Today is our last day with the tour. We pack up and head back to Edinburgh this morning. We have a few stops long the way so a little more fun before it is all over for another year.

Due to some bus driver timing out we got off to a later start than originally planned. everyone was happy about that. We missed a stop but we didn’t have to get our suitcases out quite so early and we time to enjoy another lavish breakfast. I hope someday to return to Gleneagles and rely enjoy the resort but they will need to have a sale on their off season prices to make it doable. Maybe it will show up on Groupon one day. More likely to win the lottery than that but fingers crossed.

Val and I walked around a little and found the golf shop. Of course we both found things to buy. Just a little bit more for my already over stuffed luggage. Everything is so nice and well manicured here I want to have something to show from it. I did buy a Christmas present so that is good.

From the bus we went to a little town to see some waterfalls. I think it was basically a sit for the historians to have one more lunch together. Alison always plans plenty of time to eat but since we had a late start and breakfast was such a feast I am not sure any of us were hungry. Mainly we walked around town looked at the gals and then had ice cream tea and cokes. It was a nice break but a little too long. From there we headed out to Linlithgow.

Linlithgow is mostly in ruins but it was once a royal residence for the Kings and Queens of Scotland. it was where Mary de Guise wanted for king James to return from battle just a week after MQS was born in one of the tower rooms. It was where James VI and Anna of Denmark spent time before he became King of England. It might have had a connection to Margaret Tudor as well but I can’t remember.

The building is done in both medieval arches and the renaissance Roman style. One interior wall fell overnight (makes you a little nervous to wk around it) back during James VI time and he replaced it and remodeled with in the Roman style. His crest and name are above the windows on the Roman side.

You can basically climb the towers or ramble around in the basement dungeon and kitchens. It was all a little spooky. We went up the tower but did not climb the last bit to the tower room. The staircase was outside and steep. Too much for me. You could see the remnants of an even worse staircase wrapping around the outside of the tower room. Not sure who used that or how. Today it is rightfully blocked off from use. regardless the 6 flights we went up in one rounding stone staircase was enough for me.

We had a little time to wander the grounds but then it was back on the bus for one last ride. The 10 days went too fast. We had such a great time and learned so much about the Scottish history and culture. I can’t wait to go back. It was a fabulous trip.

We has short reception at the hotel while our luggage was unloaded which gave us time to say goodbye to everyone. We made some good friends on this trip that hopefully we will see on another AWT tour or maybe even somewhere else down the road. Most people were leaving early the next morning and we will miss seeing them in the breakfast room and around the hotel.

Val and I have a few more days on our own. We haven’t been on our own and responsible for our own stuff and plans for ten days. We will see how it goes tomorrow.