Scotland, the land of loch, Harry Potter and many more

  

Edinburgh, a beautiful Victorian city preserves the European culture

 

Scotland, the land of medieval kings attracted me from a long time, since I was a movie freak, and loved watching fiction based films based on the early ages of Europe. From London we took a flight to Edinburgh and then opted for a 3 day package tour to cover the delights of picturesque Scotland.  You may even travel by train at quite affordable rates.

On reaching Edinburgh airport, we took a taxi to reach our hotel near Edinburgh station. I must say that if you are planning your tour, make sure you book your stay at the centre of the city, so that you spend the minimum time commuting to and fro from the hotel to city junctions like airport or train station. Finding hotels through internet and booking could be easily done, while you check the past review and ratings of the hotel.

    

Hop on hop off bus touring the city

Transporting around the city: Best is to avail the hop on hop off tour which operates throughout the year at vary affordable rates. You can buy tickets online. You may take a private transport or avail city buses. 

Edinburgh, the magical city:

Edinburgh, is a bustling city that houses Universities, castles, restaurants and a rich history. Walking though the stony streets of Edinburgh is no lesser than experiencing the history of a once culturally rich Victorian city. Somewhere in my mind, I had a hallucination that Madam JK Rowling, must be sitting in street side restaurant with a cup of coffee, to pen down her next series of Harry Potter.  

There are several tour agents, who will help you with a tour guide to cover the main spots of the city within 2-3 hours. Some adventure freaks prefer to go for a night tour with a story telling guide who would narrate the spine chilling horror stories from the past that includes witch rituals, pagan rituals, executions and some urban myths about local monsters.  Don’t be surprised to see some awesome magical feat performed by some local witchcraft on the streets. 

                          

An English dinner with fish and salsa

Mind boggling Scottish fabric on the plate

 St Gille’s Cathedral: Visit the St. Gille’s cathedral, the first parish church in Edinburgh established in the year 854, which was re- conseracted in 1243. Observe the gothic style architecture of the church and find the passionate stories attached to it. 

    

St. Gille's Cathedral, a coveted place of worship

You may avail the rooftop tour which is possible for a group of at least 4 people or more. You will enjoy the spectacular view of the city, as well as enjoy some beverage at the café. 

               

Edinburgh castle, address of the once rulers of Scotland

Edinburgh Castle:  Visit the Edinburgh castle, said to be one of the oldest castle that is situated over a great volcanic rock, which according to the guides is 70 million year old extinct volcano. This is not only an infrastructure, but the four walls have experienced history of wars, killing and birth of royals.

Your guide will narrate the magical stories associated with each and every wall, corners of the castle. 

 

Walking past the Royal Mile is invirogating

                

Royal Mile: Have a walk on the royal mile, a succession of streets that join the palace with its castle. You might be have seen this in various Hollywood movies like ’Edinburgh in the nineteenth century’, which was also published as a guide book. 

Magical feats at the street of Edinburgh- not a rare sight

Well, since Scotland is a city of magic, I saw various feats here that reminds of Harry Potter. Don’t be surprised to observe real magic here on the streets. 

Princess street garden:  This is built in between two public parks situated at the centre of Edinburgh. They lie in the shadow of the castle of Edinburgh. Spend some time around the Nor loch, which is situated on the Northern side of the loch. Edinburgh being a medieval town, you may see various structures quite off the time, but preserved with great care. 

           

National Museum of Scotland

National museum of Scotland:  National museum of Scotland is quite an interesting place.  You would love to see the grand galleries, art, design, fashion galleries and other archaeological collection of the world. Don’t be surprised to discover the T. rex grinning with it’s 5000 years old skeleton, posing to be your long lost brother ( just kidding).  Your kid will definitely love the interactive games and other wonders of science on display in the museum. 

 

Archaeological  sights of the Scotland museum

Greyfriars Crik: if you have time in hand, stroll the city to explore Greyfriars crik, the meadows, Holyrood palace and Scottish Parliament building and money. 

                 

Lot more interersting things at Edinburgh

 Well, this is not the end. If you are a bit interested in paranormal activities, you have a very interesting walking tour at night. This is a group tour led by a tour guide who will narrate stories of treachery, murder and suicide. Well, you might be so much indulged in his stories that you can come across a couple of Victorian character while in hallucinated state.  (I am kidding again). Everything depends on your thoughts. But exploring a land of the unknown, a Victorian city which races with modernity and a vibrant city is a matter of chance. A travel freak like me never leaves behind an opportunity to see the unseen.

Exploring Windsor castle (Berkshire)…….! Where the royals reside!

               

Walls of the Windsor castle 

Day trips from London are literary endless. On our sixth day of the trip, we decided to explore Windsor castle, much-desired trip after the celebrated Prince Harry and Princess Meghan tied their knot. There are various ways to visit Windsor castle from London, situated 24.4 miles from the city heart. You can self -drive which takes 30 minutes from the city center, or might take a taxi which will bill around £65- £75. The cheapest and easiest way is to alight a train and you can reach Eton riverside within 54 minutes.

There was a huge queue when I visited the fort at 11 am. People from around the globe wait outside the gate to buy entrance tickets to explore the iconic structure denoting British royalty. Windsor castle is one of the most photographed structure and gets telecasted whenever the media wants to focus any event emphasizing the royal family of Britain. The flag (Royal standard) hovering at the top of the structure denotes the presence of Queen The mother inside her residence or if she has left for the day. You may purchase an entrance ticket from the queue or look for skip the queue tickets online.

     

The dome of the tower 

 A brief history of the Windsor palace: Sneaking a peek into history, the original castle was built way back in the 11^th a century after the Norman invasion took place. It’s been in use by the British monarchs since the reign of Henry I. The rooms in the palace are the finest expression after Georgian taste. The fort was used as a military headquarter by the parliamentary forces during the time of English civil war. The castle was rebuilt and reconstructed in several eras and different rulers. There were several damages done to the iconic fort form wars and attacks it suffered. When King Edward VII came to the throne in 1901, he was obsessed with the modernization of the Windsor castle with zest and enthusiasm. In 1992, a part of the fort suffered from fire attack where 9 of the staterooms were worse affected. Today some parts of the castle are open for public viewing thereby attracting large funds required for maintaining and restoration process of the iconic residence of British monarchs.

                  

The royal choir busy performing 

The day was hot and the queue was long. I had to wait a long time before the ticketing counter. The ticket cost me £22.5 per person, the charge of touring the Windsor castle. The various divisions inside the Windsor palace are- middle ward, upper ward, state apartment, lower apartment and the park outside the fort.

       

Middle ward of the castle 

Middle ward: At the heart of the Windsor castle is a middle ward, where a bailey is formed around an artificial hill. The round tower, based on the top of the motte, was originally built in the 12^th century. Then again in the 19^th century, it was rebuilt by architect Jeffry Wyatville, which imposed more height and silhouette to the structure. The recent height of the tower is criticized to be disproportionate to its width. The Norman gatehouse resides to the Eastern exit. The gate was heavily decorated and had medieval lion masks, which is a traditional symbol of majesty.

Articles in use in the stateroom

The Windsor castle in my camera 

Upper ward:  The upper ward of Windsor Castle has a number of major buildings enclosed by the upper bailey wall. The structure forms a quadrangle. The buildings situated in the upper wall are characterized by the usage of flint and mortar for galletting, and that originally started in the 17^th century. We saw the main entrance and the royal guard on duty. The scene was much recollected when the media covers any event inside the castle. During 1992, a massive fire broke out thereby permanently damaging some rooms of the state house, but restoration work went on in full swing.

                 

The grand state apartment

State apartments: Major parts of the upper ward is occupied by the state apartments. The modern buildings follow medieval foundations which were laid by King Edward III. The ground floor comprises cellars and the grander first floor comprises the main part of the palace. The interiors of the state apartment were designed by designer Wyatville. The rooms are of Gothic, classical and Rococo style. The grand reception has the best design.

    

Windsor castle gallery 

Lower ward: Lying below and west to the round tower is the lower ward. Most of the portions are medieval design, and they were reconstructed during the Victorian era by Edward Salvin. On the western side of the chapel, there is a grand Victorian staircase, which is used during the ceremonial occasions. 

There is a curfew tower, which is one of the oldest surviving parts of the lower wards that was in use during the 13^th century. They serve as the secret exit of the occupants during the time of siege.

      

Park and landscape: The park area extends over a longer stretch. The castle garden stretches eastwards to form the upper ward across and surrounded by chestnut and plane trees. The Eton College is placed a half mile from the palace, across the Thames River, which reflects the royal foundation by Henry VI. Well, there are tour agents who arrange for an afternoon tea session after the palace tour.

Royal tea in the royal palace. Nothing compared to it.

The quick potato rose snack- let your kid explore his culinary skills!

Potato rose snack- the easy, yummy choice!

Well, when your child bothers you at the kitchen, its high time to get him engaged in a creative deal. There are some recipes, which you must involve your kids. Well, let them stay out of the fire and oven, but let them explore their creative ideas along with your culinary skills. This was a weekday when I was wondering what to prepare for my child's sizeable appetite when he inculcated this great idea.

Preparation: for (2-3) people

Ingredients: 

1. 5 large sized potatoes, skinned and peeled into roundish size,

2. 1 cup of cheddar cheese shredded,

3. 1 medium sized onion chopped,

4. 1 medium sized tomato chopped,

5. 1 pinch of salt,

6. 6 eggs, yolk and while separated.

Equipment used:

1. Baking tray,

2. Brush for putting oil,

3. Oven

Procedure: 

1. Take a baking tray and brush oil in it. Place the potatoes in the cups. One at the base of the cup and the others to be lined longitudinally so that it resembles a rose.

2. Remove the yolk of the egg and then place over the cup in between the potato rose shape. sprinkle the chopped tomato and onions into it.

3. Now brush some oil over the potato rose petals and then place in the oven at 240-degree Celsius for 7 minutes. 

4. Remove to see that the egg yolk is already settled. Then place the shredded cheddar cheese over the egg yolk and again place inside the oven.

5. This time bake for another 5 minutes till the cheddar cheese melts. You may sprinkle some oregano over the baked potato shaped rose petals.

Remove the tray from the oven and then carefully scoop the snack from the cup.  The rose-shaped potato snack is ready and you will love to take the cheesy bite.  This is a wholesome meal with a twist of egg, cheese, and chopped veggies. Well, cooking can be relaxation and enjoyment when your kids' creativity is involved. 

Spinach and Egg quiche- when you are downsizing with the ‘keto’ way!

Spinach and egg quiche topped with nuts - always yummy!

I was following an article on weight loss when I was introduced with the term ‘keto diet’. The concept follows that when the body doesn’t have any carbohydrate to burn, it burns down fats for energy.  The result is that excess keto body is produced and the break-down of food begins. Now, the most important part of the diet being the energy from each meal should be on the basis of 80% fats, 15% protein, and 5% carbohydrate. Well, as I was flipping the pages of a keto website, an idea clicked my mind and I thought, let’s give it a chance. With all available things in my house, I could prepare a very easy and palatable dish, a quiche made from spinach, egg and other veggies.

Preparation: For 2 people

Ingredients:

1.      4 eggs, battered

2.      1 bunch of spinach blanched,

3.      1 medium sized onion chopped,

4.      ½ tomato medium sized chopped,

5.      ½ teaspoon of salt,

6.      ½ cup of cheddar cheese shredded,

7.      1 green chili chopped,

8.      Sliced 2 garlic cloves chopped,

9.      2 and pecans sliced,

10.  1 teaspoon of butter.

Equipment used:

Microwave

Preparation:

1.      Melt butter in a skillet and then add the chopped onion and tomatoes to it. Toss gently until they get softened. Add the chopped garlic and cook again.

2.      Add the blanched spinach and then cook the veggies with the cover on. The veggies will release water and get softened. Remove and allow to cool down.

3.      Now add the eggs to it and fold the mixture till they get evenly mixed.

4.      Now place the mixture in a microwave safe container and then cook for 3-4 minutes.

5.      Top the shredded cheese over the egg content and again microwave for 2 minutes, till you see the cheese melt completely.

6.      Remove and then garnish with sliced nuts.

The idea of the quiche topped with nuts is not a general one; but trust me, my friends, the taste was just out of the world.

You may give this awesome ‘keto’ breakfast after you come from a walk or work out. Try this recipe even if you are not planning to shed some weight. It’s a healthy and yummy breakfast. 

Greenwich – thrills of standing at zero meridian!

     

View from the Royal Observatory

A visit to the UK, without a peek at Greenwich is truly incomplete. I planned my journey in such a way that I could cover a place or two in a single day. A trip to Greenwich would take a full day.  The city is a combination of fascinating museums, parklands, mesmerizing architecture, bustling markets, and much more galvanizing experience.

Getting to Greenwich: Greenwich, located at south east London and South bank of London. This city is rated as the UNESCO world heritage site which stands as the symbol of British culture and naval power for 400 years. We started from London and took a cruise over the Thames River till Greenwich Pier. There is accessibility by underground as well as rail and airline cable car.

·           From the Tower of London, getting to the Greenwich pier will take 20 minutes.

·          From St. Paul’s Cathedral, Greenwich will take hardly 25 minutes.

·          From Bond street luxury boutiques, North Greenwich is hardly 20 minutes.

·          Starting from the Monument, it will take 30 minutes to reach Greenwich by DLR.

In case you are planning to visit the place, take a closer look at the transport system, get updated via google and chalk out your journeys.

 Things to see in Greenwich: Once you land at Greenwich make sure you see the meridian line, the royal observatory, Maritime national museum, Old Royal naval college, Greenwich Park, Greenwich market and the O2 arena. From the pier, we walked all the way through Greenwich Park to reach the Royal Observatory.

The Royal Observatory: This is an observatory overlooking the Thames River and situated over a hill. Having played a great role in navigation and astronomy, this is best known as the prime meridian passes through. It cost us 15£ per adult and 6£ for a child ticket. 

             

The Timekeeper, a site near the entrance 

We followed the queue to enter inside.  This was founded by King Charles II in 1670, who founded the importance of seeking better navigation for country’s sea trade. 

                         

Observing the city from the viewpoint of Royal Observatory

Since 1884, Greenwich stands as the landmark of zero degree meridian. It was great fun to stand amidst the historical line of Meridian with two foot towards each side. It was an elating experience to discover the home of Greenwich mean- time.  

      

Camera obscura view 

We saw the great equatorial telescope, which was a 250 years old working observatory in Greenwich.  We enjoyed the view of Camera Obscura, which was a dark room with an arrangement to see the views of the Thames River, Royal naval museum, National maritime museum, all through a panoramic view. 

                

Standing at the prime meridian

       

Where the time zone starts 

 We saw the timekeeper of John Harisson’s which was used in the 18^th century.

 The trip was regarded as an experience of a lifetime.

           

National maritime museum, a great attraction 

Maritime national museum:  We saw the National maritime museum in Greenwich which was established in the 17^th century AD. The historic building is a part of the maritime Greenwich world heritage site. This place is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. The cost of entrance is 10 £. Once you get inside there is a lot of attraction for the visitors. Never miss seeing the Nelson’s Trafalgar coat, Turner’s battle of Trafalgar’s gallery, Ship in a bottle, Caird library and archive, history of four new galleries, and the Jutland 1916 gallery.

      

Greenwich Park, a peaceful abode

                 

Greenwich Park: We walked past the Greenwich park which is a great walking space where you can spend the day picnicking or lazying around. The park is roughly rectangular in shape with sides measuring 1000 meters by 750 meters. The park has two levels having a number of dips and gullies. You can have an uninterrupted view of the Thames River, Queen’s house and the closet of the museum). If you follow the steep walk uphill, that will reveal a flat area which is an enclosed extension of the plateau of Blackheath.

    

The old Royal naval college: This is regarded as the architectural centerpiece of Maritime Greenwich. This is regarded as the UNESCO world heritage site. Previously there was a Greenwich hospital which was created for the sole purpose of treating wounded soldiers. Anyways, in 1869 the hospital was closed and the remains of the soldiers were removed. In 1873, after completion of the hospital, the building was converted to training establishment meant for the Royal Navy.

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Painted hall of Old royal naval college seems familiar? Recollect Harry Potter 

In fact, we were told that various Hollywood movies were filmed here at the Old Royal Naval college including Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, and Harry Potter.  

Greenwich market, a busy site 

Greenwich market: This is considered the only market place of London inside a world heritage site. There is no single thing on earth which you won't see here. There are stalls of antiques, jewelry, fashion garments, and accessories.

There is no dearth of places of interest surrounding London. In fact, you should take your time to travel and experience the various flavors of the city. The prehistoric sites will definitely attract you and you will fall in love with the variedly cosmopolitan culture.