zoos and aquaria. While I hate to see animals "living" in captivity, I recognize that many zoos have historically played an important role in recovery and re-introduction of threatened and endangered species. When I was living in Hawaii, I volunteered at Sea Life Park, a small marine mammal park and aquarium. My job was to feed the sharks and rays in the aquarium, and to feed the green sea turtles in their habitat. When I was living in Boston, I did research on African cichlids at the New England Aquarium. I certainly see the research and conservation benefits that zoos provide, and the Bronx Zoo is no exception.

  

  

Bronx Zoo. Photos RGH

We have been to New York City several times and have done most of the touristy things. Now we enjoy searching out unique experiences. For this trip, we had a few things on our "To Do" list. At the top of the list was eating at the secret/not-so-secret Burger Joint. As it was billed online, it was difficult to find but the burgers were absolutely amazing.  We also wanted to check out Gulliver's Gate, one of the newer attractions in Times Square. This is a work in progress miniature world and we were able to "recreate" some of the photos from our recent train tour of Europe. Lastly, Kari wanted to see the Chihuly exhibit at the New York Botancial Gardens.

Burger Joint. Photos RGH

Gulliver's Gate models and the real deal ...

  

Big Ben. Photos RGH

  

l'Arc de Triomphe. Photos RGH

Brandenburg Gate. Photos RGH

Edinburgh Castle. Photos RGH

New York Botanical Gardens ...

  

Chihuly glass. Photos RGH/Little H

We came to New York thinking that our trip was essentially over. We spent a full three days exploring the city in new ways than we had before. We were especially lucky that the weather cooperated. Once again, we had the luxury of three nights in the same place, and since we had stayed there before, it almost felt like home. So far, our trip has involved long-haul plane flights, multiple train rides, and few car rides. We have used Uber to get to and from the train station, but haven't spent much time on the road itself. From New York, we are renting a car for the last legs of our journey; a true Planes, Trains, and Automobiles adventure.

I wanna' be a Toys R Us kid ...

Castles in the Sky

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!

Aboon them a' ye tak your place,

Painch, tripe, or thairm:

Weel are ye worthy o' a grace

As lang's my arm.

- Robert Burns, Address to a Haggis

Doune Castle. Monty Python fans, if you don't recognize this place, I shall taunt you a second time. Photo KAH

It's almost a cliche, but our tour of Scotland has been defined by castles.

We left London on an early train to Edinburgh. It was a clear, sunny day in England, so of course we were leaving. I was excited to have a stop in Rugby, birthplace of the only game that matters (Link: Give Blood, Play Rugby), though we weren't there long enough to disembark. We had a brief lay-over in Preston, then it was on to Scotland. Watching the countryside roll by through the windows, the scenery was so much like New Zealand that we felt instantly at home. In Preston, we were joined by a boisterous group of Scots returning from holiday. As we got deeper into Scotland, the sky got more grey and dreary, and the Scots’ accents got thicker. We knew we were close to Edinburgh when we heard English language words but couldn't understand a thing they were saying.

Edinburgh is the end of the European portion of our travels. It is also very near to Stirling, home of a good friend. Tip and I played rugby together in Galveston TX, drank together almost everywhere, and even lived together for about a year when I first got into med school and had no money and nowhere to live. When I was racing triathlons, it was Tip who became my training partner, my coach, and who showed me how to win races. He left the US 14 years ago, chasing opportunities first in Birmingham (England), and now in Stirling. He had to be in Cologne on the day we would arrive to Edinburgh, so we made plans to spend our last few days with him on his return. But first, we needed a place to stay for one night in Edinburgh.

Rugby and Preston stations. Photos RGH

Throughout our trip, Kari did her usual amazing job finding us cool, unique, and fun places to stay. Our accommodations have included a traditional Japanese ryokan, a classic Dutch canal-side 3rd floor apartment, a street level apartment in a gritty area of Berlin, a Monastery in Prague, a funky modern hotel in Munich, and perfect apartments in the heart of it all in both Lyon and Paris. Each place has been in an interesting neighbourhood convenient for exploring the cities we visited. Having an apartment has given us room to spread out, kitchen facilities for preparing breakfast and snacks, and a way to experience our trip as locals might. It has invariably been cheaper than staying in hotels. Knowing we would be in Scotland, though, I wanted to stay in a castle. Kari set about looking for a castle-stay, but even 2-3 months out, everything was booked. She put us on some waiting lists and we hoped. She finally found a room at Dalhousie Castle, a place way more posh than we were hoping for. She also booked dinner in their dungeon restaurant.

Simon of Ramsay constructed the first castle at Dalwolsey, overlooking the River Esk, some time after 1140. The current construction dates to the 17th century. The castle has quite a distinguished history. King Edward I (Longshanks) stayed there en route to fight Sir William Wallace (more on him later) at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. In 1400, Sir Alexander Ramsay withstood a 6 month siege at Dalhousie by King Henry IV. At the time of its sale in 1977, Dalhousie Castle had been retained by the same family for over 800 years, longer than any other castle in Scotland. On 27 Sept 2017, in our minds, it became a little more famous ...

Dalhousie Castle, Bonnyrigg. Photos RGH

  

Dinner in the dungeon was amazing. Photos RGH/KAH

  

In the evening, we retired to the library for drinks. Photos RGH/KAH

  

  

  

Unfortunately, we did not have time for the sport of kings. Photos RGH

Edinburgh Castle sits high atop Castle Rock, overlooking the city. The exact dates during which a fortified site was first established there is unclear, however there is evidence of continuous human habitation at the site since at least the 2nd century. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the 12th century and it was one of the most important Scottish strongholds through the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296-1357) and the Jacobite uprising (1745). It lays claim to the title of "The most besieged place in Great Britain" having withstood 26 sieges in its 1100 year-old history. Many of the sites we have been to have had self-guided audio tours, either free or for a nominal fee. Edinburgh Castle was no exception. We have really been impressed with the quality of the tours and information therein. We wanted to do a whisky tasting before leaving Edinburgh, but the day was drawing late and we still had a train ride to Stirling ahead of us.

  

Edinburgh Castle. Photos RGH/KAH

On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated a much larger English force on the banks of the River Forth, near Stirling. It was a battle that showed infantry can defeat cavalry (in certain circumstances) and was a turning point in the Wars for Scottish Independence. As Tip explained it, "Moray died of his wounds, and William Wallace lived. That's why Wallace is famous and Moray is not." Wallace went on to lead a destructive raid into England, and in 1298 was declared the Guardian of Scotland until he was defeated that same year at the Battle of Falkirk. He was betrayed, captured, hanged, drawn, and quartered in 1305 (despite what Hollywood would have you believe ... Freedom!) and his tarred head was placed on a pike on London Bridge. The Wallace Monument sits on the promontory from which he led his offensive, and Stirling Castle sits on the ridge opposite. Today, the fields between these sites feature an extensive rugby facility where battles of a different sort are waged.

Tip welcomed us to Stirling, then took us to his local pub for Scottish beer and a pub dinner. The next day, he showed us the campus of Stirling University, took us to Doune Castle, and drove us through several towns and villages. We ended the day with a wee hike to the Atlantic Wall and the Wallace Stones. Along the way, he regaled us with tales of the Picts, the Gaels, and the Scots. He spoke of historic battles and the Jacobite conspiracies. His intimate knowledge of the places, names, and dates was impressive. Tip and I had one last ramble in the muirs early the next morning. The wind was blowing hard, the sky dark and lowering, and the tall grasses moved like waves. It was about as perfect a Scottish experience as I could have imagined ... except maybe if I had been wearing a great kilt (though it would have been a wee bit drafty).

Stirling Bridge. Photos RGH

  

Making Monty Python proud at Doune Castle. Photos RGH/KAH

  

Village views. Photos RGH

Tip and his dog Riever in their native habitat. Photos RGH

This is the end for our tour of the unfamiliar. Everywhere we have been up to this point has been new to us, with new adventures, and new experiences. As I sit and write this post, we are winging our way across the Atlantic Ocean on our way to to the US. We will have two days in NYC, then continue to visit with old friends as we make our way down the east coast, and eventually return to Myrtle Beach. We have certainly enjoyed the ride.

Watch out for hairy coos ...