I am back

In case anyone is wondering I am back in Walnut Creek. It is tough to come back to reality and to the world of work. I don't know if I am entirely back mentally.

I enjoyed the 9 days of being chauffeured around a beautiful country, seeing lovely scenery, tasting good scotch, eating good meals and feeling the energy of my ancestors. It was great seeing family and feeling so comfortable with them. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to do this. I am thankful to my Dad and to my sister who made it fun.
I am so pleased that my dad has decided to get the hip operation that he needs so much. I know he is scared, but I don't see any other alternative for him except to be come less and less mobile which would be bad for everyone. I understand there are risks to any operations, but he needs this.

Anyway, Scotland is a country that I will never say no to. It is beautiful and full of generous people. It still seems wild and untamed as it grows and expands. It is full of variety and I don't even pretend to have experienced even a small percentage of all it has to offer.

I am a little angry that I gained weight, but I must say that no matter what people say about Scottish cooking... it has come a long way and I loved every bite. Have a mentioned that I love fish? I had a lot of Salmon and a lot of Haddock. I had a lot of fresh fruit and wonderful Scottish cheese. (the one complaint is the choice of wine!.. it was horrible in most places.) Oddly, I was never in the mood for beer, but I suspect their beer is fairly good.

INFO:
Best driver and tour guide (well.. he was our only driver): Mike Hardie www.tourinscotland.co.uk/index.asp He knew so much and it didn't take him long to understand what Dad liked to hear about and focused more on that. He was laid back and flexible with our schedule. His help was invaluable.

Best Bed and Breakfast: Aslar House http://www.aslar.com/

Best Scotch tour: Abelour http://www.aberlour.com/ I also liked Kilchoman. http://www.kilchomandistillery.com/

Best Scotch.... no way I can pick... Did you know that each distillery has its own individual water source? Still amazed me especially on Islay which is an island with 9 distilleries (or more).

Best Scotch store: Whiskey castle in Tomintoul http://www.whiskycastle.co.uk/

Best surprise tour spot: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the Cooperage. http://www.speysidecooperage.co.uk/

Best dinner: Toss up! I actually liked the Russel Hotel www.russellhotelstandrews.co.uk/dining.htm
I also liked the Glass House and Doll House (owned by the same people in St. Andrews). http://www.houserestaurants.com/
I also liked the restaurant in Boat Garten (near Grantown on Spey). www.andersonsrestaurant.co.uk/index.php

Best desert: Sticky Toffee Pudding. http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_sticky.htm

That's it. I am overcome by jet lag.
I will write about my last few days with my dad in PA tomorrow.