Monthly Archives: July 2016

Awesome weather, city, sites, pubs and our flat is spectacular with views of cathedral, castle and Hogwarts out front and back windows!!!!  I definitely could live in Edinburgh! A special thanks to my dear cousins who make visiting the UK like coming home in so many ways! Helen and the girls rock! Chou got intoContinue reading “Edinburgh – castle – Holyrood Palace – literary walking tour – Scott, Burns, Stevenson (museum)- Day 17, 18, 19”

                                                   

Checked out the city of Oban, famous for its whiskey. Toured the city by foot and bus.Castle, Oban Distillery, pubs, and ultimately the Oban Bay Hotel.                                          

“Werewolf.” ” There wolf! There Castle!” Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Eilan Donan Castle, Old Man of Storr rock,  Cullin Hills. Breathtaking! Day 14th, Saturday, July 24th                                                          

A walk about in Inverness… I’ve been here 3 times now; 21st birthday in 1976, peace corps trip 1983, and now 2016.                 

The drive was a scenic, windy beautiful trip skirting the Cairngorm National Park. We saw some “hairy Coos” along the way, but the gem was the castle and grounds themselves! Simply gorgeous! Especially the gardens, but overall the self sufficient nature of how it is run and fits into the area in general. All 2ooContinue reading “Graigellachie-Dufftown -Toulmin -Ballater- Balmoral Castle -day 11, Thursday, July 21st”

Ian our tour guide was brilliant! Funny, edifying and very personable! The plant is massive and plans and construction on the way for doubling the size and production based on US and Japanese demand. Dined at Highlander Inn with a few pints and a snort of Macallan Gold. A very nice sleep.

Huge rain, lightning, thunderstorm pelted our Ship Inn  last night and put off the idea of walking the next stretch. I awoke early and found the rain wasn’t due to hit until mid morning, so I took a 6 mile round trip to a local castle; Dunnottar, where the Earl Marischal held off Oliver CromwellContinue reading “Stonehaven- infirmary – Aberdeen Royal hospital- Day 10, July 19th”

Cher and I walked roughly 8 miles along The Fife Coastal Path. This featured passing all of the golf courses beginning with the Old Course. This took us to the Eden Estuary, where we could not cross a huge wetland, bog as the map and folks suggested we could, and the the estuary to get to TentsmuirContinue reading “St Andrews -Guardbridge on to Stonehaven, Day 9, July 18th”

Sri Lankan driver, Prikash, took us to Luton airport. We chatted about the “island of tea and spices” then and now. He was astounded I’d been there as recent as last summer. He escaped Jafna at the height of the turmoil in 1985, when I was still on the island.                    Continue reading “London – Luton – Edinburgh – St. Andrews, Day 7, Sunday, July 17th”