From Backroads to Broadway

Day 5, July 2, Highlands/Isle of Skye

Ron and I hauled our carry-ons and backpacks to the meeting point for our 3-day/2-night tour of the Highlands and Isle of Skye through Timberbush Tours. A Timberbush staff member (who looked like a young Freddie Mercury) greeted us and directed us to walk farther down the sidewalk to wait for our van, which appeared just before 9:00 a.m. As the departure time neared, our driver Andrew loaded our luggage, and we climbed aboard the van. We had an eclectic tour group: a family of four, three solo travelers, a few couples, a mother/daughter pair, and a mother/son pair.

After we departed, we headed to Glasgow to pick up two more travelers. We hit Glasgow about an hour later and retrieved Andrew from Syracuse and Andy from Antwerp — two friends traveling together. Needless to say, we met our quota of people named Andrew, LOL. Going forward, I will refer to them as Driver Andrew, Syracuse Andrew, and Antwerp Andy.

We departed Glasgow and headed to Loch Lomond, about 30 minutes outside the city and at 24 miles long the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. We parked in Luss, a charming former mining village on the shores of the loch, and had about 30 minutes to stretch our legs and explore the area. Ron and I wandered around the village, noting the lovely cottages built for mine employees, then walked to the dock for our photo opp.

We climbed back onto the van and eventually stopped for lunch, then resumed our journey into the Highlands — passing Ben Lomond and Ben Nevis along the way (in Scotland, a “ben” is the term for a mountain). We passed mile after mile of dramatic landscapes: slanted fields interrupted by large mountains, hills, or rock formations that jutted suddenly toward the sky, multiple streams and creeks; and grazing sheep — many, many sheep. The weather kept changing as well — sunny, partly cloudy, fine mist, brisk winds — so it was prudent to keep our rain jackets on as we stopped several times along the way for photos.

As we approached Skye, Driver Andrew — who did a great job of narrating the entire trip — had a surprise: instead of crossing the bridge onto Skye, we were going to take the ferry. We followed a very twisty, narrow road down to the shore to what Driver Andrew said is the last turntable ferry in the world. The ferry base rotates outward toward the boat ramp so that passengers (and one vehicle per trip) can onload and offload; it really does resemble a record turntable. After making two trips for our van and tour group, we were on the Isle of Skye and headed to Portree, the largest community on the isle. As we neared Portree, Driver Andrew stopped at a bed and breakfast and dropped off Syracuse Andrew and Antwerp Andy, as well as John and Trisha from Minneapolis; the rest of us were staying in hotels in Portree.

After settling in at the Tongadale Hotel — a charming, old-fashioned spot in the middle of Portree — Ron and I strolled to Dulse and Brose, a restaurant attached to another hotel about five minutes away. The delicious food and attentive server named Anna went a long way to restoring our spirits after a long day of riding in a cozy van with a group of strangers! After dinner, we returned to the Tongadale, where the downstairs bar/check-in area had turned into a rollicking pub, complete with live music. Driver Andrew was there, so we chatted with him as he coached me through my first taste of whisky in years. The trick is to slightly dilute it with a few drops of water to make it smoother — very much the approach that a non-whisky drinker like me needs to take!

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Embracing The Skink

On a cloudy morning, with a slight nip in the air, our group of 17 recently acquainted companions climbed into our touring van. The van itself was nice, if a bit cozy…..but I’m sure we will be great friends by the end of our three days together.

Our guide, Andrew, is the sort of funny that makes you very comfortable*. It was cute, though, as he drove through the misting rain, navigating our way through the streets; his microphone was always active, so we knew his thoughts about traffic, the other drivers, and how he felt about tourists**! We played along with his disgust of “tourists,” reasonably assured he didn’t mean the slander against us!?!

*like the uncle that always make you laugh even though the joke wasn’t funny but the delivery was just right!

**it would’ve/could’ve been a fun drinking game if only we knew where to locate some hooch!

The music, occasionally shared within the commentary, provided a nice atmosphere, especially when he could be heard singing along in concert with his husky baritone voice.

After a quick stop in Glasgow to pick up two additional passengers, we were back on track once Andrew (our guide) had introduced Andrew (from Antwerp) and his friend Andy (a physics teacher from Syracuse) to the group!

As we entered Loch Lomond, Andrew (our guide) began explaining how this area meant so much to Scotland. With a history as deep as the mountains are high, he began talking about how this area has inspired artists, poets, and musicians. As a lovingly romantic song playing in the background, he stops speaking and turns up the song “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond” a bit more for everyone aboard to enjoy.

We were introduced to the idea of “Munro bagging”. Having pointed out the clusters of hikers walking along a trail in the distance, Andrew (our guide) said that he had once attempted to climb all 282 Scottish mountains with his son. He never mentioned if they earned their “Munroist” title, but he did say he met a lot of really fun people out on the trails. I think it’s safe to say Kirk and I will not be attempting that activity anytime soon!

As the eclectic mix of Scottish music provided our road trip soundtrack, we made our way to Tyndrum, where we stopped for a bite. Surprisingly, The Green Welly Stop was well-equipped to handle our invading hoard. Prior to pulling in, our driver mentioned the restaurant’s excellent Cullen Skink. Please don’t judge this smoked haddock, potato, and onion soup like most people on our van. While I love to try new bites when we’re on vacation, especially things that are authentic to their region, I have to admit I was a bit nervous. But the bowl of soup I gobbled down was a perfect complement to the weather outside and the craving I had at the time!

Shortly after lunch, while driving along, Andrew told a story of the Massacre of Glencoe. Listening to him, while balancing the grim news from the more humorous bits on insight, I appreciated his treatment of our crew of onlookers.

For the most part, the weather played well with our tour group. At each stop we were able to get out, run around, and click away with phones or cameras. With each stop, you would be tempted to ask, “Are we almost there yet?” As the miles added up, we began losing track of the names of the lochs, glens, and particulars…..

Arriving at the dock on Glenelg Skye, preparing to make our crossing, as usual, Kirk and I hopped off for a pic or two. Choosing to go back to the bus, I hopped into my seat just as the driver began his headcount. Explaining the process, there was a limited number of people allowed on the ferry at a time. He asked everyone outside of the bus to be patient for the return ride, rushing a young Taiwanese couple onto the bus at the last second. It might have been a bit confusing for some people, but I happily remained seated as we crossed the Atlantic, hopefully waving goodbye to the horrible biting Scottish midgies as we floated away.

As for Kirk, I’m SURE he will find it an amusing experience without feeling any type of “way”.

Our day had started at 9:00 a.m. Andrew, driving into Portree at 7:30 p.m., was just as chatty and excited about showing us his favorite places on the planet……the rivers, valleys, and mountains of The Highlands and finally the open arms of Portree.

This entire time we hadn’t been given a clue as to where we would be staying during the tour. As the list was being handed around for everyone on the bus to take notice of their assignments, I adopted the Kirk approach, accepting to “make it work”. But I’ll admit, we couldn’t have asked for a more quintessential hotel to spend our downtime in than the Tongadale Hotel.

Immediately upon walking in, we were greeted by happy Scottish melodies from the bar just inside the door. As a local musician with the sort of beard a lumberjack would wrestle you for was setting up his performance area, I watched Kirk navigate out reservation with the happy staffer as she chirped her instructions in the most jovial way.

I just kept reminding myself to soak it all up! For dinner, we snuck into Dulse and Brose for a taste of local cuisine. I say cuisine; please keep in mind that my goal is to try things items that are traditional to the region. I had the Chicken Balmoral. a chicken supreme stuffed with haggis, clapshot mash, tenderstem broccoli, and a whisky and peppercorn sauce.

On the fun side, before our meal Anna, our server for the evening, kind-heartedly gave us a quick DIY in tea preparation. Laughing nervously as I kerfuffled my way through the process, I mentioned our upcoming afternoon tea reservation and she happily settled into sorting us right out…..a tough job indeed but she got us through it without too much crying over the spilt milk!

After dinner we had plans to run around gawking at sites around town. You know….touristy stuff. Stopping by our hotel before our walk, the musician and his companion were already in mid-session. I thought we would breeze through, grab our stuff, and duck out. Opening the door to the entrance to our stairs, the singer literally stopped playing and gave me a little “business” about us promising to stop by. He was wearing a smile and his friend beside him was laughing a bit, too. I told him we’d be back in a bit. Urgent business, all this running around taking pictures of stuff, ya know?

So we disappeared into the evening sky for the quickest photo op ever before going back to the hotel. As soon as the door opened, we were greeted with a smile and a “You’re back!” from the friendly musical duo, making our way over to the bar.

I have no idea why, but a handsome couple sitting at the bar seemed to be smiling at us, so I waved back; walking over to them, I greeted them with a handshake and a how are y’all doing?!? They smiled back and happily said they were great……then I realized I had no idea who they were! Thankfully, our driver, Andrew, was just to their side LOLing as he watched.

After the awkward moment had settled, I asked him and Kirk if the couple was on our bus and they both agreed they weren’t, adding that people are just friendly here. I did not understand…..

Andrew, encouraging us to relax, walked me through requesting a song from the musician. I followed along, not entirely sure he wasn’t pulling an appendage; dropping a banknote in the cup, I enjoyed a hearty rendition of “S.O.B.” by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. The singer thanked me for the money and kicked off with a very fun song that has definitely ended up on my Spotify mix for Scotland!!

Crossing back over to Kirk and Andrew, I walked over to the couple (who we found out are Michael and Carmen), apologizing for the earlier awkward conversation, and explaining the confusion; she said they were on holiday from Munich and they thought maybe I knew Michael from somewhere else. He sat there laughing along and enjoying the “moment”.

At least we ended our evening with a laugh!

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Day 6, July 3, Isle of Skye

We spent most of the day on and off the van, tootling around Skye. Our first stop was the Faerie Pools, small streams of water near a hostel.

After spending about 30 minutes there, Driver Andrew took us to Talisker Distillery, where (almost) everyone enjoyed a drop of whisky in their modern tasting room (again, calming the whisky with a few drops of water). Blythe, a parachute packer from Tucson that we hung out with, explained different types of whisky to Ron as he and I sampled their 10-year-old vintage.

Next it was on to Faerie Glen (nowhere near Faerie Pools) for a pretty stout hike up to the top of an outcropping and photos of (more) sheep. Thank goodness that we followed Ron’s suggestion and purchased hiking boots — my Merrells and his Keens came in very handy the entire trip!

We also visited a remote cemetery to visit the grave of Flora MacDonald (who helped Charles Edward Stuart, or “Bonny Prince Charlie”, escape government troops after the Battle of Culloden) and a gravestone honoring Alexander McQueen, the British fashion designer who died in 2010 (his ashes were scattered on Skye as his father was Scottish).

Our final stop of the day was the ruins of a castle on the edge of the water; I was tempted to make the five-minute trek out to the ruins, but the wind was blustery, the path was very loose gravel, and, frankly, I wanted to avoid stepping in sheep poop! That evening, Ron and I enjoyed a delicious dinner at The View, the restaurant at Cuillin Hills, an upscale hotel in Portree. As you can see, the hotel lived up to its name!

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Making A Rainbow Connection

Beginning our new day with a laugh!

This morning, as Kirk and I sat in the hotel restaurant, waiting for breakfast, Michael and Carmen walked in, spotting us immediately and in unison started waving to us.

Having become fast friends after an awkward evening of conversation, they laughed wholeheartedly along with me and Kirk, causing several diners to exchange confounded expressions as they sat down to breakfast nearby. I couldn’t resist getting a quick pic as we were leaving!

Our first (tour) stop of the day was Glenbrittle. After a sloppy wet drive through the area, we ended up at the Glenbrittle Hostel. Seeing the rapidly flowing stream splitting the land apart as it created the Fairie Pools where it landed, our bus emptied in a frenzy of excitement rushing like children to an ice cream truck in the summer! The entire scene generously offered all sorts of opportunities for embarrassing photos.

Switching gears, we headed in some random direction pointing hopefully toward the village of Carbost….destination, the Talisker Distillery. While I may not be much of a drinker, I can appreciate a fun experience. Standing at the bar, trying to understand the difference between the types of drink on offer, I finally chose to follow the advice of the bartender and took my first ever sip of juice! Being well-forewarned of the need to sip, I FELT the first drop before I tasted it. Within seconds it warmed my throat and tingled my ears, leaving my mouth and nose smoky with its aftertaste. Chatting with Andy,* we agreed it’s always fun to share the experience among friends as long as the videos aren’t too incriminating…..

*or Physics Andy (for me), unless Kirk is telling the story; then his name is Andrew**.

**Andrew (for me) was Andy’s traveling companion. Because he is from Antwerp, I kept referring to him as Andrew***from Antwerp.

***NOT to be confused with our driver Andrew who is from the Isle of Skye and has his own particular part to play on this trip……HELLO! He’s our guide! So I always referred to him as Andrew our guide!

As our day of fairy tale adventures continued, we pulled up and parked at the Fairy Glen of Castle Ewen. Andrew (our guide) gave everyone a really long leash of time to go out and adventure. We didn’t make it to the top of the craggy rock formation known as Castle Ewen, but we had a good time watching people climb to the peak and celebrate the moment with a high five and a quick pic! Yeah, we may not have made it to the top; that’s just not the way we roll…….

After a handful of well-timed curses, we swung around to the Kilmuir Cemetery. Asking Andrew (our guide) for a little insight, he happily told us the story of Flora MacDonald, who aided Bonnie Prince Charlie by hiding him as he was attempting to flee from government troops following his defeat at the Battle of Culloden. Upon her death in 1790, she was buried in Kilmuir Cemetery. In honor of her efforts in the escape from capture of Bonnie Prince Charlie, a tribute memorial was erected in honor of her efforts.

As we talked, it made me more curious to read about the history of the area proudly named the Highlands.

The weather — after running amok in the cemetery — began to turn downward; while we stopped again here and there, the misting rains kept us from straggling too far from the van. Kirk and I popped out briefly at each turnout but were consistently back inside before everyone except for the young man quietly streaming anime on his phone. After talking with him briefly, I added a new series to my Crunchyroll list while Kirk sat beside me unveiling Look # 2 (with an added eyeroll for good measure).

While we were riding along, Andy (the physics teacher, not the driver) asked if there were any rainbows visible (considering the amount of mist in the sky). As a group, we started scanning the skies with hopeful hearts. Literally seconds later, a wonderfully complete rainbow appeared almost immediately off to the left of the bus. Andrew (the guide, not to be confused with the physics teacher, although incredibly bright and gifted as well) whipped us off to the side of the road and folks disappeared from the bus like a fire drill! As everyone laughed at the ensuing excitement, I couldn’t help but catch a pic of everyone catching their own pics of the Rainbow Connection……eegits!

Shortly after our rainbow hunt, we pulled back into Portree. Once Kirk and I had assured ourselves of an easy evening, we went for a walk through town over to The View Restaurant for a relaxing dinner. The View is a hotel restaurant that features very traditional cuisine from locally sourced seafood and also offers some incredible views on the opposite side of the loch (where we have been staying). I was honestly prepared to be underwhelmed. It. Was. AWESOME! While the food and service was absolutely top-notch, the company was pretty great, too!

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Day 7, July 4, Isle of Skye/Edinburgh

We left Portree around 9:00 a.m. for the return trip to Edinburgh. The drive back was just as picturesque as the drive in: creeks, streams, jutting rocks, narrow (but paved) roads, and misty rain. We headed slightly southeast before stopping at Loch Ness for a few minutes and had our photos taken with Nessie, then headed slightly northeast to Inverness, the largest city in the Highlands, where we had about 90 minutes to explore.

Ron and I ate at a charming café and shopped at Thistle Do Nicely, a gift shop on High Street; we each purchased a T-shirt that features a map of Scotland with the names of many cities, towns, and villages. From there, we headed almost due south to Edinburgh (with a stop in Pitlochry for a bio break and ice cream), and checked into The Scotsman.

The tour was interesting and fun; Ron and I have never done an overnight group tour, but it was great to let an experienced driver navigate narrow, winding switchback roads in a vehicle where the steering wheel is on the other side of the vehicle and residents drive on the other side of the road. We also enjoyed the camaraderie with Driver Andrew, Syracuse Andrew, Antwerp Andy, Blythe, and the others; everyone was pretty quiet on Day 1 but were friendlier on Day 2 and Day 3. Ron and I will consider taking similar tours in the future with some caveats: nothing longer than 3 days/2 nights, and nothing more than 20 people!

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Hatting It Up In The Highlands

As we climbed aboard the van for the final time in Portree, Kirk and I definitely enjoyed our time in the area. Friends tried to warn us about the length of daylight and how it can affect one’s sleep. We have found our sweet, sweet remedy that has been proven for more than 500 years to effectively put you to sleep…….hello whisky, my new friend!

Reassembling ourselves, we took off toward EILEAN DONAN (Island of DONAN) to visit a famously re-created castle. From our van windows, everyone could see the beauty of the area. Forcefully reminding myself that it isn’t the original, it’s still easy to appreciate how enormous it must have appeared (and felt) back in the 13th century.

We may not have ended up going inside, but the time we spent chatting with Blythe was worth the extra time aboard. Having suggested some wonderful ideas for our return visit to Edinburgh, I was happy to continue the chat in person when she mentioned her connection to the literary points of interest she had suggested. Happy to have bonded over writer Terry Pratchett, our conversation ended with the closing of the van doors and Andrew’s request for her to re-take her seat in first class.

Promising myself to try a new author when we return home, my reading assignment is pretty straightforward……just do it, dummy!

On the way to Inverness, Andrew (our guide), whipping our sardine tin to the side of the road, started pointing toward a nearby field. Over the intercom he began making mewing sounds as a small group of hairy Highland cows shuffled their way through the richly scented field over to us…..leaving little yawning lambs confused and disoriented in their wake!

Quickly dispensing bags of carrots to our bus mates, everyone joined the wet and wooly beasts along the fence line, squealing excitedly as the cows exchanged carrots for a bit of head-scratching. Later on in the van, as I pulled out a pack of snack crackers to munch on, I was reminded of the cows when the scent of our Highland friends smacked me in the face, forcing me to forego the bite…..all in all, not the worst experience that someone on one of Andrew’s tours has had (Feel free to ask about the Ladies in White sometime.)!

Our path led through Loch Ness. Everyone had high hopes of a sighting but we had to accept that he (she?) had eaten another tourist and was napping at the bottom of the loch. Kirk did make sure to corral me long enough to get a pic…..I didn’t make it easy.

Laughing at one another’s “Look over there!” jokes, we stopped for lunch in neighborly Inverness. Allowing over an hour for us to wander around, I was surprised we all made it back on time. Kirk and I ended up crossing the bridge and stopping at a popular spot for locals, the Comfort Food Café. Greeted by the hardest-working young man (he seemed to be about the age of a middle schooler), he was AMAZING to watch.

Dipping through much taller and larger co-workers and restaurant goers, he was in constant motion as he greeted everyone, explained the menu, took everyone’s requests, bussed empty tables, prepped and washed the returning dirty plates and silverware, and took the time to LOL with one of his co-workers behind the counter when he told her my reaction when he asked me if I wanted my scone “Hat up?” I was all, “Do what?” His response, even as I was slowly figuring it out, “Heated! It’s just English, mate!” Watching him tell her the story, he even included my purposeful lean-in neck extension when trying to quietly hide my ignorance. I couldn’t be upset — the young man NAILED IT!!!!!

Back on track, Kirk ordered a sensible sandwich combo, nibbling contentedly on his lunch while I began exploring mysteak pie with flaky crust. It was sloppy with deliciousness! Good call, honey!

The rest of the drive back was mostly filled with idle chit-chat. By the time we were rolling back into Edinburgh, serenaded by the raspy tenor voice of Rod Stewart singing about Georgie Boy, our band of bus buddies shared some final laughs and good wishes before watching Andrew (from Antwerp) and (physics teacher) Andy darting through traffic as Blythe attempted to shepherd them to the correct train! Fingers crossed for the trio, Kirk and I disappeared into the afternoon to the clickety-clack of our luggage disintegrating behind us over the cobblestones. Ah, sweet memories indeed!

By the time we finally ditched our bags at The Scotsman Hotel, we were ready to take another nibble in Edinburgh. Thankfully, this evening Paolozzi Restaurant & Bar wasn’t busy when we showed up.

Everything was super-tasty, especially the focaccia!! The pizza was a unique flavor combination for us: prosciutto cotto and fungi! Sharing an oopsie doodle of a pizza story from a previous vacation, we shared a good laugh with server Maddie when our pizza arrived uncut. Being the pro, she snatched up a pizza cutter and (Bob’s your family member that identifies as “Uncle”), she had us fixed right up!

Thankfully, the pizza hit the spot and we were well ready for some much needed shut-eye!

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Day 8, July 5, Edinburgh

We were up early to visit Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Edinburgh residence for the British Royal Family. Holyroodhouse is a working palace; King Charles III had been in residence a week or two before. We appreciated seeing the fascinating public rooms: the Great Stair, a hand-turned staircase with beautiful frescoes on the ceiling; the Dining Room; the Great Gallery, which can be turned into a dining hall that will seat 400; various bedchambers, including one for Mary, Queen of Scots; the ruins of Holyrood Abbey; and the beautiful garden outside the palace.

Another highlight that day was Edinburgh Castle and the history behind the walls; it was quite a trek up the hill to the castle, but it offered breathtaking views of the city and the Firth of Forth. Dinner that evening was at The Witchery, an over-the-top Gothic-themed restaurant near the castle; we enjoyed an excellent meal (beef fillet, truffle mash, carrots with honey and harissa for me) and excellent service, and walked back to the hotel, stuffed to the gills.

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Barbie Shopping

It’s funny how on our second visit, Edinburgh is much less confusing to both of us. Maybe it’s also helped that I’ve been ACTUALLY paying attention to the Citymapper app as we have been walking instead of trying to casually glance at it now and then in an attempt to be “cool”. This is especially essential if being “cool” leads to you standing on the wrong side of the tracks, politely asking the older gentleman with the shakes while waving the butcher knife at you for a dollar BACK so you can take the bus back home….just offering some cautionary advice.

So, this morning we trotted over to The Edinburgh Larder on Blackfriars Street with only one very casual redirection and enjoyed breakfast at this tiny local café. Our reservation came in very handy this time! Walking away from the restaurant for a couple of minutes before they opened to kill some time, a queue began forming even as we walked away wide-eyed toward the souvenir shops just up the road!

Breakfast was really tasty; I tried a breakfast bap with sausage, hash browns, and a fried egg. Failing to realize the portion size, the breakfast smorgasbord dropped in front of me could have fed an army! Especially when I realized I had accidentally added double portion of the sausage, the hash browns and yes, the fried egg. Kirk enjoyed his delicious waffle situation as my breakfast magically disappeared!

Knowing just enough about the Palace of Holyroodhouse to take a chance, we made our way through the long queue. Opting to become a Junior Warden during our audio tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse this morning, I chose the Family audio guide. I will say it was super user-friendly and kept me entertained in each room. Completing each task, I will happily tout my Wardenship without expecting too much in return. All in all, it was a hoot! Unfortunately at some point I lost my husband among the knick-knacks. Having gotten separated during our time inside, I really, REALLY wanted to take some pictures with him out in the beautiful abbey ruins, as well as in the amazing gardens that stretched across the entire grounds.

Later that afternoon, because we enjoy finding tours that offer a bit of history through storytelling, we find that they provide a more personal perspective. While I think we tend to forget how enclosed and potentially claustrophobic some tours can become, we still hop in and “make it work,” even if it means being the last one in and out of each twisting and narrow passageway.

The Real Mary King’s Close was a last-minute addition to our itinerary. As if we were waiting for some sort of sign or confirmation, our itinerary had a perfect window of opportunity that just so happened to coincide with one of their tours. Accepting our fate, not unlike the former inhabitants of this colorful (mostly greys and blacks) community during the various historical plagues, we walked in for a very interesting, informative, and absolutely entertaining tour.

The only regret I experienced was wishing I would’ve known to bring along a Barbie doll (or some such toy) for young Annie, a well-known spirit who still resides in her family’s home within Mary King’s Close. She always appreciates it when people leave a toy for her to play with and in turn promises not to follow them home when their tour ends.

Now there’s someone to blame for today’s overstuffed itinerary…..he shall remain anonymous. However, as we stood in the street waiting to begin our Edinburgh Castle tour, I just kept thinking about how nice a nap would be right about now….

Thankfully our tour guide David was a happy chap, having only a few years ago (on a hostel holiday) finding himself offering tours. Having gone to school for acting/drama, his lines were well-rehearsed. Strolling up the cobbled hill, across the cobbled yard, and onto the cobbled streets along the top of the castle, I found myself missing the lovely concrete slab pavements of home…..oops, back on track…….The tour was very insightful and filled with historical references.

I will honestly say there was so much being discussed that I wasn’t able to concentrate on the content, mostly because the entire area felt like salmon spawning season as people streamed through our large tour group. I didn’t feel perturbed. I wasn’t disappointed in the least. I was happy to catch glimpses of Kirk, always standing within kilt-flapping distance from our guide, eagerly following along.

While overstuffing our daily itinerary didn’t seem like such a bad idea as we were planning, we forced ourselves to find a little time between locations to relax. During a couple of breaks today, one atop the castle, we bumped into Claudine and Grace, a couple of friends from the van! This mom-and-daughter duo were so much fun! Easily laughing at our poor excuses for jokes and sharing their own “where to go” stories, we kept an eye out for them every time we turned a corner!

Eventually evening crept upon us and we dashed to the hotel for a quick “refresh” before heading over to our reservations at The Witchery by the Castle. Once a merchant’s building, nowadays it’s the height of culinary excellence. The romance of the setting is stunning; the oak woodwork throughout the restaurant has aged with grace and care, setting the perfect place for the beautifully adorned and decorated hand-painted ceiling.

Sitting in our cozy space, feeling as out of place as a tortoise at a gymnastics meet, we ordered a couple of cocktails and let the evening take us where’er it might.

While the dining area filled with the happy chirping of strangers, we enjoyed our cocktails as the alcohol tickled our ears, sitting there quietly serenaded by our neighbors and the percussion of cutlery clinking along…….soaking up every last second, allowing ourselves an evening of guilt free indulgence. To say we’ve been looking forward to this particular treat would be an understatement.

The experience we hoped for was somewhere between the fairytale fantasy and historical romance…..so no pressure, right?!? We aren’t an overly demanding duo…..just hopelessly hopeful.

As it turns out, we had nothing to fear. It was beyond our expectations! Realizing this might be the only time we dine at The Witchery, we wanted the full experience. I think even Kirk would admit that he was surprised at how much he enjoyed the evening as well.

And THAT is always worth the price of admission!

Day 9, July 6, Edinburgh

We met up with Blythe and visited The Writers’ Museum, which featured exhibitions that focus on three men who are generally considered the greatest Scottish writers: Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Robert Burns. I’ve not read their work but wanted to visit the Burns exhibit in honor of my cousin Jim Couch, who passed away in 2023. Jim, a college English professor, was one of the nicest, kindest, smartest men I’ve known; Burns was his favorite writer, so visiting the Burns exhibit and sharing photos with Jim’s daughter Deborah was a good way to honor his memory.

Next on our agenda was a visit to the National Museum of Scotland, which houses an eclectic collection that traces the evolution of a wide range of items, including pottery, furniture, transportation, and clothing. I stumbled upon an exhibit concerning prosthetics and discovered that Scotland has quite the legacy in the prosthetics field, similar to Scottish Rite for Children. Our next stop was the National Galleries of Scotland, a small but impressive museum filled with the works from Scottish artists, as well as Cezanne, Monet, Gaugin, and Van Gogh.

Our entertainment that evening was a food tour led by Tamara, a smart, funny, hard-working, and knowledgeable guide who escorted Ron, me, and Kendall and Carson, a young couple from Chicago, through some of the finest eating and drinking establishments in the city. We had it all: beer, whisky, haggis, mac and cheese (with bechamel sauce and mushrooms), Cullen skink, and sticky toffee pudding. We found out that a party of six cancelled, so it was just the fourof us and Tamara, which made for a very personalized and less hectic experience.

The highlight of the day for me, though, was my purchase at Swatch. We entered their newly renovated store on Princes Street and met store manager Sean and salesperson Julia, telling them that I wanted to look at the Edinburgh destination watch — then Julia informed us that Sean had co-designed the watch. Sean removed the watch from the wall for a closer look, and it’s awesome: a dark face, white numbers, and a blue band that features iconic Scottish images: Nessie, bagpipes, the thistle, Edinburgh Castle, and Sean’s family tartan and hunting tartan. He graciously signed the box for me, so thank you, Sean Mark McGregor Moffat! You made my day!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Noshing Around In Edinburgh

We weren’t in much of a rush to get our day started. Did we have lots to do? Uh, yeah! But with it being our final day in town, we were trying to avoid the panic we typically feel, trying to get in all those last-minute places that were on the list. Therefore, a leisurely day of museum going awaited.

Heading to The Writers’ Museum on a mission for Kirk, our friend Blythe (you know, one of our bus buddies) opted to join us for the morning. She’s been one busy gal! While Kirk made his way through the museum, we had a great chat session. Kirk, in his own world, walked the world of words happy as a cat in a fish factory. Blythe and I tucked ourselves into a little corner and let the world keep spinning around us.

Our party of three hit the streets for a visit to the National Museum of Scotland. I might’ve gone more out of curiosity than anything but I enjoyed the visit tremendously. This museum was on our “if we have time” list but when Blythe mentioned her interest, we figured “what the heeey!”

Seeing Kirk relax and enjoy the nooks and crannies of the museum as we flowed through the hallways was great. At one point he even climbed into a rig to check a “simple machine” exhibit based on pulleys and weight distribution. I refused to climb aboard but think we learned a valuable lesson nonetheless…..we need to sign up for a Pilates class when we get back to Dallas!

Most of our visit to the museum was filled with me following Kirk and Blythe around from room to room. At one particularly interesting fountain, I noticed her tapping quietly on a bit of the structure. It wasn’t marked “hands off,” so I joined in. Explaining her excitement with the materials used in the fountain’s creation, I leaned in as she explained that she worked as a metalsmith in her youth.

The closest thing I had ever seen to this type of work was back when I would visit Grandma Mae’s and witness Uncle Cam’s penchant for melting down various bits of “junked” metals into fishing weights. Curating his industrial-sized tackle box with the most unique fishing lures imaginable, he would spend the entire day relaxing on the shore of a local pond as he watched his fleet of bobbers float atop the water while enjoying one of his infamous hand-rolled cigarettes.

I lost track of the time we spent there; then suddenly Blythe mentioned she had plans to be somewhere shortly, we walked over to the National Galleries of Scotland, said our goodbyes, and she took off to parts unknown!

Understanding that, I get way too into my head when we go to museums, finding it incredibly difficult to stay focused even on days when it’s just the two of us. At the final museum stop in Edinburgh, I found the neatest group of guide books (yes, intended for children) offering suggestions to make the visit more rewarding to kids of all ages. Tempting fate, I pulled open the first booklet, “10 Things to do in an Art Gallery,” and I went into motion. Wanting to give each suggestion a try, I followed along. By the end of our visit to the National Galleries of Scotland, I had a much better understanding of not only the purpose of the museum itself, but a better appreciation for the art housed inside!

Having happily spent most of the day in museums, we had intentionally been weaving our way over to the meeting place for the Edinburgh Eat/Walk Food Tour.

By the time we arrived I wasn’t just dazed and confused…..I was also hungry. Kirk knows all too well that a hungry Ron isn’t the best travel companion, so he kept trying to point out things of interest along the way while I was angrily tapping my phone demanding it to stop re-routing! Now, while I love most navigational apps, it seemed like they were all in cahoots in Edinburgh. With every “cross” or pass through or, even at one point, the longest set of stairs (every hewn into rock by masons with a penchant for torturing tourists), every navigational app I had on my phone would, at once, all begin rerouting.

Just before heaving my phone into traffic, Kirk spotted our destination, Under the Stairs. Oh, they were quite literal with this name, but it was so much nicer of a (local) spot than I would’ve ever expected!

Having a bit of extra time before meeting our tour guide, we chucked it (chucked may not be the actual word for what we did, but it definitely describes the “feel” of it all) across the street to the Lackdhu Arts (Gift Shop), a tiny retail shop selling almost exclusively “made by locals” cards, books, and candles — you know, a menagerie of things you don’t need but ding dang it, you’ve got to take something with you, even if it’s just a charm* to ward off the Sluagh. Kirk found more practical items to bring home, so the visit was a win for everyone all around.

*As a fan of purchasing the extended warranty, I chose my charm carefully and added an additional 10 years for a sensible 6 (pounds) 66 (pence)!

Sorry, getting back to the food tour….we had just plopped down in our seats when our lovely guide came over to introduce herself. Tamara, a slender-figured, cheerful-faced Scottish lass, with a magnetic personality and overflowing Highland charm, was easy to chat with and follow along for the evening. She was absolutely one of the best tour guides we have ever had the opportunity to tag along with!

Joining our tour was a couple from Chicago in their mid-30s, both very friendly and easy as all get-out to share the tour. Tamara mentioned there had been another group of six that had scheduled but had unfortunately cancelled, making our group considerably easier to manage and enjoy!

There were only four restaurant stops on our tour: Under the Stairs, Maison Bleue, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and Whigham’s Wine Cellar. Each stop had its own very specific vibe, yet they all remained inherently and specifically Scottish. Every bite and drink were a celebration of their cuisine and flavor, allowing us an opportunity to enjoy bite-sized offering of classic Scottish dishes such as Cullen Skink, haggis (meat or veg), sticky toffee pudding, and their unique take on pork belly. The food was delicious, and the drinks were very top-notch! We and our companions agreed it was absolutely worth the time, money, and sacrifice of a few brain cells….I mean, they knew they weren’t going to be missed very much anyway, right?!?

After our tour was over and Kirk was headed toward slumber town, our friend Blythe texted to see if we were available for a quick pic. I looked at Kirk, already dressed in his favorite flannels and told him about the text. He had already started the process of re-primping by the time I sent my thumbs up and we were back on the trail lickety-split. Spending a few minutes catching up on the Andy(s), we laughed, with understanding, at their adventures, eventually settling in for a super-adorable commemorative photo with our new gal pal. God only knows what adventures she’s about to get into……but it’s a guarantee that it will be fun!