The 2026 Show. A Call to Gather.  It will run from August 7-29 on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.

With pride, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo announced earlier this year that the voice of the Narrator of Call to Gather will be Scottish actor Richard Rankin, known for his roles in Rebus and the Outlander.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo started in the 1950's in its present format but it is really a celebration of Scottish life: a centuries old tradition of the bringing together of clans to share in the elements of Scottish culture such as sword dancing, precision marching drills, drumming, and bagpipes.
Today, performers come from around the world to share their Scottish heritage and their talents. Storytelling plays a large role. This year, The Royal Air Force is the Lead Service.

There will be over 800 International artists participating over the 23 nights of the Tattoo in 2026. People are coming from such countries as New Zealand, Germany, Qatar and the United States.  Canada will be represented by the Vancouver  Police Pipes and Drums.  They are making their fourth appearance at this event.

The acts are sensational and they are capped by laser lights, pyrotechnics, smoke/haze effects and strobe lighting against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

Go to the Royal Military Edinburgh TATTOO website to buy tickets.  You can top up your experience two ways.  One is a hospitality package - adding a little whisky or wine with Scottish cuisine next to the Castle and having the added feature of a guest performance from members of the cast. The other possibility on the official website is having a dining experience in the heart of the Castle combined with a backstage view of the show.

I have my ticket.  I would suggest that you get yours today!  See you there!

A resort near Aviemore, Scotland.

A resort near Aviemore, Scotland.

When you go to the UK, there are many more places to stay other than in hotels.  The choices are endless.  From castles, estates and luxury hotels to camping or glamping, there is much in between.

There are campgrounds for tents and caravan parks for trailers (caravans to the British) where you can move in to one that is parked there. There are many sites close to the beach or in the countryside. Go to ukcaravans4hire.com.  You could also choose to rent a caravan for a period of time and travel with your own lodging.  Many Britons do just that as there are so many areas of the UK which are wonderful vacation destinations. Some popular destinations are the Lake District, the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Devon and Cornwall, The Cotswolds, the New Forest and anywhere along the coast. You can start at one destination and return there or finish miles away.  There is an added cost to do the latter.  Go to indiecampers.co.uk for more information.  For camping holidays, search www.pitchup.com which has campsites available on beaches, farms and in the UK countryside.  The National Trust, which owns property all over the UK that one can visit, also has camp sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. One site, hipcamp.com, advertises campsites, caravan parks, cabins and clamping so has it all!

If you are looking for a quaint cottage, look no further than last minute-cottages.co.uk.  You input the area of the UK you are wanting to stay in and other filters including dates, and a list of options all over the UK come up.  National Trust also has unique properties to rent such as a lighthouse, a hop kiln and as pilchard cellar for example.  Go to national trust.org.uk.

Families can choose luxury resorts, farm holidays, or accommodation at theme parks if they do not wish to camp, caravan or stay in a cottage.  Websites such as silverspoonlondon.co.uk offer luxury resorts for families in many different locations.  There often is a kids club and a swimming pool.  Holiday cottages on working farms can be found at classic.co.uk.  An example of a theme park with accommodation for families is Crealy Theme Park and Resort.  Some families choose to have a weekend getaway or longer at a family oriented resort.  An example of this is Center Parcs which has 5 locations in England.  They are situated in forested locations. These vacation spots are popular as they have many activities and many choices of restaurants.

If you are an adult looking for a bit of pampering, you can search luxuryhotelsguides.com and mrandmrssmith.com for the best boutique and luxury hotels. If you are looking for something special, try uniquehomestays.com which has properties listed in the UK and Ireland.  A peaceful holiday could be boating on one of the UK's many canals. One such company to approach is Chas Hardern Boats (www.chashardern.co.uk) which is a family-run business with a long history.

You may wish to be active on your holiday.  If this is the case, search out walking sites such as letsgowalking.co.uk to have a walking holiday arranged in the area you are interested in.  A cycling holiday is another option. There is a wide range of companies that offer self-guided, ebike tours or guided tours in a variety of locations. Sailing holidays can be booked with companies such as classic-sailing.com.

The variety of possibilities in the UK is like no other place.  Whatever you choose to do, enjoy your summer!

What else but fish and chips! But there is a lot more to food in the UK!

As London is the largest city, there are many more food and drink tours here than anywhere else. There is such a diversity of cultures here. There is a foodie tour in the Brixton area of London that features African and Caribbean food, as there are many people who trace their roots from these countries.  Another tour is centred in the Soho and Chinatown areas that showcases food from the Mediterranean as well as Chinese, Indian and British cuisine.  An East End tour features food from the many cultural groups that have shaped the history there - French, Chinese, Jewish, British and Indian. In all of these tours, you learn about the history of London and why people from these various backgrounds left their homelands to live here.

Typical British foods are highlighted in some of the tours, such as one that is an English scone making course.  There are several tours on double decker buses where you can have afternoon tea ( and even a tipple) while you see the city. My favourite could be the cheese tour. Imagine walking through London sampling as much cheese as you want!  My dream day!

Outside of London, the city of York has several foodie tours.  One is at a cocoa works, and another is a tour sampling food at 6 different locations.  Manchester has an Indian food making (Chapatti n Curry), Liverpool has a food and drink tour, and Bristol also has a chocolate tour. In Norwich, someone has a tour sampling sausage rolls.  I am sure there are not many Brits who don't like sausage rolls.  They are served at most British functions.

Cardiff in Wales has at least 3 foodie tours which all include walking and tasting Welsh food along the way.  You can learn about culinary delights here as well as what life is like in this part of the world. Scotland has a lot of whiskey tasting tours (I will talk about this in another blog) and pub crawls, but there is a food and pub tour in Edinburgh which also includes walking. Belfast has several food and drink tours where you walk and learn about the City.  As with all of these tours, the tour guide and the commentary are often what make your time memorable.

It is always worthwhile to take a tour when you are travelling.  Eating and drinking while you learn about an area is always a good pastime.

Until the next blog, Cheers!

Tenby Beach, Wales

There are many beautiful beaches in the UK.  There are so many that are a bit out of the way and not explored as much.  We will look at some of these here.

In the south of England, people flock to Bournemouth and Brighton beaches and they can be very crowded on a hot day.  Instead, try West Wittering, a National Trust property that features a long sandy shore and less people.  It is about one and a half hours from London.  When I lived there, this is where I would go for a day out. 

In Somerset, Brean beach has a 7 mile stretch of sandy beach which is flat and clean. In North Somerset, instead of heading to Weston-super-Mare, head a bit north to Sandy Bay Beach.

There are many well-known beaches in Cornwall but one of my favourites is Marazion Beach which looks across at St. Michael's Mount. This is a large safe, sandy beach between Marazion and Penzance.

Instead of busy Torquay in Devon, go to Blackpool Sands south of Dartmouth. It is a great place for families as the beach is very safe. You can go kayaking and paddle boarding here and there is a sheltered cove to swim in and a children-only sandpit.

Beautiful Holkham Beach in Norfolk is widely known for being one of the best sandy beaches in England but it is more of a walking beach than a swimming area.  It is a National Nature reserve and has many nesting birds here.

People love to walk the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales and here you will find many isolated and quiet, sandy beaches.  An example of these is Skrinkle Haven (parking is 500 metres down the road at Manorbier Youth Hostel) but there are 140 steps down to the ocean.  The water is a bit cold!  A beauty is Barafundle Bay which is a half mile walk from the National Trust carpark.  Or you can walk two kilometres here from Broadhaven South beach. Other beaches can be reached by car such as Tenby beach and Saudersfoot beach by towns of the same name.

Scotland has many sandy beaches but the water is quite cold all year long. On the west coast is Achmelvich Bay in the Scottish Highlands.  Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris is very Caribbean like until you test the water temperature!  There are so many sandy beaches on the Outer Hebrides and the Shetland Islands too.

In Northern Ireland, you will find beaches in County Londonderry (the 7 mile beach at Benone Strand), County Antrim (long isolated stretches of beach at White Park Bay and soft white sands at Portrush), and in County Down (flat sandy Murlough Beach and 2 miles of flat, sandy shores at Tyrella Beach).

​Enjoy exploring the beaches wherever you are this summer!

The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, England, UK

Tennis Season is upon us!

From May until July every year is the season for professional tennis tournaments on grass in England.  The smaller tournaments are warm ups to the prestigious tournament and one of the four Grand Slam Tournaments - The Championships, Wimbledon.  In 2026, it runs from June 29-July 12.

The main tennis tournament leading up to Wimbledon is the HSBC Queen's (London), It is on at the moment (it started on June 6 and runs until June 14th for the Women's Tennis Association). This year there was a surprise contender - Serena Williams made an appearance playing doubles. The men will play from June 13-21 (ATP for the Association of Tennis Professionals).

Some of the top players slated to play at Queen's are Jack Draper (UK), Tommy Paul (USA), Holger Rune (Denmark), Denis Shapovalov (Canada), Alex de Minaur (Australia) and Lorenzo Musetti (Italy).  On the women's side are Elena Ruybakina (World #2 from Kazakhstan), Amanda Anisimova (USA), Emma Raducanu (UK), Victoria Mboko (Canada), Belinda Bencik (Switzerland), Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine), Victoria Mboko (Canada) and Leylah Fernandez (Canada).

A tournament that was already held this month was the Lexus Birmingham Open which was frorm May 30-June 7 at Edgbaston Priory Club.  Otto Virtanen (Finland) was this year's Men's Single's champion, beating out Colton Smith in the final in straight sets.  Alexandra Eala (Philippines) was the Women's Single's champion, winning over Nikola Bartunkova 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.                               

Other tournaments this June will be:

Lexus Ilkley Open from June 7-14 at the Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club in Yorkshire
Lexus Nottingham Open from June 13-21 at the Nottingham Tennis Centre
Lexus Eastbourne Open from June 20-27 at Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club
Lexus British Open Roehamption from June 28-July 3 at the Roehampton Tennis Centre

Tickets for these tournaments are less expensive and easier to come by. Outside of the Wimbledon and Queen's Tournaments, you are most likely to see top players at the Eastbourne tournament.

The line up for top professional players for the Eastbourne tournament is entirely different than the line up for Queen's.  At Eastbourne this year will be women players such as Jasmine Paolini (Italy), Madison Keys (USA), Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia), Maria Sakkari (Greece) and Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic). On the men's side will be Taylor Fritz (USA), Tomas Etcheverry (Argentina), Gabriel Diallo (Canada), Jaume Munar (Spain) and Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina).

Tickets for Wimbledon are by auction. You will have more of a chance of attending if you live in Wimbledon.  Many people line up early in the morning to get a ticket in one of the stadiums for the day.  Outside of that, you can get an entrance ticket and get into the grounds.  There are monitors inside the grounds to watch the tennis and usually on what is referred to as Henman's Hill, named after the English tennis player Tim Henman who received an OBE after he had a successful career as a professional tennis player for England.  He won 15 ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) tour titles in the early 2000's and was the first English player to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon since Roger Taylor in the 1970's.  Scotland's Andy Murray won at Wimbledon twice (2013 and 2016) and won the US Open in 2012.  There was talk of changing the name of Henman's Hill at that time but it never took hold.

If you are a lover of the game of tennis, now is the time to indulge!  Go see a game if you can and get your raquet out of the closet and head to the courts.  Wherever you are in the world, there is sure to be one near you,  

In the UK, the Championships Wimbledon is covered every day by BBC.

The UK is renowned for its pubs and you will want to go into one or more while you are visiting, whether you consume alcohol or not. Many non alcoholic drinks are served too and many pubs now have food of an excellent standard.  And of course there is usually fish and chips, as British standard.

I lived near the Ostrich Inn at one time and I took a friend to see it last year while in England for a visit. It was my friend's first English pub experience and she loved it.  The old timbers and the old fireplaces and furnishings make for a special ambience.  The Ostrich Inn offers rooms for the night as it has done for centuries.  Two separate parties checked in while we were there.

There is some controversy as to the date of its origins.  It is thought by many to originate from 1106 as there is a note that a Hospice in Colebroc (Ostrich in Colnbrook) was gifted to Abingdon Abbey in 1106.
Colnbrook was on the London road so would have been on a well trodden route to and from London.

The historical information around this Inn is that a landlord by the name of Jarman (thought to have been there in the 12th Century) killed.lodgers by managing to pull pins in the kitchen which upended the bed after which a trap door opened and the poor person slid into a large pot of boiling water or fat.
What I was told when I was there, was that the landlord would choose a guest who was travelling alone so wouldn't be missed.  That guest would be put in the room over the kitchen. If someone did ask where the person was the next morning, they would just be told that he had left early.  Jarman was caught after the last man's horse returned to the Inn empty and a search was undertaken for its master.  Jarman was found in Windsor woods.  He said he had killed 60 guests.

There are quite a few older pubs in the UK which include the Old Ferry Boat Inn in Cambridgeshire (from 560 AD), Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Alban's (793 AD), )Porch House, Gloucestershire (947 AD) and Bingley Arms in West Yorkshire (953 AD). There is a pub in Llanvihangel Crucorney, Wales that is said to have originated in 1160 and once was a courthouse.

It is often difficult to say which have been the longest ongoing running pubs as sometimes the original building was used for something else or has been replaced at some time.  It is said, however, that the Old Ferry Boat Inn has serviced alcohol since 560 AD!  

When you go to the UK, have fun searching out old pubs and learning of their history.

St Katharine Docks, London, UK

If you are a person who likes to have some exercise while on vacation, a bike tour of a city or a longer cycling tour could be for you!

Last year I was in London with a friend who is used to walking or running everyday so we decided to book a half day bike trip.  We had planned for the half day organized trip around London's landmarks.  However, that morning was the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe) and the roads were blocked off around Westminster Abbey and the Parliament Buildings.  We were offered the afternoon organized trip starting at Waterloo station, going by Bank Station and Mansion House to St Katharine Docks and the East End of London, back over London Bridge, by Borough Market, the Globe theatre and the Southbank. It was an unforgettable trip and we saw and learned a lot in a short period of time.  There is nothing like hearing the history of a place from a local. What we do remember the most from this day was cycling over London Bridge in heavy traffic.

There is quite a bit of choice of bike trips on offer. In London, there are numerous half day trips through various parts of the city.  Other cities have bike tours as well.  On line, I found city tours in Liverpool, York, and Bristol as well as ones on the south coast of England such as in Weymouth and to Corfe Castle.  Many of these tours are listed on Trip Advisor.

Outside of London, there are cycle trips lasting a week or longer.  Some tours go around very pretty areas such as the Cotswolds, Oxford and Bath.  There are other tours that go coast to coast and a very rigorous one that lasts 13 days that goes through 5 countries - England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.  Check out websites such as wildernessengland.com, wildernessscotland.com and activeengland.com.  Guided, self-guided and private tours are all available.  Some are marked road cycle tours, others are gravel road tours and e bike tours are offered as well.

What a fun way to explore the UK!  I would recommend looking into one of these tours before you embark on a journey to the UK.

Hogmanay is Scottish for New Year's Eve. The New Year has alway been a most important time of the year in Scotland. Indeed, Scotland has an extra bank holiday on January 2nd, unlike any other part of the UK.

After the Protestant Reformation, Christmas was seen as a Catholic tradition and Christmas was banned in Scotland in 1640.  It was allowed again in 1712 but it wasn't until 1958 that Christmas became a holiday in Scotland. Traditions such as cleaning your house (a clean start) and first-footing
(the first visitor brings a gift. Traditionally it was good luck if the first visitor was a tall, dark male) are part of being Scottish. A gift of coal means warmth, of shortbread or black bun is to keep the house from hunger, salt is for health and  whisky is for good cheer and prosperity.

Edinburgh is said to be the best place in the world to be for New Year celebrations. In 1996/97, this was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records when over 400,000 people took part over the days of the festivities. In 2025, Hogmanay in Edinburgh took place over four days and incorporated both Norse and Gaelic traditions. Burning away the evil spirits of the past year with fire is an old pagan tradition. In Edinburgh, the festival was begun with a torchlight parade, much like an ancient Norse tradition.  Thousands of people carried lit torches through the city core to underneath the castle.  Having Edinburgh Castle as a backdrop for these events helps give the feeling of history to this special event.

In 2025, the festivities started on Dec. 29/25.  The entire city was an outdoor party.  There were street entertainers, live concerts, dancing, and pipe bands of course.  Other main city parks, squares and landmarks become stages for entertainment such as Princes Gardens and Holyrood Park.  Museums and other public buildings hosted events and ran programs for children and families. And on New Year's Eve, after midnight, everyone joined hands of those around them and sang Auld Lang Syne, the song of Scotland's poet Robbie Burns.  This was followed by a spectacular fireworks show.

Another tradition is the loony dook - a jump in the water on New Year's Day,  In Edinburgh, the cold plunge is in the River Forth. Many people who take part in this also dress up.  It is a really fun event.

Edinburgh is happy to open its doors to all who come to the city.   It is definitely a place to go to to bring in a New Year.  Happy New Year to everyone and maybe you will join in one year!

Hallowe'en is widely celebrated in the UK.  In London this year (2025), there are the Ghost Bus Tours.  These leave from 8 Northumberland Avenue near Trafalgar Square at 6pm, 730pm and 9pm.  There is a hilarious horror show on board played by actors - all while looking at the London sites!  As well, there is always the London Dungeon to walk through where you can see all the tortures of the past.  And do not forget the Jack the Ripper walk in London's east end. At Hallowe'en, the tour leaves at 330 and 6pm from Tower Hill Underground station. 

Outside of London, Kew Gardens is celebrating Hallowe'en. Certain castles have special events such as Warwick Castle and Nottingham Castle which is featuring a Hallowe'en Tea.  The theme parks love Hallowe'en and people flock to them at this time of year.  Those of note are Alton Towers, Crealy (which has a spook fest) and Thorpe Park which is loved by adolescents and families. There is Newsham scream park in Liverpool, a maze in York and Blenheim Palace has a spooky trail and afternoon tea..

In Wales, Cardiff has a Hallowe'en festival with many events going on.  And Edinburgh is a perfect spot for Hallowe'en with their Dungeon walk and their particular gruesome history stories to tell.  
Northern Ireland has many events as well.  In Derry, there will be parades and street performances.  There is a Witches and Ghosts coast taxi tour in Carrickfergus and particular seasonal themes all over Northern Ireland. Of note are events in Ballycastle, Lisburn, Armagh and Belfast.  Go to discovernorthernireland.com for more information.

Get ready to be spooked and have a terrifying Hallowe'en!

Bar Bruno, 101 Wardour Street, Soho, London, UK

I was listening to BBC the other day and they had a segment on how it is difficult to find a 'caf' in London like you could in the old days.  One that was open at any hour of the day where you could get as good cup of tea, a good 'fry up' and lots of white bread. This came from a man who had been involved in the theatre in London for a long time.  He said that these cafes were invaluable as you needed somewhere to go after a show at no matter what time in the day or night.  I researched this and found only a handful left out of over 20 listings of cafes in the first decade and into the second decade of this century.

BBC went to Bar Bruno at 101 Wardour street in Soho which was started as just a tea, coffee and biscuit place in 1960 and has been established more or less as is since 1978.  This spot is an English cafe with a strong Italian influence. The menu here includes a 'full English' breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, brown beans, blood sausage, mushrooms and toast), many types of sandwiches, chips, bacon rolls, doughnuts, tea, coffee and beer but also paninis and lasagna.  This is an all day breakfast spot that opens in the wee hours at 4am but closes at 9pm.

Another Soho long established cafe is Bar Italia.  It has been around since 1949. The opening hours are from 7am until 5am.  However here there are only a few pastries as food offerings.  The main event is the espresso. Alcohol is available too.

For those who prefer a continental breakfast, look no further than Maison Bertaux which has been an institution since 1871 when French refugees came to London. Soho was the French Quarter of London at that time.  Here you can find tea, coffee and fresh pastries from 930am until 6pm.

Balans has been a Soho fixture since 1987 when their location at #34 Old Compton Street opened. Their present opening hours are 8am-midnight.  It is at their other location on Old Compton Street (#60) that is open until the wee hours: Wednesday and Thursday until 5am, Friday and Saturday until 6am, Mondays and Tuesdays until 11pm and Sundays until 11pm.  It open 7 days a week at 10am. They feature an all day breakfast (until 5pm), a lunch and dinner menu and an extensive cocktail, wine and beer menu.  They are famous for their 'Porn Star Martini.'  There are also 3 other Balans:  one in Shepherd's Bush, one in Stratford and one on High Street Kensington.  The first two are open 8am-10pm 6 days a week and 9am-6pm on Sundays.  Balans on High Street Kensington has slightly longer hours:  8-11 Wednesday-Saturdays and 8am-6pm on Sundays (with Mondays and Tuesdays being 8am-10pm).  The menu is the same at all locations.  

The Golden Hind has been around since 1914 and is on Marylebone Street.  It's main dish is fish and chips but services other items -mainly fish dishes.  It opens at noon everyday but finishes lunch at 3pm during the week, opening again from 6-10pm.  Saturdays it is open continually from noon until 10pm and Sundays it closes at 9pm.

London is rich in choice of restaurants but it is sad to see the little family run businesses closing down.  It is always wonderful to go into a place that has some history to it, whether in the decor or in the feel of the place.  There is so much history in London but most of the traditional eateries are gone.  Go try some of the above establishments.  Maybe you'll be looking for a late night place to go sometime soon!