Water, wildlife and wonders... a road trip around Scotland COMPLETED 11/6 - Page 60 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
Tuesday 20 June – part three: can we take some photos inside?
We were heading next for Aberdeen city centre, and eventually it sorted it out, and we were on our way…
We managed to find some parking, even though it was extortionately priced (£3.50 ($5) an hour! ), and set off. I wanted to see the Mercat Cross and we found it completely by accident… Wondering what a mercat cross is? Well, it’s the Scottish name for market cross, as you might guess. They’re often found in Scottish cities and towns, where regular markets or fairs were once held.
We even found a golden post box here, a wonderful reminder of the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. Whenever we had a Team GB gold medal winner, a post box in their home town was painted gold. It was the first time that the traditional red post boxes had been repainted, and it was supposed to be a temporary measure, but the public loved the idea so much, they became a permanent tribute. I even know someone at work who’s toured the country, visiting as many as he could. Sadly, a lot of the ones that were painted gold were nowhere near us or our travels, otherwise I might have done the same thing.
As we walked along, we found the town hall, and I saw a statue of Queen Victoria inside. Mark told me there was a security guard on the entrance, but I figured it didn’t hurt to ask, so I popped my head in and asked if it would be Ok if we took some photos, and he was fine with it.
What a truly amazing place to be able to come to and work in.
We headed off again. I was looking for Provost Skene’s House, but I couldn’t really see anything. Provost Skene’s House was built in 1545 and he purchased it in 1669. It was first opened to the public in 1953, with the rooms furnished in the styles of the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries, and other collections focus on local history, and period dress. Sadly, it’s closed while they redevelop the area around it. It’s not a quick job, as from my research, it’s been closed since 2013. I assume it will re-open one day, but frankly it’s not exactly looking promising right now…
That is quite interesting with the gold post boxes and they are quite striking! That is some town hall and I could definitely get use to working in a building like this.
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Tuesday 20 June – part four: talk about it being buried away!
We rounded a corner, and came across this, which Mari and I both thought was the cathedral or a church…
No, it’s not. It’s Marischal College, which was originally part of the University of Aberdeen. Since 2011, it’s been home to the council offices – very nice. Construction was finished in the early 1900s, and is the second largest granite in the world. Before you ask, I don’t know which is the biggest….
As you can see, there is a lot of work going on here, and from everything I’ve read, it’s been going on for a long time too…
Mark and Raleigh were keen to get in to find out more!
This is the Kirk of St. Nicholas United….
We had a few shops to visit, and we literally turned a corner, and found the shopping centre – talk about it being buried away!
I went into Carphone Warehouse, and yes I had taken out the insurance on my phone (good call! ) and I could get a replacement the next day, which wouldn’t work here, but I could do it when I returned to work, so that was something… and there was only a £20 excess.
We then had a look in the Disney Store…
Sadly, there was nothing unique to Scotland in there, which was a real shame. None of us remembered this dress in Beauty and the Beast – anyone else?
Mari was on the lookout for new camera batteries, as hers were discharging almost as soon as she put them in, and eventually she found a camera store, and got a couple of new ones.
We headed back to the car, seeing the harbour on the way…
We made our way out through the city centre, and realised there was still so much of the city we hadn’t seen. Talk about having excellent shopping opportunities here!
Mari wanted to see St. Mary’s Cathedral, so we found our way there…
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Caught up from my trip, now I can catch up on yours!
Hidden Stitch! Good eye, Mark. Not sure most people would catch that one.
The NY plates on that car is cracking me up. I'm sure there is a reason for it, but still?! I wonder what would happen if the guy got pulled over.....
Glenfiddich!!! Fascinating facts too. A year long, world wide tour to sell the product, 12 years to make it, casks from 1925, wow! Fear of explosion?
The bottling part is interesting too, actually the whole tour was!
Mari's face at the tasting! I know that face - I did a scotch whiskey tasting at F&WF!
Coos! Your castle stay for the night looks amazing - great job choosing that one! The views from your room, holy cow! Sometimes it's nice to treat yourself to a deluxe dinner, at that certainly applies here. Yum! Wow, the castle is beautiful.
What a lovely start to the day with that sunshine! I love how Mark has the little animals peeking out throughout the luggage. Cute shots of the squirrel - by a mushroom? That's a photo out of a book!
Wildlife gets very close to cities, at least here in Wisconsin. Dead deer on the highway even close to Milwaukee is quite common. We have an overpopulation though. Aberdeen looks very charming for a larger city. The town hall is gorgeous, glad you popped your head in for photos! Disney store! But a shame nothing Scotland specific.
__________________
Tanya
Every click helps feed .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. Give a quick click every day and help animals in shelters! www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Great photos of the city and I too thought that building was a cathedral and not a university building! I learned with the alkaline batteries to always carry a backup set as the older they get and more you recharge them the sooner they will run out.
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Great shots of the city, I think Disney is missing an opportunity in not having more country themed merchandise.
Oh me too and I've thought that for a long time. I can only assume they don't sell enough of that type of thing, but good grief, surely every Disney fan must head to a new Disney Store and buy that sort of thing?
Caught up from my trip, now I can catch up on yours!
Yay! Welcome back!
Quote:
Hidden Stitch! Good eye, Mark. Not sure most people would catch that one.
The NY plates on that car is cracking me up. I'm sure there is a reason for it, but still?! I wonder what would happen if the guy got pulled over.....
I have no idea... good point. I guess, like all the foreign drivers we saw from Europe, you'd need to be abiding by our rules of the road. I'd be more concerned about parts for that car and things like that, as I bet that can present some issues, now I think about it...
Quote:
Glenfiddich!!! Fascinating facts too. A year long, world wide tour to sell the product, 12 years to make it, casks from 1925, wow! Fear of explosion?
I know - I learnt so much from that tour!
Quote:
The bottling part is interesting too, actually the whole tour was!
Mari's face at the tasting! I know that face - I did a scotch whiskey tasting at F&WF!
That's why I stayed out of it, just not my sort of thing.
Quote:
Coos! Your castle stay for the night looks amazing - great job choosing that one! The views from your room, holy cow! Sometimes it's nice to treat yourself to a deluxe dinner, at that certainly applies here. Yum! Wow, the castle is beautiful.
I absolutely loved that place, it was one of the highlights of the whole trip. To be honest, we tend to go for bed and breakfast places, but I think the hotels we stayed in were actually better this trip...
Quote:
What a lovely start to the day with that sunshine! I love how Mark has the little animals peeking out throughout the luggage.
Yes, that did surprise me, but maybe he's finally learnt from me repeatedly telling him that they need to be able to breathe.
Quote:
Cute shots of the squirrel - by a mushroom? That's a photo out of a book!
I did submit one of these photos to a national photographic competition, but it didn't get anywhere.
Great photos of the city and I too thought that building was a cathedral and not a university building! I learned with the alkaline batteries to always carry a backup set as the older they get and more you recharge them the sooner they will run out.
Yes, that's something I've found out about myself over the years, but ironically this is something that also cropped up with Jan on her visit over here, so Mari wasn't the only one....
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
), and set off. I wanted to see the Mercat Cross and we found it completely by accident… 
Wondering what a mercat cross is? Well, it’s the Scottish name for market cross, as you might guess. They’re often found in Scottish cities and towns, where regular markets or fairs were once held. 
Provost Skene’s House was built in 1545 and he purchased it in 1669. It was first opened to the public in 1953, with the rooms furnished in the styles of the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries, and other collections focus on local history, and period dress. Sadly, it’s closed while they redevelop the area around it. It’s not a quick job, as from my research, it’s been closed since 2013. 
I assume it will re-open one day, but frankly it’s not exactly looking promising right now… 
That is some town hall and I could definitely get use to working in a building like this.
I don’t know which is the biggest…. 
I know that face - I did a scotch whiskey tasting at F&WF! 
I learned with the alkaline batteries to always carry a backup set as the older they get and more you recharge them the sooner they will run out.
Welcome back! 
I did submit one of these photos to a national photographic competition, but it didn't get anywhere.
Linear Mode
