Arran and ice cream

On Wednesday I had lunch on Arran with Maggie. It was an absolutely lovely day. The weather was warm and sunny so the ferry crossing from Ardrossan to Brodick was delightful; I stood at the rail on the upper deck, a mug of coffee in my hand, watching the island as we approached it. So beautiful. Maggie met me at the very swish new ferry terminal (and so did her gorgeous wee westie Millie) and we went for a walk on the sandy beach at Shiskine before lunch at the golf club. We sat outside beside the putting green overlooking the sea and chatted and laughed and caught up on all of our news. Arran was basking in the height of summer, Brodick was full of people enjoying the sunshine.
The weather has been fantastic this week. I spent Thursday outside in the garden as much as possible, because there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The cats kept me company; Flora was chasing butterflies in the garden and Tom was rolling around in his back on the warm slabs on the patio. I also did some batch cooking and made ice cream, popping in and out of the back room to do so. It was such a peaceful day. I stayed outside until about 9 p.m. and, as the sun was getting low, lots of birds started to wheel around above the houses against the pale evening sky.

I have conquered Ben Nevis!

To my surprise and delight, on Saturday I climbed the highest mountain in Scotland - and in Great Britain - Ben Nevis. I have always wanted to climb it, but never thought that I would manage it. This is how it happened.

We were in Fort William for the weekend with the hill-walking club, and the weather was fairly good. I decided that I would attempt the climb on my own, so as not to hold up James and the boys (Ally and Davie had both come along at short notice). I also didn’t want to feel any pressure about how often I would need to stop or for how long. I packed the night before, making sure to carry lots of water, drinks with electrolytes, bananas, protein bars and trail mix. I got up very early and I set off up the tourist track from the car park at the Glen Nevis Information Centre at 6 a.m. 

It was very quiet, but there were a few other people also getting ready to climb the mountain; a group who were starting the Three Peaks challenge, and some fit looking younger people. I was very nervous. Anyway, I got started and made slow but steady progress up the path which parallels Glen Nevis. Eventually the path turned round the side of the hill towards the lochan, however the cloud was so low that I couldn’t see it at all. I had considered stopping when I reached that point, but I still felt ok so I continued onwards and upwards, thinking that I could turn back whenever I felt like it. During one of my frequent rests, a man told me that I was getting near the waterfall which is the half way point. He told me that if I doubled the time that it took me to get there I could work out when I might reach the summit. I noticed that everyone on the hill was very encouraging to each other, swapping stories and information. Sometimes there was even a bit of disapproval e.g. two girls pointed out to me some people who were wearing trainers instead of hill-walking boots, or when a man asked me if the water from the burn is drinkable (it’s not due to sheep crapping in it) another man muttered to me “That smacks of a lack of preparation!”
When I got to the waterfall I had a good think. It had taken me four hours to reach it - this was very slow progress and by this time the hill was much busier and lots of people were overtaking me. On the other hand, it was still only 10 o’clock in the morning, so I had lots of time, and it occurred to me that if I didn’t continue, I would have to climb the first half again at some time in the future. So I pressed on. 

After the waterfall, the path becomes a series of eight long zig-zags up the mountain. This was quite good for monitoring my progress and I had a rest at each turn. So did lots of other people so it was quite companionable. Again my progress was extremely slow and more and more people overtook me as I plodded up. At the end of the zig-zags the path winds its way up the shoulder of the mountain to the summit. Word on the path informed me that I now had about forty minutes to go. This was really the first time that I realised that I was actually going to reach the summit! The other good news was that the cloud had lifted and I could now see amazing views far down into the valley.

Meanwhile, James, Ally and Davie had climbed the mountain by a different, much harder route. This was so that they could bag some outlying tops that they hadn’t done before. They had started at about 9 a.m., three hours later than me. By the time they reached the summit, I was only about half an hour away, so they waited for me.

As I made my way up the last part of the ascent, I was encouraged by people who recognised me from the path, who had overtaken me but were now on their way back down. They were telling me that I would definitely make it, and to keep going. I met Cornel and Justin on their way back down (they had gone up by a harder route too), who cheered me on. It was great to reach the plateau, although it took me another fifteen minutes to pick my way along the very rocky path to the summit cairn. It was very busy up there but I didn’t mind. Everyone who was there had earned their place at the top.

I saw David sitting beside the cairn and then saw James and Ally walking towards me. They were all really happy that I was there. It had taken me eight whole hours to get to the summit. Shortly after I arrived, Jean, Tom and Steven arrived. It had taken them only four hours, which is a more normal pace! But they were all so nice to me and told me that it didn’t matter how long it had taken me.

After a rest, a chat, a look at the view and the obligatory photos at the summit cairn,  I set off back down the mountain, aware that it was going to take me a long time. The boys soon overtook me and I made my way down more slowly, back into the cloud. Just over half way down, there was a casualty who had fallen during his descent. The rescuers were already with him and I didn’t stare as I went past, however mountain gossip soon  informed me that he was a big man and from his description I wondered if he was one of the charity walkers that I had met at the very beginning of my day. He was stretchered down to a waiting helicopter which was hovering below the cloud, near the lochan (which I could see now for the first time!) and then winched up into it. Later when I checked the report on the Mountain Rescue website they cheekily compared him to the giant Mag the Mighty from Game of Thrones! I continued down. My pace was much better (I got down in just over four hours) but the rocky path was very sore on my ankles, which jarred with each step. I almost fell several times, but eventually I reached the last section of path down to the bridge and the car park, and there was the dear, familiar figure of James waiting for me. Later, at dinner back at the hotel, Gordon K was surprised and delighted to hear that I had reached the summit and shook my hand, which I found rather moving. What a day!

I left my heart in San Francisco

On Saturday, our last morning in San Francisco, we had an early morning swim and then went out to wander the streets one last time. It was another lovely sunny morning. We found ourselves walking up the steep part of Mason Street up to Nob Hill, where we had fine views over the city. We saw a statue of the singer Tony Bennett outside the Fairmont Hotel. We then walked back down the hill and had a coffee at a wee café in sunny Union Square. All too soon it was time to go to the airport where we relaxed in the small but very comfortable British Airways lounge before our flight. We enjoyed our spacious upgraded seats and both got some sleep overnight. The only hitch was that when we arrived in Glasgow, we found out that our luggage had been left in London. Luckily it was delivered the next day. So that’s our holiday in Oregon and California over. It was amazing; we saw and did so much. All that’s left is to get over our jet lag!As Tony Bennett sang for the first time ever in the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill in 1961:


“I left my heart in San Francisco
High on a hill, it calls to me
To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars
The morning fog may chill the air, I don't care

My love waits there in San Francisco
Above the blue and windy sea
When I come home to you, San Francisco
Your golden sun will shine for me.”

Cable Cars and Pier 39

Friday was Jamie and Aisling’s last day of their holiday and we were very sorry to see them go, although we would be setting off home ourselves only twenty-four hours later. We started the day with a hearty breakfast at Café Bellini and then jumped on a cable car to take us to the popular Pier 39. It is colourful and bustling and still has its hippy vibe; there was a marvellous saxophonist playing the blues and we listened to him for a while. Aisling and I even had a wee dance. We had lunch in a wine bar looking onto the marina where Janes and Jamie sampled flights of Californian wine.

Later in the afternoon James and I went to the swimming pool at the hotel while Jamie and Aisling got ready for their journey to New Zealand, and then we said our farewells. Luckily it’s not too long until we see them again in September.

It was a beautiful sunny evening and, on Jackie’s recommendation, James and I went to see the attractive Saints Peter and Paul Church across from Washington Square. We took another cable car to get there. It’s the church where Joe DiMaggio posed for wedding photos with Marilyn Monroe after their wedding at City Hall. They weren’t allowed to get married there because although he was divorced from his first wife, the marriage had not been annulled by the Catholic Church. We realised that we were in the Italian district of the city, because there were lots of great looking Italian restaurants lining the streets, so we chose one called Da Flora and we were not disappointed. The food was as good as any that I have tasted in Italy.

One thing that strikes me about San Francisco is its cosmopolitan feel. It almost feels like a European city to me, rather than an American one; there are lots of French and Italian voices. It also has its vibrant Chinatown and lots of other immigrant nationalities. I really like its international atmosphere.

Alcatraz

On Thursday morning we took the boat across to Alcatraz. I booked it ages ago to make sure that we got spaces, but I wasn’t sure how interesting the famous prison island would actually be. It turned out to be very interesting indeed thanks to the excellent audio tour, which directed us around the prison while providing fascinating stories about the lives of the prisoners. From some of the cells they could hear the sounds of people having New Year’s parties in San Francisco; they were so close to the city but it was almost impossible to escape because even if they had managed to escape from the prison, the water between was too cold and too treacherous to swim across. There were nevertheless some escape attempts which were amazing to hear about. 

Back on the mainland we went to flower filled Lombard Avenue, allegedly “the crookedest road in the world” before having a tasty lunch at the Blue Mermaid Chowder House down at the waterfront. 

We also took the opportunity to ride several times on the ancient, rattly and gorgeous trolley buses, which are called “cable cars.” The most fun is to hang onto the poles on the outside of them while they trundle up and down the steep hills of the city. It really is a wonderful experience. 

In the evening we went to a cinema at Embarcadero to see a film of Muse’s Drones Tour, which was being released in cinemas around the world at the same time. It was Aisling’s idea and it was tremendous. We ended our day with a convivial dinner at Seaside in Fisherman’s Wharf.

Biking the Bridge

I can hardly believe it! On Wednesday we cycled across Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. I was nervous beforehand in case I held up the others or found it too difficult, but it was absolutely fine and I loved it. It helped me that the warm temperature was alleviated by a cool breeze from the sea. This is caused by the hot inland air rising and being replaced by cool air rushing in from the ocean, forming fog which is pulled through the Golden Gate passage into the bay. We were so lucky that only the very top of the bridge towers had fog wreathed around them, so we had fantastic views of the bay. Once we had crossed the bridge, expertly avoiding other cyclists and many pedestrians, we cycled down into Sausalito, which is very pretty. Aisling told me that Otis Redding wrote “Sitting on the dock of the bay” when he was staying on a houseboat here. 

We had a celebratory late lunch on a restaurant terrace overlooking the bay which was so relaxing and picturesque. When we joined the queue of cyclists waiting to get the ferry back to San Francisco, it was so busy that we didn’t get on to the first one and had to wait for the next ferry. However when it tried to dock, the captain had to try about six times to bring the ferry in to the pier. I don’t know whether the currents are very difficult or whether the crew were very inexperienced, but it did not inspire confidence! 

As the ferry set off, we saw a huge bank of clouds rolling down over Sausalito; it was spectacular.

We were hot and dusty after our cycle ride, however our hotel has a lovely swimming pool so we cooled off there later. It was a great day and I was so happy that I had “biked the bridge!”

Monterey

After leaving the cottage in Carmel on Tuesday, we set off 17 mile coastal drive from Carmel to Monterey, for which the locals enterprisingly (or greedily, depending how you look at it) charge each car $10.25. It was indeed very pretty and we stopped several times at places such as the photogenic Lone Cypress, and wee beaches where different coloured seals were lounging around on rocks. We stopped for a coffee at Pebble Beach golf resort on Spanish Bay, which was very smart. 

Monterey is lovely! Formerly a fishing port which was featured in John Steinbeck’s novel “Cannery Row” it is now largely devoted to tourism. We sauntered around it taking in the atmosphere and had a delicious lunch in Lalla’s before heading towards San Francisco - and straight into a traffic jam on Route 101! The worst thing was that after being delayed for two hours there was absolutely no sign of what had caused it!

Anyway, eventually we arrived at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco and after checking in we set off to find something to eat. Our hotel is really well located just off Union Square, and Jamie found us a little soul food restaurant called Hops and Hominy which was excellent. I had an “Impossible Burger” which is vegetarian but supposed to taste like real meat - and it kind of does. But not quite.

Big Sur

Most of Monday was spent driving south along the coast to Big Sur. I’m not a huge fan of “going for a run in the car” as my parents would have described it, as I prefer to experience beautiful places by spending more time walking in them than driving past them, but this scenic coastal route was worth it, and the road was the only way to access it. And besides, we stopped several times for a short walk or a drink. The first place that we stopped was Garrapata State Park, which was a nature reserve where you can walk down to the beach past colourful banks of coastal shrubs and flowers. The turquoise blue ocean was breaking on the shore and bringing with it a delightful breeze. Later we walked a short trail to see the McWay waterfall crashing onto the beach at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns Park. The beach below us looked beautiful but strict warning signs and gates ensured that nobody was allowed to go down to it. I can understand that it needs to be protected from the hordes of tourists but it was a shame only to be able to look onto it from above. We turned round at a tiny place called Lucia and drove back towards Carmel, this time enjoying the views in the other direction. We visited the Hawthorne Gallery which had some really interesting pieces of art and then stopped for a bite to eat just across the road at the Nepenthe Restaurant, whose gorgeous terrace overlooks the deep blue sea far below. 

Our final stop was at the famous Bixby Bridge before heading back to relax at the cottage. The plan was to eat dinner at the Mission Ranch which is owned by Clint Eastwood but unfortunately I had one of my occasional gut cramps so we encouraged Jamie and Aisling to go ahead without us. They had a great time. Meanwhile my problem eventually passed if you know what I mean.

Carmel by the Sea

On Sunday morning we had to say a sad farewell to Yosemite Valley. It really is a unique and amazing place and I would love to return there one day. The mountains, forests, rivers, waterfalls and flowers are all stunning, and our weather was so hot and sunny that we saw it in its full summer beauty. Before we set off we had a last breakfast sitting outside on the lawn, with a bluejay hopping about near us. 

Our first stop was at Merced, where we collected Jamie and Aisling from their car hire return place. They jumped into our car and we continued south and west towards Carmel by the Sea, our destination for the next two days. We listened to Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini on the radio as we drove through stunning and ever changing countryside. We had long left the mountains behind and now entered a flat agricultural plain, irrigated by water channels. We stopped for a bite of lunch at a little town called Gustine before the flat countryside gave way to sloping hills covered with dried yellow grass and stubby trees as we approached the coast. After a couple of hours we arrived in pretty Carmel, and after finding our cottage, we went for a walk into the town centre. It’s very upmarket with lots of smart shops, and clearly is very geared up to tourism, being well provided with restaurants and coffee shops. The Main Street leads down to a fantastic sandy beach, which was busy with people enjoying the last of the afternoon sunshine. After strolling round for a bit, we had dinner at a great wee Italian restaurant called Porta Bella.

A day at the Majestic

I decided (and had been advised by the Park Rangers) to have a restful day on Saturday, and that’s just what I did. In the luxurious grounds of the Majestic Hotel, Aisling and I enjoyed a relaxing day at the pool. The setting is magnificent; the hotel is surrounded by trees, beyond which are the towering mountains and cliffs of the Yosemite Valley. The swimming pool is circular and situated right beside the bar where we could order cool drinks. Meanwhile James, Jamie and Margaret went for a walk to Mirror Lake for a couple of hours. When they returned, we all had lunch together outside the bar, overlooking the lovely green lawns.

In the afternoon James and Jamie set off for another short walk to Yosemite Falls while the rest of us chilled out and chatted at the pool. Then we all took turns having showers in James’ and my room. Later on we had dinner at the Majestic Hotel’s iconic Restaurant which was a very lively and enjoyable occasion. Sadly we then had to say goodbye to Margaret because she was heading home the next morning. Jamie, Aisling and Margaret drove off into the dark towards Big Trees Lodge, leaving only a pair of pants * in the shower to remember them by.

* the pants belonged to Jamie; Margaret and Aisling would never leave their underwear in someone else’s shower.

Rescued

Friday entailed an early start for James, Jamie and Aisling who were going to climb Half Dome. Meanwhile Margaret and I took a bus to Glacier Point. The enthusiastic young driver gave us a really interesting commentary on the way. The views from Glacier Point were stunning, we could see right down the valley and Half Dome was across from us. It was hot, very hot, but it was all so beautiful that I was very keen to hike down into the valley on a circuitous route past several waterfalls. I should have realised that it would be too much for me in the heat and possibly the 7000 foot altitude too. We had gone about a mile and a half before we decided to turn back, as I was feeling worse and worse. Margaret was fine and she could easily have continued. However I then felt dizzy and I tripped and fell, hitting my head. I got into the shade but it was clear that I was in trouble, very nauseous and dizzy, and Margaret phoned for help. We waited for about an hour until two very kindly and helpful Park Rangers arrived. They thought that I had heat exhaustion, was dehydrated (although I HAD been drinking my water!) and possibly mild concussion. I could hardly stand up so they decided to have me stretchered back up the hill. Meanwhile they gave me a lot of fluids through an IV drip as well as painkillers and anti nausea meds. During all this time Margaret was so supportive and encouraging, I am so grateful and I couldn’t have got through it without her. The fluids made a huge difference and I began to feel much better. Six young and very fit volunteers eventually arrived with a stretcher which they lifted onto a large wheel, it was really hard work for them but they laughed and joked throughout and got me to the top of the trail. I still felt shaky but much, much better. The Rangers very kindly gave us a lift back to our car and Margaret drove me to the Majestic Hotel, where we were staying for the next two nights (we hadn’t been able to book four nights in row at the Yosemite Valley Lodge).
When we arrived in the car park who did we see but Jamie and Aisling, just arrived back from Half Dome, and James was inside the hotel. We checked in and all had restoring showers before a bite to eat in the bar and an early night. We all exchanged stories of our adventures. James, Jamie and Aisling had had a fantastic but very tiring ten hour walk up Half Dome, their photos were amazing. It was good that we were all safe back together.
When Margaret and I discussed the events of the day later, we agreed that while we would not have wished it to happen, it had given us a unique insight into how amazing and dedicated the Park Rangers and volunteers are at their jobs.

Ponderosa Punch

We started Thursday with a hearty breakfast at Big Trees Lodge with Margaret, Jamie and Aisling. It was so great to see everyone. Then Margaret and I went on a four mile trail from the lodge up to a swinging bridge and back down on the other side of the river. There was a small waterfall and a pool at the bridge and it was absolutely beautiful, with a spring coming out of a rock creating a natural slide into the pool. I had a paddle because I was becoming very, very hot, which should have been a warning to me of what was to come the next day. I was drinking my water constantly but my temperature just wouldn’t come down. In the end I cut my walk short and waited for Margaret at a wee and very friendly visitor centre who gave me a cool drink, and when she finished her walk she picked me up in the car. Meanwhile the others went on the more strenuous Chilnualna Falls walk, which they enjoyed. I went for a refreshing swim in the pool at Big Trees Lodge and then we went to Mariposa Grove to see the giant sequoia trees. They were amazing. The day ended with a delicious dinner (accompanied by refreshing Ponderosa Punch) at Big Trees Lodge.

Bluejay on my balcony

Wednesday was Independence Day and the day that we entered Yosemite National Park over the Tioga Pass. As soon as we took the turn off from Lee Vining, the road just rose higher and higher to just short of 10000 feet. We could see the peaks of the Yosemite Valley laid out before us. James had the day all planned. He would climb Mount Hoffman and I would go up the same trail but spend time at beautiful May Lake instead of going all the way up to the summit. And so it transpired. The trail to May Lake ascended gently and wended its way through a rocky landscape; great slabs of granite studded with trees and lots of wild flowers. It took me about forty-five minutes. Then I explored the lakeside in both directions and admired the views of Mount Hoffman towering above, before settling down at a picturesque spot to relax and paddle a little. Swimming in the lake is banned because it’s a drinking source but I reckoned that a wee paddle wouldn’t do anyone any harm!
James arrived at the lakeside with tales of his adventures on the mountain - it sounded quite a scramble near the top - he had fantastic views over Yosemite. John Muir said that if you had only one day in Yosemite, then Mount Hoffman is the place to go. On the way up and down the hill we heard a strange pulsing noise; we found out later that it’s the call of the sooty grouse.
We drove to our hotel, the Yosemite Valley Lodge, and were delighted to find that our balcony looks out over Yosemite Falls, with a blue jay hopping about in the trees outside.

Marvellous Mono Lake

The next stage of our road trip took us to Mono Lake on Tuesday. It only took about two and a half hours, however we passed through forests and plains, and from Nevada back into California. Our motel is in the little town of Lee Vining and although it’s called Lake View Lodge, it should really be called “In the General Direction of the Lake View Lodge” due to the lake being out of sight about a mile away. The atmosphere was somewhat hazy and the receptionist explained to us that this is due to forest fires about seven miles away. I rather like our wee motel; it couldn’t be more different from the swish Hyatt Regency at Lake Tahoe, but it’s perfectly clean and has its own charm.
Mono Lake is strange and wonderful. It is an inland sea, formed by the inflow of water from the surrounding mountains. However there is no outflow except for evaporation, which has led to the lake becoming more and more salty and alkaline. This process was accelerated since the 1940s when Los Angeles diverted the water sources for their own supplies. It has dropped forty feet since 1941, revealing the amazing tufa towers.
Tufa is made of calcium carbonate which is deposited when underground springs bubble through the lake. They gradually grow upwards and look like other worldly towers sticking up through the water and are stunningly beautiful. Storm Thorgeson certainly thought so in 1975 when he used them as the backdrop for his “diver without ripples” postcard in Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” album.
I just had to go swimming in the semi-opaque green blue water. And to my delight James came in too (He had been concerned that the alkali water would hurt his skin, but the lake is so unique that it was worth it. And we showered thoroughly later). It was fantastic, you could just lie back and float while looking at the tufa and the lake and the mountains in the distance. The nearest mountains were the high Sierra, where we would be heading the next day. Another highlight was several pairs of ospreys nesting on top of tall tufas. The male was flying about on fishing trips to nearby lakes because there are no fish in Mono Lake, only wee shrimps. Right next to the lake is a thick band of alkali flies which are a food source for migrating birds, but it didn’t matter because they weren’t bitey at all. We went on the informative (and free!) walking tour which took about an hour, but we stayed on at Lake Mono until sunset, it was hard to tear ourselves away from its beauty.

Relaxing at Lake Tahoe

We spent Monday in and around our resort at Lake Tahoe. It’s a big lake surrounded by villages which are mainly ski resorts in the winter, although that’s so hard to imagine now when it’s so hot and sunny. Our hotel is in Incline Village and we both had mixed feelings about it because on one hand it is too big and busy for our tastes, but on the other hand it is luxurious with a choice of restaurants and its own beautiful private beach. We went for a walk along the lakeside road in the morning but it just seemed to be a string of private resorts so we decided to embrace the Hyatt resort experience and headed to the beach. It was rather lovely and although there were lots of families enjoying the lake, there was plenty of room for everyone. The lake is the most stunning clear blue and it is ringed with mountains. Needless to say, I soon plunged in and spent quite a bit of time swimming. The water was about the temperature of a swimming pool and very clear and clean. I just loved it! There were resort staff roaming the beach enthusiastically to take orders for drinks and lunch, which arrived in large brown paper bags. There was also a lakeside restaurant but we preferred to stay outside.
We spent the rest of the day there and then had dinner at the Cutthroat’s Saloon which had good food and also about a dozen huge television screens mounted around its walls. This meant that you could simultaneously watch baseball, poker or reality tv. They were all subtitled so that you could follow the commentary. I was thrilled with this and asked James if we could have a similar set up at home!

Three states drive

On Sunday morning we continued our road trip south towards Lake Tahoe. We crossed the state line very quickly, and arrived in California. James had the excellent idea of breaking our journey at Lassen Volcanic National Park. I must admit that I had never heard of it before, however it turned out to be an absolute gem. As its name suggests it has a volcanic landscape dominated by the pointy and impressive Lassen Peak. It is full of lakes and forests and is very beautiful. It was also very hot, as I noticed when we walked round Manzanita Lake. We ended up spending several hours in the park instead of the quick stop that we had intended. This meant that we didn’t arrive at Lake Tahoe until the evening, but who cares - we’re on our holidays and can do as we please! 

We arrived in Incline Village to discover that our hotel is a large casino hotel, very smart with a big outdoor pool and several restaurants. It is just over the state line into Nevada which means that we have been in three states in one day! I went for a swim before dinner and it was so cool and refreshing after the hot day.

Wine-tasting and Shakespeare

We woke refreshed in Ashland, Oregon, on Saturday morning. This was to be a relaxing day of leisure and culture, because we were going to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the evening. 
So we started off by heading to one of the many wineries in the beautiful Rogue River Valley. We chose Dancin because the receptionist at the hotel told us that it was very pretty, and so it was; a yellow Tuscan style farmhouse overlooking fields with neat rows of vines. It was very, very hot, however our lunch table was under the cool shade of a large tree and it was idyllic. James purchased a flight of five different wines to sample and we had a delicious Italian lunch. 
We explored nearby Jacksonville which is a quaint touristy wee village, which used to be a mining town. Back in Ashland we had healthy smoothies in a wee health food bar. 
The main event of the day was of course Romeo and Juliet at the open air Allen Elizabeth theatre. It is very like the Globe Theatre in London and we had excellent seats in the front row of the circle. The production was one of the best I have ever seen of a Shakespeare play; the acting, scenery, and direction were all first class. I liked the way that the director had treated the first part very lightly, almost as a romantic comedy - until it all went so wrong. It reminded me of the underlying darkness in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, whose plot is so similar to Romeo and Juliet - there is a fine line between comedy and tragedy in life. It was wonderful sitting outside in the warm night as it slowly got dark; a truly memorable experience.