Och hello again. Yet another jolly ten days enjoying the benefits of a lazy and wealthy lifestyle. This time I have been off touring the magnificent Highlands of Scotland. The primary purpose of my visit was to attend the traditional highland wedding of one of my lovely cousins, held in a magical setting at the hereditary Mc Talisker country seat on the edge of The Trossachs. It was a most spectacular affair with champagne, dancing, claret, champagne, merriment and even rope ladders and shooting for the children. And champagne. It was all set against a dreamily breathtaking backdrop of snow covered mountains. My oh my.

Edinburgh next, and took up residence in ones usual suite at the Balmoral Hotel for some traditional highland luxury hospitality. I noticed some chaps were happily watching a game of rugby on a large screen in the hotel lounge. Over a rather expensive bottle of Burgundy I discovered it was Scotland playing against England, and was being held just a few miles down the road. Fortunately my driver had only had a small tonic and black pepper and so we rolled off to the stadium whereupon we purloined a box usually reserved for lesser dignitaries, and watched the remainder of the game with a couple of charming young local lassies (who were occassionally distracted from the game by the sight of ones knees beneath my faithful kilt) .

Naturally Scotland won the game and so to celebrate we all went off to my favourite Thai restaurant by the Royal Botanic Gardens for a traditional spicy mediterranean haggis supper with king prawns, giant squid steaks and chips. Rather strangely, I thought, the young ladies opted for Thai beer and ice cream. I was later very kindly shown some of the more interesting sights and rather less well known features of the historic old town by the Castle. Unfortunately, in all the excitement I managed to spill claret in my Leica and sadly am unable to publish the photographs! You can imagine..........

More blethering soon.

Cheers