3/26/15 9:14 AM

Rose Street. Wall-to-wal-to-walll bars and pubs, rather like a Scottish version of La Crosse, WI.

I remember going into one Rose St. place with my brother in '83. He ordered a rum & coke. The bartender looked at him, I mean, really looked at him, and then said, very slowly, "You want me. To take rum. And put Coca-Cola into it?!"

3/26/15 9:19 AM

LOL...read that in a Scottish accent, too. Brilliant.

3/26/15 9:51 AM

That's a funny story. Andy. In a Scottish pub I'd be afraid to order anything but beer or whisky.

Of course, one of the most popular drinks in Scotland (though maybe not so much in pubs) is shandy -- beer and lemon soda. So they have their downscale drinking, too.

3/26/15 11:11 AM

The old town Edinburgh is beautiful, classic, and full of bloody history. It seems like Scottish history is just full of gore and blood. A tour of the Whisky Experience is worth booking in advance. I surprisingly enjoyed the tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia which is docked in the harbor.

Also definitely worth it to hop the train to Glasgow or rent a car to drive through the Highlands and visiting some town and distilleries.

3/26/15 2:42 PM

I've been to Scotland once, briefly. Did not go to Edinburgh, but spent a couple of days in Glasgow, and drove up into the highlands (past Loch Lomond) and stayed for a few days in the small town of Aberfeldy, where the distillery of the same name makes the single malt that is the dominant ingredient in Dewar's. It was lovely countryside, and the distillery tour was really worth it. Damn fine whisky. And the water was amazing. The quality of the water in Scotland clearly has a lot to do with the whisky making.

3/28/15 8:56 AM

Thought I would share some photos from my various stops- Venezia

3/28/15 12:15 PM

Though seeing a gondolier with a cell phone is a wee bit disconcerting.

On the other hand, Venice has always seemed to me to be a mix of the old and the very new, very high-tech. When I was there in '83, I think the restaurant where I ate was the first place I had ever seen an automatic faucet. Given the age of the building, it was an interesting experience!

3/28/15 3:48 PM

"Though seeing a gondolier with a cell phone is a wee bit disconcerting. "

Welcome to the 21st century I guess. It does seem wrong on a few levels though. ;)

3/29/15 1:06 AM

Funny, I don't see the big deal. Of course I noted the juxtaposition of the new and the old but that seems like such a part of many places I've been in Italy that it seemed quite normal.

3/29/15 9:29 AM

I wonder if they have problems of texting while rowing, yuk, yuk.

3/29/15 10:31 AM

Just interesting. In the US, we tend to tear down the old and replace it; in Europe, there is a tendency to build onto/into the old, which I (and many others) find fascinating. I'm not certain what accounts for the difference, but it's definitely there.

3/29/15 2:07 PM

Have you read about the technology of the system they're building to block flooding from high tides? The new (and very expensive) to preserve the old.

I also don't see any contradiction or incongruity. In some areas (art for example) Venice has always been on the cutting edge.