Tuesday, April 6, 2010

UK Vacation (day 10)

(July 25, 2008)

Day ten--St. Andrews, Kingsbarns

Woke up early.

Walked Gabriel to his day care facility (about a mile and a half from the appartment) with Shane and Si and got our first look at the Fife Coastal path that we'd be hiking...

hello gorgeous.......


The hike started above the beach and would take us right next to one of St. Andrews many golf courses (course on the right pictured below)...

It was a beautiful day for a hike...the ocean looked amazing....everything was blooming....it was a hikers dream! 





















The wide-open-space was incredibly comforting.....the land seemed so....fresh...
















The trail took us down to the beach................
















Then back up the hills through tunnels of white-branched trees....























Then over stone fences.............























We saw caves and crazy rock formations....



and then suddenly we were on someones farm!
















It was beautiful!


Suddenly we were back next to the beach! This trail is amazing!

Just as we got closer to shore...a wave of crows that had been resting on the rocks took off...

 
 
 
The last part of the trail was actually on the beach...which was a bit difficult....but it did give us some amazing views.....
 
After a few hours we reached our destination...Kingsbarns.
We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant "The Barns" where we mustered up the courage to order the Haggis, tatties and neeps. (tatties and neeps = potatoes and turnips)

I had to try haggis.

How can you go to Scotland and NOT try haggis?

So we ordered, it came...and it didn't look how I'd expected it to...

it actually looked pretty! LOL!!!
Here's a rundown of EXACTLY what went through my head the moment the waitress brought the haggis out....

Oh god. There it is.
Wow. It doesn't look gross.
It smells wierd.
What have I done?
It smells wierd!
Everyone's watching me!
Pick up fork....pick it up....
Ok, stop thinking of the sheep, stop it.
It's sheeps innards!
Woman, pick up the damn fork.
Sheep!
Ok, stop!
Jody has the camera on you....stop being a wuss.
Fork in hand...good...
Will I need a knife to cut into it?
Oh wow, my fork went right through it....
It smells wierd!
Lift fork....lift fork...lift fork...
I don't want to do this!
Shut up and take a bite!
Ok....it's in my mouth...
salty
wierd
gross
not gross
soft
mushy
sheep
oh god I'm going to hurl...
everyone's watching you, say something
swallow first!
ok now say something....
"It's not as bad as I thought it'd be...."
thank god that's over.
















After lunch we caught a taxi back to St. Andrews, picked Gabriel up from daycare and treated ourselves to some double-cone icecream.....YUM!

UK Vacation (day 9)

(July 24, 2008)

Day nine--St. Andrews

After all the running around we did in Edinburgh and Stirling, it was definitely time for relaxation.

Jody and I got up and walked to BeanScene for breakfast. (Loved their cinnamin-rasin bagels)

Had a nice chat about the vacation thus far, looked through some tourist pamplets and then parted ways. (Jody was going to have a "boys day" with Shane and I was going to explore St. Andrews...and yes...when I say explore...I mean shop)

I know I've mentioned this before...but St. Andrews is beautiful...








































As much as I love being with my husband...I really enjoyed this time alone.


Actually, I just really enjoyed not having to worry about someone else getting tired of walking or not wanting to go into the shops with me....

Jody is the BEST person to go biking with, driving with, or go to a movie with, etc....but he's definitely not the ideal candidate when it comes to walking and shopping. =)

I strolled around town, snapping photos, window-shopping, people-watching...etc...I was in heaven.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


After awhile I put the camera away and got the wallet out.

It was time to shop.

I stopped at a few places and found some really great souvenirs to send to family and friends....and a few things for meself...naturally.

Lunchtime rolled around and I parked my bottom at an outdoor cafe, ordered a sandwich and a cappuccino, bought a newspaper, put my sunglasses on (it was that sunny and warm) and lounged there for a few hours. It was wonderful.

BTW---Scottish terriers are adorable.

I made it back to the appartment before the boys and so Si and I had some quality girl time. We talked about the usual........mother-in-laws, babies, life, travel, etc.

The boys eventually made it back...they had rented bikes and invaded a skate park. =) Silly boys.

Later in the evening Sandra came over while Shane cooked up yet another amazing meal.

Dinner was superb and then it was time to get serious.....about cards. =)

I can't remember the name of the game...but there was a bit of name-calling, cursing and groaning and moaning going on.....coincidentally....the previous night we had watched a movie about pirates where there was also a lot of name-calling, cursing and groaning and moaning going on........ARGH! (Just for you Si)

The game ended pretty badly...I think the guys beat the girls somehow...or maybe they sabotaged the girls....I can't really remember the whole thing...I just remember the girls were not happy with the guys. =)

Turned in a bit late which was a bad idea since we'd need to get up early for our 13 mile hike along the Fife Coastal Path the next day....

bring it!!!!!!