My beloved October has returned – with its brilliant colors, cool temperatures and sunny, cloudless, azure skies, and I must enjoy it before it escapes for another year. – Peggy Toney Horton October’s behind us. Only two months remain. Where has 2026 gone? Here’s what we’ve been up to recently. Where we’ve been this month … More What we were up to October 2026
It is, as Albert said, fairy-like and what you would only imagine as a thing to dream of. – Queen Victoria writing about Balmoral in her private journal In a previous castle post, we learned the history of three fortresses on the Scottish coast that are now little more than ruins. Along the River Dee … More Scottish castles – the homes
Give my people plenty of beer, good beer, and cheap beer, and you will have no revolution among them. – Queen Victoria During our three-month stay in Liverpool, Robie and I never realized our favorite pub was owned by a major corporation. After two weeks in Aberdeen, we couldn’t help noticing how every pub seemed … More The truth about British pubs
Tapas is a celebration of life. – Jose Andrés To many, Granada is the epicenter of Spain’s tapas culture. After all, who doesn’t love a city devoted to serving free snacks with every beer or glass of wine. Others point to San Sebastian’s maze of medieval streets lined with bars selling pintxos, the Basque word … More La Laurel, a unique tapas experience
It seemed as if the rock and castle assumed a new aspect every time I looked at them. – Washington Irving In Scotland, Robie and I were surrounded by castles and their ruins. With more than 3,000 scattered throughout the country, Scotland has one of the highest concentrations of old, stone fortresses in Europe. For … More Scottish castles – the ruins
There is a time in late September when the leaves are still green, and the days are still warm, but somehow you know it’s all about to end – as if summer was holding its breath, and when it let it out again, it would be autumn. – Sharyn McCrumb September is a time of … More What we did last month – the September 2026 edition
Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills. – 19th century Highland rhyme No trip to Scotland would be complete without a visit to a distillery. And where better to do that than in the whisky capital of the world? While it would be easy to spend a month exploring historic Speyside, … More 36 hours in Speyside
We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. – Walt Disney When we hit two years as roving retirees, Robie thought it would be fun to take a look back at where we’ve been. Instead of replaying the greatest hits, we … More Lessons from two years on the road
The hills echo with bagpipe tunes. The ‘gathering’ is in full swing. Tartaned dancers are on stage performing the ‘Highland Fling’. – Evelyne A. McMaster In Aberdeen, Robie and I kept hearing about strange happenings across Scotland. In towns across the country, people gathered for a day of music, competition and dance. Naturally, there were … More Highland Games
Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life. – Michael Palin The West Highlands may get all the glory, but it isn’t the only rail journey through the stunning landscape of Northern Scotland. The West Highlands Line When … More The Highlands’ other scenic rail line
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