Sorry Robert, hate to say it, but I couldn't retrieve it in your message file.  I was going to tell you if that happens again, hit the BACK button on your computer. So after you submit the post and realize you forgot the topic, don't do anything else but click on BACK and "hopefully" you will be taken one step back where you last were and that would be the posting board and your message will still be there. You can then type in the topic and re-submit your message.  Well, I  just tried that to see if it would work and it didn’t. So warning to all you members, don’t leave your message and think you can click BACK and it will still be there, because it won’t be.

Sorry that happened Robert,  I would’ve really like to have read what you typed up. Hope you'll re-write and post it for us.

Americans are neither despised nor loathed in London nor are they in any other part of the United Kingdom for that matter. Please be aware that we residents of the UK are rather backward at coming forward, you Americans, on the other hand, are a tad more robust in your relations with the world at large!! Which is understandable when you realise that you are such a young nation. You are just teething, and we are patient.  It is more of a "teasing the other side" kind of thing.."the Scots hate the English, the English hate the Irish and everyone else hates the French/Germans (pick one that suits you)

Now, to be recognised as a Londoner, you have to be born within the sound of the "Bow Bells" If not, you are not, nor will you ever be a "Londoner" no bad thing in my book!!

To be honest, most Europeans who cherish a realistic view of world events, will agree that America has upheld it's responsabilities throughout the world since 1914, from Flanders to Normandy via Korea, Vietnam, Somallia, Baghdad and all points of the compass. It has graced the earth of so many countries with the flesh of it's sons, do not think for a minute that this goes unnoticed.

Ireland, Well, my great grandparents came over from Donegal to Clydebank many years ago, the Irish at the time tended to settle in the west coast ports of Glasgow and Liverpool, the same way as they settled in the east coast ports of Boston & New York. I first visited Ireland some 5 years ago, our sister company required some help, and we gleefully consented to offer some aid!! Arriving in Mullingar, in County Westmeath, I accepted the key that unlocked a wee part of my heart,

The south of Ireland, do you see, is a step back in time, it exists twenty years ago in real time. It is most hard to explain, perhaps because it is so different to what we accept as normal, indeed, twenty years ago, my home town was enveloped by the smoke and the smell of Coal fires being lit at "Teatime" this, before we converted to Gas & Electricity. Ireland still practises this method of "open fire" heating, using either Peat or Coal, the resulting emission of rich smoke from their chimmney's, takes one back to the smells of childhood. Dublin is only 35mins from Glasgow by air and Belfast is but 2hrs by Ferry, plus a  2hr drive down to Dublin. my soul resides in truth in Multyfarnham (County Westmeath) One street, two pubs and one grocer's store. And God, wait till you see the stars at night, no light polution in any way,shape, or form.  ttp://www.spinaweb.ie/showcase/1018/

An evening spent with Connor Murtagh and his brood in "Murtagh's Bar" is an experiencece to treasure, everyone knows everyone else and anybody is welcome! Even the Parish Priests are frequently met within it's walls, but only "to keep the chill out" do you see!! I am sure that "Small Town" America has the same way of looking at the world, the difference is that Ireland has the Guinness!!!

York is a beautiful city and well worth a visit as is Yorkshire in general, it is very diverse, with bustling cities (Leeds is also a nice town,and calmer countryside aplenty. If traveling from there up to Scotland then Newcastle, (over on the East coast is another busy city worth a visit, one of my personal favorites. Between the cities of Newcastle & Carslile "over on the West coast" lies the small town of Hexham fought over for centuries during the never ending wars twixt the Scots and those "big girl's blouses" south of the border. Hadrians Wall, built by the Romans, also runs between these two cities. From there, north to Scotland.

Edinburgh, one of the finest cities in Europe, named the "Athens of the North" it is a visulay stunning city. It is only 40mins from there by train or car to Glasgow, where for shopping, it is hard to beat.I would then head north up the West coast road to Inverness, the "Capital of the Highlands" and the nearby Culloden Battlefield, the scenery all the way is sublime, from Loch Lomond via Fort William and the Great Glen / Loch Ness. The route back can be by either the Central road through the heart of Scotland or by the East coast road, both offer beauty in abubdance and both also pass Perth & Stirling, where the views to be had from the "Wallace Monument" have to be seen to be believed. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/stirling/wallace/

Enough to be going on with for now, remember that we drive on the left  over here, unless of course you are bringing your horse!

I visited the monument 3 weeks ago, took some Scottish, English and Chinese friends, see? Even Americans might be welcome!  Wallace was (allegedly) born 2 or 3 miles from my home, in a little village named Elderslie (you no doubt know this already) there is some dispute to this though, (surprise, surprise). Braveheart has some good battle scenes and is a good romp, but for historical accuracy it is on a par with most BTK movies!! The blue warpaint (woad) is from a much earlier time, the man himself was not born in some lonley hightland glen, but was actualy "landed gentry" he never had an affair with Edwards daughter in law and I doubt very much if it was Bruce that betrayed him, in fact it is doubtful if they ever met. Still, let's not let that get in the way of a ripping yarn!!

My favorite Scotsman is Macbeth, much maligned by Shakespeare, he was actualy one of Scotlands most succsessful kings, he traveled to Rome to meet with the Pope. If you enjoy novels, I would recommend "King Hereafter" by Dorothy Dunnett.

Thank you both for sharing your comments and information with me. I'm really pumped up to go now.