Monthly Archives: May 2025

I woke up in Scotland on Saturday 17 May 2025

I woke up from a lengthy exhausted travel jet-lag sleep.  I would not say refreshed, but better than the day before and ready to explore.  I have no expectations really from Scotland.  I love that the opportunity presented itself for me to be here and see some of the old country.

My grandfather was born in Glasgow.  My parents have been here and explored some of my heritage details.  what will the day bring?  What will happen between wake and sleep on this historic ground?  What will the day offer between Glasgow and our little hotel reservation in Tyndrum, Perthshire.  

We stayed at nice clean walk up spiral stairs hotel. So cute on the outside, so plain and lovely inside …. Sandyford Lodge.  Recommended and I would stay there again. 

Heading out to find gf groceries and Rachel is going to practice driving on other side of the road today as we head into the highlands for an adventure. Specifically we are looking for a place to swim in the cold water!!!  Yup. That is the intention.  

We check out and walk to Eurocar where Rachel has reserved a car. She specifically is looking for small car with automatic drive to rent. She gets a black large Mercedes Benz with sunroof, 4 doors, low and wide, computer screens and lights, cameras and sensors all over it.  Once she figured it out, and started driving on the left side of the road in the city … we popped in to the Lidl cheap clean grocery store.

We purchased some great salad fixings, snacks for the day, water and some cheese and olives.  Getting used to the size of the car and the traffic patterns is a challenge and she does very well.  We head out noticing a few things.  Yellow lights follow red lights and predict green.  Huh.

Navigation in feet and sometimes yards …. Interchangeable.  Lots of roundabouts … we head out of the city to the highlands. Rachel has a few prepared play lists and we start with Scottish music beating through my seat back – vibrating from the speakers and kind of like a massage… only on my seat.  

Big stone architecture is beautiful.  I love the use of stones for the homes, fences, guardrails, bridges ….. 

No clouds. Blue blue as far as I can see.  We find a song we love and we put on repeat as we are driving towards loch lomand!  On Dumbarton Rd. 

Listening to the song …. Loch Lomand!!  Goose bump moment. Happy and feeling what I wanted to feel. “You take the high road and I will take the low road  and I will be in Scotland afore ye “….  On repeat.  Over and over.  Wow.  Tears on my cheeks, I feel the song and the precious moment of being in and near this place.

We pull over to stop in parking lot at Luss. A quaint little town. We bring our bathing suits, towels to help us change on the beach and fixings for a picnic lunch.  Baby ducks with their mom practicing their swim off to the side.  Trees hanging with spring colours and lots of folks there to enjoy a Saturday at the beach.  We swim, we float, we laugh and we enjoy our joyous water experience surrounded by the greenery that is Scotland on this beautiful day.

After the beach, still aglow, walking through town a man stopped us saying the lives of Jersey cows he preferred to young women these days with their fake this n fake that. What a character … an old guy watching the world go by his front step.  

Then we see a sign to “the firkin point”. We tried to find it. lol. The parking and manoeuvres required are beyond us. So many people on this fine sunny warm day. We never discover the firkin point!  Ha ha

Stone buildings and castles through argyle forest greenery. Loch long is beautiful setting   Stone bridges   Big green hills   Some trees. The highlands.  

We spot sheep in the fields … and keep our eyes out for the cows.  

Double dip swimming in the loch Restil.  The spectacular green mountain surroundings.  The rail road and train sounds, the actual train out on the hills. It was wild and fun and far away from any town.  

We were late to go in, but walked Argyle Inverary castle.  Seeing some tourists on a bench I quickly tried wifi and posted some pictures on Facebook.  Missed the woolen mill in town too … just missed closing time all over.  

On the next leg of the drive we stopped to walk around the abandoned and in disrepair castle of Kilchurn.  Magical.  We spy more cows and take a lot of pics as the sun starts to set. The castle is located on Loch Awe!  

Now settled in to our Ben Doran hotel for the night, we are sharing supper, wine, and highlights.  

Highlight #1… time spent together in magical surroundings.  

Till tomorrow, good night from Scotland

Blue sky on arrival to Paris. Nightfall in Glasgow Scotland. 16 May 2025

Now Friday 16th May and I am arriving in Paris France from the sky. Not a cloud or grey in sight. Walk walk through aeroport to find train station. I have no checked baggage to claim. Through long squiggly lines and through passport security. 

Finally familiarity as I Text to Rachel from Starbucks where I met her last year. 

Get Navigo train ticket it advertises – with 15 plus minute wait to use a dispenser machine.  Found shorter line with a person attendant. Asked her which train. She waves her hand in a dismissive sort of way. 11 or 12. There on the platform a train is waiting for me. Relax. Breathe. Follow along. Sun streaming in the train windows and a pleasant breeze in the open air where a window is letting in sounds of the city. 

Beautiful stops along the way.  Terra cotta roof tops. Greenery. 

People dressed in style. Some with heels. Some with scooters. Ohhhh I love Paris!  

Found Rachel – well she found me. I was circulating round and round in the train station. Gare du Nord. I found a Starbucks but alas, the wrong one. 

Then with backpack and purse we walked through streets of Paris.  Montmarte area.  Up up on cobblestone and crossing the corners, sometimes waiting for traffic and green walk lights, sometimes just crossing.  Beautiful window boxes and balconies. People on bikes and scooters. People sitting at the cafe. We purchased a frozen Schar pizza for me from a grocery knowing no cross contamination is possible. We came upon a tiny gluten free patisserie. 

She lives not far from Sacre-Coeur and Moulin Rouge.  Charming walk through cobblestone streets. I want to take pictures and am tired, dragging my backpack and exhausted body along the way. Past doorways with a single doorknob in centre of the door. Quaint. Many colourful doorways and metal knockers. 

We went to her little single apartment for Rachel to do some work. Charming little courtyard down below out her windows. Exhausted I fell asleep for a few hours. Did on line check in for tonight’s flight. Then we cooked the pizza and ate it and repacked for our flight to Scotland tonight. 

Off in search of SIM card for my phone but no luck on that one. We found a Five Guys who have gluten free fries :). We took metro to the train station heading back to Charles de Gaulle airport in preparation for EasyJet flight to Glasgow Scotland. 

Line ups through passport security we are routed through the family line. Many many dozens of families donning Mickey Mouse ears and carrying stuffed Disney critters. What a great idea!  Maybe next weekend we can put a EuroDisney stop on our agenda. Neither of us have been before. How fun to think of that!  

In this moment from plane window, seat 5F I watch the colourful sun set on the dark horizon. All the colours of this day shining a prism of bright purple red orange gold green blue … the thickest is orange strip along the sight line above some clouds that can be seen down below in the dark sky. Then the sky is clear again and I see city lights in clusters and shapes. The lines of roads. Sparkly colours of sky reflecting off waterways. 

Somewhere down below is the United Kingdom. For Canadians an evisa is now required and I have mine for this trip. My first night ever in Scotland tonight. Exciting. What will I see or do, how will I feel, what about the food? The swimming in the lochs? A rail trip or purchase something MacDonald. Writing, doodling, walking, … I wonder. 

First night in clean Sandyford Lodge. 21 Royal Crescent, Glasgow. Wifi hooked up. Ya!!

16 May 2025 flight to Paris, France!

I left yesterday (I think), from Victoria, my home.  First leg was flight to Calgary, uneventful, on time and with carry on backpack only.  

All flights on time and safe arrival.  As we descended into Paris this morning there was blue sky and not a single cloud.  I am visiting my friend, Rachel on this trip.  She lives in Paris (last year she lived in Lyon). We had made prior arrangements to meet at the Starbucks at the Gare du Nord in Paris.  

I needed to get through passport security, navigate the crowds and find the rer B train station, buy a ticket and wifi so we can communicate.  Check, check, check ….. and check.  Ticket purchased I hop on the right train and zoom toward Paris!  

First meal, we picked up a frozen Schlar gluten free individual size pizza to heat up at home before we fly to Glasgow Scotland tonight.  No worry of cross contamination anyway!  Last year my first night in Paris I was very sick from our first meal out.  Determined not to experience that again. 

Struggling to find wifi. Will write more later and with pics…..

flight to Paris and Glasgow May 15-16 2025

Dear blog followers. 

Today is Thursday 15 May 2025.  I am on route to my next travel adventure.  It is a slightly grey overcast morning as I arrive at YYJ Victoria BC Canada airport departures section.  Two hours ahead of my first leg of Westjet flight to Calgary and connecting on to beautiful Paris, France.  

I prepared for security by being early for my flight, taking off some neck chains, my hair clip and took off jacket and shoes.  Funny they asked me to remove my silk scarf from Xamam purchase in Chania Greece.  I wanted to be easy to manoeuvre around today, travelling with only a backpack for carry on.  

I am flying alone this time from here, meeting up with a friend who lives in Paris.  She and I will travel on to Glasgow Scotland for 4 nights and then back to Paris. 

“I love Paris in the springtime …”. As the song says … Actually any time of year is good for Paris, the city of lights and bridges, gardens, museums, parks, wine, cheese, chocolate covered orange peels, olives.  Green boxes along the riverbank. The Eiffel Tower. The Louvre. Musee d’Orsay. Cruising down the Seine River. Montmartre.  Norte Dame Cathedral. Champs élysées.  Charming cobblestone streets.  Little window balconies and flower boxes. The Arc de Triomphe. Sacre-Coeur basilica.  Galleries Lafayette. Gluten-free celiac friendly patisseries. (Little Nonna for gf Italian pizza!) May also try Cococo for gf sushi and bento box. Manicaretti, la Sajerie, kapunka, cafe Mareva, Taska, su Misura, Grom gelato …. Chambelland and La Manufacture Sans Gluten, Copains, Noglu, Maisonneuve Plume.   

Gluten-free Glasgow???  Wild Flours Bakery. The Crumbleologist. Bread Meats Bread West End. Some to search and try!