Month: October 2025

My husband and I tend to be serious travelers. We prefer visiting museums, buildings and landmarks rather than enjoying amusement parks, sports and entertainment venues. Sometimes, nonetheless, something seemingly silly calls us and so it was when we chose a visit to the suburban town of Richmond when we returned to London from Scotland.

For the uninitiated Richmond is the site of the television comedy Ted Lasso. The story of the sitcom revolves around a soccer team owned by a woman embroiled in a competition with her ex husband and coached by an American who knows little or nothing about soccer.  The characters are delightful and the ultimate result of the strange arrangement pulls the people of the town together in the belief that anything is possible. 

We rode from the Embankment tube station to Richmond in a little over thirty minutes with multiple stops along the way. The Richmond station was built in the late nineteen twenties and it has a lovely art deco look that sets the mood for a stroll around a place that harks back to Tudor kings and queens. The town itself is neat and clean and filled with the same kind of friendly folks who brought so much joy to the Ted Lasso show. 

One of the batteries in Mike’s hearing aide had died while we were enroute so our first task was to find some new batteries which proved to be a bit more complicated than expected because the sizing dimensions in the UK are different from those in the USA. Fortunately there was a shop that specialized in all kinds of batteries and the manager knew exactly how to match Mike’s batteries to the ones that he had. With his assistance we were quickly on our way to explore the town. 

We soon found ourselves at a lovely park where people were enjoying the sun, walking their dogs and just strolling with friends. The site had once been used for jousting tournaments and it was surrounded by lovely high end homes that had been there for decades. We found a bench and watched the passersby and the antics of the pups exercising and fetching sticks. I expected to see members of the fictional Greyhound soccer team walk by at any moment but most of the filming for the coming season of the show is taking place elsewhere for right now. 

After enjoying some great people watching we headed over to the pub made famous by scenes from Ted Lasso where the townspeople gathered to watch soccer matches that all too often did not end well. Before going inside we continued down the narrow street to the Ted Lasso store where a variety of shirts, scarves and Ted Lasso themed merchandise is on sale.I settled for a small refrigerator magnet with Ted’s “Believe” mantra reminding me of the positive outlook that pulled the motley group together. 

We also peered into a hat shop that featured the kind of headgear that might be celebrated at a royal event or the Kentucky Derby. There was one lovely design after another tempting me to go inside but the place was closed for the day so I had to be content with only gazing through the window at the lovely creations. 

From there we found our way to the River Thames on which Queen Elizabeth I often rode to the Richmond Palace where she sometimes lived. It was filled with sea birds resting on small boats that appeared to be fitted for everything from fishing to living. Benches along the banks of the river were beckoning us to spend some time watching the life of the river flow before us but we were hungry and ready to return to the pub for some lunch. 

We quickly wound our way back to the Prince’s Head which was called the Crown and Anchor in the Ted Lasso show. Located on Richmond Green it was filled with memories of the television show including uniforms and scarves from the fictional Greyhounds. A special corner was filled with Ted Lasso paraphernalia. It was a delightful nook created with a wooden bench and lots of pillows. It felt as though the proprietors had been waiting for us to arrive. When we perused the menu we not only found exactly what we had hoped to eat but there among all of the brews was cider from New Zealand called Old Moot that I had been searching for since our last visit to London.

We settled in for a comfortable dining and drinking experience that seemed to top off our delighted joy in being there. We could have sat there for the rest of the afternoon and we did indeed spend a great deal of time savoring our feast and the moment but it was nearing the rush hour and we knew that as we rode back on the tube our coach would be filled with people going home from work. We reluctantly said goodbye to Richmond feeling the same kind of joy that we had experienced in watching the Ted Lasso show. We both agreed that we will eagerly await the new season whenever it is finally scheduled to return with an intimate feeling of what living in Richmond is acutally like.     

Planning for a big trip is critical. So much has to be done before ever leaving home but sometimes not having anything specific scheduled for a day turns out to be the very best idea. A bit of serendipity never hurts. 

So it was in Scotland. After walking the Royal Mile and visiting most of the shops we had our fill of window shopping. The tour of Edinburgh Castle was a grand memory that would last us for years. Now we had a day with nothing to do because we had been uncertain as to what might interest us among the many options that were available. 

I had read about the Royal Botanical Gardens and learned that they were free for anyone to visit. Somehow we were enchanted by the idea of strolling leisurely among nature after seeing the ingenuity of humans. Even though it was a cloudy day with a chance of a few drizzles we set out for the gardens and almost instantly knew that we had made the right choice. 

The entrance was incredibly lovely with a variety of ferns growing magnificently behind a glass wall. I literally sat for a time just staring at the wonderful specimens that reached for the roof of the building. A few steps later I learned that the old glass buildings were being refurbished after many decades of use. Even watching the video outlining the plans and the progress was so interesting.  

Eventually we walked out into the massive park filled with winding pathways and lush trees and bushes of different varieties. Because it was fall and the air was already cold most of the plants were no longer flowering but the leaves were celebrating the season with colors of yellow, orange, red and gold. It was a kind of wonderland that I never get to see in my part of the world where it never gets cold enough for seasonal color changes. It was a sight that I had longed to experience. 

We walked the entire length and width of the gardens stopping from time to time to watch the workers tending to the flowerbeds and pruning bushes. We enjoyed seeing the toddlers and babies demonstrating their sense of wonder with wide eyed curiosity. We watched couples holding hands and old people pushing their walkers down the pathways. All the while we were surrounded by the glories of nature in a quiet place that  seemed to shut out the rest of the world. 

Eventually we made our way to a little cafe at the top of a small hill where we munched on warm scones and sipped our tea and coffee. I mentioned that it smelled like rain was coming so we moved inside just as a downpour caught many visitors and soaked their clothing and hair. 

Everyone seemed so happy there. Something is magical about such a place. It shuts out politics and debates and arguments about our differences. Instead we all become united in the loveliness and peacefulness of it all. I found myself wishing that I lived there so that I might retreat there whenever the world became to much for me. Instead I reluctantly agreed that it was time to return to the hotel to gather our things to leave for the train ride back home. 

I liked the hotel where we had stayed. It was small and so were the rooms but everything was spotlessly clean and the people working there went out of their way to accommodate us. Each morning they featured a wonderful breakfast spread that energized us for the day. I felt as much at home there as I had in the botanical garden and found myself already planning to one day return. 

Soon enough we were back at the train station racing down the platform to the coach that would take us back to London. For a time we enjoyed the views of the countryside but nighttime beckoned and it became too dark to see anything but lights off in the distance. When we reached St. Pancras Station it was late and all of the shops and food stands were closed. We made our way outside to find a cab to take us back to our hotel on Northumberland near Trafalgar Square, tired but happy about the journey to Edinburgh that had gone so well.

On a cold Monday morning we gathered near St. Giles Cathedral on High Street to join our tour group led by a young man from Wisconsin. We were a motley crew of people from around the world eager to go inside Edinburgh Castle which dominates the city with its presence on Castle Rock. Ours would be a half mile hike down High Street whose full extent is known as the Royal Mile. 

We were soon moving past crowds, pipers and shops toward the iconic structure built over a thousand years ago by King Malcom II. Soon we were facing the gate which was flanked by statues of Robert the Bruce and William Wallace who were key players in the long ago Battle of Scottish independence from England. Entering the castle led us up a long sloping cobblestone elevation know as the Esplanade while our guide explained that many buildings were added over time to the main fortification that Malcolm originally built. 

We secured our audio guides but lost our tour group in the gaggle of people who were already there. I was not particularly perturbed because I was limited in how far I was able to walk before needing to rest. I suddenly appreciated tEdinburgh he idea of leisurely touring on our own. In fact, it was nearing one o’clock and the firing of the big gun which we wanted to witness. We smiled when we realized that we would have missed if we had continued upward with the tour. 

As we waited for the daily ceremony we peered into the North Sea and the incredible vistas that painted our view. The old buildings in the town looked like a fairytale creation with their colorful facades. The wind blew in our faces as we stared far into the distance imagining the sights that must have unfolded during the history of the place. It was so enchanting that I would have considered it worth the price of admission even if that had been the extent of what we would see. Luckily so much more was to come. 

Promptly at one o’clock a soldier shot the big gun and we applauded the loud boom that it made. From there we headed to the Military Museum where a sculpture of General Alexander Haig riding his horse dominated the courtyard. We talke about how Mike’s uncle had been named after the hero of World War I.Then we entered the museum and learned about the glories of the Scottish soldiers over time. 

We had lingered in the museum for well over an hour so we stopped at the nearby cafe for a small snack before continuing up the cobblestone pathway through the Foggy Gate to the Upper Ward. There we would see astounding views and and learn about the many ways that the castle had been used over time including as a prison. We marveled at St. Margaret’s Chapel. Just outside the church we saw a huge cannon known as Mons Meg. We watched the people meandering around  Crown Square the cobblestone walkway where  King James II used to stroll. Then we entered the Royal Palace where the Stuart kings and queens once lived. In the Great Hall we saw the armory of long ago soldiers in a vast room that Queen Victoria designed . We reached the Queen Anne Building and the Scottish National War Memorial at the apex of the castle grounds.  Each section was quite interesting so it was almost closing time before we began our decent to the entrance return to High Street by way of the esplanade. 

Edinburgh Castle once served as a fortress protecting the city from invaders but now it is a tourist attraction that brings thousands of people to visit each year. A special feature occurs in August when the castle is the site of a Military Tattoo featuring performances from dozens of bagpipers and bands from all over the globe. it is considered to be one of the most glorious events associated with the castle and the city. In fact, the young man who rode on the train to Edinburgh with us suggested that we should one day plan a return visit during that time of year. He assured us that it is a spectacular that we would never forget. 

Walking back into the city felt almost surreal after spending so many hours in the castle. We made our way past shops selling woolens, whiskey, purses and souvenirs. As evening came we felt the chill of autumn in the north once again and stopped in a boutique featuring fine cashmere scarves where we each purchased one that caught our eyes. They helped to keep us warmer in Scotland but I wonder if it will ever get cold enough where we live in Texas to use more than once or twice in a year.

We were hungry so we searched for a restaurant without much luck. We were not in the mood for something strange like haggis which was offered up and down he street. Instead we settled for an Italian place that had a friendly vibe where we rested our weary feet and spoke about all the marvels we had seen. While we were there our sister-in-law called and we happily told her about our adventures. It was fun sharing with her and reliving the wonderful day once again.

We returned to the hotel excited and satisfied that we had checked off one of our bucket list journeys. It was as wonderful as we had hoped and would be a cherished memory for all time. We slept like babies with visions of sweeping views and Scottish history dancing in our heads.

When I was a young girl people travelled on trains in Texas much more than they now do. One of my aunts lived in Corpus Christi and we sometimes took the train there from Houston, Texas. As a child I found it thrilling to sit by a window watching the sights from my seat on the train. I loved it when the conductor came to punch our tickets. He looked so official in his uniform and hat. It was a special treat to travel that way and it did not take long because Corpus Christi was not far away There was never enough time for me to get bored with the experience. 

In Great Britain and Europe it is much more common to travel by train so when we purchased tickets to go from London to Edinburgh I was as excited as I had been as a kid. When the day came you would have thought that I was going on a cruise to Antarctica or a space journey to the moon. I got so excited by the hubbub of people at St. Pancras Station filled with travelers heading in many different directions. 

We talked with a women who had done this multiple times and she helped us know how to find the right platform and what to do when they finally let us inside the gate. She urged us to walk quickly to get our suitcases stowed away because sometimes a coach is so crowded that there is not enough room for everything that people bring onboard. 

With her tips we had no trouble moving at a fast pace, finding our assigned seats and placing our suitcases in the bins above our heads. Ours was a four person section with a table but for much of the trip we were the only ones sitting there so we were able to stretch out and enjoy the ride. 

The train hugged the coastline for much of the time so the scenes were quite picturesque with lovely farms on one side and the North Sea on the other. As we moved north the land rolled into hilly areas where mostly sheep were grazing on the emerald green grass. The homes were all tidy and inviting like something out of a fairytale. The scenes were totally idyllic often dotted with houses that boasted thatched roofs and gardens filled with autumn vegetables. 

It was especially exciting to make a stop at York where we had traveled in twenty seventeen. I imagined Yorkminster in all of its glory and the narrow streets and shops in the ancient town that had once been the home of kings. I wondered how the sweet lady who showed us around the cathedral there was doing and hoped that she had done well during the worldwide pandemic. She had reminded my husband of his grandmother and he told me that if I wanted to know how his Granny had sounded I need only think of the woman who had served as our guide. 

Not long after leaving the York station a young man boarded the train and took a seat across from us. He was a friendly fellow who was on his way to Scotland to meet his girlfriend in Glasgow. They had plans to go camping and hiking for the next few days. He chatted amiably telling us how he had grown up in North London. He did not seem disappointed at all that he had to sit with two senior citizens. In fact, he made it a point to keep us entertained as he pointed out sights that he did not want us to miss. 

Across from us was a table filled with folks who began the journey as strangers but ended up feeling very comfortable with one another. One of them was a very talkative man who entertained the whole coach with his strong voice and detailed autobiography. The group included a young woman from mainland China who spoke impeccable English and admitted that she had been trying out her speaking skills in Paris and other places to practice the many languages that she had mastered. I was quite impressed. 

Eventually we reached Newcastle, the city from which Mike’s Granny and aunt and uncles had emigrated to the United States. From our point of view it was a vibrant city sitting astride both the North Sea and the Tyne River. There were lovely old buildings beside modern architecture. We even saw the university that had a large footprint on the scene. Mike wondered how his grandmother would have reacted to seeing the place that she left as a child to go to the wilds of Texas in the  early nineteen hundreds. She came with her mother, father, siblings and grandparents and never again returned. Nonetheless she still had a small bit of an English accent and she loved tea time and Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding. My husband swears that nobody makes it better than she did. 

Soon we were pulling into Edinburgh Station which was far more confusing than London. We had no idea which way to go or even where the restrooms, or as they call them toilets, were. Eventually we figured it out on our own and were heading to our hotel filled with thoughts of the morrow when we would tour Edinburgh Castle. 

After checking into our hotel room we went for a walk down the Royal Mile in search of the place where we would meet our tour guide the following day. Since we were hungry we did not hesitate to go inside when we spotted a restaurant called Landy’s which claimed to have the best fish and chips anywhere. We had to admit that the food was indeed exceptional as was the waiter who went out of his way to make us feel welcome. 

After a bit more walking we realized that it was getting late and we were tired. We went back to the hotel and saw that the movie channel was featuring The Alamo with John Wayne. It made us laugh to think that we had travelled this far to end up with a movie about the state where we had both lived for all of our lives. We only halfway watched it because we had seen it many times as children and we knew exactly what was going to happen but it served us well given how sleepy we were. We were ready to see the castle of all castles and as anxious as we were, sleep beckoned. 

I may have been a mathematics teacher by profession but much like my father and my husband I am an avid fan of history. There is no greater tale than that of humankind attempting to create a better world. When I walked Whitehall Street from my hotel in London on a cold and blustery day toward Westminster, the site of the Parliament of Great Britain, I was beyond excited to finally be inside the halls and rooms where so much history has unfolded over the centuries. 

Our first stop was in Westminster Hall built in the eleventh century by William II. It is the oldest section of the Parliament installation and a beautiful example of medieval architecture. It has been the site of the trials of Thomas Moore and Charles I. It has been the place where Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama spoke in an historic moment. Most recently it served as a place of repose when Queen Elizabeth II died. Thousands of British citizens moved past to pay tribute to their beloved queen just as people did in times past. Westminster Hall is a glorious place where one can almost hear the whispers of history rising up to the magnificent roof that is a reminder of the glory medieval craftmanship.

From this important site the tour winds its way through magnificent halls and rooms where kings, potentates, lawmakers and common folk have walked over the centuries as the British Parliament evolved from a gathering of lords and men of high birth whose job was to consult with the king to the democratic Houses of both Lords and Commons of today. Now the KIng Charles II is a figurehead with only ceremonial power because the final decision making now falls on the the two Houses where laws are made by representatives of the people from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland. 

While I enjoyed seeing places such as the robing room and niches where the kings and queens ruled it was in the two chambers of Parliament that I sensed the true impact of history and the evolution of the powers of everyday citizens. I felt the most community with the House of Commons knowing that it is the place where the voices of everyday people are most likely to be heard. I could almost hear and feel the march of history rumbling forward sometimes smoothly and sometimes ending with attempts to blow it all away. 

While we were not allowed to sit in the gallery of the House of Commons I found myself drawn to the idea of being a fly on the wall while the procedures are taking place. I think I would truly enjoy observing the legislative process in action. It is both different and somewhat like the system that we developed in the United States and is certainly a distant cousin of the democracy of America. 

We spent hours staring reverantly at every painting and artifact and taking in the importance of the place. Somehow it seemed fitting that Big Ben, the venerable clock built near the installation, began to chime just as we were leaving. It was a reminder that time marches on and that the spirit of all the people who came before us lives on in the progress that we humans slowly make. 

It was a Saturday in London and the streets were bustling with both tourists and citizens going about the routines of their lives. Somehow we felt that talking a long detour back to the hotel was exactly what we needed so that we might have time to talk about the wonder of what we had just seen. We headed toward St. James Park past the Churchill War Rooms and government offices. The Horse Guards and Number 10 Downing Street were just down the street from where our feet kept moving as though we were not yet ready to end the glory of the day. The trees in the park were shedding leaves in the strong wind that chilled our faces and blew our hair askew. Soon we were standing in front of Buckingham Palace where we rested a bit before circling in the direction of Green Park where we continued to wander and talk with a sense of awe. 

Eventually we encountered a tube station and took a ride to Bloomsbury where we suddenly realized that we were hungry from the thousands of steps we had taken that day. There we enjoyed a sandwich and continued our discussion of the problems that the world had tackled in the past and the ones that were daunting humans in the present. We had ideas but no perfect solutions which seems to be the way of the political world for all time.

We eventually walked some more and found a shop where we both purchased warm woolen hats to cover our ears that were chafing from the cool winds that we had subjected them to all afternoon long. Suddenly we realized how far we had strolled and how late in the day it was so we reluctantly returned to our hotel. There we saw the street filled with police cars and barricades because of a massive protest in Trafalgar Square. Somehow it seemed fitting that such a movement would be happening as ordinary citizens voiced their concerns. It was in keeping with the history that we had viewed.

For us it was time to rest because we would be traveling north the following day. I slept well sensing from the journey of our day that humans and history have ways of eventually setting things right as long as democracy remains alive. My determination to make sure that nothing ever changes that in my own country grew ever stronger on that day.