Trip to Scotland and England 2010

7 Oct

13:10 local -- arrived atGlasgow airport after flights from Tampa to Charlotte(1.5 hrs), a four hour layover, flight to Gatwick (7 hrs -- met Dean and Gillian from Houston), a 4 hour layover, flight to Glasgow (1.5 hrs) -- a long day. Noticed two men in kilts at airport (more than I saw on all of last visit to Scotland! Airport is in Paisley -- all the men sound like Tony and Charlie -- the women like Neda and Betty. Picked up car -- drove in circles for a while trying to find M77 to Ayr -- difficulty in getting used to the way things are signed. Picked up Where to Stay brochure for Ayr and the Isle of Arran at tourist desk in airport.

16:00 -- took a room at Ayr Gatehouse B&B (30 pounds -- listed at from 25 -- on A79, 31 Prestwick Rd. Ayr 01292 284065 -- good wifi). Had a nap and cleaned up.Then went into town, taking a number of photos on the way. Very happy to be in Ayr. Had a lovely meal -- braised lamb neck and a pint of McEwans. Marvelled at how long it takes the sun to go down. Stopped for another pint at Tam 0'Shanter Inn and took photos. Chatted with Christopher Pringle of Glasgow who assured me pub was not authentic -- had been a museum and then was created for tourist trade. I think I was the only tourist. Back to B&B and tried again to get UK maps downloaded into GPS -- a process that takes hours and which I have had to abort on three previous occasions.

Scenes on a walk into Ayr


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Scenes at the Tam O'Shanter Inn