Off for the week-end.

[hotwine]

Drew was right about the food in London: like night and day from what we experienced so long ago. Whereas previously we nearly starved due to the sorry food and worse service, the difference this time couldn't have been more extreme: the food was wonderful and the service courteous, efficient and NICE! Can't recall how many times we were told, "How nice to see you Amercicans back among us. We've missed you!" We never had a bad meal in the 10 days' time. Can't recall all the wines.... a Sancerre, several Bordeaux, at least three Pinot Grigios... all wonderful. A Grahams Port was served with ICE by a hopelessly ignorant third world barkeep in Edinburgh, but when the mistake was noted by other staff it was removed from the tab without asking.

Hotels: the Macdonald Holyrood in Edinburgh is across the street from the new Scottish Parliament building; rated 4-star, it's worth it, although the lobby and bar are a bit cramped. Still, it had spacious rooms and very courteous service. "Arthur's Seat", the massive remnant of a long-dead volcano, was framed by our window. The hotel was the location of the reception for our former exhange student's wedding, so it was an easy two-block walk from the 18th century church where the wedding took place to the reception. The wedding was formal with pipes and kilts and lasted from 2 PM on the 18th until 1 AM the next morning. Lots of great food, wines and (of course) whiskeys (burp).

A few days in London were spent at the Jurys Kensington on Queen's Gate at Brompton Road. A 3-star, the room and bath were very cramped. Although the lobby and restaurant were more spacious than the Macdonald, the tiny room and bath will eliminate it from any further visit we might make. The location, though, was excellent.... about a 15 minute walk south of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Restaurants and shopping were all within easy walking distance.

Travel: British Airways B-777 from Houston to Gatwick and return, BA B-737 from Gatwick to Edinburgh, British express rail from Edinburgh to London, all superb and highly recommended.

Aside from the hotels, we stayed three days with a Scottish couple in Edinburgh, parents of another exchange student we hosted 10 years ago... the most delightful people in the world. The mom met us at the airport, fed us lunch and sent us off to bed to recover from jet lag, then served up a fabulous formal dinner for us that evening. Her husband introduced me to his favorite whiskey, the Glenmorangie 10-yr-old single malt, single fill, the "Cellar 13"; I was fortunate to have selected that one for him at the duty-free shop in Gatwick, so the gift was an instant hit. And what a magnificent malt it was! Picked up a liter for myself on the way back.

Easy travel, absolutely delightful people.... and we can't wait to go back.