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I am driving on the right side of the road…no the left, right!
After our little prop plane ride to Glasgow, I wanted to see where my great grandparents had lived when they were married. We rented a car and decided to try and find the addresses. Here’s our adventure…. 1. This was … Continue reading I am driving on the right side of the road…no the left, right!
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March Madness – St. Bonaventure Edition – Getting There
Every year, the NCAA hosts the March Madness tournament. Inviting 68 teams to participate in a playoff to determine the National Champion. For universities like Duke, Kansas and Kentucky, it is an annual right of passage. However, there are approximately … Continue reading March Madness – St. Bonaventure Edition – Getting There
Maybe one of the best vacation days ever
After driving from Inverness to Stirling, touring the castle, doing laundry, visiting the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies, we decided the next day to head back to Edinburgh. We didn’t feel like we had spent enough time in such a historic city. Rather than drive in, we opted to take a train from the suburbs. Next to the station was a sports store warehouse. They had equipment for every conceivable sport from rock climbing to cycling. But, would they have baseball? Baseball is certainly an American invention and is America’s game. I noted when landing first in Dublin, then Glasgow, … Continue reading Maybe one of the best vacation days ever
Medieval battles and chocolate milk
Without a plan, we were now just googling things to do. We decided to check out the Battle of Bannockburn, the most celebrated Scottish victory over England during their age long battles for independence. Oh my, what a great day! This Scottish National site preserves the Scots, led by Robert the Bruce, victory over King Edward II of the England in 1314. Yes, 1314. There is a short animated film to explain the battle and provide some historical context. Now this is a cartoon, it is kid friendly and it was still horrifying. These battles were bloody, and gruesome and … Continue reading Medieval battles and chocolate milk
Giant Things
After Stirling, we headed towards Falkirk. Someone had told us to check out the Falkirk wheel. Apparently the Falkirk wheel is an engineering marvel in that lower boats from one canal to another. However, it was closed when we got there and I’m not sure how it really works. In any event, it is a pretty impressive site. After walking around and meeting an American cyclist who was cycling the canals in Scotland, we were off to see the Kelpies. The Kelpies is a large art installation of 2 big horses. I cannot overstate their size. From different angles, they … Continue reading Giant Things
There is literally 1 laundry mat in Scotland
And it’s in Stirling. So we drove the hours back from Tulloch Castle to Stirling. We had decided that this portion of the trip would not be as planned as the first few days. So without a place to stay or what to do, we set off. Only now it was Jen’s turn to drive. Every time I drove, Jen calmly, to hide her stress, repeatedly told me that I was driving very close to the left side of the road. Apparently, I had almost hit a few cars. What was the very 1st thing Jen did when she put … Continue reading There is literally 1 laundry mat in Scotland
The (British) Open
After the Highland Games, it was off to Carnoustie for the 147th Open. We call it the British Open. Since this was the first major golf tournament, here it is simply referred to as the Open. For the next day … Continue reading The (British) Open
Castles and Highlands
After Dundee, we were off to Inverness. Specifically, Tulloch Castle. The drive was supposed to be under three hours, but it took much longer. We had to take a detour to the Inverness Airport to add Jen as a driver at Hertz. The Castle was more of a country estate. So it was a bit disappointing that the Visit Scotland website listed this as a castle. The Castle was built in the 12th century, but much of it has been destroyed over the years. Before dinner, I took a walk in the countryside and enjoyed the bleating sheep in the … Continue reading Castles and Highlands
Dundee, a surprising city
We were to camp 2 nights in Carnoustie, but one night of lying on the ground with drunken Scots singing into the wee hours, we opted to find a room. We lucked out and found a room in Dundee which is about 11 miles from Carnoustie. After the tournament, we drove into Dundee and checked in. It was a bit late and we were hungry. The only place that was open and nearby was a Mexican restaurant. We served Mexican by a man from Nepal in Scotland. Honestly, I was so tired I don’t remember what I ate, I just … Continue reading Dundee, a surprising city
A Wee Bit of the Highland Games
We travel to see different places and experience different sporting events. Summers in Scotland feature Highland Games. Originally, Highland Games were actually military exercises. Now, the Highland Games are community type festivals to celebrate Scottish heritage and competition. We headed toward Lochearnhead for their Highland Games. The games were held in an open field that must also double as a cow pasture as there were warnings for E.coli. There were a few tents set up like you would find at an arts festival here. We spoke with several of the locals. When they found out we were from the U.S., … Continue reading A Wee Bit of the Highland Games
Ediburgh or Edinboro?
After St. Andrews, we drove down to Edinburgh. Although numerous people have referred to it to Edinboro. So I don’t know. But what I do know, is that the city has some amazing history. The skyline is dominated by Edinburgh … Continue reading Ediburgh or Edinboro?
The Home of Golf
The first full day began with the fire alarm going off in the hotel. Most people’s first reaction would by “Oh no! A fire.” Mine? “Oh no! She’s awake.” As frequent readers will note, when Jen is awake, everyone is … Continue reading The Home of Golf
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