Scotland 2025 - Sept 15 - Arrivals, Departures and Old Friends

The Grand Tour of Scotland - Train and Hike is about to begin. 

I arrived in Edinburgh last night to be greeted by my old friend Krista, friends from the 1983 Dundee Highschool Field Hockey trip to Canada. 

Duff and Nik arrived before me and so my pick up crew was extensive. 

An amazing meal and a glass of wine to bring back all the memories of the summers of 1985 and 1988, the last times we saw each other. 

A bed to sleep in helped get me onto UK time, and we got Nik off to the airport for his motorcycle adventure ...

Followed quickly by Duff and I departing for the train to Glasgow, thanks to Sandy dropping us at Mayfield Train Station. 

And the Grand Scotland Tour was officially started. 

Another old friend, Donna, from Helensburgh, came to rekindle our friendship. Would you believe we met when our respective fathers started a conversation in a Chinese restaurant in the summer of 1983... Donna and I became penpals, and here we are have High Tea in Glasgow 42 years later. 

The Willow Tearoom, designed by Charles Rennie Macintosh was impressive in not only it's design and furnishings, but the quality of the food and bottomless teapot. 

Outside the museum of modern art, everyone must have a photo with the (famous) cone headed statue.

And a wee tour of Glasgow must include a hop on the tube - the circular subway system that seriously looks like a little tube. 

A lovely little walking tour included Ashton Lane. 

Over to the University of Glasgow, where we wandered with freshmen and enjoyed the beauty of the Harry Potter-like buildings. 

We bid farewell to Donna and promised to not wait so long for another reunion. 

Art Galleries and Museums in Glasgow are free. 

We walked the gardens and dashed into the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery with just 20 minutes before close. We were greeted by a lovely Scottish man, a museum volunteer, who asked us "why would we arrive at the best museum in the world with only 20 minutes till close." 🤣 He has a good point. 

We dashed about and saw some art and a beautiful Salvatore Dali, Christ of St. John of the Cross. 

As we walked back to our hotel we were serenaded by a piper in the park, while we watched the skateboarders jump and the dogs chase the squirrels. 

The skies threatened rain most of the day, but very little fell on us today. 

It was a fun day of arrivals, departures, and dear old friends. 

Tomorrow, another adventure begins.