April 24th   We really haven't traveled overseas since Iceland in 2019 thanks to Covid, but did take a local trip to the Great lakes. for which we were rewarded with a bout of Covid. Luckily it was mild due to having kept up  on our shots. We figured by now it ought to be fairly safe and sure enough everyone else must have thought so too as almost no one wore a mask in the airport or on the plane. Our major concern was making the connecting flight. British Airways assured us we had enough time in spite of our repeated calls of concern. British Airways insisted we only needed an hour and 15 minutes, and they gave us am hour and 20 minutes, 5 extra generous minutes. I mean what could go wrong? True to form the plane was 30 minutes late in taking off but with Herculean flying managed to make up 20 of those minutes. But it still came in 10 minutes late to Heathrow which was just enough to make us miss our connecting flight! Luckily the next flight was only about two hours out and they got us on that one.   The Edinburgh public transportation system is wonderful. With a short walk from our terminal to the airbus and a quick tap of our credit card, for about $15 we had a round trip ticket into the city proper and then back again two weeks later. That's about $3.50 per half hour trip each. It was one of those red double decker buses and I was inclined to sit up top for the view except for the lack of a roof and dismal weather. On the ride both of us were  mesmerized by the beautifully crafted stone building surrounding us everywhere, most of which were hundreds of years old. The only wooden ones were the occasional home. From our bus stop it was a one block hike with luggage to our mid town 'ancient on the outside but modern inside' hotel.

 

 

April 25th   It seems we've actually learned from our mistakes and wisely allotted ourselves an extra day here. Not only is Edinburgh a beautiful city with lots to do, but it gives us a safety margin in case of really badly delayed flights and an extra day of vacation for only the price of a night in a hotel. So we took this opportunity to catch a narrated scenic bus ride around the greater Edinburgh area and then went back to the best sights. Of course that would be the mandatory Botanical Garden for one member of our group, but I happily obliged. With the rain they get at this temperate latitude similar to that of Hudson Bay Canada, it was surprisingly lush with plants that don't do well in California. Afterwards we walked the most famous street in town, the Royal Mile. Here we ogled at the opulent and elegantly crafted stone buildings that lined both sides of the street embedded with unique shops that catered to every tourist taste including abundant cafes, restaurants and pubs. One of the nicer ones brought us a pint of beer and some chips while we discussed the days events and watched the tourists parade by.
		Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh

 

 

The Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

 

Downtown Callander.		St Andrew Church in Callander built in 1866

 

 

Our B&B in Inverness overlooking the neighborhood.

April 26th   We had our luggage ready and the small wheels did surprisingly well over the sometimes cobblestone lined streets for the three block walk to the bus station and our Rabbies tour connection. It was a small 15 passenger bus driven by Catty, our charming young lady guide. She was a fountain of interesting information and history that she related in a cheerful manner sprinkled with good humor. We headed north towards Inverness admiring one of the new bridges, mountainous sights and a few castles along the way. Our first stop, more for a potty break than anything else, was Callander, one of the many charming little walkable towns we were to see on this trip. On the way we passed Loch Ness, but no monsters. However we did spot some brave ladies swimming in one of the lakes while the rest of us wrapped in coats shivered on land just watching them. Our B&B in Inverness was very nice, but unfortunately we got in late and had little time to enjoy the town aside from wandering a few streets looking for a pub and food. While the beers are larger than ours being an Imperial pint, the alcohol is usually less than 5%, so one pint isn't going affect most peoples sobriety much. We also found we could almost always share a meal and be completely full as the servings in Scotland are ample.

 

 

April 27th   Our destination for today was the Orkney's, a group of islands at the northern tip of Scotland with the largest being only about 200 sq. miles (think of an amoeba about 10 X 20 miles).  We took the scenic A9 coast route up passing rugged landscapes to stop at the small port of Dunbeath, a forlorn coastal town & harbor. It was protected by huge rip rap blocks and had a barren looking white castle of the same name edging close to the cliff in the distance that was for sale for $25 million. They said it had been on the market for years but with no takers.  John O Groats our next destination was on the northeast spit of Scotland and held a nice lighthouse and cliff views. Then to Gills Bay to catch the ferry to St. Margarets Hope on the Orkney's South Ronaldsay Island. From here bridges connect the rest of the islands. Our last sight was the Italian Church that was built by WWII prisoner labor. While modest looking due to being prisoner built with spare parts, it represented the culmination of good relations between the locals and those prisoners.
		Giant blocks of rip rap designed to protect the roadway.

 

The Scotts love their whiskey, even at $250 per bottle.		One of the ornate doors to St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

 

 

April  28th   Had a leisurely morning for a change before taking off for the Maeshowe Cairn, a 5000 year old structure supposedly used for burials. We had to duck low for about 35 feet to enter the place. The nice young lady full of ribald humor gave us a fast rundown on what was known about the 'crypt' including that it contained some of the worlds oldest known graffiti, predating ours by a few thousand years - and we thought it was a recent invention. On to a few more 'standing stones' sites which archaeologists are still speculating about. One of the most interesting dwelling sites was Skara Brae, a large well developed ancient ruins on the grounds of a good size castle near the Sea. Then again it might have been the rare sunshine and views that accompanied us on our idyllic walk out to the ruins which made it so appealing. Stromness on the coast was our lunch spot an hour later, and while it should have been interesting, it seemed abandoned somehow in spite of it's cloistered atmosphere, as if only part of the buildings were occupied. On to the remote Ring of Brodgar accessed by a long walk through empty fields to a spacious ring of stones similar to Stonehenge. Here the rainy mist and dark skies lent an even more ominous feeling to this ancient ceremonial site.  After that it was St Magnus Church & Earl's Palace at Birsay where I wondered around in my raincoat taking photos of the grand dark ruins while Mimi prudently stay warm and dry in the bus, mostly as she was without her raincoat. Our last stop was the Brough of Birsay at the most northwest tip of the main island. In spite of being cold and a little wet, I gamely joined a few of the other adventurers in walking the narrow concrete path only lain bare at low tide that across the long causeway to the Burgh (Isle) of Birsay. I was wondering what the little stone building was doing there among the ruins at the other end. Our guide said that people regularly misjudge the tide and it's a place to keep them safe and out of the weather until the next tide.

 

Part of the Skara Brae site with the castle in the distance.		Unusual rock formation at the Brough of Birsay.

 

Small stone house for refuse at Brough of Birsay. Of course it was locked so unsure how that works.

 

 

 

April  29th   This morning we headed south from our town of Kirkwall and took the ferry back to the mainland. Our first real stop after a few breaks was the Smoo Cave. This enormous cave at the end of a nearly half mile long fjord was created via a combination of ocean waves and river cuts. From the top there was little evidence of the enormity of the cave until you descended hundreds of feet down a footpath to the beach below and turned around. Inside the cavernous opening was a wooden boardwalk to the falls themselves. Most people just stood near the entrance transfixed by the size and views. On to Advreck Castle, an old ruin on the shores of Loch Assynt. While the ruin itself wasn't much, it's lonely surreal and austere setting out on the lake was. As it had been a long drive and getting late we headed directly for our hotel in Ullapool after this where we parted with half of our old group and took on some new people for the second half of our tour. The Smoo Cave is hidden below at this scenic Fjord.

 

Our friendly Italian traveler admiring the distant castle.		Entrance to the Soo Cave.

 

 

 

April  30th On this day we were between guides and spent a free day in Ullapool. It's a fairly charming little seaside town and home of the ferry which goes to the Lewis and Harris Island further west. It was an excuse to sleep in (until about 5:45) and then get a few things done before breakfast. We spent the day poking around the town of about 1500 people which contained a nice shoreline, a harbor, an RV park, and several trails, one of which goes almost straight up about 1500 feet to the overlooking mountain. That one we skipped. In the afternoon we scoured the small town for a restaurant to our liking and then picked up a few snacks at the grocery store before heading to our room and then out again to our restaurant. Pleasant leisurely day.

 

May 1st Up early to take the ferry to the Isle of Lewis and it's main town of Stornoway. Another wonderful ferry ride which we love. It's like a short ocean cruise without all endless days at sea or long flights to get there. Our new male guide laid down the law on what we could do or not do on the bus as if we were school children and after that delivered exacting lectures to his class on sites as we went along. We feared there would be a test afterwards. Our first stop was for lunch at the interesting Lews Castle & Museum just out of the town center. What was interesting was the architectural juxtaposition of old castle stone and modern steel. It also had a nice small museum and gardens.  After that we headed up north to the tiny Port of Ness. There was not much here, but the beach while modest was clean and white, and the harbor while small was skillfully built using local stone, and the small sparse town was somehow charming in it's remote seaside setting. It's one of those places someone wanting solitude and a simple life could thrive in. Not a few miles away was the 'Butt of Lewis' on the northern most spit of the Island. This was home to a lighthouse and a plethora of birds from seagulls to puffins occupying the rugged cliffs below from which there were spectacular ocean views, no doubt the reason for it's avian popularity. The rock forming those dark cliffs are said to be some of the oldest in the world exceeding 4 billion years. Back to our B&B in Stornoway our rugged harbor town. Then a short walk to the town center for a pint and some food. We struggled with our room a little as even sometimes large hotel don't provide a place for suitcases. They expect you to put them on the bed or floor. The first is temporary and the second uncomfortable.

It wasn't as warm as it looks but we still love these ferry rides.

 

 

The low key but charming Port of Ness

 

 

The Arnol Blackhouse. No chimney means living in constant smoke in spite of it seaping out the roof. Chimneys meant loss of heat.

May 2nd Today we mostly toured the northwestern parts of the island. Our first stop was the Arnol Blackhouse, one of the many original houses occupying this area before wood and stone houses became prevalent, some dating back thousands of years. We got an interesting education on how people managed in those times. On to the Dun Carloway Broch a few miles down the road which was an old cylinder shape 2000 year old fortress. Now only part of it remains and is guarding only pastoral lands. Next was the Calanais stone circles, a grouping of 6 to 8 foot high stones resembling Stonehenge who's purpose is still unknown. Our last stop was at the Ardroil Beach. With it's nearly half mile wide white sands bounded by blue skies and aqua waters which could have been mistaken for Hawaii. What was unique though was formations of extremely old quarts, falspar and mica rocks giving it a odd dark and craggy look. Back to Stornoway where we had a nice smoked salmon pie dinner.

 

 

Inside the 'Blackhouse'.		Calanais Stone Circles.

 

 

May 3rd It seems the national breakfast of Scotland is toast & beans. Not sure if this was humor or not but were never tempted to order one. Our first stop was to one of the Harris Tweed weavers, a craft I would have never have chosen to visit. But after an almost hour discussion of what was involved to make the cloth, all by hand, I found it interesting and had a healthy respect for the occupation and the work involved. Next was another tropical looking beach and then to Talbert our ferry town. Here we had a bite to eat and then took the ferry for the Island of Skye and our Caledonian hotel in Portree. We thought our luggage was light, but after dragging it three flights up a narrow winding stairway it seem to have gained weight on this trip. Then down three flights after settling in to try to find a restaurant on this busy Friday evening. All the popular ones were filled but we found a nice one tucked out of the way for a steak pie & potato dinner which didn't sound that good. The pie was more like a beef bourguignon and the potatoes interestingly spiced and perfectly cooked.

 

No, this is not the tropics but Seilebost Beach on the southern end of Lewis & Harris Island in Scotland, about the same latitude as Canada's Hudson Bay.

 

 

May 4th Today we mainly went around the upper lobe of Sky in a counter clock wise direction. Our first stop was the Staffin Dinosaur Find area (where they found dinosaurs of course) with grand ocean views from an ocean side perch. Then up route A855 stopping at Kit Rock and a few other interesting overlooks. Our lunch spot was closed so the guide had to improvise by going to a convenience store. It wasn't as nice but doable and the only minor glitch we had on the whole the trip. After that we headed west along Quiraing Road to the Quirang Walk, a world class hike with breathtaking views. Unfortunately we only had time to go to the trailhead and take a few pictures. We headed west to the small town of Uig where we had lunch in an old elegant hotel and then East on a small road to the Fairy Glen, a fascinating undulating earth area full of strange formations with interesting plants and trees. Then the long drive south to the Fairy Pools, where there was another world class hike along an unusual stream up to the Cair a Mhadaidh mountains. Again, there was too little time to go but a half mile before having to head back. Our guide suggested using the toilets here as they close promptly at 5pm. Sure enough at 5:01 some young people were trying the door and it had closed as if on a timer. Luckily older people are more responsible and get to places on time, but the younger ones have bladders that last for days. We again had another good meal at the same restaurant.

 

The Staffin Dinosaur Find area. Note the narrow falls		The intriguing Fairy Glen area (where I almost dropped my phone from near the top of this spire).

 

 

 

 

May 5th Our super sized concierge was luckily present when we started to drag our luggage down the stairs again and he graciously offered to help. I didn't object very strongly. We took off early as we had a long drive ahead of us. Our only regret was not having spent a little more time in Portree as it seemed to be such a charming little town. Our first stop was Ellean Donan Castle, a lonely looking outpost set out onto Loch Duich. It held for years but finally succumb to superior forces. It would have been nice to have toured the castle itself but we didn't have time to even walk around it. Then about noon we stopped again for lunch at another nice restaurant. As luck would have it 3 large tour buses pulled in right ahead of us. Thinking I was smart I suggested the quick stop near by only to join a line of 25 people with the same thoughts. But the line went fairly fast. On getting out we discovered the restaurant had empty tables after all being designed for those crowds. Ah well. We enjoyed our snacks al fresco style by sitting on a stone wall outside. Our only other stop was at the Glencoe National Nature Preserve to view the magnificent mountains all shrouded in mist. It was an amazing ethereal sight but hard to photograph. In Edinburgh we rolled our suitcases back to our hotel. As it was late and we were feeling tired, we opted to have a beer and bite to eat at our nearly empty hotel restaurant. While not quite the ambiance of other places, it was nice to finally relax with a pint of beer in peace and quiet with picture window views of the old stone buildings across the street and pedestrians below.

 

Ellean Donan Castle. Unfortunately without fairly expensive entry tickets you couldn't even get close.

 

 

May 6th   Had another nice continental breakfast in our hotel for fairly cheap. Unfortunately it was raining pretty steadily when we headed for the tourist areas. Spotted the lush West Princes Gardens below us on the way and as  Mimi can't resist a garden, down the stairs we went. Spotted a lower level yet which looked even more interesting so went down again. On the right we spotted one of the prettiest little garden cottage in a floral setting we have ever seen. Appropriately it was called The Gardner's Cottage. On through the rest of the garden but we were getting soaked from the rain so turned around and back to the hotel. Dried out a bit and then to the grocery store for some lunch supplies. Around noon took off again to the Scottish Museum in light rain which soon tapered off even more. The museum was very modern and spread out lengthwise for a block or so on several floors. It was a miniature Smithsonian and wonderful. Best of all it was completely free. The only glitch was we had real problems finding our way around. By about 4 we had had enough and headed back - luckily in dry weather. Got on packing for tomorrow as we had early flights to catch and then enjoyed another relaxed meal at our local restaurant.

 

The Gardner's Cottage. Mimi and I want to bring one home with us.		The National Museum of Scotland. Only part of one room.

 

 

May 7th   We were very concerned about our connecting flight. We figured the 'shuttle' from Edinburgh to Heathrow would probably be on time being such a short flight, and it was. But we had our running shoes on for the next step because if we missed the flight to San Francisco, there might not be another one for many hours or possibly the next day. They said not to worry as it was in the same terminal. Well what they didn't tell us is that the terminal was so huge you had to take 5 escalators and a tram from one end to the other. After frantically watching the signs as we nearly ran to our gate, we got there just as they were boarding!  10 hours and 4 movies later we landed as sleep was impossible. As usual it felt nice to be home again in spite of the wonderful trip.   Some Notes: Scotland is not unlike much of California. There are lots of Oak woodlands interspersed with large grassy plains. But instead of grass, it's peat bogs. We came at a good time of year - I think. The weather was mostly good and we got our 10.4 days of rain per month. But it only really affected us for about 4 hours over our 10 days. The crowds at this time of year while somewhat noticeable, weren't so bad as to have long lines anywhere except at one or perhaps two of the most popular hikes. Prices were about the same as in the USA.  Houses are substantially less, that is compared to the San Francisco Bay Area. Food seems about the same and hotels are also similar in price. We averaged about $150 per day for some fairly nice B&B's with bathrooms. Restaurant meals were ample - but so are a lot of them in the USA. We seldom felt hungry even after splitting one. But then the pint of beer beforehand helped.