Final Pics

Dalmahoy atrium ceiling.

Golf Course at Dalmahoy.

Back of Dalmahoy.

Dalmahoy Castle - Marriott Hotel (a real disappointment as far as hotels go). The bedrooms, as they call them, are in an annex to the castle. It was the only place we stayed where they charged for WiFi.

North Sea coast at St. Andrews.

18th hole.

Sand trap at St. Andrews.

Bridge to Edinburgh.

Looking back across the bridge from Edinburgh.

Narrow roads - wonder what's coming around the corner?

No place to move over for oncoming traffic.

Our last day in Scotland brought more rain off and on. The only thing on the agenda today was getting to Edinburgh before too late to get everything repacked for the trip home and further abroad. As it turned out we went through St. Andrews and that's where most of these pictures were taken. The course wasn't open for players today so the public could walk around as long as we stayed off the tee boxes and greens. The setting is beautiful, right on the North Sea coast.

When we got to the airport in Edinburgh (last night - Texas Time), we found that we didn't have seats together on the flight from Edinburgh to London. We were going our separate ways in London so this was quite a disappointment. We had about 5 minutes to say goodbye in London. Not a happy time.

As the blog comes to an end, please forgive the misspelled words and bad grammar as my brain was as tired every night as the rest of my body. It's been fun keeping in touch this way. Good idea Jo Anne!

Pitlochry Highland Games

Crowd at the games.

Quite a setting.

The black team in the tug-of-war is from Cawdor - they lost.

Tug-of-war.

Judging the bands.

Pipe band.

Pole tossing.

Pole tossing.

Distillery warehouse where the whiskey 'sleeps' for 15 years.

Today brought lots of rain off and on with bits of sunshine peaking through occasionally. We went down to Pitlochry to watch the Highland Games. It was quite an experience.

Inverness

Glengarry B&B - very nice!

Inverness Castle.

Inverness City Centre.

Jo Anne, this one's for you.

Arriving Inverness.

Loading the train at Plockton.

Royal Navy helicopter preparing for take-off.

The rain started around 3 am and didn't stop until around noon. It was a bit of a trek to the train station so the Innkeeper offered to drive our bags up and leave them at the station for us. Everyone we have encountered on this trip has been very accommodating and friendly. We took the train from Plockton to Inverness, left our bags in a locker at the train station and walked around the city centre for awhile, then took a cab to the airport, where we picked up our rental car for the next 3 days. I think I need a valium after riding from the airport to the B&B on the wrong side of the road. YIKES! We are now sitting in the Tipsy Laird, using their internet service because the Glengarry B&B doesn't have his WiFi hooked up yet, so this will be short today. More tomorrow.

Plockton by train, ferry, bus, walk...

Waterside Guesthouse - Plockton

Sticky Toffee Pudding (yes, I did it again!)

Dinner - a picture is worth a thousand words.

Tide in - mist o' the mornin'.

Tide out.

Kim had a little difficulty with the height of this bathroom as I bumped my head.

Our room at the Waterside.

View from the bridge.

View of the bridge.

View from the ferry.

Glinfinnan Station.

Glinfinnan Viaduct.

Kim on the Jacobite.

Hogwart's Express.

We sat at the breakfast table this morning watching it rain. By the time we were packed up and ready to head to the train station, the rain had stopped, the heavy cloud cover was lifting, and blue skies were beginning to appear. Mother, here are various sky pictures for your painting fodder and there are many more from whence these came. The young man sitting next to me on the steam train was traveling alone and gladly traded seats with Kim so that we could sit together. Vincent, I was hoping to get some Harry Potter memorabilia for you from the train but they aren't allowed to sell it due to licensing agreements.

We took the train from Fort William to Mallaig, had one hour to catch the ferry to the Isle of Skye, got off the ferry and walked over to board the bus for Kyle of Lochalsh. The bus from Kyle to Plockton (where we are staying tonight) was scheduled to leave 6 minutes before we were to arrive, so the plan was to wait on the train (2 hours). When the bus driver found out we were going to have to wait on the train, he sped up, pulled up next to the Plockton bus just as it was about to pull out, tooted his horn and pointed at us so the driver would wait. After all, we were the only 2 on the Kyle bus and 2 of the only 3 on the bus to Plockton. Once again, we are in a very remote area, no cell service, and I haven't been able to get on the internet, so will publish this tomorrow.

This is a beautiful and quiet little fishing village. It would be a great place to stay awhile, climb the local peaks, and just relax. Hope you enjoy the pics and the sounds of the bagpipe below.