Traveling Days!

Wednesday morning started rainy.  Very rainy.  I got up early with Bob and Jeanne to make them coffee before they set off on their journey down through England and our to Hollyhead to catch a ferry to Dublin, Ireland.

It's funny how people who come to visit Scotland always say they are not ready to leave.  I don't know if they truly mean it or if it's true but Jeanne kept saying she wasn't ready to leave.  I wish they could have stayed another day or two too.  We really enjoyed their company and had a good time catching up with old friends.

Anyway, about 7:15 a.m. off they went.

Gordon got up around 8:00 and we sat reading emails and catching up on Facebook and vacuuming (Gordon) and basic cleaning up after a busy few days with Jeanne and Bob.  The weather continued to SUCK and we had planned on going to Edinburgh early and walk around.  The last few years we've only gone into the town to sight see (the same old sights)  with friends so we thought it would be fun to go into town and do only what we wanted to do.  Alas, the rain was just enough that it didn't make sense.  So we each took a long bath and slowly packed and had a bowl of Minestrone before we finally ventured out and back up the Beef Tub to Edinburgh. 

This time I drove the whole way letting Gordon have a welcome break from all the driving he has been doing.  We got to the Marriott, checked in and went to the "Executive Lounge!" for a cocktail but they had changed their policy and don't serve wine or beer till 6!!!!  Bloody Hell!  What to do?  Off to catch a cab to the Canny Mans in Morningside!

The exterior of the Canny Mans on a wet, cold Edinburgh night!

What an interesting Pub the Canny Mans is.  AND they have Grey Goose Vodka!  YAY!  Something virtually unheard of in Scotland.  We sat and had a couple of drinks; enjoyed their free cocktail hour buffet (something else unheard of in Scotland) and made a decision to go to the Guilford Arms just off Princes Street.  I had Venison (something I rarely order but it was good and mild) and Gordon had his usual, Haggis, Neeps and Tatties!  Check out the tin ceiling in the Guilford:

 We headed home and had an early night because we had a plane to catch the next day.  But at a leisurely pace.  Our flight wasn't until 1:00pm so we had a slow morning; a nice breakfast and headed to the airport.  Our flight to Frankfurt was uneventful.  Using Gordon's British Passport we zoomed through the EU line instead of waiting in the "other Passports" line for me; grabbed our checked luggage and headed to the Avis counter for a car that........had a steering wheel on the right side..er, left side of the car.  Almost back to normal!

 So we plopped the GPS on the dash, programmed in Schoenburg, Germany on the Rhine River and headed out past funky signs:

 and beautiful hillsides

 far away castles and fortresses

 until we reached the Rhine River.  Look at the vineyards on the far side.  They go straight up the mountains!

 Little villages abound

 And Fall is coming to the trees

 We finally reach the Schloss Hotel in Schoenburg and checked in to the most amazing, quaint, tiny, cozy room.  Here's Gordon taking notes with a feather quill pen!

 Our own little sitting room with library.

 It's like a freakin' roman tub!

 Free beer!  And Sherry!

 Our tucky-tuck bed with special chocolates

 Heading into the castle for dinner.  Must step through the ancient giant door!  Only a little hatch was open.

 Gordon looking GQ in the castles library with fire blazing!

 Looking through the sitting room into the library where Gordon is picking out a bottle of wine for our dinner.

 Alcoves

 and a beautifully set table!

 We'll have to remember this wine.  It was good.

 The castle at dark!  There were bats!

 This little room is our teeny-tiny cottage.

Bed now.  Lot's of scenic pictures to take tomorrow.  Really excited to see where we are in the daylight.  It's fun to travel!