Countries Archives - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

And on Remembrance Day we explore the poppies of peace… red, white and black.

Just in case you find yourself put on the spot for your colour of choice.

We all know the red poppy, of course, which is worn by everyone from royalty to commoner weeks before and including Armistice Day on November 11.

But probably don’t know that its origins hail from a Canadian medic/soldier John McCrae, American YMCA volunteer Moina Michael and French activist Anna Guerin.

All of whom added to its story before it even got to Britain in 1921.

Poppy Jocks

Now as is our way here there is another story.

And we like to claim anything good that happens in the world for my wee homeland of Scotland and the red poppy is no different.

With the red poppy celebrated in James Grant’s The Scottish Soldiers of Fortune.

With a reference to The Scots in Holland and Flanders at Neerwinden in 1693.

Where he talks about ‘the soil, fertilised by 20,000 corpses, broke forth into millions of scarlet poppies.’

And to this day the Scottish red is distinctive as being curled with four petals and no leaf.

With poppies distributed by the Earl Haig Fund Scotland, made at the Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh.

Colours bleed into one

At Great Uncle Willie’s grave in Flanders, Belgium

The white poppy has almost as old a history dating back to 1926 when it was championed by the No War Movement.

And has been embraced by those, particularly in the north of Ireland.

For whom the red poppy is also tied up with British soldiers and atrocities during the Troubles.

While then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was the first to sport a shamrock poppy in the Republic of Ireland parliament, the Dail.

Rest in peace: The late poet Benjamin Zephaniah

There is another poppy popularised to encompass black military who fought and were injured and died in armed conflict since 2010.

And because bullets and bombs don’t differentiate on colour grounds let us then celebrate all the poppies.

And the sacrifice our own Great-Uncles Patrick and William.

Proud sons of Co. Donegal, who gave their red and green blood on a field in Flanders.

America, Countries

Get your certificates on Route 66

10th November 202610th November 2026 funtime65

And here’s something to show off to the people back home… get your certificates on Route 66.

We must say in all our excitement at Santa Monica Pier we missed the 66-to-Cali kiosk on Santa Monica Pier.

Where you can get your shiny booklet to prove you completed the 2448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica.

And instead raced to the End of the Trail sign for the must-have selfie.

We did, of course, get the bookend pic in Downtown Chi-Chi too as evidence of the full route.

Now if you see where we’re going here it’s more than we do.

A dead cert

So is it as easy as that then just get a pic at the start point and the terminus and blag the interview?

When the good folk at the 66-to-Cali kiosk ask you for details about your trip including favourite places and people on 66.

What you would do differently the second time and what you were surprised by.

And just trot out Saint Louis, Joplin, Oklahoma City (it looks so pretty), Amarillo, Gallup, Flagstaff, Winona, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino and Los Angeles.

And particularly if you sing Get Your Kicks.

Because they’ve heard it all before.

A new song for the next 100 years

Which may be why the Route 66 people came up with a new song for the next 100 years.

And darn it, if you’ve only gone and missed the competition and a shot at the $10,000 prize.

The Santa Monica Route 66 Music Contest obviously drew a host of entries confident they could match and even better Bobby Troup’s standard from 1946.

And include even more place names.

With Bart Blackburn triumphing with I Know the Way and like us you can cheat by hopping forward to the 1:37:50 mark.

And in further good news for those who would try and get round the 66-to-Cali kiosk questioneers.

You can always send away for one for around $9.88 to $11 and use all the info you’ve gleaned from us here who have been mingling and singling out info on the Route for you these last few years.

Countries, Food, UK

Packet in and hands off our Smoky Bacon crisps

5th November 2026 funtime65

We’d instinctively be internationalists and Europhiles, but we say here packet in and hands off our Smoky Bacon crisps.

Scots can rightly claim the Golden Wonder Smoky Bacon crisp as their own, surprisingly only as recently as the Sixties.

At the same time as barbecue crisps (or chips) were all the rage in America.

Spud we like

Spud work: Spyd with his flavoured Tayto crisps

The first flavoured crisp, and the game changer as readers here all know, was invented by Joe ‘Spud’ Murphy in 1954.

The Cheese & Onion tayter or Tayto.

Now if crisps matter to you, and think of a world where you’re nibbling carrots instead, then we should say…

Mais non Pierre or nein Hans to trying to stop us branding Smoky Bacon crisps.

The logic is it puts ‘meaty’ names on veggie food supposedly deceiving the shopper.

Tayto flying the Irish flags

Now the best way to test the arguments is to sample the product for ourselves where they’re actually made.

Disappointingly, unlike say chocolate, there is a shortage of such crisp experiences.

With Tayto flying the flag in the homeland of flavoured crisps in Ireland.

With the Famous Tayto Castle Tour in Tandragee in the North of Ireland.

Tayto is all-go

While charmingly as is so often the case in Ireland there is a schism between Northern Protestant Taytos and Southern Free Staytos.

With, in this instance, the South turning its back on its Tayto heritage.

By discontinuing its Tayto Factory Tour and crisp giveaway.

When its Co. Meath theme park switched name and sponsorship from Tayto to Emerald Park in 2023.

The Wonder of Scotland

For us here in Britain, and remember that Scotland played its part with Golden Wonder.

With baker William Alexander founding the company in 1962 in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

The closest we get to a tourist experience is Golden Wonder pop-ups in the Waverley Centre in Edinburgh and St Enoch Centre, Glasgow.

Where The World of Wonder helps you make your own flavours… and remember this is the home of haggis.

And brought Britons their first Cheese & Onion crisp.

A crisp reply

Is this a tayter I see before me: Pop-up

Bringing it all round again, which the best crisps are, Tayto Group Ltd, the Northern Irish version, took over Golden Wonder.

So there’s politics in everything which British prime minister Andy Burnham and his European pals would do well to remember.

Because as any Scot will tell you… you can take our land but you can never take away our Smoky Bacon crisps.

Countries, UK

Bonfire Night where the Guy is safe

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I know you come here for fireworks, only this is the one place in Britain around Bonfire Night where the Guy is safe.

We’ve come to old York for Halloween and mingled with the Living Dead on the Shambles.

But they’re not the only restless souls in ye olde towne though where it’s hard to distinguish this world from the next,

And the goodies from the baddies.

For Fawkes’ sake

Yorkshire people we’ve discovered, and probably should have known anyway from the Father-in-Law, like to go their own way.

So that when the rest of Britain opts to remember, remember the Fifth of November.

Guy Fawkes Inn prefers to forget it.

The first thing that strikes you about the Guy Fawkes Inn, the old fire starter’s birthplace, is that there is nothing to strike.

Close to the bone: Guy Fawkes in the Gents

With the fireplace adorned instead with lights.

Visitors are invited to rest their weary bones for the night in any of the 27 bedrooms, called after the conspirators.

Though maybe tread carefully on any creaky floorboards and be prepared for things going bump in the night.

We eat, drink and get merry on Guy Fawkes Steak and Ale Pie and Guy Fawkes Bitter.

Because tomorrow he’ll die… or at least be caught.

The Evil Eye

There is a reminder everywhere in this old town of our mortality.

With us choosing to end our evening staring into Old Nick’s eyes opposite the upstairs of the Evil Eye cocktail lounge.

Where your head would certainly come off if you drank the Seven Sheds rum cocktail.

We plump instead for Cherry Sours, Chocolate Salty Balls and Nóiníns (or daisy cocktails), an Irish take on Margaritas.

And leave the Yorkie kids lying on the four-poster bed next to us.

To play Snakes and Ladders shots from the drinks on the bar menu.

Last requests

I’ve a hunch: Richard of York at The Old White Swan

Now had we been heading for the scaffold the next day like Guy Fawkes or Dick Turpin.

Or to our death on the battlefield like Richard of York.

Stand and deliver: Dick Turpin’s last resting place

Then we’d want to spend our last day on Earth here with the encyclopaedic Grace serving us cocktails.

Before we’d come back to haunt the tourists for the rest of time.

For getting in our way along Stonegate and The Shambles.

Countries, UK

Let them eat chocolate, the Irish, Rowntree and York

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Let them eat chocolate, the Irish, Rowntree and York… on our Jorvik journey.

The clue is in the name (Yorkies anyone?) that York is one of the world’s great chocolate centres.

Fits the Bill: With Bill by the Old Walls

Where the Irish enter our story (and don’t they always?) is because of the philanthropy of Joseph Rowntree.

The grocer having holidayed in Ireland and seen first hand the suffering of the Potato Famine population.

Movers and Quakers

Now being the charitable Quaker that he was Joseph arranged for passage for the Irish to York.

Where we hear their story from Friend of York Bill in a tower at the start of our walk around the York Walls.

And even find my Dear Old Mum’s people, the McNultys on the Census.

A trip down Quality Street

Well, this ‘Son of a Daughter of Donegal’ has found himself in York’s Chocolate Story.

Learning about Joseph Rowntree, Mary Tuke, Joseph Terry and Mary Ann Craven.

On an Aztec to Kit-Kat journey through time.

Taking in that Old Black Magic and a trip down Quality Street, Mum’s favourite.

With samples of chocolate water, the original bitter Aztec magical concoction, the grinds and nuts that go to make chocolate.

The actual bars themselves and demonstrations of the chocolate moulding before making your own lollies with sprinkles.

Keeping abreast of chocolate

Of course there’s always One and that One is for once not your Bandanaman but the Scary One.

Who puts her jelly tots, Rowntree’s of course, side by side to invent a new confectionary, the Tit-Kat!

York’s Chocolate Story on King’s Square in the centre of Jorvik, cost us £50 for two.

With two luxury hot chocolates and two boxes of six individually selected chocolates.

And all of the above… but do clean your teeth afterwards back at your Holiday Inn.

Countries, UK

Horny subject with Jorvik Norse warriors

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It’s a horny subject with Jorvic Norse warriors and Ulf wouldn’t be seen dead in a horned helmet which he would be on a battlefield.

All of which and more we learned at the excellent JORVIK Vikings Centre.

On the site of the great excavation site on York’s Coppergate along from our billet at the Holiday Inn, booked out when the Vikings came.

That it was the Victorians mythologising about Norse settlers which was behind all this.

Because precious horns were found in Viking burial sites.

You see going into battle with horned helmets gives your Anglo-Saxon foe the advantage.

Of pulling you down by your horns.

Those berserk Vikings

What Ulf, or Joe to give him his modern name, doesn’t know about York Vikings.

You could put on the back of a rune.

He’ll teach you how to mould a Viking sword and how they were such successful pillagers.

Probably because they were berserk much of the time.

On account of wearing bear shirts into battle, the scratching from which makes you berserker.

And author Sir Walter Scott, who gave us Illustrations.

Of Northern Antiquities and The Pirate of berserk Vikings, says we’re welcome.

Off his trolley

Norseophiles, and OK we made that up, will immerse themselves here in Jorvik.

A beloved tourist spot for Norsemen and their clans.

Through the interactive trolly carts that bring you up close and personal.

With ordinary people around their trades and pastimes.

Some, of course, get into character more than others.

And Beardie Boy ahead of me in the queue for a magnet, ordered an axe.

Although you’ll be reassured to learn that they did ask him his age first.

Countries, UK

The only living boy in York

1st November 20261st November 2026 funtime65

And with apologies to Simon & Garfunkel here, I am the only living boy in York.

We are plodding through the streets of Old York and ducking the Mummies, slashers, vampires and undead.

But I have my best ghoul by my side and I have someone to give me the skinny on this Medieval town’s Halloween’s history.

Student Joe runs one of the myriad ghost tours York’s Haunted Heart around the old town £15 each).

And inevitably he carries a Monster energy drink.

It works too as he talks us through two hours and 2,000 years.

Of spirits, poltergeists and things that go bump in the night.

Me and my ghoul

From the Roman legion that walk through a drayhouse to the screaming girl locked away in her bedroom in the Black Death.

There’s a dead old man who is reincarnated as a ghostly cat who sits in a pub and claws your arse.

All of which reminds me of the Mother-in-law and her devil’s mouser.

Both of whom will be a-haunting this Halloween in North Berwickety.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Watch out for who’s in the loo

Cats have the run of York with tours putting them up hanging out of buildings although to look in their eyes brings a curse.

Much like the devil gargoyle on the wall outside the old printing press.

Opposite the Evil Eye cocktail bar with its six-shot rum concoction which Joe tells us leaves you not seeing anything.

Heads you lose

There are all manner of terrifying sights at Halloween around York.

Such as the ghost of a wee boy throwing the severed head of the traitor Percy or Butcher Joe who comes back to rearrange his store.

To One-eyed Jack, a hopeless soldier who bothers you in the loo.

Though missshooting sounds the least of his vices.

While more gratifying is martyr St Margaret Clitheroe, crushed to death.

For harbouring Jesuit priests, who strides the River Ouse.

And carrying on the Catholic theme a good nun turned bad known as the Grey Lady.

The scariest of all

Inn for a fright: The scariest pub in York, the Golden Fleece

The worst of all though is my own Scary One falling out with me.

And Siri as we make our way back to the Holiday Inn.

No wonder with these street names, Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, Godramgate, Micklegate, Spurriergate, Skeldergate.

And a street Siri and the locals know as the Pavement but which is not signposted.

It really is a Shambles.

America, Canada, Countries, Sustainable Tourism

Canada and New England Under Shared Skies

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And underneath the bluster they really are old pals so we’d like to share the success of Canada and New England Under Shared Skies.

With our old pals at Discover New England rewarded for their efforts with their northern neighbours.

With a Best New Tourism Initiative award from JRNY Travel Magazine for Under Shared Skies.

The cross-border travel campaign developed in partnership with their amis in Southern Quebec.

So that’ll be the six New England states and three tourism regions in Southern Quebec,

Inviting overseas visitors to experience the natural and cultural heritage both regions work to protect.

Stars and Stripes & Maple Leaf

Under Shared Skies offers a customisable, two- to three-week driving itinerary.

Connecting Boston, Massachusetts and Montreal, Quebec.

The route takes travellers through western Mass, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in New England.

And the Eastern Townships, Centre-du-Quebec and Montérégie of Southern Quebec.

And highlights exceptional stargazing opportunities.

Outdoor recreation, cultural experiences and protected natural landscapes.

Canada-based inbound tour operator Jonview serves as the programme’s channel partner.

Additional guides offer opportunities to expand the journey into other parts of New England and Southern Quebec.

On the right Amtrak

Now as we’ve come to expect from our North American friends and travel providers.

They’ve done the heavy lifting for us with options.

But we know what we like and like what we know and that’s seeing coastal New England by Amtrak.

You should start in Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, Connecticut.

And rideshare or take the Bradley Flyer Bus to Hartford Union Station for the Northeast Regional Amtrak line.

Every witch way

The train stops in walkable New Haven,

And give Handsome George IV a big sloppy kiss, either before or after your slice of Apizza.

Mystic, Westerly, and mural capital Providence are also on your route before you alight at Boston’s South Station.

From Boston, the MBTA Commuter Rail and the Boston Water Taxis and Ferrys simplify travelling without a car.

To witch hub Salem on the North Shore, Provincetown on Cape Cod or Quincy in South Boston.

The Maine line

From Boston, Amtrak continues north on the Downeaster through Maine as far North as Brunswick.

Old Orchard Beach has a seasonal stop a block from the beach.

Freeport’s station is directly in downtown.

Portland’s station is only a couple of miles outside of downtown and there is ample ride share service.

Many travellers who are lured by the beauty of Downeast, Maine and towards Acadia National Park will often times rent a car in Portland.

And continue their self-drive tour or hire a luxury guide service through North American Traveler or Joshua’s Worldwide.

Canada Way

Now Canada Eh, you say or in French-Canada with an insouciant Gallic shrug.

Well the Southern Quebec leg of USS (that’s Under Shared Skies) includes..

The Eastern Townships (Lac-Mégantic, Orford, Magog, Sherbrooke), Centre-du-Québec (Odanak and Bécancour), and Montérégie (Kahnawà:ke, Rigaud, Hudson and the approach to Montréal).

All of which highlight Québec’s International Dark Sky Reserve, cultural heritage, and agricultural traditions.

As well as wine and cider tours, agritourism feasts including cranberry harvest time, cheese making and, naturellement, maple farms.

While if you want to get right under the skin of Quebec then take in the additional Indigenous experiences connected to the Abenaki Nation,

And so because the air above us is for all of us let’s all get behind Under Shared Skies of the US and Canada.

Countries, Ireland

Detoxing in the Clicks of Killarney

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It’s counter-intuitive to ask you to take a pause from this blog but you’re always welcome back after detoxing in the Clicks of Killarney.

And by clicks we don’t mean likes because you can do that when you get back from your stay.

But the clicks a camera makes.

Now Killarney Royal Townhouse’s new Digital Detox Package invites guests to step away from their screens for two nights.

All’s wellness

The package includes a wellness journal for reflection, a disposable camera to document the trip offline.

And a complimentary photo printing to take home.

Now, naturally, you’ll receive a kombucha wellness drink on arrival.

A herbal tea and a wellness welcome plate, as well as an organic turndown recovery pack from Killarney Organic.

Clicks and lakes

All of which will put you in the right frame of mind to enjoy the Lakes of Killarney and Ring of Kerry.

The Digital Detox Package is bookable on stays until December 31.

With a stay in a King Room for two for €525.

Now if you’ve decamped from Ireland’s neighbours to Britain you’ll know you can fly to Cork or Shannon Airport.

But even more convenient is the 1 hour 20 minutes flight to Kerry Airport in Farranfore.

An 18-minute drive to Killarney town centre.

We found flights through kiwi.com for two with Ryanair from £204.

Royal recommendations

And as well as our recommendation, the gold-standard in the industry.

The Killarney Royal, with its 126 years of history was voted No. 2 Hotel in Ireland in the Condé Nast Traveler 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards.

And named 4-Star Hotel of the Year 2026 at the Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards.

So click away with your comp camera but be sure to share with us when you get back.

Countries, Culture, UK

Traitor nice on a Scottish Castles tour

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And if your ever-faithful has been cooing over Ardross Castle then why not Traitor nice on a Scottish Castles tour.

With a four-day 381-mile driving tour across the Highlands.

Your Caledonoddyssey will begin on the shores of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.

Where you can channel your 15th-century laird and do a bit of Nessie spotting too.

Is this a castle I see before me?

Before you go in for some cosplay at Cawdor Castle which you’ll know through the Thane of Cawdor himself.

And lose yourself in elegant rooms, beautiful gardens and the old kitchen.

Where original features including a roasting spit, ice box and butter churn from centuries ago.

While Brodie Castle is where the Scottish King (its theatrical superstition not to mention him) is also wrapped up in Shakespeare.

Located near where he is said to have encountered the Three Witches.

Ye Jacobites by name

Continuing the historic theme you can follow in the footsteps of Outlander at Fort George, built to quell the Jacobites.

While your next stop Dunrobin looks more like a French château than a Highland fortress.

Step inside to discover its lavish 189 rooms filled with fine furnishings and treasures.

Then stroll through manicured gardens that stretch towards the coastline.

Speed bonnie boat

Now thankfully the Highlands are a less hazardous to traverse now compared to 1746.

So you won’t have to dress as your maid servant like Bonnie Prince Charlie, unless you have one and really want to.

That’s right, Day 3 takes you to Eilean Donan, one of Scotland’s most recognisable and photographed sights.

Where you can cross its stone bridge and step inside to uncover period furnishings with Jacobite Charlie left behind.

Meeting of the clans

Take in Portree before catching a boat trip on your fourth day across the loch and enjoy a seal’s-eye view of Dungevan Castle.

The ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years, making it the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland.

While if you’re a Donald or any derivation thereof then you should take in the ruins of Armadale Castle.

And learn the story of the powerful Clan Donald, once known as the Lords of the Isles.