Railway termini are our gates to the glorious and the unknown. Through them we pass out into adventure and sunshine, to them, alas! we return. - E. M. Forster

Travel by train makes me feel like I have managed to slow time down without standing still, moving forward at a pace that allows me to enjoy the scenery along the way acting as an introduction to our chosen destination...


It is the same feeling I had as our family traveled around the U.S.A. by motor-home.  However, the train is even better because it relieves 'Ren Man' of his driving duties which kept him from enjoying the ability to roam around the R.V. as we inched our way across America...


While Abbie was visiting, one of our adventures took us by train south of Aberdeen 15 miles along the beautiful coastline, I do wish I had a picture, but I am not a professional photographer and they all turned out blurry...


to Stonehaven, which was originally a fishing village known as Stonehive...  

The ruined fortress of Dunnottar Castle is located up a path from town...

about a mile up the path and beyond those trees, over yonder, as we say down south...


We chose to save that for another day and instead enjoyed a relaxed, leisurely lunch at The Tolbooth seafood restaurant ...

which overlooks the harbour.

I was hoping to have lobster caught in the little lobster condos...

but was pulled toward their tasting menu of the day which featured salmon.  Excellent choice!


We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling along the boardwalk and through town and had plenty of company because of the beautiful sun shining on our heads...

It seems back in November, 2009, Stonehaven was flooded when torrential downpours caused already swollen rivers to burst from their banks...

What was described as some of the worst flooding in Britain, seems to have returned to a more peaceful state...


We were entertained by the perfect example of how everyone was feeling on this Saturday afternoon...

This dog would run one direction for awhile, turn, and run the other direction just on the edge of the water, like a tennis ball being hit back and forth...it was so refreshing...hysterical really...


Inside, we all wished we could join that cavalier canine!  If only the water temperature was not 6 degrees C/ 42.8 F...


But alas, vowing to return, we finally walked back to the train station for the conclusion of our adventure which took us back along the coastline, to be welcomed home with the views of Aberdeen as we pulled in to the rail station.