Another full day of sun and fun, but starting with our usual breakfast (out on the lanai for some of us) and then to the New Life Tabernacle church. Wonderful upbeat praise music. There were special speakers today, and it was a bit of a long-winded sermon (translated into Papiamento, of course) so we left at noon before it was finished. Only 2 hours, John. Returned for our customary muesli rolls with gouda cheese and sliced tomatoes, and watched Princess Bride DVD during the heat of the day. -Off for our only-one-snorkel-of-the-day around 3:30 - to Arashi, at the far end of the snorkeling sites. It was jam packed with locals enjoying the beach, but of course it's all relative - we were the only ones snorkeling in the coral reef area, and there was no ... read more

Last night we went to Zee Rover's for fresh Red Snapper, plaintains, french fries, and Balashi. Megan, the super snorkeler, does NOT like red snapper!!! We had a chance to catch up with Michel and Linda, who retired in December from working there. Unfortunately she says the fishing industry is hurting, and many of the men have had to stop fishing - too much competition with Venezuela. And when Zee Rover serves frozen fish they get a bad reputation, and when they run out, the same. It was not as crowded as usual, although we were, admittedly, there early, like at 5:30. We drove past Mangel Halto and the winds were down and the surf perfect - maybe we will go there soon. As you can see from the photos, our sortee into the "big water" ... read more

We spent the morning in the Gloucestershire area, seeing more bluebells along a place where people walk their dogs (very friendly ones), enjoying the views, crossed the Severn on a huge bridge, TOUCHING Wales briefly. We HAD to stop by Chippenham to see our first end-of-row home and have some coffee and really good flapjack at last in the High Street (at what used to be our favorite bakery for a cottage loaf). The house look a little in need of trim and care. Drove motorway all the way, to just south of London, and then up north. Traffic as expected. Rosemary served us a delicious meal and we relaxed for a while before taking John & Robin to their very convenient, very small Air BnB. tomorrow they will catch the light rail just across the ... read more

England at last.HWe left Edinburgh behind, with a bit of conflict between the GPS, Map, and notes we'd taken from the computer mileage/directions site. May have wandered a bit - the GPS chip being slightly outdated. But soon we were in amazing countryside - hilly and daley and full of sheep. After almost 3 hours (considering you can get from Edinburgh to London in about 4 hours on the motorway), we were finally at Haltwhistle and a remnant of Hadrian's Wall (approx 100 AD?) It snaked on and on to the east, essentially from Carlisle on the west to Newcastle on the east coast. Haltwhistle is birthplace of one of David'great grandfathers, so we stopped in the parish church a beautiful historical building, grade I. Then just about 2 miles to a neighboring village and church, ... read more

Got up with toast and marmalade and headed out to Culloden Battlefield. Very interesting, and harrowing, of course, even if we have no connection to the Scots. Then just 1 mile over to the Clava Cairns - ancient burial sites. Then another mile to see a bunch of baby Highland cattle. So cute. Then about 3.5 hours to St Andrews. But off course some of us had to find the loo, so we stopped for coffee around 1:30, in Pitlochry. Sort of followed the directions to the waterside cafe badly, and ended up at a swanky hotel - we asked if they served coffee and tea and if we had the right place. No, it wasn't, but they served tea to the residents. In we went, where we found a sun filled reception room filled with ... read more