Na rathaidean fada, lùbach tro Chuimrigh agus Alba

Today’s trivia is sorbet, and a bit on Balmoral Castle:

• Sorbet is believed to have originated around 550–530 BC in Persia, where snow was mixed with fruit juice to make cold treats.
• The word “sorbet” comes from the French, which originated from the Italian word sorbetto, which itself was derived from the Turkish şerbet (sherbet).
• While fruit is standard, sorbet can be made with herbs, wine, or liqueurs. Chocolate sorbet is also popular, using water to create a dairy-free, rich treat.
• In fine dining, sorbet is often served in between meals (especially between fish and meat courses) to refresh the palate and aid digestion.
• Legend has it that Marco Polo brought the recipe for sorbet back to Italy from his travels in Asia.
• The original castle was built in 1390, but Queen Victoria and Prince Albert found it too small and built a new one nearby, completed in 1856.
• The “Ghillies Ball”: A tradition started by Queen Victoria, this is an annual dance for the royal family, neighbors, and staff.
• While the family resides there in late summer, the gardens and ballroom are often opened to the public between April and July. We were in luck!
• Unlike Buckingham Palace, Balmoral is privately owned by the monarch.
• The estate spans roughly 50,000 acres, including forests, farmland, and over 2,000 red deer.Q
• Queen Victoria established a tradition of having a piper play under her window for 15 minutes at 9 a.m. every morning.

Sailing was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. We slept like logs till the phone rang at 1:30am and a voice with a strong Scottish accent asked for Shamus! I suspect the other end had that blank look when I said no, it’s not Shamus.

We arrive in Aberdeen port early, like one and a half hours early. Was the captain speeding or what? Turns out someone had a fall last night, that was the story passengers are being told, and needed medical attention. Disembarking was still for 7am. There wasn’t a rush with the ambo crew and I suspect there was a passing and it may have been Shamus. Will never know but as we drove off the ferry I saw Vera’s well used land cruise approaching. Just saying.

2IC wanted to go to Balmoral Castle, so off we went.

Along the way . . .

we stopped at Braemar Castle and Gordon’s Tearoom and Restaurant in Braemar, but both not open

Balmoral Castle is really just a biggish house. 🤔🤔🤔. The only room where the public could go was the ballroom that A&V built and no photography was allowed. There are lots of family photos to look at in the ballroom of the queen and family photos in the restaurant next to the toilets.

The gardens . . .

and . . .

Annette said I need to do a bit more reading . . .

In the need of a coffee, no matter how bad it may be we stopped at Glenshee Cafe & Gift Shop. Great jam and cheese toasties and the coffee was not that bad. Wise were please we spent up big not just on 🚽. Singapore Airlines may not be so happy. We’ve bought up big these holidays and looking at excess baggage charges 😱😱😱😱.

We arrived at Beadnell Towers latish not a result of the train but from visiting the queens happy place, so took the easy option and eat in. Food was good considering it was Michelin 2025 rated you’d want it to be.

My philosophy in life these days is, if you don’t ask, you’ll never know. Nothing on the desert menu met my fancy other than the cheese which I didn’t really feel like tonight. I wanted my icecream/gelato/sorbet. So I asked the waiter, do you have a kids menu with sorbet? I got half a blank look. The waiter went away and came back with, yes we do Sir. We have mango, raspberry and lemon. I just said, yes please. Another blank look, this time full on blank. 2IC had to explain, that was all flavours please and that I’m a constant imbarrassment to her!

and then it was bed time🤔🤔🤔🤔

Today’s travels . . .