Welcome!

My name is Stanley, and I'm a traveling bear! I started my adventures back in March of 2010, but since I just started this blog in June 2011 I've got to catch you guys up! These first blogs will be about my previous adventures, but look for new travels coming soon. If you're traveling in one of the areas that I've already been to, this blog will give you tips on where to eat, what to see, and where to stay. Feel free to give feedback on your favorites too!

Everything is given a "Stanley Rating" on this blog based on a 5 star system (1 star being the worst, 5 stars being the best) to help you figure out where you want to go! I also give "Best of" awards to my favorite places in my favorite cities.

Stanley Doing What He Does Best....

Stanley Doing What He Does Best....
Stanley eats at his FAVORITE restaurant in Prague - Budvarka. He loved it so much, he took that mug he's leaning up against home with him.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Jedburgh and Edinburgh, Scotland

March 2010

After our visit to York, we left England and went to Scotland!


Leaving England...


Entering Scotland! 

Our first stop was Jedburgh for a brief visit to see the ruins of the old abbey.  It was gorgeous, and fortunately we had enough time to grab some lunch at Carter's Rest Cafe, which conveniently had very nice views of the abbey. 


Jedburgh Abbey 

Then we headed on to Edinburgh where we went on a walking tour of the city (from "new" town up through "old" town and ending at the castle), caught another play, and had THE BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE.  Cedric The Gnome and I headed out to Rose Street one night because it's famous for having a whole bunch of pubs in one location.  We passed pub after pub, uncertain of where to go and chose a place called the Rose Street Brewery.  Best decision I have ever made!  At first we weren't so sure - the pub was downstairs and then they had a tiny upstairs for the restaurant. When we first walked in, the restaurant upstairs was completely deserted, but we decided to give it a shot.  It was amazing!  


Looking up at Edinburgh Castle


From the top of the castle looking down on the city

I really wish that we had spent more time in Scotland, because I think it would be a really fun place to explore more.  You could easily spend a week in Edinburgh alone, let alone the rest of the countryside! Hopefully my travels will take me here again someday.... 

Jedburgh, Scotland

Where to eat... 

Carter's Rest Cafe
Stanley rating: ***
Good food, but it's a little pricey.  The best part about it is the fantastic views of the abbey, which is right across the street. 
Recommended eats: Grilled sandwich

What to see...

Jedburgh Abbey
Stanley rating: ****
It's gorgeous and has a great history; we didn't have much time to spend here, however, so I can't give you too many details on the place.  The village looked quaint and is probably worth exploring. 

Edinburgh, Scotland

Where to eat...

Rose Street Brewery 
Stanley rating: ***********!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best place that I ate at the entire time that I was in the UK! The service was friendly and they had fantastic food. There's a pub downstairs and a smaller restaurant area upstairs. The upstairs area was quiet and had a very homey atmosphere. Oh, yeah, and the food was phenomenal!
Recommended eats: The lasagna, hunter's chicken, and - the BEST part - sticky toffee pudding. It was so good I could've went into hibernation afterwards and been satisfied for the rest of winter. 

The Deacon's House Cafe
Stanley rating: *** 
The food was good for a light lunch, and they had some really nice desserts available.  A little pricey, especially since the portions aren't very big. They do have some great facts about Deacon Brodie though! (He's the man that inspired Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)
Recommended eats: Smoked salmon bagel 


Cedric and I with Deacon Brodie

Happy travels! 

No comments:

Post a Comment