Edinburgh and Home

It is bittersweet to visit Edinburgh again as my last time here was in 2016 with Jerry.

I retired from the San Diego Symphony in May of 2016. After a fun bash at the bistro after my last concert, we flew to Ireland. At the Dublin airport we were met by our driver Tom Quinn. We had lots of laughs and learning in our week together.

On our last day in Ireland we took a walk through the Burren near the Cliffs of Moher. My foot slipped and I twisted my ankle. Through the night it got more and more swollen, but the next day we had to fly to Scotland. Tom and Jerry (not a cartoon) wheeled me through the Galway airport.

The original plan was to tour Scotland by rail. We were met at the Edinburgh airport with a driver, but after that we were to take trains everywhere.

With great difficulty I navigated the steps in the train station in Glasgow and we made it to Oban. But I knew something was seriously wrong. The next day we went to the emergency room, had X-rays taken, and found I had broken my ankle. This is the honker cast. No boot was on offer.

It was obvious we had to revise our game plan. Our travel agent arranged for a car to be driven to our hotel in Oban and then we set out driving ourselves towards Stirling and Edinburgh. With Jerry at the wheel on the “wrong” side of the road, it was hair raising.

The roundabouts in the cities were the worst. But all three of us – Jerry, me, and the car – arrived unscathed. We rented a wheelchair in Edinburgh but it was still tough going.

So eight years later I am back in Edinburgh on this theater tour. With fond memories of Jerry I have been able to visit the places we missed last time.

Monday Evening

We arrived by train from London.

I love Edinburgh because the castle is visible from just about everywhere. On our first night we crossed the street and there it was!

Tuesday

We explored the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile.

Down the hill from the castle along the Royal Mile is St. Giles Church where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state after her death. I thought it was beautiful!!

That afternoon most everyone went to the Scottish Museum. I bailed out as Jerry and I spent several days there in 2016. (I could wheel myself around and could easily get to the bathroom so it was perfect.)

That evening we attended a concert: Dionne Warwick – Don’t Make Me Over.

Her show was a tribute to her many accomplishments. As a young black woman growing up in America in the 50’s and 60’s she had her share of challenges. But thanks to her mother’s strong influence, she went to college and achieved both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in a music.

The show consisted of clips from a documentary (produced by the young man sitting on the couch) and a few short songs (accompanied by the band in which her son was the drummer). Sadly her voice has dropped into the tenor range and she had difficulty sustaining tones. Quite a few of us left at intermission.

Wednesday

In the morning we toured Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia. The Royal family must have enjoyed their time there – away from the “office” and the press.

Due to the expense of its maintenance the Royal Yacht was decommissioned in 1997. During the yacht’s 43 year career it travelled more than a million nautical miles

In the afternoon we visited Rosslyn Castle, a 15th century Scottish Episcopal Church, which is about an hour south of Edinburgh. (This castle came to fame because of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code) Fortunately the influx of movie fans enabled the preservation and protection of the chapel’s elaborate interior stone masonry.

On our last night we went to The Gondoliers, the operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan. It was an amateur production put on by the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

It was spirited but didn’t hold my interest. Once again a group of us left at intermission. We had to pack for a very early departure the next day.

To recap, the time in Edinburgh was wonderful, but sorely lacking in theatrical offerings the two days we were there.

I arrived home last night. My route was from Edinburgh to Dublin to San Francisco to home. A grueling transit time of 20 hours.

Bruno had fun without me. Here he is with his new toy. He likes to eviscerate the squeaky parts.

Im glad to be home.

Thanks for being part of my journey.

Best.

Mary