Edinburgh

While Rob’s parents were in town we spent a few nights in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Edinburgh is absolutely stunning!  Our first night we dined at The Outsider thanks to a friend’s recommendation who attended University in Edinburgh.   Not only was the dining experience impeccable but also a great view overlooking the city and Edinburgh Castle.

We had a great time exploring Edinburgh Castle the next morning.  For a breathtaking view of the city I would also recommend Calton Hill.  From the top you can see both Edinburgh Castle and Arthurs Seat.  At the top is a collection of monuments to be admired.

We couldn’t visit Scotland without doing at least one whiskey tasting.  We went to the Scotch Whiskey Experience and had lunch at their Amber Restaurant.  The service and food were outstanding! 

I definitely look forward to another trip here in the Spring or Summer months.

With Love,

The Flemings

Our View from our Apartment

Edinburgh Castle

Amber Restaurant and Scotch Whiskey Experience

The Dome

Calton Hill

Grandparents Visit London

When we first moved here we decided to wait to do most of the sights and attractions around London until we had visitors.  We felt we would appreciate it more and not get too tired of seeing the same things all the time. 

My grandparents and their friends had a Europe trip planned before our plans of moving here and I was blessed to explore London with them and their friends.  Lona and I bought a three day London Pass.  If you plan on doing a lot of the attractions and museums in a few days, this is definitely a more cost effective way of exploring London.  When you purchase the London Pass you have access to 60 attractions.  With this pass you will avoid the queues and feel like a VIP with the Fast Track Entry!  One thing to know is that not all sights and attractions are available with the London Pass.  I would recommend researching what you want to do in the city and then compare the pricing to just be sure you are getting the best deal.  Any tickets you book in advance I would make sure to print out beforehand.  It will make your life a lot easier.  Some attractions allow you to show your phone, but many will not allow it.  Plus you may get a better deal online!  The London Pass makes exploring easy.  They provide you with a small book/guide, or if you are like me and do not want to carry more stuff around, they have an app for your phone (embrace technology!).  This tells you what attractions are included, locations/directions, and gives you a small blurb about each place. 

It was still Rob’s first month over here during their visit and unfortunately he was unable to explore the city with us, being tied down by work, and fully immersed in the data centre project.  But hey, we’re here first and foremost for Rob’s work, so no big deal!  We toured many of the must-sees with them - The London Eye, Buckingham Palace (Changing of the Guards), Tower of London, and Tower Bridge. 

The history and beauty of Buckingham Palace was impressive.  I would also recommend walking through St. James Park and Green Park while you are in this area.

A favorite and must see for me is Tower of London.  There is so much to see once you are inside and the lines can be long.  I have already been there twice!

We had so much fun!  It’s still surreal that we live in this beautiful country.  I love being able to explore new things every day.

With Love,

The Flemings

Christmas in London

So I know I am extremely late with my Christmas and NYE posts; but the last few months have been so busy going back to Florida in January and finding a new job in February.  Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year!!!

Christmas Eve we went out to a restaurant called Duck and Waffle in the city.  This is the highest restaurant in the UK with remarkable views of the city!  It is absolutely gorgeous!

On Christmas we spent the afternoon FaceTiming with family from all sides!  It was great being able to see everyone!  Have to love technology J.  That evening we prepared a lamb roast.  I made sure to make a few of our family recipes, but didn’t have the space to prepare Grandma G’s famous noodles! 

The day after Christmas we went out to do a little site seeing around the city. 

Ice Skating was another fun thing Rob and I did with friends at the Somerset House.  Rob is amazing, but as for me, I am lucky I only fell once.  I felt like I was always trying to get my balance.  

With Love,

The Flemings