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
rawhidetravel.com
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
rawhidetravel.com
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
rawhidetravel.com
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.
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
rawhidetravel.com
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
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
rawhidetravel.com
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
rawhidetravel.com
Rawhide Travel and Tours with combined total of “75 years of travel experience" provides amazing deals for your dream vacation with experienced, friendly travel experts.
Services offered include booking domestic and international air travel, hotel and resort reservations, car rental and cruises for individuals, corporate, group and incentive travel. Also tour packages of every type from a weekend getaway, to San Diego or Disneyland to involved and detailed vacations worldwide.
Plan your next great vacation or business trip with Rawhide Travel and Tours. Call today (602) 843-5100 or email us at flythis@rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
