Rosemary and I have been back from our holiday in the Orkney and Shetland Islands where we were immersed in Archeology for over a week. Following this week, we spent another week in Edinburgh sampling the Edinburgh fringe. If you are remotely interested a full write up and immense gallery of pictures are located on the main pages of the website. Click here to be impressed.
On our way to the Shetland Isles
We have had hectic days looking at tombs, stone circles and brochs, mixed in with eating and drinking.
The weather has been reasonable, no rain and lots of sunshine, even getting passably warm. The hotel we stayed at was on the Harbour front, and we did well with a great view of the boats. Only down side were the boy racers who insisted on driving up and down the harbour road at 1am with their tuned exhaust pipes.
So on Wednesday we saw Maes Howe, Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Barnhouse and a real live excavation in progress at the Ness of Brodgar. The Ness of Brodgar is so large it dwarves the World Heritage site at Skara Brae.
Thursday had us visiting the Island of Rousay by ferry. Before leaving we saw Betty’s Reading Room at the ferry terminal.
Betty's Reading Room
Another picture of Betty’s Reading Room. The place is full of books to be borrowed.
Betty's Reading Room
We circled the island twice because the the coach could not turn around. We saw the Midhowe Chambered Tomb and the Midhowe Broch. After lunch at the Pier we entered the Taversoe Tuick double chambered tomb.
Ferry terminal on the Island of Rousay.
Taversoe Tuick. Notice the cloudless blue skies of Scotland and the Orkneys.
Friday is our last day of this section in Orkney, we are back for a couple more after our four days in Shetland. We went off early to Skara Brae, a world heritage site. You cannot walk through the habitations now. Instead you view them from the sides and visit a reconstruction of the best house. This house was remarkable in its size and could easily accommodate the whole group of us. As well as seeing Skara Brae we also walked around the local Laird’s house, Skaill House. On display in the dining room was Captain Cook’s dinner service. This was for payment for lodging of a few officers in the house when the expedition returned, after Cook’s death, and was stuck in the Orkneys for weeks.
After this visit we drove to nearby Marwick Head, a cliff where the Kitchener’s Memorial tower stands over the cliffs. Actually we did not walk to the tower but instead bird watched, seeing a few Puffins fly in, Guillemots, Fulmers, Kittiwakes. Rosemary was shown a rare orchid, a frog orchid. Picture to come.
Lunch next, at the Merkister Hotel, where Jeremy Paxman had very recently stayed while researching Kitchener. We had a ploughman’s with no bread, but chips and boiled potatoes!!!!! It transpired our leaders had asked for bread and been told they had none. A little while later, however, we were offered rolls. Rolls are not considered bread in Scotland.
Finally a drive to see yet another broch, Gurness Broch; a remarkable multi-storey building with lots of dwellings outside the main broch.
Afterwards we made our way to the airport for the flight to the Shetlands. Predictably the flight was late, something to do with passengers on the incoming flight from Inverness not wanting to fly because of the fog. Anyway we have taken off, but the pilot does not sound confident about us landing. FlyMayBee did land on the Shetlands, and first attempt as well. We made it to the hotel for supper and a nightcap.
Kirkwall walking
Today was a walking tour of Kirkwall. Day was lovely sunny and warm with a light breeze. We started off by Saint Olaf’s gate.
St Olaf’s Gate
Then walked to The Cathedral built by the Vikings. The Cathedral run by the council is now secular but still banned a humanist wedding!!!
On to the Earls house, which is a ruin and then the Bishops house also a ruin.
Earls House
Earls House
We all then went on to lunch which was rather a time consuming affair, taking rather too long to prepare the main courses for us all. The afternoon was spent visiting the museum where the had a display from the archaeological digs in Orkney.
The late afternoon was sunny, though with some cloud coming in. Hope to take some spectacular sunset, late evening photographs.
Kirkwall
Before I went to bed on Sunday, noticed the weather was clearing a little bit, so was able to wander down to the quay and take some pictures of the setting sun. I have some super pictures, this sample taken on my mobile phone does no justice. You will have to wait a few weeks.
Stroma in the setting sun from John O’Groats
Today we caught the passenger only ferry to Orkney, then the bus to Kirkwall. Left our bags at the Kirkwall Hotel and then walked up to the Highland Park distillery where we had a tour. Alas the distillery was not in operation, being holiday season and refurbishment month. Anyway tasted a whisky and came away with a couple of glasses. Most of the others on the tour were from the Faroe islands. Swapping one cold, windy wet island for another.
Highland Park Distillery
Back in town we bought some gorgeous Orkney Island ice cream and am having a beer before meeting up with the rest of the group.
John O’Groats
The day started promisingly. Not for long, we were soon in the rain and cloud with the visibility down to 100 metres. We were heading to John O’Groats. We went by Thurso. Not a lot to see there, so headed on to JOG. On the way stopped at Dunnet which is the most Northerly point on mainland Britain.
Here Rosemary spotted a Puffin on the cliff side. Pretty sure the light house is for sale.
The lighthouse at Dunnet point.
The most northerly point.
Dunnet point the most northerly point of Great Britain.
Stephen with wires growing out of his head.
We then drove on to JOG where we bought tomorrow’s passenger tickets for Orkney and photographed this awful German tour bus. We last saw these in Namibia.
Rotel German tour bus / hotel
Next to the Seaview Hotel for supper and the night. Over 130 whiskys in the bar.
Seaview hotel John O'Groats
The weather is looking up. There could be a sunset tonight and sun is forecast for tomorrow!
Bankfoot near Perth
Drove up to near Perth today. Staying in a pub called Bankfoot in the village of Bankfoot Inn a few miles North of Perth on the A9.
The drive up was horrible. Very heavy rain North of Birmingham, which cleared for a while, but started again South of Glasgow. Still we made good time and were here by 3.30.
Meal in the pub, ear wigged to discussions about the Scottish devolution. Not sure what side they were on.
Le Tour De Finchingfield
We decided to see the Tour De France as it was passing nearby a friends house in Essex. We made are way over there on the Sunday evening, and even went to church for prayers at the Central Baptist Church in Chelmsford. Back to their house for wine and cheese and then sleep.
In the morning we drove to Great Bardfield to park the car and then walked along some beautiful country side to Finchingfield. Here we were met by crowds of people waiting on the side of the road. While we drank some beer, we watched the Tour caravan pass by noisily. Then we made our way further into the village and stood on an embankment waiting for the Tour to come by. Great vantage point as we could see the racers come into the village, sweep across the narrow bridge and then on up the hill in front of us.
After the tour we hastened into the Zafra Pasta Bar and Grill for lunch and wine. Walked back to Great Bardfield by another route and then on home.
The Friars Club exhibition at Aylesbury Museum
Marillion Poster at Friars Club exhibition
I have returned from the Friars Club exhibition in the Aylesbury Museum. It has been on for several months and I have only just managed to get to it. The Friars Club was the host for many rock bands during the 70’s and early 80’s. Famous names like Free, David Bowie, Blondie, Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake and Palmer played Aylesbury in their early days of success. Friars club was still running when I first moved to the area back in 1982, alas the club stopped in 1984 before I had even heard of it. It has reformed, but is not running the weekly events it was renowned for.
Emerson Lake and Palmer poster at Friars Club
The exhibition consisted of the advertising posters, band booking contracts, ticket stubs, band pictures, news letters etc. There was a drum set from Pink Floyd on show, along with the bass guitar from Marillion. To me the Friars club did not exist, the exhibition though was still a throw back in memory lane, remembering all those bands who had played in my formative youth. When I saw a poster for Rare Bird, I immediately thought of the vinyl album back at home which I have not played for years. That will be going on the record deck shortly.
Pink Floyd drum set at Friars Club
I went around the the exhibition with a friend who was in her teens in the early 80’s, she had visited Friars club in its later days between 1982 and 1984. She said it had been the only good thing to have come out of Aylesbury. She recounted how her £6 pocket money for the week went on £4 for a ticket to Friars and the £2 on drink and chips.
Another pricing point, in the early 70’s a ticket cost 70p. Glastonbury first ticket in the 70’s was a pound, with free milk on tap. Now the price is £210. OK can’t compare the first Glastonbury festival with a Friars Club gig, and todays Glastonbury.
Julius Caesar at the Globe Theatre
The Julius Caesar puppet show.
Rosemary and I went to The Globe Theatre to watch the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar. Travelled down by coach with a group of thespian groupies from Dinton for an evening performance. We drank our G&Ts & Pims and ate our supper on the coach ride down, arriving in plenty of time. While waiting to take our seats, we were were entertained by a puppet show about Julius Caesar conquering the Gauls, very much spoken in Baldric style. (Don’t tell the organiser of the trip, but this to me was more fun and livelier than the actual play.)
The Julius Caesar puppet show outside The Globe Theatre
We had pretty good seats at the centre front of The Globe. I have to admit the cheap standing area at the bottom looked fun, where some of the acting took place amongst the audience., although standing for over 2 hours might have been a tad tedious. There was plenty of fake blood and Romans throwing themselves on the swords in pure Shakespearean theatre.
Selfie looking into The Globe Theatre. Note am dressed up (ie have shirt on).
The weather managed to stay clement for most of the performance, with the predicted rain appearing an hour late to drizzle in the last few minutes of the show. We were seated under cover. Afterwards quick walk back to the coach and home.
The Globe Theatre looks a little incongruous set near to the Tate Modern and dwarfed by the modern expensive flats that surround it on all sides other than the river.
Snowy Farr at Cambridge
Food at Caius College garden party
This Saturday we went to Gonville and Caius college for our annual lunch. This is given to the alumni who contribute some unknown minimum contribution to the college endowment. This endowment funds the fees of current students attending the university. At these events those who have given significant sums are mentioned, for instance the Caian who has placed bestowed his London house, now worth £3.5 million, or the Chinese parents of a student donating a half million to the boat club house funds. What is known is the menu of higher donations will get you, a meal with Stephen Hawking (£50,000 better get on this list soon, he must be nearing his use by date), your name engraved into the Benefactors’ Wall in the Great Gate (£1,000,000), portrait hung on the staircase to the College Library (£2,500,000) Full details of Caius donations are listed here. There is so much temptation to piss off your heirs and leave all to your alma mater (Selina, I am only joking, she raises money from the opposition alumni)
Anyway, we had a great lunch with the usual lovely grub prepared by the Caius team headed up by the chef who obviously enjoys his own food and we have nick named Ratatouille, the large chef, Gusteau, from the film Ratatouille. The crab was excellent. As usual we met up with Andrea and Richard and Chris. There though does seem to be a noticeable dearth of people from ’72 who try and assuage their guilt of free tuition and student grants
Snowy Farr sculpture
Snowy Farr Cambridge Market Place 1975
Now the point of this post, Snowy Farr (Yes he has a wikipedia entry, so famous). While walking around the market place, I saw this rather naff sculpture which had been placed there. There was no plaque, nothing nearby to describe what the sculpture was for. For those who had met Snowy Farr is was obvious what the sculpture was about. Why the secrecy, what was the council hiding, they paid £50,000 for the sculpture, are they embarrassed by it. Many feel they should be. There was much criticism that the sculpture was a waste of money, that Snowy would be rolling in his grave, the money could have gone to the causes he collected for. A lone few said he would appreciate the humor of the sculpture. Then there was the build quality. The sculpture was supposed to be maintenance free, but within months it was stained with rust and grime, though those issues had been corrected when i set eyes on it. Ah well, he was a Cambridge character, who was there when I was at university and I remember him fondly. I am glad the Cambridge Council honored his name with this sculpture. To some extent it needs only to exist for the time those who remember him visit the marketplace.
Snowy Farr Cambridge Market Place 1975
Snowy Farr raised money for charity. He was a vegetarian, grew all the food he needed on an allotment, walked into Cambridge to raise money for charity with his menagerie of animals. He was a regular eccentric always to be seen in market square. There is an excellent video recording of an interview with Dave Allen.
Snowy Farr Cambridge Market Place 1975