Exploring Stirling On Foot

The journey to Stirling from Kenmore took more than an hour to reach.. (if I am not mistaken.. maybe I slept in the car that I couldn't remember much) All I remember was looking for a place to stay and we went in the wrong way.  Eventually our car got stuck in the one-way path and we had to reverse the car out almost immediately... Some of the local folks were grinning from ear to ear when they saw us squeezing our car out of the narrow path! :)

No, I was not the driver who went in the wrong route.. hahahaha...

After some turnings, we finally found our One Night Stay Home...

Not the luxurious type..

A bit compact but as long as it is clean and cozy, we don't mind..

B & B here cost 89 pounds...

From the window sill, this is our scenery....

We left our stuff there and headed off to town to explore...

Busy with my gadget... 

One thing I notice in Scotland...

Wherever we go, we do not see people holding on to smart phones or Ipad..

Young or old, they are not engrossed with those gadgets...

Not like us here...Oh Gosh!

The people there communicate more with real people..

Looking to each other face to face...

Just like we were when we were younger... 

Didn't see much vehicles around too..

Less pollution...fresher cleaner air...

Peaceful ... serenity fills Stirling town...

Read something about this town...

Stirling is the "brooch which clasps together the Highlands and the Lowlands."  

I notice each town has a clock tower.. hmmmm..

then we shopped around a bit in the ladies' section...

More like a Union Square here... 

Stirling is a compact and pedestrian-friendly town with a

 population of 100,000 living in and around the city.

Yes, I believe this... 

Next... we took a half hour walk to Stirling Castle..

Yes... WALK.. 

My poor legssss!

Awesome Algarve

On the west of Europe surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and nestled tightly against the east coast of Spain, sits a country famous for its beaches and hospitality. Portugal has mature holiday resorts that have, over the years, become perfect tourist traps providing top class holidays and relaxed friendly atmospheres. It's no wonder Portugal is one of the top destinations in the holiday brochure.

Portugal has many resorts and regions that all offer beautiful beaches to bathe on, clean sparkling waters to swim in and wonderful fresh cuisine to taste. So which area do you pick if you want to spend time there? It would depend firstly on how you want to spend your vacation. If you are a culture vulture then the best advice would be to head towards Lisbon where you can soak up scores of sites and historical landmarks. If you are a party animal and want to spend your nights swinging along to the Portuguese vibe, then Areias de Sao Joao will fill your soul with the sound of music.

However if you crave a classic coastal getaway then Algarve holidays could be right up your street. The Algarve has become one of Portugal’s best loved regions and with good reason too. The most southerly region can offer a little taste of everything depending on which resort you stay in. The Moorish capital of Silves is an enchanting little town with a fascinating history including an ancient castle and a cathedral. Peppered with orange and lemon trees this area is great as either a destination or a daytrip. Lagos is also full of history but has a bubbling vibe as well, making it the perfect holiday town for those who love something with a bitoflife. Then there is the stunning Caldas de Monchique, with miles of limestone caves, grottos, rugged cliffs and breathtaking scenery.This is a wonderful area to spend time in, either as a day trip or for a thoroughly restful and relaxing holiday.

River Tay Is One Of The Best Sights To Behold

We bade goodbye to the "Lochness" in Tay River and proceeded on with our drive along the banks. We did not stay a night there as planned, I told Aaron to moved onto our next destination which is Stirling and along the way, we stopped at some awesome sights...

Driving along  the River Tay, the longest river in Scotland...

pictures taken in a moving car...

We parked our car in this small village to do some sightseeing...

We saw a number of tourists walking along with their backpacks and all... 

At first Aaron had planned to stay a night here.. 

But after some enquiry, the rates were a bit high so we changed our mind..

The guest houses are very homely though, peaceful and quiet...

Well, eventually we didn't put up a night here in this place...

The weather was still very cooling....

But that didn't deter us from walking around and taking pictures here..

Fantastic scenery here... 

Quick, take a pic!

Or two pics?  Both look pretty the same to me!  :)

Should have taken a picture of what was written at the display there... 

But instead I was more interested to get our picture taken at the same spot.. LOL...

Fast flowing water on the other side...

We just stood there and admired the scenery for awesome minutes... mesmerized...

...giving Thanks for the wonderful creation...

I am so glad that I could have the opportunity to experience....

My driver taking a rest.... 

A driver that never complains... 

My boy, the driver that loves to drive on endlessly...

Hope we will have more trips in the coming years! :)

AND NOW... Here's one "scary" picture for you to see..... aiksss... 

Ok, this is much better, right?  

Thank you so much, AA for taking me here...

Thank  you for putting up with my whims and fancies.. LOL...

A Waterside Retreat… Just A Day Away From Rome

Rome is often marketed as a great city break – which of course it is – but to really get the most from the city and its surrounding areas, a longer visit makes even more of the good value flights to Rome that can take you to this unique Italian centre in just a couple of hours.

Even those who have never set foot in Italy know of the draw of Rome: its romantic reputation and breathtaking historic sights, its food and wine. However, not far from the city itself are a scattering of picturesque villages, perfect for a day trip out from the bustling crowds of Rome itself. Exchange the city’s architecture for endless horizons and peaceful mountain scenery at Lake Bracciano.

About 25 kilometres north-west of Rome, as well as rail links from the city, there are also handy pick-up services to take you out to the lake and its shoreline towns, Bracciano, Trevignano and Anguilarra.

The lake, Italy’s second largest, is also a drinking water reservoir for Rome, and a swim in its water is barely resistible. Surrounded by forests, gardens and olive groves, it is the ideal location for a lazy stroll in the sun or a picnic with artisan Italian bread and a bottle of local wine, or let the food come to you at one of the lakeside cafes. Cycling can be a great way to tour the area, and there are guided cycle tours offered locally. For watersports lovers, sailing or windsurfing on the lake is a must. For a slower pace, hire a pedallo and enjoy a quiet meander across the water.

The lake’s namesake town, Bracciano, is populated with stunning buildings, including baroque churches, a magnificent castle – famous as the wedding venue of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes – and a 16^th-century bell tower.

The atmospheric town of Trevignano is accessed through a gate under the town clock, and a wander through its old streets and ancient churches proves unforgettable. Not to be outdone by Bracciano, Trevignano also has its own castle, Orsini, whose ruins dominate the view.

Anguillara, more undeveloped than the other towns, is situated on a little cape protruding into the lake and streets of medieval architecture wind through it. For activities, the town offers something for everyone, with bars, pizzerias, camping, mini-golf, tennis, five-a-side, places to fish, and even a museum of aeronautics.

The lake and its towns can get busy at peak times so go in quieter, out-of-season periods for a relaxing and tranquil break.

Exploring Kenmore And Taymouth

Yes, I am back in Scotland again.. oopppss.. I mean I am back to posting up my travels while I was in Scotland... the posts seems never ending, right? But they will be... in a couple more posts, my pictures will all be published here in my travel blog here.

I stayed 2 nights in Edinburgh and the very next day, we moved on.... east or west I really did not know.. my SIL and I just let the driver decide our next destination... and in an hour or so, we reached Taymouth.  My son had done some homework the night before, using the venues directory to get all the information he needed ....

Kenmore Hotel, Scotlands Oldest Inn

This reminded me of Cameron Highlands Heritage apartments...

We went in to check out the rooms and get some warmth...
I think this is a good place during winter... I am sure many like to ski here..
On the way to this place, we saw many snow filled mountains..
I am sure this inn will be popular during winter
and I think there have many storage for skis.

Then we walked out from the hotel and checked out the surroundings....

Walking distance to the Taymouth Castle...

Kenmore is a beautiful village with sightseeing landmarks...

Taymouth Castle is one of them and worry not about accommodation..

There are plenty to choose from... cottage homes and country guest houses..

I guess my son is using 

Nestling on the banks of the River Tay, the scenery is really breathtaking...

The three ducklings...

and the Three Swans... hahahaa...

Looks sunny but as usual, freezing to our bones...

Perhaps I was wearing something too "thin"... my legs were kind of shivering against the blowing wind...

Amidst it all, I love this breathtaking and majestic mountains of Kenmore, 

the River Tay is not to be missed spot... a spectacular sight to behold...

the surrounding areas offers a place of relaxation for those who wants to breath in comfort and peace

and for the more adventurous, it is a magnificent countryside to be explored....

=

Pan Heong Batu Caves Not To Be Missed

Monday morning... before we left for Ipoh, we had our "brunch" in Batu Caves. It was almost 11am when we set out and it took less than half an hour to reach there from Sungai Buloh.  The traffic was smooth due to school holidays....

Have been to Batu Caves countless times but...

When it comes to directions, I am kind of hopeless and helpless...

  

Upon reaching Pan Heong Restaurant, my stomach was already "growling!"

One thing I love about this shop is that

we do not have to wait long for the food to be served... 

It is best to go before 12noon... 

no crowd, no standing behind tables... 

(if you know what I mean... )

For the 8 of us, we ordered two plates of "Sang Har noodles"

 

Oh gosh... just look at the cholesterol!!

oopps.. sorry...  let's forget about that.. for now... LOL...

 

 Big Prawns "swimming" in noodles gravy... yumms!

Steamed fish head....

Steamed "Croakers"

Sweet potato leaves...

Crispy fried fish pancakes

Not to be missed...
 

Lastly and not least, 

this is also a MUST order dish...

Smoothy porridge with fish slices and century eggs...

The portions above were quite large and could feed 8 of us...

These are their signature dishes and not to be missed...

As for the bill, it came to around RM200

I think that is quite reasonable.. right?

Here is the address if you like to try what I have tried.. :)

Pan Heong Restaurant

2 Jalan Medan Batu Caves 2,

Medan Batu Caves, KL