Here, and Sometimes There

Rooftop Bar, Coimbra

At the end of October 2021 I took my courage in both hands, and booked a 9 night trip to Portugal.

Once I had a rough outline of my plans for my visit, I set about organising accommodation.

I wanted to spend most of my time in Porto, and settled on 6 nights there. An Airbnb type place is my normal preference for that length of a stay, and it has the added advantage in current times of minimising interaction with other people. In turn that eliminates both the chances of picking up the virus from another hotel guest and the inevitable frustrations of being subjected to other guests failing to follow the local pandemic rules. More on that later…

Airbnb Building, Porto

In Porto, the good news is I chose extremely well. The studio was quiet (very important), spotlessly clean (also very important) and comfortable (ditto). It is in the Cedofeita neighbourhood, about 15 minutes walk north of the Torre dos Clérigos and 20 minutes from the São Bento railway station.

Airbnb Neighbour, Porto

It had local shops - the bakery was vital to my wellbeing first thing in the morning - within 400m and several excellent little restaurants too. I tried 3 restaurants which are within that radius, and all were excellent.

Breakfast, Porto

The Airbnb managers arranged a car to pick me up at the airport - usually public transport is my preference, but it was a late evening arrival and a quick transfer was €25 well spent.

One feature of the studio was a shared garden and swimming pool! I did not use the pool, with it being late October, but in the summer months it must be an excellent facility to have. I did have my sandwich lunch in the garden one day. Very pleasant.

Shared Facilities, Porto

The studio cost me €57 per night, and was excellent value for money.

After Porto I moved south to Coimbra and stayed at the Hotel Oslo for 2 nights. I chose it partly because it has good reviews on You-Know-Where but also for its location just around the corner from the city centre railway station and on the edge of the old part of town. It was relatively expensive because I opted for a superior room - more space and a good view. I paid €145 per night, and that included an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast.

Hotel Oslo, Coimbra

The only time I encountered any difficulty with Covidiots in Hotel Oslo was at breakfast. As usual with these things, 95% of guests did what was required. Since my impression was that locals were very good at mask compliance, it is tempting to assume the Covidiots were foreign. Fortunately most of them were on the other side of the room from me, so all I had to do was avoid them at the food stations. A Russian speaking group at the table next to me were trying to comply, but were a bit half hearted or just not good at it. Have you seen Russia’s death figures?

In those situations I feel sorry for the hotel staff who are spending their whole working days in masks, and otherwise trying their best to ensure the environment is safe for the guests. We owe to them to play our part.

The hotel’s breakfast was excellent and for me was a pleasant change from having to run around the streets of Porto in my pyjamas to buy breakfast and take it “home”. I used the hotel bar both evenings (drunken sotter* that I am) and had a burger there one evening. I had scoffed a huge lunch that day and could not face going out for another meal in the evening. The burger just hit the spot.

The hotel has a rooftop terrace (6th floor) which becomes part of the bar at night – great views of the city to help encourage the guests to use it. One of my golden moments was sitting there in the dark enjoying a glass of vinho verde while taking in the sights.

After Coimbra I had one night in Lisbon, and chose the Tivoli Oriente in the Parque das Nações locality. Neither the hotel nor the location would have been my optimum choice, but I knew I would be arriving by train from Coimbra to catch my flight home, and the hotel is across the street from the Oriente railway station just 10 minutes (€8.50) by taxi from the airport.

Tivoli Style, Lisbon

I paid €128 for a superior room, inclusive of another gut busting buffet breakfast.

The hotel turned out to be ideal for my purposes, although its food and drink prices brought tears to the eyes of this parsimonious Scot used to the good value in Porto and Coimbra. It is an expense account type of place.

As in Coimbra the staff were working very hard to make things safe for themselves and the guests, with support from 95% of us. They were friendly and efficient too. The highlight for me was heading to the hotel’s Sky Bar on the 16th floor about 5pm for (yes, another) glass of vinho verde and a salad. It was that afternoon, so it was a delightful experience (apart from the size of the bill).

Sky Bar, Tivoli Oriente

Looking back at a distance of a few days, I made good choices about where to stay and enjoyed all three of them in their different ways.

• Scots. Perhaps best translated as "a mess, a muddle..."

Older Person's Discount

In May 1973 when I was working in Toulouse, I took it into my head to go to the (French) Rugby League Championship Final. I was curious.

I had never seen a live game before because on our side of the Channel it was only played in the north of England. The French final was at the Stadium Municipal in Toulouse, so it was a short walk from home in the St Cyprien area. Toulouse Olympique XIII was one of the finalists.

TO XIII won that day.

Fast forward to September 2021 and TO XIII were top of the (English) Championship - the 2nd Division of the English game - and playing their last league game at 10th placed Newcastle Thunder. I decided to go.

Social Distancing

It turned out to be Men v Boys, and TO XIII hammered Newcastle 82-12. Sometimes such a one sided game can be tedious, but TO XIII produced a great display of power combined with skill and I had to admire it.

Warm Up

After they game they were presented with the league trophy to take home on the plane. Ironically, Dragons Catalans from Perpignan have won the equivalent Super League trophy. Must be a Brexit thing.

It was my first live sporting event since March 2020, so it was a bit of a milestone. The crowd was sparse so health was never a concern.

It was a brief overnight visit for me, and I drove there via Edinburgh and Jedburgh rather than risk 2 hours on a train full of mask-less Covidiots - masks are required on trains in Scotland but not in England and the train operators have washed their hands of any responsibility for their passengers’ safety by declining to enforce the rules.

Jedburgh Abbey

It does puzzle me. How can 2 hours on a busy train be safer than 2 hours on a busy plane?

Cromarty-Nigg Ferry

In the middle of September I had a “proper” holiday at last!

It was not a holiday abroad, but closer to home just had to do for now. I had 3 days of holiday time from work, and because I only work 3 days in the week I could turn it into a week’s holiday.

After a lot of head scratching while weighing up the various factors involved, I booked a self catering studio in Rosemarkie for 3 nights just to kick things off. Rosemarkie is on the Black Isle, about 30 minutes drive east of Inverness.

Crofters' Studio

Some of the factors in my thinking were the state of the pandemic (on the rampage in Scotland), hotspots for over-tourism (also on the rampage in Scotland) and typical Scottish weather in September.

It turned out to be a great short break, with remarkably few negatives to drag it down. The weather was amazingly good. My home-from-home was close to ideal. I found plenty to do over those 4 days, and even had a few things left undone.

I drove there (and back, obviously) and whilst having the car made to travel easier, it could easily have been done by train and bus. On the two full days I was there I only used the car once - to get to Cromarty - and I could have made that trip with a 15 minute bus journey had I chosen to.

Fortrose Cathedral

The route between my home and Inverness involves about 2 hours of driving on the A9, and it can be a nightmare during the tourist season. My journey north had its moments, but coming south leaving at 11am on a Thursday it was remarkably easy.

My studio is owned by the people who operate the cafe next door, and having food on my doorstep from 10am until 7pm was a real bonus. The place was busy for most of the day, but when I needed it just after 10am and just before 7pm it was relatively quiet.

The opening hours meant I had no customer noise to disturb me first thing in the morning or in the late evening.

Rosemarkie Dawn

The studio is literally across the street from the sea, so it was an ideal situation for me.

What about the over-tourism issue? Yes, it was a real one in the village. The best viewing place for the Moray Firth dolphins is at Chanonry Point just a mile along the coast, and it attracts plenty visitors. The village is an easy 20 minute drive from Inverness, so on a good weather day the beach attracts day visitors. Finally, the village hosts a caravan/camping site and its patrons all add to the transient population and traffic issues.

Beach Hike

I overheard two locals talking about streets being closed, one way systems, bollards and double yellow lines being introduced for next year. Home made signs are a common sight. “Do not park here - this is our home”. “Do not sh*t here - there’s a public toilet in the village.” “Please, please, please pick up your dog’s sh*t”.

I picked up on a little too much of the entitled “I’m on holiday so I’ll do whatever I want” attitude from some visitors. The staff in the cafe looked tired and fed up, but were working hard to hide it and praying for some crappy Scottish weather so they could get a quiet day. The cafe had staff vacancies which might have been a consequence of students leaving to go back to their studies, but inevitably would add to the pressures on those remaining.

My holidays activity mostly involved walking and eating. One day I did a 3.5 hour hike along the shore towards Cromarty. On the other I walked the loop between Rosemarkie, Fortrose and Chanonry Point. I did not see the dolphins, but I know that to give yourself a chance you have to close the right tidal conditions and I was not willing to structure my day around being there at 12:32 and 49 seconds.

Rosemarkie Beach

I had dinner the the cafe - Crofters - twice and breakfast twice. One dinner was excellent and the other less than that. The staff are excellent, and owner Facundo is a real hands-on guy for getting out there to take care of the customers.

My other dinner was pizza and beer from Sutor Creek in Cromarty. It felt like a real summer holiday thing to be enjoying that outside close to the sea.

Sutor Creek, Cromarty

All in all, it was a very successful break. I could easily have stayed another 3 nights. My holiday time has another chapter to it, but more on that later!

La Pasionaria

I removed myself from home again last week. I went to Glasgow this time. Version 4 of my Change of Scene therapy.

It is another place (like Aberdeen recently) with memories jumping out at me from every corner. I lived there for 17 years. I got married there. My son was born there.

Argyll Arcade

Like Aberdeen, for me it is now a mixture of the old and familiar, with the new and strange. This was exemplified by my arrival at Queen Street Station. I used it twice a day during the working week for about 3 years. Familiar. It has just emerged from a major renovation project. New.

The visit brought plenty positives without me having to make much effort. This was a relief after the first half of my week.

I used an electronic ticket on the new ScotRail app for the first time. It worked! The train was on schedule too!

I stayed in an Apex Hotel for the first time. I got a last minute deal the night before I left. It was excellent.

Apex Studio

Their way of tackling breakfast safely was to revert to table service rather than a buffet. It was one of the best breakfasts I have had recently, and I enjoyed a chat with the dining room manager about that challenges they face in delivering service under the safety regime.

Apex Breakfast

Staffing shortages seem to be their biggest, and while Brexit plays its part, she told me quite a few new staff members have not been able to adjust to the new ways and left.

The weather was gorgeous - in fact too nice to be on a city centre escape. I should have been by the sea or up a hill. I am not complaining obviously. It is unusual to have such good weather here at the end of August.

The Beresford

Seeing the massive increase in Covid cases in Scotland that week, I had wondered about whether to stay at home that week. Just because I am able to do it does not mean it is a smart move. My train was quiet, and I was only on it for 12 minutes (my car was at a park & ride just outside the city). The hotel’s protocols were excellent. It was the same where I ate dinner, and in the two pubs I visited - sitting outside.

That dinner was very positive indeed. A pizza, tiramisu, espresso, a glass of red and wee grappa. It hit the spot. Cafe Antipasti on Sauchiehall Street if you are interested.

Cafe Antipasti

Après dinner was positive too. I had a quick beer in Nico’s. It may be the first time I have been there since 1989, but not much has changed. I was 40 years older than anyone else, but what the hell.

Then I wondered if the Baby Grand is still there. Yup, and another quick beer.

Baby Grand

In a city where pubs come and go like fashion statements, I was amazed.

King's College Chapel, Aberdeen

Last week my escape was to Aberdeen as I moved on to Version 3 of my overnight Change of Scene therapy.

I hesitated a lot about this one. I lived in the city for 7 years. One set of grandparents lived here. It has a lot of “past” for me at a time when the present is difficult and the future is… hard to predict.

I got a great deal at the Residence Inn (yes, Marriott again) at £78 for a studio, including breakfast. With all that Aberdeen blood and heritage in me (Scots will understand), how could I resist? The studio was the same as the one I had in Edinburgh two weeks ago for twice the price. It was spacious, comfortable and quiet (5th floor).

Aberdeen Marriott

The hotel was not even a twinkle in an architect’s eye when I lived there, but it is across the street from Marischal College where I graduated and the Kirkgate Bar where I… well, the less said about that the better.

Kirkgate Bar, Aberdeen

The hotel’s breakfast arrangements were different from any other place I have stayed recently. You order the night before for collection downstairs at the time you chose. Then you take it back to your room. They offered a choice between continental and cooked.

In the circumstances, it was fine. I chose their first slot at 7am, thinking it might be the quietest. Certainly their format involves a number of guests using the lift/stairs and congregating at reception all at the same time. If they are mindful of distancing etc, it is fine.

If…

For dinner I chose a Caribbean place - Tango Turtle. It is near my hotel and got 5* reviews on a well known website (which I do not trust, and will not mention here). You have to start somewhere. It worked out very well, so the good reviews make sense. Good food. Good service. A pleasant atmosphere. All the right pandemic measures.

Starter

I paid £15 for two courses, plus a soft drink.

I broke my drive north at Stonehaven to visit Dunnottar Castle for the first time. Yes, I know. One of the country’s most photographed sights. I guess every time I pass by Stonehaven I am 30 minutes into a 2 hour drive, or 30 minutes from the end of one, so stopping to look at a ruined castle is not on the agenda.

Dunnottar Castle

Within Aberdeen my sightseeing involved just wandering around old haunts, and King’s College was a highlight. So much of it is preserved just as it was in the 60s and 70s as a result of its historical status. Usually it is quieter in the summer, but this year it was almost deserted.

My other tourist activity was to fulfil a decades long desire to visit Pennan, on the north Buchan coast.

Pennan

It was one of the locations for filming Local Hero (1983). It is a beautiful wee place.