FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle
June 8, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle
- Feis Ile = The Islay Festival of Music and Malt…
…and our whole reason…
…for coming to the UK!
- Today is Bunnahabhain Distillery Festival Day
My Wee Little Drams
- 11 am – Manager & Senior Blenders Dram Tasting
- 4 pm – Wee little nap time
7:30 pm – Global Whisky Auctions...
…Tasting of 7…
…“Old, Rare and interesting Islay Drams”…
…some still available…
…some gone but not forgotten…
…and some that might be very unique indeed.
FUN-fact – Whisky tasting is a whole lot like wine tasting…
…swirl, smell, sip, swallow.
- And how does it taste? …soft & subtle…or strong?… smoky, spicy, salty, sweet?
More FF – My favorites today are the ones…
…finished in the sherry & red wine casks…
…takes the edge off and more smooth.
FUN-travel: Scotland – Glasgow to Isle of Skye to Edinburgh
October 6, 2011 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Scotland – Glasgow to Isle of Skye to Edinburgh
Day 18 – Saturday, October 1 – Glasgow to Isle of Skye – rain but still not cold, low 60’s – Depart 10 am
Eilean Donan Castle
Hertz pickup – hoping for smaller car – booked mid size automatic & get VW station wagon (better than the Renault) – take off w/pouring rain
- 1st stop – Bonnie Braes – bad coffee & scone (half way up Loch Lomand – no other options)
- 2nd stop – Fort Williams – good cappuccino & grocery store for snacks & drinks
- 3rd stop – Eilean Donan Castle – just too sweet! & Scotland’s most photogenic countryside castle
- Rain has persisted much of the day w/low thick clouds & fog swallowing the mountain tops
- 4th stop – town of Portree, Isle of Skye 5:45 pm – Almondbank Guest House – 72 lbs – Effie the owner suggests the Rosedale Hotel restaurant for dinner – drive 1.5 miles to cute harbor town of colorful store fronts & boats
- FUN-food – dozen Loch Harport oysters w/tomato chili salsa, grilled goats cheese w/sun blushed tomato & rocket salad, steamed Arasaig mussels in white wine, garlic, parsley, cream – these could be the best we’ve had so far!
Portree Harbor
Day 19 – Sunday, October 2 – Isle of Skye to Edinburgh – clouds w/blue sky in west – sprinkles but still not cold, low 60’s – Depart 9:30 am
- Actually got up early enough to experience exquisite dawn over the mountains and harbor!
Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness
- Depart 9:30 for narrow, twisty (more single lane roads) of Trotternish Peninsula – stark vistas of jagged rock formation
- 1st stop – 11:30 – latte/cappuccino stop in Broadford
- 2nd stop – 1:00 Loch Ness Urquhart Castle – too cheap to actually pay to go in so take photos from road
- 3rd stop – 2:00 Inverness for snack & gas – horror strikes when on way back to car realize you have to pay to park at the grocery store! no ticket thank god!
- Arrive Edinburgh 5:45 (takes 1 hr to find Dalmahoy Country Club) using the last of Marriott points – 5 days, 100,000 pts and free!
- FUN-food – pretty much captive here but Club House food is decent – salad of rocket, crumbled goat cheese, apples, toasted macadamia nuts – Murgh Makhani – butter chicken w/nan bread, chutney & rice (big Indian population here too)
Rare Blue Butt Sheep
Myth – you always get accurate directions on Google maps (or any internet provider)
FUN-damental truth – NO! & the reason is many old estates & castles have no real address & you’re better off getting directions directly from them
FUN-travel: Scotland – Glasgow – 3 days
October 5, 2011 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Scotland – Glasgow – 3 days
Day 15 – Wednesday, September 28 – Dublin, Ireland to Glasgow, Scotland – blue skies & full on sunshine – 60’s -unseasonably warm!
Sunny Loch Lomand
- Arrive 5:20 – take taxi to Acorn Hotel – very cute boutique hotel on edge of city center
- Suppose to be king bed & told they only have singles & doubles – could have sworn I paid more for that
- FUN-food – Charlie @ front desk suggests The Sisters (traditional Scottish) – Islay Island Scallops w/black pudding, side salad of various greens, onions, tomatoes, 10 hr slow roasted Scottish beef on mashed potatoes & cream sauce – VG
Day 16 -Thursday, September 29 – Glasgow – partly blue skies – still unseasonably warm! low 60’s
- Check reservation on laptop & shows Executive King Room – head to front desk & Charlie didn’t realize the Exec room had a bigger bed
- Take nice walk to city center (30 minutes)
- 1st stop – cobbler to see if shoes that died can be fixed – NOT!
- 2nd stop – BUY UK ROAD ATLAS! w/detailed maps
3rd stop – TI (Tourist Information) – Plan for tomorrow – oh what to do! – take train to Loch Lomand? go malt whiskey tasting?
4th stop – Starbucks Cappuccino
5thstop – hotel to change to big room we paid for – SWEET & much nicer – bigger bed & bathroom
Auchentoshan Distillery
FUN-lunch – Budda Restaurant – see nachos on menu – feel a hankering for ” home food” – hot & spicy w/jalapenos, meat chili, & sour cream – not bad
take nap
FUN-food – Mother’s India – (Glasgow has a huge Indian population & comfort food for us on the road) when asked about Indian food Charlie suggested – order 3 sides – yellow lentils w/chili’s, baked cauliflower & potato w/spices, & sautéed spinach & mustard greens – one entree of lamb in red curry w/rice & garlic nan bread – OMG we have enough food to feed a family of 5! & the least expensive meal we’ve had – everything VG!
Day 17 -Friday, September 30 – Glasgow – partly blue skies /scattered sprinkles – still unseasonably warm! YEAH
Depart 10:30 for train station – 50 minute train ride
1st stop – Balloch & Loch Lomand – nice stroll along lake – have picnic of leftovers from last night – continue walk to Balloch Castle & Gardens – back to train
FUN Fudge
2nd stop – Dalmuir for Auchentoshan Distillery – only triple distilled single malt Scotch – directions read “15 minute walk” takes an hour (should have gotten off at Kilpatrick but doesn’t say that because more trains go to Dalmuir) go figure! – make the last tour 4:00 & get sample – we like Jameson better – take cab to train station
3rd stop – McPhabb’s pub – try Scottish lager
FUN-food – pouring rain, no umbrella – so lunch leftovers, peanuts, chips & some wine of course in our room