My Time in Scotland

[phuketbound]

Back in 2005, I spent three days in Edinburgh, and took a day tour of the Scottish Highlands. I took the train up from London, and passed many places, but made a stop in Liverpool. I'll post my England pics in another thread.

Here are some pics from my time in Scotland.

I was so impressed with the Royal Mile. I have more pics of my time here, but my pictures are back in Canada. Here are just a few from the royal mile. The red phonebooth is so British. I just loved all the ancient architecture, and cobblestone roads on High street.





St. Giles Cathedral. What a gorgeous looking church with the crown cathedral.
The church has been one of Edinburgh's religious focal points for approximately 900 years. Today it is sometimes regarded as the mother church of presbyterianism.



The Scotch whisky distillery centre. They actually give tours in here, and you get to taste test many samples of whisky, and scotch. What a great idea! I was feeling good coming out of here. They also have a well stocked gift shop. I found it funny to see whisky tours in other parts of scotland. They best scotch really does come from here.



Another view of the royal mile.




Edinburgh Castle from underneath in the park.




More to follow..

[phuketbound]

View of Edinburgh from up high.



Salisbury Crag in Edinburgh



The view of the Royal mile area from Princes Street Garden.


More to come..photobucket problems.

[phuketbound]

^Huh?

More of Princes gardens park. The place was so relaxing, and there were so many people just hanging out. You can see Scott's monument in the back on the left.



I think this is William Wallace. Anyone know for sure?

[phuketbound]

On the way through the Scottish Highlands. It rained most of the day, but here we are on our mini bus to stop and take some pics. You can see just how high the mountains are here compared to our little mini bus. Dramatic and stunning scenery here.



Ben Nevis shrouded in mist. What a rainy day we had. The views just made it more shrouded in mystery. Has anyone climbed Ben Nevis? I taught in England for half a year, and I had to teach UK geography. I learned at the time that, 'The Ben' is the highest mountain in the British Isles (1,244 metres). It was beautiful, even though, I had seen higher mountains in Canada, and the U.S.

[phuketbound]

The first place we stopped in was Fort Augusta. What a quaint little town. From here we took a boat tour of Loch Ness.



What a view. It looks like something out of a book.


This stone bridge is so old and broken down that it is just sitting there looking ancient and beautiful.



This is where we started out tour of the Loch Ness.



The view from the Loch. A castle on the banks that just stood out so much.



The view reminded me of a poem.

The Castle

All through that summer at ease we lay,
And daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay
And the enemy half a mile away
They seemed no threat to us at all.

For what, we thought, had we to fear
With our arms and provender, load on load,
Our towering battlements, tier on tier,
And friendly allies drawing near
On every leafy summer road.

Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win
A foothold there, no clever trick
Could take us, have us dead or quick.
Only a bird could have got in.

What could they offer us for bait?
Our captain was brave and we were true....
There was a little private gate,
A little wicked wicket gate.
The wizened warder let them through.

Oh then our maze of tunneled stone
Grew thin and treacherous as air.
The cause was lost without a groan,
The famous citadel overthrown,
And all its secret galleries bare.

How can this shameful tale be told?
I will maintain until my death
We could do nothing, being sold;
Our only enemy was gold,
And we had no arms to fight it with.

Edwin Muir

[chassamui]

Seriously, some very nice pics in there.
You should try and make the Edinburgh Military Tattoo next time, awesome event. The path up Nevis is like a motorway these days. I've seen japanese tourists do it in a pacamac and flip flops.

[dirtydog]

Nice pics

[Boon Mee]

.



I think this is William Wallace. Anyone know for sure?

A little off in terms of history methinks. William Wallace's day was a tad earlier than the above gentleman!

Excellent pics tho. All I remember from my time in Scotland was the inside of some Pubs and helicopters to rigs...

[Thetyim]

"The Call" statue was designed by a Canadian of Scottish descent

[phuketbound]

^^Thanks Boonmee. When were you there?

^Okay, my curiousity got the better of me, and this is what I found out about the statue.

One of the most poignant war memorials in Britain, 'The Call' was designed by R Tait McKenzie, a Canadian-born physician and artist of Scottish descent who was at the time a distinguished educator at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The memorial, which cost £10,000 (or about £400,000 today), was a gift from American Scots as a tribute to the bravery of Scottish troops during the 1914-1918 conflict.

I thought it was a beautiful memorial.

Seriously, some very nice pics in there.
You should try and make the Edinburgh Military Tattoo next time, awesome event. The path up Nevis is like a motorway these days. I've seen japanese tourists do it in a pacamac and flip flops.

Thanks. I was too early to catch the military tatoo, but from what I read, it looks like something I'd like to see. Nevis would be awesome to climb.

Cheers DD.

-----

Continuing on..

Our tour bus stopped for a bathroom break, and also for a chance to have our photo taken with the famous highland cow named, 'mabel.' I was shocked to see that Scottish cows look nothing like the cows I am used to seeing in Canada. Mabel came right up to the fence, and people were posing for pictures with it. It was just pouring down buckets at the time. As I went to stand next to it for a picture, it horned me near my neck, and pushed me away. I was in shock because not only did mabel push me away, but it got me all muddy on the collar. Well everyone was laughing, except me of course. I was just thinking, 'you dumb cow.' I ended up getting a picture of me standing quite a few feet away from it afterwards laughing of course of the irony of it all.


The place we pulled in to have a bathroom break, and pet mabel.


Here is meany 'mabel' the highland cow.
He/She has a 'don't mess with me' look. I should of known better!

[kingwilly]

nice pics. Scotland is a nice place, to visit. I'll try dig up some of my pics also.

[phuketbound]

^Cheers, Mr. Monkey. I'd like to see your pics if you can find them.

--

Our tour bus made a stop in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phàrlain) is a town in Fife which had city status until 1970.[4][5] It is located on high ground five miles from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth on the route of major road and rail crossings across the firth to Edinburgh and the south.
Dunfermline was a Capital of Scotland, being an ancient seat of the kingdom's Royal Court and an important ecclesiastical centre. Its former abbey, now a parish church, is the burial place for many in the country's line of monarchs including Robert I and Saint Margaret.[6] Ruins of the former abbey infrastructure today include the remains of the Royal Palace of Dunfermline, birthplace of Charles I, and are an important tourist attraction. The poet Robert Henryson, one of Scotland's major literary figures, was also associated with the abbey.

We had a chance to visit the Royal Palace which is now in ruins.

Dunfermline Palace was a favourite residence of many Scottish Monarchs. Documented history of royal residence there begins in the 11th century with Malcolm lll, who made it his capital. His seat was the nearby Malcolm's tower, a few hundred yards to the west of the later palace. In the medieval period David ll and James l of Scotland were both born at Dunfermline.

It is an ancient place that sits on the river tay, very close to the firth of forth bridge.

We stopped in this little place,and the views just reminded me of just how 'green' the countryside is here in Scotland and England. I caught a glimpse of CMN there. His ass was in the air..




Part of the village of Dunfermline.




Front view of the former llth century Royal palace.




This former palace is just so magical and mysterious all at once. I got pics from all angles, and the inside may surprise you, as it did me. View from the left side. We were told that 22 Kings and Queens were buried here.

[Texpat]

was a gift from American Scots as a tribute to the bravery of Scottish troops during the 1914-1918 conflict.

So it's an American statue in Scotland-- -- sorry. very nice pics PB.

[English Noodles]

^Like you lot have a french one in New York Harbor.

[kingwilly]

^Cheers, Mr. Monkey. I'd like to see your pics if you can find them.

They are in old 35mm film format, i'll need to convert first.

[phuketbound]

Thanks Tex..yes stranger things have happened. Look forward to the pics, KW.

Well no one guessed what was inside the old palace, so I'll show you. Something very spooky! A haunted cemetery.




It was interesting to see the stained glass windows with no glass, and the gothic architecture with the arches.





The clocktower looms over the ruins. I wondered how they made such a stone palace back in the llth century.



Not far from the Royal Palace ruins flows the river Tay.

The Tay, a famous salmon river, is sourced in the Highlands and flows down into the centre of Scotland through Perth and Dundee. It is the longest river in Scotland and the sixth-longest in the UK.

I took a photo of a bridge in the distance that looked as ancient as the place I was standing in. I believe the bridge is Sterling Old Bridge. The famous battle of Sterling took place here in 1297.

The Battle of Stirling Bridge was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling, on the River Forth. I am reminded of the movie, 'Braveheart,' when I read about Stirling.

A close-up of the Sitrling bridge that crosses the 'Tay.' I am fascinated by bridges, because there is usually so much history involved. The hardship and labour that goes into the making of bridges makes me wonder. I also like how bridges can bridge or pull two countries or areas together.

I found this poem in regards to the Battle on Stirling Bridge;

'For this reason the Scots adopted a stout heart at the instigation of William Wallace, who taught them to fight, so that those whom the English nation held as living captives might be made renewed Scots in their own homeland,... Hence in the year one thousand three hundred less three time one the Scots vanquished the English, whom they put into mourning for death, as the bridge bears witness, where the great battle is recorded, which lies beyond Stirling on the River Forth.’
Poem in Bower’s Scotichronicon on the Battle of Stirling Bridge



A close-up

[English Noodles]

I think this is William Wallace. Anyone know for sure?

William Wallace died in 1305.

[keo]

Back in 2005, I spent three days in Edinburgh, and took a day tour of the Scottish Highlands.

The Scotch whisky distillery centre. They actually give tours in here, and you get to taste test many samples of whisky, and scotch. What a great idea! I was feeling good coming out of here. They also have a well stocked gift shop. I found it funny to see whisky tours in other parts of scotland. They best scotch really does come from here.

Actually, the vast majority of the finest Scottish whisky distilleries are in the Highlands, Speyside and Islay. Only a small number are in the lowlands.

So why did you find it funny to see whisky tours outside Edinburgh? And why do you think the best scotch comes from there???

[Chong Boy]

great pictures from all over, nice job!

[Pranburi10]

.



I think this is William Wallace. Anyone know for sure?

A little off in terms of history methinks. William Wallace's day was a tad earlier than the above gentleman!

Excellent pics tho. All I remember from my time in Scotland was the inside of some Pubs and helicopters to rigs...

ROBERT W. SERVICE
From "Rhymes of a Red Cross Man," a book of fine poems by Mr. Service and copyright, 1916, by Barse & Hopkins, New York. Special permission to insert in this book.
FAR and near, high and clear,
Hark to the call of War!
Over the gorse and the golden dells,
Ringing and swinging of clamorous bells,
Praying and saving of wild farewells:
War! War! War!

High and low, all must go:
Hark to the shout of War!
Leave to the women the harvest yield;
Gird ye, men, for the sinister field;
A sabre instead of a scythe to wield.
War! Red war!

Rich and poor, lord and boor,
Hark to the blast of War!
Tinker and tailor and millionaire,
Actor in triumph and priest in prayer,
Comrades now in the hell out there,
Sweep to the fire of War!

Prince and page, sot and sage,
Hark to the roar of War!
Poet, professor and circus clown,
Chimney-sweeper and fop o' the town,
Into the pot and be melted down
Into the pot of War!

Women all, hear the call,
The pitiless call of War!
Look your last on your dearest ones,
Brothers and husbands, fathers, sons:
Swift they go to the ravenous guns,
The gluttonous guns of War!

Everywhere thrill the
The maniac bells of War!
There will be little of sleeping
T'here will be wailing and weeping tonight;
Death's red sickle is reaping tonight:
War! War War!

[November Rain]

Actually, the vast majority of the finest Scottish whisky distilleries are in the Highlands, Speyside and Islay. Only a small number are in the lowlands. So why did you find it funny to see whisky tours outside Edinburgh? And why do you think the best scotch comes from there???

Yup, my Mum's family come from Elgin & there are quite a few decent distillieries within a couple of hours' drive of there. Lost count of how many of the tours I've been on. My Granda used to take my sister & I to the distillieries when we were on holiday, because they usually give you a free dram at the end of the tour & he'd drink ours too.

[phuketbound]

^^Great poem, Pranburi! Thanks for the addition.

Back in 2005, I spent three days in Edinburgh, and took a day tour of the Scottish Highlands.

The Scotch whisky distillery centre. They actually give tours in here, and you get to taste test many samples of whisky, and scotch. What a great idea! I was feeling good coming out of here. They also have a well stocked gift shop. I found it funny to see whisky tours in other parts of scotland. They best scotch really does come from here.

Actually, the vast majority of the finest Scottish whisky distilleries are in the Highlands, Speyside and Islay. Only a small number are in the lowlands.

So why did you find it funny to see whisky tours outside Edinburgh? And why do you think the best scotch comes from there???

What I meant, was that we were driving, and in the middle of nowhere there was a whisky shop. I just found it funny. I meant that best scotch comes from Scotland. Glen Fiddick is a good example.

[Norton]

Glen Fiddick is a good example.

Never tried it. Must be one of the real good ones cause all the good ones never get exported.

[Marmite the Dog]

Now she's a fuckin' expert on Scotch. Whatever next?

[Thai Pom]

Glen Fiddick is a good example

No it is not!!