Wednesday, September 19, 2012

more things to do around the east neuk

Today's soundtrack:
"Little Man" by King Creosote and Gummi Bako
"Marry the Sea" by Imaginary Cities
"Since When" by 54-40
"All You Good Good People" by Embrace
"Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" by Travis
"Sigourney Weaver" by John Grant

Still wondering what there is to do around the East Neuk?  We here at the Spaniard and the Edwardian are on the case!  Well, more like the Edwardian is on the case.  The Spaniard is currently hunting for a Tardis in a desperate bid to get more hours into his day.  Regardless, here are a few more tidbits (mmm... Timbits...):

Kellie Castle

We finally made it out to Kellie Castle while we had our friends up from Spain.  After renting bikes for the visitors from East Neuk Outdoors in Cellardyke, we rode the few miles out past Pittenweem, bombing down country roads and climbing mercifully few hills.  As for the castle, the oldest part of the castle dates back to the 14th century, the newest to the 19th century.



There are volunteers who wander about the castle and will happily tell you all about it.  I learned a lot about ceiling decoration, for example, from one particularly enthusiastic volunteer, and was pointed towards a letter from Robert Louis Stevenson in the office by another.

Outside the castle are the gardens, which were just about finished for the year when we arrived.  Fine by me, as these onions made for my favourite photo of the day.



The garden produce is available to buy in the castle's gift shop, naturally.

House Parties

If you have any luck at all, you'll find yourself at a house party sometime during your stay in the East Neuk.  In fact, if you're staying with us, the odds of this are pretty good.  Now that we know a few more people (including more Canadians in Cellardyke), we seem to either be throwing a party or attending one.  And be forewarned: folks here seem as fond of kitchen parties as you, my dear Canadians.  As a result, I know now that my kitchen can hold 40 people.  Not comfortably, but still.  

I'd post photos of a typical house party here at the Ivory Tower, but that'd just be incriminating for everyone involved.  Especially once that bison grass Polish vodka showed up...

Leuchars Air Show

Only a few of these left now, as the RAF is being moved to a different base and the army is moving into Leuchars.  The Air Show regularly attracts around 35 000 people, which makes it a touch bigger than that time the B14 (12? 18?  I should be clear - I know nothing about planes) and ME109 were on display at Cassidy Airport.  We saw a SE5a (WWI),



the Gloster Meteor (WWII and the UK's first jet fighter),



and the Red Arrows.



We also spotted a Spanish plane,



and a float plane, complete with extra flotation devices.



There were many more planes, including Spitfires (which I failed to get a picture of.  Sorry, Mom!), but it's hard to get photos when you're covering your ears on account of the deafening plane engines.

Go for a run

In lieu of wild house parties and wandering about airstrips, why not go for a run around the village?  Get out of the car, off the bike, and go exploring with your feet for a bit.  A decent run of a 5 miles or so will get you from one town to another.  Just make sure you bring enough change for the bus trip back home!

Bakehouse Tea Room

Ah, high tea.  This is concept I didn't quite understand before.  I thought, huh, high tea - that's tea and goodies stacked high up?  People sipping tea from teacups, with their little fingers pointing out?  Pretentious twits at the Empress?

Yup, not even close.  

High tea, or as I prefer to call it, the Gut-Buster 2000, is a full meal of fish and chips, or mac and cheese, or whatever else is on the menu, with toast (for some inexplicable reason.  I mean, they do beans at breakfast and toast with high tea.  Madness, folks.  Sheer madness.), and then (and then!) a tray of crumpets, cakes, pastries, and who the hell knows what else.  And you're expected to eat it all!  

Believe me, gentle travellers:  after a high tea, you'll need that 5-mile run to the next village.

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