The next morning everyone except Katie decided to walk to the bakery around the corner. We enjoyed some Scottish pastries – the kids passed on sausage rolls and opted for donuts! We took the long route back to our apartment and found a castle in the process! Erik ran back to the apartment to fetch Katie and then we began our exploration. This castle was the Aberdour Castle and the site of filming for a Netflix show “Outlander.” Parts of the castle were restored while other areas were “as is.” The kids really had fun exploring the ruins and grounds. We only saw a handful of people throughout and that just added to the charm! This castle has a beautiful orginal painted ceiling from the early 1600s. The kids enjoyed laying on the floor to gaze up at the painting. They also had a room for dress up and builing castles out of blocks. Juliette attempted to don a kilt but eventually gave up as it was too complicated! Another interesting thing we found was a giant beehive shaped building called a doocot on the grounds that was evidently used for raising pigeons!
As we walked around our friends Craig and Katy arrived along with their precious dog, Maggie. The kids loved running around playing chase with Maggie and enjoying the sunshine! It was a beautiful day so we decided to walk to the beach for lunch. Craig was our tour guide and brought us to “Sands” for lunch. This was a big hit! Fresh seafood, a table on the beach and sunshine! Yummy! The only downside was the cold wind which made us thankful for jackets.
Despite the wind the kids begged to go to the water. They immediately pulled off their socks and shoes and ran into the water. The view was breathtaking! As I watched the kids bravely enter the water I decided I needed to embrace the opportunity as well. My word of the year is “Bold” and therefore I need to live it! Erik joined me and we walked across the sand to feel the North Sea. The water really wasn’t too bad but oh! the wind!
I decided I was too cold to stay out so I went back to the restaurant and enjoyed a lovely pot of tea. It was such a great moment enjoying the quiet, watching the kids on the beach, Erik and Craig talking and just feeling grateful for this moment!
Too soon it was time to go as Craig needed to get to his kickboxing studio and we needed to pack up! We said good-bye to Craig, kept Katy with us for a few more minutes of fun, and walked back to our apartment. We quickly packed up and then headed out for dinner and the studio as Katy had her kickboxing class. We had plans to try a Scottish family restaurant but in typical Lilla fashion we were running late! You know what that means – McDonalds! We quickly ate dinner and experienced some excitement as we witnessed a small accident in the parking lot. The car initially drove off but most of the McDonalds patrons jumped into action to find the guilty party and bring him back! Wow even McDonalds holds adventures 😊
After our meal we headed to the studio for Katy’s class. Erik and I have heard so much about Craig’s studio over the last year so it was really fun to see in person. Toward the end of Katy’s class Craig invited our kids out onto the floor for their own private class. Within seconds the kids were punching, kicking, and having the time of their lives! “Telephone, microphone” (how to hold your hands) is now a regular saying in our house! Thank you to Craig, Morag, Katy and Cameron for making this an experience they will never forget!
Time went way too fast and it was soon the moment to say good-bye. We gave hugs and heard promises that they would visit us (we’re holding you to it Reid Family!). The last night in Scotland was a huge success!
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