Culinary Travel: - Hoosier Pork-Tenderloin Sandwich Recipe

Looking for the defining meal of Indiana, it might well be their pork tenderloin sandwich. If you are planning a visit to Indianapolis this summer you may want to sample one of these sandwiches.  Or you can make one at home right now. Remember "tenderloin" doesn't necessarily mean filet mignon. It doesn't even call for beef.

Ingredients
2 pounds center-cut boneless pork loin
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Real Salt 
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 sleeves saltines (about 80 crackers)
2 cups instant flour
Peanut oil, for frying
4 soft hamburger buns, split
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
4 half-sour dill pickles, thinly sliced

Directions
Cut the pork crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Put each piece flat on a cutting board and slice horizontally almost in half (stop about 1 inch from the other side). Open like a book. Sprinkle each piece with water, place between 2 pieces of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thick with a mallet or heavy skillet.

Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, garlic, 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper, and the cayenne in a shallow bowl. Add the pork, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pulse the crackers into coarse crumbs in a food processor, then transfer to a shallow dish. Put the flour in another dish. Remove each piece of pork from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dredge both sides in the flour, dip in the buttermilk marinade again, then coat with the cracker crumbs.

Heat 1/4 to 1/2 inch peanut oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360. Fry the pork in batches until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Spread both halves of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard. Layer the lettuce, tomatoes and onion on the bottom halves. Add a piece of pork and a few pickle slices. Cover with the bun tops.

Hoosier Pork-Tenderloin Sandwich
Total Time: 40 minutes
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com

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Travel With Children - Museums

It is summertime and the kids are out of school. What is a parent to do? Take your little learners to a museum! I'd like to tell you there are museum founded for children around the world, but the U.S. seems to have a monopoly on the category of kids museums. Here is a list of 5 of the top children's museums in the U.S. 

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
The Museum's Welcome Center has an adult and juvenile Brachiosaur sculptures climbing up the front. The main stairwell of the museum is a giant spiral ramp which allows visitors to access all five levels of the museum by strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers. In 2006 a four-story glass sculpture was installed inside the central atrium of the giant spiral ramp. Children can explore many areas including the Egyptian exhibit designed to look like a tomb, a replica archeological dig about the first Chinese emperor, artifacts retrieved from the wreckage of a pirate ship, and much more. But perhaps the most beloved are is the Dinosphere. Connected to the main museum, Dinosphere features a sound and light experience that simulates a day in the late Cretaceous period 65 million years ago. Visitors can perform fossil excavations in the Dig Site, touch a real T-rex femur fossil in the Paleo Prep Lab, and view numerous real dinosaur fossils. Dinosphere is one of the largest displays of juvenile and family dinosaur fossils in the U.S. 

Please Touch Museum - Philadelphia, PA
The name alone invites little kids to come and play. Each section of this two-story museum is designed to create learning opportunities that are completely fun. Kids explore a mini Philly-esque neighborhood, and exhibits on airplanes, automobiles, the river, and a historical train station. Older kids will love the Alice in Wonderland exhibit, and toddlers can safely play in the Fairytale Garden. Don't forget to take a few turns on the 1908 carousel before you call it a day.

Boston Children's Museum
This century-old Boston hotspot centers itself on "the power of play" and in giving kids experiences that will help them learn life skills. Easily accessible via public transportation, the museum in 2007 became the city's first "green" museum, because of its eco-friendly 23,000-square-foot addition and landscaped waterfront park. Whether your kids are into art, music, building, science, pretend play -- or all of the above -- there's plenty for them to do or see here. Have little kids? There's a special play-zone for kids age 3 and under and a Countdown to Kindergarten room, where preschoolers can get a feel for what the big-kid classroom will be like.

Children's Museum of Houston, TX
Bring your kids to this elaborate children's museum, and you'll feel as if you're stepping into another world -- and onto their turf! Kidtropolis is a huge pretend city where kids run the show: It's complete with its own city hall, bank, news center, vet's office and more, and was designed to help kids understand occupations and economics. Among the other highlights: Budding inventors create their own gadgets and gizmos in the Invention Convention. The under-3 set can play in a padded area or roll around in a ball pit at Tot*Spot. Check the museum's calendar for upcoming celebrations and activities.

The Strong - Rochester, NY
This place is called the "national museum of play"! This huge museum has too many awesome exhibits to list here, but one of the most popular is the year-round indoor butterfly garden. Elmo and Big Bird enthusiasts will go nuts for the "Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?" exhibit. Reading Adventureland is also a hit for pretend play and to help foster a love of books. If you're a history buff, hit the National Toy Hall of Fame and explain to your kids what a Rubik's Cube is! 

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com

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“Frozen” Summer Fun Cools Down Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Are you thinking about a visit to the Walt Disney World® Resort this summer? Did you know you can chill out as the fun heats up during “Frozen” Summer Fun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® now through Sept. 7, 2015.

"Frozen" Summer Fun Highlights Include:

“Frozen” Royal Welcome
You can watch and wave as Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf make their way through Disney’s Hollywood Studios twice daily in a festive cavalcade, accompanied by the Royal Arendelle Flag Corps and a flurry of skaters, skiers and ice cutters. Anna leads the procession in a horse-drawn sleigh, as Elsa glides by on a stunning ice palace float.

For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration
Just in time for “Frozen” Summer Fun, this popular show moves into the beautiful Hyperion Theater (formerly Superstar Television Theater), located right in the heart of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here, your Clients can join the Royal Historians of Arendelle as they host this fun and comedic retelling of the unique story of their kingdom, filled with delightful, sing-along moments from “Frozen,” plus all-new theater effects and special appearances by Anna, Elsa and Kristoff.

Olaf’s Summer Cool Down
As the temperature heats up, your Clients can cool off with Olaf who happily shares a burst of flurries from his personal snow cloud.

“Coolest Summer Ever” Dance Party
When the sun goes down, DJ Chill and some favorite Disney Characters take to the stage for the “Coolest Summer Ever” Dance Party where your Clients can rock out to a medley of the hottest “Frozen” hits!

“Frozen” Fireworks Spectacular
As the night comes to a close, you can celebrate the coolest day ever as Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf come together at the Event Stage for a grand finale to the day’s festivities – an awe-inspiring “Frozen” Fireworks display set to the music of “Frozen” and, of course, a flurry of snow.

If you are looking for something extra special to do, they can enjoy a day fit for Arendelle royalty with the “Frozen” Summer Fun Premium Package, which includes royal viewing access to a trio of these experiences. Each package includes:

“Frozen” Fireworks Spectacular viewing with dessert party, featuring Frozen-themed desserts, as well as specialty alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. 

The cost for this special package is just $69 for adults, $39 for children ages 3-9. Tax and gratuity are included. 

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com

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In The News: Scottish Libations

If you're traveling to Scotland remember it isn't all about sightseeing; it is also about culture, and a part of Scotland's culture is their whisky. Truth be told I'm not fond of whisky or alcohol in general, but I tried it all the same, every time we stopped at a distillery, it was bound to grow on me eventually, right? At the time I knew nothing about whisky at all and I am apparently not alone. 

Most people don’t understand the difference between single malt and blended whisky, I didn't either. Blended whisky, which comprises more than 80% of the market, including brands like Johnnie Walker and Dewar's, is a mix of malt and grain whiskies that come from multiple distilleries. Single malt, which Scottish drinkers often refer to as malt rather than whisky.

Single malts aren’t necessarily always better than blends, but most of Scotland’s highest regarded and most expensive whiskies are single malt. Blended whiskies are smoother and easier to drink; malt can be almost overwhelming in flavor, a drink most work their way up to.

The vast majority of malt comes from three major whisky-producing regions. The Highlands and Speyside are both easily accessible from major cities, and their whiskies are relatively accessible to the malt novice, characterized by smooth, floral, often delicate flavors.

Then there’s Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides, about 20 miles off the coast of Northern Ireland. It’s a roughly 70 mile journey from Glasgow to Islay. But, unless you plan on flying into the island’s tiny airport, it’s about 2.5 hours by car from Glasgow to the hamlet of Kennacraig, and a nearly three-hour ferry to Islay. Many people find Islay’s whisky even less accessible than the island itself.

If you’re a seasoned malt drinker, chances are you have a bottle from Islay in your liquor cabinet. If, on the other hand, you tried Scotch whisky for the first time and hated it, thought it was too smoky, or tasted like medicine or ashtrays, it probably came from Islay.
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Islay whiskies get their signature flavor from smoking peat in order to dry the malted barley used to create whisky. The results are polarizing; some purists believe the peat takes away from the true flavor of the whisky, others become addicted, perpetually searching for something peatier.

Wine drinkers like to talk about terroir: the environmental condition, geology and geography that give a wine its unique flavor. However, it takes a true connoisseur to know a wine’s exact origin from a blind taste. Even an amateur drinker would probably know in one sip whether a whisky came from Islay.

Nothing about Islay is easy. The island is rugged and tempestuous; winds gusting straight from the sea are powerful and unrelenting. Clusters of white-washed buildings make up the two main villages of Bowmore and Port Ellen; the rest of the island is mostly inhabited by sheep and birds, and largely covered in peat. 

Public transportation on the island is a nightmare, and driving and visiting distilleries don’t really mix, so you might want a friend to play designated driver while you hop from one distillery to the next. Distilleries can be magical places, waiting to be explored by your senses.

Visiting Scottish distilleries is also an incredible deal. Between £5 and £7 generally gets you a tour of the facility and a dram or two of cask-strength whisky. Many distilleries also offer pricier warehouse tastings (upwards of £25 each), giving the chance to sample rare whiskies straight from the barrel, including some whiskies that are impossible to find anywhere else and others that you may never taste again.

If you're in Islay do a tasting at Lagavulin, where £12 will get you a sample of an eight-year old whisky still too young for bottling, the flavor will give you an understanding of why aging is important. You can also try a double-matured bottle and a 30-year malt that normally costs more than £50 a dram in a bar, if you can find it.

Speaking of bars, there is a certain protocol to ordering malt in Scotland. First, please don’t call it Scotch. It’s whisky or malt. Second, unless you want to be the subject of ridicule, don’t order your malt on the rocks. Ice numbs the tongue and melts too fast. You either drink it neat or with a drop of water to open the flavors. Drinking it on the rocks is only acceptable if you’re drinking a blended whisky or if it’s scorching outside. But the odds of the latter happening are incredibly slim. In Scotland, summer is the second most famous myth after the Loch Ness Monster.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

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Off The Beaten Path - Scotland

Everyone loves Edinburgh and Inverness, but there is more to Scotland than the well traveled sights. When it comes to hidden gems, Scotland shines. From stunning islands to Neolithic Stone Circles, Scotland has it all.

Iona:

An ancient and continuing place of pilgrimage in the Inner Hebrides. It is referred to as “Scotland’s Sacred Heart.” Only the residents of Iona are allowed vehicles on the island. Visitors’ cars are left on Mull before the ½ mile trip over sparkling waters to the Island of Kings. Iona is considered a holy place where the veil between the mortal and the eternal is very thin.

Cairngorm Reindeer Center:

Britain’s only herd of wild reindeer. There are about 150, and they are friendly and beautiful.  You can get close, walk among the reindeer, and even pet them when you take a tour through the hillsides with a ranger.

The Isle of Skye:

Skye is the most important center for Gaelic culture in Scotland. While there, take a three-hour boat trip in a rigid, inflatable boat and check out the sea life. It’s a good time, and great to be out on the wild, open ocean. If you prefer to stay on land, a two-day trek of the Cuillin Ridge is the finest mountaineering experience in the British Isles. A five-day basic rock-climbing course is available.

Angus:

 This area was the heart of the Pict culture during the 7th and 8th centuries, and you’ll find a number of Pictish stones with symbols carved on them.

Ring of Brodgar:

At Callanish in Lewis, and Brodgar in Orkney, neolithic people built magnificent stone circles that rival Stonehenge. You can visit the Ring, the Neolithic Village of Skara Brae, or take day trips to even more remote islands. The Aurora Borealis are incredible here.

The Stone of Destiny:

Legend has it that in the 6th century B.C. two princesses from Jerusalem a stone called Jacob’s Pillow—the very same that Jacob had lain upon while dreaming of angels ascending a ladder. Legend goes on to say that Jacob’s Pillow became the Stone of Destiny, and that kings from the line of David (and the princesses) were crowned to rule the land around Lough Neagh. In 1296, the English took the stone south, a symbol of their disdain and suppression of the Scots. For centuries it rested beneath the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey and was called the Stone of Scone. It was recently returned to Scotland and is now at Edinburgh Castle.

Argyle, The cradle of Scotland:

This was the kingdom of Dalraida, founded by the “scot” that came from Ireland about 502 AD, bringing Jacob’s Pillow. (Now known as the Stone of Destiny.) In 843 AD marriage united the Pictish kingdom with Dalraida, creating Scotland as its own entity.

The Brough of Mousa & Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement:

Layers of history were uncovered at this site near the southern tip of Shetland during a storm.  The shell of a 16th century Laird’s House is the only structure to rise above the ground. It’s settled above a prehistoric fort, which was converted during the Iron Age into a round house. Around the site are the remains of a Viking farm from the ninth century and a communal longhouse that is 68 feet long. Other layers include a settlement from the 2nd century BC, and a medieval farm from the 14th century AD.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com

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Culinary Travel: Scotch Eggs with Mustard Sauce Recipe

Black pudding and Haggis are a bit hard to make stateside, so I settled on one of my favorite foods for this week’s recipe. Scotch Eggs are part of the traditional Scots breakfast, which also includes porridge, bacon, fried egg, sausage, black, white and fruit puddings and hot baps and jam. They are also sufficiently versatile to be served hot with gravy at teatime, or cold as a snack. I think I'll be making some of these tonight.

Ingredients

1 egg
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons white sugar
6 eggs
2 quarts oil for deep frying
12 ounces ground pork sausage
1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
4 ounces dry bread crumbs

Directions

To make the mustard sauce: Crack 1 egg into a small saucepan. With the heat on low, stir in mayonnaise, mustard and sugar. When it just starts to boil, it's done. Remove and let sit until cool, then chill for at least 10 minutes.

Place 6 whole eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and cook eggs for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel.

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F 

Put the sausage into a bowl with the finely parsley, lemon rind, nutmeg, marjoram, salt and pepper. Work all the ingredients well into the sausage with your hands. Make a coating for each hand boiled egg out of the sausage, working it round the eggs with wet hands to form an even layer. Roll the covered eggs in beaten egg, and then in dried breadcrumbs.

Carefully slide in 3 eggs and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until they turn deep golden brown. Turn them as they cook so that they brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel, and repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Serve eggs with mustard sauce.

6 Servings

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com

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Travel First Hand - Scotland

These past weeks have been a stroll down memory lane on my trips to Ireland and the UK and in my opinion I've saved the best for last. Don't get me wrong everywhere I went was a new adventure, a breathtaking sight, a friendly face, but Scotland blew them all away. From the dark underground of Edinburgh to the Famous hospitality of the Highlands, I invite you to explore this timeless country for yourself.

Edinburgh 

Nicknamed the "city of the dead" This gorgeous city is a lively and engaging town, full of adventures and sights. take a day to visit the castle and after enjoy a picnic lounging in the park beneath it, that was once the location of the castle's moat. Walk the town and visit the shops, you'll need an extra bag for all the souvenirs you'll want to bring home. Search the city for a statue of Abraham Lincoln, then Search for the famous Greyfriars Bobby. while you're out and about schedule a ghost tour, you'll learn why it is called the city of the dead and learn

some amazing history as well. Don't forget to pack some hiking boots so you can climb a nearby "hill" called Arthur's Seat. Also be aware of the season you travel in, I was there in March and we were hit with a blizzard, this caused some, thankfully not to serious, travel issues.

Oban and the Isle of Mull

My traveling companion and I hit the road after a few days in the capital and headed northwest to the lovely seafood capital of Scotland, Oban. We didn't come for the seafood and due to the time we chose to visit, the hostile we stayed in was empty except for us. We visited local ruins and walked two miles to the Oban rare breeds animal park. This is where planning ahead would come in handy ( I did not), arriving at the animal sanctuary we found that it was closed for low season. However, the staff was on hand at the park getting it ready to open, they spoke with us and found we had walked in from the town and allowed us to explore the park free of charge. This was my first introduction to Highland hospitality and it wouldn't be my last.

While we were in Oban, we decided to hop a ferry and take a day trip to the Isle of Mull. Once again poor planning on my part made for an amazing experience. We hopped off the Ferry and headed straight for the visitor center to ask which bus we should take to go to the other side of the island, where we could see a castle and a few other sites we had heard about. The man behind the counter kindly pointed to the bus that was driving away. 

The bus only made the run twice, once in the morning and again in the evening and we were out of luck. We asked if there were any other castles or sites we could visit nearby and were told that there was, but they were 8 miles away. My companion and I walked those 8 miles, saw two castles, admired the cutest cows in all the world and had the area all to ourselves. It was beautiful and then it started raining. We slogged back 8 miles the way we came. Now if you're counting, yes, we walked 16 miles that day, and by the time we reached the visitor center we were starving. The power was out to the whole village and all the shops were closed (just great). The man at the visitors center suggested we walk a mile to the local hotel and see if we could buy a meal there. Once again the hospitality of Scotland warmed our hearts. The hotel fed us, for free. A simple meal of soup and bread, but it was one of the most delicious meals I had on the whole trip. The gentleman who ran the visitor center had two cups of hot tea waiting for us when we returned.

Highlands

The Highlands are quite extensive and our 6 day tour that we hired, barely touched the surface.  The history alone had me on the edge of my seat. Then there was the different types of terrain from hiking rocky valleys to see waterfalls, to wandering mist covered forests, the Highlands will take your breath away. We visited Inverness and searched for Nessy at the Loch, as well as visiting a number of ruins, monuments and castles (we even stayed a night in one). We had a snowball fight with a few Australians and visited local pubs to hear local musicians and talk to the people in the area.

Scotland is by far my favorite destination, but it might not be yours. So pack your bag and find your own amazing adventure.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100
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Happy Father's Day Celebrate With A Cruise

Are you stuck looking for that perfect Father's Day Gift.  Give Dad something he will treasure for all time. A wonderful Royal Caribbean® Holiday Cruise.

Having the best time at the best time of the year is at the top of everyone’s holiday wish list.
And that’s just what you get when you book a Royal Caribbean® holiday cruise to the Bahamas or the Caribbean. We take care of everything and all you have to do is relax and cherish the holiday memories with your family. Start a new holiday tradition this year. Only on Royal Caribbean.

HANNUKAH & CHRISTMAS SAILINGS

Allure of the Seas®
7-NIGHT EASTERN CARIBBEAN
December 6, 2015
FROM $1,149* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $110.67 per person are additional.

Anthem of the Seas®
8-NIGHT BAHAMAS HOLIDAY
December 19, 2015
FROM $1,499* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $148.04 per person are additional.

Adventure of the Seas®
7-NIGHT SOUTH CARIBBEAN
CHRISTMAS CRUISE
December 19, 2015
FROM $1,065* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $63.46 per person are additional.

Liberty of the Seas®
7-NIGHT WESTERN
CARIBBEAN HOLIDAY
December 20, 2015
FROM $1,142* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $83.62 per person.

NEW YEAR’S SAILINGS

Freedom of the Seas®
7-NIGHT EASTERN CARIBBEAN
December 27, 2015
FROM $1,824* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $108.22 per person are additional.

Anthem of the Seas®
8-NIGHT BAHAMAS HOLIDAY
December 27, 2015
FROM $2,044* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $148.04 per person are additional.

Allure of the Seas®
8-NIGHT BAHAMAS HOLIDAY
December 27, 2015
FROM $2,789* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $117.12 per person are additional.

*Prices are per person, cruise only, double occupancy and in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Certain restrictions apply. ©2015 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ships’ registry: The Bahamas.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call 

us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100

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In The News - Most Unusual Village In Britain

Constructed in the 1920s on the sandy Dwyryd estuary of North Wales, beneath Snowdonia’s majestic peaks, Portmeirion’s buildings run the stylistic gamut: Jacobean and Gothic, Norwegian and Regency. They are pink and red, green and ochre. Each roofline differs from the next Eclectic, eccentric Portmeirion is one of the most recognizable attractions in Wales. The lifelong project of an architect with a passion for beauty, it would have been easy for the village to be frozen in time, a relic its 1930s heyday. Instead, it has continued to change and evolve. If there’s anything constant about Portmeirion – other than its beauty – it is its capacity for reinvention.

In 1968 it was featured in the bizarre British secret agent television series The Prisoner. People began to fall in love with Portmeirion that day. Britain was still going through a self-imposed period of post-war ugliness; it seemed terribly important that there was someone in the country who still believed in beauty.

That someone was a Welshman called Clough Williams-Ellis, who was born in 1883. He was a successful but virtually self-taught architect – and he despaired of the 20th Century’s attachment to Functionalism and Brutalism. He wanted to show, as he once wrote, “that buildings properly situated within a landscape could actually enhance the scenery.” In 1925, Williams-Ellis bought a small estate on the edge of Snowdonia and started proving his point, building on pretty, wooded slopes that ran down to the estuary.

There was already a gentleman’s residence on the estate, which he immediately turned into a hotel. Williams-Ellis always intended that his village – which he called Portmeirion, a fanciful name coined from Merionethshire, one of the 13 historic counties of Wales – would be a tourist destination.

There were a few other buildings, too, mainly stables and outbuildings, which Williams-Ellis embellished in a colorful manner that owed more to style than necessity. “Cloughed up” became a fashionable term for his technique. He painted shutters on the facade of one cottage, attached a statue of St Peter to another. His approach was just as irreverent as his style: he would draw his concept, then let his builders work out how to achieve it.

But most of the village was new – in the sense that new uses were found for old, salvaged pieces of architecture. In the years after World War I and World War II, modernizing architects were demolishing a lot of Britain’s architectural heritage. Williams-Ellis acquired these buildings, or their parts, to reuse – so much so that he declared Portmeirion “a home for fallen buildings”. His pseudo-Town Hall, for example, used a carved Jacobean ceiling that the architect purchased from a Flintshire stately home awaiting demolition – and also recycled an upturned pig boiler to create a copper-painted coronet on its spire.

Portmeirion plays impishly with perspective, too. If you visit the Unicorn, a pink Palladian “cottage,” you will be surprised to find that it takes far fewer steps than you’d expected to get from the road outside to the front door: the Neoclassical façade tacked onto the building makes it look much larger from far away than it really is.

Williams-Ellis and his writer wife Amabel hoped that their village would inspire painters. But artists never arrived – perhaps, ironically, because Portmeirion was already a work of art. Still, thanks to Amabel’s contacts with the London literati, many celebrities were soon accepting invitations, including the playwright George Bernard Shaw, novelist H G Wells, architect Frank Lloyd Wright and director Noel Coward. When Edward, Prince of Wale came to visit in 1943, Williams-Ellis added a private ensuite to one of the hotel rooms and temporarily increased the village’s entrance fee to £1 to keep down day tripper numbers. By World War II, Portmeirion had become a visual and social phenomenon, so much so that Williams-Ellis bought a hotel in the Shropshire market town of Shrewsbury to act as a halfway house for those driving up from London.

If you're in Wales, this newsworthy village is worth a peak.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100
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Off The Beaten Path - Wales

The first visit is to Ceibwr Bay, a cove on the south side of Cardigan Bay. There are tales of it being a smuggler's cove but today it is part of the national trust.

A tiny inlet of rocks and sand surrounded by tall cliffs. It’s definitely a wild and remote beach. Not good for swimmers but good for porpoise spotting.

One mile to the south is The Witches Cauldron, a jumble of contorted rocks. If you’re planning to visit, check out the tide times to make sure you’ve plenty of beach to play on and that you don’t get cut off by the incoming tide!

Nearest facilities are in Newport. Newport provides all the amenities of a large village including galleries, bike hire, Golf Club and a National Park Visitor Center (open all year but limited opening times in winter). A good choice of hotels, B&Bs, guesthouse, caravan and camping sites can found in the area.

A beautiful site of the area is Pistyll Rhaeadr, which has the distinction of being the tallest waterfall in Wales but doesn't get the credit it deserves. Pistyll Rhaeadr is an enchanting waterfall in the Berwyn Mountains, just inside Wales, west of Oswestry and Shrewsbury.

At 240 feet high it is the UK tallest single drop waterfall. This much-loved waterfall captivating all who visit her. People have returned, generation after generation to take in the spirit and presence of this Special place. Many visitors mention how quickly they come to a sense of peace and reverence within themselves, seldom found in today's busy and fragmented world It is a great place to explore the Berwyn Mountains and surrounding hills, with many walks on all levels to suit a variety of walkers.

Tan-y-Pistyll – meaning little house under the waterfall is where the tea room and B&B accommodation is located, here we can enjoy a welcome cup of tea, snack , or meal with a lovely view of the waterfall from the outside garden seating, or when its colder a warm log fire to sit by.
The Retreat campsite office is located in the barn - lower car park. For those able to spend longer time here, let this hidden pearl refresh and restore you, allowing a quality of nurturing and stopping time to be experienced

St. Govan's Chapel is a chapel located at St. Govan's Head, Pembrokeshire in south west Wales. Built into the side of a limestone cliff, the building measures 20 by 12 feet with walls constructed from limestone, and consists of a single chamber. The majority of the chapel was built in the thirteenth century, although parts of it may date back further to the sixth century when Saint Govan, a monk moved into a cave located on the site of the chapel. One legend suggests that Saint Govan is buried underneath the chapel's altar, located at the east end of the building. The entrance to the building is via. a doorway on the north side, low stone benches run along the north and south walls and an empty bell-cote is located at the west end. The slate roof is suspected to be a modern addition compared to the rest of the building.

The building is accessible from the clifftop by climbing down a set of 52 stairs, although tourist organizations propagate the legend that when counted, the number of steps differs between going down and going back up.

Today, the building falls within the MOD's Castlemartin East Firing Range, which limits access to the building when the range is closed to the public.

Llanthony Priory is a partly ruined former Augustinian priory in the secluded Vale of Ewyas, a steep sided once glaciated valley within the Black Mountains area of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. It lies seven miles north of Abergavenny on an old road to Hay-on-Wye at Llanthony. The main ruins are under the care of Cadw and entrance is free.

The priory dates back to around the year 1,100, when Norman nobleman Walter de Lacy reputedly came upon a ruined chapel of St. David in this location, and was inspired to devote himself to solitary prayer and study. He was joined by Ersinius, a former Chaplain to Queen Matilda, the wife of King Henry I, and then a band of followers. A church was built on the site, dedicated to St John the Baptist, and consecrated in 1,108. By 1,118, a group of around 40 monks from England founded there a priory of Canons Regular, the first in Wales.

In 1,135, after persistent attacks from the local Welsh population, the monks retreated to Gloucester where they founded a daughter cell, Llanthony Secunda. However, around 1,186 another member of the de Lacy family,Hugh, the fifth baron, endowed the estate with funds from his Irish estates to rebuild the priory church, and this work was completed by 1,217. There are also letters from Pope Clement III, between 1,185 and 1,188, confirming further grants and gifts to the priory from Adam de Feypo and Geoffrey de Cusack in Ireland.

The Priory became one of the great medieval buildings in Wales, in a mixture of Norman and Gothic architectural styles. Renewed building took place around 1,325, with a new gatehouse. On Palm Sunday, April 4, 1,327, the deposed Edward II stayed at the Priory on his way from Kenilworth Castle to Berkeley Castle, where he is alleged to have been murdered.

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Culinary Travel: Traditional Welsh Cawl Recipe

Cawl is a traditional Welsh stew and depending on your location in Wales. 

Cawl can be made in many ways.  

If you are inland or up in the hills you will get served lamb or mutton cawl where as on the coast you will get seafood cawl. Here is a recipe for a traditional lamb Cawl.

Ingredients

6 small lamb shanks
4 cups water
1 and 1/2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced
1 and 1/2 cup swede (rutabaga), peeled and diced
1 medium sized onion, peeled and chopped
2 - 3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 8 ounce leek, cleaned and sliced thin
Herbs: Bay, thyme, rosemary and parsley
1/2 a small cabbage
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan, season the lamb shanks add to the pan together with the onion and brown all over (you may have to do this in batches if your pan is not large enough. Pour over the water and add the bunch of herbs. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. Add all the vegetables except for the cabbage, bring up to the boil again, reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 40 minutes. Shred the cabbage and add to the cawl, cook for about 5 minutes, then serve.

Cawl can be made throughout the year, just adjust the vegetables according to the season. Chopped runner bean, broad beans and peas are wonderful during early summer, add a little chopped mint at the end of cooking.

During cooking the stock will reduce somewhat, so top up with more water, or some wine. You may also wish to add pulses such as lentils, or beans, pearl barley is also good during the winter months.

Substitute lamb with a piece of gammon, just make sure you soak it before cooking. The broth will make an excellent soup, add peas and fresh mint.

Serve with creamed potatoes, broad beans and parsley sauce.

Serves six

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First Hand UK Travel - Wales

It is unfortunate to say, but as little as I saw in England I saw even less of Wales. However I did spend a delightful day exploring the area around Conwy Castle in the Northwestern part of Wales. 

Traveling back to Ireland from England I had decided to take the Ferry at Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey, in Wales vs. flying back in a puddle jumper.  As we traveled through Wales I began to lament the fact that I had not done any research on areas to visit. After we crossed the Irish Sea on the ferry, I decided to drop my traveling companion off in Ireland and return for a day trip to Wales. I might have enjoyed the three hour ferry ride a bit too much and by ferry we are talking a small cruise ship with mall, bars, sleeping quarters and movie theater. When I returned to Holyhead I asked a few questions of the staff and found that I could take an hour train ride to a nearby castle. I will never regret that decision. 

As I traveled I was greeted by and spoke to many locals, who were all very happy to share interesting information about the area. The following covers my trip to Conwy, Wales and places you might find interesting to visit.

Conwy Castle
Wow! This castle is amazing.  It is a medieval fortification in Conwy, on the north coast of Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1289 and was constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conwy. The town itself still rests within the fortifications although it has since spilled further beyond the walls. Climb to the top of one Conwy castle’s 8 towers to get a stunning view of Conwy, and then explore the inner and outer wards with their many rooms. You can also explore the castle walls with their 21 towers that enclose Conwy town.

Britain's Smallest House
Not sure if I'd say cozy or claustrophobic, known as the Quay House, this red painted "house" is only 10 x 6ft and was last lived in by Robert Jones who was 6ft 3 inches tall. Squeeze in and see what it would be like to live in Britain’s smallest house. 

Plas Mawr 
This magnificent 16th century town house stands in the heart of Conwy on the High Street, and is said to be the finest standing house of it’s era. See how wealthy merchant Robert Wynn lived and styled this splendid Elizabethan house.

Conwy Mountain
Just over the Sychnant Pass, you can wander around a great network of paths and picturesque lakes. Visit the summit to see some amazing views and an Iron Age hillfort. Keep an eye out for a wide range of wildlife including ravens.

Conwy Quay
Conwy Marina and Quay is a great place to sit and watch the world go by, whether it’s with fish and chips from a local shop, or a drink outside the Liverpool Arms. Take a stroll and simply take in the stunning views.

Conwy Nature Reserve
With lots of wildlife to see, including birds of all shapes and sizes, Conwy Nature Reserve is a great place for the whole family. And there is usually an event of some description taking place too, from bird watching and guided walks, to farmer’s markets and fun activities for kids.

Aberconwy House
Built in the 14th century, this is the only medieval merchant's house in Conwy to have survived the turbulent history of the walled town over nearly six centuries. Enjoy the character of this fascinating house as it casts you back in time to a different way of living.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100
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Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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