A day of relaxation and respite.......

Today was a day to take a deep breath and rest. We slept in until about 9:30 and lounged around until I received a call from a member of the local Rotary Club inviting us to lunch at an exclusive club. So that's how our day started and the rest of it was casual visiting and a little sightseeing. We will let the pictures describe the day in a tag team effort as each of us describes a few of them..........

This is the Carmelite Hotel where we have been staying since arriving at Aberdeen. It is very old and we are enjoying our time here.

This is a view from our window at the hotel. We were talking with a man who works at a fish and chips place and he asked if the gulls were keeping us awake. They perch up here and we do hear them occasionally.

Here we are with the gracious gentlemen who treated us to lunch at the Royal Northern and University Club. John Farquhar, Malcolm Shepherd, and Nicol Geddes (L to R) are members of the St. Fittick's Rotary Club of Aberdeen, which is the club that hosted me here 37 years ago. We had a wonderful lunch and then Nicol drove us around Aberdeen for about an hour driving by many places that I remember from being here, King's College (U of Aberdeen), Hillhead student housing where I lived, a park, a church, the dock yard at the beach, etc. These men couldn't have been more generous and gracious, which is just as I remember the Rotary members here they hosted me back in 1973.

This is Gilcomston South, the Church of Scotland church that I attended when I was here. My memory of the location of the church was actually accurate as it is on Union Street, just a few blocks down from the hotel where we are staying..........

..........and here I am beside the church sign. I remembered the minister at the church named Willie Still and I had remembered his fiery style and how he preached extemporaneously, never worrying about the clock. What I didn't know is that he was famous in Scotland for that. As we drove by with Nicol I mentioned that I had attended there, and he immediately said "Willie Still, he is well known for his long and fiery sermons." So I didn't realize my pastor here was a famous guy.

This is a picture of a very old cemetery in the middle of the city. We think some of the gravesites are 200-300 years old. Ironically there was a McDonald's right across the street. You can see the golden arches in the middle of the picture.

I (Kim) had passed a few of these in various parts of the city and had no idea what they were. I thought they kind of looked like they could be used as urinals, but no--why would they have urinals right out in the open? And sure enough, they are! The next picture shows an up-close view of the sign posted on each side.

Words of wisdom for those using this toilet! Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow we'll take the bus and go to the college where George spent his year. Then we'll be off to Edinburgh to get ready to head to the last day of The Open on Sunday.