12 spectacular days in sometimes sunny Scotland -- trip report and photos from mr & ms_go
Jul 8th, 2004, 05:31 PM
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Ms. Go!
Stunning photographs, excellent trip report. I was in Edinburgh for 4 days in 2003, and am now itching to go back and see more of this fabulous country. I have added your trip report to my "wish list" file. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed, readable, and thorough report of your trip.
Stunning photographs, excellent trip report. I was in Edinburgh for 4 days in 2003, and am now itching to go back and see more of this fabulous country. I have added your trip report to my "wish list" file. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed, readable, and thorough report of your trip.
Jul 9th, 2004, 06:33 AM
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Tattie Scones
Ingredients:
Half pound boiled and mashed potatoes (we usually use leftovers)
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:
**Mash the potatoes while they are still warm and add the butter and salt. Add in enough flour to make the dough pliable but not too dry.
**Turn out onto a floured surface and roll until about quarter of an inch thick (no thicker). Cut into six inch circles and then into quarters. Prick all over with a fork and cook in a heavy pan which has been lightly greased.
**Cook each side for about three minutes or until golden brown (scones should have some brown blisters).
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Half pound boiled and mashed potatoes (we usually use leftovers)
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:
**Mash the potatoes while they are still warm and add the butter and salt. Add in enough flour to make the dough pliable but not too dry.
**Turn out onto a floured surface and roll until about quarter of an inch thick (no thicker). Cut into six inch circles and then into quarters. Prick all over with a fork and cook in a heavy pan which has been lightly greased.
**Cook each side for about three minutes or until golden brown (scones should have some brown blisters).
Enjoy!
Jul 9th, 2004, 06:34 AM
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<b>cigalechanta:</b>
So sorry to hear that. Weather can make a huge difference, no matter how prepared you are for it. We had our share of rain, but we were very fortunate with the timing (besides our drenched daytrip to Stirling).
Next time, you'll get all the luck...and we'll expect a great report when you do!
So sorry to hear that. Weather can make a huge difference, no matter how prepared you are for it. We had our share of rain, but we were very fortunate with the timing (besides our drenched daytrip to Stirling).
Next time, you'll get all the luck...and we'll expect a great report when you do!
Jul 9th, 2004, 07:18 AM
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mvor -- thanks so much for the potato scone recipe. You've just made allie_go a happy camper. I will give it a try this weekend.
To all, thanks for your kind comments.
And to those who are preparing to go to Scotland, happy travels. I know you will enjoy it!
To all, thanks for your kind comments.
And to those who are preparing to go to Scotland, happy travels. I know you will enjoy it!
Jul 9th, 2004, 09:50 AM
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Hello and thank you so much for sharing your fabulous pictures. You've brilliantly captured the spectacular sights you enjoyed on you holiday and made my husband and I wishing we could begin our trip this minute.
Skye and Oban are now firm favourites for our visit - sadly only in 2005.
Thanks so much also for the great trip report. It's going to a huge help for us and so many others.
Lisa
Skye and Oban are now firm favourites for our visit - sadly only in 2005.
Thanks so much also for the great trip report. It's going to a huge help for us and so many others.
Lisa
Jul 9th, 2004, 10:55 AM
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Loved reading the report, and of course checking out the pictures! We stayed at the Kildrummy Castle Hotel a couple years ago and our room looked out over the castle ruins. Your pictures let me feel like I was there again...thanks
Jul 9th, 2004, 12:55 PM
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Wow--I am impressed. A very detailed report and wonderful photo album. I hope you prospective Scotland travelers appreciate what you have here--a complete trip plan and itinerary with visual aids. The Go family surely must have a premium legacy of travel planning to Europe--and I do not mean Rick Steves.
Jul 9th, 2004, 04:37 PM
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ms_go, I expected a stellar report from you and wasn't disappointed. I'm glad your first "solo" trip to Scotland didn't prevent you from returning.Looking forward to my own personal Scotland photo with the go family in Dec.
Looking forward to my own personal Scotland photo with the go family in Dec.
Jul 9th, 2004, 05:54 PM
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I'm loving your trip report and your pictures.
Our family stumbled across Duffus Castle last year, and had almost the best afternoon of our whole trip exploring the ruins all by ourselves!
I wish we had a noble reason for going to the castle, but we happened on it after taking pictures in front of the sign for the village of Duffus with each of us poiting to the others as "duffuses!"
Annette
Our family stumbled across Duffus Castle last year, and had almost the best afternoon of our whole trip exploring the ruins all by ourselves!
I wish we had a noble reason for going to the castle, but we happened on it after taking pictures in front of the sign for the village of Duffus with each of us poiting to the others as "duffuses!"
Annette
Jul 10th, 2004, 04:31 AM
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Great report!
Mr & Ms_go, you wrote <we cabbed to the airport to pick up our car. Not a real efficient process>
I would appreciate more details about this process. Do you think, there is some way to make it painless? We are taking a cab from our hotel in Edinburgh on Saturday morning, renting from Hertz as well, then returning a few days later at the airport. Is this rental place inside the airport terminal or outside with a shuttle? Thanks
Mr & Ms_go, you wrote <we cabbed to the airport to pick up our car. Not a real efficient process>
I would appreciate more details about this process. Do you think, there is some way to make it painless? We are taking a cab from our hotel in Edinburgh on Saturday morning, renting from Hertz as well, then returning a few days later at the airport. Is this rental place inside the airport terminal or outside with a shuttle? Thanks
Jul 10th, 2004, 04:33 AM
#37
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Thanks again, all.
Bob, I'm sure at least some of it is inherited
Ani, we did enjoy Four Marys. I thought it was a fitting place to end our trip. We lingered and ate more than we should have, probably because we knew we were on the way home, where it is diet and treadmill time! I did think it was a bit funny, though -- we got there on a Sunday night at abut 6:30 (closing was at 9 or 10). The restaurant was about 1/3 full but every one of the about 10 empty tables had a reserved sign. The waitress hemmed and hawed and studied the "book" before deciding she could move one party to another table to be able to seat us. Only one other party came in between then 8, when we left. Go figure?
Maureen, I'll report back on the potato scones.
Grinisa, I've enjoyed my trips to Scotland as much as my trips to Italy -- they're both great in their own way. But I still have yet to make it to the Outer Hebrides. As far as the annual holiday card picture, I'm not sure there are any real good candidates in this year's pics -- we're too wind-whipped and waterlogged -- unless I become a whiz at Photoshop in the meantime. I might have to get creative this year.... By the way, the Amalfi Coast is high on my personal short list for next year. I haven't been there since our whirlwind trip through Sorrento in 1978! For some reason, I barely remember that part of the trip (although I do remember the boat trip there quite well).
Annette, we didn't have a noble reason for visiting Duffus either, except that is was very near where we were staying and was a little dot on the Michelin map. I know it isn't the most impressive ruined castle around, but somehow being up on that hill on a really nice morning, with no one else around, was one of the memorable moments of the trip.
Bob, I'm sure at least some of it is inherited
Ani, we did enjoy Four Marys. I thought it was a fitting place to end our trip. We lingered and ate more than we should have, probably because we knew we were on the way home, where it is diet and treadmill time! I did think it was a bit funny, though -- we got there on a Sunday night at abut 6:30 (closing was at 9 or 10). The restaurant was about 1/3 full but every one of the about 10 empty tables had a reserved sign. The waitress hemmed and hawed and studied the "book" before deciding she could move one party to another table to be able to seat us. Only one other party came in between then 8, when we left. Go figure?
Maureen, I'll report back on the potato scones.
Grinisa, I've enjoyed my trips to Scotland as much as my trips to Italy -- they're both great in their own way. But I still have yet to make it to the Outer Hebrides. As far as the annual holiday card picture, I'm not sure there are any real good candidates in this year's pics -- we're too wind-whipped and waterlogged -- unless I become a whiz at Photoshop in the meantime. I might have to get creative this year.... By the way, the Amalfi Coast is high on my personal short list for next year. I haven't been there since our whirlwind trip through Sorrento in 1978! For some reason, I barely remember that part of the trip (although I do remember the boat trip there quite well).
Annette, we didn't have a noble reason for visiting Duffus either, except that is was very near where we were staying and was a little dot on the Michelin map. I know it isn't the most impressive ruined castle around, but somehow being up on that hill on a really nice morning, with no one else around, was one of the memorable moments of the trip.
Jul 10th, 2004, 04:51 AM
#38
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Wildflower -- the inefficiency was really at the Hertz counter and probably an isolated incident. There was one customer there who had a real problem involving some kind of complex arrangement. The two agents on duty spent a good deal of time just on his issues. The other part of the inefficiency was my getting used to manuevering a station wagon around a small, tight lot. I didn't want to dent their nice car before ever leaving the lot 
The cab to the airport was a breeze on a weekend morning. It took about 15 minutes and was £12; we called from the hotel. The very nice driver first took us to the Hertz desk out in the lot, but no one was there (this was right about the 9am opening time on Sunday), so he then took us to the terminal.
There is a Hertz desk in the terminal, probably your best bet as they seemed to have all the keys there. If you are standing outside facing the terminal, it is down toward the right end. You take care of the paperwork and get the keys there. Then, just outside the doors, there is a bus stop. There is one bus that serves all the car rental firms, plus some other parking lots, etc. It's silver, if I recall, and well marked. It takes just a few minutes to get out to the lot. All the major firms are in the same lot, but there may be different bus stops for some of them.
Driving in and out of the airport is pretty easy. We were headed to the Forth bridge and our cab driver gave us some very specific directions and landmarks on our way in, so that did help to know exactly where we were going. The rental car return is well marked.
You shouldn't have any problems. Have a nice trip!
The cab to the airport was a breeze on a weekend morning. It took about 15 minutes and was £12; we called from the hotel. The very nice driver first took us to the Hertz desk out in the lot, but no one was there (this was right about the 9am opening time on Sunday), so he then took us to the terminal.
There is a Hertz desk in the terminal, probably your best bet as they seemed to have all the keys there. If you are standing outside facing the terminal, it is down toward the right end. You take care of the paperwork and get the keys there. Then, just outside the doors, there is a bus stop. There is one bus that serves all the car rental firms, plus some other parking lots, etc. It's silver, if I recall, and well marked. It takes just a few minutes to get out to the lot. All the major firms are in the same lot, but there may be different bus stops for some of them.
Driving in and out of the airport is pretty easy. We were headed to the Forth bridge and our cab driver gave us some very specific directions and landmarks on our way in, so that did help to know exactly where we were going. The rental car return is well marked.
You shouldn't have any problems. Have a nice trip!
Jul 10th, 2004, 05:04 AM
#39
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Wildflower, one more thing:
Hertz gave us a form to indicate any damage on the car before we left. I've rented quite a few cars and have only had to sign such a form once before. So we did inspect the car in the lot and found a decent sized dent on the door. I made sure to note it on the form and have the form signed by someone in the lot before we continued on. This also contributed to the hour or so it took us to get on the road.
Since they seem to be attentive to this, I would recommend taking the time to inspect the car and report any existing damage, just so there are no questions later. We returned our car before hours, so I don't know what kind of inspection they do on return or whether they ask you to sign anything (we just dropped our signed form in their night box).
Hertz gave us a form to indicate any damage on the car before we left. I've rented quite a few cars and have only had to sign such a form once before. So we did inspect the car in the lot and found a decent sized dent on the door. I made sure to note it on the form and have the form signed by someone in the lot before we continued on. This also contributed to the hour or so it took us to get on the road.
Since they seem to be attentive to this, I would recommend taking the time to inspect the car and report any existing damage, just so there are no questions later. We returned our car before hours, so I don't know what kind of inspection they do on return or whether they ask you to sign anything (we just dropped our signed form in their night box).
Jul 10th, 2004, 05:47 AM
#40
Loved your photo albums. I took a similar trip a few years ago in pre-digital days, and my photos are far less vibrant (weather? or camera? who knows). Your pics are fantastic. What kind of camera were you using?
