Arbroath, Scotland

Wow! I just looked and it has been since Tuesday that I have written.

So Wednesday we flew to Glasgow, Scotland. The funny thing was that it only took us 25 minutes to get there. We flew on RyanAir. It's that new airline that boasts of such low prices. Then the minute you get on everyone from the pilot to the attendants try to sell you things. You can buy anything from food and drink to phone cards and toys! It's pretty funny.

We hoped on a train from Glasgow and are now in a town called Arbroath. (Actually we leave today to go to Aberdeen for four days.) It is like stepping back in time 100 years. It's such a quaint town with old building and modern merchants. It's funny to see a 200 year (or so) old building that houses a Subway. We took a Taxi to our B&B and it was so cute. We were on the third floor so we had to haul our luggage up these narrow winding stairs that seemed to go on forever. But when we got to the top, WE HAD OUR OWN ROOMS! WE HAD OUR OWN CUTE BATHROOMS! WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WEAR SHOES IN THE SHOWER! I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Then I opened the curtains, and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but the most beautiful view of a 15th Century Abbey. It was amazing! But wait! There's more. Not only did I have a shower, and great views.... there in the corner hanging ever so delicately was.... a TV! Now, don't get too excited because their shows are not fabulous, but it was nice to just lay on my bed and watch crap. I opened my window to let in the cool breezes and I because we are literally a stones throw from the North Sea, I could hear cute little seagulls talking to each other. Oh, they were so cute..... until 11:00 when I was trying to sleep and they wouldn't SHUT UP! The next day I glared at them as I saw them flying by!

In the morning, did we have Bran Flakes and PB&J? Nay Nay! We sat down in a little dining room and were asked what we wanted. I told her I would like what the woman at the table next to me was having. At the time it looked like a lovely Scottish breakfast. I have now come to rename it, Heart Attack On A Plate! It was fried toast, a fried egg, some kind of sausage, a piece of ham size bacon, BEANS, a mushroom and tomato sauteed, and the address to the nearest Emergency Room. I was a good girl and ate the whole thing....but I was sick the rest of the morning.

From there we were able to take a bus to a town about 45 minutes away called Forfar. We were able to spend 5 hours or so looking up family records of our relatives from that area. We were able to look in record books and scan micofilm. (CF11)

It was cool to be able to ride a bus on the back roads and really see the people and the way they live. This was not your normal tourist route.

Well, the train to Aberdeen leaves soon, so I'm off! (Excuse any mistakes, I was on a time limit.)