Traveling Betty Style, Part IV: Edinburgh

One of the most ingenious (and honestly, coincidental) things we did while planning out our honeymoon trip was scheduling our last three-day stint to fall with Edinburgh, Scotland. After 10 days in small fishing villages and remote little towns in the mountainsides, returning to a big city was a breath of fresh air. We are city people, after all, and it was high time that we headed back to the world of endless restaurants, name brand shopping, public transportation and big city blocks.

Edinburgh was simply gorgeous. We particularly loved how the town was built in layers - there are full city streets that pass over other, older, full city streets, with passageways and old, hilly roads connecting them all. It's a winding, historical place!

Loved all of the passageways off the Royal Mile!

Since we were hitting it in the early springtime in Scotland, the weather was a little hit or miss. And by hit or miss, I mean, we saw all four seasons in a single day. One of the mornings was warm and sunny, but by lunchtime, storm clouds moved in, the temperatures quickly dropped, and rain and then HAIL (yes, hail) hit. It was crazy! So, for the most part, we stuck with our winter squall coats throughout.

While the weather may have prevented us from walking up to King Arthur's Seat (my brother said this is a must-see!), we braved the misty rain for a tour of the castle. I can't recommend this more! It is very worth the $15-20 admission. The history, artifacts (the crown jewels are here) and the views from the highest point in town will just wrap you in.

We happened to arrive just before this went off that day. Oh my goodness, I aged five years right on the spot. It was so loud!

The actual One O'Clock Gun.

From the restaurant scene, we loved two of the places we stopped by. After way too many days of pub food, we were jonesing for something "worldly" like Thai food really badly -- so we did a little Yelping at the local Internet cafe and found an amazing Thai restaurant just around the corner from the castle. It was amazing! We loved Thai Orchard, but, warning: their scale of how spicy the dishes are is NO. JOKE. Don't do like we did and go into spicier ranges. We honestly had trouble eating our (amazingly delicious) dishes in between having to take huge gulps of water. Oops :)

The second was a bar near our B&B (a cute, urban townhouse), the Salisbury Arms. They had Aspall on tap, a.k.a. the most amazing. cider. ever. Imagine sipping a huge glass of something that tastes like champagne, but goes down like cider. That was Aspall. Love it! It was my favorite pint of choice of the entire trip. This place also had tasty appetizers that were perfect for cocktail hour.

I was feeling a little depressed about my wardrobe by the time we got into town. Two weeks of turtlenecks, scarves and boots starts to wear on a gal, I guess, especially since we had just entered warm weather world back in Atlanta. I needed something flowy and girly to pair with my leggings! So, of course, I continued my tradition of global H&M shopping. The next time you travel, take a break in your day to stop by the local H&M. Every store is really different, so it never fails to impress. Two dresses and a pair of espadrilles later, and my girlishness was restored!

All in all, our two weeks in Ireland and Scotland were really quite magical. We returned refreshed, renewed and happy. Our combination of tourist meets local in each town along with all of our walks, hikes and car rides allowed us a lot of time for US -- an important aspect for a honeymoon or any special trip with your significant other! We wouldn't change a thing about it, and are so happy and lucky that we could make it all happen.

I hope that you have found this mini-series helpful! I know that since this is a blog centered around lifestyle in Atlanta, a series about international travel might not be exactly what you were expecting. But even the most diehard Atlantan needs a vacation here and there, after all. I hope my recommendations provide helpful insight if you ever venture to that part of the world. Safe travels! 

Traveling Betty Style: Part III, Scottish Highlands

All too soon, our honeymoon time in Ireland came to a close back in April. I know that we will go back again someday, because something just clicked with us there. It was peaceful, fun, and ... homey. I'd love to spend even more relaxing time in the southern region, adding on Dublin or Belfast as a city-leg.

Thankfully for us, we didn't have to go home just yet. We were headed off for week two - this time, in Scotland! 

Both Ireland and Scotland were new-to-us places to visit, and Scotland, even more so, because we had few family or friends that had been there. We did know, however, that there were two things on our must-do list. Whiskey and haggis. Ha!

So off we went. For three nights, we stayed in a tiny B&B in the Scottish Highlands, north of Edinburgh. We chose a tiny area called Aberdeenshire as home base; close to the Whiskey Trail, and smack in the middle of a big mountain range. I really should just say we stayed in the middle. of. nowhere, as this map to the right will help to exhibit :)

Not far from us, mountains were covered with peaks of snow. Even though it was the last week of April, Scotland had been hit with a late spring snow-blast, so the daffodils were just starting to pop by the time we arrived. The air had not quite warmed up yet; we definitely needed our winter coats most days!

Life really slowed down for us out there in the Highlands. We were the sole guests at the B&B, meaning we could be as lazy as we wanted coming down for breakfast and didn't have to make small talk with other guests in the evening. While we enjoyed meeting so many people in Ireland, by Scotland, we were ready for some serious solo time.

One of the first things we did while in Scotland was take a drive out to the Whiskey Trail. On the Trail, there are countless distilleries, some more famous than others. We took a drive past Macallan and Glenlivet, and then did a tasting tour at Glenfiddich.

Since Brad is both a whiskey drinker and a beer home-brewer, he loved seeing the inner workings of the place. Plus, it was a gorgeous campus, making for a lovely day trip!

BB Tip: If you are a whiskey lover, the tours are free, as is the whiskey tasting at the end! Bring a driver if you are planning on going to more than one distillery, as the samples they pour are generous. 

One thing we learned while out in the Highlands is that they do not have pubs in every small town like in Ireland. In some areas, the nearest (good) restaurant can be a 30 minute drive through wooded lands. We stopped the first night in a nearby city, and then on our second night, made a point to go to a Hilton resort property for a proper meal.

It was here that we first tried haggis - and loved it! We went on to have haggis for a few other meals, including breakfast. Not feeling adventurous? I had vegetarian haggis for a few meals (mostly trying to save some calories for beers later!) and it tasted almost the same, without the ick factor that you might have with the real thing.

BB Tip: Large hotel properties are a safe bet for a solid meal if you are feeling a little nervous about trying some of the local cuisine. Plus, the meal was a steal at ours - two three-course meals came in at less than $50! Be sure to check a recent edition tour guide book or website in advance for ideas, as towns can be a good distance apart and restaurants, like here in the U.S., change out frequently.

My favorite thing we did in the Highlands was go for a long walk out to a huge Loch. One of the Queen's national parks, this Loch was about a mile in from the car park, winding through lowlands with big, open skies above. We didn't see a single person the entire two hours we were out there. Crazy!

It was super windy out there -- but we loved every second of it!

Other favorite moments included exploring local castles. Just like in Ireland, they appear almost around every corner, each with its own rich history. 

BB Tip: Bring some local change to put in the meters at the public parks, and pack a snack and drinks to bring along for the drive. Castles abound along the way. Some are free; others cost upwards of $15 if a historical monument.

Next up: Our last few days (tear!) ... in Edinburgh (yay!) !