Eating our way through Geneva

You are gazing at absolute decadence.  Melt in your mouth, smooth on your tongue Gelato made at the Chocolate Kitchen in Geneva, Illinois.

I opted for the Bailey's Irish Cream Gelato and did not regret my choice for one second.

It was FABulous!

As were many of the other tasty items that we sampled while walking through the lovely town of Geneva.

We weren't scheduled for departure from O'Hara until evening, so we packed up our bags and made the short drive from our hotel to the downtown area of Geneva.

It appears that we brought an Americanized version of Scottish weather with us.  It poured most of the day, with an occasional break, but no bright blue sky in between the deluges that we had grown accustomed to.

But, being the hearty "we-don't-let-rain-stop-us"travelers, we headed out with me wearing Marty's green rain-proof jacket, and he wearing his standby red one.   Oh, and we had the scottish plaid umbrella.  I wonder if we looked like tourists?

I had this brilliant idea that we would head to the library for info.  One thing that I had learned in Scotland is that the local libraries generally have a map of the town for touring.

Well, the Geneva Library did not have a historic tour map for us to follow, but it did feature a lovely Literary Garden:

And a statue tribute to Midsummernight's Dream looking over the lovely Shakesperean Gardens.

The county building boats an interesting statue of Don Quixote.  At least that's what I interpreted this to be.

The librarians were quite friendly and steered us towards 3rd Street, where the road is bricked and lovely lanterns line the streets.

Within short time, we spotted the Geneva History Center, so we crossed the street and entered the building.  A few tugs on the door made us realize that the place was closed.  We were just contemplating where we should go next when the door opened and a very nice young woman mentioned that the history center was closed, but the business office was open, which was why she was there.  I asked her a few questions, and, quite to our surprise, she let us into the building, unlocked the historical exhibit, and told us to take our time looking through the display.  

How great was that?  We learned that Geneva once had a large Swedish population  and we quickly spotted some familiar items.  On our way out the door, the same woman suggested Stockholm's for lunch.  

But first, we headed down the street to Graham's Fine Chocolates where we could watch the employees making hand crafted chocolates.  Couldn't pass on picking up some of those goodies.

Next stop:  Hahn's bakery where Marty picked up some pretzel rolls.  I spotted some yummy looking scones, but refrained from purchasing them. It was tempting, to be sure.  But I just wasn't in Scotland anymore.

Walking through the town certainly offered some interesting sites.

I wondered if there was some practical purpose behind that blue doggie-halter.  The place was closed on Mondays, so I couldn't check it out closer. 

Nearby there was a gourmet popcorn shop, and a quick trip in resulted in a bag of Caramel popcorn for the road.

By now it was lunch time, so we crossed the street to  Stockholms where we both had the 1/2 sandwich special:   mine with soup and Marty's with a salad.  The food was fresh and quite delicious.

We couldn't leave Geneva without checking out the Chocolate Kitchen where life size creations made from Chocolate enhanced the decor. Well, I'm sure the locals welcomed this edible life like creation.

That's a lot of chocolate, to be sure!

 And, this is where we enjoyed the scrumptious Gelato.   Yummm....

We were all set to head to the airport, but couldn't resist hunting down the Windmill that we had read about in the history building.

We found it in the Fabyan Forest Reserve, and, to be honest with you, it really wasn't that tough to locate.

The windmill was apparently a gift from Fabyan to his wife.  It was not only beautiful, but practical, as he set it up as a working windmill where grain was milled and bread was baked.

Across the river, among the Villa grounds, one can even imagine Mrs. Fabyan gazing upon her gift:

Among the beautiful grounds of the villa there is a  lovely Japanese Garden.

Another amazing site to behold.

The rain had stopped just long enough for us to have a quick walk around the gardens, admiring the beauty and calm.  

That was just what we needed before we headed off on the highways to the airport.  

With treats in hand, we were ready for whatever O'Hara had to offer in the way of delays. Delectable delights sending out signals of temptation.

But, lucky for us, the flight was on time and we landed 10 minutes early!   

And, if you are wondering what happened to those goodies.....not to worry....... All is well.

A Sacramental Weekend

Today was certainly a special one for me.  I had the honor of standing as "sponsor" for my niece as she was confirmed today.

As I followed her down the aisle, in anticipation of placing my hand on her right shoulder as she was sealed with the Holy Spirit, I couldn't help but remember that day, so many years ago, when I had held her as a baby on her baptism day. Strong emotions ran through me as I realized just how special this day was and that I was privileged to have been asked to be a part of it.  This little baby had grown to be a young lady, and she had chosen me to be her sponsor. 

Isn't she so beautiful?

While I was at church celebrating this special sacrament with my godchild, Marty was at the house, entertaining the rest of the crew.  "Uncle Marty" was a huge hit with the little ones as well as the older kids.  How could he not  have a grand time?  

He had no trouble keeping everyone in control:

Actually, the donuts were an earlier ploy on Marty's part, probably to earn points for good behavior later.  

In any event, a good time was had by all and the outside weather of pouring rain, thunder and lightening didn't dampen our spirits as we celebrated.

And the best way to finish off such a celebration?  Cake, of course.

It tasted even better than it looks!

Fun Times with Family

What you see is what you get: Lots of smiles and happiness. Unlike some in my own family, who tend to moan and groan "Not again" when we want to photograph special family moments and capture the entire family, my nieces and nephews were actually quite enthusiastic about this photo shoot.  Although I'll admit that the little beauty in pink would probably be happier playing with her doggie toy.  

But we had gotten smiles earlier.

We had a grand time celebrating my niece's First Holy Communion.

And to add to the excitement of the day, there was cake!

Which everyone agreed was FABulous!

Enjoy the View!

Here you gaze upon the view from our hotel room.  I don't think that I've ever been this close to a water tower before, so I'll chalk this up to a first for me.

But we're not here to gaze out the window.  We're here to celebrate and enjoy time with family.

With cuties like these to spend time with:

who wants to sit in a hotel room?

Even if it does have a cool view!

Sumptuous Scottish Scones

Tender:

Tempting:

Tantalizing:

Tasty:

Sometimes with treats:

Or additional "eats":

Best served with tea:

Better yet with great company:

But there's something you should know about Scottish Scones.

They can be plain or fruity

best warm from the oven

served with a pot of strawberry jam.

But what REALLY makes a scone special is the cream. 

It can be Clotted Cream

Scottish Cream

or even a pot of Whipped Cream.

Which was my favorite?

Hmmm.....I think I need another taste of each.....

Castles & Palaces of Scotland

You've probably noticed that castles are a major theme in my Scotland Blogs. As well as Scottish food,  particularly scones, but that's for another day.

The Scottish countryside is scattered with fortified castles which are a reminder of the centuries of assaults that this country underwent throughout history.

It's amazing how the Scots can make you feel so welcome and offer their famous "no worries" advice, considering all of the tumult that the country faced since the beginning of its existence.

Fear of invasion warranted the building of castles for protection.  Each was a residence for Royalty that was fortified against attack.

And, yes, I've visited a number of them, some of them more than once.

Most of the castles that I visited were ruins bought up by the National Trust of Scotland for preservation.  Nearly all had fallen victim to Cromwell's destruction in the mid 1600's. The NTS buys up the property and saves these important historical buildings from further deteriation.  They then set up the grounds to offer a glimpse of the past so that one can try to understand the history.

What's really amazing is how many of these structures continue to stand in the countryside, some from as early as the 11th century!    We are fortunate that they were not all destroyed over time, and that the NTS realizes the importance of maintaining these structures for future generations to explore.

Each one of these fortifications was unique in its own way.  You might have thought that I'd get tired looking at so many stone structures, but the history behind each of them really fascinates me.


One thing that I learned from an NTS guide was that a church had always precluded a castle or a palace.  Sadly, very few of these original Catholic churches survived the Protestant reformation. But most of the ruins that I explored still contained some part of the original church structure.

So, let me share some of my thoughts on these amazing structures that I was lucky enough to visit.

Aberdour is considered to be the oldest stone castle in all of Scotland.  St. Fillans stands just outside the castle walls, and it has been restored for use as a parish church for the town. 

Stirling and Edinburgh stand on crags offering spectacular views of the countryside.  Both have finished rooms, with Stirling recently being renovated to reflect the era of James V.  But none of the furnishings is original to the castle.  Even the tapestries are copies, with the originals being held in the Metropolitan museum in New York City.  Both look pretty spectacular when lit up at night.

Edinburgh Castle at night

Stirling Castle at dusk

 Castle Campbell looks as if someone just dropped it onto the top of a mountain in Dollar Glen.  The hike up the hill to the castle was surely a work out, but the views over the town and countryside were well worth the effort.

Kellie Castle is nestled in the country with lovely walled gardens to peruse. It was bought by John Lorimor in the late 1800's.  He is responsible for preserving this quaint castle and turning it into a fine country home where he raised his family.

Dirleton, the only castle that I visited with a moat and drawbridge, is located on the southern part of the Firth of Forth, very near the North Sea. It is on the outskirts of a very charming town and boasts lovely gardens. 

 St. Andrews in Northern Fife offered some spectacular vistas. Ravenscraig stands near Dysart, with lovely views over the Firth of Forth from the north.

Tantallon Castle juts out into the North Sea.  The vistas from the top of the ruins are amazing, and we spotted a pair of Puffins on the rocks below.

Loch Leven can only be reached by boat across the lake, making that visit quite a unique experience.

Craigmillar Castle stood out as my favorite, primarily because it is hidden very near Edinburgh, and it is fairly well preserved, having been spared from the wrath of Cromwell.

In addition to the many castle which offered safe haven, the Royal Kings also built palaces, which were designed for relaxation,  more for pleasure than for fortification against attack.

The oldest of the Palaces that I visited was Dumfermline Palace, built by Malcolm III and Queen Margaret. There is quite a bit of history associated with this palace, but, sadly, very little of it remains.  The adjoining Abbey continues to stand well-preserved, however, with a tribute to Robert the Bruce upon it's steeple.

The Royal Palace at Culross was not built until the late 1500's.  We were not able to tour it when we were in the town, but the exterior certainly looked charming in this well-preserved village along the Firth of Forth.  The gardens are stacked on a hill behind the palace which is where this photo was taken.

Linlithgow Palace features the original fountain constructed by James V.  Climbing to the top of the tower offers outstanding views of the surrounding countryside. 

Holyrood Palace, located in Edinburgh, is quite spectacular.  The interior reflects life during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.  The ruins of the Abbey still stand out among the beauty of the surrounding gardens.

Falkland Palace was my favorite place to visit.  It is located on the outskirts of the town of Falkland and continues to hold an active Catholic Chapel. The furnishings were original to the building, and the grounds boast the oldest tennis court in the world.  The locals seem to be very excited by that fact. Mary loved staying at Falkland, and it is certainly easy to see why.

One of the places that we stumbled upon quite by accident was Kinneil house.  The estate was gifted to the Hamilton family from Robert the Bruce in the early 1300's.  What began as a small tower house in the 1400's, eventually expanded to a palace and a family home.  In the 1600's, major renovations were made to Kinneil house.  But, a century later,  the house was rented to tenants, and it fell into disrepair.

This building was scheduled for demolition in 1936 when it was discovered that rare Renaissance wall paintings were hiding under the plaster in two of the rooms in the tower.  The town council realized what a gem they nearly destroyed, and they began to make efforts to restore the house and rooms for viewing.  The earliest buildings had already been gutted at this point, so they continue to stand as ruins, but the rest of the house has been preserved and can be toured on certain days of the month.  And we happened to be lucky enough to be in Scotland on one of those open house days, so I could add that to my list of palaces that I visited.

The one thing that I never realized prior to visiting the Edinburgh area, was just how many of these castles and palaces Mary, Queen of Scots visited.  I just cannot imagine her entourage traveling to some of these locations, but the literature shows that she did, indeed, visit many of the residences that I have mentioned. 

Let me just give you a brief synopsis

Mary, Queen of Scots was born in Linlithgow Palace:

crowned Queen of Scotland at Stirling Castle at the age of 9 months:

As a very young child, she visited Callendar House, near Edinburgh.  Note the French influence in the construction of this manor home.  Mary's mother was French and felt comfortable in such surroundings

.

When she was five, a marriage agreement was made on her behalf with the eldest son of the King of France.  She was sent there shortly thereafter, where she grew up in the Palace and married the young prince, who became King upon his father's death, crowning her Queen of France.

But that was short-lived, when the young King died at a very young age from an ear infection.  Mary was then sent home from France to rule her own country of Scotland. 

Upon return, she stayed at Craigmillar Castle.

Her maids, most of whom where French, traveled with her, and stayed nearby in a little village which is still known to this day as "Little France". 

Mary attended a wedding celebration at Castle Campbell, where she stayed a few days during the festivities. 

While staying at Rossend Castle near Burntisland she was accosted by Pierre de Boscosel de Chastelard, who hid under her bed so that he could surprise her and  proclaim his love for her. That grave mistake on his part led to his beheading not long afterwards.  

Not sure who was more surprised by that action!

Mary frequently traveled  to St. Andrew's Castle, and often stopped at Dumfermline Castle.  

She gave birth to her son, James VI, at Edinburgh Castle. His painting hangs near the room where he was born.

Tantallon Castle is on the list of Mary's travels as well.

She spent much time in residence at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, but her favorite place of refuge was Falkland Palace.  It certainly isn't difficult to see why she would pick Falkland for relaxation.

Sadly, Lochleven Castle, which she visited frequently, became her original place of imprisonment, where she was forced to sign papers to abdicate her throne.

She managed to escape across the loch, but her freedom would prove to be short-lived.  Very sad, indeed.

And that about sums up my castle/palace adventures.  I hope that you have enjoyed my travels out and about Edinburgh.  I certainly had a grand time exploring!

Did I mention how much I enjoyed the scones?