Atlanta Braves, Jimmy Carter and connecting with a couple of old friends…

It was a relative short drive from Chattanooga to Atlanta. My primary reason for visiting Atlanta was to go to Truist Park for a Braves game. Many folks I know who’ve been to numerous ballparks have named Truist as their “favorite.” It was not mine.

First of all, getting there was crazy. I had chosen to stay downtown, at the “Inn at the Peachtrees” mainly because any hotel near the ballpark was ridiculously expensive. (As were the tickets to the game!) The hotel was nice, and I got there early enough to have a shower and nap.

From the information I gathered, I assumed that public transportation would take me there without too much difficulty. That turned out to be an erroneous assumption.

I was going to take the MARTA rail northbound to the Arts Center and then change for the Number 10 Express bus, which showed a stop very close to the stadium. When I walked up to the MARTA station, the northbound side was closed…they were doing some kind of track work and all trains were running on the southbound side. So I schlepped over to that side and tried to buy a ticket, only the machine wouldn’t take any of my credit cards. I finally used cash. I got on a train…only it was running the wrong way. I got off at the next stop and saw a young man in a Dodgers shirt. I asked him if he was going to the game and he was and turns out he was as confused as I was. We finally got on the right train and got off at the Arts Center.

Upon checking the schedule again, we found we had missed the 10 bus by seconds. The next one didn’t come for another 28 minutes. And, to make matters more interesting, the schedule no longer showed a stop close to the stadium. The nearest stop was almost a miles walk. Argh! I asked my new friend (his name was Justin) if he wanted to split a ride on Lyft. $10 each. He agreed and we were able to get to the park before first pitch! (I then lost track of him, which was too bad, because I also ended up taking a Lyft back!) I hope he had fun; he was from LA.

Beer in hand, I found my way to my seat, which was right behind home plate. Great view.

The place was certainly impressive. Very bright, very loud…sort of like a Disneyworld of ballparks. There were lots of Dodgers fans there, which was good since the Dodgers rose up and crushed the Braves at the end, getting 7 runs in the top of the ninth. It was fun for me to see Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts play.

The best part for me was their resident opera singer, Timothy Miller, who came out in the middle of the 7th and delivered an incredible a cappella rendition of “God Bless America.”

Getting back to the hotel turned out to be almost as crazy as getting to the park. But this time I had a better idea of what I was in for. I found my way to the pick-up point for shared ride services and was confronted with numerous drivers, holding signs that said “Taxi” or “Limo” and asking anyone and everyone if they wanted a ride. Curious, I inquired of one how much it would cost to take me to my hotel. He did a few calculations and then proclaimed, “Only $100!” I must confess I laughed in his face. I walked down to a nearby KFC, where many other people were waiting, and called a Lyft. It was an…interesting evening.

The next day, I visited the Jimmy Carter Center. I did not expect to be so deeply moved. He is truly a great human being and I think we didn’t appreciate what he accomplished when he was President. The grounds are peaceful and beautiful and the museum shows his history and life work. He definitely “walks the walk.”

Some notable quotes:

“My feeling is that if we refuse to try something that might fail, we lack faith either in our ourselves or in our causes and goals.”

“God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes – and we must.”

“The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.”

And finally, I had two unexpected reconnections with old friends! I had lunch with Bill Humphries, who was the youth minister at our church in Huntington. He was not “my” youth pastor, but my brothers knew him well and he officiated at my middle brother’s wedding.

And then I drove up to Alpharetta and saw my friend Cathy, whom I have not seen in 50 years! We were close in high school…then we lost touch and our lives took different paths. But another friend convinced me to reach out and I am so glad I did. Life is too damn short. We had coffee and cake and reminisced. Then she gave me the entire cake to take with me. 😆

I left later than I’d planned, but finally made it to Weaverville around 11:00pm. Tomorrow I start my advanced carpentry course!

Georgia, Georgia
The whole day through
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

The Choo-choo, AA Baseball and Lookout Mountain

The actual passenger train known as the “Chattanooga Choo-choo” made its final run in 1970, but the station is still there. It’s now a tourist attraction and a hotel, including some historic train cars that have been turned into accommodation. It was rainy and gloomy, but I dodged the wet and got some pictures of the replicated engine and the incredible old station.

There are nods to the “choo-choo” all throughout the town.

Right near my hostel was the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, unfortunately closed when I was there.

Born in Chattanooga, Bessie Smith was a jazz and blues singer in the 1920s and ‘30s who broke barriers of color, sexuality and musical style. Long before Cardi B shocked our puritanical ears with “WAP”, Bessie Smith was singing songs with lyrics like this:

I need a little sugar in my bowl
I need a little hot dog between my rolls
You gettin’ different, I’ve been told
Move your finger, drop something in my bowl

Chattanooga has a AA Baseball Team called the “Lookouts”, named for the mountain. I love minor-league ball; it’s fun to watch the up-and-coming players and the games are usually much more laid-back than major league (not to mention cheaper!)

I met Wanda, who has been “selling” programs for 25¢ for more than 30 years. Nowadays, the programs are free (and digital) but she still sits in her spot and cheerfully calls out to the patrons, a sign with the QR code in each hand. She was delightful.

The game was great fun. They had lots of “characters” coming on to the field, plenty of activities for the kids in between innings, decent beer and friendly players and staff.

And fireworks after the game! Turned out this was the last game of the season, as the scheduled game the next day was rained out!

The next day, I took the incline railroad up Lookout Mountain. This has been in existence since 1895. Originally powered by steam, it’s now operated by two HUGE electric engines. It’s one of the steepest incline trains in the world, with an angle of 72° at its steepest point. (Straight up would be 90° so it was pretty crazy!) It’s impossible for a picture to really show how steep it was. But it was steep! The view from the mountain top was pretty spectacular.

I was feeling a bit peckish after that train ride, and stopped off at a little brunch place right nearby. I had the gumbo (an odd choice for brunch, I know, but I was in the mood…) which was pretty decent. There was a fascinating statue outside the restaurant, depicting the human history of the town. There were little statues of people all around the wheel, showing the timeline of the folks who came through.

https://deepfriedkudzu.com/2016/08/st-elmo-a-history-in-steel-sculpture-in-chattanooga.html/

Then I was off to Atlanta, for the Braves Game and to catch up with a couple of old friends.

When you hear the whistle blowin’ eight to the bar
Then you know that Tennessee is not very far
Shovel all the coal in
Gotta keep it rollin’
Woo, woo, Chattanooga there you are

Bats, baseball and a bit of history

Louisville, Kentucky is known for its bourbon and for running the Kentucky Derby every year at Churchill Downs. But it is also the home of the Louisville Slugger company. For 140 years, almost all major league players get their bats made here to exacting specifications.

The building itself is easy to spot by the enormous, incredibly realistic bat standing outside. That’s, me, standing in front of it!

The Big Bat is the world’s largest baseball bat. Made of steel, it weighs 68,000 pounds and towers 120 feet into the sky. It is an exact-scale replica of Babe Ruth’s 34-inch Louisville Slugger bat. It was constructed across the river and moving it into place was quite an operation.

Once inside, there is a gallery of famous ball players and information about the bats they used. Ball players are incredibly particular (some might say superstitious) about their bats and they want them made to their exact specifications.

Ted Williams, arguably one of the greatest hitters of all time, once returned an order of bats to the factory. He said the handles “didn’t feel right.” So they remeasured them. Sure enough, the handles were off. By 5/1000 of an inch. 😳 Ted was a perfectionist…he even handpicked his own bat lumber during visits to the factory.

There was an exhibit of bats used by different players and you were allowed to choose one to “pose” with. I choose Babe Ruth. His actual bat, one that he used in an actual game! It was very heavy and apparently is the heaviest bat the museum has. I was ridiculously excited when the docent handed me the bat. I tried to do Ruth proud. 🤣🙄

Then we went into the actual factory. The tour started with a brief video about the forests they own and maintain, and the kinds of wood used to make a bat. We were taken through the process from start to finish. Even though the initial carving is now done by machine (a computerized process that cuts the basic shape in 48 seconds!) there is still lots of hand-work involved.

At the end of the tour, we each got a little “mini-bat” as a souvenir. There was more to the museum, including a short video (narrated by the late, great James Earl Jones) about famous batters and the feeling when that bat connects with the ball. There is nothing that sounds quite like it.

When I was done at the museum, I wanted to see a bit more of Louisville before heading to St. Louis but it was too hot and humid for a long walk. I noticed a sign advertising a 90-minute “trolley tour.” Perfect, I thought. It started just a few blocks from the museum and the timing was perfect.

The tour was fun and informative. We went by numerous incredible mansions, in what used to be called “millionaire’s row.”

There’s “Central Park” designed by none other than Frederick Olmsted!

We made a stop at Churchill Downs, where they hold the Kentucky Derby.

Many other interesting sites …

Then it was on to St Louis. I had booked an AirBnB in the “trendy” Central West End. However, in a senior moment, I apparently had also booked a swank hotel near the Arch…months before. 😳 Luckily I was alerted in time to cancel the hotel! The Air BnB was exactly what I needed.

The next day, I went to the Cardinals game at Busch Stadium. I took the Metro Link to the stadium early enough so I could walk by the river before the game. (I was joined on the train by a number of Cardinal’s employees.) I sat for a while by the mighty Mississippi and contemplated life.

Then, on to the game! I loved the stadium and the vibe. I sat up behind home plate, high enough so I could see all the action. Cards won, 6-1. One player got his first major-league hit and the Jumbotron showed us his proud father in the stands…and the young player grinning at his Dad after he reached first base. Baseball always has great moments.

My grandmother grew up in St. Louis…and I had another adventure related to that. But I’ll save that for another post.

Little boy in a baseball hat stands in the field with his ball and bat
Says, “I am the greatest player of them all”
Puts his bat in his shoulder and he tosses up his ball.
And the ball goes up and the ball comes down,
Swings his bat all the way around

The Age of Steam and a scenic train ride in the Cuyahoga Valley.

In the little town of Sugarcreek, Ohio, there is a collection of magnificent steam engines, housed in a beautiful replica of a roundhouse built as they did in days gone by. This is the “Age of Steam” Roundhouse Museum.

Home

The roundhouse was built by Jerry Joe Jacobson, former CEO of the Ohio Central Railroad System. Jacobson kept a collection of vintage steam and diesel locomotives, other old equipment, and a depot at Sugarcreek, Ohio. He bought 34 acres in Sugarcreek and began constructing a roundhouse to house his collection. The roundhouse building was completed in 2011 and all of the steam locomotives, along with a few other select pieces of rolling stock in Jacobson’s collection, were moved inside the roundhouse that same year. It was the first large roundhouse built in the United States since 1951.

Jacobson and his wife, Laura set up an endowment to support the museum. The building is 48,000 square and has 18 stalls, each of which is large enough for a locomotive and its tender. The roundhouse is one of the largest heavy timber structures in America.

Inside this incredible structure are steam engines. Huge, majestic, magnificent steam engines…restored (as best as possible) to their former glory. And all (I’m sure!) with a story to tell.

There is a working machine shop attached to the roundhouse and there were two engines in there, being restored and repaired.

Because the place is a working roundhouse, you have to reserve a tour with a guide. The guides are highly knowledgeable about the history of each individual engine and obviously take pride in the workings of the museum.

Jerry Jacobson passed away in 2017. He is buried in a private mausoleum right across from the roundhouse. When he was laid to rest, the very first engine he acquired was rolled out of the roundhouse onto the turntable. It was then turned to face Jerry’s final resting place and they blew the whistle 21 times in his honor. Now, the foundation lovingly carries on his work and passion to bring the history of the “Age of Steam” to as many people as possible.

I stayed overnight in Sugarcreek, which is in Amish country. In addition to being the home of the Age of Steam museum, it also has the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock.

The next day, I drove up to Cuyahoga National Park to take the scenic rail trip from Peninsula to Akron (and back!) This took us along the old Ohio Erie Canal.

The weather was perfect and the scenery was gorgeous.

The train passes two little stations on the way, and people who are biking or hiking on the tow path can be picked up or let off. You have to flag the train down by crossing your arms up over your head, so the engineer knows to stop. (If you just wave one hand, he’ll wave back and keep going!)

The two “Silver Solarium” cars used to be used by Amtrak on their “California Zephyr” line. The original sleeping cars are still there on the lower level, plus the front “parlor” and observation dome.

Our conductor pointed out interesting sites along the way, including the only working farm inside the National Park. This turned out to be a huge farm stand and I made a point to stop there after the ride and pick up some delicious veggies for supper.

It was a fabulous ride and a lovely afternoon. And then I was on to my next stop, a rustic cabin on a tiny pond, where I would cook my food, have a glass of wine and relax.

Engine, engine number nine
Coming down the railroad line
I know she got on in Baltimore
A hundred and ten miles ain’t much distance
But it sure do make a difference
I don’t think she loves me anymore

A month-long road trip.

For the first time in almost 50 years, I am not starting September on some kind of school schedule. So, in celebration of my “retirement” (and also, my upcoming 70th birthday) I decided a road trip was in order. I had signed up to take a class in advanced carpentry down in North Carolina and I built the rest of the trip around that. Trains, baseball and music. Maybe a bit of hiking and kayaking, too.

I started my journey heading west. First stop – my daughter’s house, where I got to see Linden’s gymnastics class, Steve (my son-in-law) show off on the new backyard trampoline and Owen show me his nerf gun prowess.

I also got to see Linden off on her first day of 4th grade!

Then it was on to Penn Yan, where my best friend has a little cottage on Keuka Lake. We were blessed with beautiful weather to sit out and look at the water and relax! She’s made her cottage into an oasis with beautiful flowers and plantings. We’ve been friends since junior high…almost 60 years.

I had then planned to drive to Buffalo and take in a baseball game at Sahlen Field, home of the Bisons. However, there was a torrential downpour and the game was canceled. I’d already booked my hotel (a mediocre Best Western, meh) and I didn’t want to drive into downtown. So I found myself at the “Hofbraühaus” – a pretty good German beer hall with live music, decent food (I had sauerbraten with excellent homemade spatzel and red cabbage) and imported German beer. That’s a Dunkel…a traditional dark lager.

I made an early night of it, and today I’m off to Sugarcreek, Ohio – home of the world’s largest cuckoo clock. 😆 (And also some magnificent steam engines.)

On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again

…and the steps of St. Paul’s.

After returning from the festivities in Halifax, I had planned a day in London and then a day in Paris. I’ve always thought it was a cool thing to take the Eurostar to Paris for the day. However. I did not plan on a heat wave (it was 100°F in Paris on the Monday) and I had totally forgotten about the Paris Olympics.

I actually toyed with the idea of scratching the Paris excursion and visiting the White Cliffs of Dover. But…the tickets were non-refundable and I decided to stick with my original plan.

My hotel in London was again near Kings Cross but it was a proper hotel this time, rather than student accommodation. Still no air conditioning but a huge window that let the breezes in and a little “Juliette” balcony. Tiny room, but comfortable bed, plenty of outlets, a tea kettle and a private bath. The bathroom had an integrated shower, like on a boat or a train.

Monday I had a lazy morning. The hotel offered a basic breakfast (with no real coffee, alas) so I took advantage of that and sat out in their back garden for a while. Finally I roused myself and took a bus down to Blackfriar’s Bridge, near St. Paul’s Cathedral. I was pretty hungry by then and in the mood for pub food. I found this very cool historic pub, right in the middle of everything. Excellent food, good real ale and fascinating history! (There is also a ghost, apparently!)

The Blackfriar
This art-nouveau masterpiece was built in 1905 on the site of a former Dominican Friary which existed from 1279 – 1539. Following the 260 years of the Dominican Friars the site became the parliament chamber of the monastry. It is believed that Emperor Charles V, the Papal Magistrate and Henry VIII’s court sat on this very site during the dissolution of Henry VIII’s marrage to Catherine of Aragon in 1532. The Black Friar has been a favourite watering hole for many since the ‘merry monks’ first settled on this site. Its unusual shape is due to the fact that all the surrounding buildings have long since been demolished, taking with them the small alleyways that were once the only access to the pub. This wonderful pub was due for demolition in the sixties but the public outcry led by Sir John Betjeman and Lady Dartmouth saved the building.

One thing I love walking around London is that you never know when you might come upon some little alleyway left over from hundreds of years ago. And these are not dark, dim and dirty alleys…these are actual footpaths that have been continually traveled. And like as not, have a pub or two along the way.

I got to the Cathedral in time for Evensong…and I even got to sit in the Quire. Such a beautiful building. Such beautiful music. No little old bird woman was sitting on the steps, but I did see the Saints and Apostles looking down.

After the service, I sat outside and treated myself to an Aperol Spritz before heading back to my hotel.

The next morning, I got up at 5:00am in order to get to the Eurostar on time. Once you’re checked in and through customs, there’s a cafe and free WiFi. The trains are very comfortable and also air conditioned, thank goodness.

I originally had a sort of plan…I was going to make my way down to the Louvre and spend a few house there, and then walk along the Seine, where hopefully there would be a breeze. However. I discovered that the Louvre was closed on Tuesdays! Also, due to the Olympics, the price was a single Metro ticket was doubled and many of the bus routes were diverted. Also…it was hot and humid. I revised my plan and decided to take an open top bus tour. I booked a ticket with “TOOT BUS” 🙄 and slowly walked down to the nearest stop, which was right by the Opera. On the way, I stopped at a cafe in Franz Liszt Square and had a proper breakfast.

Something interesting to me about the buildings in this part of Paris is that they all have triangular façades and they all have those little balcony windows.

The walk was longer than I had realized and when I finally found the bus stop, I was happy to be able to board and sit. There was a nice breeze on the top. I was given a map of the “Purple Route” which was supposedly the Olympics-modified route. However…the route we drove was NOT the route on the map. In fact, it seemed pretty random and haphazard. Many times, the pre-recorded description just stopped, because we weren’t anywhere near anything on the original tour. So I just took the headphones off and enjoyed the view.

When the tour finished, I hit up a local cafe for a latte and to charge my phone. I decided to do a tour of the Opera House, which was right up the street. This was a “self-guided” tour. Basically, you paid €15 and you could wander around inside. It was hot and crowded but the interior was quite stunning.

Now I wanted food…French food. I was hoping to find someplace that made cassoulet, but I had to settle for pâté and beef Bourguignon. Oh, and a glass of excellent red wine.

By this time, I was ready to get the hell out of Paris. Gare du Nord was hot and crowded (seems like all of Paris was hot and crowded) and I was happy to find my seat on the relatively cooler train and make the journey back to St. Pancras.

My flight back to Boston was uneventful and since my son was working in town that afternoon, I was treated to a ride home direct from the airport.

And now…I’m back in my little condo! Already thinking about my next adventure!

I love Paris in the spring time 
I love Paris in the fall 
I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles 
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles 

Three days in Halifax

My friend Dean turned 40 this month and he decided to give himself a big party. Because he invited many of his fellow “Lord of the Rings” friends, and because we typically call our gatherings “moots,” we decided that this would be called a “DOOT” – because it was Dean’s MOOT. Yes, very silly.

Like most of our gatherings, it started in a pub. I got the train from Glasgow mid-morning and was treated to some lovely scenery as we chugged our way to Halifax. There was only one delay, when trains from Preston (where I transferred) to Halifax were all inexplicably cancelled. 😡 But I found an alternate route through Manchester and was only slightly annoyed.

I was happy to see my hotel, the Imperial Crown, directly across from the train station. I checked in, dumped my bags and made my way up the hill to the Grayston Unity Pub. I was immediately treated to a pint.

Lots of welcomes, hugs, catching up and more pints occurred. I had made Dean a special hat for his birthday…that’s the White Tree of Gondor for those of you who aren’t familiar. He was quite pleased with it.

We then repaired to a somewhat overly-trendy establishment called “NXT LVL.” Apparently they lost the letter “E” when making the sign. 🙄 However, they did do pretty decent burgers. They had some old-school video games which amused several of us for a while. There was a nice seating area outside, too.

We were actually able to get a group picture with everyone in it!

The next morning, we met for coffee and breakfast at a place called MAMIL, which stands for “Middle Aged Men in Lycra.” No, I am not kidding. It’s a cycling-themed cafe/bar and they have pretty decent food and coffee.

We moved on to hang out in the “Piece Hall” which original was a huge trading site for sellers of fabric. Much of the original structure is still there…you can see where all the individual shops/stalls were around the perimeter. The interior has been leveled and made smoother for walking. This weekend, there were several concerts scheduled for the evenings, so a large stage had been set up, along with food trucks and other kiosks. It was a great place to people-watch. The ornate cast-iron gates were fascinating, too.

Also cool was Borough Market. This is on the site of the original covered market in Halifax, which has been there for hundreds of years. The current structure was built in 1895. I loved looking at the ornate ceiling and the clock. Originally, it sold mostly meat and fish, but now you can get almost anything. Including yarn. 😁

The highlight of the afternoon was a tour of Halifax that Dean had arranged with his friends Signe and James. Signe was a terrific narrator and told us many tales of the various historical characters (famous and infamous) and the buildings in Halifax. We heard about the running man, who escaped the gibbet, the severed head of John the Baptist, the scandalous Anne Lister, who was known as “Gentleman Jack” and Union Cross Yard, the oldest pub, which has been in operation since 1535…plus many other interesting and intriguing buildings.

We ended up (where else) in a pub called “Dukes” which had a nice selection of real ales.

I headed back to my hotel for a bit of a nap before the nights festivities! Dean had rented a local hall and arranged for a buffet, a cash bar and plenty of music. There was even a costume box so folks could get into the spirit of things. A splendid time was guaranteed for all.

Sunday morning, I attended service at the Halifax Minster, a beautiful old church. There was no choir (they’re on holiday) but the organ was lovely and I liked the friendly vibe. There is nothing quite like hearing an Old Testament story read in a broad Yorkshire accent!

More Halifax…

All too soon, people were leaving! The “DOOT” had come to an end. I had one minor panic when I thought I’d lost my passport…but it was found! I made my way to the train station and headed back to London. And another heat wave.

… But ya’ got to have friends
The feeling’s oh so strong
Ya’ got to have friends
To make that day last long

Riding the Jacobite Steam Train to Mallaig

This is considered one of the most famous steam train rides in the world and was used in the Harry Potter movies. I had been determined to ride it ever since I knew I’d be in Fort William, but tickets on line had been sold out for months. However. Rumor had it that you could often get tickets on the day, provided you were willing to stand in line and had cash in hand. So, that was my plan.

The morning train left at 10:15am. I got up early, and with the requisite cash in my pocket, walked down to the train station. In the pouring rain. I own a wonderful, versatile, very excellent waterproof poncho. It was sitting on my bed in Massachusetts. So, I had purchased a cheap, flimsy, thin plastic thing to cover me. It was…less than adequate. But I got there.

There were about a dozen other hopefuls already standing in line for a same-day ticket. Word was that the day before, only seven had been available. I disengaged myself from my wet plastic bag poncho-thing, got myself a coffee, and waited. My shoes and the bottoms of my pants were soaked, but my core was dry and it wasn’t cold. Despite the rain, everyone was in good spirits and we were all sure we’d get a ticket.

And we were successful! I was assigned a seat at a table with three American girls who were on a “girls trip” driving around Scotland. They had been in line, too. Soon the engine started up and we were chugging along. Lo and behold, the sun came out and the scenery was spectacular!

Everyone was waiting for the view over the viaduct. The viaduct has 21 arches and people drive for miles to watch the train cross. As we approached, we could see crowds of people standing everywhere, waiting to get a good shot. It was amazing.

Obviously, I could not get a shot from below, but this is what it looks like. An iconic view!

We made a brief stop at Glenfinnan, which had a little cafe, a tiny museum and some cool views. We also passed through Arisaig, which is the furthest west train stop in the UK. You could see the Atlantic Ocean.

Finally we were pulling into the little fishing port of Mallaig. I was hungry, so I found a little restaurant and had a bowl of Cullen skink (a kind of fish stew) and a half pint of a local ale.

The sun had continued to cooperate, so I walked around the village.

There was a fabulous bakery right on the water and I had a pastry and a sinfully rich hot chocolate.

Soon it was time to reboard the train. More views. More train.

Back in Fort William, I took myself to a warm pub and then an excellent fish restaurant that was highly recommended. A second fabulous meal!

Walking back to my inn, I explored an old cemetery that I’d noticed previously. Some cool old headstones and monuments.

An early start the next day, a brief stop-over in Glasgow and now I am on my way to Halifax to meet up with some friends and celebrate.

This train don’t carry no liars, this train
This train don’t carry no liars, this train
This train don’t carry no liars,
no hypocrites and no high flyers
This train is bound for glory, this train

3 days in Fort William.

Fort William might be the rainiest town in the UK, but the sun actually came out for me and allowed me to ramble hither and yon. After a brief nap at my little inn, I moseyed on down to the “town center” to have a look around.

Although it was a bit drizzly, plenty of people were out and about. There was a full-size bronze replica of a Model T Ford. Apparently, in 1911, some valiant chap had driven a Model T all the way up Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK! I sat next to him and got a picture.

Then I stopped in at the “Highland Museum,” which was small but packed full of interesting historical artifacts about the area, including the Jacobite uprising, Queen Victoria, and other bits and bobs.

There was a break in the mist, so I walked along the river for a while. I saw the ruins of the old fort. Not much of it is left, because the Railroad Company bought the site and ran their trains right through it! However, you can still see the shape of it and get an idea of how it might have looked.

It was high time for a pint and some grub. I stopped into a pub and had an ale and some fantastic seafood chowder before heading back up the hill.

The next day promised to be sunny. Well, sunny-ish! I decided to make the most of it with a walk along the “Great Glen Way” and a visit to the old castle and a local distillery. So many beautiful flowers and plants along the river. It was a lovely walk.

There were sheep! They baa-ed at me as I walked by.

Soon I reached the ruins of Inverlochy Castle. They are currently doing some structural work, so it wasn’t possible to walk through it. But you could still get up close enough to see its magnificence. It was built in the mid-1200s and is still in remarkable shape. Very “Lord of the Rings.”

Down the path a little ways was a soap factory and cafe. So many lovely soaps…and they had a sink where you could try them out. I resisted purchasing anything, but I did have a latte and a delicious avocado toast with sun-dried tomatoes and smoked salmon.

Then it was time for whisky! When I got to the distillery, I was told that all tours were completely booked. But…it seemed that several folks had not shown up for the tour that was just starting out. So they squeezed me in. It was very interesting. And I got to try four different types of whisky, all made on site with the incomparable water from Ben Nevis. All very, very nice!

The clouds had parted enough so we could actually see Ben Nevis…an unusual occurrence!

The night before, I had ended up with rather mediocre Indian food for a late supper (this was after the most excellent soup…) so I decided to get a decent meal. By now, it had begun to drizzle, so after I dodged the raindrops back to my guesthouse, I booked myself a table at a fine restaurant just down the street. I was not disappointed!

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here, 
My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer; 
Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, 
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.

Up to Fort William on the Caledonian Sleeper.

I had taken the sleeper once before, up to Inverness. This time, I opted for Fort William, considered (so I’ve now been told) to be the rainiest town in the UK. But also beautiful.

The sleeper train has undergone some major improvements since the the last time. For one thing, they now have a dedicated lounge at Euston, with snacks, drinks, food for purchase and hot showers.

The lounge was small, but spotlessly clean, comfortable and friendly. After traipsing around London all day, I was very happy to have the option of a hot shower before boarding the train. The attendant gave me a huge fluffy towel and there was soap, shampoo and body lotion provided. And they had an accessible shower with extra room and safety bars for balance-challenged individuals like me. I took my time!

After I was presentably clean and in my traveling clothes, I had a glass of wine and ordered a ham and cheese toastie and a bowl of soup. I also swiped some complementary cookies for the journey. Then they called my train car and I boarded. I had upgraded myself to a “club” room which had an attached bathroom. The room was tiny, but had a surprisingly large sink, and all toiletries and etc were provided.

There were also two bars of excellent Scottish chocolate on the beds. Since I was the only occupant, I took both of them! (Yes, it was milk chocolate…but it was really good!)

“Club” tickets meant you got admission to the on-board “club car” and I took myself up there and had a lovely glass of Scotch whisky, while I watched the scenery until it got too dark.

I returned to my cabin and settled in for the night. The train had WiFi, so I caught up with the news and my email and then fell asleep to the rhythm of the train. I woke up around 3:00am, when they were switching engines and splitting the train. The next time I woke up, it was 8:00am! I had overslept my breakfast time! Luckily, they still served me!

Soon the train was pulling into Fort William. As predicted, it was raining. I had originally planned to walk to my little guesthouse, but I wasn’t sure of the way and had forgotten my rain poncho. 🙄 So I grabbed a taxi.

The “Distillery Guest House” turned out to be less than half a mile from the train station. And even though I was three hours early for check-in, my room was ready and I could get myself settled.

I had booked their one “single” – a tiny, but cozy room on the first floor. There was a modern bathroom, plenty of outlets for charging devices, a reading light and a mini coffee/tea bar with a kettle.

I decided to have a cup of tea, a brief nap, and then go explore. And buy a rain poncho!

Let me tell you that I love you and I think about you all the time
Caledonia you’re callin’ me and now I’m going home
And if I should become a stranger
You know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia you’re everything I’ve ever had