Drove through the countryside in search of Roman ruins. Interesting history but actual ruins require a good imagination. Arrived in Durham, the Oxford of the North. Our B&B is above a pub. Parking was a challenge! While looking for dinner, we came upon the local theater and wandered in to see a not so great production of Great Expectations. Dinner at the favorite ethnic restaurant in England - Italian.

First cold and wet day! Welcome to Scotland. Fortunately we did the walking tour yesterday and left the castle for today. Lots of time to relax and rearrange our suitcases for the second half of our trip. Always time for dinner at the local pub. Not much celebrating of July 4th here!

Walking tour of Edinburgh with overly enthusiastic guide. Good tour with lots of actual history mixed with local folklore and Harry Potter connections. To be continued tomorrow with visit to the castle. Can't get into the Palace because the Queen is there! Walked to the water, the Firth of Forth. Not much happening there but the Britannia is parked there. Also found Peppa Pig and her brother, George. Dinner at our local Italian restaurant. Everything else was cl...

Our long drive to Scotland was remarkably uneventful. One stop in Alnwick and before we knew it, we were in Edinburgh. Good Italian dinner and quiet evening. Happy Birthday Molly!

Our walking tour of Stratford-upon-Avon proved that every building here is in some way associated with William Shakespeare. The tour was interesting and provided an overview of both the town and Shakespeare's life. It is the weekend of the River Festival so this normally crowded tourist town has turned into a mob scene. Fortunately we took refuge in a pub to relax and enjoy the SUNNY day (a rarity in this country). Perfect end to the day - pizza and fireworks.