zooey91

I had meant to write a trip report when we returned from our wonderful trip last fall, but realized I should have just written it as we went along 'cause it fell by the wayside.

But today I was sending a friend restaurant recommendations for her trip next week, and realized that I really owe y'all at least a few tidbits. So here is a highlights-type report on our trip (November 2nd through 15th).

We started and ended our trip in London. Flew nonstop from San Francisco, took the train to Glasgow, train back from Edinburgh. 3 nights London, 1 night Glasgow, 4 nights Edinburgh, 2 nights London. 1 of our Edinburgh days was spent on a day trip to the Trossachs.

London.

Stayed at the Millennium Mayfair hotel (both ends of the trip), which I had booked the year before through Priceline. I wanted to return, be in a comfort zone, so to speak, so we booked through their own website this time (rate wasn�t too bad, but not as low as Priceline). Although I�m not really a �Mayfair type of guy,� I really like staying in that neighborhood. Great architecture, close to everything, and some good restaurants. The hotel is fine to nice, depending on the room you get. We asked to change rooms because our very nice room had little heat, but didn�t like the other room so opted for a portable heater instead.

Now some of you more astute readers may have connected the dots here. We checked in on 11/3. On 11/1, it seems, Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with Polonium-210 in the bar at the Millennium. Despite the fact that polonium has a half life of a couple of hundred thousand years, when it discovered this the hotel only saw fit to contact guests who were there on the 1st or 2nd.

But I digress.

London highlights:
The National Gallery. I return every trip, and am never disappointed. I think of the free admission when paying $3,000 for a cup of coffee, which takes the sting away.
Hyde Park. London was sunny most of the days we were there. In November. Really. Love walking in parks in any city we visit, and this is one of the great parks.
The Portrait restaurant (top of the National Portrait Gallery). Wonderful views, and a relaxed place for lunch or a drink. But make reservations!
Chor Bizarre Restaurant. London has several great Indian restaurants, but we stumbled into this one on the recommendation of the hotel and really loved the food and the atmosphere. Not a hole in the wall, by any stretch, though.
Bruuuuuuce. We happened to be in London when he Bruce Springsteen was playing at Wembley Arena, so I stayed up �till 1:00am the day tickets went on sale and bought a couple. Funny, �cause I skipped the show he did in the Bay Area, but really enjoyed seeing him with the London audience. The crowd will sing football style before the singer starts in on the song.
Walking.
Architecture. Some very beautiful buildings in this city.

zooey91

Glasgow:
We only had one night, but weren’t going to go at all. We really loved it here. Few Americans, lots of younger people, great architecture, good food.

Glasgow highlights:

Paperino’s, the one across from the Art School. Really excellent lasagna, relaxed atmosphere, local families.
Kelvingrove museum. Beautiful building in a very nice park. A strange mix of art and history and natural history, but some very nice works. Some really wonderful Scottish artists I hadn’t heard of, many who reminded me of Hudson River School painters.

Edinburgh.

We really enjoyed our stay here. Yes, it rained, and yes, there were some Rebus moments (sideways blowing bone-chilling wind), but the weather generally was very nice. We stayed at Parliament House, and thought it was perfect for what we were looking for (good location, nice lobby, free wireless, comfortable bed). I had been to Edinburgh 30 years ago, 19 years old and wide eyed, and in the midst of the festival. It was great to be back, and I thought it was especially nice to be there without the festival.

Edinburgh highlights:
Always Sunday. A great café on the Royal Mile. We went back several times (once for breakfast, once lunch, a couple times for dinner). Seemed like a favorite with the local workforce.
Haldane’s Restaurant. A friend had recommended. Very nice basement restaurant. Excellent food, nice atmosphere, my first introduction to cask strength whisky (a very nice 17 year old Highland Park).
The Museum of Scotland. A great mix of historical exhibits, with some great sculptures incorporated into the museum.
The Tower Restaurant. On top of the Museum, similar to the Portrait in London, very nice views, excellent food, and very elegant.
Ristorante La Partenope. Neighborhoody and popular Italian restaurant. Very good.
Walking the streets and the alleys (“Close”).
Mary Gauthier. One of my favorite folk singers, who I’ve never seen perform, happened to be playing in Edinburgh our first night. The venue was an old cavernous room, quite small. Special night.
Cadenhead. After discovering private bottlers and cask strength whisky, I was thrilled to stumble into the store for one of the oldest (and most reputable) private bottlers. Took home a bottle, wished I took two (or three).

Trossachs.

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law live near Stirling, so we took the train up and they took us for a daytrip around the Balquhidder Glen area of the Trossachs. Wonderful area, and I was glad not to be driving on the two-way roads only wide enough for one car (been there, done that, in Ireland and Italy). I’d seen pictures of Highland Cows, but they just didn’t seem real until we saw several grazing near one of our stops. This trip was too short for us to do much exploring, so we were grateful that it didn’t rain, and it was such a treat to be able to see such beautiful countryside. We’ll definitely need to return, preferably when the daylight lasts longer. Hard to pick out one or two highlights, but I will mention that we had an excellent lunch at Monachyle Mhor (an Inn near Loch Voil, just past several Highland Cow pastures).

zooey91

Oh yeah, forgot to mention the University in Glasgow. We went to see the Macintosh House, but had a great time wandering around amongst the students. Made me want to recommend any college-age relations to go there for a year or more.

So that's about all I can sum up while procrastinating here at work. Sorry to wait 9 months!

LCBoniti

Thanks for posting this. I don't have time to read it right now but looking forward to it later this evening.

zooey91

Correction (oops, I shouldn't have written this at work!).

Always Sunday. A great café on the Royal Mile. We went back several times (once for breakfast, once lunch, a couple times for TEA and COFFEE).

(I don't think they serve dinner; sorry about that)

sheila

Nice wee report. I do love it when vistors get off the beaten track.

zooey91

We're thrilled we were able to explore off the track for a day; when we planned the trip, it seemed like we'd be spreading ourselves too thin, but it all worked out perfectly.

Thanks Sheila for all your advice.

SFOLHR

Not too late. Nice highlights of what sounds like a great trip.

Just curious: What did you pick up at Cadenhead's shop?

zooey91

I'm partial to Highland Park, so I got a bottle of Cadenhead's bottling of Highland Park 18 year old cask strength (sherry cask). Really nice.

For those who like whisky but aren't familiar, the Cadenhead shop carries bottlings from most (all?) distilaries, ususally from particular casks that they have picked out as among the best. They even gave me a taste, which I understand the London shop won't do.

But if I go on any further I'll be accused of working for them. Not the case; I'm just a newly christened affectionado (still love Irish, though, but now I understand the joys of Scotch malt).