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Aboard the Royal Scotsman
| Article
# : |
20499 |
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Section : |
LIFE
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| Issue
Date : |
5 / 1992 |
2,393 Words |
| Author
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Jerry Sinkovec
Jerry Sinkovec is a writer and photographer who lives in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. |
As the British Airways jet breaks through the base of the clouds, I catch my first look at Edinburgh and its surrounding countryside. Dark volcanic cliffs contrast with the lush verdant carpet covering the rolling hills. Edinburgh Castle rises majestically above the center of the city.
The next morning a Scottish friend drives me down to the train station for my departure aboard the Royal Scotsman. We have a glass of lager before I say goodbye and head for the departure track.
I hear bagpipes. Their mournful sound is the official greeting for all the passengers of the Royal Scotsman. The piper is an older woman named Elizabeth, and she is wearing the traditional Scottish kilt and tunic. I am among sixteen passengers ready to board the train. We are greeted by John CoWan, our official Scottish Blue Badge Tourist Guide for the trip.
As our bags are being stored in our private cabins, we are shown to the observation car to relax while final departure arrangements are made. A selection of hors d'oeuvres awaits us, but not for long. I take a look at the wine list, which includes Pouilly-Fume, Domaine des Berthiers, Dagueneau, 1988, and Clos du Bois, Merlot, 1986. My decision to lose eight pounds before taking this trip is confirmed. I only wonder whether I lost enough.
The observation car is of Pullman vintage. Sofas and
armchairs are strategically placed to allow thirty-two passengers a panoramic view of the Scottish countryside. The open veranda at the rear is a great place to watch Scotland unfold behind you.
Guests begin to introduce themselves to one another. Aboard are people from Australia, Holland, England, Germany, and the United States. Another sixteen will be picked up a few days into the journey.
There is a whistle from the steam engine, and the train begins to pull out from Waverly Station on our six-day tour into historic Scotland and breathtaking scenery. We cross the Lowlands to Glasgow, and from there we follow the estuary of the Clyde River.
As we continue north, I go out on the veranda of the observation car to smell the freshness of the open countryside. Loch Lomond is to our right and so is a peak called Ben Lomond. Puffy white clouds make their home there and seem to be
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