1994, February – London for David’s tenth birthday
We took the grandchildren to London for a week-end for their tenth birthday – usually a hotel in central London, visits to Hamleys Toy Shop in Regent Street, a theatre of their choice, something on or around the Thames, exploring the Underground, etc. David’s was the first of eight such visits. (For Kezzie and Ellie, see July 2021.)
Train from Edinburgh, stayed in the Sherlock Holmes Hotel in Baker Street. Visited Madam Tussaud’s Waxworks and Harrods Store. David’s choice was to see the film ‘Cool Running’.
1994, March – Nice
Flew from Edinburgh directly to Nice and hired a car at the airport. Pleasant hotel looking onto the seafront – photo of the view from it. Explored the area in the car and walked along the promenade.
1994, May – cruise from Leith to St Petersburg and various Baltic capitals
Another attempt by the National Trust for Scotland to use its annual booking of a Fred Olson cruise ship to get to St Petersburg, this time successfully on the 28 year-old Black Prince. Stopped at various ports on the north shore of the Baltic on the way, and at Tallinn and Gdansk on the way back. Photos of Ian in St Petersburg, Joyce in the Hermitage Museum, a street market and in our seats at the classical Mariinsky Theatre, for a performance by one of the world’s leading ballet companies.
1994, July – Center Parc, Nottingham
Another week in a chalet; photo of Ian, David and Alison.