Monthly Archives: June 2024

Pigeon Valley Viewpoint (Cappadocia, Turkey)

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Pigeon Valley Viewpoint

Prior to returning to our hotel, we made a short stopover at the Pigeon Valley (Güverçinlik Vadisi) Viewpoint. The valley, running between Uçhisar and neighboring Göreme (a walk of around two hours), has many pigeon-houses which were carved, over the course of the years, into the soft tuff rock on the sides of the fairy chimneys.

Pigeon houses carved on the side of the mountain

Inside were many niches where pigeons could roost. Nutrient-rich pigeon guano was widely used as a natural fertilizer into the 1970s. Pigeon droppings were also used to enhance the colors of the frescoes in the cave churches.

View of Uchisar Castle (upper left hand corner) and the villages below it

You can also see the otherworldly scenery of Uchisar Castle (Uçhisar Kalesi) perched on top of a rocky pinnacle.  One of the most prominent landmarks in Cappadocia, this ancient fortress, regarded as the tallest fairy chimney in the area.

The author (left) with Grace and Jandy

This 60 m. ( 200 ft.) high turret of golden volcanic rock was sculpted by the elements and, later, by humans, the earliest of whom are believed to be the Hittites from the second millennium BC., followed by Byzantine settlers in the 4th century AD.  It boasts stunning, unparalleled and panoramic view of Uchisar village and nearby hamlets.

The viewpoint is home to cafes selling tea, coffee and light snacks as well as a few shops selling overpriced souvenirs and local craft.  Across the street, you can take pictures or ride, for a fee, with camels.  Near the edge is a touristy love picture site for photo ops.

Cappadocia Natural Viagra Market

You can also feed the pigeons and sparrows with grain that can be bought at stores (1TL per cup). Also nearby is a hiking trail and the Cappadocia Natural Viagra Market, a store selling natural and organic Viagra, herbs, spices and different kinds of nuts (almonds, etc.) and dried apricots.

Camels for hire

Within the area is an evil eye tree dripping with Turkish nazar boncugu (which literally means “evil eye bead”) amulets which look like small shiny fruit or glinting glass eyes.  These lovely, inky blue talismans have deep cultural symbolism in Turkey and Greece.

Evil Eye Tree

Symbolizing the jealous and envious looks of others, these eye-shaped amulets are fixed to anything perceived to attract greed, envy or ill will, to ward off evil.  People who buy these (1TL each) can hang it up the tree in the direction opposite to that of the person.

Nazar boncugu

Pigeon Valley Viewpoint: Aşağı, Adnan Menderes Cd., 50240 Uçhisar/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Türkiye.

A Hot-Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia (Turkey)

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Hot-air balloon beside a stone spire

The thrilling Hot-Air Balloon Ride of Cappadocia, one of the best ways to discover and explore this rugged, historical region in east-Central Anatolia in the Asian part of Turkey, is a must-do if you are in the area. Here, we were to see scenic Cappadocia like you’ve never seen it before, through this once-in-a-lifetime, 1.5 hour-long flight on board a colorful hot air balloon. To do this, we had to stay at least a night in Cappadocia (the balloon ride starts very early in the morning, before sunrise), staying at the Solem Cave Suites (in the province of Nevsehir), on top of a hill, with its stunning views of cave houses.  From Istanbul, it was a one hour and 20 min. flight, via Turkish Airlines, to Kayseri Erkilet Airport, our gateway to Cappadocia.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: Solem Cave Suites” and “Kayseri Erkilet Airport”

Inflating the hot air balloon……

This has been planted firmly at the top of my bucket list ever since I saw photos of the magical Cappadocian landscape topped with a sky filled with colorful hot air balloons. The most popular location in the world for hot air ballooning, last year, over half of the world’s balloon trips took place in the Cappadocia region, with almost half a million people taking to the skies.

Hot air balloons now ready to take flight…..

Cappadocia has an amazing and spectacular landscape of cave-like dwellings, the animal rock formations of Devrent Valley, fairy chimneys, towns such as Mustafapasa, and the rock-hewn, domed churches dating back to the Byzantine post-Iconoclastic Period, as far back as 4th century, all sculpted by erosion over thousands of years. Today, what is left are these amazing troglodyte villages, underground cities that once contained human habitat and beautiful valleys that go for as far as the eye can see.

Balloons about to take off

Cappadocia is also one of the few places in the world you can soar in a balloon almost all year round, with trips running during boiling hot summers and snowy winters (when the whole area is covered in a thick layer of snow), with the landscape looking incredible in both. For our hot-air balloon flight, we chose Atmosfer Balloon. Based in Avanos town and under Dorak Holding, it has been around since 2010 and is Cappadocia’s fourth biggest hot air balloon company.

Balloons now taking to the air….

In the flight zone of Cappadocia, Atmosfer Balloons holds 10 slot rights (7 slots in the first flight period and 3 slots in the second).  It currently has a fleet of 18 hot-air balloons (max. flying capacity: 203 passengers) and actively employs 12 commercial pilots , 13 assistant pilots and 50 ground staff.

The author and Grace

Early in the morning (3:30 AM), a driver from Atmosfer Balloons picked us up from our hotel, along with other guests from the hotel and the nearby Dere Suites Cappadocia Hotel, and transferred us, via a Mercedes Benz van, to the balloon site.

Sunrise over Cappadocia

(photo: Sean Sta. Maria)

During our trip, we stopped by the roadside and were given a light breakfast of pastries and packed drinks while waiting for the decision, by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on whether it would be safe to fly. When the green flag was given, we set off to the balloon take-off zone, chosen by our pilot, that is appropriate for the latest local weather and wind direction. Since the balloons move in the direction of the wind, they are different from each other every day.

Soaring over the moon-like landscape

At the take-off zone, we watched the stages of balloon preparation and inflation. Our unique Parliament blue and yellow-colored hot air balloon, produced by Spanish Ultra Magic company, one of the leading hot air balloon manufacturers in the world, consisted of a burner system, a basket and an envelope.

Ripstop nylon is the most common material for the envelope, but polyester and other fabrics are also used. The fabric around the lower opening (called the mouth) of the balloon are usually made from a fire resistant material like Nomex, similar to the suits that firefighters wear.

The 3,864 m. high Mount Erciyes, an inactive volcano, is the highest mountain and most voluminous volcano of Central Anatolia

To board the balloon, they lay the woven wicker basket (wicker is used because it is lightweight, flexible and easily repaired). on the side, with deflated balloons lying on their sides, and you crawl in. It was quite a sight to see, up close, the busy balloon staff setting them up, checking them for safety and starting to inflate the balloon (it takes 15 mins.).

Our balloon pilot

Balloons operate through the basic principles of gravity and heat transfer.  As the air inside the balloon is heated, it rises and, as the air inside the balloon cools, it descends.  To make the balloon fly, an inflator fan fills it with air which is then heated by propane in stainless steel fuel tanks.  hot air balloons carry 60 to 110 gallons (120 to 200kg) of propane and use roughly 75% of the fuel during a single flight.

Horseback riders

Soon after, it was time to hop into the now upright basket which is split into 5 sections – 4 squares on each side, which each fit 4 people, and a long section, in the center, for our Atmosfer Balloons pilot Yassir and his assistant.  Upon boarding our balloon, general information on flight safety and flight is given by Yassir and our flight over Cappadocia began. During flight, the balloons range from 5 m. to 800 m. in altitude.  Winds determined our balloon’s direction and Yassir steered our balloon, to a limited extent, by adjusting the balloon’s altitude to make use of different wind speeds and directions.

Cave houses

We drifted peacefully, before sunrise, for an extraordinary, amazing and unbelievably breathtaking, 360-degree views of Cappadocia, seeing all its landmarks from above. During our flight, the day was like a fiesta, with the sky filled with around 100 balloons with different colors and designs. We didn’t have to worry though (actually, the view of the other balloons in the sky made it a completely magical experience) as Cappadocia happens to be one of the most highly regulated places, with an excellent safety record.

The fairy chimneys of Cappadocia

Our pilot Yassir was very experienced, navigating the incredibly uneven landscape, flying safely so close to other balloons, in an aircraft which only has the ability to go up and down.  To fly here, he must train for around 5 times as long as in other parts of the world.  While piloting our balloon, he also explained all the sceneries that we saw during the flight.

Our hot air balloon being repacked …..

The views, over the next hour or so, were breathtaking and the landscape constantly changing color, as the minutes ticked by, as we drifted through the different areas. We passed the famous Fairy Chimneys (natural yet surreal-looking spires, up to 40 m. tall, that were carved out of soft volcanic rock by the elements over millions of years), Monk’s Valley (Pasabag Valley), the beautiful Devrent Valley (renowned for its surreal and otherworldly landscape which has earned the valley the nickname “Lunar Landscape” or “Moonscape”), pigeon houses, plenty of cave houses and vineyards.

Check out “Fairy Chimneys of Monk’s Valley “ and “Devrent Valley”

From the amazing maximum altitude of about 800 m., the panoramic views of surreal, moon-like landscape of the region was completely mind-blowing while, from the lowest points, we could almost pick fruit from the trees. The motion back to the ground was effortless and we landed precisely near the balloon’s trailer.  It took about 15 mins. to deflate the balloon and pack the balloon after flight.

The champagne toasting ceremony

Once back on dry land, we were rewarded with a champagne toasting ceremony (they are also trained in such things as champagne service and flower arrangements) and a personalized flight certificate.  Overall, it was a very impressive, professional and truly great, unparalleled and unforgettable experience.

Jandy and Grace back on dry land

Atmosfer Balloons: Cumhuriyet, Göreme Yolu No:1, 50500 Avanos/Nevşehir, Turkey. Tel: +90 384 219 26 43. E-mail: fly@atmosferballoons.com. Website: www.atmosferballoons.com.

Devrent Valley (Cappadocia, Turkey)

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Devrent Valley

After our exploration of the Fairy Chimneys of Pasabag, we returned to our van and made two stopovers, at viewpoints, before proceeding to our hotel.  The first was at the beautiful Devrent Valley in Cappadocia (locally known as Imaginary Valley).

Check out “Fairy Chimneys of Pasabag”

Nestled in the heart of Cappadocia, it is renowned for its surreal and otherworldly landscape (which has earned Devrent Valley the nickname “Lunar Landscape” or “Moonscape”) that sparks the imagination and transports you to a realm of wonder.  This enchanting valley, full of unique rock formations that are some of the best formed and most thickly clustered in Cappadocia, offers a unique experience like no other.

The Camel

Most of the striking and stunning pink-hued or rosy rock cones are topped by flattish, darker stones of harder rock that sheltered the cones from the rain until all the surrounding rock was eaten away, over thousands of years by wind and water, in a process known to geologists as differential erosion, creating intriguing pillar-like shapes.

The Elephant

The beauty of this captivating spot in Cappadocia is that has very easy driving access and isn’t as crowded as the open-air museums and iconic cave dwelling locations. Devrent Valley was never inhabited by humans, making it a unique geological wonder.

The Kissing Ducks

There are no rock-cut churches or castles to explore. It’s essential to keep in mind that the valley can get crowded, especially during peak tourist seasons. To avoid crowds, consider visiting early in the morning, late in the afternoon, or during lunchtime.

The Hand

As we ventured into this mesmerizing realm, we witnessed a natural masterpiece sculpted by centuries of wind and water erosion. At the entrance of the valley, one of the first sights that greet us was an enormous rock which looks like a camel. A lot more imagination is needed to spot the other whimsical animal-shaped (dolphin, seals, lions, bears, tigers, kissing birds, alligator, snake, etc.) rock formations. Other weird rock shapes resemble a Napoleon’s hat and a praying Virgin Mary. Devrent Valley left an indelible mark on my Cappadocia adventure, leaving me awe-inspired.

The Virgin Mary

Devrent Valley: Goreme El Sanatlari Carsisi No: 24 50180, Goreme, Cappadocia, Turkey. Tel: +90 384 271 2166. Fax: +90 384 271 2337. Email: info@newgoreme.com.  The entrance to the valley is free of charge.

How to Get There: Devrent Valley is located 11.3  kms. (a 20-min. drive) from Goreme, aproximately 1 km. from Pasabag Valley, 6.6 kms. from Avanos, and 15.6 kms. from Uchisar. If you’re staying in Urgup, it’s just a short 5.7-kilometer drive to reach this enchanting destination.

The easiest way to get there is by bus or rental car directly from either Göreme or Ürgüp. Buses run regularly throughout the day, every hour departure and take around 10 – 15 minutes. The ‘Blue Route’ on the hop-on-hop-off bus also includes Devrent Valley. Devrent Valley lies on the direct (east) road between Avanos and Ürgüp. There’s no public transport along this route but if it’s not too hot and you don’t mind a roadside walk, it’s easy enough to get here on foot from Zelve. From the Zelve site entrance, go about 200m back down the access road to where the road forks and take the right-hand road marked for Ürgüp. After about 2km you’ll come to the village of Aktepe (Yeni Zelve). Bear right and follow the Ürgüp road uphill for another 2km.To cut down on walking time, the Ürgüp–Avanos dolmuş can drop you off at Aktepe. Devrent Valley is surrounded by marked hiking trails that connect it with other valleys in the region.

Leicester Square (London, England, UK)

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Leicester Square

On our third day in London, we all woke up early and, after breakfast, walked all the way to King’s Cross Underground Station were we took the Piccadilly Tube Line, to Leicester Square Station.  From there, Leicester Square, a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, is just a 5-min.walk away.

The square lies within an area bound, to the north, by Lisle Street; to the east by Charing Cross Road; to the south by Orange Street; and to the west by Whitcomb Street. The park at the centre of the square is bound, to the north, by Cranbourn Street; to the east by Leicester Street; to the south by Irving Street and; to the west, by a section of road designated simply as Leicester Square.

Shakespeare Fountain and Statue

At the center of the square is a statue of William Shakespeare standing on a pedestal flanked by dolphins at the center of a fountain. Sculpted by Giovanni Fontana (after an original by Peter Scheemakers), since 1874, it formed the centerpiece of Leicester Square Gardens.

VUE Theater and the Hippodrome

Laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, the square was named after the Leicester House (itself named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester). Originally a gentrified residential area for nobles (tenants including Frederick, Prince of Wales and the artists William Hogarth and Joshua Reynolds), the square became more down-market in the late 18th century as Leicester House was demolished and retail developments took place, quickly evolving into a hub for entertainment and culture.

Odeon Theatre

Surrounding the iconic and vibrant square are renowned West End theaters (Wyndham’s Theatre, Leicester Square Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre, etc.), cinemas, fashion boutiques, music stores, souvenir shops, bars, hotels  and restaurants including a Jollibee store which was opened last May 20, 2021.

Map of the interactive “Scenes in the Square”

Upon arrival at the square, we checked out the interactive “Scenes in the Square,” a film-themed sculpture trail which emphasizes Leicester Square’s long association with cinema. Since 1930, the site has been home to cinemas, hosting its first film premiere in 1937.

TKTS

The free exhibition, depicting recognizable classic and contemporary film characters (some even brought to life, at night, with lighting) from the last 100 years of cinema, was organized by the Heart of London Business Alliance, in partnership with Westminster City Council, and is supported by major movie studios. It originally consisted of 8 quirky bronze sculptures.

Mary Poppins Statue

Grace and Paula with the statue of Mary Poppins in the background

On ground level are the statues of Mary Poppins, with her hat, coat, and her bottomless Mary Poppins Bag (depicted landing from flight with her umbrella raised, as featured in the 1964 film Mary Poppins);Looney Tunes’ Bugs Bunny (depicted popping up out of a hole in a flower bed, in front of his mailbox, while eating a carrot); Gene Kelly (depicted, in his role as Don Lockwood, in the 1952 film Singin’ in the Rain), swinging around a lamppost with his raincoat, hat and umbrella smiling for all to see, in an iconic scene where the character sings the title song in the film (Patricia Ward Kelly, Kelly’s wife, granted permission to make the statue).

Bugs Bunny Statue

Statue of Gene Kelly in Singin’ In The Rain

Seated on a benches in the square are the iconic British and well-loved Paddington Bear (Paddington movies premiered in Leicester Square in 2014 and 2017) wearing his signature hat and duffel coat (but has no boots) and eating one of his favorite marmalade sandwiches) and Mr. Bean, who was portrayed by versatile comic performer Rowan Atkinson on television and in film (its erection also marked 30 years since the character’s first appearance).

Jandy seated besidge Paddington Statue ……

…… and beside statue of Mr. Bean

A number of statue are found above street level.  The statue of DC Comics superhero Batman stands 25 m. (82 ft.) above on the roof of the Odeon Leicester Square cinema, keeping watch over London from the rooftops just like he did in the Batman films.

Batman Statue

Wonder Woman (inspired by a scene from the 2017 film Wonder Woman, in which the title character was played by Gal Gadot), another DC Comics superhero, is depicted breaking through the wall of the Vue West End cinema, wielding her Lasso of Truth (which is lit at night).

Wonder Woman Statue

The legendary comedy duo  Laurel and Hardy, perched on top of the TKTS Booth (the best place in London to get cheap theatre tickets) in the square, representing a famous scene from the 1929 film Liberty where the pair playfully teeter and balance on a ledge on a skyscraper.

Laurel and Hardy in Liberty

On September 30, 2020, a statue of Harry Potter  riding a broomstick (Nimbus 2000) and playing Quidditch (the scene was taken from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which had its world premiere in Leicester Square in 2001) was installed, becoming the ninth statue in the exhibition. In June 2021, a sculpture of the Iron Throne, from the HBO TV series Game of Thrones, was unveiled to mark 10 years since the release of the first episode.

The author with Harry Potter Statue

In July 2021, to mark the July 16 release of Space Jam: A New Legacy in which the character is part of a basketball team, the statue of Bugs Bunny was modified with a basketball and backboard (features a QR code to unlock online content on social media).

In December 2021, ahead of the release of the film of the same name, a bronze statue of Clifford the Big Red Dog was installed, featuring links to pages where visitors can donate to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. The largest sculpture in the series, measuring 3 m. (9.8 ft.) long and 2 m. (6 ft., 7 in.) high and weighing 600 kgs. (1,300 lbs.), it took a team of 15 people three months to create the sculpture.

On May 31, 2023, a life-sized bronze statue of Indiana Jones, the iconic action movie hero portrayed by Harrison Ford, was added to the collection of famous celebrities immortalized in Leicester Square. The statue, created to coincide with the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the latest and final installment of the Indiana Jones film series, was placed in the square in a crate with his fedora and whip. Found near Greggs’s Bakery, it was officially unveiled on June 2023, closer to the movie’s release on June 28.

Charlie Chaplin Statue

There’s also a statue of Charlie Chaplin, sculpted in 1979 by John Doubleday, portraying the actor, comedian and filmmaker in his best-known role, as The Tramp. The four corner gates of the park have one bust each of the scientist Sir Isaac Newton (designed by William Calder Marshall); Sir Joshua Reynolds, the first President of the Royal Academy (by Henry Weekes); John Hunter, a pioneer of surgery (by Thomas Woolner); and William Hogarth, the painter (by Joseph Durham); all famous former residents in the square.

Leicester Square: City of Westminster, Central London WC2H 7LU. 

How to Get There: The nearest London Underground station is Leicester Square, which opened in 1906. London bus routes 24, 29 and 176 run on nearby Charing Cross Road.

Ross Fountain (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)

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Ross Fountain with Edinburgh Castle in the background

The highlight of our visit to the Princes Street Gardens was our photo ops at the Ross Fountain, the focus of the western end of the gardens and the park’s most important monument.  This fountain, made from cast-iron, is a shining example of magnificent  19th century sculpture.  Photographs of the view up to the famous Edinburgh Castle from the Gardens, with this fountain in the foreground, has featured heavily in some of the iconic imagery of Edinburgh over the years.

Check out “Princes Street Gardens”

At an exhibit at the Great Exhibition of 1862, an exhibition of modern art, technology and invention in London, it was purchased, on a moment of impulse and as a philanthropic gesture, by Edinburgh gunsmith Daniel Ross (who described it as “obtaining universal admiration”), in September 1869, for £2,000 and, subsequently, gifted to the city of Edinburgh.

The four female, greater than life size figures representing Science, Arts, Poetry, and Industry

That same year, it was transported to Leith, in 122 individual pieces, but sat in storage for a decade while the city council considered where they were going to put it. In 1872, it was reassembled, in its current position, at Princes Street Gardens, only a few hundred yards from the Ross Bandstand. Sadly, David Ross died in January 1871, one year before, missing the opportunity to see the masterpiece displayed in the gardens.

Some of the 8 voluptuous mermaid statues, with bared flesh, holding overflowing urns, and sitting on scallop-shell basins with lion’s heads between

In 2001, as broken pipes had made the fountain inoperational, the fountain had some extensive restoration work completed. In 2008, water was turned off and, from July 2017, it was closed again for further restoration work, costing 1.9 million pounds, undertaken by Lost Art Limited of Wigan on behalf of The Ross Development Trust. On July 8, 2018, it was re-inaugurated by Lord Provost Frank Ross and others, including the Head of Mission at the French Consulate in Edinburgh Emmanuel Cocher.

The beautifully modeled and semi-naked female figure, holding the topmost cornucopia, which scandalized Victorian Edinburgh at the time.

The fountain, now with a new pump that will be switched on permanently, is now painted in eye-catching turquoise, brown and gold which, according to the organizers, should last for at least 20 years. The figures were sculpted by artist Jean-Baptiste Jules Klagmann (b. April 1810) whose other work includes figures for the Louvre and D’ Medici fountains in Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.  It is also unusual in that, rather than having been produced by one of the great Scottish foundries of the day, it was produced at the iron foundry of  Antoine Durenne, ‘Maitre de Forges, Sommevoire Haute Marne’ in Sommevoire, France.

The fountain’s circular basin has curved Craigleith sandstone edges and the first elevated basin is decorated with stylized “walrus” heads round the edge. The first tier of the central column has 8 voluptuous mermaid statues, with bared flesh, holding overflowing urns, and sitting on scallop-shell basins with lion’s heads between. Swags and cornucopia abound, and the bowls above have cherub-faced spouts.

The author (right) with Jandy and Grace (photo: Selena Sta. Maria))

Near the top, with water basins held up by mermaid children, are four female greater than life size figures representing Science, Arts, Poetry, and Industry seated between semicircular basins. The structure is surmounted by a final, beautifully modeled and semi-naked female figure, holding the topmost cornucopia, which scandalized Victorian Edinburgh at the time. All this combines to produce a fountain that is over 40 ft. high and over 100 tons in weight. 

Ross Fountain: West Princes Street Gardens, Princes Street EH2 2HG, Edinburgh. Tel: 0131 529 7921. E-mail: parks@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Princes Street Gardens (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)

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Princes Street Gardens

Our third (and first and only whole) day in Edinburgh, we planned to visit Edinburgh Castle but, as it was still very early in the morning (the castle opens at 10 AM), we decided to visit and explore the 150,000 sq. m. (37-acre) Princes Street Gardens, one of two adjacent public parks (East Princes Street Gardens and West Princes Street Gardens) and one of the most important urban parks in the center of Edinburgh.

The National Gallery of Scotland (left) and the Royal Scottish Academy (right) buildings

Lying in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle (on its rock towering above the western end), the gardens, running along the south side of Princes Street, is divided into two parts by The Mound, an artificial hill, on which the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy buildings are located, that connects the city’s New Town and Old Town.

Check out “National Gallery of Scotland”

St. John’s Church

Lying at center of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site, set in the valley between New Town and Old Town Outstanding Conservation Areas (the boundary between the two areas being the north fence of the railway), the Princes Street Gardens is in the very center of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site.

L-R: Paula, Manny, Jandy, Grace and the author at Princes Street Gardens. In the background is St. Cuthbert’s Parish Church

Its landscape, of outstanding refinement and cultural significance, has high geological and some botanical scientific interest. One of the New Town Gardens listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscape in Scotland, it was assessed as outstanding in terms of aesthetic, historical, architectural and scenic values.

Ross Fountain with Edinburgh Castle in the background

The central location of the Gardens makes it a popular choice having the highest awareness and visitor figures for both residents and visitors to the city. Awarded a Green Flag since 2011, the park is beautiful all year round.

Gardener’s Cottage

East Princes Street Gardens run from The Mound to Waverley Bridge, and cover 3.4 ha. (8.5 acres) while the larger West Princes Street Gardens covers 12 ha. (29 acres) and extends to the adjacent churches of St. John’s and St. Cuthbert’s, near Lothian Road in the west.

Check out “St. Cuthbert Parish Church”

The Scott Monument

The Gardens were created in the 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and building of the New Town, beginning in the 1760s.  Situated on the north side of the town, the loch,  originally an artificial creation forming part of its medieval defenses, has made expansion northwards difficult and its water was habitually polluted from sewage draining downhill from the Old Town. The Princes Street Gardens has a diverse and fascinating collection of public monuments and memorials. Dating mainly from the 1840s to 1990s, there are three types.

Sir James Young Simpson Monument

The first group commemorates influential Scottish men of the 18th and 19th centuries. In the East Princes Street Gardens are the Scott Monument (the most prominent in the garden, this Neo-Gothic spire was built in 1844 to honor Sir Walter Scott) and the statue of explorer David Livingstone.  Also within East Princes Street Gardens are statues of the publisher Lord Provost Adam Black and Professor John Wilson (the essayist who wrote under the pseudonym Christopher North).

Thomas Guthrie Monument

The second group remembers those who have died fighting in wars, including the Royal Scots Greys Regimental Memorial and the Scottish American War Memorial (designed by R. Tait McKensie, it was erected in 1927). The Royal Scots Monument, a large curved monument to the Royal Scots, stands slightly hidden just south of the very picturesque gardener’s cottage at the east end of the West Princes Gardens. Designed by Sir Frank Mears, with sculpture by Pilkington Jackson, it was described as a “modern henge.”   Dating from 1950, it was added to and “finalized” in May 2007 following the termination of the Royal Scots in 2006. This added additional Battle Honors gained since the 1950s.

Monument of the Royal Scots

The third group includes miscellaneous sculptures and monuments such as the cast iron Ross Fountain The focus of the western end of the gardens, the newly refurbished fountain is the park’s most important monument.  Gifted by Edinburgh gunsmith Daniel Ross, this structure was originally installed in 1872, after having been an exhibit at the Great Exposition of 1862 in London, and repaired, restored and unveiled on July 8, 2018 with the help of The Ross Development Trust.

Check out “Ross Fountain”

The Genius of Architecture crowning the Theory and Practice of Art

At the eastern entrance to the Gardens is the world renowned Floral Clock.  The world’s first floral clock, it was first planted in 1903 and each year the planting scheme, designed by the Technical team in the Parks and Greenspace Service, commemorates a special anniversary. The designs of the colorful displays uses a variety of 30,000 flower and foliage plants (including annuals such as Lobelia, Pyrethrum and Golden Moss and succulents such as Echeveria and Sedum), all of a dwarf nature, suitable for carpet bedding.

Ross Theatre

Along the south side of Princes Street are many statues and monuments such as statues of the poet Allan Ramsay, the church reformer Thomas Guthrie, and the obstetric pioneer James Young Simpson. Within East Princes Street Gardens is a small commemorative stone honoring the volunteers from the Lothians and Fife who fought in the Spanish Civil War.

Mortonhall Baby Ashes Memorial

In the center of the West Princes Street Gardens is the Ross Bandstand, named after William Henry Ross (Chairman of the Distillers Company Ltd.) who, in 1877, gifted the first bandstand on the site. The Princes Street proprietors contributed £500 as a goodwill gesture to the cost of the bandstand. The present building and terraces, dating from 1935, is the site of various concerts and other events including the Festival Fireworks Concert, Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest and during the city’s Hogmanay celebrations. The Ross Development Trust proposed to rebuild the bandstand as a Ross Pavilion based on design by architects wHY following an international competition in 2017.

The Royal Scots Greys Monument

The Genius of Architecture, a statuary group on the lower path, represents crowning the Theory and Practice of Art.   Designed by William Brodie originally for the garden of Rockville, the home of his maverick architect son-in-law Sir James Gowans, it was moved here in the 1960s following the demolition of Rockville.   Nearby is the Mortonhall Baby Ashes Memorial, a new monument in the form of a baby elephant by sculptor Andy Scott.  Added to the gardens on February 2, 2019, it is a permanent reminder of the 250 babies and their families affected by the Mortonhall scandal, which was uncovered in 2012.

Norwegian Brigade Memorial

Other statues and memorials include the Norwegian Brigade War Memorial (donated in 1978 by Norwegian veterans trained in Scotland during the Second World War) and the bronze statue, unveiled in 2015, of Wojtek the Bear, a Syrian brown bear adopted by the Polish II Corps during World War II, with a fellow Polish Army soldier walking together.

Wojtek The Soldier Bear Memorial

Princes Street Gardens: Princes Street EH2 2HG, Edinburgh. Tel: 0131 529 7921. E-mail: parks@edinburgh.gov.uk

Pitlochry (Scotland, U.K.)

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Pitlochry

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

From the Commando Memorial, in Spean Bridge, we drove another 104 kms. (a 1.5 hour drive, via the A86 and A9), to Pitlochry, our last stopover.  This was to be our last toilet break, prior to our return to Edinburgh, and there was a long queue at the town’s public toilet (or the “loo” as they call it), causing a lot of misery (plus they charge 50p per person for using it), so we walked, for about 320 m., along Atholl Road (the main road), to Fishers Hotel where we used the toilet for free.

Check out “Commando Memorial” and “Spean Bridge”

Grace and Jandy strolling along Atholl Road (the main road). On the other side are the unusual period cast iron canopy.

This town, lying on the River Tummel, in the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland is, historically, in the county of Perthshire. Largely a Victorian town, it was developed into a tourist resort after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited the area in 1842 and bought a highland estate at Balmoral, and the arrival of the railway in 1863. Popular as a base for coach holidays, it is particularly known for its Pitlochry Festival Theatre and salmon ladder.

Surrounded by mountains such as Ben Vrackie and Schiehallion, it also a centre for hillwalking. The town has retained many stone Victorian buildings and the high street has an unusual period cast iron canopy over one side.   The town has two whisky distilleries, whose visitor centers are popular attractions.  The privately owned Edradour, the smallest legal distillery in Scotland, sits to the east of town at the foot of the Moulin Moor and produces only 12 casks per week with a production workforce of three men.

The last example of a traditional distillery, it has remained unchanged since it started making whisky, and is hugely popular with visitors. Blair Athol Distillery, which dates back to 1798, sits on the main road at the southeast of town and, since 1933, has been owned by Bell’s, now part of the Diageo group.  Pitlochry station is home to Pitlochry Station Bookshop. The bookshop was set up in 2005 and is situated on Platform 1.

MacNaughtons of Pilochry

MacNaughtons of Pitlochry, one of Scotland’s oldest retail establishments (dating back to 1835 in the reign of William IV), is a traditional country and highland clothing retail shop with the finest formal kilt wear knowledge of tartans and kilt outfit accessories.

Back on board our bus, we arrived back in Edinburgh by 8:30 PM and we were all dropped off at our original meeting place at Deacon’s House Cafe. From there, we all walked back to our respective hotels.

MacNaughtons of Pitlochry: Station Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5AF United Kingdom.  Tel: 01796 472722.  Open Mondays to Saturdays, 9.30 AM – 4.30 PM. .Email: sales@macnaughtonsofpitlochry.com.

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com.

How to Get There: Pitlochry is located 114 kms. (a 1.5-hour drive, via A9 and M90) from Edinburgh and 134.2  kms. (a 1.5-hour drive via A9) from Glasgow.

Commando Memorial (Scotland, U.K.)

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Commando Memorial

Part of Scottish Highland Tour

From Fort Augustus, we all boarded our coach for the 256-km. (3.5-hour) drive back to Edinburgh.  After 30 mins. (34.6 kms.), we made a stopover at the Commando Memorial, one of Scotland’s best-known monuments, both as a war memorial and as a tourist attraction offering views of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mòr.

Check out “Fort Augustus”

This Category A listed monument in Lochaber, Scotland, dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces raised during World War II, overlooks the training areas of the former Achnacarry Commando Training Depot established in 1942 at Achnacarry Castle.

The original plaque on the stone plinth

Chosen because it is on the route from Spean Bridge railway station, arriving prospective Commandos would disembark, after a 14-hour journey, load their kit bags onto waiting trucks and then speed-march the 11 kms. (7 mi.) to the training centre in full kit with weapon, weighing a total of 16 kgs. (36 lbs.). Anyone not completing it within 60 minutes was immediately RTU’d (returned to unit).

A plaque, added on November 18, 1993, to mark the Freedom of Lochaber being given to the Commando Association.

The memorial was used as site for memorial services, including the 60th anniversary of D-Day, and Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Here’s the historical timeline of the memorial:

  • In 1949, the sculptor Scott Sutherland won a competition, open to all Scottish sculptors, for the commission of The Commando Memorial. Sutherland’s design won the first prize of £200. It was cast by H. Martyn & Co. of Cheltelham.
  • On September 27, 1952, the monument was officially unveiled by the Queen Mother.
  • On October 5, 1971, the monument was first designated as a listed
  • On August 15, 1996, it was upgraded to a Category A listing.
  • On March 27, 2010 a 3-km. (2 mi.) long war memorial path was opened connecting two local war memorials, the Commando Memorial, and the former High Bridge built by General Wade, where the first shots were fired in the Jacobite Rising of 1745 in the Highbridge Skirmish.
  • On November 18, 1993 a further plaque was added, setting out the story of the Commandos for future generations, to mark the Freedom of Lochaber being given to the Commando Association.

Award-winning Scottish sculptor Scott Sutherland,  born on May 15, 1910 in Wick, Highland, was schooled at Gray’s School of Art, the Edinburgh College of Art and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After touring Europe and winning two out of the five open commissions offered for the Empire Exhibition, he served in the Army during World War II, working alongside commandos. In 1947, after the war, he took the post of Head of Sculpture at Duncan of Jordanstone’ College. In 1950, Sutherland was elected ARSA (Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy) and, in 1961, as Fellow of the Royal British Society of Sculptors (FRBS ). In 1975, he retired, and died nine years later, on October 10, 1984, in a hospital in Dundee. Sutherland also later created the Black Watch Memorial at Powrie Brae in Dundee, and the memorial to Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding, who was Air Officer Commanding, RAF Fighter Command, during the Battle of Britain, at his birthplace of Moffat.

Scott Sutherland commemorative plaque

The 5.2 m. (17 ft.) tall monument, variously described as a huge, striking and iconic statue, consists of a cast bronze sculpture of three Commandos, in characteristic dress (complete with cap comforter, webbing and rifle), standing atop a stone plinth looking south towards Ben Nevis. The soldier at the front is thought to depict Commando Jack Lewington who frequently attended Remembrance Services at the monument during his lifetime. One of the other two soldiers is Frank Nicholls (rank unknown). The other soldier is Regimental Sergeant Major Sidney Hewlett who originally served with the Welsh Guards. He was handpicked to be one of the founding NCOs of the commandos, and was also held in high regard and noted several times by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. The base of the bronze statue is inscribed with the date of 1951.

Inscribed around the top of the stone plinth is “United we conquer” while the original plaque on the stone plinth reads: “In memory of the officers and men of the commandos who died in the Second World War 1939–1945. This country was their training ground.”

A Garden of Remembrance, which was subsequently added to the site, is used by many surviving World War II Commandos as the designated final resting place for their ashes. It has also been used as a place where many families have scattered ashes and erected tributes to loved ones who belonged to contemporary Commando units and who have died in more recent conflicts such as the Falklands War or in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Garden for Tributes

Commando Memorial: Spean Bridge, Lochaber, Scottish Highlands, PH34 4EG, United Kingdom.  Coordinates: 56°53′52.42″N 4°56′38.51″W.

How to Get There: the memorial is located approximately 1.5 kms. (1 mi.) northwest of Spean Bridge, at the junction of the A82 road and the B8004 road.

Loch Ness Cruise (Scotland, U.K.)

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Loch Ness Cruise

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

The highlight of our Scottish Highlands Tours was our cruise of Loch Ness courtesy of Cruise Loch Ness which has been operating from Fort Augustus since May 1968 as an e-RNLI lifeboat carrying 12 passengers.

Check out “Fort Augustus”

Grace and Jandy waiting to board the Spirit of Loch Ness

One of the leading tour providers in the Scottish Highlands, it offers a range of boat tours on the loch, including scenic cruises and exhilarating high-speed RIB cruises (which can carry 12 passengers). The scenic cruises run daily, all year round, and they are a great way to see the sights of the loch.

The 210-pax Spirit of Loch Ness

The smaller, 108-pax  Legend of Loch Ness

The 56 sq. km. (22 sq. mi.), Loch Ness, an elongated freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands, is the second-largest Scottish loch by surface area (after Loch Lomond), but due to its great depth it is the largest by volume in Great Britain. Its deepest point is 230 m. (126 fathoms; 755 ft.), making it the second deepest loch in Scotland after Loch Morar.

Now boarding …..

It contains more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, and is the largest body of water in the Great Glen, which runs from Inverness in the north to Fort William in the south. With a capacity of 23,000 cu. ft., it is almost three times that of Loch Lomond and more that three times that of Loch Morar.  Its surface is 16 m. (52 ft.) above sea level. There are nine villages around the loch, as well as Urquhart Castle.

The author (left) with Grace and Jandy

L-R: Manny, Paula, Selena and Sean

We boarded the Spirit of Loch Ness, one of two custom built vessels (the other is the smaller Legend of Loch Ness which can carry 108 passengers). It had a top speed of 20 knots,  can carry 210 passengers and had a fully-stocked bar.  It was still raining and quite foggy along the loch when we left the dock.

Loch Ness View Point

The River Oich carries water from Loch Oich (to the SW) to Loch Ness (to the NE) and runs in parallel to a section of the Caledonian Canal for the whole of its 9 km. (5.6 mi.) length.

Loch Ness is best known for claimed sightings of the legendary  cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, a cryptid, reputedly a large unknown animal, also known affectionately as “Nessie,”  and both ships have state-of-the-art sonar equipment (with 14 sonar monitors) on board, which beams live images from beneath the water.

Eilean Muireach (Cherry Island)

We departed Fort Augustus by 3 PM. Our daytime cruise was to take around 50 minutes.  We cruised past the over 150 year old, 3-storey Inchnacardoch (meaning “field” or “meadow”) House which was formerly a hunting lodge built in 1878 by Lord Lovat and, later, used as a base for the Royal Air Force during World War II.  Today, it is now the 3-star Inch Country House Hotel, with 17 rooms and a restaurant.

Inchnacardoch House

In front of the Inch Hotel is Cherry Island, the loch’s only island. Also called Eilean Muireach, meaning Murdoch’s Island, it is located 140 m. from the shore of the southern end of the loch.  The island, an example of a crannog (a man-made island composed of loose rubble stones, was originally 49 m. by 51 m. but is now smaller since the level of the loch was raised when it became part of the Caledonian Canal.

Fort Augustus Abbey (left) with the Boathouse (a restaurant) on the right

We also had a loch-side view of the impressive Fort Augustus Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery begun in 1876 and completed in 1880.  It has been transformed, in 2012, into The Highland Club, a luxury hotel consisting of 97 apartments and 12 cottages.

Steamship Landing Stage

We also passed the Old Pier, built for paddle steamer ferries, which was built in 1896 and closed in 1924.  Behind is the Old Pier House.  Formerly a small cottage built in 1903 to accommodate the railway station master, it was renovated into a home of the MacKensie family in 1977. It now provides guests with accommodation both in the house and in three log cabins.

Old Pier House

Loch Ness is a clear example of a U-shaped valley (like a bathtub), a characteristic feature of the higher ground in the Scottish Highlands.  This valley was eroded, along its length, by glaciers into a series of rock basins now occupied by the loch.  Its shores are so steep that aquatic vegetation is virtually non-existent.

The steep granite cliffs

When the fog cleared, we saw some of the almost vertical granite cliffs along the sides of the loch, with slight grooves and scratches made by rock fragments as they were dragged along the ice. The absence of islands in the loch shows the power of ice scouring.  It is also too rocky for agricultural improvement.

The diverse flora in the coastal forest includes Caledonian Scots pine, sessile oak, hazel, downy birch, rowan, eared willow and quaking aspen.

Cruise Loch Ness: Caledonian Canal, Fort Augustus, PH32 4BD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)1320 366277. E-mail: info@cruiselochness.com  Website: www.cruiselochness.com. Rates: £20 (adult), £13 (child), £18 (concession) and £60 (family).

Old Pier House: Fort Augustus PH32 4BX, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 7593 580373.  E-mail:  bookings@oldpierhouse.com.  Website: www.oldpierhouse.com. 

Inch Country House Hotel: Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire, Scotland PH32 4BL, United Kingdom.  Tel: 44 145-450900.  Fax: 44 1320-366248.  E-mail: happy@inchhotel.com. Website: www.inchhotel.com.

The Highland Club: St.Benedict’s Abbey, The Highland Club, Fort Augustus PH32 4BJ, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 20 3478 3897. E-mail: reservations@thehighlandclub.co.uk. Website: www.thehighlandclub.co.uk. 

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com.

How to Get There: Fort Augustus is located 161 kms. (100  mi.) from Edinburgh and 692 kms. (430 mi.) from London. The village is served by the A82 road and lies approximately midway between Inverness (56 kms.) and Fort William (51 kms.) in the Scottish Highlands.  Coordinates: 57.1432°N 4.6807°W.

Fort Augustus (Scotland, U.K.)

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Fort Augustus and the Caledonian Canal

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

From Spean Bridge, it was another 36.7 kms. (a 30-min. drive), via A82, to Fort Augustus, a charming settlement and popular and busy tourist destination in the parish of Boleskine and Abertarff, at the south-west end of Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, home of the famous Loch Ness Monster (fondly called Nessie).  Here we were to have lunch and, afterwards, go on a boat cruise around Loch Ness. It was raining throughout when we arrived and we had to bring out our umbrellas to get to Monster Fish & Chips, adjacent to the Jet Petrol Station, where we first tried out a huge serving of its namesake.

Check out “Spean Bridge” and “Loch Ness Cruise”

Monster Fish and Chips

Jet Petrol Station

Until the early 18th century, the settlement was called Kiliwhimin. After the Jacobite rising of 1715, it was renamed Fort Augustus after  Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, one of the sons of King George II.  From 1903 until 1933, the village was served by a rail line, from Spean Bridge, to a terminus on the banks of Loch Ness.  It was built by the Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway in the hope of eventually completing a line to Inverness and latterly operated by the North British Railway and its successor, the London and North Eastern Railway, but initially operated by the Highland Railway.

Caledonian Canal

 

After lunch, I proceeded to explore the village on foot.  Fort Augustus is centered around the impressive, 96 km. (60 mi.) long Caledonian Canal.  The canal, connecting Fort William to Inverness, passes through Fort Augustus in a dramatic series of locks stepping down to Loch Ness. The canal was built, between 1804 and 1822, under the direction of William Jessop and Thomas Telford.  Boats using the canal are raised and lowered 13 m. by a “ladder” of 5 consecutive locks, all completed in 1820.  The A82 road crosses the canal on a swing bridge at the foot of the 5 locks.

War Memorial Hall

The single storey War Memorial Hall, a public hall converted to the Territorial Drill Hall (and later returned to its original function), was designed by Inverness-born architect John Robertson (1840-1925) and built from 1891 to 1892.  It Italianate style detailing includes round arch windows with unusual convex moldings and deep overhanging beams.  The interior includes a good hammerbeam roof in the main hall.

The Clansman Centre

A memorial plaque, set in a round arch recess at the porch front of the hall, has a battlemented parapet and was built in 1918.  It commemorates the residents of Fort Augustus who were killed or missing in the First World War (21 names) and the Second World War (5 names).

The Mill Shop

The village’s economy is heavily reliant on tourism and all around the town are many gift and souvenir shops selling tartan treats (scarves, blankets, woolen jumpers, etc.), traditional Scottish souvenirs and Nessie souvenirs such as the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre, The Mill Shop (a converted church), the Fort Augustus Gift Company, the Clansman Centre, etc.

Caledonian Canal Centre

The Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre, beside the lowest lock, offers visitors and locals a wealth of local heritage and internationally renowned local features of the Caledonian Canal (designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1822), Great Glen and Loch Ness. This world-class visitor and destination hub also offers all year round facilities for visitors, a gift shop promoting relevant and locally sourced goods and a café serving homemade, Scottish produce. There is also a grab and go offer, boasting fresh coffee and local artisan ice cream from the Black Isle Dairy.

Fort Augustus Gift Company

The Clansman Centre, housed in a historic 19th century Victorian schoolhouse, is a quaint little craft and gift shop specializing in Celtic and locally produced crafts and gifts such as silver jewelry, Harris Tweed, tartan, whiskey barrel clocks and frames, Celtic plaques, clan scarves and Nessie souvenirs. An interactive museum, it also offers shows on the Clansmen, featuring live re-enactments with weapons demonstrations, by costumed actors dressed in traditional Highland garb, in a recreated Highland turf house theater.

Bothy Restaurant & Bar

Aside from Monster Fish & Chips, you can also dine at Bothy Restaurant & Pub, The Moorings and the Boathouse.

The Moorings

The Boathouse

Monster Fish & Chips: 6, A82, Fort Augustus PH32 4DD, United Kingdom.

Fort Augustus Gift Company: Main Street, Fort Augustus PH32 4DD, United Kingdom.

The Mill Shop: Mackay Hall, Fort Augustus PH32 4DJ, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 1320 366404. Open daily,10 AM to 4 PM.

Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre: Canal Side, Fort Augustus PH32 4AU, United Kingdom. Open daily, 9 AM to 5 PM. Tel: 01463 725581.  E-mail: stay@scottishcanals.co.uk.

Clansman Centre:   Old Schoolhouse Canal Side, Fort Augustus PH32 4BD, United Kingdom.  Open daily, 11 AM to 4 PM.  Tel: +44 1320 366444.  E-mail: clansmancentre@gmail.com. Website: www.clansmancentre.uk. 

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com.

How to Get There: Fort Augustus is located 161 kms. (100  mi.) from Edinburgh and 692 kms. (430 mi.) from London. The village is served by the A82 road and lies approximately midway between Inverness (56 kms.) and Fort William (51 kms.) in the Scottish Highlands.  Coordinates: 57.1432°N 4.6807°W.