Auld Reekie & the capitol of England

It's official! I'm taking my first international trip since I went to Quebec in 2005. I'm headed to Scotland and England in September. I will be heading out of the country on September 11. I'm hoping there will be enough superstitious folks in the world that I will have an empty seat beside me on the way over. I always like to have a theme for the trips I take. It helps me narrow my focus on the activities and sites to see, since I couldn't possibly do everything that is interesting and available to do. Things can certainly change between now and then, but for now, I think this one will have an ancestral exploration thread running through it. I have Scottish lineage: the Campbell's, my Clement heritage came from England (originally Normandy) and of course there's the Viking blood which can be found all over the British isles.

The next task will be to find all the hidden gems that I can uncover during my voyage; those hole-in-the-wall eateries, the fascinating-yet-unknown museums and the unusual and trivial locales that enrich the experience.

I'll have to investigate the not-to-miss items... like great whiskey, tartans, tea and biscuits, haggis (OK, maybe not haggis)!

I plan to spend some time in London, too, checking out all the things I skipped the first time I was there... like the British Museum (must see the Rosetta Stone!), and the Tower of London. Oh, the possibilities are endless!

Now the real fun begins: the planning!