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Oh to be in England, now that Spring is here. ( Part 3 Scotland ) Posted on 29 June 2011

Oh to be in England, now that Spring is here. ( Part 3 Scotland ) Posted on 29 Jun 2011


Onward to the last leg of our trip - Scotland. Driving across stretches of unspoilt landscape, occupied mainly by sheep and cattle, we coveted stolen moments of oneness with nature, with no one else around. 


What a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life and from other people. The much touted highland cow, with the long hair and curly horns ( much like the shaggy dog minus the horns ) was surprisingly difficult to spot. We caught a glimpse of them round a bend, blink, and never saw them again. How now brown cow?

The trip is not complete without paying a small tribute to good ole Nessie, dead or living - the jury is still out on this. There is comprehensive info to whet your appetitie at the Loch Ness Monster Visitor Centre, located within the Drumnadrochit Hotel.

After some hours on the road, we arrived at Pitlessie House, a delectable B & B in a historic house, at Cupar, near St Andrews. The owner, Krisitn, is a German lady, who can spin a yarn or two about her travels round the world before settling in this quiet corner of the world.To add a finishing touch to her story, she met the love of her life in this house  - he was a lodger who overstayed.

The Winning Putt at St Andrew's
Ah, St Andrews - the Mecca for golfers. I think this must be the highpoint of the trip for G. He wore a wide grin from ear to ear upon stepping foot on "holy ground". We watched and envied golfers on a flight or two play on the hallowed Old Course. 

The voyeur in me had hoped to see someone goof it upon tee-off, reminiscent of Ms sour-grapes ( oh, I repent the thought! ) but that didn't happen - everyone executed their moves beautifully, mindfully aware of watchful eyes nearby. 

This is the divide between the "haves" and the "have-nots". So the common folks are resigned to retreat into the St Andrew's Golf Museum for a historical presentation of golf throughout the ages. G seemed happy with this. He pottered around with the putts, got the family into the swing of things, and bought his toys with glee.

I enjoyed the child-friendly Kelvingrove Art Gallery at Glasgow and the Childhood and Toy Museum in Edinburgh. Like the Smithsonian museums in DC, there is no admission charge for most museums in the UK.

 By now, we have gotten more used to the inflated value of the pound and the shrinking value of our humble dollar. Scotland is also a haven for lovers of Whisky. We particularly like ths single-malt version. There is a wide assortment available, to cater to all taste and thirst buds. 

The Royal Botanic Gardens were delightful, graced by exotic plants and  giant water lilies . D and A ventured into an innocuous-looking games shop along the Royal Mile seliing Warhammer game kits. Wow, free games, and a chance to drop off them off while we check out the Whiskey labels and perhaps down a tipple or two.

 D and A wanted to go back the next day for a second game, and by this time, we knew the "damage" was done and there was one satisfied sales assistant ringing in the cash register.

Caught a connecting flight from Edinburgh Airport to Heathrow, and back home some 13 hours after. (Two luggages arrived 24 hours later )
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