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!) !

Traveling Betty Style: Part II, Dingle

I promise I don't know where the last week went since I last posted.

Me and my fab cousins/bridesmaids/BFFs Erin and Katie. XOXO!

Ok, I guess somewhere in there, there was a little post-wedding family reunion slash party central slash party-like-we're-all-still-college vacay, this time in honor of my younger cousin, Brian, who graduated from Virginia Tech.

The Cousin Clan! Plus Steve. Minus the hubs. And one cousin. Close enough. Let's drink! Congrats, Brian!

So I don't totally fail, right? Family is a good excuse, right? Right?!

Seriously, though, sorry that I fell off the face of the planet. I even had this lovely little post mostly ready to go, too. So, here goes! Time for some more Betty travel time -- this time, to Dingle, Ireland!

For the second part of our first honeymoon week, we drove down to the southwestern corner of Ireland, to the Dingle Peninsula. While we stayed in B&Bs throughout our honeymoon, we switched things up a bit in each place. Our Doolin B&B was very traditional, while our Dingle B&B bordered more on a small hotel-feel. We were one of many rooms, and our room looked right out on the bay.

BB tip: If you are traveling for a special reason, tell the B&B owners at the time of your booking. I made a note with each reservation that it was our honeymoon, and we got special treatment at 3 our the 4 places during our two weeks. In Doolin, a free breakfast, and in Dingle, champagne upon check-in. In the Highlands, we had homemade truffles and liquors in the room each night. That fourth place? It was the B&B in Edinburgh, and they ended up being all function, no frills, so that's ok :) 

Dingle has a lot to do all within a day's drive. One of the easiest, and of course, free, things to do is drive around the Peninsula itself. We chose to drive around the Slea Head Drive, and oh my, how incredibly beautiful! It was a gorgeous day and we got somewhere around a million fantastic pictures. If I lived in this part of the world, I think I would have trouble getting anything done.

BB Tip: Bring some snacks and drinks along with you for your drive, as not all of the towns along the way are very large. The drive is a perfect morning outing, getting you back in time for an early afternoon pint. 

There are something like 30 or 40 pubs in Doolin, from hotels with a pub on the ground floor to the traditional music houses serving up pints and live sessions. We, of course, chose to sample a number of the pubs while we were in town. While pub food is tons of fun, though, we were getting a little tired of it by the end of the week. Thankfully, Brad caught sight of a "takeaway" fish and chips spot that took pub food to a whole new level. Enter, the Best Fish and Chips I Have Ever Eaten.

BB Tip: Dingle Fish Company has no seats and might remind you of a hole in the wall spot from a big U.S. city. But do not ignore this joint just off the bay by the entrance of town. It is worth the standing around and taking out, especially since you can't beat the price. For those of you who know the power of Tain in NYC, you know what I mean. No joke, this was an amazing, amazing meal, and still piping hot when we got back to our B&B to eat it. We split a large portion, and it was more than enough.

I drank more cider in Ireland and Scotland than beer. Bulmer's and Aspall were my favorite!

The other thing we did while in Dingle was tour the Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is a huge tourist destination, know for amazing ocean views, tiny roads encircling the Peninsula and quaint villages along the way. It's about a 4-5 hour drive around the whole thing. We kind of ruined it for ourselves, having already driven around the Slea Head Drive, but it was a nice tour of another part of Ireland. Plus, the bus driver was totally entertaining, and we got to listen to some fun Irish music along the way. Brad liked it because he didn't have to drive, so he got to actually see the sights, too.

BB Tip: Take a tour bus trip if you are unsure of driving, as the entire Ring of Kerry is FULL of huge tour buses that take up the whole road. It can be really intimidating for local and tourist drivers alike. Know in advance that the tour buses all stop at one main hotel/restaurant for lunch, and also know that the lunch will be horrible, made for the masses and not at all Irish. Bring along a sandwich, or at the very least, a snack :)

Words of wisdom for us newlyweds ... in the bar.

I have a few other posts coming up -- this time, for Scotland! Plus, our wedding photos came in, so you better believe that I will share a few of those along the way, too :)

Traveling Betty Style: Part 1

The gifts are unpacked, our suitcases are stowed away, and we are back to our daily routines. Mostly. I keep finding myself mentally drifting away to memories from our wedding and honeymoon. Good thing we have a lot of photos to help keep these memories fresh!

When we decided on heading to Europe for our honeymoon, Operation Savings went into full effect. We didn't want to backpack across the countryside; we wanted to see it in full Buckhead Betty style, staying in nice accommodations and living it up with dining out. Thankfully, we had a year to plan and save our pennies, so not only did we get to enjoy Europe for all it was, we also didn't blow our budgets in the process. A full two weeks in Europe (or anywhere) is doable if you plan accordingly. So, as part of my little recap here on the blog, I want to share a few of the things we did and learned along the way. Just in case you are planning a little getaway of your own to these two fair countries someday :)

The first half of our trip was spent in Ireland. Rather than driving around the country for the whole week, we decided to balance "relaxing honeymoon" with "tourist honeymoon," spending three days and three nights in each of two little fishing villages. By choosing a "home base" for a few days, we got to relax, slow down our pace and still see enough to satisfy our exploring bug. Our first stop was Doolin, on the western side of Ireland.

Doolin is a tiny town with big claims to fame. Home to a few famous tourist attractions, there is a lot to do while staying in a town with only a few hundred residents, a few pubs and tons (and tons) of cows and sheep (seriously, they were everywhere).

 While we rented a car for the trip, we found that it was most cost-efficient to walk everywhere we could in each town. This saved on fuel, the remaining tank of which was actually reimbursed to us when we returned the car later in the week. Go Ireland!

We chose to stay at bed and breakfasts through our entire trip. A B&B is a fun way to meet the locals and also get a hearty, HUGE breakfast as part of the cost of your room. The breakfasts we had throughout our trip were amazing. Cooked to order full Irish Breakfasts, French toast, cheese boards, fruit, yogurts and cereals -- the works. My favorite? The little Irish soda bread scones and jam, with a huge pot of Irish breakfast tea.

This was just the buffet portion of this B&B meal. You had this -- PLUS the cooked-to order hot meal. Oh my. So good.

BB tip: If we had not been gluttonous by still having three full meals a day (we were coming off of Wedding Diet, so we may have splurged on eating a little), the B&B breakfast can actually get you through a big portion of the day -- cutting down on lunch dollars later.

The only thing on the whole honeymoon that didn't go to plan was our cruise out to the Aran Islands. The weather was particularly stormy and windy that week, so they didn't have any cruises the whole three days we were there. But that's ok -- we fit in a lot of other things, instead! A few highlights ...

All through the country and especially in the Burren, there are these old rock walls made by farmers.

The Burren: this massive region of Ireland is made up of huge limestone rocks. And grass. And that's it. Rocks and more rocks and grass and cows. It was other-worldly, barren and stunningly beautiful.

BB tip: Go on a free hike of the Burren for a day. You can find short paths throughout, or do what we (accidentally) did, and end up on a 9-mile trek up the side of the Burren itself. Woops! At least we earned our pints that day :) 

Our view at the top of the Burren. As we sat there having asthma attacks from the climb.

We were smiling by the time we hit the other side. All downhill from here, and towards the sea!

Cliffs of Moher: these cliffs off the edge of the peninsula are breathtaking, and it's easy to see why they are one of Ireland's most-visited attractions. Seriously, just go. It's hard to detail out in words why.

BB tip: Go to the Cliffs in the evening after the visitor center closes, when entrance fees are free. Plus, the sunset on the Cliffs is stunning at that time of day. 

Pubs: But of course. We went to a pub every single day we were in Ireland (we would have in Scotland, too, but the Scottish Highlands were a bit more remote, so we just drank whiskey in the B&B, ha!). Whether for a mid-afternoon pint, evening dinner or the free music sessions at night, the pubs in Ireland are where it's at. I loved the music at night!

Every session features different instruments. This one had an accordion, guitars and an Irish whistle.

BB tip: Fish and chips, like the American burger, is a go-to choice at any pub. None of the bars charge a cover, so head on over around 8PM, grab a seat near the corner with the musicians, and hang out until close.

Our German couple friends!

Hanging out on our last night in Doolin.

Up next: our three days in Dingle!

Nine Days, Nine Days La La La

Woo hoo! I am so so excited, you guys!

In just nine days, we will be married and flying into the Shannon airport in Ireland. Two glorious weeks of small-town living, unplugged music sessions and surely a strong pint or two will follow :)



Brad and I will be visiting both Ireland and Scotland, spending time in the small towns of Dingle, Doolin, Cork and Aberdeenshire before heading to Edinburgh for a few last days in the "big city." Since it's been a number of years since our last "real" vacation, this trip couldn't be more timely! Plus, that whole thing about getting married is pretty cool, too :)

I am hoping to share one last post before I head off to wedding and honeymoon land. And although I will be technically off the grid while I am gone, I am bringing a notebook along to get the blogging juices flowing for when I get back. I have a feeling we will spend a number of quiet, rainy afternoons in a local pub. If that isn't good for writing inspiration, I don't know what is!

Happy April, everyone!

 

Travels Near and Far

Earlier this week, a bunch of the ladies got together to meet up with our friend Sarah, who was back in town for just a few days.

Sarah and Katherine, Fall 2012

You see, Sarah has been living the dream ... or at least the dream of anyone that loves to travel! At the end of 2011, she was in between the end of grad school and the beginning of her next life chapter, and had no immediate life deadlines -- so she decided it was the perfect time to travel abroad! She headed to Thailand, Laos, Bali and Australia with a friend, and has been living abroad since February. She is finishing up a brief vacation in the States, but is about to head back to Aussie-land and other places until next April (home again just in time for our wedding, hooray!).

I think I can speak for all of our friends that we are all a little jealous :) Besides the fact that living in a bikini on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world sounds amazing, it's really hard to imagine a life not HERE, right where we all are in our lives right now. We have jobs, homes, significant others, kids, bills to pay and things to do. We have all been working hard to establish ourselves as adults, start families and find successful careers. My friend has encountered a perfect point in her life to explore the world, but not all people have that chance.

But what if you had the opportunity to head abroad somewhere, sometime later in life? Where would you go? What would you do? How would you sustain your life there? 

Source: trialx.com via Katherine on Pinterest

I love thinking about these types of "what if" situations. Luckily, I have found a partner that shares these dreams for down the road. We would love to make world travel a priority, and possibly even live abroad at some point in our lives, if we can make it happen. We have also talked a lot about our "plan." While we love our lives here now, who knows what opportunities might arise later! We are in agreement that if given the chance, we would both be willing to make the jump and go wherever things bring us. It would be hard leaving friends, family and familiar places behind, but if we could make it work, it could be an amazing opportunity.

Source: mashable.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Of course, things never always go to plan. You never know what might happen between then and now, so we are keeping our eyes focused on the flexibility of it all. We may have a "plan," but it's definitely captured in pencil, able to be rearranged as time goes on.

Tonight we are heading to see Brad's best friend get married. He and his new bride will be starting their own next chapter, and we are soon behind them with our wedding in the spring, and all sorts of things are ahead of us down the road. But while I love to dream of the future, I also love to live in the present, and enjoy and appreciate every day for what it is. Today, I am enjoying the scent of a fall candle, a clean condo and a lazy afternoon ahead before the wedding. Tomorrow, I don't know what I will be enjoying, but I know that there will be things throughout the day that will make me happy. The future? I am so excited. But today? I love it. And I love that Sarah is getting to love every day too -- even if it's halfway around the world :)

Do you have a "plan" for your life? Are you focused on the short or long term, or both? How do you balance it all?

Blissfully back ... for a few days

I swear I didn't mean to let all of last week slip by in between posts. Goodness gracious! But I also swear I have a good -- no, great -- excuse. I was off exercising my bloggy mind over at the Blissdom Blogging Conference in Nashville all weekend!

I had the great opportunity to hit up Blissdom on official business, and while I was busy meeting and greeting with bloggers both friendly and new, I also was able to attend some of the sessions and use my personal bloggy brain, too.

Never been to or heard of a blogging conference? Blissdom is one of the larger ones, so imagine hundreds and hundreds of bloggers (this year, over 700!), all convening in a huge conference center/hotel for 3-4 days, companies galore sponsoring booths and events, fun entertainment, social time and personal reflection all thrown into one big experience.

In the end, this conference was just what I needed to re-energize and get ready to share some truly inspired content with you.

To kick it all off, here are ten handy dandy lessons I learned from attending the conference. Both serious and fun :)

Where Passion Meets Purpose: 

My Blissdom 2012 Top Ten {Tuesday}List   

1. Paid passion = pressure. Pressure dilutes joy. When monetizing your hobbies, pressures arise. The hobby dissolves and the joy is (usually) diluted. Whether this means running an Etsy shop for your adorable handmade items, sewing placemats for all of your friends or simply monetizing your posts and ads on your blog, this is so, so true. Some hobbies are meant to be just that -- hobbies. "Just because you should monetize, doesn't mean you should." ~Blissdom speaker

2. Entrepreneurs need... a tolerance for risk, the ability to make decisions and yep, even the willingness to be wrong once in a while. Amen.

3. Mustaches (especially Lorax movie ones) make every happy hour that much more fun.

4. Iced chai is pretty much the best drink any breakfast buffet could serve. Why have I not seen this at events before?!

5. Rascal Flatts = amazingnesss. Seriously, this band brought me straight back to nights at Peachtree Tavern and Moondogs (Don't judge. They were/are GT bars), sipping beers and hanging out while country music blared. Speaking of which, I feel like a throwback night at the bars is in order. Who would be with me?!

6. Six-word memoirs are an amazing way to center yourself and grab on to the real meaning of whatever you are thinking about, feeling or wanting to say. Pick a question, and let yourself write for a few minutes, churning out six words at a time. One of mine from that workshop, a six-word description of how I was feeling in that moment: Energized, ready for a new adventure. Awesome :)

7. Joe Jonas? Pretty much Rob Kardashian's doppelganger. And not too bad of a singer, either, by the way. Even if he is like 11 years old.

8. Every blogger should meet with a lawyer and figure out what's needed to protect their assets, their name and their content. Haven't done so yet? Go. Do. This. Tomorrow. This is a great resource from one of the Blissdom speakers on the topic: Blog Law by Saving for Someday.

9. Jon Acuff, the opening keynote speaker, was one of the best speakers I have ever. heard. He was right up there with Jeff Immelt from GE (the fact that I remember the name of who spoke at my graduation proves he rocked), Barack (who visited GT while on his campaign trail in 2007) and a handful of homilies I have heard. Key things he focused on:

• We're becoming the "I'm, but" generation. "I'm a _____, but I want to be _____." Isn't this so true??
• Never compare your beginning to someone else's middle.
• Someday will never happen. Stop waiting.
• You will disappoint people - disappoint the right people. As in, disappoint that one random fan when you don't tweet out every single moment of your life but don't disappoint your spouse/S.O./kids by ignoring them/making them wait/taking advantage of their time...

His book Quitter (which we got a signed copy of!) is now at the top of my must-read list. Preach.

10. Working with people for months and years will never be as good as that ten minutes you get to spend with them face to face. Thanks, Blissdom, for helping me connect with all of my bloggy friends and colleagues!