Tag Archives: United Kingdom

Here comes the rain again

On our last full day in Orkney we made a day trip to the island of Hoy. The largest village, Lyness, is on the southeast coast of the island but we bypassed the big city (just kidding: the entire island of … Continue reading

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Neolithic Orkney

Among the many amazing sights to be seen in this place are the Neolithic monuments. Everyone’s heard of Stonehenge in southern England, but not everyone knows that the British Isles are positively littered with stone age ruins. Orkney, as you … Continue reading

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Inspiration

I love this poem. I carried and shared it on Poem in your Pocket Day on April 18, soon after we decided to come here this summer. The author lived for a time on Rousay, a small island off Orkney’s … Continue reading

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Walking on Westray

Westray is the second largest island in the Orkneys. Its main village, Pierowall, consists of a small hotel with restaurant, two general stores, a fish vendor, a chippie (open summers only), and the hostel where we are staying. People come … Continue reading

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Kirkwall

Last night we got stuck in Kirkwall. While I love Orkney (I’ve been here twice before), I had hoped to avoid its capital city, which I remembered didn’t have a whole lot to recommend it. But we arrived too late … Continue reading

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The island adventures begin

Our time in Scandinavia came to an end today with a short flight to Kirkwall, Orkney. This route makes for an easy transition between regions: Orkney was ruled by Norse kings until 1468 and there are still many cultural ties. … Continue reading

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England to France

Yesterday we crossed the English channel by ferry, like we always do.  Andreas wanted to take the Chunnel train but I am not a fan of underwater travel. I seem to be in a small minority, because the port at … Continue reading

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The OAP and me

With Alekka back in the states for the summer, this will be the longest time Andreas and I have ever been our own together without any of our children. We each already had kids when we met 29 years ago, … Continue reading

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Alexandra Leaving

(“Alexandra Leaving” is a Leonard Cohen song – one that he sang last night. Sigh.) I took Alekka to Heathrow this morning. She is off to spend the rest of her summer in Oregon with her sister and other assorted siblings … Continue reading

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A new year and Old Ideas

I’ve celebrated at least two other birthdays in London (#19 and #43), wonderful in their own ways, but this one (#54, yikes) was magical. Alekka has been my daytime sightseeing companion this week while Andreas attends an American School of … Continue reading

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