After another meat and cheese breakfast, we set off for Glamis Castle. Pat said she would be more comfortable driving, and I thought it was a good idea since she is more accustomed to driving on the left. It was less than half an hour.
Glamis Castle was the childhood home of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon. When she was 14, England declared war on Germany, and Glamis was converted to a convalescent home for wounded soldiers. Elizabeth was involved in their care, and she was known for her kindness. She had learned to play the piano, and the very piano is still there in the billiard room. The guide told us it was around the billiard table that she learned to drink, smoke a cigar and cuss like a sailor. She later married Prince Albert (Bertie) who would become King when his brother abdicated. The current Queen Elizabeth was born in London in 1926, and Princess Margaret was born at Glamis in 1930.
Our tour guide happened to be the person in charge of the household, the chamberlain. He said occasionally they are short-staffed and he leads a tour. He said he knows more about the place than anyone else, and he certainly did have a lot of knowledge.
Fortunately, in addition to my usual Tylenol and prescription pain salve, I had taped my knees with rock tape. It must have helped, as I was able to complete the tour, even if I was trailing the others, and a lady with a cane walked past and said, "You make me feel downright spry." The tour required more stairs than I had ever dreamt of! There were 143 to climb in the main tower alone! Since it is a "living home" rather than a museum, it was permissible to sit on the furniture - so I was able to rest as we went along.
Photography was only allowed in the dining room. Visiting Glamis (which they pronounce "Glams") was more interesting than most castles because we were so familiar with the lives of the royalty who lived there. It was not like an ancient castle where the residents were unknown to us. Also, interesting is the fact that the present Earl of Strathmore (the 19th, Simon Bowes Lyon, born in 1986) still resides there. His father, the 18th Earl, died in 2016 at 58. He was one of the richest men in Scotland, and a first cousin to Queen Elizabeth. He lived a rather "colorful" life, with three marriages, scandals with alcoholism, prostitution, and an illegitimate child, but apparently settled down as a "family man" after marrying his third wife, who had worked for one of the family-owned businesses. The fires were set in the fireplaces, and the chamberlain told us that the young Earl had hosted a dinner party only a few days prior.
The tour took slightly more than an hour. Afterward, we stopped in the café for a much-needed rest and beverage. We then wandered over to the souvenir shop. I went out to the garden to sit. As we were leaving we encountered a man with an enormous Irish wolfhound. The fellow was very friendly and told us the dog's name is Paddy and he is a lovely, gentle dog.
We drove along the edge of the Old Course and saw part of the Jubilee Course. We then headed to Market Street, one of the main shopping streets, and found a parking spot which coincidentally was directly across from the Central Bar, which I had read was a decent spot for a bite of lunch. Unfortunately, we learned that certain types of pubs do not allow children around 18. So, we walked several blocks to another place (The Rule), the bartender had suggested, but didn't think it was very salubrious. Pat decided that she and Finn would go off to see St. Andrews Castle while we went back to the Central. Ron had soup and fish and chips. I had a chicken pie shown below with puff pastry top and without (after I dug into it).
Pat and Finn picked us up about 5 PM and we returned home.
Later than evening, I made basmati rice, and Ron prepared a chicken korma using a pre-made sauce from a jar. Not our best meal! We then played Pictionary - Pat & Finn's team won.
Glamis Castle was the childhood home of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon. When she was 14, England declared war on Germany, and Glamis was converted to a convalescent home for wounded soldiers. Elizabeth was involved in their care, and she was known for her kindness. She had learned to play the piano, and the very piano is still there in the billiard room. The guide told us it was around the billiard table that she learned to drink, smoke a cigar and cuss like a sailor. She later married Prince Albert (Bertie) who would become King when his brother abdicated. The current Queen Elizabeth was born in London in 1926, and Princess Margaret was born at Glamis in 1930.
Our tour guide happened to be the person in charge of the household, the chamberlain. He said occasionally they are short-staffed and he leads a tour. He said he knows more about the place than anyone else, and he certainly did have a lot of knowledge.
Fortunately, in addition to my usual Tylenol and prescription pain salve, I had taped my knees with rock tape. It must have helped, as I was able to complete the tour, even if I was trailing the others, and a lady with a cane walked past and said, "You make me feel downright spry." The tour required more stairs than I had ever dreamt of! There were 143 to climb in the main tower alone! Since it is a "living home" rather than a museum, it was permissible to sit on the furniture - so I was able to rest as we went along.
Photography was only allowed in the dining room. Visiting Glamis (which they pronounce "Glams") was more interesting than most castles because we were so familiar with the lives of the royalty who lived there. It was not like an ancient castle where the residents were unknown to us. Also, interesting is the fact that the present Earl of Strathmore (the 19th, Simon Bowes Lyon, born in 1986) still resides there. His father, the 18th Earl, died in 2016 at 58. He was one of the richest men in Scotland, and a first cousin to Queen Elizabeth. He lived a rather "colorful" life, with three marriages, scandals with alcoholism, prostitution, and an illegitimate child, but apparently settled down as a "family man" after marrying his third wife, who had worked for one of the family-owned businesses. The fires were set in the fireplaces, and the chamberlain told us that the young Earl had hosted a dinner party only a few days prior.
The tour took slightly more than an hour. Afterward, we stopped in the café for a much-needed rest and beverage. We then wandered over to the souvenir shop. I went out to the garden to sit. As we were leaving we encountered a man with an enormous Irish wolfhound. The fellow was very friendly and told us the dog's name is Paddy and he is a lovely, gentle dog.
We then piled into Pat's rental vehicle, a bright yellow Jeep nicknamed "Bumblebee", and headed off to St. Andrews.
Pat and Finn picked us up about 5 PM and we returned home.
Later than evening, I made basmati rice, and Ron prepared a chicken korma using a pre-made sauce from a jar. Not our best meal! We then played Pictionary - Pat & Finn's team won.
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