Thoughts on our trip
Ireland was full of breathtaking beauty and fascinating history. We learned to sing folk songs and to make Irish coffee, and we especially enjoyed meeting local musicians. It wasn't possible (for us) get tired of eating fish & chips or Irish soda bread. Jane's been experimenting with Irish bread recipes and has come up with a reasonably tasty loaf. We've also perfected our Irish coffee-making skills to our friends' delight. Thoughts of the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo and of the city of Edinburgh bring endless smiles. While we continued to eat lots of fish & chips, we also discovered sticky toffee pudding in its many variations. That's another thing we've recreated at home, although the atmosphere can't compare with that of Scotland. And we sampled many of the beers, ciders and whisky available in both countries, because, why not?
We had great times on the Rick Steves tours we've taken so far. The Heart of Italy in 9 Days was our first time traveling with Rick, which confirmed that Rick's philosophy of travel was a good fit for us. We would return to Volterra and Florence in a heartbeat! The Best of Ireland in 14 Days and the Heart of Scotland in 8 Days were also great experiences. So now we've been on three Rick Steves tours and we're ready to go again. We'll be off to enjoy the Best of Berlin, Prague & Vienna in 12 Days in August 2023. And with Rick's tour books as our guide, we're adding Salzburg and Munich on our own. Want to come with us?
We had great times on the Rick Steves tours we've taken so far. The Heart of Italy in 9 Days was our first time traveling with Rick, which confirmed that Rick's philosophy of travel was a good fit for us. We would return to Volterra and Florence in a heartbeat! The Best of Ireland in 14 Days and the Heart of Scotland in 8 Days were also great experiences. So now we've been on three Rick Steves tours and we're ready to go again. We'll be off to enjoy the Best of Berlin, Prague & Vienna in 12 Days in August 2023. And with Rick's tour books as our guide, we're adding Salzburg and Munich on our own. Want to come with us?
A note about Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth
Within a few days of returning home, we learned Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth had died at Balmoral Castle, where she had been in residence during our tour. We were glued to the television, watching many of the ceremonies as she was laid to rest. Since we had just been to Edinburgh, and had visited London several years ago during her 60th Jubilee, it was poignant for us to see places we had been play such a key role in the pageantry and hear the pipers play Over the Sea to Skye.
This portrait hangs in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, next to a similar portrait of the Queen Mum. Queen Elizabeth is wearing the Order of the Thistle as she celebrates her 70th Jubilee. Rest in peace, Your Majesty. God save the King.
Cover photo: Our RS guidebook collection
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