After the SCW, I left Nottingham with Tricia Jackson and spent the next happy days with her and her family in South Shields, England. You can see the North Sea from Tricia’s window. So lovely. 😊
Views of the beautiful North Sea and some wonderful seafood we enjoyed one day.
A ferry on its way to Amsterdam. We waved at the passengers lacing the upper decks. 😊
Delicious!
One day we traveled to see Durham University. It was such a nice visit and I have always loved college campus life. You can sense the excitement in the air. Tricia and I shopped there too! 😊
Amazing architecture.
We returned home by train. It was a a great day and I am glad to have seen Durham University. I would love to return one day. 😊
Another day, we traveled to Scotland which was a dream of mine since I was a little girl. My grandmother was a “Buchanan” and she had always wanted to visit Scotland, as did my Mom, but sadly that did not happen. They talked about Scotland often over the years. When I arrived, I was so very happy and felt like they both were with me in spirit and that they were happy that I made it back to the land where our ancestors had lived. ❤️
View of Scotland from the train. We made our way to Edinburgh.
We arrived in Edinburgh and walked along the Royal Mile. 😊
A happy arrival in Edinburgh! 😊
It was a real treat to be able to hold an owl and to see one up close. They are beautiful birds. ❤️
We stopped at a pub and had a tasty meal. 😊
At the top of the walk along the Royal Mile was the Edinburgh Castle. Very impressive!
The lay of the land on one side of the Castle. You can see the intense sky so full of clouds though we managed to stay dry as the rain held off. 😊
Of course, we managed to shop in the some of the many shops aligning the roadway.
A piper was so nice to see! 😊
A view inside of Jenners Department Store. Tricia and I shopped a bit and stopped for tea before the train ride home. 😊
A beautiful view from the train as we left Scotland and headed back to England. It was a fantastic day in every way possible. I was on cloud nine most definitely that entire day.
I am so grateful to Tricia for wanting to spend time with me and for arranging to see such interesting places during my time with her, Ray, and Matt and their special resident kitties, (especially Fizzy). I had a most wonderful time! ❤️
Thank you for visiting the blog today and I hope you enjoyed the post. There were no Sasha dolls featured in this post’s photographs but Sasha dolls have brought us all together, from different lands and different cultures, and yet we are so much alike in our passions for Sashas and our affections for one another. Have a blessed week. ❤️ xxx
Sasha Shangri-La 
Lovely photos Ginger, so glad you enjoyed your trip xx
Thank you Lel. It was a wonderful time and so nice to remember now. 😊 xxx
It’s as if I was right there with you 😉
Happy to have you as our guest and Fizzy sends her love too ❤ xxx
Thanks Tricia. It was an incredible holiday wasn’t it? Give Fizzy a special hug from me. I miss her. ❤️ xxx
Thanks for taking me along with you and Tricia to Scotland. Yes, I’ve always wanted to see the land of my great-great-great-great grandfather McGhee. My daughter and eldest grandson are now hiking in the high Lands.
Thank you Anne, How wonderful for your daughter and grandson to be hiking in Scotland! I understand there is so much to see in Scotland and the trip to Edinburgh was just wonderful but just a start of what Scotland has to offer. 😊 xxx
Oh m gosh! Thanks so, so much for sharing!
You are very welcome Maureen and thank you for writing. 😊 xxx
Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos. We would definitely like to visit Scotland. Someday, hopefully. The photos of Jenners were interesting. Somewhere I have a book with historic photos of the store from the late 1800’s. It looks virtually unchanged. Those owls are gorgeous – and so big! Were they heavy to hold?
Steve
Thank you Steve for writing. I hope you and your family get to go to Scotland. It is a special place. My Granny worked in a department store here for over 50 years and my Mom and I both spent a lot time there over the years. I think that is why I just love visiting department stores and felt so at home at Jenners. What a fantastic store!
The owls were not heavy at all. The leather glove was heavy though and that is good because their talons were large and pointed. Surprisingly, Tricia’s owl tried to peck my poor little owl and so I moved away from him and out of beak’s reach. I just assumed they got along but there was definitely a pecking order there. 😊 xxx
Two great Scottish day visits featured here. Many thanks. Was amused by Tricia’s comment of her feeling being there right besides you. Very witty indeed!
I do hope that you treated your Sashas to a little something from Jenners.
(PS. Only 17 Sasha/Gregor /baby dolls left here now from the original 79 and five of those have first refusals on them!)
Thank you Kendal. It was a fantastic day in Scotland. I was able to purchase some momentos that day but for family members. Mainly tartan items to include a cashmere scarves, a few coasters, towels and a few postcards.
It is hard to imagine only 17 dolls left, and since 5 are spoken for, you now have a dozen Sashas. You have worked steadfastly since you began your downsizing work and I admire your strength and perseverance. I hope you enjoy those lovely remaining Sashas and have a wonderful weekend ahead. ❤️ xxx
These photos are amazing of a land which I will never have the opportunity to visit. This is why I appreciate them so much Ginger, as I see it through your eyes and the lens of your camera. Durham University is very striking and so “old world” with the amazing architecture. I can understand that Scotland must have been the highlight of your visit, following your grandmother, and your mom’s dream. I can imagine that they were right there with you as your thoughts of them during your trip made it so. The big question and perhaps the most important one is, did you get the chance to taste the Luxury Scottish Ice Cream? I’m hoping so.
Thank you Cathy. I thought I would never see Scotland but thanks to loving friends and family, the opportunity came about. I am very grateful to have seen such a beautiful place and to have experienced the feelings that I had there. It felt familiar and solid….hard to describe but it was so nice. ❤️ xxx
p.s. I did not have Scottish ice cream but I did have the famous shortbread and the food was very good. I must go back to try the ice cream!! 😉
What a marvelous adventure you were having when you came over. It’s always best to see and do as much as you can when you have traveled so far!
And if you have a wonderful companion to enjoy it with , it makes it all the better. Looks like Trisha and you had a full calendar of trips and places to go and visit and we have the joy of having you share with us those places.
many thanks for letting us come along too, Dee xxx
You are most welcome Dee. Thank you for the lovely comments and I am glad you came along. I did see so much in those lovely weeks of traveling so far from home. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to travel and to see and to be with very special people. ❤️ xxx
Hi Ginger, what a lovely post, I have been to Edinburgh, but alas at the time I could not do any sight seeing. Although my sister has been and there is an old part of the town preserved under the present day town, which I intend to go back and visit. Also they have a comedy week there with all sorts of arts which is definitely worth a visit. So glad you had such a great time and Tricia was able to show you around x
Thank you Theresa. Tricia and I tried to see that part of the town that is under the existing town but the tour start time was too late in the day and we would have missed our train. Another good reason to return one day and see the old town. The comedy week and arts also sounds like a grand time! 😊 xxx
Hi Ginger, you visited two of my favourite northern UK cities – Durham has family history associations for me as my great great grandfather ran his own school in the heart of the city 100 years ago and my great aunt played her violin in Durham Cathedral as a child. We visited last year when my elder daughter sang there for a week during the summer holidays with her Cathedral choir who were visiting. And guess where I am at the moment? In Edinburgh! I walked on part of the Royal mile today on my way to a work event. I thought of your post as I walked along.
Hi DollMum. Thank you for writing. How wonderful that your family history is rooted in Durham and a hundred years ago. It is a beautiful city and I loved the feel of the campus and also felt right at home. I think I spent so much time at universities getting my education that the campus environment always feels so comfortable and yet stimulating. 😊
Plus you are in Edinburgh now as you write your comment …. how exciting! The Royal Mile was so interesting and in hindsight, I thought of a few purchases that I wished I had made while there. So many shops and so little time! 😊 xxx
I have really enjoyed your trip to Scotland Ginger, thanks for sharing. I love the one of you next to the piper especially! xx