Saturday, January 19, 2008

Tell Me Where To Go!

In August, Downtown Dad and I, along with two other couples will be travelling to Edinburgh, Scotland. Yes, our kids are in the production of High School Musical which they have been invited to perform at the Fringe Festival there, but - since there are like 80 chaperones going, and we parents have heard more than once "you're not going to STAY with us, are you?" in a horrified tone from our young actors - the six of us have decided that we will take our long overdue European Holiday like the old hippies-at-heart that we all are.... uh, were.

To that end - we are rejecting the group travel package that is offered to us with airfare and lodgings at the Edinburgh Holiday Inn Express, opting rather, to use our horded frequent flier miles and to stay somewhere more akin to our collective mental image of what the English countryside is like...



Stone cottage bed and breakfasts...



castles...



Inns with funny names...

...you get the picture. We'll rent a car and try to drive on the left hand side of the road, we'll hike the rocky heaths, we'll walk through the heathered hillside, we'll window shop along cobblestone streets, we'll rest our weary old bones next to the fire and drink too much Guiness....

But how to find these culturally rich, but off the beaten path places? Aha! That's where you come in, my invisible friends!

It is no coincidence that you happened to visit my blog! You know someone who lives in Scotland or England, or live, have lived or visited there yourself! You know some amazing things to see and do there AND for some strange reason, you are compelled to pass that information along to me! C'mon, it'll be fun! All you have to do is leave a comment here with your suggestion, a referral to someone you know, or recommendation of a place to visit or a place to stay. If, and here's the catch, IF I get enough response, I'm going to create a "Tell Me Where To Go" sidebar list and I'll link to your site. Then, in August, I'm going to do a daily travelog of the adventures of six aging boomers in Brittain, where I'll mention and link to you again, with pictures, if we visit or see your suggestion. Sound like fun? Of course it does!

On this trip, we hope to make an obligatory showing for at least one of the kids' performances in Edinburgh, but then I have three must-see points of interest.



1. Auchtermuchty

2. The Globe Theater

and Stratford Upon Avon


3. Stonehenge


Google Earth has kindly helped me visualize where things are in respect to where we want to go. According to GE's driving directions, there is a freeway, or highway called M6 which goes from Edinburgh through London, and it appears that all along the way, there are inns and hotels, and all sorts of assorted lodging opportunities. We are up for staying at, or at least drinking at any one or all of the places we get recommendations from you on! So come on now, you've got opinions, I know that much for sure! Tell me where to go!

7 comments:

Aoj and The Lurchers said...

This does make me giggle!! You see, most of us Brits that live at one end of the UK balk at travelling however many hunmdreds of miles it is to Scotland...and you guys don't even give it a second thought....I guess that's what comes of living in a very big country!

If you are coming to London then you must yell at me and I will do my very best to make sure I'm around to show you the sights...heck, I haven't seen half of them myself yet!

I will give some thought to places I know where you can stay and get a list together for you!

Hootin Anni said...

I have an Blog Excellence Award for you today!! Drop by and pick it up if you wish---
It's on the Sunday blog date - you may have to scroll down to find it.

Hugs

Angie said...

I'm so envious! What a great opportunity for your kids and what a great vacation for you.

I can't give any recommendations, I've been to England, but don't know enough to give suggestions. Everything I saw was awesome, so I don't think you can go wrong.

Ireland and Scotland are two places I will go before I die, maybe shortly before b/c I won't be able to afford it until then!

Liz Hinds said...

Aw, come to Wales! It's very beautiful. Google for Gower and Three Cliffs Beach - regularly in lists for the world's most gorgeous-est beaches. We went to Stratford and the Lake District last year; I probably have some photos on my blog. You have to go and see the RSC in something, anything, in Stratford.

I was going to say Devon or Cornwall but they're down the other end of the country. I'll think some more.

Robinella said...

I'm so jealous!!! I'll have to come back after all your comments are in place and jot down all the advice. One day...

Nora said...

You must, must, stop and see the Durham cathedral on your way from E to L. It will make you want to write a novel.

Stacey said...

Although I'm from Melbourne, I lived in the north of England for a few years.
My abbreviated list of places to see (all of these are in Yorkshire) would include:
- York (a must, must, must see).
- There's a pub called the Red Lion on the North Yorkshire Moors. Its in the middle of the most gorgeous countryside and well worth the drive.
- Whitby in North Yorkshire is also gorgeous. So historic and beautiful.
Edinburgh is a great place. The castle is well worth a look as Rose Street for all its pubs.
I'm very jealous - have a lovely time!