LONDON in the sum-
mer was surprisingly
civilized, even with the
European soccer in full
flight and jovial

B Dutchmen spreading
orange over the city.

As much as I love London,
Sai. prefer it off-season, so as
quickly as possible I took the
British. -Midland ‘shuttle to
Glasgow, complete with after-
noon ‘cream tea, rented a car
and-rolled into this old rown
Robert-Burns’. honest men

f and bonnie lasses:
Going ;back to the 13th

century there was William’

Wallace,: he of Braveheart,
remembered with a_ tower
Mi thar” dominates * the High
Street.: Wallace made war on

the: English’ around ‘here, and
ttle Jater Robert the Bruce .

was born‘at Turnberry Castle,
the remains of which’ can. be

golf. course, of
Open fame.

aa The’. drive. from” ‘Ayr. to:
‘urnberry.: stakes’ just half an -

and on‘a fine day. there

10 better place’ to be. in the’

world. The road winds above
the. Firth of Clyde surpassing
the -Riviera’s:Corniche with
Winore to sec like the little fish-

aging village of Dunure and its’.

ruined: castle,’. beyond. the
magical-Isle of Arran and the
solitary rock of Ailsa Craig. ..

I passed ‘several farmgate
bed and breakfasts then came
6n. a: little cemetery sloping

towards the shining sea. In
the back row were the care-
fully tended graves of a score
of airmen, including several

Canadians, who died at
Turnberry when it was a mil-
itary airport during both
world wars.

A memorial to the airmen,
including 16 Canadian dead,
stands on a hill above the
Ailsa golf course.

Today the nwo links cours-
es.at Turnberry, along with
the hotel and spa, are far and
away the best golf venue in
Scotland. Pilgrims come trom
far and ‘wide — including
Donald Trump just the week
before.

Prestwick,

where — the

Open was first played in

1870, and Royal Troon, loca-
tion.of next year’s Open, are
just up the road, all of them
formidably priced. Best plan,
unless you are heavy of wallet,
is to play the best, Turnberry,
then sample some of the less-
er names chat are: just as
enjoyable to play.

Belleisle in Ayr, for exam-
ple, costs less than’ $40 but is
considered the finest public
course in Scotland.

Millport, on the Isle of
Cumbrae a short ferry ride
from Largs, has a terrific golf

‘course affording | stunning

views over the coastline and

‘isles of the Clyde estuary.’
You'll also get a-welcome:
‘in. the ‘clubhouse ‘from the

likes of Ian McGill, the club

“Secretary, ex- -chief of the seri-
-Ous crime squad in Glasgow
and the Cayman Islands.

Here.a round of golf is less
than $25, while in the pretty
little town below you can find
an inexpensive’ bed | and
breakfast that comes with

‘hand-made tea, fried eggs

with tender Danish bacon,

‘beans, as well as morning

rolls.

MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE
DEPARTURE

elm

Celebrate the yuletide at the
“Happiest Place on Barth"

December 20 - 27, 1996 © 8 days/7 nights

‘¢, CDN,
$ eg peracult,
; (wo sharing

INCLUDES:

$399 2.,,

(man. of TWO per 2 adults;

«© Round trip airfare from Vancouver

°7. nights at Holiday inn Maingate

* $day Disneyland® “Free Days” Flex Passport
»'* Transfers to/from hotel in Anaheim

5

Call us today! BCAA Travel | AGENCY era

“Travel with someone vou trust

i BCAA Travel
608 Park Royal North
“West Vancouver —
~: ; 268-5650 -
2. Now Open .
“Thurs: & Friday
tilt 8 pm

BCAA Travel Plus”
Park & Tiltord
° North Vancouver
990-7546
Mon.-Wed. 9 - 6
‘Thurs: - Fri. 9 - 8
Sat. 9-6; Sun. 10-6

crac

A litde inland from Ayr is
Loudoun, where the Gowf
Club is unique for retaining
the old Scots spelling. .

If you like things new,
check into the Hospitality
Inn at nearby Irvine, where I
was struck by the wartath of
the staff. The indoor pool,
with restatirant alongside, is
great for families, allowing
kids to play in safety while
parents relax,

Also goud for golfers are
the newly renovated Marine
Highland Hotel in Troon and
the Belleisle Hotel, the latter
a stately home built in the
18th century by nwo brothers
who had made their fortune
in the West Indies. Sadly, it
could do with a restoration as
well, bur it is not expensive,

{ returned to Vancouver
on Air Canada’s direct flight
from Glasgow, leaving with a
memory that was typical of
Scotland. I went into Mappin
& Webb in Glasgow's
Buchanan street looking for a
watch pin to hold the strap.
Although it was an expensive
shop that did not stock Casio
watches the salesman made
the repair in moments and
refused to take payment.

BEDDING

AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR

® Mattresses, Box Springs”
. & Bed Frames
A * Sofa Beds & Roll Away Cots
© Quilts, Pillows & Pads ff
® Most sizes in stock for
immediate delivery

8° Ask about our FREE delivery,

set up and old bed
temoval service

CHECK US OUT
wv HUGE SELECTION
v LOW WAREHOUSE

PRICES |
ij] COLONY

HOME FURNESHINGS §

i 1075 Roosevelt Crescent |

North Vancouver
(2 blocks behind Avalon Hote!)
Open Dally Fri. 9-9; Sun 12- 4

fon a great

“Let’s say,” he said,
“i's a vit from Scotland.”

We ‘walked into the
sunshine and to the mid:
dle of the pedestrian street
where three youngsters,
with cellos and a violin,
were plaving Vivaldi, and
here 1 dropped them the
pound J had ready for the
watch repair.

Would Robert Burns
have approved? He would
have left more.

Well, Pil be back.

BELLEISLE hotel in
Ayr (right) was built in
the 18th century by
two brothers who had
made their fortune in
the West Indies.

eentines
Monday, Aug: ‘oa.

to 50%* | |
cag ont |

“Check your Scratch & Save Card, or pick one up ‘in store,
for complete details, exemptions and rules. :
“We'll give you a discount equivalent t to the GST.

“All items in the
Market Square flyer

#7-2A areexempt .
trom Scratch & Save
Monday, August Sth

BRINGING THE BEST TO you