How many castles can you finagle on to one page?

To start.

Eating non British food with our friends (we

heard ethnic food was the best in England)

British candy

(British food actually hasn't been bad for us, if you avoid the weird meat pies.)

I'm two weeks behind now but here is another glimpse of our trip. It's been an incredible experience and I have a feeling a once in a lifetime. Most vacations are so rushed that you just get glimpses of what a country is like, but I feel like I've had so much time, touring everyday, to see England in a different way than just seeing London and few other major things. I've had a time to spend a whole day in different towns, cities, or villages, to explore and read and shop and meet people. It's been a lot of fun. So...

the second day of Scotland we decided to drive around the little towns and hills and go castle hunting. There are castles everywhere that just dot the maps. We found a few, but the best were the Castle Cambell and the Stirling Castle.

The ward my dad served in long ago.

Lochleven Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was held as prisoner.

You can take little boats out to the island.

Castle Campbell. This was my favorite that we found.

We actually got in free to this one. But that's a story for Matt to tell.

We found it on the map and didn't realize it was at the top of a very steep mountain.

The walk up was incredible though, as was the view from the top!

The view down the mountain

I think Matt's in the dining hall

Can you believe the this place?!

Stirling

Stirling Castle

When we got back to England I went to see Warwick Castle. I'm bolding the important parts so you don't get lost.

This one was really fun. It's more like a theme park. I took a tour into the dungeons, which was really gory and had great nasty actors, and I got picked every time they made an example of someone. Every time we switched rooms the new guide would pick me out. I had to sit in the cage while torture tools were demonstrated, then I was condemned before the court as a traitor, and finally I had my head chopped off.

I wish I would have had my camera inside the rooms. They had wax figures dressed up and in poses. It felt real, I could imagine living in those times.

Windsor Castle

This castle is still being used. If the blue flag is up the queen is in residence. No luck.

Mmmm. Belgium waffles. Since I didn't get to go to Belgium for real.