After a Sunday afternoon flight from Frankfurt, we arrived in Edinburgh and walked the Royal Mile before sunset. Our 123-year-old hotel was charming, and the city most definitely has history. It was fascinating to see the streets crowded with performers as part of the “Fringe Festival”—mimes, a knife juggler, some guy cracking bullwhips, a woman performing magic tricks, and sundry other people eager to please the masses.

After a phenomenally decadent breakfast (Eggs Benedict) on Monday morning, a chatty Bangladeshi transplant drove us back to the airport for a rental car pickup. For several hours John acclimated himself to driving on the “wrong” side (albeit a nice highway), but then the two-lane, hairpin turns began. Lots of prayin’ going on from my side of the car!

In the early afternoon we stopped at Inveraray Castle, the headquarters for Clan Campbell. After several hours exploring the history and admiring the palatial rooms, we drove on down the coast to Stonefield Castle, another long-term Campbell-owned home, where we’re spending the night.

Thankfully, there’s a big clawfoot tub and hanging space where I could do needed laundry. I should sleep well tonight….