Scotland Vacation June 2007

**starbkjrus** · 26th July 07, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

And we're back. That pretty much concludes the foray into Southern Scotland. The one impressive day not documented here was the day we went to Sweetheart Abby. The Abbey, the village of New Abbey and then on to Southerness Point were wonderful but alas I didn't charge the camera batteries the night before so there is no record of it.

Next is the final night at Fernitosh.......
Pics to follow:

erp....Photobucket seems to be down.....I guess the new pics will come tomorrow...

...and it's up......

the last night we were in Dumfries Robertson (P1M) and Emma (Mrs. P1M) surprised us by saying the wanted to throw us a BBQ. I can only assume it's because as we've been staying there for a week that they are celebrating getting rid of us.

I talked them out of throwing the BBQ and got them to instead use the BBQ to cook on....

Here is a pic of P1M looking not so much like a cook but more like he'd rather have run down to the border and thrown the BBQ at someone....

After a few pints and drams he warmed up to the occasion and really got into it all...

Here he is in the kitchen doing prep work...

Emma outside prepping the NEW AND IMPROVED patio @ Ferintosh...

Please note: The NEW AND IMPROVED patio at Ferintosh is part of the private apartments of said owners. It's lovely and we felt very privledged to be invited for dinner.

Robertson getting busier at the BBQ. It seems that by this point he had abandoned reiving for the evening...

Here he is even more into the BBQ thing with one of the dugs verifying that he's paying attention....

Or perhaps the dug needs someone to make sure HE's paying attention.

Pause to save so I don't lose this.....

**starbkjrus** · 26th July 07, 03:52 PM

...and we continue....

Here are three after dinner shots of the merry revelers:

A very good night was had by all.

...and good heavens I need a haircut...

**starbkjrus** · 26th July 07, 04:05 PM

As an aside here...I have been asked a couple of times if Ferintosh is really that good. A real question...as Ferintosh has been hyped here so much.

I can honestly say that I have stayed in B&B's on three continents and for the overall experience Ferintosh is the best that I have stayed in. I said it way earlier in this thread but Robertson and Emma are innkeepers EXTRAORDINAIRE. This is a Guest House I would recommend to anyone. Gee, I'm picky and I've stayed there twice this year and already have a reservation for January.

Alas...we're leaving Dumfries:

Ron at the station:

Here we're looking down the tracks for the next train which was the first leg on our journey from Dumfries to Edinburgh:

Thats it for now...dinner is up and I'm hungry...

Next Up: Edinburgh!!

**Une** · 26th July 07, 04:07 PM

Dee what can l say thanks very much for sharing your hoilday with us there are some brilliant photos there, l loved the ones of the gardens beautiful oh heck they are all good.

Tell us did that man get a hair cut?

to soon can't wait for the rest.

**starbkjrus** · 26th July 07, 06:59 PM

Well, I did get a haircut after we got home...other than that...

We Present Edinburgh....

(and unfortunatly not some of the best parts.....)

We got to Edinburgh in the afternoon and checked into our hotel and just did the rest-up thing. Next morning we wandered around a bit (we were staying just off Princes Street at Calton Hill) and decided to take a tour bus around the town just to get our bearings. Once done we got back on the tour bus and took it until it took us to the top of the Royal Mile (nearly) and got off. We had decided to walk the rest of the distance up to the castle and see what we could.

That was all well and good...except....

We got to the top of the Royal Mile and were sucked into the Vortex of oblivion that is:

Once we were sucked in there was no going back...

Another pic:

Once we got inside we were completely mesmerized by the sheer scale of the place....

That was just ONE view of the whole of the store. Lordy, I'm still not sure how we made it out alive. We certainly didn't make it out unscathed.

I think before we made it out the door (no kilt was involved) we spent somewhere around 300 Pounds Sterling. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

**starbkjrus** · 26th July 07, 07:03 PM

After that we had a calm lunch on the roof of the building. Only bought a Tattoo Video from 2006. Hmmmm. Sandwich, soup, salad and video.

I think I'm still under the influence of Geoffrey (Tailor). Hmmm. Is Howie back from is Honeymoon yet?!?

**Hamish** · 27th July 07, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

After that we had a calm lunch on the roof of the building. Only bought a Tattoo Video from 2006. Hmmmm. Sandwich, soup, salad and video.

I think I'm still under the influence of Geoffrey (Tailor). Hmmm. Is Howie back from is Honeymoon yet?!?

And those few items cost you 300 pounds sterling, Dee? Not in a month of Sundays surely?! Not even at Geoffrey's!

No (or yes). Howie is 'in harness' and I am meeting with him in London on Saturday (wow, that's today!) They did not take a honeymoon and it was straight back to work for him after the wedding. As far as I know, they will be taking a holiday later in the year.

You did realise, I hope, that the building you pictured here, The Edinburgh Old Town Weaving Mill exhibition and shop, whilst fascinating, is a lesser part of their business? It is, of course, a working weaving mill where hundreds of tartans and 'own label' tweeds are woven by the Geoffrey (Tailor) and TFCK companies, but their main 'serious' shop is way down the Royal Mile at 57/59 High Street, right next to John Knox's house. The Castlehill building also houses the Spirit of the Tattoo Visitor Centre - the café being part of that.

Anyway, it seems you got the Edinburgh leg of your holiday off to a good start. No doubt the Edinburgh Castle esplanade was a mass of scaffolding and tiered seating in readiness for the world-famous Tattoo which starts on 3rd August. It takes months to errect and totally spoils the famous view of the castle, which is such a pity - but the Tattoo is worth the disruption (althoiugh I have yet to see it live myself!).

Super photos, by the way.

**starbkjrus** · 28th July 07, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by Hamish

And those few items cost you 300 pounds sterling, Dee? Not in a month of Sundays surely?! Not even at Geoffrey's!

You did realise, I hope, that the building you pictured here, The Edinburgh Old Town Weaving Mill exhibition and shop, whilst fascinating, is a lesser part of their business?

It takes months to errect and totally spoils the famous view of the castle, which is such a pity - but the Tattoo is worth the disruption (althoiugh I have yet to see it live myself!).

Super photos, by the way.

I dunno Hamish. That soup was pretty pricey.

Yes, we went to Geoffrey's further down as well as Hector Russell on Princes' street but this one had more "splash" effect I thought.

You don't know how relieved I am to hear that the scaffolding is not a permanent fixture - It's really awful. But you're right, the tattoo is worth it.