Adventure to Europe 2025: ON TO SCOTLAND

The next morning I headed back to Paris and the airport for a short flight to Edinburg Scotland. At the airport, I picked up my rental car for the 90 minute drive to Lockerbie.

Now, I f you ever wanted an experience, get in a car with right hand drive for the first time and try driving on the left hand side of the road, after dark. I may have hit the curb on the left side of the car a few times. It is a very strange sensation.

So, seven years ago I was asked to help a group of men from Lockerbie with a bike ride from Washington to Syracuse to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Flight 103 disaster. I went to D.C. and followed them in a van at 15 mph for 6 days as they did the ride. It was so much fun and a great experience. I had said that someday I would visit them in Lockerbie and this was my chance.

I stayed in a great old Inn and spent some real quality time with 4 of the guys. Unfortunately the 5th, David "Heavy" Whaley passed away earlier this year. It was well worth the trip.

Somerton House Hotel

Snow on the Highlands

The guys and I

My next stop was the capital of Scotland, Edinburg. This city, which is 900 years old is a wonderful visit. There are numerous churches, museums and attractions. The Main Street is the Royal Mile that runs from Edinburg Castle to Hollywood Castle and the site of the Scottish Legislature. If you followed all of the pomp after the death of Queen Elizabeth, Her funeral procession went from Hollywood castle to St Giles cathedral, a massive church on the Royal Mile.

St Giles Cathedral

One of the people that I met when the Scots came to the US for the bike ride is Oliver Mundell, a member of the Scottish Parliament. He invited me to sit in the gallery of the Scottish legislature to view one of their sessions. It was very interesting to witness. After the session, he and I shared a meal in the MP's lounge. What a nice experience!

I visited a number of historical sites and some museums over the next couple of days. On my last day, I went to Edinburg Castle. This castle that dates back to the 11th century. It is a combination of a museum to Scottish history and an active military base. It is home to the Royal Jewels, Has a prison and a chapel (at a single room, it is easily the smallest church that I visited).