Aberdeen, Scotland

Scotland's third city was our first on our trip. We spent three nights in Aberdeen, which was easily accessible with a flight from Amsterdam, a nice alternative to flying into Glasgow or Edinburgh and driving for 3 hours. The Granite City, really should be known as Oil City now as North Sea oil means direct flights from Dubai and Texan accents in the bars. It also means money in the city and money needs great hotels. There are two to choose from and they could not be more different: Marcliffe Hotel and Spa and Malmaison.

Marcliffe is a warm, comfortable five-star country hotel that sits on 11 acres a few minutes outside of the city core. The rooms are properly outfitted in a classic style, without a great deal of character, just proper. The sort of hotel where serving high tea at 4pm is most fitting.

On the other hand...

There is the Malmaison, a chain with a distinct "naughty house" style. The rooms are big and uniquely decorated with dark plaids of navy, wine and forest green. The bar is happening and the brasserie combines casualness with incredible steak and the wine list to match.

While there is a room for both hotels catering to different guests, we were very much taken with Malmaison. It will be the recommend for us.

Lovely dining room in the atrium at Marcliffe

The Brasserie at Malmaison

Prefer more privacy, take the chef's table

Select your own piece of organic beef

Quaint ceramic butter or are they cheese dishes

The hip Malmaison bar

The classic styling of the Marcliffe rooms

At the Mal, you could find a foosball table, a super king size bed and

... a soaking tub in the middle of the room

Cruden Bay, Scotland

Our first round of our awesome golf trip to the Home of Golf takes us to Cruden Bay, located about as west and north as you can go in Scotland. Like many of Canada's great golf courses, Cruden Bay was commissioned by a railway, the Great North of Scotland Railway Company wanted to woo people to this attractive seaside location. And what an attractive seaside location it is.

It was so beautiful, the designers wisely left the land exactly as they found it. The result is a course that meanders up, down and around dunes. It has a one disjointed hole high off a cliff, three par 3s on the back nine, including back-to-back one-shotters at 15 & 16. But leaving the greatest impression on a first-timer are the numerous blind shots. It is critical to have a caddy here. Thankfully, I had George who, like most caddies at Cruden Bay, is a member as well, so he spoke with experience.

Next up: Royal Aberdeen

Welcome to Cruden Bay

The tee shot through the dunes at the 6th

7th tee shot requires a 215 yd carry over the gorse

And this was the next shot - the approach at 7

Beautiful view from the 9th tee box, the highest point on the course

Pace of play in Scotland means little waiting, but this is a view worth taking in

The blind approach to #14

Crank your head right to see the rare par-3 dogleg and of course, another blind shot

George says "See the poll above my head, aim left of that"

The view to the west of the 15th tee box

Thanks George, could not have done it without you