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Old Jun 3rd, 2010, 05:57 AM
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tbw- York walks start at Exhibition Square and ours ended exiting Shambles. I do not know if all guides follow the same itinerary. It was about 2 hours, maybe a bit more. We had a fairly small group, perhaps 10 people. We keep our itineraries flexible too. Russells was not crowded when we were there in May, we arrived soon after it opened for the dinner hours, about 6 I believe. Their menu is on their website www.russells-restaurants.com . You can see by their menu that there are some good chices. One can also order only the veggies that are served at the carvery table- those are self service and I particularly liked the good selection of root vegetables. DW is the kind of vegetarian who will eat fish, dairy,eggs, and tries to avoid or limit gluten. We found restaurants in the the UK to be far friendlier to that kind of diet than here in the US, or at least in the area where I live. She ate well the entire trip and was very pleased with the choices available. Are you going to Edinburgh? If so, as my grandmother would say, do I have a vegetarian restaurant suggestion for you!!
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Old Jun 3rd, 2010, 07:10 PM
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Thanks--no Edinburgh this trip (alas--but NEXT TIME!). But sounds like your DW's menu selections would suit my daughter mostly (also GF-intolerant a bit) so any suggestions in London, Shrewsbury, Conwy, Carlisle, Durham, or Dover would be appreciated and duly noted on the restaurant list I'm working to compile before July 28 departure.

Keep reportin'!
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Old Jun 3rd, 2010, 08:10 PM
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TBW - of the places you mentioned above, the only one we visited was London. We liked Sagar's Vegetarian Restaurant (Indian food) quite a bit. It is in the Covent Gardens area. After a while, with a few exceptions we made no special effort to find a vegetarian friendly place. We were surprised to find the UK very vegetarian friendly - most every restaurant and pub had a variety of vegetarian selections. She will eat well. If she eats fish and dairy, she will have no problem at all, but even if she doesn't, she will be happy most anywhere.
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Old Jun 4th, 2010, 03:39 AM
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You are a wealth of information, basingstoke. Thanks so much.
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Old Jun 5th, 2010, 07:41 AM
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Moving on, we began our only full day in York by hiking over to York Minster. On the way, we stopped at Clifford's Tower and then yet another antique center, this one was quite large, occupying 2 floors and DW ended up buying a few old lace bobbins with the thought of making a small display of them with some antique lace we picked up in Delft on an earlier trip. This shop also has a large room of old books and maps and one could easily lose track of time in there. We arrived at York Minster just in time for a free docent led tour (there is an admission fee to the cathedral). Our docent was most entertaining with stories about those who designed and those who were associated with the cathedral throughout its history and also explained the history and use of each part of the building. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, a visit to York Minster is a must - the interior is amazing. I was particularly taken with the Chapter Room - when my photos are posted you will see that is obvious, I will let them describe the room for me. When you do visit York Minster allow more time than you think you will need, it is hard to pull yourself away. As we left, we made note to return later in the day.

When we visited Betty's tea room the day before, we were told that the best time to avoid long lines is just before three. That left time to visit the outdoor market and wander some more stopping where we found it interesting and just followed our whims. We did also scout out some restaurants for dinner. We were then over to Betty's for a light lunch. There are many descriptions of Betty's on this forum and many more in the guide books so I will say that in our opinion the long lines are for a reason. The place has an elegance to it combined with excellent service and food. We skipped the formal high tea in favor of the cream tea menu for me and a garden vegetable soup for DW. The cream tea is served with 2 scones, butter, clotted cream, jam and a choice of teas. I noticed on the menu a fruited scone called "Fat Rascal," and fat rascal that I am, I had to have it, sugar load be damned. Our server was quite willing to substitute it for one of the 2 standard scones for a nominal extra cost. When served, it was easily twice the size of the other scone, which itself was ample. For my taste, it was a bit too sweet and I preferred the standard which was perfect. My tea choice was the house blend, and it was excellent - I am sorry that I did not buy some to bring home. DW proclaimed her soup to be light, fresh tasting, and exactly what she was in the mood for. In visiting Betty's know that the upstairs and downstairs dining rooms are very different, the upstairs being light and airy while the downstairs room is dark wood paneling and formal.

Having scouted out some other restaurants, we deciding to dine at Russells once again, and again it did not disappoint. I visited the carvery table once again having a different choice of meats than the evening before and loading up on those veggies that had appealed to me, particularly the parsnip and potato mash. DW also visited the carvery, but only had the veggies which we had found could be ordered that way, but it was not listed like that on the menu. It pays to ask your server.

Before dinner, we had visited York Minster once again for Evensong which was splendid (and it's not even our religion). I was also anxious to do more photography in the cathedral when there were fewer people and also to tour the lower area of the cathedral which is an archeological exhibit of some York history as well as the cathedral underpinnings. When you visit York Minster, don't miss it. Visiting late is good not only because after evensong, we practically had the place to ourselves, but also because of the different light that enhanced photographs. There were so few people there late that I was able to take photos of the empty Chapter Room's ceiling lying on my back on the floor.

Our after dinner plan was to walk down to the river and meet "The Original Ghost Walk." There are number of ghost walks to choose from. This one has no gimmicks or costumed leaders. It is a walk around parts of York with a stories of some of the more lurid parts of the history. The leader of our walk is also a consultant to that ghost program (on the travel channel in the US) and he knew his stuff. Back to York Minster for some night shots of the exterior and then to our B&B to pack a bit for leaving York the next morning on a late morning train to Edinburgh after turning in our car, Europcar being right next to the train station.

Next - 14 Hart
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Old Jun 5th, 2010, 09:55 AM
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Enjoying this so much. Fat rascal indeed!

One of the Reader's Digest How To books has a section on making bobbin lace. I did the sampler with clothes pin and nearly went berserk doing the project. It took 30 or so (if I remember correctly) to do the sampler.
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Old Jun 5th, 2010, 05:58 PM
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oh how your report brought back memories of York Minster and the number of photos I took- of the exterior with hyacinths growing in bed in full sun(!), the view from the top (after I'd recovered from my panic attack on the ascent), the intricate stonework, chapter house dome and many, many pictures of the tiles - I may have photographed every tile. The menorial to the women of the Empire made me tear up. There were Easter displays when I was there. The crypt tour was really interesting - recommended.

The sun shone every day I was in Yorkshire, in contrast to most of my trip, and everything was wonderful.I'm sure the weather colours your perceptions. But I just loved the tea - at Betty's, at the B&B, at Castle Howard - everywhere. Fortunately, I can buy Taylor and Harrogate's Yorkshire Tea at quite a few places near home so that's become one of my travel-related treats for myself.

I'm looking forward to your Edinburgh instalment as well as to my next trip to the UK> Whichever parts I end up visiting, I'll be sure to include Yorkshire - so much still to see.
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Old Jun 6th, 2010, 07:03 AM
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TD - I am glad you are enjoying the TR - coming from you, that means a lot (BTW, we've been out you way a few times this month - do you have any exhibitions at present?

eigasuki - thanks for the kind words. We had good weather for almost all of our trip - meaning no rain. Some cool days are expected.
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Old Jun 6th, 2010, 07:11 AM
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Quiet Waters Park (Annapolis) and River Gallery (Galesville) at the moment, thanks for asking!

Maybe we should try an Annapolis GTG one of these days. After you finish your TR of course!
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Old Jun 6th, 2010, 08:14 AM
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We're up for an Annapolis GTG anytime. Its a great location. Maybe we can do it on one of the tour boats - sort of a GTG cruise.
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Old Jun 6th, 2010, 01:18 PM
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That would be wonderful.
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Old Jun 10th, 2010, 05:46 PM
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moving on....

If you take the train from York to Edinburgh, try to get a seat on the right side as you face the forward direction. You will be rewarded with views of the coast as you move north. The train itself was comfortable and quick - if only coach class in airplanes were as comfortable.

Arriving in Edinburgh, we wheeled our luggage over to the taxi stand and after a short ride, we were at our B&B, 14 Hart Street. The address is the name. The taxi driver wasn't sure that he brought us to the right place, since there is no outward indication that it is a B&B. Following is our review of 14 Hart copied as usual from our other thread.

14 Hart Street – Another gem. I have paid 5 quid to visit homes that did not match up to 14 Hart. This B&B is elegant, and artistically decorated with lovely antiques, beautiful prints on the walls, and fine plasterwork. Everything about 14 Hart reflects a refined taste. Sleeping rooms are semi below ground level. Ours was bright and had character with a fireplace, an antique marquetry fireplace screen and a very pleasant view of the garden. In contrast to the traditional decor of the sleeping room, the bathroom was large and very modern with a tower shower that I wish I had at home. The bed was comfortable with quality linens. Towels were of the best quality. Our room greeted us with a decanter of scotch and bottles of both red and white wine, an assortment of biscuits, as well as a welcoming note from the hosts - a different touch that was appreciated. Our hosts were still at school teaching and they arranged for a gentleman to get us settled - he asked if we would care for and early afternoon cuppa and brought fresh milk. It was altogether a brilliant place to spend four nights.

14 Hart is in a New Town residential neighborhood chock full of restaurants and pubs. We particularly enjoyed the food at the nearby Urban Angel. It is an easy walk to both the Waverly train station and an even shorter walk to the bus station. Princes Street was a pleasant ten minute walk, and the Royal mile about another 5-10 minutes past that.

Breakfast was tasty and plentiful. The porridge was particularly good as was the fresh fruit salad - different each day.

Hotels and B&Bs in Edinburgh tend to be expensive, thus the 80 pounds per night we paid was quite a bargain, particularly since it was a place that we so much enjoyed coming "home" to.

As in any B&B, it is the hosts that define the experience. James and Angela were the perfect hosts and we much enjoyed most interesting evening conversations with them. James is a teacher of Tudor History, while Angela teaches Greek and Latin. Nothing was too much trouble.

A couple of cuppas and an early afternoon nip of the scotch for me and it was explore Edinburgh time. If you have yet to visit Edinburgh make plans to do so-the city has an ambiance that is enthralling. We went first to the TI building on Princes Street, passing St. Andrews park on the way, and making note of interesting pubs and restaurants as we walked. I also made mental note of a shop selling stringed instruments and another down the street called "The Wind Section" selling brass and woodwinds. The latter was a place that I knew I wouldn't be able to resist visiting for long.

Although Edinburgh is a very walkable city, we decided to do the hop-on-off bus circuit to get a feel of the city lay-,out. The live narration was a welcome change from audio guides and our guide had the usual tid-bits and stories. We started with the entire circuit, about an hour and I made note of the location of Sandy Bell's, a pub that features local folk music in the evenings.

If you like shops selling woolens, mostly of souvenir quality, but some higher end, you will love High Street, the main drag of the Royal mile. One of DW's intents for Edinburgh was to hit those shops for easy to pack items to bring back for relatives and friends, and by god, we went to it- we probably hit them all that afternoon, comparing goods (much the same with some exceptions) and prices -ditto. Along the way, we walked up to the castle but saved going in for the next day.

Having skipped lunch - we stuck it out until the shops closed around 5:30- we were famished and set off in search of David Bann's, a vegetarian restaurant that we heard much about, but did not find it. We did however stumble upon the Creel Restaurant, they had tables, we like fish, so we went in. The Creel is located just off of High Street, next to the Ibis Hotel. What a treat it was. For starters, I had an assortment of different types of salmon - they smoke it themselves. DW started with a cream of Celeriac soup that she believes also had some leek flavor. She was in heaven, saying it was by far the best soup of any type she had ever tasted - she gave up a spoonful to me so I could try it and truly, it was gooood. The entree for both of us was broiled fish, I believe haddock. The next few hours were spent in wandering, then taking the long way back to the B&B where I couldn't wait to try the shower, and, it was bliss.

Next- bewitched by the Witchery.
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Old Jun 13th, 2010, 08:22 AM
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We woke up to our Edinburgh Castle Day. Using our still good hop-on-off tickets we took a ride up there. It was interesting that the live guide's talk was very much different than the first, so it made for and interesting trip. The hop-on-off drops one off right on High Street. Walking up to the Castle, we passed the Witchery restaurant, a place we had heard much about. The menu looked interesting but the dinner prices were quite steep. However, we saw that they had and prix fixe luncheon menu at 13 pounds that looked good so we made luncheon reservations for 2 PM, the only available time left, but that fit our schedule just right. When we made the reservations, we were told that we would have the table for 2 hours. I have never had a time limit put on a restaurant meal before, but of course that was more than ample time and we thought quite generous considering the demand for reservations at the place, since we had one of the last reservations available. Reservations made, it was up to the castle and a quick entry with our heritage pass. A tour was just being formed, so we joined it - it lasted for about an hour and a half and had about 15 people. Again, as most such tours it was both entertaining and informative. Since the tour hit just the high points, we went back and picked up audio guides and spent a few more hours exploring. It was pretty blustery up there but it was easy to see why visiting this castle is so popular. Much is restored and we recommend allowing enough time to actually stop and read the exhibit explanations rather than just file past like we saw so many others doing. BTW, the views from the castle are marvelous.

Leaving the castle, we had just a very short walk for our Witchery reservations. The service in this restaurant is extraordinary, beyond the usual keeping glasses full. For example when DW went to the lady's room, the server came over and re-folded her napkin. DW had a duck egg starter and we both ordered the fish pie for our entree. I saw that the menu listed haggis as a starter, but it was not on the set luncheon menu. I asked our server if I could substitute the haggis as a starter, and they were glad to do it, so I was to experience my first haggis. As a starter, it was not a large portion, perhaps 50% larger than the duck egg. I did enjoy it, but if it was served in the US, I would have it as only an occasional thing. It reminded me of two dishes that my grandmother used to make. One was called "helzel" the neck skin of a fowl stuffed with grains, fat, herbs and spices. The other, chopped liver. Mix them together and it would taste much like haggis, at least the one served at the Witchery. The fish pie, though a smaller portion than the one we enjoyed at the Rosetree in Bourton-on-the-Water, was still very ample and filling. Compared to the Rosetree fish pie, it was a mixture that had smoked fish as well, and was delicious. Between the two, we both preferred the one at the Witchery.

Having used our full two hours soaking up the ambiance of the restaurant, we were left with about an hour and a half before shops closed and DW continued on her quest for the perfect souvenirs for the folks back home. As you see, shopping is another theme for our trip.

Our plan for the evening was to have dinner at David Bann's and then spend a few hours at the Sandy Bell pub to enjoy the music. This time with better directions, we had no trouble finding David Bann's a vegetarian restaurant stopping in to make dinner reservations - we were told reservations would be necessary. Simply said, David Bann's is everything a vegetarian/vegan restaurant should be. The decor is modern and the food is fabulous. This is not the usual tofu place, but a restaurant that serves delicious, creative, fusion, vegetarian dishes that anyone, even if not vegetarian would enjoy. The place was packed. It is what an upscale vegetarian restaurant should be (although the dinner prices were not upscale at all) and its popularity shows that there is a demand for such restaurants. I wish that there was a place like David Bann's near our home.

Sandy Bell's was a bit of a walk from David Bann's and was much smaller than we expected. Finding a table, we were soon joined by two personable young fellows on holiday from Norway, and the musicians began arriving. This is not like a stage show, but informal jam sessions of folk music as the musicians join together. The music, ambiance, company, and drink made for a fine cap for the day. When in Edinburgh, seek it out. The Musicians usually arrive after 9 PM a few hours earlier on weekends.

Next - some serious culture.
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Old Jun 13th, 2010, 08:54 AM
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Saving this all for future ref, bstoke. Especially valuable B&B reviews.
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Old Jun 13th, 2010, 12:26 PM
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Glad you find them useful stokeb. I will soon post photos that will include the Woodstock and 14 Hart B&Bs.
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Old Jun 13th, 2010, 01:30 PM
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What a lovely report! Re driving on 'the other side'. My constant refrain as the passenger was 'too close, too close!!'. Our really frightening experience in country France was when my hb was reversing out of a driveway and mistakenly looked in the wrong direction for oncoming traffic. Thinking the road was clear he backed out and very nearly collected a car. All parties in both cars got an awful fright!

We were also helped by some friendly Brits. Not with luggage, but when we were a bit muddled trying to find our hotel on arrival in London one evening. We were clearly tourists (dragging luggage behind us) and a couple of young men kindly stopped and got us sorted out.

Your report is wonderful and has provided a great early morning read.
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Old Jun 13th, 2010, 05:47 PM
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Agree with cathies about your report and remembering how right-sided we are .
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Old Jun 14th, 2010, 08:13 AM
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Hi.
I am going for a trip with my fiance to europe and really confused about which restaurant to choose from
so while searching i came through this website http://covent-garden.fluidrestaurantguide.co.uk/, Is this website is really good as it sounds on web?
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Old Jun 14th, 2010, 08:49 AM
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morkel, I wish that I could be of help, but the only Covent Garden restaurant we ate in is the one mentioned in my report, and it is not on the list so I am unable to compare our impresson with a listing. This website does seem to be one where the included restaurants self nominate. Perhaps you would find restaurant reviews in the Zagat London edition useful. Covent Garden Garden is loaded with restaurants, only a very few are in the fluid guide.

Try to post your question on the Europe forum for responses from those more knowledgable than myself.
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Old Jun 14th, 2010, 10:00 AM
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We are staying at 14 Hart Street in Edinburgh in September. Thanks for all the other good suggestions that we are looking forward to doing.
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