Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Britannia was a yacht used by the royal family from 1954 to 1997. It was utilized for 696 journeys to other countries and Prince Charles and Lady Diana had their honeymoon on the ship. In 1986 it was used to evacuate 1000 refugees from Yemen. Later it anchored in Leith now belonging to Edinburgh, Scotland and is maintained and used as a museum ship. Continue reading “HMY Britannia”
They are maybe the biggest attraction within the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland: the glasshouses surrounding the Temperate Palm House built in 1858. You can see numerous plants in different glasshouses with diverse levels of temperature and humidity – including a giant water lily. But already the main glasshouse in Victorian style is worth a visit. Continue reading “Giant Glasshouses”
The Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Scotland is a wonderful place to relax. It was founded in 1670 for scientific reasons close to the Holyrood Palace. Today it is split up into four different locations showing specific collections. It is the second oldest botanical garden in the United Kingdom – after that of the university of Oxford. Continue reading “Royal Botanic Garden”
The Mercure Haymarket is a nice hotel located a little bit aside in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is not too far from the Haymarket you can reach by tramway from the airport and the walking distance to Edinburgh castle is also still acceptable. The place is well decorated, clean and has very friendly staff and a good Scotish breakfast (including Haggis). Continue reading “Living underground”
The international airport of Edinburgh, Scotland was opened in 1916 and is located 13 kilometers outside of the city. It has three runways and is the #6 airport in the United Kingdom. It felt quite small and passing by was easy and troublefree. Originally it was a military airport of the Royal Air Force called Turnhouse, the civil usage started in 1947. Continue reading “Edinburgh Airport (EDI)”
Some years ago I started the tradition to not be at home on New Year’s Eve – I was always travelling with friends. This year we had only two and a half days and when I asked for the perfect destination, the answer of my fiancée was short and fast: London. That’s why I planned a trip to the United Kingdom and organized most things in advance to make the most of the limited time. Continue reading “Fireworks over river Thames”
“How often have I said to you
that when you have eliminated the impossible,
whatever remains,
however improbable,
must be the truth?”
– Arthur Conan Doyle: Sherlock Holmes in “The Sign of Four”
There are some well-known places for fireworks on New Year’s Eve: Paris, France and the Champs-Élysées; Sydney, Australia and its world-famous opera house or the ball drop at the Times Square in New York, United States. And one very traditional is the vast firework in front of Big Ben and the London Eye in London, United Kingdom. Continue reading “Big Ben, London Eye and the New Year”
When J. K. Rowling published her award-winning Harry Potter books she gave a new meaning to the King’s Cross railway station in London, United Kingdom. Students of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry take the steam engine Hogwarts Express from platform 9 3/4 of King’s Cross station. To reach this platform they have to push their trolleys into the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Continue reading “Platform 9 3/4”