Scotland

Returned to Scotland to see some snow on the mountains.
As well as memories of Jamaica I bought a white fluffy dressing gown, just like the ones they supplied us with in the hotel.
 
 (I stress bought because of what follows….)
 
Every time I see these garments I am reminded of Raymond Gardner, a well-known food and travel writer on the Glasgow Herald where I worked for many years.
 
He had a weakness for dressing gowns.
 
Not only these garment but also everything that could be removed from his hotel room, and some things, which surprised hoteliers discovered after one of his visits, they did not think were movable.
 
Every hotel in Scotland knew this and accepted it as the price they paid for a good write up in the Glasgow Herald. (This was long before the days of Trip Advisor).
 
One day an invitation to sample Gleneagles, a five star resort hotel in Scotland, arrived which Raymond accepted with alacrity.
 
 
He was about to leave left the following morning when the manager stepped forward him in the hotel lobby.
“Open your suitcase,” he ordered.
 
Out tumbled the two dressing gowns, slippers, toiletries and other goodies.
 
A strong letter went to the editor, Arnold Kemp, and no more was said of the incident.
 
Raymond belonged to the old school of journalists, larger than life characters whom newspapers indulged because of their writing skills and they brought colour to the paper.
 
   
He has long since gone to the Great Freebie in the Sky.