The Portcullis Hotel Stirling

We are visiting the UK and Norway at the end of May and first part of June in 2010. I have never been to Europe and am very excited about it.

Our daughter has been attending Kingston University this past year so we are going to see her, travel and pack her up to come home. We have family in Stavanger so we don't need hotels and ...

... the cold again, wondering where the hell this next bus is cos it wasn't on the schedule, and some random bus pulls up. Lovely old Stagecoach, joy. Getting on, the driver's moaning about how **** it was, and we're just like oh well it'll get us there right?

"We'll see.." .. highly reassuring, mate.

No issues though, and then around 11am we pull into Edinburgh! Finally got to see the Forth Bridge, and then seeing ...

... city and the first time that we have felt relay cold!

Porridge (with salt not sugar) for breakky.

Sunday morning was the "Barras". Markets selling all sorts of goods, trash, treasure and the like. "Come on folks, it's all cheap because it's all stolen"

Really enjoyable weekend and great to stay with a family and see what they say is "The Heart of Scottland"

Today, I was planning to go to the youth hostel at the castle, but the Land Rover had other plans!!!

Oh dear, game over! I popped out to start the Land Rover this morning at around 9am and the engine was smoking like a trooper and sounding a lot worse than it normally does. I called the AA at around 10:00 and they turned up at at around 10:45 from a local garage. He told me that the engine is fairly terminal (piston problem ...

... levels with memorabilia on each of them.Sean and I made the trek up there and enjoyed the views from the top. After the Sir Walter Scott monument in Edinburgh Bekah has sworn off tall monuments with dark, claustrophobic spiral staircases. A quick note, William Wallace (Braveheart) was allegedly 6'6" tall and was knighted for his efforts in the battle at Stirling against the English. "They may take away our lives, but they'll never take ...

... Daddy-O!)

Silver Candy-Coated Linings:

1. The toilet at the King Robert flushes. And well.

2. KFC today…REAL CHICKEN! And it was delicious.

3. Discovered my own personal super hero… the Midgie Man. Midgies are tiny mosquito-like little insects that apparently prefer to live in and around tourist attractions. Midgie Man is their arch nemesis. Yesterday, I fell backward into a ditch at the Bonnie Prince Charlie Monument whilst being ...

... the top of, and at each level there were different displays. There was a re-enactment of the William Wallace trial, different displays about his story, etc... and then at the top you had AWESOME views of Stirling (where the famous battle occurred when Wallace and his band of common men completely obliterated the strongest troops in Britain) and of the border to the highlands. Overall, this was super cool. If you go to ...

... upon our triumph (this time last week, i wanted to quit the play and quit acting, rehearsals were that bad). Anyways, another essay to finish writing, before wednesday, so I'm going to get some sleep while I can tonight. Miss you all, truely sorry the performance was in another country where you missed out on it, but I will hopefully continue growing as I have been as an actor and deliver another great one for you soon. Peace love and euphoria. Ryan

... substitute for CUT (Carlow University Theater). By no means up to par, but good enough that I won't go insane. After the meeting, it was back to the flat where Aaron and Mel and I had a BS session in the kitchen/living room till late. Overall good day, even if I didn't really do anything. That brings us to Thursday, I believe. That usually is the natural progression of days. Thursday brought new and intense experience ...

... derisory snort of " that'd be right, all that anal attention to cutlery distance and they overlook something as basic as that".The other dreams take a fearful peak........... It's true........................ perfect table settings .................. all crystal and equidistant silver ............... placed directly over the table legs. Ah, that's the way it should be, a clear pecking order. My dreams sigh with relief and, suffused with a ...