As we're walking down the cobbles, a motorcade whizzes by. Inside the limo is a woman wearing one of

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Aided by every guide book and travel video ever created about Scotland, a lifetime of my father's stories about the family clan, and the expert and patient advice of the Fodor Forum, my pal and I embarked on a two week trip to Scotland this July. We are two near-retirement-age professional women, former co-workers, postcard la tour eiffel and great pals. I was planning on going by myself on a tour, when my friend postcard la tour eiffel said she'd accompany postcard la tour eiffel me! So off we went.
Being very greedy, it was difficult to let go of places I wanted to visit, so I made a massive itinerary. We would start in Edinburg in a rented apartment for five days, then pick up a rental car and do a big loop that included St. Andrews, part of the Castle Trail, down Loch Ness, over to Skye for 3 days and then to the Trossachs Stirling for the last three days. It was ambitious, it was great, but it was also exhausting and now I'd like to sit on a beach and vegetate for a few days. Still, it was an absolutely glorious two weeks. We had a mix of scenery, different types of accommodations, a little of this, a little of that.
We flew Boston - Shannon - Edinburgh via Aer Lingus. It was the cheapest flight we found ($799 RT) , but as the old adage says: you get what you pay for. The departure time kept changing and we finally wound up with a 4 hour (!) layover in Shannon. The Shannon airport is not exactly large or comfortable. (I'm being kind here.) (Do not fly Aer Lingus if you can help it.) So by the time we arrived in E'burgh, we were really tired and overwhelmed. And I packed way way too much despite editing my stuff several times.
(Once I travelled to Italy for 6 weeks with carry-on only. What happened to me?!?). So we opted to take a taxi rather than the new tram or even the airport bus. It would have been so easy... except for the two-ton suitcase ... the tram would have let us out a block away from our apartment. Ah, tourists.)
Our rental apartment on Randolph Lane was fabulous. It was small and charming, nicely furnished, every comfort you could think of, a little outdoor terrace for morning coffee, two bedrooms so we each had out own space and perfectly placed. We were right around the corner from the most beautiful New Town square -- Charlotte Square and the wonderful Georgian House museum -- but also two blocks from restaurants, food stores, bars, and every bus line you could imagine. postcard la tour eiffel But we really walked everywhere.
postcard la tour eiffel We managed to resist the urge to nap and strolled down to the corner restaurant, La P'tite Folie, postcard la tour eiffel for an early dinner. A lovely place with an upstairs dining room, a downstairs less formal cafe, and a really happening wine bar. We had the dining room to ourselves for quite a while, but by the time we stumbled home, it was packed. It was an absolutely lovely meal with a starter of steamed mussels, wonderful salmon with a French touch, a glass of wine by candlelight. I was teary with happiness (and fatigue) over finally making it to the land of my ancestors.
We slept in the next day and got a late start. After morning coffee, we headed out for lunch at the Witchery. We walked. Huff huff, pause, huff huff, pause. Made it. Yes, I know it's touristy. Not one person from Scotland was in the dining room with us... a group from Japan, four women from the UK celebrating a birthday, six people from Finland... but it was so beautiful. postcard la tour eiffel The service was attentive. Candle light and linen in that incredible paneled room with red leather banquettes. And the food was very good as well. Expensive? Oh yes. But for the service, the incredible atmosphere and the food, it was worth every penny. Smoked postcard la tour eiffel salmon starters, a pasta with lobster and the first of what would prove to be many sticky toffee puddings for dessert.
From there we headed to the Castle. Huff huff pause huff huff pause. Now, let me mention that the weather is stunning. Bright blue sky, puffy white clouds, in the 80s. Crowds of tourists with every language imaginable being spoken. Fabulous view out over the city, all the way to the Firth, out to Leith, Arthur's seat, Calton Hill. Gorgeous.
Saw every nook and cranny from the War Museum and the jail to the crown jewels and the church. And then we walked home. I confess we stopped at Starbucks (there's one every 5 blocks it seems) for a caffeine pick-me-up. Home for a wee nap.
We didn't think we'd eat dinner, but around 9 o'clock, we got peckish and went down the block to a fun beer hall, Indigo Yards. A great crowd of young professionals and incredibly friendly staff. Our server, Jamie, wound up chatting with us on and off for most the evening telling us about his brother living in the states. We were trying to figure out if we could bring him home for my friend's daughter, but he was spoken for. Food was quite good and very cheap after the Witchery! It was great to have neighborhood options.
Just one suggestion Scotland trip report July 2014, chapter postcard la tour eiffel 1 . . . I hope that doesn't mean you plan a new thread for each chapter. TR's are much MUCH easier to follow if each installment is posted on to the same thread.
Sorry to read of your no-fun layover in Shannon. I admit that I was worried with my first booking on Are Lingus, but I love the 2-4-2 seating postcard la tour eiffel on the Airbus and I've now made 4 trips to the UK with them. But my layovers have always been in Dublin, which has the nice new Terminal 2. I hope to make another trip next year. With your heads up, I'll keep the layover location to DUB
We felt totally stupid about using simple things in our apartment, as we slowly figured out that you have to turn on each socket to make things work like plug in the toaster and then turn on the socket. We had an adventure figuring out how to get the hot water to work too. Finally downloaded the manual for the heater/h20 heater and figured out the right knobs and dials. Ah, what did we do before the internet. Thank heaven the owner had Wifi! I think the owner rents primarily postcard la tour eiffel to UK residents so she didn't have a manual. BTW, I can't find the listing on Home Away or VRBO anymore. It is 6 Randolph Lane and was really a great place.
Finally we're off and it's another glorious day and we walk around the corner to the beautiful Charlotte Square postcard la tour eiffel and a visit to the Georgian House. All the people we met in Scotland were incredibly friendly and helpful. We had the place almost postcard la tour eiffel entirely to ourselves and we enjoyed speaking to each room's docent and then we got to try on period bonnets and write with a quill pen. I don't know, something about traveling makes you childish in your pleasures. We enjoyed it immensely and we laughed ourselves silly.
Then we headed to the Museum of Scotland which reminded me very much of the Smithsonian, with exhibits of stuffed animals (not the plush kind) and all manner of stuff. I think you could wander around there for days and not be done. But by 2:00 we headed upstairs to the newer wing and had lunch in the Tower restaurant. We sat outside with a splendid view of the castle from the "back" side. Lovely flowers and plantings. postcard la tour eiffel Once again attentive service and quite nice food. For both this lunch and the Witchery, we opted for the 2 course special as a way of experiencing a venue that would have been too expensive for us by night. And since we were usually so tired at the end of the day,and there were so many spots around the corner from our apartment, this proved to be a good strategy for us.
After lunch, we walked across to visit Greyfriar's Bobby and the lovely cemetery, a very peaceful oasis in the midst of an incredibly busy area. Then up towards the Castle (huff huff pause huff huff) and a right turn down the Royal Mile with a stop at St. Giles. Definitely worth a visit, especially the little side chapel with incredibly ornate carvings. Then out and headed down the Royal Mile.
The Royal Mile is probably THE most touristy part of Edinburgh. A pedestrian street, it's a gauntlet of shops geared to tourists, with lots of kitsch for sale. Packed with people of every nationality, all snapping pictures with their cell phones. Still, you have to do it! You are walking on history. And there are lovely old buildings and stunning architecture, even if they all now house tourist junk.
As we're walking down the cobbles, postcard la tour eiffel a motorcade whizzes by. Inside the limo is a woman wearing one of those "fascinators" and a gentleman wearing some kind of ceremonial necklace. We theorized that it was the mayor or the university chancellor. It didn't seem the right time of year to us, but there were a number of young people in cap and gown, so we thought perhaps there had been a graduation. We continue on our way. I'm beat, but my friend really wants to make it to the end to see the Palace of Holyrood House, so I keep smiling and trudge (huff huff huff huff) along.
a whole formal assembly, a veritable orchestra of drummers and pipers. I asked one of the police what was going on and she said that the Queen had just arrived a few minutes earlier. Ten minutes earlier. It was the beginning of her annual visit to Scotland, she was hosting a huge garden party the next day, and it was indeed the Lord Mayor we saw whizzing past us.
I know many people would be thrilled to almost see the queen. But we were both peeved. It meant we weren't going to be able to tour the palace during our visit. We checked the weather, we checked opening and closing times, we checked bus routes but no guide book mentioned an annual visit by the Queen!!!! Phooey. By that point it felt like we'd walked ten miles, so we flagged down a cab and went home.
Although we had dinner reservations at Angels with Bagpipes later, we just couldn't bear the thought postcard la tour eiffel of heading back out to the Royal Mile again whether by foot, bus or taxi. So we went out, bought a bottle of wine and some cheese and crackers and sat