tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65105956833017367242024-03-13T08:05:11.831-04:00Lorna's Miscellany"The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things ..."Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-24671050054171629892020-01-31T14:03:00.001-05:002020-02-01T13:36:49.161-05:00Crossing the Atlantic in 1906<br />
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<span class="ng-binding"><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I was going through some of my mother'</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">s papers the other day and came across several sheets of three-ring binder paper, my grandad had used to write about his life in Canada including this story about how he arrived here. His own words, written post-retirement in 1971, cleared up a puzzle I had been trying to figure out: which ship he came on. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The Rev. Canon Edmund Graff Nicholls Grant </span><span style="color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">was born on April 28</span><sup style="color: #181a1c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, 1887. He died
in January1979. This little excerpt is taken from what he called </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><i style="color: #181a1c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Reminiscences 1906 -1964.</i></div>
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<i style="color: #181a1c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></i><span style="color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">He left by train from Cardiff to catch the ship in Liverpool. Quite an adventure for a 17-year-old.</span></div>
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<span class="ng-binding"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Grandad Grant's voyage
away from home in Wales to a new life in Canada:</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="ng-binding"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><span class="ng-binding"><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">It was a wet and rather depressing
morning in the middle of March 1906 when I boarded the train which was to take
me to Liverpool. A couple of brothers and a sister saw me off, on that, which
to me was a memorable night, at the age of almost 18 years. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="ng-binding"><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">The next day I found the vessel, a CPR
ship, called "Lake Manitoba" which was to take me across the
Atlantic.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lake Manitoba [Source:http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=lamam]</td></tr>
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<span class="ng-binding"><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">After getting on board, I was shown to my
"stateroom," which was the hold of the ship and which the portholes
were on a level with the ocean. As far as I can remember, there were about 100
men in this hold, which is a cavity in a ship below deck. We slept and had
meals in the hold. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="ng-binding"><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">I spent the greater part of my time on
deck, although it was chilly. The journey took 12 days, weather at times pretty
rough, & 1 day (24 hours) we only made 50 miles. I was not sea-sick at all,
but lots of passengers were. We landed at St. John NB on a cool and frosty
morning where I took the train for Toronto. I stayed for a day in that city and
took the train for Sutton, via the Grand Trunk RR.</span></span><span class="ng-binding"><span style="background: white; color: #181a1c; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sutton Railway Station in 1906 <a href="http://www.trha.ca/trha/history/stations-2/sutton-station/">http://www.trha.ca/trha/history/stations-2/sutton-station/</a></td></tr>
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<br />Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-35484565888801667942019-09-15T13:35:00.000-04:002019-11-06T23:12:23.082-05:00The Testaments: a clamour of voices, a muted dystopia<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Just finished reading </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Testaments</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">; it’s a
page-turner I devoured over the last three days or so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Structurally it is very clever, especially with the
ambiguity introduced after all the journal entries, by the addition of the Symposium
at the end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The language is Atwood in high gear: sardonic, witty, morbidly funny, and echoing
with mischievous literary, biblical, and mythic allusions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But the characters are somewhat flat and seem under-developed
if not stereotyped and hence, less important than the plot: much like dystopic Gilead
itself, subordinating people to ideology. This might be a clever conceit if
Atwood meant it that way. But making the characters secondary to the action does not
invite closeness to them. I observed them, but I didn’t wholly connect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The ending seems happy — a wishy-washy version of secular
humanism may prevail; however, I wish Atwood had fully grasped the thistle of
evil. The multi-faceted journal format is a recollection of events,
mediated only by characters who are reactive, not especially reflective. The horrific events they describe are certainly objectively repugnant
(lots of frissons), but the evil is subjectively dulled. Mind you, I do
wonder about some of the comments in the Symposium chapter at the end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Overall, the novel reminds me of some young-adult
fiction — lots of action, weaker character development, and an under-explored moral
universe. Atwood is a master of genres, maybe it was the turn of young-adult
fiction?? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In any event, it surprising that this novel is not deeper, for want of a better
word. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It will be
interesting to hear what goes on at the interview on October 4<sup>th</sup>. Has anyone else read it? What do you think?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">T</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">hree stars (out of four). </span></span></div>
Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-2522062572582782622017-05-22T18:16:00.000-04:002017-05-22T18:16:20.986-04:00Our last days in Scotland then home again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Monday September 19th and Tuesday the 20th</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Back to Tweedbank by bus, then by train to Edinburgh, then on to Glasgow: all smooth. [I really can't say enough great things about the train and bus systems in Scotland.]</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once in Glasgow we found road construction all around the train station. We walked uphill [of course] and eventually (despite or because of directions from various people), we found the Buchanan Bus Station.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The airport bus was there waiting. The driver said we should have had our dual return ticket stamped when we arrived, but he let us on anyway, thank goodness. We had the remains of the previous ticket but not the one to return. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the Glasgow airport, there was </span><span style="font-size: large;">a lot of road construction and not one, but </span><span style="font-size: large;">two, Holiday Inns. The easy one to reach was just across the street from the bus stop. It wasn't ours...We found this out trying to check in and finding no reservation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our hotel was the Holiday Inn Express which we could see but could not get to because of the barricades and the total lack of adequate signage. It was an <i>Alice through the Looking Glass </i>experience. We finally gave up and cut through a parking garage.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Easy when you know how!</span></td></tr>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;">Nice room: red and grey, refurbished recently. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The bathroom had a grab bar in the shower [the only one in any of our accommodations</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in the whole trip]. The door to the bathroom also closed the toilet area, which I though was very clever design.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nice not to have to grab the scalding hot water faucet ...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We went back to the airport to familiarize ourselves with its layout. We had a late lunch at a pub restaurant. I had chili and rice, which was surprisingly good as it spiced up more than usual. I also had a light beer! So far no serious bowel repercussions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then we went to the Tesco store and got a banana, an orange, some Babybels,"oaty" biscuits, and mixed nuts and cranberries for a dinner time snack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Back to the hotel, checked the email: the WiFi worked!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To bed at 10:23 pm, still awake at 11:30, woke up at 5:00 am, got up at 5:31. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday September 20, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Checked out of our hotel after a light breakfast (way too many calories yesterday). We followed the crowd back to the terminal: took a long way around, but it was apparently the intended route.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Checked in at the airport: all went smoothly. Now we are sitting in the departure lounge. We don't sit by the gate we leave by. The gate number pops up on a screen in the general lounge just before boarding time ,and then we head to where we board.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A six-hour and 13-minute flight awaits. Glad I had the banana for breakfast. The potassium may help my twitchy legs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It will be light out, so I will read <i>Dr. Thorne. </i>We have seats together at the exit seats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To the best of my recollection writing today eight months later, the flight went well. I received my pre-ordered Thai chicken wrap, which was tasty. I don't know why more people don't do this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I enjoyed my book and even more, the fact I was finally feeling better!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We were early approaching Nova Scotia. However, when</span><span style="font-size: large;"> we got to Halifax, there was so much fog we couldn't see anything, and landing seemed problematic. In any event, the pilot came on the loud speaker and said we would be circling the airport to try a different approach. He added that we had plenty of fuel, something I</span><span style="font-size: large;"> hadn't actually considered until that precise moment. We eventually landed in fog like cotton batten. I saw the runway speeding below us about th</span><span style="font-size: large;">ree seconds before we landed on it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Customs was no problem and the shuttle to the parking lot was waiting; we were the only ones on it. Our driver fulminated over the American election and praised Donald Trump. I wonder how he feels about him now (likely the same). We found our car exactly as we had left it and headed for the ferry at Caribou.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No reservations needed this time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was nice to see the Canadian flag on the mast of the ferry and truly feel we were home again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhHcS82ARJp8gitIQZqGPdg-2D6DN0rwpB_41w6ZBCwiEPgdSZAT1VuBKoHO7x54wBccMrYDSQJQteOJbWCouDLjyk5ePnsP8TDmrlweiQPxbi-uC-1rjVCtoY38kcgVIlaaQGunoA-FL/s1600/IMG_2058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhHcS82ARJp8gitIQZqGPdg-2D6DN0rwpB_41w6ZBCwiEPgdSZAT1VuBKoHO7x54wBccMrYDSQJQteOJbWCouDLjyk5ePnsP8TDmrlweiQPxbi-uC-1rjVCtoY38kcgVIlaaQGunoA-FL/s640/IMG_2058.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are some shots I took of the harbour at Caribou while we waited to "sail" across to PEI:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZO9L7h0Z5tWFkspsZbS76EHrR7HPwZ7ebRlUN1XJuCNsoN4YqJnZY2sc6_XbuH1Pbr81Ksu1AgrLYYWNV9JOQv4dnxhosDmZmgIETxXA1ESdHck9j92UHR4y7xgBvoub5EVKqAshV3Rg/s1600/IMG_2063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZO9L7h0Z5tWFkspsZbS76EHrR7HPwZ7ebRlUN1XJuCNsoN4YqJnZY2sc6_XbuH1Pbr81Ksu1AgrLYYWNV9JOQv4dnxhosDmZmgIETxXA1ESdHck9j92UHR4y7xgBvoub5EVKqAshV3Rg/s640/IMG_2063.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMhNOzUkZDVtXH0vsMPJ7KYMv6_162HVk30xinuRAIyfvNL1ZFjwiLBshs7lhYctB3JQ7XtUdio3uZzuYujwPnn16VjuBOb4J2fIdqyna7epxvtcROQi7Ip0Bx_IVx6p0thrDR9jmwdS0/s1600/IMG_2061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMhNOzUkZDVtXH0vsMPJ7KYMv6_162HVk30xinuRAIyfvNL1ZFjwiLBshs7lhYctB3JQ7XtUdio3uZzuYujwPnn16VjuBOb4J2fIdqyna7epxvtcROQi7Ip0Bx_IVx6p0thrDR9jmwdS0/s640/IMG_2061.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMnI03wCBKi7j4whlembyQ7DzRr4CQxGRfaExIf05WwChYRmxhVhre9LkU_vTqpDiMO5bvmGHf7SNfb1HqrQGQh0Rh4rCO9YUiLsRi6U-ABVneCO3G5LFybckaYTKvWtKY03cUgLwVUIW/s1600/IMG_2064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMnI03wCBKi7j4whlembyQ7DzRr4CQxGRfaExIf05WwChYRmxhVhre9LkU_vTqpDiMO5bvmGHf7SNfb1HqrQGQh0Rh4rCO9YUiLsRi6U-ABVneCO3G5LFybckaYTKvWtKY03cUgLwVUIW/s640/IMG_2064.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The lobster boats are ready for the fall lobster season.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After the crossing, we headed to Montague and a comfort-food supper at Pizza Delight. It still seems amazing to me that you can eat breakfast in Glasgow and have dinner in North America. We were glad to be home, but over the ensuing months, I feel sorry that we can't just hop in the car and go back to </span><span style="font-size: large;">the Orkneys, revisit Nairn, or go on another walk around the Eildon hills. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> It was in retrospect (and now with completely normally functioning innards) a wonderful trip.</span></div>
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<br />Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-30675179723294114952017-05-12T10:01:00.001-04:002017-05-12T16:18:24.287-04:00Family history unfolds at the Eildon Hills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l9Fk6YwGQWDPK-N2HqkfFB2uuayKljQbnr3SmuTx7eNQ33NshoFFcqhUFKVGcq0e9iaVyv1R3bf0U6NbGvWTd69L_z07Vt-ORK6k_PuRu_y56U6xawxvVrk10DbdTLJRqrCX6_xP-tww/s640/IMG_2033.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sunday Sept. 18, 2016 </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We had breakfast with several serious hikers, the kind who don't wear their boots in the dining room but have only their heavy socks on their feet. Our host nodded to the out-of-doors and pronounced it "a dry day." In Scotland this means it was not actively raining. I wore my rain pants for the first time during the trip, as I thought we might encounter wet grass and muddy paths on our hike to find Eildon Hall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>I had been curious about this house for many years. My maternal grandmother's family came to Canada in the 1830s, and our ancient matriarch Susan Sibbald lived in a house by Lake Simcoe, which she called Eildon Hall after her father's home in Scotland.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>My fourth great-grandfather had work begun on Eildon Hall in the spring of 1802. According to his daughter Susan, he located it "on a spot where as a schoolboy he said he should like to build a house on account of the magnificent view, which was open to the Cheviot Hills 6 miles off (</i>Memoirs of Susan Sibbald,<i> p. 210).</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>This is what the house looked like in 1804, apparently, according to the list of illustrations in the Memoirs. </i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGf4kQs1nLzsybOhHQKx494bXkvtX0v8PVjz3igJqecu3BccG5l6qOYGFlmLUbsoeMj9QzTO_MMNr_pqeu2w5J6CBXmnJ471JkUrVHDG1G4U9ChLXFcoG5NWlKDBI9fXlm2VxrSbLGPuRT/s1600/2017-05-11+Eildon+Hall+1804+Memoirs+of+Susan+Sibbald+jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGf4kQs1nLzsybOhHQKx494bXkvtX0v8PVjz3igJqecu3BccG5l6qOYGFlmLUbsoeMj9QzTO_MMNr_pqeu2w5J6CBXmnJ471JkUrVHDG1G4U9ChLXFcoG5NWlKDBI9fXlm2VxrSbLGPuRT/s640/2017-05-11+Eildon+Hall+1804+Memoirs+of+Susan+Sibbald+jpeg.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It has undergone changes in ownership and renovations over the years since and has been owned by the Dukes of Buccleuch since about 1860. This is what it looks like now, although not on the day we went, which was very overcast. Also we approached it from the north side, through the fir trees behind it to the right in the photo:</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqBhGhyphenhyphenL2FQe59hlIMgCVkjDI8R3MMXsjdlv3nIQut5CJ_Q6oz6ll-bM0Z2PqVUV5vxIeRJl_FZRXMsk30vUcKgzJp2kKgFLZ11tQl56cr35XQLjUPIg5DCeIrBZnJLAzZ1K_Bb9VmRoq/s1600/thumbnail_Eildon+Hall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqBhGhyphenhyphenL2FQe59hlIMgCVkjDI8R3MMXsjdlv3nIQut5CJ_Q6oz6ll-bM0Z2PqVUV5vxIeRJl_FZRXMsk30vUcKgzJp2kKgFLZ11tQl56cr35XQLjUPIg5DCeIrBZnJLAzZ1K_Bb9VmRoq/s640/thumbnail_Eildon+Hall.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Eildon Hall as it is today looking north</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Source: http://newtowneildon.weebly.com/eildon-village.html</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>After walking out of Melrose and following a footpath south off Dingleton Road and across the Malthouse Burn, we found the main hiking trail to the easternmost peak of the three Eildon Hills. My journal continues: </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We climbed straight up 140 steps, resting every 10 steps, and being passed by other fitter walkers and hikers...spectacular views of the Tweed Valley, h</span><span style="font-size: large;">ills and Melrose Abbey.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can see Melrose Abbey in the mist in the left corner of the picture.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Rather muddy at times, but very fresh air, just what I like: a hike in the outdoors. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The village of Melrose is in the Tweed Valley.</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We didn't go to the top of Eildon Hill as that would have taken much more time and over 1300 feet of climbing: too much for our elderly out-of-shape selves. Still the view from about halfway up was impressive. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We took something of a wrong turn at a critical juncture and found ourselves on a paved road, near what turned out to be the monument to the Eildon Tree, immortalized by Thomas the Rhymer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>He was</i> <i>a 13th century poet and prophet whose poems were popularized by Sir Walter Scott in </i>Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border <i>published in 1802, the same year as work began on the Hall.</i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">"At Eildon tree if yon shall be<br />a brig ower Tweed, yon there may see"<br />Thomas the Rhymer</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sir Walter Scott identified this location near the foot of the Eildon Hills as the site of the ancient tree because three bridges over the Tweed were visible from this vantage point. (Source: </i></span><i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: large;">wikipedia.)</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Susan Sibbald was familiar with the legendary poet and perhaps Sir Walter Scott's pronouncements about the famous tree. In any event, in her memoirs, she says to her son, "you must remember, Hugh, to have read another of Thomas the Rhymer's predictions ... </i>'</span><span style="font-size: large;">betide befa' whate'er betide, </span><span style="font-size: large;">Haig sal be Haig of Bemersyde'.<i>" </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>T</i></span><i><span style="font-size: large;">his one concerned a local ancestral home and predicted dire consequences if the last laird died without issue. The last (20th) direct descendant of the first lord died childless in 1854. J</span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">ust as his coffin was being lowered into the grave, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">a tremendous thunder storm broke out, accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning and loud roars of thunder, to the distress of the mourners </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">(Memoirs, p.185)</span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It is exciting to read (albeit after the fact) that Susan Sibbald was familiar with Thomas the Rhymer; I also wonder if the actual paths we walked on she had also trod upon. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We came upon a man walking his dog. "Do you know where you are?" I asked him, thinking he might also be a tourist. But he was a local person (which explained the odd look he gave me). He gave us excellent directions to Eildon Hall: go up and down two dips in the road, then see a nice entrance on the right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He also gave us information on the house and told us, "There is no one living there now." He added it was owned by the Duke of Buccleuch and was intended as the home for the duke-in-waiting i.e., the eldest son of the existing duke.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>The 9th duke of Buccleuch, </i><i>who died in 2007,</i><i> was the last to live at Eildon Hall. Incidentally, his funeral was held at Melrose Abbey and he is buried there; the Buccleuch family received some of the monastery lands after the Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries</i></span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>No one seems to like these (or other) dukes. Perhaps it also stems from the on-going effects of the Enclosure Movement, which peaked about two hundred years ago, but whose effects still </i><i>ripple down the generations</i><i>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Someone told us that one of the Buccleuchs used to ride his horse to the post office in Melrose and would order some bystander to hold the animal for him while he went in for his mail. One of the locals objected and ended up punching the duke. Surprisingly when the matter came before the local magistrate, he was let off. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, we walked and walked and finally found the gate: curved sandstone walls with white gates, which were wide open:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhal2aEGXs87YSHvQb5oiu-y40X0J4raduuW84ZiXPlU5XIAzcn6B2nL-JhPVWtJKGgfPWIu6JknMxLy7U34MjDEUG3BfwHkk4jsG5G5fLERR3BJH-4-YqfZmwhqD3b3v1Joi2TXN8oV_Tn/s1600/IMG_2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhal2aEGXs87YSHvQb5oiu-y40X0J4raduuW84ZiXPlU5XIAzcn6B2nL-JhPVWtJKGgfPWIu6JknMxLy7U34MjDEUG3BfwHkk4jsG5G5fLERR3BJH-4-YqfZmwhqD3b3v1Joi2TXN8oV_Tn/s640/IMG_2022.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I took a picture of them and of the gatehouse, a charming stone cottage:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TbMqT2fYushcdI_ENWyEBGYm3M0QE8WFi8YkmqOUFGkNEbTxSfRMPWoeM334jxT5-5rtjCYf_sgyXfRiJy08ATZ7X7g7YWZ3_NJadhUt4mTsWiQJ0F1atNGAxaucwtwKMK0_yw0l_s2z/s1600/IMG_2023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TbMqT2fYushcdI_ENWyEBGYm3M0QE8WFi8YkmqOUFGkNEbTxSfRMPWoeM334jxT5-5rtjCYf_sgyXfRiJy08ATZ7X7g7YWZ3_NJadhUt4mTsWiQJ0F1atNGAxaucwtwKMK0_yw0l_s2z/s640/IMG_2023.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then we walked up the incline </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8g0SgokYu8yfXUFUOjCJEzGA2YufshvaEt9IQLjpCVbEuwTlsY7xmMQgSfAai5NQe4FKxpeIkippaefJPK37f2jp8905v77kg_c7cuvKBKsnn8jeXRCJ7NUnU4nRAlymOgcUBBaaBLCH/s1600/IMG_2024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8g0SgokYu8yfXUFUOjCJEzGA2YufshvaEt9IQLjpCVbEuwTlsY7xmMQgSfAai5NQe4FKxpeIkippaefJPK37f2jp8905v77kg_c7cuvKBKsnn8jeXRCJ7NUnU4nRAlymOgcUBBaaBLCH/s640/IMG_2024.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">until we came to Eildon Hall:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeoonqxMp6dGzqfHGD_1b_uIEpA4WojThATM2q9bqnJ2mKI8xaQcB7AVP3JCi86RdudXUQOiAFtoG64I9pTpq3LlK-w2823VpmHvtNNwPYbBHZEEc9pfewRlfgu4ceIH30riRnqt-j1Il/s1600/IMG_2028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeoonqxMp6dGzqfHGD_1b_uIEpA4WojThATM2q9bqnJ2mKI8xaQcB7AVP3JCi86RdudXUQOiAFtoG64I9pTpq3LlK-w2823VpmHvtNNwPYbBHZEEc9pfewRlfgu4ceIH30riRnqt-j1Il/s640/IMG_2028.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There was a black utility vehicle parked by the door, but while I peered through the glass of the front door, I didn't knock. </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was a bit spooky. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It looked very run-down and dusty inside. There was an old wooden chair leaning against the wall and what might have been a dog-toy on the floor of the vestibule. It looked like a stuffed sock </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">— </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> a dirty yellow knit thing knotted at the top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The whole place looked neglected:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90r3fAEPTDU2rJipYUxWvHae8bgYFxwjFNShGpRzBV8_C3tk5IeqyELUVoyR-chapjgO1cmJgSuDdn_JMyX1SlR7W_hdiUUBmS4hsWKXUmmzPBS9yAZEdn5UkhFHKWIW-GfZvW0vxwxs1/s1600/IMG_2029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90r3fAEPTDU2rJipYUxWvHae8bgYFxwjFNShGpRzBV8_C3tk5IeqyELUVoyR-chapjgO1cmJgSuDdn_JMyX1SlR7W_hdiUUBmS4hsWKXUmmzPBS9yAZEdn5UkhFHKWIW-GfZvW0vxwxs1/s640/IMG_2029.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">Dr. Thomas Mein</span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> died 1815, not long after the completion of the house in about 1806. Later it was owned by a William Henderson and was lived in by the "Misses Henderson" in 1845. Architect William Burn redesigned and remodeled it (</span></span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">from 1861 to 1867)</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> for </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">the 5th Duke of Buccleuch. </span></span></i><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Why it did not remain in the Mein family is something of a mystery. Susan Sibbald continues her account of her father's desire to build Eildon Hall:</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: center;"><i>...he had the expectation of the property coming to him after his father's death </i>[in 1794]<i> and no doubt it would have been the case had matters been properly arranged as to his </i></span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">brothers' and sisters' portions, but he was abroad some years and </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">did not hear of his Father's death till his return to England. My Grandmother was never satisfied about the sale of the property and always alluded to something being wrong in the agent's management (p. 211).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">I considered trespassing onto the front lawn, but loud barking from an indeterminate direction gave me pause. This is all I managed to see. The Cheviot Hills, beloved of my great-great-great-great grandfather, are in the distance perhaps:</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Although it was disappointing to see the house in such a state of decline, I was not as troubled as I might have been if it had been the original house, begun 215 years ago this spring. Somehow the mid-century renovations made it a different house to me, at least on the outside. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Also something I discovered while re-reading Susan Sibbald's memoirs for this blog took my attention away from the house itself. She reminisces that her father had planted fir trees at the foot of the "east hill" (p.166), which I take to be the area through which we were walking back in September.</i></span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Could these be the descendants of the original trees planted over 200 years ago?</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBCEQ__G7ooVXKkFPVrdxsKrmhlYaZkeAFrlt8fipEQ76PQC1vKcJpTiG-xnvWBhp1S4UsWThO5uiWUaN_3-Nz1egwO0ObpcG9Hv2FHT3k6ZWokWBB-v9UzrSVkbvMIJZQR8bzjbwM3Du/s1600/IMG_2033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBCEQ__G7ooVXKkFPVrdxsKrmhlYaZkeAFrlt8fipEQ76PQC1vKcJpTiG-xnvWBhp1S4UsWThO5uiWUaN_3-Nz1egwO0ObpcG9Hv2FHT3k6ZWokWBB-v9UzrSVkbvMIJZQR8bzjbwM3Du/s640/IMG_2033.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>How quickly do fir trees grow? Might this one be close to 200 years? </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>They lend a special resonance to the term 'family tree'! H</i></span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">ow many hundreds of people now planted all over the w</i><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">orld are part of this original family. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then we retraced our steps down the lane </i><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">to the disused road</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>and eventually back to the warmth of our BnB, where I slept for most of the rest of the afternoon. It had been a long walk in more ways than one.</i></span></div>
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<br />Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-23749782874899454192017-05-05T15:39:00.001-04:002017-05-05T15:39:58.289-04:00Off we go to Melrose and the Scottish borders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Journal entry from September 17, 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Everything went smoothly getting checked out of the Cairn Hotel. We had too little hot water for our </span><span style="font-size: large;">morning</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">showers, but the cheery tooth-challenged desk clerk said it was "all fixed now." So that was good, but not awfully useful, news </span>— <span style="font-size: large;">at least not for us. Despite that and the less than delicious breakfast the first morning, the Cairn was a most serviceable place to stay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As before, we breakfasted around the corner at the "Taste of Italy"</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and then walked the half-mile or so back to the Waverley train station. It was mostly uphill, but we were "used to it now." </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We got on the 10:25 am Borders Railway south to Tweedbank and were there by 11:25 am. The previous</span><span style="font-size: large;"> year on </span><span style="font-size: large;">September 9th,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the day of her becoming Britain's longest reigning monarch</span><span style="font-size: large;">, Queen Elizabeth had re-opened the rail line and then traveled along it to Tweedbank, just as we did. (However, unlike her Majesty, we weren't treated to fireworks.)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-34177585</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On an average weekday, there are "48 trains per day travelling from Edinburgh south to Tweedbank" (www. thetrainline.com).</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I love the Scottish rail system; oh that we might have something like it here in Parkhill so we could get to </span><span style="font-size: large;">Grand Ben</span><span style="font-size: large;">d, Exeter, and London by train (or even bus!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then we t</span><span style="font-size: large;">ook a bus on to Mel</span><span style="font-size: large;">rose ("got a return ticket") and had our bags stashed in our room at the Braidwood Bed and Breakfast by noon. The bus stop was only steps away.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source http://www.braidwoodmelrose.co.uk/ caption</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Exploring</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the town, we bought Cornish pastries, fruit, and water for lunch, which we ate sitting on a bench at Melrose Abbey. The abbey, founded by Cistercian </span><span style="font-size: large;">monks almost a thousand years ago, </span><span style="font-size: large;">was another highlight of our trip. We used the audio guide and wandered around for a couple of hours </span>— <span style="font-size: large;">very serene place.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seen from the west: Source: http://earthwise.bgs.ac.uk/index.php/<br />Building_stones_of_the_Border_Abbeys_-_an_excursion</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Founded by David I of Scotland in 1136, it is best known as the resting place of the heart of his descendant Robert the Bruce. (The rest of the latter's mortal remains are at Dumferline Abbey.)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXynw5z_RkNUrc44MFDPT7nMEwzFfvIaLbTDPPbVDkMJGiUcRJteu8tj-aUOXgzJxAAOMDbaIGsLMm69tQSOo2-eUYF3TRINQ5gRKQ5wZyQN_BrOtaOqldtyt7lK6znCGMR6WXayo7Cxc/s1600/IMG_1973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXynw5z_RkNUrc44MFDPT7nMEwzFfvIaLbTDPPbVDkMJGiUcRJteu8tj-aUOXgzJxAAOMDbaIGsLMm69tQSOo2-eUYF3TRINQ5gRKQ5wZyQN_BrOtaOqldtyt7lK6znCGMR6WXayo7Cxc/s640/IMG_1973.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">David was the paternal fourth great-grandfather of Robert the Bruce. (Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_the_Bruce)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The abbey suffered numerous attacks during the border wars with the English beginning in 1296.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_wztcx7BOLN_xCm4Ct2lPbduKrL4oc8fyfgLJIAwuTSt68ReZBAQ_l7wHW6IaLAZMcDf7QmswSn1QcJoquLStJ9rKzbwi5v-O_PFaZi6nrvJWOQ_yM0umSthCpgmjDH9kmsZcRUyFpsH/s1600/IMG_1966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_wztcx7BOLN_xCm4Ct2lPbduKrL4oc8fyfgLJIAwuTSt68ReZBAQ_l7wHW6IaLAZMcDf7QmswSn1QcJoquLStJ9rKzbwi5v-O_PFaZi6nrvJWOQ_yM0umSthCpgmjDH9kmsZcRUyFpsH/s640/IMG_1966.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the north side of the Abbey.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtU6qMfvMyJxqfnp0fg7GeaiY1vCmqB8UB4ooCPBtwfsYGv-HKpryNhx-RGIYZEee0d7cz0eZynyMM2orqlQRUxPNVgSQe6TZ1p1jqbDSawZuSIPQFRI5AgCudnHOQJ6ntQwuz0AmC3qt/s1600/IMG_1968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtU6qMfvMyJxqfnp0fg7GeaiY1vCmqB8UB4ooCPBtwfsYGv-HKpryNhx-RGIYZEee0d7cz0eZynyMM2orqlQRUxPNVgSQe6TZ1p1jqbDSawZuSIPQFRI5AgCudnHOQJ6ntQwuz0AmC3qt/s640/IMG_1968.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the background is one of the Eildon Hills, which we climbed the next day</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The abbey was rebuilt after an attack by Richard II in 1385:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWt2R24JMXY-FWtdlRGQLMRJDPS52JhQovfxza5lzZtsFBvjNLIcofsw-E9xdGj8emkCvCtX1V0D136PYxXvKkE8jqpv2wvmMEkCVjLzhFIVQNj3doJtQVuO2kt4VC-e2VFx_I-WmuFZ4/s1600/IMG_1974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWt2R24JMXY-FWtdlRGQLMRJDPS52JhQovfxza5lzZtsFBvjNLIcofsw-E9xdGj8emkCvCtX1V0D136PYxXvKkE8jqpv2wvmMEkCVjLzhFIVQNj3doJtQVuO2kt4VC-e2VFx_I-WmuFZ4/s640/IMG_1974.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Local quarries provided </span><span style="font-size: large;"> sandstone and red trachyte (a type of feldspar), which gave the abbey its pinkish tone: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWOSjOsx3KeiHHlPaIW_EiytjOoMWL0g4fiun4QoAtrW_DDf0-3-Cw4Ty5s-IdFtihyZGB1u1nZkRLX9hr60iCnpCgHzRA71QHTQu9jUqWwpbZbGash-cctB7msa-51qVHEK8Ujzch_LU/s1600/IMG_1969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWOSjOsx3KeiHHlPaIW_EiytjOoMWL0g4fiun4QoAtrW_DDf0-3-Cw4Ty5s-IdFtihyZGB1u1nZkRLX9hr60iCnpCgHzRA71QHTQu9jUqWwpbZbGash-cctB7msa-51qVHEK8Ujzch_LU/s640/IMG_1969.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The monks' rule of life (a combination of frugality and hard work) had the unintended, but not surprising, consequence of bringing prosperity to the abbey. The monks adopted new farming methods and sold Melrose wool throughout Europe, thereby providing employment for the local people. They also fed the locals during times of famine. The photo below shows where the refectory was:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXjapZ1ZvCXWvAJa265vRBgtP6MF74y1-myxxWoAXG5G8UxIX0ULTG91BUWFFFWgEij-G9z-zK3CLuywrmDCj_-14CczrXKGCrx1F6cpuKOrUOHjgGmjluy2yt_bhNDPB8DZp3Ya-F3TP/s1600/IMG_1998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXjapZ1ZvCXWvAJa265vRBgtP6MF74y1-myxxWoAXG5G8UxIX0ULTG91BUWFFFWgEij-G9z-zK3CLuywrmDCj_-14CczrXKGCrx1F6cpuKOrUOHjgGmjluy2yt_bhNDPB8DZp3Ya-F3TP/s640/IMG_1998.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Water was diverted from the River Tweed and ran along this drainage ditch through the abbey, a fairly detailed engineering feat in the middle ages:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwIXAZe7Y-hKModYnCWUr56tPt4_zq-XCxIGrDo8XdgN3j_CechWaVfsUsaV-dU79tfur23ZqlRWDF4JRYaW1Stj3cpzr2TNLIbUe6eMTAzlqJqBnGN3Pw_boHMW_WEbEHvYa6S5kLzb9/s1600/IMG_2000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwIXAZe7Y-hKModYnCWUr56tPt4_zq-XCxIGrDo8XdgN3j_CechWaVfsUsaV-dU79tfur23ZqlRWDF4JRYaW1Stj3cpzr2TNLIbUe6eMTAzlqJqBnGN3Pw_boHMW_WEbEHvYa6S5kLzb9/s640/IMG_2000.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After the Reformation,when its land and goods were seized by the crown during the dissolution of the monasteries,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the abbey fell into disrepair. However, in the early 19th century, Sir Walter Scott began a restoration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A century later, during more work at the site in 1921, a small casket containing a heart was found and reburied; Robert the Bruce's heart had been reputedly buried</span> <span style="font-size: large;">in the church. By coincidence, the </span><span style="font-size: large;"> lead container was unearthed during an archaeological dig in 1996. An engraving said it had been found in 1921 under the chapter house floor and that it contained a heart. In June 1998, it was reburied under this memorial stone in the lawn on the east side of the abbey:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQftEWy4oresDldlIj4sz-zDs1J6oiz-tPXVqhUcJr-MsvAF5xcsrZ9wWJ79ujZON1sQtD8yAXIpN4q7so8KntmihTod3F8wuQeSCiHWWtmbWt48o1iafhIoDlhBtTIeF19FYFdMn0rXC4/s1600/IMG_1992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQftEWy4oresDldlIj4sz-zDs1J6oiz-tPXVqhUcJr-MsvAF5xcsrZ9wWJ79ujZON1sQtD8yAXIpN4q7so8KntmihTod3F8wuQeSCiHWWtmbWt48o1iafhIoDlhBtTIeF19FYFdMn0rXC4/s640/IMG_1992.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"A noble hart may have nane ease. Gif freedom failye:" from the poem <i>The Bruce</i> by John Barbour</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfQYbVAWe99AO4tqsl8GtWJtIEczk1Lvxy8Tub0kYlf_fAOmzQRH8Ii1aNY3vAwzX3JJHGi5CcRbtvhttah1jbZLevFOpRLcmYp-Xbzev0U0sdJz700Z5JPX1iRpVNHLYdkVmZmXWtmUi/s1600/IMG_1994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfQYbVAWe99AO4tqsl8GtWJtIEczk1Lvxy8Tub0kYlf_fAOmzQRH8Ii1aNY3vAwzX3JJHGi5CcRbtvhttah1jbZLevFOpRLcmYp-Xbzev0U0sdJz700Z5JPX1iRpVNHLYdkVmZmXWtmUi/s640/IMG_1994.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or was it? No tests were done on it, but I like to think it was The Bruce's:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicke9PFvXt17NItdRwgjtpI9abyigV-YsHfWZrTJqYL7UxW01RRisBYZx2uS4KlaMzTkGDY12ojIn8PLrR2kkHhsxv4vxqWLGLWtPfsHFnuY5xqLKJptC9KWQ-T-_pN8Zgk0R-VvMvJYTf/s1600/IMG_1995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicke9PFvXt17NItdRwgjtpI9abyigV-YsHfWZrTJqYL7UxW01RRisBYZx2uS4KlaMzTkGDY12ojIn8PLrR2kkHhsxv4vxqWLGLWtPfsHFnuY5xqLKJptC9KWQ-T-_pN8Zgk0R-VvMvJYTf/s640/IMG_1995.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In any event, Melrose Abbey is reputed to be one of the finest examples of medieval church architecture in the British Isles and was a pilgrimage destination at the height of its influence.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lT5BBYNETDUOAyuw7ZbJ6uN46ynDhlRfLdQbAap7Cj3ZZrZyP9tSArfkmlCdxOOS9qV0zfO-pbbVXDTTU_M1ujJU1JZ5jeMfXO6V9pD-RdByw7OgHoP6wgizsb2geCcnkexTow-q-SaE/s1600/IMG_1976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lT5BBYNETDUOAyuw7ZbJ6uN46ynDhlRfLdQbAap7Cj3ZZrZyP9tSArfkmlCdxOOS9qV0zfO-pbbVXDTTU_M1ujJU1JZ5jeMfXO6V9pD-RdByw7OgHoP6wgizsb2geCcnkexTow-q-SaE/s640/IMG_1976.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H7YbgEMAljYmaSclhFcfRAwoA14Ys4KNejh-gz5nRsqDIEzXRpt6DadT4t3BRB7yWYUk7u2YpIRTa0tw1Dr7blOtbQGwKrkJkUTtGilMAmvFmcwTtlGuMmpn7CzX1KqYMCPcQ-Drwecv/s1600/IMG_1977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H7YbgEMAljYmaSclhFcfRAwoA14Ys4KNejh-gz5nRsqDIEzXRpt6DadT4t3BRB7yWYUk7u2YpIRTa0tw1Dr7blOtbQGwKrkJkUTtGilMAmvFmcwTtlGuMmpn7CzX1KqYMCPcQ-Drwecv/s640/IMG_1977.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The juxtaposition of the contrail and the ruins:What would the monks have thought of jet travel!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">While I explored the graveyard, Greg climbed the 74 steps to the bell-tower; I doubt if he climbed on these. If he did, he didn't mention it:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZDCW0gtTjxYPbYvDyyMYxqgRsQCsWAs2mviVEUpt5GzXnHCpAAjBQ81AUL9d0yzcmo_kMiyqlKW5O13KxM0vC-rw058NGlBs5P4iN3ert-pN8ABSqByvhUNJqtiuBp15-JjCMWKXLMR_/s1600/IMG_1983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZDCW0gtTjxYPbYvDyyMYxqgRsQCsWAs2mviVEUpt5GzXnHCpAAjBQ81AUL9d0yzcmo_kMiyqlKW5O13KxM0vC-rw058NGlBs5P4iN3ert-pN8ABSqByvhUNJqtiuBp15-JjCMWKXLMR_/s640/IMG_1983.JPG" width="358" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The view from the top of the roof is made more stunning by the apparent lack of a railing: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_XbfafMD3eLAGLAoR62M9bNhC08X_D3TlA8E871xCQkG2ii2aXywYniyqwmfgA4B0I2tSiS-rOFifFdT3Ri6zlr4uUxCX4YeKkbCttpxkCS-QwbUXUjMKlHAACvGrulSks23BhzfkVaT/s1600/IMG_1984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_XbfafMD3eLAGLAoR62M9bNhC08X_D3TlA8E871xCQkG2ii2aXywYniyqwmfgA4B0I2tSiS-rOFifFdT3Ri6zlr4uUxCX4YeKkbCttpxkCS-QwbUXUjMKlHAACvGrulSks23BhzfkVaT/s640/IMG_1984.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgPfdItrQt-NkRXTG_XaIsurhXnBZqOTjjeG1vTmuzAVimPDC8jUqs5ZqQLeimo5S4Dt1WnM-Fw961P66STBlKy82VhCW6Wpb8KD9U2tTrCmmFruHM1Mf0OXozpaclLvTHtV6KwnEM0Jx/s1600/IMG_1981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgPfdItrQt-NkRXTG_XaIsurhXnBZqOTjjeG1vTmuzAVimPDC8jUqs5ZqQLeimo5S4Dt1WnM-Fw961P66STBlKy82VhCW6Wpb8KD9U2tTrCmmFruHM1Mf0OXozpaclLvTHtV6KwnEM0Jx/s640/IMG_1981.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Greg was trying to get a shot of the bagpipe-playing pig, which is likely one of the figures carved on these two columns:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOqRf6FrjMQ8lUciyCAyYko7cDITJ3dmxMO3d5_-pKDQgZ9fz0QoXZXVD-I1cJHd1z9OMPxOyIzzosicis6SR_-UZiqAA-_hyjI2gQfl28ZJM8ZceZGMEzO8M9_oTrT_kgqgmN3-e9SE0/s1600/IMG_1982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOqRf6FrjMQ8lUciyCAyYko7cDITJ3dmxMO3d5_-pKDQgZ9fz0QoXZXVD-I1cJHd1z9OMPxOyIzzosicis6SR_-UZiqAA-_hyjI2gQfl28ZJM8ZceZGMEzO8M9_oTrT_kgqgmN3-e9SE0/s640/IMG_1982.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This shot provides a glimpse of the construction methods: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then to our delight, we were treated to this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The two people had used one of the Eildon Hills as a take-off point and were drifting towards the abbey. We could hear them talking in the sky.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As they floated off towards the River Tweed, we left Melrose Abbey and found the tourist centre and a lovely garden just beside it. The tourist official helped us find the right path to Eildon Hall, home of my fourth great-grandfather Dr. Thomas Mein RN. Then he also searched the Internet but come up with the other Eildon Hall — the one at Jackson's Point in Ontario. My third great-grandmother named her home in the backwoods of Ontario after her father's near Melrose. More about that in the next blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My journal continues: "We will will attempt to go there tomorrow. The present owner, a duke of Buccleugh may not be too pleased with trespassers. The house is not listed in any of the guidebooks, so we may not get too far... </span><span style="font-size: large;">Nice dinner at the Marmion Brasserie across the street from the Braidwood. Then we shared an orange later in our room.</span><span style="font-size: large;">"</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that was all the excitement for that day!</span><br />
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-70775313721646207082017-05-01T22:36:00.005-04:002017-05-03T12:05:19.011-04:00We take the city bus here and there in Edinburgh<span style="font-size: large;">From my travel journal of September 16, 2016</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Had breakfast at the Italian place where we had had dinner the night before: eggs Benedict (not too bad) and yogurt and berries. I saw a tray of potato scone things on an uncovered tray on the floor. Someone walked by them, throwing open a chain link curtain over where they were: not too hygienic even if they were about to be cooked. They seemed to be very popular with the breakfast crowd.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our waitress did not speak awfully good English, but she was very pleasant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The WiFi worked splendidly in the restaurant. The place wasn't too busy, so I checked out local buses. We decided not to go to Holyrood House after all but to head to the Royal Botanic Garden instead. That meant catching either Bus #8, 23 or 27. We just missed the #8 and asked another driver of a bus that did stop where we needed to go to catch it. He said it would come again quite soon, but we needed </span><span style="font-size: large;">to flag it down.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> We did this and soon were on a half-hour tour of northwest Edinburgh, near Leith.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fairly sure this is a bus in Edinburgh; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">in any event it is definitely Greg and I.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The gardens were a welcome relief from traffic and crowds. We spent most of the morning there. A highlight for me </span>— <span style="font-size: large;">in the Scottish Heath Garden </span>— <span style="font-size: large;">was finding out that the small bush I had been noticing everywhere was gorse. It made me think of Eeyore; backing into it would not be pleasant</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLVfBGLGvLmVpA1m2U28LFXfkWc_XvyAHhmXaEs_dUoNdPKY-FrREcDX2xBrJ3dShdmlOsJKLoqh74lPlZJDItK6MfW9FS4fEmu4Pa7rmAkjsfivESP7e2HPlHTT6D9W4iDIHZkombioM/s1600/ulex-europaeus-leaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLVfBGLGvLmVpA1m2U28LFXfkWc_XvyAHhmXaEs_dUoNdPKY-FrREcDX2xBrJ3dShdmlOsJKLoqh74lPlZJDItK6MfW9FS4fEmu4Pa7rmAkjsfivESP7e2HPlHTT6D9W4iDIHZkombioM/s640/ulex-europaeus-leaf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: https://davisla.wordpress.com/category/salt-tolerant/page/13/</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once we had meandered through the grounds, including the Greenhouses and the Queen Mother's memorial garden, we had a snack from the cafe near one of the entrances: half an egg salad sandwich each.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thus fortified, we checked the bus schedules and decided on a tour on the #23 bus, wh</span><span style="font-size: large;">ich took us across town in the opposite direction. It turned out to be lots of fun. We sat upstairs and on our way to the end of the route, we saw the National Gal</span><span style="font-size: large;">lery, Grey Friars' Bobby, and George Heriot's School. We could look down into the living rooms of the small houses packed close to the road. Laundry was drying just inside the </span><span style="font-size: large;">picture windows</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">By this time in the afternoon, children were being let out of school, and we were entertained by a small group of boys discussing the merits of learning Gaelic. Apparently they had all begun their early schooling in this endeavour, but now felt Gaelic was not going to further their aims in life... The people in Orkney might have been amused to hear this too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A nine- or ten-year-old boy got on the bus from his school and call</span><span style="font-size: large;">ed home to advise that he was on his way.</span><span style="font-size: large;">We travelled ever higher on one of the seven hills surrounding Edinburgh, into a chi-chi area cal</span><span style="font-size: large;">led</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Morningside and enjoyed the views of the city opening before us. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> It was long ride for the schoolboy, and he checked his phone more than a couple of times before finally connecting with his mum, by this time somewhat impatiently. He got off at the very last stop </span>—<span style="font-size: large;"> in toney Greenbank. A woman we took to be his mother was standing smiling at the stop with a large dog in tow. The boy flew off the bus, his arms out-stretched and with a big hug greeted ... the dog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The bu</span><span style="font-size: large;">s made a tight t</span><span style="font-size: large;">urn and descended to the centre of the city. Our driver deserted us without warning at the corner of The Mound (?) and Princess St. We finally figured this out and alighted only to fail to see the replacement #23 behind us until after we had crossed the road. We decided to k</span><span style="font-size: large;">eep on walking and not tempt traffic fate. On our way towards Waverley Station, we saw the monument to Sir Walter Scott: very impressive, even if John Ruskin called it "a small vulgar Gothic steeple." </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4smI_bPLVHem93pRqDf66WqKxwYPXbU4bIltsp4wsNvnQ7qU77zTKXwM42qBvzUYUENPWPI7h-JfxhGTqGBx23R7ji_4cqAqK1sHBNYTaXJTiMg3wnQYz8pwfMaUlpTCW2JtkavTmdu8n/s1600/the+scott+monumnet+1845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4smI_bPLVHem93pRqDf66WqKxwYPXbU4bIltsp4wsNvnQ7qU77zTKXwM42qBvzUYUENPWPI7h-JfxhGTqGBx23R7ji_4cqAqK1sHBNYTaXJTiMg3wnQYz8pwfMaUlpTCW2JtkavTmdu8n/s640/the+scott+monumnet+1845.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Source: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/40031/<br />sir-walter-scott-monument-edinburgh-edinburgh-11-1845</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was a warm sunny day, so we decided to walk back to our hotel. Edinburgh is an easy city to get to know and we had another of our pop out maps handy.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These little maps cost only a dollar or so on Amazon: plus shipping.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Along the way, we had dinner at what appeared to be a great little pub, judging by the splendid Rock and Roll tunes they were playing. Alas, at </span><span style="font-size: large;">Frankie and Bennie's, a "New York Italian Restaurant and Bar" (well, why not!)</span><span style="font-size: large;">, every last thing on the menu seemed to contain red onions. I am allergic to them, and my insides had had enough challenges (and codeine) already in their road to recovery. S</span><span style="font-size: large;">o no spaghetti or pizza for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our waiter was infinitely patient and eventually after a lot of backing and forthing to the kitchen on his part, I decided on salmon, roasted potatoes, and a vegetable medley of peas, beans and broccoli. Greg had Cajun calzone. We were h</span><span style="font-size: large;">ungry; the food was tasty, but soon we left for our hotel: tired but happy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Very fond of Edinburgh! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-36788878483515501832017-03-29T17:19:00.001-04:002017-03-29T17:19:56.680-04:00<span style="font-size: large;">September 15, 2016: Our first full day in Edinburgh</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The </span><span style="font-size: large;">£5</span><span style="font-size: large;"> pound discount-for-guests breakfast was not very good - very rubbery scrambled eggs. We decided not to have breakfast at the hotel again, despite the bargain basement price and a fetching orange tabby cat meandering outside the ground level windows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Off to the Royal Mile: We walked up there from the hotel, and along the way saw lots of kilts, bagpipers, and cashmere stores. We toured St. Giles Cathedral, a splendid kirk (not really a cathedral) redolent with history, wonderful stained glass windows, and magnificent architecture. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: unknown, alas!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We saw a bronze sculpture</span><span style="font-size: large;"> representing the stool Jenny Geddes purportedly hurled in protest on July 23, 1637 against the imposition of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer upon the Scots Presbyterians. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst147.html</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This tone-deaf idea of Charles I led to riots in 1637 and 1638 in Edinburgh and eventually to the English Civil Wars at the end of which Charles was missing not only his ears but also his head. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We continued to Edinburgh Castle and stood in line for 45 minutes to get tickets. I should have bought them in advance, but we enjoyed the wait, as the snaking lineup reminded me a bit of Expo 67. There were people there from all over the world: from a woman in a black niqab, who was pushing a baby stroller, to a Japanese girl in pink and black plaid high heels (on cobblestones!) to the Tilley-clad couple ahead of us who were from Montreal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The wait was worth it. What an historic place! We joined a guided tour; then once it finished, we went back to revisit what we especially wanted to see: the little cemetery for regimental dogs, St. Margaret's chapel, Mors Meg, the Crown Jewels, the tiny room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to the future James I/VI, and the war memorial. Alas, for some reason I didn't take any pictures. Perhaps I thought better shots than mine would be found on-line.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinyeTZSntw1aNSYMH632vmnc8LuKNK8IrI8wTdkS2KCmb9qBN8-gxofG6A22es_vzeZvpvQNON-y9r9KvmlTaMCGh7FjDlk4QCFYj8lte1Dz6Y8wLLDOVT6r5OaSI5Nn5q8nV4GmDC_jn/s1600/Edinburgh_Castle_%252832%2529+cemetery+dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinyeTZSntw1aNSYMH632vmnc8LuKNK8IrI8wTdkS2KCmb9qBN8-gxofG6A22es_vzeZvpvQNON-y9r9KvmlTaMCGh7FjDlk4QCFYj8lte1Dz6Y8wLLDOVT6r5OaSI5Nn5q8nV4GmDC_jn/s640/Edinburgh_Castle_%252832%2529+cemetery+dogs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: atlasobscura.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The weather improved and later in the afternoon, the sun came out - still foggy in the distance, but much better views than the day before. This view, looking north across to the Firth of Forth, is <u>not</u> one of mine from the day we were there, but is reminiscent of the day's mistiness:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPqvsFkVmtEmI3AaqbeGj-2NoeX8sskbn0WYAJ4m5pRdmJX0GlRqQr0OJ75Es-EltGvFfCwtnAJ7ioBXc4O_niJ9q4Y1O7OJzNnpAxBxD7B3HQ3VcZ-bSUKELt2-_6EczgDvFfVprbKLW/s1600/edinburgh-castle-view-north-2_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPqvsFkVmtEmI3AaqbeGj-2NoeX8sskbn0WYAJ4m5pRdmJX0GlRqQr0OJ75Es-EltGvFfCwtnAJ7ioBXc4O_niJ9q4Y1O7OJzNnpAxBxD7B3HQ3VcZ-bSUKELt2-_6EczgDvFfVprbKLW/s640/edinburgh-castle-view-north-2_big.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://www.ra.ethz.ch/WWW/WWW2006/social-event.html</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After our lengthy exploration, we were happy to finally sit down for a late lunch at a cafe there: pasta with salads. This is a shot near to where we ate.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVKx6Uq6ske7Cz_3x_pjiGDfcR5JPCHHBdGI9wZoqOwcKEHXG9hHynm8xjsQQrug84KQbAlKp2aOoI_1tbDYrecjpo_bX2OKN3z6nPH1UlYj0pjCWIb61yXMIfovmS3d5Jbpbu7_inp_V/s1600/queen-anne-courtyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVKx6Uq6ske7Cz_3x_pjiGDfcR5JPCHHBdGI9wZoqOwcKEHXG9hHynm8xjsQQrug84KQbAlKp2aOoI_1tbDYrecjpo_bX2OKN3z6nPH1UlYj0pjCWIb61yXMIfovmS3d5Jbpbu7_inp_V/s640/queen-anne-courtyard.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: https://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/shop-eat/cafes</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then we walked back down the Royal Mile, popping in and out of the medieval nooks and crannies until we came to </span><span style="font-size: large;">High St. We found </span><span style="font-size: large;">the Museum of Childhood, a rather idiosyncratic collection of children's toys and historical items and therefore providing ...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1mMGW3k4H4PgF8ncGeZ9Sp2lmJZ3dCkclhPboiHSXEAKnNbb8HH3qSHwbrkuflGWcJQkexNqwglvxiC5nO8mSrjA8kUpg-98wU8E9nYBBRwkHIJUM56G9bPw-wsfuknSIXgXyPh0lBvF/s1600/220px-Museum_of_childhood_edinburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1mMGW3k4H4PgF8ncGeZ9Sp2lmJZ3dCkclhPboiHSXEAKnNbb8HH3qSHwbrkuflGWcJQkexNqwglvxiC5nO8mSrjA8kUpg-98wU8E9nYBBRwkHIJUM56G9bPw-wsfuknSIXgXyPh0lBvF/s320/220px-Museum_of_childhood_edinburgh.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/<br />Museum_of_Childhood_(Edinburgh)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">... many opportunities for a walk down nostalgia lane:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CBbWcIO_rKuz4YykJAm-QDBIBnzZDkMBz7w7hqu9vnhFydfKDQGGpIMksIZgCmaT8PWjw_6QfrhaMTPVIJN8yKq5vCac55mazuPPjJXJ88OERYkmW5dsXKNshNSt1nDQ61tWXJqM20n5/s1600/800px-Meccano_Set%252C_Edinburgh_Museum_of_Childhood.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CBbWcIO_rKuz4YykJAm-QDBIBnzZDkMBz7w7hqu9vnhFydfKDQGGpIMksIZgCmaT8PWjw_6QfrhaMTPVIJN8yKq5vCac55mazuPPjJXJ88OERYkmW5dsXKNshNSt1nDQ61tWXJqM20n5/s400/800px-Meccano_Set%252C_Edinburgh_Museum_of_Childhood.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Childhood_(Edinburgh)#/<br />media/File:Meccano_Set,_Edinburgh_Museum_of_Childhood.JPG</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We got back to our cosy little dungeon at the Cairn Hotel after we bought Babybel cheese and batteries for the camera, which may explain my lack of photos for this day! We added the cheese to the extras we had not eaten at breakfast: a banana, clementine, and muffin. After getting into our jammies, we watched<i> Location, Location, Location </i>(!?) and then <i>Murder in Paradise</i>. Humphrey, the lead detective, had been replaced by a snippy character,who was not as much fun, a</span><span style="font-size: large;">pparently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I read for about five minutes and then turned the light out around 10:00 pm. Edinburgh is a very walkable city, as my legs could only too well attest. No journal note about insomnia from that night.</span><br />
Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-57829754663679442042017-03-13T10:50:00.000-04:002017-03-13T10:50:18.774-04:00Onwards from Nairn to Edinburgh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What we did on September 14, 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had spent a wakeful night while the codeine I had taken the day before wore off and cramps came back. I asked myself for several fitful hours, "Do I have appendicitis?" (I didn't.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Early in the morning, we ate our next hearty breakfast. The oatmeal porridge was beyond sticky; however, with practice, I imagine our hosts at Cawdor House will get it to the right consistency. There was a magnificent coffee maker on the sideboard, which they had brought with them from Germany. It made equally magnificent coffee, which Greg enjoyed. I kept to tea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then off we went to the station to catch the train to Edinburgh.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fNsLyZfX8SyR7yu5etdOWKkfZdupOQHf6v75aBl8taRRZ1BTGgQsHzsdiVAUiYCMvbTrpXTQbbzB0tSKS2_xAOqhyyg6ToyQ-9B6SXsD9SiLGIfBH8gOiNMg4NgeREDhhifGW1aJN0vN/s1600/IMG_1958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fNsLyZfX8SyR7yu5etdOWKkfZdupOQHf6v75aBl8taRRZ1BTGgQsHzsdiVAUiYCMvbTrpXTQbbzB0tSKS2_xAOqhyyg6ToyQ-9B6SXsD9SiLGIfBH8gOiNMg4NgeREDhhifGW1aJN0vN/s640/IMG_1958.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The train station at Nairn on an overcast day.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The snack shop at the Nairn train station</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The scenery cross-country to Edinburgh was not that exciting, my journal tells me. That surprised me, as I was expecting wilder highlands. There were fewer sheep, </span><span style="font-size: large;">the hills were quite barren,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and at one point some identical peppermint-green mobile homes were stacked all over the </span><span style="font-size: large;">hill-sides, like hideously altered rectangular sheep. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Arriving at Edinburgh, we found our way out of Waverley Station with not too much trouble, as there was good signage. We joined a cluster of people at the cab stand. A foursome of young people jumped the queue, but everyone else lined up decorously. The cab was very roomy: lots of space for our luggage and easy to get into. I was puzzled by this, as the vehicle was small. Greg pointed out this was because it had no trunk. And I thought I was the observant one.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBuLb0kRZxSSZYvVvCyXjcHdJoFh6xstkamKJZhCEZwAfWyCjX6AdVhZF2zCFVrXqMzXyf57XCZGNQq6_6Z19VJzEo5MBlGWWozgs4v9GdtgeWlD9dECKWZO0n7gZxIFc_2TxoCjZ7Ywz/s1600/city+cabs+edinburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBuLb0kRZxSSZYvVvCyXjcHdJoFh6xstkamKJZhCEZwAfWyCjX6AdVhZF2zCFVrXqMzXyf57XCZGNQq6_6Z19VJzEo5MBlGWWozgs4v9GdtgeWlD9dECKWZO0n7gZxIFc_2TxoCjZ7Ywz/s640/city+cabs+edinburgh.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A little cab like the one we took. Source: www.citycabs.co.uk</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our hotel on Windsor St. looked out of the way on the map, but turned out to be conveniently located, at least for our purposes. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-v5qBdU6UgYdNxE4v5j-N7SKnSIpLDpL1l9FV0dOt9hDZxhCWcbRq_yGQlfbZvBNtil3S2HT920yTRCIAKvRQXuWAPnC_nPFK83-7AsB8ZxiJW-7TpO416ju-Fb73VICEU2r643Zrnnc/s1600/Cairn+Hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-v5qBdU6UgYdNxE4v5j-N7SKnSIpLDpL1l9FV0dOt9hDZxhCWcbRq_yGQlfbZvBNtil3S2HT920yTRCIAKvRQXuWAPnC_nPFK83-7AsB8ZxiJW-7TpO416ju-Fb73VICEU2r643Zrnnc/s640/Cairn+Hotel.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our room would have been behind one of the sets of lower windows.Source: http://www.cairnedinburgh.com/gallery.html</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A very toothless but enthusiastic desk clerk explained our popout city map to us and recommended a restaurant for dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My journal continues," Our room is in the basement and looks out onto the area beneath the stairs going up to the front doors of various premises. It is like a nicely furnished medieval dungeon down here, the darkest room I have ever slept in. But when the lights are on it is bright: white, orange, black, and maple - very modern, no chi-chi-stuff. It is long, narrow and clean!" </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQIjCjbajewNirGhS712G58LCMjS8d5deIy9tN42kUqplyO-_zNo2Sc05WH_PCLBmfWurJy5qNiwrrPPJ3MUWwmxMx3iNRKO27KqX6oHNwB-K0rw0aSz_VG4OlWOn7EIxtYGdtdAHZm4p/s1600/Cairn+hotel+our+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQIjCjbajewNirGhS712G58LCMjS8d5deIy9tN42kUqplyO-_zNo2Sc05WH_PCLBmfWurJy5qNiwrrPPJ3MUWwmxMx3iNRKO27KqX6oHNwB-K0rw0aSz_VG4OlWOn7EIxtYGdtdAHZm4p/s200/Cairn+hotel+our+room.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.cairnedinburgh.com/gallery.html</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was at the end of a long corridor of branching narrow hallways, which would have been used by the servants when the building was a residence. Our room would have been some sort of storage area, perhaps. My photo is a bit darker!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLixvUe3xs1weKYm8T6PNTEloPDH5ysHrHfTy67WfD3V6X1y7DmdT6YYZxBIlXooVn0KT-uod9hYtY0EB93epIJYUeOUHvWnH9UDlVyY21UTZl0Ia_-oNGMmOekaQIJkLbgmZeFyDCMbHB/s1600/IMG_1962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLixvUe3xs1weKYm8T6PNTEloPDH5ysHrHfTy67WfD3V6X1y7DmdT6YYZxBIlXooVn0KT-uod9hYtY0EB93epIJYUeOUHvWnH9UDlVyY21UTZl0Ia_-oNGMmOekaQIJkLbgmZeFyDCMbHB/s640/IMG_1962.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Cairn Hotel on Windsor St was our home while we were in Edinburgh.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once we got settled in, we went exploring: up and over Calton Hill where we saw several large monuments, but nothing else. A heavy fog obscured the magnificent view of Edinburgh; however, there was a unique atmosphere to the place, with people emerging and disappearing in the mist and the monuments looming like grey giants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We made or way down the other side and found the New Calton Burial Ground (about half a mile from our hotel, as the crow flies). Opened in 1820, it has a watchtower to house the guards (and their families) who watched out for grave robbers. With anatomical research on the upswing, </span><span style="font-size: large;">there was a lucrative market for bodies in the early 19th century.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7qqn_vX248_CL9A79Q6Ipp_n2dVwModD3rArAPM8hdiR535vORz_T-eQEX50mAnXQSSKpP0fTBApQu4SHZmiNnO5siDCV_Cr0PuaRaxrzeZNmmiZhB6RiihLdARCgKKz0u2ZmD2LBFT8/s1600/The_Watch_Tower%252C_New_Calton_Burial_Ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7qqn_vX248_CL9A79Q6Ipp_n2dVwModD3rArAPM8hdiR535vORz_T-eQEX50mAnXQSSKpP0fTBApQu4SHZmiNnO5siDCV_Cr0PuaRaxrzeZNmmiZhB6RiihLdARCgKKz0u2ZmD2LBFT8/s400/The_Watch_Tower%252C_New_Calton_Burial_Ground.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was looking for the graves of the Ritchie branch of the family. My great-great-grandfather William Ritchie had been raised by his uncle the Rev. David Ritchie, minister of St. Andrew's church and Professor of Logic at the University of Edinburgh. The reason is that William Ritchie's own father died about 1806 when his son was only six or seven years of age. (Alas, I have no records about his mother, Mary Loudon.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a great deal of searching in the damp, and almost giving up, I motivated myself by saying it was not that large a cemetery. I retraced my steps and as my journal says, "I found the Ritchie plot!! It was directly diagonally opposite to the entrance and down the hill: furthest away, naturally, but there it was." </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had narrowed my search in this area to the outside walls. Those buried earliest in Scottish Cemeteries often have their grave-markers embedded in the wall. In the photo below, the grave is in the wall just to the left of the green space at the far corner of the cemetery. Arthur's Seat is in the background. (Not my photo!)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYnGl26glESC-oSTWH4ICZ6wJ6N1YtkmROGGveTIQ9nwPZgnQ7PK37o6Z9_S9RG6yVsdsJJD9Gb_4mkNo58MeH5ohuH4SjqD9ylWneRFIbiS_ltXsGzhNbAdZogC6wUbWRaLXyFmL1gds/s1600/New+Calton+Cemetery+Scotlot-SmugMug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYnGl26glESC-oSTWH4ICZ6wJ6N1YtkmROGGveTIQ9nwPZgnQ7PK37o6Z9_S9RG6yVsdsJJD9Gb_4mkNo58MeH5ohuH4SjqD9ylWneRFIbiS_ltXsGzhNbAdZogC6wUbWRaLXyFmL1gds/s640/New+Calton+Cemetery+Scotlot-SmugMug.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Source: https://scotfot.smugmug.com/Scottish-gravestones-and/Midlothian/New-Calton-Cemetery-Edinburgh/</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately I had forgotten my camera; the fuzzy image below is from the Gravestone Photographic Research site.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxiptaoNbTWb1Jv5qhHf5Rjp5Mq55Z28MD-KkAUaqDJTzZ3qdLLkQnaZwkVHs661FMT4jJ0-Esixiku8EGkZXeQDdGslYwGd5JExH6f2XjJqINNu-ivJYncNaBZOkaVcUp8mXgsj-XHLL/s1600/Ritchie+New+Calton+Cemetery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxiptaoNbTWb1Jv5qhHf5Rjp5Mq55Z28MD-KkAUaqDJTzZ3qdLLkQnaZwkVHs661FMT4jJ0-Esixiku8EGkZXeQDdGslYwGd5JExH6f2XjJqINNu-ivJYncNaBZOkaVcUp8mXgsj-XHLL/s400/Ritchie+New+Calton+Cemetery.jpg" width="298" /></a></span></div>
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Source: http://www.gravestonephotos.com</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I copied down the information on a slip of paper, glad that the rainy/foggy atmosphere had cleared a bit and it was dry enough to write:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrCBglq22ogNGmX1NFT1fuyvDmeKyN-EYgFB3zoa1TdnlQQQ4tzCkOzgntuWOk0WA1q1U0z2Kr2cIARDkxrH8AAk_V4ooyCQh3UxsMXd2efU35Bhs0-YeS37RpLo6j0I2zq1Ew0-qabQz/s1600/IMG_2683-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrCBglq22ogNGmX1NFT1fuyvDmeKyN-EYgFB3zoa1TdnlQQQ4tzCkOzgntuWOk0WA1q1U0z2Kr2cIARDkxrH8AAk_V4ooyCQh3UxsMXd2efU35Bhs0-YeS37RpLo6j0I2zq1Ew0-qabQz/s640/IMG_2683-001.JPG" width="418" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The William Ritchie memorialized above was the cousin of "my" William Ritchie. What caught my attention was that I was writing about his grave in my travel journal on September 15th, the 119th anniversary of his death to the day (He died from a fever caught in Edinburgh). My William Ritchie, a Rev. Canon, died </span><span style="font-size: large;">from pneumonia</span><span style="font-size: large;"> at Sutton West, Ontario in his home at Dryden Bank at age 85 in 1885.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Rev. Canon William Ritchie had a daughter, Agnes Pearson Ritchie, who is my maternal great-grandmother, named after Margaret Pearson, her great-aunt. Another mystery around an unusual second name has now been solved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My journal notes: Then we walked back to the Taste of Italy, the Italian cafe recommended enthusiastically by the cheery tooth-challenged front desk guy at the Cairn Hotel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The restaurant was crowded. We got a high table at the front where my purse got tangled up somehow with my chair, much to the amusement of the people at the next table. Then a better table for two opened up and we were taken to it. I got tangled up in my Carswell jacket trying to get it off over my head, thus providing more free entertainment. Sometimes I wonder if I have advanced in dexterity much past the age of six.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had a tasty pizza topped with potato slices, pancetta and pesto. Greg had penne calabrese, which he enjoyed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We walked back to the hotel. I washed some socks and hung them over the towel rack. I also washed the insoles of my shoes as they had gotten soaked during our foggy drizzly walk. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once dried off, we watched <i>DCI Banks </i>or tried to: "The TV breaks up and the wifi won't work; it's either just slow or else there are too many cement and stone walls."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And there my journal ends for another busy day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-15557250875096871062017-02-16T15:46:00.000-05:002017-02-16T15:55:59.646-05:00We get into mischief at Cawdor Castle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">September 12, 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Off to Cawdor Castle soon, but first, we walked over to the museum in Nairn, where we chatted with a couple of the volunteers, and I got two names for future genealogical reference. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Like most small-town museums, this one was a treasure trove of local lore, housed in a heritage building known as Viewfield House. Intriguingly, I later discovered it was built in 1803 by a Col. Ludovic Grant and later bought by a James Augustus Grant when he married Elizabeth MacKintosh in 1813. The Grants in my family hail from Cawdor, near Nairn, and one of them did marry a "Mcintosh," but these Grants aren't direct relatives.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mErDkKbYZXvj3hznClL63XL47RfbMf9npV1ijZGMlG2ps-_R4voWWSQDSVuKamzkSvWuwzhocu-sbo0blLnBDvDNvZ8yxFuFjfG0MJLfd_Wwkcv7J-CDBg_KnhXDkxDKwKpv2Q0spQ6K/s1600/Museum++in+Nairn+Viewfield+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mErDkKbYZXvj3hznClL63XL47RfbMf9npV1ijZGMlG2ps-_R4voWWSQDSVuKamzkSvWuwzhocu-sbo0blLnBDvDNvZ8yxFuFjfG0MJLfd_Wwkcv7J-CDBg_KnhXDkxDKwKpv2Q0spQ6K/s400/Museum++in+Nairn+Viewfield+House.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the exterior of the Nairn Museum, <br />the former Viewfield House . <br />Source: http://www.nairnmuseum.co.uk/</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We were also very taken with a special exhibit featuring automata (from the House of Automata located near Findhorn.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0wKF-2wbnryXp6L5_06pQIXOIaVReIkJ2ldfoFHEqfIIyvwirlH5HtSAlEcG7ZlueuZIyrmwvEauRW6kQ8cNornNp8vaHngHg2FAxl4pc09nwH5DDTukoQdj1kbNUGdI9Hcy_NwXuVBP/s1600/Nairn-Automata-Poster-e1467388954198-724x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0wKF-2wbnryXp6L5_06pQIXOIaVReIkJ2ldfoFHEqfIIyvwirlH5HtSAlEcG7ZlueuZIyrmwvEauRW6kQ8cNornNp8vaHngHg2FAxl4pc09nwH5DDTukoQdj1kbNUGdI9Hcy_NwXuVBP/s400/Nairn-Automata-Poster-e1467388954198-724x1024.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Source:http://thehouseofautomata.com/gallery/</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINzCNndLUTGkqCTCMhkKCUjCcRz_HUkRb4KEGWZGx5X82TwzKIwxK663XhjPYVCIyCJSyb1wIOEcGn9gPWjxNIE31SW0KiIbuVavOY6K3NKBExTon9zNCpKW3FuKMaJF5xk8cgepKTyJO/s1600/cat+automata.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINzCNndLUTGkqCTCMhkKCUjCcRz_HUkRb4KEGWZGx5X82TwzKIwxK663XhjPYVCIyCJSyb1wIOEcGn9gPWjxNIE31SW0KiIbuVavOY6K3NKBExTon9zNCpKW3FuKMaJF5xk8cgepKTyJO/s320/cat+automata.JPG" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">An antique cat automata <br />or is he really Puss in Boots? <br />Source:http://thehouseofautomata.com/gallery/</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We asked the ladies behind the reception desk questions about the Grants and discovered that Budgate House (where lived my grandfather's father and several generations of Grants before him) was pronounced "budget," not "bud-gate." My love of phonics occasionally leads me astray.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then it was time to find the family farm, where, </span><span style="font-size: large;">in the 1851 census, Caroline Grant, my</span><span style="font-size: large;"> great great grandmother, was listed as a 46-year-old widow and "farmer of 22 acres." </span><span style="font-size: large;"> Her name was </span><span style="font-size: large;">Caroline Masters Nicholls; she and my great great grandfather John Grant had been married in 1833.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">John died between sometime between the birth of their fifth child in 1844 and the 1851 census. I have not been able to find his death date, as apparently no deaths were recorded in Scottish parishes back then.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Caroline's surname solved a long-time puzzle for me, as my maternal grandfather's third name was "Nicholls." How had that come about I had always wondered. Well, mystery solved: he</span><span style="font-size: large;"> had been named after his grandmother. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anyhow, we called a cab and the driver knew the present owner, who turned out to be one of the resource people mentioned by the museum ladies. Some of our cabbie's family had worked at the farm over the years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once we got there, I screwed up my courage, knocked on the door, and got permission to take a few photos.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2TBHffoKppVioOsTaUfwewShWD4mwFHfY71k9yc8aV2v-0FHJiDzPKbSSfFkgNeEBsES9E6zggH1eo_EwpbJ8ETtoAeJN7XBtN0HHkZNfKgSnuX10I95vF85MNxiaMfiTBaFi2GpYtAI/s1600/IMG_1936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2TBHffoKppVioOsTaUfwewShWD4mwFHfY71k9yc8aV2v-0FHJiDzPKbSSfFkgNeEBsES9E6zggH1eo_EwpbJ8ETtoAeJN7XBtN0HHkZNfKgSnuX10I95vF85MNxiaMfiTBaFi2GpYtAI/s640/IMG_1936.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Budgate farmhouse as it is today near Cawdor</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wonder how long this stone wall has been there and if my forebears ever sat on it!.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mP_Iv3pIADZK7mVEd35mnHkoUTQGrKNQhVLTEqSH9zUaIlZt6EOGWMI0mBJny1zJ80ojLjG7fVrulzltSK1qR1Q1-lUK7kc5VvTq5URswRMJ-lFIMnW6hH8c_QAv8Ei_gv7d2BsdLqWu/s1600/IMG_1929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mP_Iv3pIADZK7mVEd35mnHkoUTQGrKNQhVLTEqSH9zUaIlZt6EOGWMI0mBJny1zJ80ojLjG7fVrulzltSK1qR1Q1-lUK7kc5VvTq5URswRMJ-lFIMnW6hH8c_QAv8Ei_gv7d2BsdLqWu/s640/IMG_1929.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Was this field part of the 22 acres?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nimrsu7a4jhOtLum0nBTVbHxGfr5aRMOn4pMoK7AcgUkGUYG0pjGkljhxkVdZIjVbp77BbQF9Nk5IZA2VfaDl2wyHrYT_k6EN2HV0jbZeiLnSrDDx8le9Qi7Wg9oCjY5BiGYdAjDSHBt/s1600/IMG_1932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nimrsu7a4jhOtLum0nBTVbHxGfr5aRMOn4pMoK7AcgUkGUYG0pjGkljhxkVdZIjVbp77BbQF9Nk5IZA2VfaDl2wyHrYT_k6EN2HV0jbZeiLnSrDDx8le9Qi7Wg9oCjY5BiGYdAjDSHBt/s640/IMG_1932.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then it was off to visit Cawdor Castle of</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Macbeth</span><i style="font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-size: large;">fame. There is more about the connection to the Scottish play at this link: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">http://www.cawdorcastle.com/The-Castle/Shakespeare-Heritage.aspx </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Since the castle was not built until the late 14th century, it has no connection to the historical Macbeth, who was </span><span style="font-size: large;">born about 1005 AD. </span><span style="font-size: large;">As the 5th earl of Cawdor was supposed to have said, "I wish the bard had never written his damned play." Nevertheless, it is a wonderful place to visit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There was long, narrow, busy driveway into the castle, which we did not want to have to navigate afterwards to catch the bus back to Nairn. Our cabbie advised us to leave the castle by following a footpath to a gate, directly on the other side of which was the village of Cawdor, where there was a church yard, possibly housing deceased Grants, and a bus stop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The castle was immensely enjoyable, especially as it was furnished and not a ruin as the ones in Kirkwall were.</span><span style="font-size: large;">The Dowager Duchess of Cawdor still lives there.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I was taken by how cosy </span><span style="font-size: large;">the rooms we toured were made by </span><span style="font-size: large;">the large, ancient (and likely priceless</span><span style="font-size: large;">) tapestries festooning the stone walls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The gardens were spectacular as well: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Dowager Duchess Angelika Cawdor commissioned the <i>Tree of Life</i>, sculpted by Tim Pomeroy. According to a report on the website <i>Black Isle Bronze</i>, it was lowered into the garden by helicopter in 2011:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: http://www.blackislebronze.co.uk/black-isle-bronze-news.html</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The minotaur is at the centre of a maze in the walled garden which was first enclosed in 1620. In 1981, Lord Cawdor had the holly maze planted in part of it. Later his widow, the dowager duchess, commissioned the minotaur sculpture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The castle was begun about 1370 when William, the third thane of Cawdor began the central tower house. This photo shows a much later addition beside the burn (Gaelic for 'stream'):</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiua0y1sQje7ap2ffU8PG3TaVhQr8z7XpDoYrpMcoygPNbvUVbsyWhb5h2QZZ2PO6S84cudb-ILj8oZ6UV_UlQxtnGB0mEWXvGWnzt2TXID2oX8201nUZAYba0rNoqAlfNzOylYkj-4UAx/s1600/IMG_1945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiua0y1sQje7ap2ffU8PG3TaVhQr8z7XpDoYrpMcoygPNbvUVbsyWhb5h2QZZ2PO6S84cudb-ILj8oZ6UV_UlQxtnGB0mEWXvGWnzt2TXID2oX8201nUZAYba0rNoqAlfNzOylYkj-4UAx/s640/IMG_1945.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcfpc21jg-KKq713F_MaCnOpVyf5jfy8r9QpmgoTraZTmX7gjWznF7ZofSUv3rIjL871bOqIhPVQHZfHjaCOffXYErpg1i5Idj-w6HoKuGj18DglpOVo4LlfurPHOttwVPaRHt3LrIddC/s1600/IMG_1943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcfpc21jg-KKq713F_MaCnOpVyf5jfy8r9QpmgoTraZTmX7gjWznF7ZofSUv3rIjL871bOqIhPVQHZfHjaCOffXYErpg1i5Idj-w6HoKuGj18DglpOVo4LlfurPHOttwVPaRHt3LrIddC/s1600/IMG_1943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcfpc21jg-KKq713F_MaCnOpVyf5jfy8r9QpmgoTraZTmX7gjWznF7ZofSUv3rIjL871bOqIhPVQHZfHjaCOffXYErpg1i5Idj-w6HoKuGj18DglpOVo4LlfurPHOttwVPaRHt3LrIddC/s640/IMG_1943.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our curiosity about the castle and its gardens satisfied, we decided to follow our cabbie's advice and find that gate. It was not hard to find, but it was all chained up. Back we trudged to the entrance and talked to the young girl behind the counter about getting a cab. We told her we just wanted to get to the village of Cawdor and that it was a pity it was such a long walk around along such a busy narrow road. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Oh," she said, "just take the gate off its hinges," which is what the locals apparently do. In our brilliant way, we then remembered that the top hinge was not in its place, so back we went, flourishing our tickets at the ticket booth (good for the day, not just the visit), re-crossed the sweeping front lawn and the blue bridge and headed up the path, and yes, Greg lifted the gate off its remaining hinge. We walked through, Greg replaced the gate on both hinges, and we found ourselves in Cawdor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The only witness to our mischief was this sheep:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is the house across the road from the sheep pasture. Cawdor is a charming little village.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBwDb6nXAKHBSpnvPWXQzh5Pd2Q_5jKrrqHssYs0hTs88E2cRWhUFva-NuxCTnMfaVgURpUkiJHvr5GFucPft4a0tX1WOqbCZOcVJHBQbHYA0aRT6Xp7Dd-fiWuLZnwn7AH-FXoJd5d-3/s1600/IMG_1950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBwDb6nXAKHBSpnvPWXQzh5Pd2Q_5jKrrqHssYs0hTs88E2cRWhUFva-NuxCTnMfaVgURpUkiJHvr5GFucPft4a0tX1WOqbCZOcVJHBQbHYA0aRT6Xp7Dd-fiWuLZnwn7AH-FXoJd5d-3/s640/IMG_1950.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We explored the church yard of the Cawdor Parish Church for a while. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Alas, we found no Grant stones. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cawdor Parish Church was likely where my great grandfather was baptized. Duncan Joseph Grant was born in 1835; parts of the church, which date from 1619, are incorporated into the present church built in 1831. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It seemed as if we would have to wait three hours for the bus back to Nairn. I thought there must be somewhere </span><span style="font-size: large;">close by</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to eat, so we walked along and found this pub, the Cawdor Tavern.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was cosy, low-ceilinged, and wood-panelled, and we had a great meal. I had pork chops, haggis and potato mash, more vegetables and Canada Dry ginger ale, which made me think of home. Restaurants in Scotland don't seem to carry ginger ale except as a mix for drinks, so our waiter apologized for the very small bottle. Greg enjoyed an Orkney beer and asked about why it was available here, of all places. We were told the owner of the Orkney Brewery, where we had lunched a few days before, also happens to own these premises.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Alas, we were told there were no longer buses running even though the route (#252) was listed on the Stagecoach web-site. We decided to take the locals' word for it and returned to Nairn by cab. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The driver this time regaled us with stories about the lawsuit for continued possession of the castle which the Dowager Duchess fought against her stepson, the new earl after his father died. The son took his case all the way to the House of Lords, spent a million pounds and lost! The cabbie's sympathies were not with him. He told us of other profligate young heirs as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We ended our day with our heads full of history past and present and concluded taking a cab in Scotland is well worth the extra expense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-668142632821276942017-02-02T15:48:00.000-05:002017-02-02T15:58:03.396-05:00My "steely blue eyes" take in more sights in Thurso and Nairn<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hello again, folks,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am trying to </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">get you to Nairn as quickly as possible, but first, I must mention our effervescent hostess at 4 Princess BnB in Thurso.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The very small sign indicates the premises of the 4 Princess BnB <br />(Source: http://bstatic.com/images/hotel/org)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">She was, as my travel journal for the rest of Sept. 11 attests:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> ... very very talkative, but pleasant. She said my steely blue eyes were "evidence of my Norwegian ancestry." </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[I thought that was so cool: so I have steely blue eyes. Wow. As far as I was concerned, she could carry on and just talk and talk. But to continue with my journal record:]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We settled ourselves in our very small room, which fortunately had its own bathroom </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">in the room</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, n</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">ot off the corridor outside, as in Stromness and Fort William. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then we walked up the street for dinner<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">— </span> nice cheese appetizer, which was a mistake, alas, for my innards later on. I had a teriyaki stir fry </span>— <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">many veg (onions, broccoli, carrots, green peppers) but no noodles. Greg had a fish platter. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnFtqEtz1wM3ITJrw8gOym0eRZTF4VaM67FtDb-mp5zkbx5UsDBt9HDkU2GmV7yMRDWL_wQgKttq_P6VsLyuHgljGJpZG_yMeZ4nud-nwuLA_vfw34JSsHH7ur2E6SqH-VPFHzsZr9KNK/s1600/91345_Holborn_Hotel_IMG_10_0000_max_620x414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnFtqEtz1wM3ITJrw8gOym0eRZTF4VaM67FtDb-mp5zkbx5UsDBt9HDkU2GmV7yMRDWL_wQgKttq_P6VsLyuHgljGJpZG_yMeZ4nud-nwuLA_vfw34JSsHH7ur2E6SqH-VPFHzsZr9KNK/s640/91345_Holborn_Hotel_IMG_10_0000_max_620x414.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">It was rainy and cool the evening we made our way to the Holborn Hotel and the Red Pepper <br />Restaurant (Source www.nightmove.co.uk)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPSGSQKMeLkhaG5DaAv-y_tHuLZR5oy3NvuSmovVmbQMbzeqvnEzCaVlAFBm9hPLsTdpbDu-15Tw3mchTEDjhKt4sC-nDTAo3NKUHidI0b9GveSe_uaMqV_5a5B310Cmmfn2fW30z9x-o/s1600/91345_Holborn_Hotel_IMG_08_0000_max_620x414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPSGSQKMeLkhaG5DaAv-y_tHuLZR5oy3NvuSmovVmbQMbzeqvnEzCaVlAFBm9hPLsTdpbDu-15Tw3mchTEDjhKt4sC-nDTAo3NKUHidI0b9GveSe_uaMqV_5a5B310Cmmfn2fW30z9x-o/s640/91345_Holborn_Hotel_IMG_08_0000_max_620x414.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We sat at the table to the right by the wall . The night we were there the place was packed. <br /> (Source www.nightmove.co.uk).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Home by 8:30 pm </span>— <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">watched <i>Poldark</i>, the trial episode. I fell asleep, woke at 1:00 am, awake for two to three hours. Grrrr.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September 12, 2016</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We probably could have caught the 9:00 am train to Inverness, but we didn't rush. Nice breakfast: yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs, dry toast for me. Pain and diarrhea, so I took a whole codeine and felt better after a while. </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I would likely be enjoying the trip much more if I felt better. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our hostess again regaled us ... </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">[</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in fact she had me laughing so hard at her comments about the state of my health, I almost didn't notice my stomach cramps on the way to the washroom.]</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then we headed out; it looked like rain and was very windy. We came to the train station and took turns going for walks. I found a nice park, The Mall, by the river. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[This afternoon while writing this rather dull account, I decided to spice it up by adding Internet pictures and of course, more information: viz. "The Mall dates from Victorian times, but the new foot bridge was completed in 2009 after the old one washed away in a flood in 2006. The new bridge ... goes across the river in a single span." Source: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache] </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qkQqy8N1-mc6vF5cUU83-3iVn_3CdWNi7rb-mmf50kf11d793DJmdgP6vFBcOMoiO5jslS0nbOL71JFssqQaEAaeOKNWDUcoKGc8db2yND8blr7gHc0r_npfGgw25P6V6z0wbCoGCX9T/s1600/thurso_park_footbridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qkQqy8N1-mc6vF5cUU83-3iVn_3CdWNi7rb-mmf50kf11d793DJmdgP6vFBcOMoiO5jslS0nbOL71JFssqQaEAaeOKNWDUcoKGc8db2yND8blr7gHc0r_npfGgw25P6V6z0wbCoGCX9T/s640/thurso_park_footbridge.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Source: http://www.caithness.org/bridges/gallery.php?gallery=0&image=5. <br />Photographer: Bill Fernie, and taken on a much nicer day!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then, while Greg walked, I read a book by Trollope I had bought at a used bookstore:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlBJdygQ8QbJFz7EJNmN2VYRaCSS64LUFNtuwzzSTTIvIxh6WSSEOPgKwf07tSp0BHujv6ikcGMFUKl0AhW8AN1BLdlpkk24Whyphenhyphene0siEt37zNlBWVaUYtu_gSnOSehEta3XAdZDiDffvp/s1600/used+book+store+Tall+tales+thurso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlBJdygQ8QbJFz7EJNmN2VYRaCSS64LUFNtuwzzSTTIvIxh6WSSEOPgKwf07tSp0BHujv6ikcGMFUKl0AhW8AN1BLdlpkk24Whyphenhyphene0siEt37zNlBWVaUYtu_gSnOSehEta3XAdZDiDffvp/s640/used+book+store+Tall+tales+thurso.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was a charming cubbyhole. Source: http://caithness-business.co.uk/business.php?id=1053</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now we are waiting for the imminent arrival of the train back to Inverness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">***</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The train was delayed 15 minutes and seemed to go rather slowly at other times with the result that we missed the connection to Nairn by just a couple of minutes. Our conductor was miffed that they wouldn't hold the train. However, </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">the next one came in just under an hour</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[for the 15-minute or so trip to Nairn].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our BnB at Nairn, Cawdor House, is a stone's throw away from the station. A very enthusiastic young German couple run it, and we have a bigger room that we have had so far.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8qhW-793Bq28NVmaWjw8_S7lVlimyEYh5BHDE_QhLm4DS9L1yn2WW2vSzJs-eatY5SaTuO7tHKv4l4G70h97vTGBtffsH6Ub6MgT8jWyyZobxvRMHtuhX-klNdCLsFSc2xMNHj1fw0hS/s1600/Cawdor+House+Nairn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8qhW-793Bq28NVmaWjw8_S7lVlimyEYh5BHDE_QhLm4DS9L1yn2WW2vSzJs-eatY5SaTuO7tHKv4l4G70h97vTGBtffsH6Ub6MgT8jWyyZobxvRMHtuhX-klNdCLsFSc2xMNHj1fw0hS/s640/Cawdor+House+Nairn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The outside of Cawdor House on a day very like the one on which we arrived.<br /> (Source: booking.com)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aW5jmMy49kBsgsyEhJ8BqQzaeRcOWi4gQUEmN74u0DeV3Tz3Bu6dYopZByrYc1Gm1tHrhiuGpsm16L1rAi5ZVC8AOH5ZsqDJfI1xbc37x4ZBbelVXvDJKzXu364ujtXFQWlGG_lLiOy7/s1600/cawdor+house+photo+on+stairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aW5jmMy49kBsgsyEhJ8BqQzaeRcOWi4gQUEmN74u0DeV3Tz3Bu6dYopZByrYc1Gm1tHrhiuGpsm16L1rAi5ZVC8AOH5ZsqDJfI1xbc37x4ZBbelVXvDJKzXu364ujtXFQWlGG_lLiOy7/s640/cawdor+house+photo+on+stairs.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The postmodern photo-art was created by our host.<br /> (Source: booking.com)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[We decided to explore Nairn High St. and walked down to the shopping area. On the way, we ran into the young woman from the BnB taking the laundry into a laundromat. We all said hello, and later I reflected that being the arty one</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">in the family, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">i.e., her husband, had its uses]. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNm-lOcjr686EYXtN8YI0AXGf3uhlX-NphMRtYxVFz5dqhElCZEgM-Br0-lUz1abY8ZrvPs4N9lBueqmQe67OTP4xlwkBvaeDdqs6YZLXUrvuFsX9CK7TtW8VQYDP1yuykx7_8owunw0OB/s1600/Nairn+Moray+Firth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNm-lOcjr686EYXtN8YI0AXGf3uhlX-NphMRtYxVFz5dqhElCZEgM-Br0-lUz1abY8ZrvPs4N9lBueqmQe67OTP4xlwkBvaeDdqs6YZLXUrvuFsX9CK7TtW8VQYDP1yuykx7_8owunw0OB/s640/Nairn+Moray+Firth.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We walked to a park by the sea shore (nearby, the Moray Firth joins the North Sea). </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I put my hand</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> in the water </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">just to feel close to PEI</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;"> (Source: booking.com)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The BnB proprietors recommended t</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">he Classroom Bistro down the street, where we had a very nice meal. I had sea bass, boiled potatoes and mixed vegetables cooked just right. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpQeV-o0J2I9E4SCb3tsm4U_ws3XnzxB0BZFUVLMI88apzgsCs6a9mJ467OcGIiLgELCcn2uyobBWbztZPeGzS_lC9Ui8auWsV3qD_zUl3Qkkfuy5Gudn5dSWdeAr4ZNjLM5xFL0hRsxn/s1600/The-Classroom-+Bistro+01-1024x682+Nairn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpQeV-o0J2I9E4SCb3tsm4U_ws3XnzxB0BZFUVLMI88apzgsCs6a9mJ467OcGIiLgELCcn2uyobBWbztZPeGzS_lC9Ui8auWsV3qD_zUl3Qkkfuy5Gudn5dSWdeAr4ZNjLM5xFL0hRsxn/s640/The-Classroom-+Bistro+01-1024x682+Nairn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Source: www.theclassroombistro.com</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back at our BnB, our TV wouldn't work, so we read our books.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">***</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that is the end of the excitement for that day.</span><br />
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-13170234699898281912017-01-18T19:59:00.001-05:002017-01-19T21:55:57.156-05:00September 11, 2016 and our last day at Stromness <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It is about time I showed you a map of the southern part of Orkney Mainland, with Stromness at the left, Kirkwall in the centre and St.Mary's, near to the location of the Italian Chapel, south of Kirkness.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j58StFWO7qbErryFYugEvdn2alEdG8OCMqjryKWFozhIGqwNUiw88JQxyu34BRqewvjoP3OQbfP2jVG_N5n7l_051uETGtxL1LqST4_x3Bq8P3Smaaww-mZ0GbH-Vb9oxPG6MqkzhgT_/s1600/IMG_2520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j58StFWO7qbErryFYugEvdn2alEdG8OCMqjryKWFozhIGqwNUiw88JQxyu34BRqewvjoP3OQbfP2jVG_N5n7l_051uETGtxL1LqST4_x3Bq8P3Smaaww-mZ0GbH-Vb9oxPG6MqkzhgT_/s640/IMG_2520.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> From Stromness, the ferry goes past the Island of Hoy back to Scrabster, not far from Thurso .</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From my travel journal describing our final day on Orkney:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Yesterday (Sunday) we walked from our bed and breakfast to the church instead of taking a bus or taxi, as the weather was sunny and the route downhill. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I tried getting money from a bank machine but couldn't because presumably my daily limit is so low. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Greg got some cash.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We went to the wrong church first off, but someone from the Baptist church arrived just as we did. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohv1Pucvth2A1pw8Bv2sXUjwtMuSN0U1YN8a99-iJ9ZcB4rW8DHvNbU2XHGqmV0lBekpjsSDvzsq1T0YxsBndcPBtsiSaYXdupYGpMCBEW_TNWQXvAFz6weubM13PIzdjZKWRUdp9QAk7/s1600/Town+Hall+Stromness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohv1Pucvth2A1pw8Bv2sXUjwtMuSN0U1YN8a99-iJ9ZcB4rW8DHvNbU2XHGqmV0lBekpjsSDvzsq1T0YxsBndcPBtsiSaYXdupYGpMCBEW_TNWQXvAFz6weubM13PIzdjZKWRUdp9QAk7/s320/Town+Hall+Stromness.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Town Hall, now a community centre, used to be a church. <br />The Baptist congregation meets there on Sunday mornings.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">He directed us up the hill to St. Mary the Virgin, which was tucked into the wall in what used to be the premises of the Legion (?). It was not much bigger than St. Alban's (in Souris) but better appointed,having recently been redecorated. It had a blue ceiling and blue altar hangings.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY659bv3fQiEjUtpOVVBgwQcuYfYxQRU8CFFMVXeI6KJyyhD1qKDE3d4l5oGuFEnzPoa6hHrxQ3KiGOVIFlUTcsVY3GhEjcpaGUSwL-pXS87-uPx2j-oL1KPBVvOQEDzLweUuD1jt8Rjt/s1600/artist%2527s+street+view+of+St.+Mary%2527s+stromness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY659bv3fQiEjUtpOVVBgwQcuYfYxQRU8CFFMVXeI6KJyyhD1qKDE3d4l5oGuFEnzPoa6hHrxQ3KiGOVIFlUTcsVY3GhEjcpaGUSwL-pXS87-uPx2j-oL1KPBVvOQEDzLweUuD1jt8Rjt/s640/artist%2527s+street+view+of+St.+Mary%2527s+stromness.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the outside of the church from a posting on the church's Facebook page.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyNz-PU8401EQQ_YxtPxVBZFgS8JJ0lKxXYC_vaRB0ma18H3rNphesgopjLULHND13noPJSw_WCtvnQCW27o3i00jfCbOCLoDWbDII2DnhqwfBPwewlEvgwQC4Rbzn1mHPD5UVDyogAp2/s1600/St.+Mary%2527s+blue+door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyNz-PU8401EQQ_YxtPxVBZFgS8JJ0lKxXYC_vaRB0ma18H3rNphesgopjLULHND13noPJSw_WCtvnQCW27o3i00jfCbOCLoDWbDII2DnhqwfBPwewlEvgwQC4Rbzn1mHPD5UVDyogAp2/s640/St.+Mary%2527s+blue+door.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The blue doors are in keeping with the colour associated with the Virgin Mary<br /> and abide by the colour scheme chosen for the historical section of Stromness.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1gnr7-b0R-z-gnyDZYxlXuH9z7K9AnqmGwJ8kVqypX8kMR8GQvW_h_p7qY3KtcHwhyphenhyphenNVnfqM7ejH6kKKulHpYiYonc39q3VbiWDJhgTisXtLFiFlzDIhCejoswKf8Zjut5mH2DqI2jUn/s1600/St.+Mary%2527s+Stromness+door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1gnr7-b0R-z-gnyDZYxlXuH9z7K9AnqmGwJ8kVqypX8kMR8GQvW_h_p7qY3KtcHwhyphenhyphenNVnfqM7ejH6kKKulHpYiYonc39q3VbiWDJhgTisXtLFiFlzDIhCejoswKf8Zjut5mH2DqI2jUn/s640/St.+Mary%2527s+Stromness+door.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is what the little sign in the photo above says (also from the church's Facebook page).</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDf808RjShuXFjlFoA1Zeyqxp4sGMOv_P3Af5PBtZiCIG8t7FPeYOms5cyLyM_qioMuSWhqqi0KXHLW6vZ46RN6bkYZh9n-hfU8UAtpZDrfckjZHpLDLMyoqssXnSjxjNEpYeGegu_9Nn/s1600/St.+Mary%2527s+Stromnesss+church+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDf808RjShuXFjlFoA1Zeyqxp4sGMOv_P3Af5PBtZiCIG8t7FPeYOms5cyLyM_qioMuSWhqqi0KXHLW6vZ46RN6bkYZh9n-hfU8UAtpZDrfckjZHpLDLMyoqssXnSjxjNEpYeGegu_9Nn/s1600/St.+Mary%2527s+Stromnesss+church+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDf808RjShuXFjlFoA1Zeyqxp4sGMOv_P3Af5PBtZiCIG8t7FPeYOms5cyLyM_qioMuSWhqqi0KXHLW6vZ46RN6bkYZh9n-hfU8UAtpZDrfckjZHpLDLMyoqssXnSjxjNEpYeGegu_9Nn/s640/St.+Mary%2527s+Stromnesss+church+sign.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Warm welcome: We were introduced to each of the 10 or so congregants and the priest, a retired interim from New York City. He grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Nice service: The 90-year-old organist played only the prelude and the postlude. We sang the hymns a capella. Good singing, which became a bit slower as the verses progressed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">There was a little four-year-old boy,a foster child of a couple in the congregation. This was his last day in Stromness. He was lively and dressed in a combination of Star Wars gear and a cincture lent by the priest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We went for cake and tea in a very small room afterwards. The village eccentric was there too in a somewhat outlandish get-up including lots of purple...He appeared to be very well-liked and like us, was plied with lots of cake. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The foster-parents of the little boy had two balloons and a present for their little fellow. He seemed genuinely surprised at the fuss and while unwrapping the gift, said, "O... for me? ... Oh... a buuhk? ... Oh... a Babble!" which he hugged to his chest and grinned with delight.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNHPIAfSh9UPMTJ1cDy0wncecflTNshyYWozm-Y3fxpcFwoBvf-8Y4vufA6ozZMysLH-jypvQwCXuqoPRzwzdGP8GlcB04SxkY0ZL4QwuGFxEgXIhxkZXKtC7larIj87DGbLfAActP-AN/s1600/The+bible+presented+to+the+little+boy+at+St.+Mary%2527sStromness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNHPIAfSh9UPMTJ1cDy0wncecflTNshyYWozm-Y3fxpcFwoBvf-8Y4vufA6ozZMysLH-jypvQwCXuqoPRzwzdGP8GlcB04SxkY0ZL4QwuGFxEgXIhxkZXKtC7larIj87DGbLfAActP-AN/s640/The+bible+presented+to+the+little+boy+at+St.+Mary%2527sStromness.jpg" width="352" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This is the Bible (from a picture on the church's Facebook page)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">He will be going to England to live with his adoptive parents. I hope he gets to use and read his bible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I didn't record in my journal anything about the striking stained glass windows we enjoyed in the church, so here are two images I found on their facebook page: </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This window commemorates St.Luke, symbolized by the winged ox. <br />Notice also the doctor's bag and stethoscope for Luke the physician.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The sun shines through the window commemorating <br />St John, symbolized by an eagle.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">After the service, we were walking further up the hill when Ann, one of the ladies at the church (whose husband is half-Orcadian), stopped and offered to take us on a little tour. She had an hour or so to wait for her spouse, who was off somewhere doing something else. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">First, she took us to the ferry terminal where we put our big bags into a locker - a brilliant idea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Then Ann drove us around the town and beyond - so nice of her. She drove an electric car, which she was going to charge up after she dropped us off. There are 100 charge stations in Orkney! </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Ann told us it has a reputation for being very progressive in energy and experimentation.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the view of the town close to the mouth of the harbour.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is overlooking the harbour closer to the downtown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">After we bid our tour guide goodbye, we walked along the extremely narrow main street</span><span style="font-size: small;"> : </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I thought it was a pedestrian mall until I realized - in time - that it accommodated<br /> two lanes of traffic. Pedestrians, look out!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Between many of the buildings on the main street, there were intriguing walkways up the hill.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">And going down to the water, there were more vistas.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is the Stromness Hotel and the official (since 2007) flag of Orkney, showing blue for the flag of Scotland and red and yellow for the coats of arms of Scotland and Norway, thereby reflecting Orkney's connection to both countries..</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shouldn't every town square have one of these?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now, where do those stars lead?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was taken with the stone work and flowers.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Back from our walk,we repaired to a cafe near the ferry terminal and had a very odd lunch: potato skins with melted brie under a cascade of too much bacon. I paid 10 pounds in cash.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Back at the ferry terminal we chatted with a b</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">icyclist who was doing his laundry. He found too late that there was no detergent, so he washed everything twice. It had taken him 11 days to cycle to the Orkneys from wherever it was that he lived.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We forgot about the arrangement for our boarding passes until we handed the wrong,i.e.used, end of the ticket to the ticket taker. We were directed back to the wicket (where I had earlier asked about the wifi in the terminal) and were handed our boarding passes, which we would have picked up long before had we remembered what to do. There was not much in the way of foot traffic, so we boarded the ferry in good time in spite of the little glitch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We had intended to eat dinner on the ferry but held off to see how rough it was going to get, as the bicyclist we had talked to had mentioned windy conditions once outside the harbour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It did get rather rolling, so we just closed our eyes and went for the ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In Scrabster, another Ormlie cab was waiting for us. The driver turned out to have been the best man for the husband of the woman who ran the bed and breakfast </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">on Princess St.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">where we were headed for the night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We were now officially back in Scotland ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">where further adventure awaited us. In my next blog, I will try to get us all the way to Nairn.</span></div>
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<br />Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-73283640682109646152017-01-13T14:59:00.000-05:002017-01-13T14:59:39.813-05:00September 10, 2016: We explore Kirkwall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">From my travel journal dated September 11, 2016:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">"Sp</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">ent yesterday in Kirkwall ... St. Magnus Cathedral ... </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Work on the Romanesque-style cathedral began in 1137.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">They had put the bones of many people, including Robert Stewart, into a common grave just outside the cathedral walls, where there is now a green space. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Robert Stewart and all the Stewarts are </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">not</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> well-liked. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The unmarked common grave looks spookier through the fence</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Lots of references inside to Richens. I photographed the tombstones.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The grave marker of Robert Richen, my 8th great-grandfather.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stained glass window in St. Magnus Cathedral<br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Lunch at the cafe across the road from the cathedral... salads! Yay. I bought a tea towel with puffins on it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Went to the museum and got the time-line sorted out re settlements, and peoples, and dates. Then to the library archives where I found a book on the Richens, some of which the librarian photocopied(</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">£).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Then back on the bus to Stromness. He stopped as soon as we rang the bell so we did not have far to walk."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My travel journal doesn't really do justice to our day in Kirkwall. I wanted to go there to investigate my family connection to Orkneyjar, its name when reflecting its Norwegian roots. It was given to Scotland by the king of Denmark and Norway </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">as part of a dowry</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> for his daughter Margaret, who married James III of Scotland in July 1469. The islands were never redeemed by him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Orcadians to this day feel attached to Scandinavia. In fact when we left Orkney Mainland, we were asked if we were going back to Scotland. Gaelic (</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">on the road signs, along with English, in other parts of Scotland)</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> is seen as unnecessary in Orkney</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">; as Carrie of See Orkney told us, "No one speaks it here."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At the time we visited, I thought I was directly related to the notorious Robert Stewart, scion of James Stewart V of Scotland and his mistress Euphemia Elphinstone, </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">and Robert's equally despised son Patrick</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">. Thankfully, the notorious Robert is merely the second great-grandfather of my seventh great-uncle, Robert Richan (1707-1791), husband to a Stewart descendant, Jane Stewart of Eday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">However, s</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">eventh great-uncle Robert Richen and I share another Robert Richen i</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">n common, his paternal great-grandfather and my eighth great-grandfather, who is remembered on the gravestone pictured above. Born in 1620, Robert was a well-off merchant in Kirkwall, making his living as a litster or dyer. In the late 1660s, in addition to other property, he bought two double dwellings, "two sclaitt ruifed and twa theack ruifed." The inscription on his tombstone refers to him as "Merchand - Burgess of Kirkwall, who departed this lyf 1 Decr 1679." </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">(Source: <i>The Richans of Orkney</i> 1983)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Time passed and vowels changed and my fifth great-grandfather, Captain John Richan, born in Kirkwall in 1756, arrived in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia about 1788. He died there in 1807. But who is his father? He is named "son of John Richan" in one book about Yarmouth. In another account, his father is said to have been </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> Captain William Richan, descendant of those nasty Stewarts via his mother's side. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This Captain William (1741-1829) was a colourful figure (sea captain, decorated naval commander, smuggler and husband of a profligate wife who pretty much bankrupted him). I wish he were my direct relative for the stories about him. Alas, I did some math once we returned from our trip and discovered he would have become John's father at the age of 15, not an impossibility in those days (or any days), but John Richan would have been his </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">fifth</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> consecutive son. Not likely, even with his virile Viking blood (the Richen's originally</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> hailed from Denmark in the mid-900's), would he have been a father before age 10. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">There is another William Richen in Kirkwell, about whom I know very little aside from his date of birth in 1713. I wonder if he is the father of my Yarmouth relative. Did the writer of the family chronicle get the two William Richens confused or did John Richan's descendants intentionally re-write the family history? I shall likely never know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">John Richan ran a pub called variously the Vengeance, the Olive Branch and the Phoenix over the years. He had been a midshipman on board the "Vengeance," and </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">outside his tavern, he </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">painted a sign showing the ship with it guns blazing, "a masterpiece according to his son (yet another William Richan 1797-1875) in a story on oral history in the </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yarmouth Herald</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> dated 1902 . The building was later used as a courthouse, jail and public meeting place. It was situated at the corner of Main St. and Marshall Lane, where a plaque was placed by the Yarmouth County Historical Society in 1998</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> (</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">according to a photo in </span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Africa's Children:a History of Blacks in Yarmouth NS.</i><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So I have come a long way in both time and geography. And taken something of a detour in my account of our trip.It is quite exciting for me to think I walked along streets in Kirwall and Yarmouth traversed by my ancestors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, while we were in Kirkwall, we also walked about inside the ruins of the Bishop's and Earl's palaces, located across the road from the cathedral:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC40EKfB3n9VKSgmO-WeZZffVQk2gAeX4O-rgbscnkvLMTZAGV8UYj5KoZAqWaJTJi23W7P1-k9qT2OFEE565lttOmXfcrndBLK1_UsPLh7zKkzGUmEqWa_3lQ3S8hcmoyv6VBE0gD6O3m/s1600/IMG_1877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC40EKfB3n9VKSgmO-WeZZffVQk2gAeX4O-rgbscnkvLMTZAGV8UYj5KoZAqWaJTJi23W7P1-k9qT2OFEE565lttOmXfcrndBLK1_UsPLh7zKkzGUmEqWa_3lQ3S8hcmoyv6VBE0gD6O3m/s640/IMG_1877.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The dreadful Patrick Stewart wanted to build a magnificent complex incorporating the Bishop's palace. Although it is a fine example of renaissance Scottish building, the Earl was not so fine. After a life of apparent unending feuding and general malice, he was executed for treason in 1615. The beheading was apparently delayed </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">for a few days</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">until he learned the Lord's Prayer. (</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Source: </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/historicalfigures/patrickstewart/index.html)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">While I was in Orkney, I did not reveal what I thought was my relationship to the Stewarts and was so relieved after coming home that it was not a direct relationship at all, just one by marriage: dodged a bullet and possibly hostile stares on that one. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrfUe7d89K23k-HevhrNjcvhAMzKIHjQFcxdJv-_qX9ib79rOQ1zo6u8kOWvgfYjouNGTKIgA205Nsve2hw0NhoQu4M0B465BMn070kUR0yN7OHvJ8VCq66b7a5gRJGH50WRI4H3SXePP/s1600/IMG_1884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrfUe7d89K23k-HevhrNjcvhAMzKIHjQFcxdJv-_qX9ib79rOQ1zo6u8kOWvgfYjouNGTKIgA205Nsve2hw0NhoQu4M0B465BMn070kUR0yN7OHvJ8VCq66b7a5gRJGH50WRI4H3SXePP/s640/IMG_1884.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Fpmdztyg6Gu3z5laLWAGTuueO29IMJ7o-obHhAjMnl65l7llqN46D2-mSla346KLahdNKJpaiCsgmJnoWHfIDuiGYE-dWSoZJov9CtRsuellsMUCl9kZilEqkemIag4FUGK-iQMV2vBs/s1600/IMG_1878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The much older Bishop's Palace originally looked something like this: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVa3TotR_4nfdBT1tLiCcRkzyMZ9_tKNaunnmG0J6SIUftzn6sGp_QlqF_YpSnreYjZugL1PGqXPTgvAKnM2zpAq9KX5YCJ3vJFhyphenhyphenf4dcNETgxga8IGnYsy7b_AnMNuey4uyuTzWkra7f/s1600/IMG_1883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVa3TotR_4nfdBT1tLiCcRkzyMZ9_tKNaunnmG0J6SIUftzn6sGp_QlqF_YpSnreYjZugL1PGqXPTgvAKnM2zpAq9KX5YCJ3vJFhyphenhyphenf4dcNETgxga8IGnYsy7b_AnMNuey4uyuTzWkra7f/s640/IMG_1883.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was built in the mid-12th century for Bishop William the Old, a friend and crusading companion of the founder of the cathedral. </span>(Source: <span style="text-align: center;">http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/bishop.htm)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z_5ArfswhHrs6lOGBP5-MUG1x2safbJKPKqoPhSDBI_L5x_qgVhCEugpI2UG0K36Lyucml8_jeUoZjf0o5Vj0cPyIORkx4dkwF9MwMrlHO4ZuAcCmYwf3y3fuMioVcgKgDTIGdGI5oKf/s1600/IMG_1879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z_5ArfswhHrs6lOGBP5-MUG1x2safbJKPKqoPhSDBI_L5x_qgVhCEugpI2UG0K36Lyucml8_jeUoZjf0o5Vj0cPyIORkx4dkwF9MwMrlHO4ZuAcCmYwf3y3fuMioVcgKgDTIGdGI5oKf/s640/IMG_1879.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVa3TotR_4nfdBT1tLiCcRkzyMZ9_tKNaunnmG0J6SIUftzn6sGp_QlqF_YpSnreYjZugL1PGqXPTgvAKnM2zpAq9KX5YCJ3vJFhyphenhyphenf4dcNETgxga8IGnYsy7b_AnMNuey4uyuTzWkra7f/s1600/IMG_1883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">It followed the design for a typical Norwegian palace of the time, with a hall for entertainment and a tower for the bishop's residence.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-o5NouxQH5dr9eLW-UrdaRZrg78reuPGcqTsCXRUzXFgIMbuDnF0dFSAZ9YeFmwTr4oF3-2peKA_ytyiWBx8ypQA9tTJiv0lGL68h0CV3uMX0sj1tEYx-Wt3AQQZuPv8d9dfEsLFUy7D/s1600/IMG_1887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-o5NouxQH5dr9eLW-UrdaRZrg78reuPGcqTsCXRUzXFgIMbuDnF0dFSAZ9YeFmwTr4oF3-2peKA_ytyiWBx8ypQA9tTJiv0lGL68h0CV3uMX0sj1tEYx-Wt3AQQZuPv8d9dfEsLFUy7D/s640/IMG_1887.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We spent a couple of hours clambering around the ruins enjoying the lovely sunny day unencumbered by any other visitors.</span>Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-67789390026003962652017-01-03T14:01:00.001-05:002017-01-03T14:02:27.303-05:00September 9th: We visit the Italian Chapel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Later in the afternoon, we left the neolithic age far behind and journeyed towards Scapa Flow to see the Italian Chapel at Lambholm. We were rather drowsy and overly full of facts as well as food and almost didn't want to go; however, we did. Carrie, our See Orkney tour guide, said that at this point in the day, she would often be chatting about Orkney history only to look in her rear view mirror to see everyone sound asleep. She said they would try to appear as if they had not missed anything, but they gave themselves away by asking questions about what she had just talked about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I thought, how rude of them to nod off. However, a short while later, I succumbed to Sleep's beckoning and drifted off. However, when I woke up, I said to Carrie at least I know not to ask any questions, which made her laugh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It turned out that the chapel was a treat I am glad we didn't miss. It was built during the Second World War. In 1942, about 550 Italian prisoners of war were brought to the Orkneys mainly from North Africa to provide labour for building a causeway to better protect the English Fleet often stationed at nearby Scapa Flow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the 18 months that they were in Camp 60, the POW's </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">grew flower and vegetable gardens, and also </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">built concrete walkways, and constructed a theatre and recreation hut - with three pool tables - built from concrete. Apparently there was a lot of concrete on account of the construction of the causeway. In 1943, the camp commandant and the padre decided a chapel would be a good addition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prisoners, including master craftsman Domenico Chiocchetti, set about using found materials to convert two Nissen huts into a place of worship. This is the resulting exterior:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/eastmainland/italianchapel/</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The crucifix shrine, barely visible in the image above, is more visible below. It was donated by Chiocchetti's hometown the Commune of Moena in 1961. (My source is an intriguing account found at http://s3.spanglefish.com/s/34070/documents/book/italian-chapel-engish.pdf ) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Greg is hunched over in the wind, which blew out the rainy weather from earlier in the day.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGlb89kFyHXQDOIcNmcf8Y1ksmAIXtD12ucdoCf26YXz7yX4M5GEP1Epiwy_bjR216crBP-PmTC5mUhAu8qoahZLQU6vWn5VQpsFc86AIUEaHQXbpAl4YofylSAm64sCHTC3e-hjtynUA/s1600/IMG_1825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGlb89kFyHXQDOIcNmcf8Y1ksmAIXtD12ucdoCf26YXz7yX4M5GEP1Epiwy_bjR216crBP-PmTC5mUhAu8qoahZLQU6vWn5VQpsFc86AIUEaHQXbpAl4YofylSAm64sCHTC3e-hjtynUA/s640/IMG_1825.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A prisoner fashioned the image of Christ over the entrance:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YkEquM-Xpyj-jqp2LgrDVQG8Sovw_AuKitu1VlnHFJ6zD-05gH1i0P17lL4RyljKMdYB5IUlxbh9mwe27h4j8ysiJmn86Gvbzclnc7xFGIoFA3HysVEHt5ZDRMQgBtvks0jW2qj237TG/s1600/IMG_1826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YkEquM-Xpyj-jqp2LgrDVQG8Sovw_AuKitu1VlnHFJ6zD-05gH1i0P17lL4RyljKMdYB5IUlxbh9mwe27h4j8ysiJmn86Gvbzclnc7xFGIoFA3HysVEHt5ZDRMQgBtvks0jW2qj237TG/s640/IMG_1826.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Apparently the candle holders in the sanctuary were fashioned from corned beef tins. Another prisoner, Giuseppe Palumbi, a blacksmith by trade, made the delicate rood screen, a task which took him four months to complete:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwc7bynxMhn0eokgowmatQzKT77BTiZJWIdb8ahZYjiA1qL47uNpOD9V5Lf29Xd_tbmRtcG6wRp_eOqGRUh6g9pT-EheGv2qPMxJgqc6W2e3C2nCqOxz9zKRpR-W4QupOUe6_Z7i19rF7/s1600/IMG_1829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwc7bynxMhn0eokgowmatQzKT77BTiZJWIdb8ahZYjiA1qL47uNpOD9V5Lf29Xd_tbmRtcG6wRp_eOqGRUh6g9pT-EheGv2qPMxJgqc6W2e3C2nCqOxz9zKRpR-W4QupOUe6_Z7i19rF7/s640/IMG_1829.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chiocchetti and other prisoners created the rest of interior.The corrugated hut interior was covered in plasterboard. What appears to be brick and stone is painted - a most convincing use of <i>trompe d'oeil</i>. This is the ceiling in the sanctuary, barely visible in my photo above:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUUK9cwS3pgtGpoUuy7f8RCrnOQf3VICiQCiCfI_L2AVrXI7_IURZXJMHkew9qCucQpk1jZrGJzihyi-U_j9d5pn4V18JyvcFGVCgWAuuOSnCosaaL_TqveA2gqWK77YxbkltDE_okTCX/s1600/IMG_1830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUUK9cwS3pgtGpoUuy7f8RCrnOQf3VICiQCiCfI_L2AVrXI7_IURZXJMHkew9qCucQpk1jZrGJzihyi-U_j9d5pn4V18JyvcFGVCgWAuuOSnCosaaL_TqveA2gqWK77YxbkltDE_okTCX/s640/IMG_1830.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> A church in his home town of Moena might have been Chiocchetti's inspiration for the ceiling:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOnu_dUcZThe9f0apopxbrQdsbD54OPJTxrL875DbOC4H0Why2ycIE7qMK7uzPKntZTnL6ouIYjzfvq4nZMF8cA-8d2e3tDSVv-dINNAQV5elEw2qT32OlmRK41twlaYH1gWavwHWzZcV/s1600/IMG_1841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOnu_dUcZThe9f0apopxbrQdsbD54OPJTxrL875DbOC4H0Why2ycIE7qMK7uzPKntZTnL6ouIYjzfvq4nZMF8cA-8d2e3tDSVv-dINNAQV5elEw2qT32OlmRK41twlaYH1gWavwHWzZcV/s640/IMG_1841.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Images of the four evangelists and of St. France of Assisi were painted to look like stained glass windows: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7hWGp7UPx2PNEqHGU_ZT7-dE7O-SmYKlLoL5zZ1Oib660L18ADsW6uvvh_RStUo-3XBA02Vj_kb1aGAJ7WYaWoNoBQwRJWVmJYDO8GgDhVZxr12O89Bg-wjtO3VHV87gAJU2t8ORrDD9/s1600/IMG_1834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7hWGp7UPx2PNEqHGU_ZT7-dE7O-SmYKlLoL5zZ1Oib660L18ADsW6uvvh_RStUo-3XBA02Vj_kb1aGAJ7WYaWoNoBQwRJWVmJYDO8GgDhVZxr12O89Bg-wjtO3VHV87gAJU2t8ORrDD9/s640/IMG_1834.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gW00OxKLmDP4Gow72F5Z6gtRl2bBjq8TwQ4akKuTi7LUW1SSXMMNzUXL5l6twVfEFmGMK9dUVJnUki0SLWlwei6SjMqOrH3Zg0Yrp9WQzSi4ZyBkJHSVmnb9Zg08AZfqzQGdx4jUaUAR/s1600/IMG_1835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gW00OxKLmDP4Gow72F5Z6gtRl2bBjq8TwQ4akKuTi7LUW1SSXMMNzUXL5l6twVfEFmGMK9dUVJnUki0SLWlwei6SjMqOrH3Zg0Yrp9WQzSi4ZyBkJHSVmnb9Zg08AZfqzQGdx4jUaUAR/s640/IMG_1835.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8yHuEaizF5lDQ-gw3p9zbJpm2zJbGPdIU87dlP5PpJDOdYXSnlFl0rrKn7AUmOsSYqJ52RtecAvKYPMubDvOMl0wm9_b8jFCrN_iLq4OPGt8iaVPEWvv8lMhZWRZYE9TydFz376R7RRE/s1600/IMG_1833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8yHuEaizF5lDQ-gw3p9zbJpm2zJbGPdIU87dlP5PpJDOdYXSnlFl0rrKn7AUmOsSYqJ52RtecAvKYPMubDvOMl0wm9_b8jFCrN_iLq4OPGt8iaVPEWvv8lMhZWRZYE9TydFz376R7RRE/s640/IMG_1833.JPG" width="358" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The square objects on the wall are depictions of the stations of the cross. Chiocchetti and his wife donated them 20 years later on a return visit in 1964 and participated, along with 200 Orcadians, in a rededication service.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GlRqyWW68zj8x1VvTTVEOAs8a3I2keU8sXjqzABqOFw8r5zxkbxA-tTNUTIGrhX0PWOS8_rJG3xnyMGkv8QIwxOxO-BWS9pyCOuzQKvUpjy2ccrwDenv6aw2uOcxqFgLqEA1ZUEO6ZXs/s1600/IMG_1828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GlRqyWW68zj8x1VvTTVEOAs8a3I2keU8sXjqzABqOFw8r5zxkbxA-tTNUTIGrhX0PWOS8_rJG3xnyMGkv8QIwxOxO-BWS9pyCOuzQKvUpjy2ccrwDenv6aw2uOcxqFgLqEA1ZUEO6ZXs/s640/IMG_1828.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Outdoors, in what was the centre of the camp, Chiocchetti constructed a statue of St. George and the dragon - on a base of barbed wire covered with concrete.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxvGDJLo6-GfeJkhpeGWn2YzymjL-26_9ZAoZfNCz2NbdgDEt09i8VfLNbKM_6zmXFVNiJWG0lbO4ocXAvLrGzqwegI9gdI5ZtJj98Tp6Ps3nH7N90c2JDcxSoMVaTHxqRAoVY7mdiPj5/s1600/Statue+of+St.+George+Camp+60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxvGDJLo6-GfeJkhpeGWn2YzymjL-26_9ZAoZfNCz2NbdgDEt09i8VfLNbKM_6zmXFVNiJWG0lbO4ocXAvLrGzqwegI9gdI5ZtJj98Tp6Ps3nH7N90c2JDcxSoMVaTHxqRAoVY7mdiPj5/s400/Statue+of+St.+George+Camp+60.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Source http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/eastmainland/italianchapel/</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbdCQRcoxaTw_jwY3eRFJXq9GyBLZC8NBDzTYjfWLJHB075sulnqM0JH802ITTAWSGHCC70uUBCOgYSt7vdHRUK79saQbzYA-ImRgSziuHd0P_n_3_c_TDHjk9TtLUhhoBKS19PtpyXWH/s1600/IMG_1846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbdCQRcoxaTw_jwY3eRFJXq9GyBLZC8NBDzTYjfWLJHB075sulnqM0JH802ITTAWSGHCC70uUBCOgYSt7vdHRUK79saQbzYA-ImRgSziuHd0P_n_3_c_TDHjk9TtLUhhoBKS19PtpyXWH/s640/IMG_1846.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most of the prisoners were moved to Yorkshire, England in 1943, before the construction of the chapel was completed. Chiocchetti stayed behind to finish the concrete baptismal font. The basin is from a vehicle exhaust (according to Wikipedia), and Carrie noted the base is the shock absorber of a truck. The font moves slightly if you touch it gently,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU45Fprr7BWu2DNKdcPmKBvl-G4YLNDop-2w94uwqdL6CDMrJAS6ByLF4mUiUs9gjOMSo_NUZxvS5mcVXCuDAUAHkKP2r8I56zfytMHV2cgqsGabGueubXJbBURwJmGxVoLNJD_jJk2If_/s1600/IMG_1842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU45Fprr7BWu2DNKdcPmKBvl-G4YLNDop-2w94uwqdL6CDMrJAS6ByLF4mUiUs9gjOMSo_NUZxvS5mcVXCuDAUAHkKP2r8I56zfytMHV2cgqsGabGueubXJbBURwJmGxVoLNJD_jJk2If_/s640/IMG_1842.JPG" width="358" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The little chapel is a miracle, as the information photo below suggests. The local Orcadians promised to maintain the chapel and have done so for the last 70 plus years. Eight surviving prisoners returned for a 50th anniversary celebration in 1992. Alas, Chiocchetti was too ill to attend (He died in 1999). A special mass, attended by his daughter, was held in 2014 to celebrate its 70th anniversary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Carrie said that for many years you could just walk up to it and enter, but the site was being damaged (either by overuse or deliberate vandalization), and so a ticket booth was built and the area was fenced. It remains a touching symbol of hope and reconciliation.</span></div>
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<br />Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-82255299149879947282016-12-28T10:59:00.000-05:002016-12-28T11:02:16.492-05:00September 9th: After lunch, we experience a Broch and a Henge<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4p3vaLFwCmcvtFafQ6CMsggEW89qo4lO6XQ0lL6q_YLPSn_4kXMmTBmuHogJQ3LxEPK4lHi8loFHULhkvBAZfAhnkPRUvUyW3mheCt0tgS2FipUQxFF7RtCm-k50W2hYQv8G-k-kAJpi/s1600/IMG_1819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4p3vaLFwCmcvtFafQ6CMsggEW89qo4lO6XQ0lL6q_YLPSn_4kXMmTBmuHogJQ3LxEPK4lHi8loFHULhkvBAZfAhnkPRUvUyW3mheCt0tgS2FipUQxFF7RtCm-k50W2hYQv8G-k-kAJpi/s640/IMG_1819.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are at least 50 brochs in Orkney and, alas, I can't exactly remember which one this is. My best, and likely correct, guess is the Broch of Gurness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In any event, a broch is a fort. There is some question about who was being defended against. Some said the Romans, but that theory has been debunked by other scholars who say they were built as a result of more localized feuding over scarce land or perhaps just as immense status symbols. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most were built </span><span style="font-size: large;">between 600 BC and 100 AD; t</span><span style="font-size: large;">hey were conical in shape and could be as high as five to 13 metres. Since no masonry was used, just dry stone, their builders had a high degree of engineering skill. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The </span><span style="font-size: large;">Broch of Gurness</span><span style="font-size: large;">, thought to have been erected between 200 BC and 100 BC, was discovered by accident in 1929 by an artist sketching the scenery, when the leg of his stool sank through the turf towards the chamber below. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvaAC8rF6MOyrlV1MfjZ6Hv_xCYdmU07bFseRCK_uzN_M7E9ClST4R03KAJyvv3wrsJPTYJxahrqVxBfGrU0zZKW4LOlvUPLRwDq2NfmetFroD0rCvJwtMqL1D2mNq_dQJwAuVAEdP_55/s1600/IMG_1822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvaAC8rF6MOyrlV1MfjZ6Hv_xCYdmU07bFseRCK_uzN_M7E9ClST4R03KAJyvv3wrsJPTYJxahrqVxBfGrU0zZKW4LOlvUPLRwDq2NfmetFroD0rCvJwtMqL1D2mNq_dQJwAuVAEdP_55/s640/IMG_1822.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are several dry ditches and ramparts around the broch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb9GQVm9fySbEw-Hh-MYJpEyfFd8TR0xuIPNgV4_pZdtX6oCi529MDd9-w1jX1WPo3V7_PKDYCqfiMQI-4p9yhRhoU4V0hJgv1s78qXmd00Tx_o6Vrfg0kFDNAx6sKHE8CY7NN68QbX-V/s1600/IMG_1812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb9GQVm9fySbEw-Hh-MYJpEyfFd8TR0xuIPNgV4_pZdtX6oCi529MDd9-w1jX1WPo3V7_PKDYCqfiMQI-4p9yhRhoU4V0hJgv1s78qXmd00Tx_o6Vrfg0kFDNAx6sKHE8CY7NN68QbX-V/s640/IMG_1812.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Living quarters were built outside the tower and were also enclosed by the ditch:</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q_1c54EPVD72hdqzYeBpqrK2b7LB-ySxrz9R1sV0GyqjOFJjhBAIiOIIsmDpNTTRw3QkogVte1Ux4uSwYMx2Lsz_GvcJfkfePekhQqgKZEP5EXMaasIw_R8vbZCQc4AHU3x4DnuIQEdJ/s1600/IMG_1810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNvpTmwfTm0GkVC7KvdfPhV9jX_5IBSBTlfhuoDxorzYmN80C94WJyOhiZEjZkUiivE7wTuNreR6T-STZCNiqLbjNQSb5QoAOXVLj4CTaZOilpN9xykcSSE8H_eeNHWVa2Q-xqUOLJuNi/s1600/IMG_1811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNvpTmwfTm0GkVC7KvdfPhV9jX_5IBSBTlfhuoDxorzYmN80C94WJyOhiZEjZkUiivE7wTuNreR6T-STZCNiqLbjNQSb5QoAOXVLj4CTaZOilpN9xykcSSE8H_eeNHWVa2Q-xqUOLJuNi/s640/IMG_1811.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Scholars estimate about 40 families lived there.</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7C4QuXukyStMteSdlPQvn3GthURj3nGTJlpgZCi3vsYGJQobHfPdyxTeIYBIyxpek3jvT7w67-1RYfQvH66B3IsixCv4MuXmBdPjltMmstbVeeEcD-rsdeSP65lw4vkii9jVPk-lGOIWF/s1600/IMG_1820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7C4QuXukyStMteSdlPQvn3GthURj3nGTJlpgZCi3vsYGJQobHfPdyxTeIYBIyxpek3jvT7w67-1RYfQvH66B3IsixCv4MuXmBdPjltMmstbVeeEcD-rsdeSP65lw4vkii9jVPk-lGOIWF/s640/IMG_1820.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Upright stones marked the divisions between rooms: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2odQAvgO1cuha3FmqAWriSl1oK6ng_9d7kDBfWD6jbuXF-GLRDyVtl5hEpJ5f3eh4OoH2BiCJXxjutrV0HdKQwXgVjJ_EV1q1EXpgUt7pZDFLhQvyTrSux65ASnZ_ndlumovA4rmIVokH/s1600/IMG_1815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2odQAvgO1cuha3FmqAWriSl1oK6ng_9d7kDBfWD6jbuXF-GLRDyVtl5hEpJ5f3eh4OoH2BiCJXxjutrV0HdKQwXgVjJ_EV1q1EXpgUt7pZDFLhQvyTrSux65ASnZ_ndlumovA4rmIVokH/s640/IMG_1815.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each house contained a hearth, stone furniture, cupboards, and apparently a toilet of sorts - likely not the Thomas Crapper variety, however! </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtXaxGJIz0ZQxvcE5X4SDX9_bVeOWuIQ1UDybvukIpNOrjW1nonbbk4vEBbnnGJTpYOhYig7ivvncLGHfbKl7GSgJpxNezXNtYCTXc2BSgdduNuBTfAbvQE8PHenssv1KNzgRGKi_b0Fm/s1600/c12fae578bedf8589e7f7dc448980b6b+Thomas+Crapper+toilet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtXaxGJIz0ZQxvcE5X4SDX9_bVeOWuIQ1UDybvukIpNOrjW1nonbbk4vEBbnnGJTpYOhYig7ivvncLGHfbKl7GSgJpxNezXNtYCTXc2BSgdduNuBTfAbvQE8PHenssv1KNzgRGKi_b0Fm/s320/c12fae578bedf8589e7f7dc448980b6b+Thomas+Crapper+toilet+2.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">No, not this! (found on Pinterest)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Flat stones were used as flagstones and raised as walls and partitions:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q_1c54EPVD72hdqzYeBpqrK2b7LB-ySxrz9R1sV0GyqjOFJjhBAIiOIIsmDpNTTRw3QkogVte1Ux4uSwYMx2Lsz_GvcJfkfePekhQqgKZEP5EXMaasIw_R8vbZCQc4AHU3x4DnuIQEdJ/s1600/IMG_1810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q_1c54EPVD72hdqzYeBpqrK2b7LB-ySxrz9R1sV0GyqjOFJjhBAIiOIIsmDpNTTRw3QkogVte1Ux4uSwYMx2Lsz_GvcJfkfePekhQqgKZEP5EXMaasIw_R8vbZCQc4AHU3x4DnuIQEdJ/s640/IMG_1810.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNvpTmwfTm0GkVC7KvdfPhV9jX_5IBSBTlfhuoDxorzYmN80C94WJyOhiZEjZkUiivE7wTuNreR6T-STZCNiqLbjNQSb5QoAOXVLj4CTaZOilpN9xykcSSE8H_eeNHWVa2Q-xqUOLJuNi/s1600/IMG_1811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Notice the intriguing white stone in the centre, perhaps used as a grindstone, and the strata of rectangular stones in the wall: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_zeZtePW4xldCczw4uQoMmZnRSghEnzjDstkKSTAU8dS3velx0p57pzxfXH3ebRnQMov46BqSpJXWYHxP7100VcPORBzU4l1BxwR9xVlb2hvpSwTqM4c-xeQVcO6UMDh8eEKV_SpQ31S/s1600/IMG_1817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_zeZtePW4xldCczw4uQoMmZnRSghEnzjDstkKSTAU8dS3velx0p57pzxfXH3ebRnQMov46BqSpJXWYHxP7100VcPORBzU4l1BxwR9xVlb2hvpSwTqM4c-xeQVcO6UMDh8eEKV_SpQ31S/s640/IMG_1817.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A ready supply of flat stones for the partitions lay at the nearby shoreline. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSEkNx3c1YR3hJSnEpeOnyC0DYRWOl-zN6kM4VnZIZsfO3ytmkdI_YeeThPhu_GavMszce13BiCKAULliCgHfECDoR64FVrtm-chppYujrnRCdT7hWN-861iYnc86-eJy-OF1eT74OlE0/s1600/IMG_1814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSEkNx3c1YR3hJSnEpeOnyC0DYRWOl-zN6kM4VnZIZsfO3ytmkdI_YeeThPhu_GavMszce13BiCKAULliCgHfECDoR64FVrtm-chppYujrnRCdT7hWN-861iYnc86-eJy-OF1eT74OlE0/s640/IMG_1814.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, erosion is taking its toll here as at other coastal sites:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-0myH-iSCjiQ9iOlq7zoa24jOE9eI8SYa64tMGKELvNf9sP1f0YR_SiXI1s6GF2MVhA1MzM85Q32ss4388pRP1bm27bzhJPfG2D4fzU1epoQn2ondvoV9d8plBTvMs9hL2A_U412xjSn/s1600/IMG_1813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-0myH-iSCjiQ9iOlq7zoa24jOE9eI8SYa64tMGKELvNf9sP1f0YR_SiXI1s6GF2MVhA1MzM85Q32ss4388pRP1bm27bzhJPfG2D4fzU1epoQn2ondvoV9d8plBTvMs9hL2A_U412xjSn/s640/IMG_1813.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">There appears to have been a rather formal path to the broch:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqRAewrp9CCPvboOuRf0tXICxJzxA27AG95-twCXiIGCaae0mdkKmWK1A8ouQFTSUEc1xHo_ttnvRRdnzqyKDE0n2-m0fKHmvgap6xd3RbitvWw6Fcd7fGKkIf80RimUJuQnUH2cooz69/s1600/IMG_1816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqRAewrp9CCPvboOuRf0tXICxJzxA27AG95-twCXiIGCaae0mdkKmWK1A8ouQFTSUEc1xHo_ttnvRRdnzqyKDE0n2-m0fKHmvgap6xd3RbitvWw6Fcd7fGKkIf80RimUJuQnUH2cooz69/s640/IMG_1816.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwfbR7sKFvlmlkyETd4QPEzJ8wHfVjbmRGsus9azMisyV9UkvszlwKml1f7FUxjj4QSZWo2CYeM_feoeaq58TGpncYXu5xBrPT0zirrxZY6hFjV5pSsddcsAqNvJJHY1FKRKbFyiLLHHM/s1600/IMG_1818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwfbR7sKFvlmlkyETd4QPEzJ8wHfVjbmRGsus9azMisyV9UkvszlwKml1f7FUxjj4QSZWo2CYeM_feoeaq58TGpncYXu5xBrPT0zirrxZY6hFjV5pSsddcsAqNvJJHY1FKRKbFyiLLHHM/s640/IMG_1818.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4p3vaLFwCmcvtFafQ6CMsggEW89qo4lO6XQ0lL6q_YLPSn_4kXMmTBmuHogJQ3LxEPK4lHi8loFHULhkvBAZfAhnkPRUvUyW3mheCt0tgS2FipUQxFF7RtCm-k50W2hYQv8G-k-kAJpi/s1600/IMG_1819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Over the years, the settlement fell into disuse and was likely partially dismantled over time by other inhabitants of the area looking to use the stones. The houses may have been used by the Picts several centuries later about 500 AD, and still later by the Vikings as a burial mound. Artifacts from both those peoples have been discovered there. Then, after gradually being covered in soil, the site lay undisturbed for a thousand years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">My source for much of this information: http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brochs/gurness/index.htm</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Afterwards, we carried on to the Ring of Brodgar, sometimes called a henge, which is a ring of stones enclosed by a ditch (or two or three) and also embankments. Lacking an embankment, it can't strictly speaking be called a henge. It is very close to the Standing Stones of Stenness and many other ancient ritual sites: </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4IyAdCmB6B3UYr0VxCPjNIVn1AsX86yIQhkuL3plkTKfM8P5Y3k4v7x8dX_p0EjCDGtn3JQd21vArb4FgXo8E0erfiJzIO2pWude7HY2aByXcHz3stbq4DiagAuZc5UP_kBs-Mf3QLro/s1600/2016++many+sites+in+Stenness+area.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4IyAdCmB6B3UYr0VxCPjNIVn1AsX86yIQhkuL3plkTKfM8P5Y3k4v7x8dX_p0EjCDGtn3JQd21vArb4FgXo8E0erfiJzIO2pWude7HY2aByXcHz3stbq4DiagAuZc5UP_kBs-Mf3QLro/s640/2016++many+sites+in+Stenness+area.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Source http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/standingstones/stennesscentre.htm</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Radiocarbon dating puts it construction close to 2500-2000 BC, making it one of the last neolithic monuments. The stones have been compared to a band of giants lumbering under heavy weight across the landscape:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWgUUi6QaoRtgsXysoZPpYqfyrH6or7nXigbPJMVFhidig37eacE9iFYH8cR4iSzrdJ0J0on2l-I_KwQpGtqW677_vVV8a6JItDRSDlZ6Q9NSwFwiNVffIc8z16qCbQh6nYx2UBwlm-rU/s1600/Brodgar+under+lowering+skies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWgUUi6QaoRtgsXysoZPpYqfyrH6or7nXigbPJMVFhidig37eacE9iFYH8cR4iSzrdJ0J0on2l-I_KwQpGtqW677_vVV8a6JItDRSDlZ6Q9NSwFwiNVffIc8z16qCbQh6nYx2UBwlm-rU/s640/Brodgar+under+lowering+skies.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Source: http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/index.html</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Our appreciation for its mystery was somewhat hampered by the work underway to conserve the site. The snow fence is not part of the ancient henge:</span></div>
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShI4JjKjUK2sBq65OSj4GszeC7vSgaHU4ThexAarCDImwsrElS02rN73gTR48tCrJ6fjfp0g0dz9-XvARm1G_J9Lnr9mLSmiINP-ACkH5jTcdba5HIHdrdxtoZhhvpp0fCkAIKdbozSIG/s1600/IMG_1800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShI4JjKjUK2sBq65OSj4GszeC7vSgaHU4ThexAarCDImwsrElS02rN73gTR48tCrJ6fjfp0g0dz9-XvARm1G_J9Lnr9mLSmiINP-ACkH5jTcdba5HIHdrdxtoZhhvpp0fCkAIKdbozSIG/s640/IMG_1800.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As the sign notes, we followed the temporary path:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAt5o3SMEs1QtnpmbSz85rVxx-Vr9b_q6an-xtrTmWRZRdiVUck0KMIHqFH1db-GQntlpGJFphVHvG97yLYC7ej23A1a89jGb_hrXFc67Fj2f4KZYzxSYHwV2PjqxFrpcyaRDp_TQkAzy/s1600/IMG_1802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAt5o3SMEs1QtnpmbSz85rVxx-Vr9b_q6an-xtrTmWRZRdiVUck0KMIHqFH1db-GQntlpGJFphVHvG97yLYC7ej23A1a89jGb_hrXFc67Fj2f4KZYzxSYHwV2PjqxFrpcyaRDp_TQkAzy/s640/IMG_1802.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Carrie, our See Orkney tour guide, explained the details of the work going on:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xyGXdeqvVN51p8MI6QCMqJ95cCAyDY3OyCet107Zpc01jgdB2dBbaaxtvnZBaEHjzFpwQI0gbRSp5t_rojH3azGrNRgOe9MlPiAxYLR_ztgyxy9i0KKjHq1kmzHeVTUJIKKAt-Hhr8HC/s1600/IMG_1806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xyGXdeqvVN51p8MI6QCMqJ95cCAyDY3OyCet107Zpc01jgdB2dBbaaxtvnZBaEHjzFpwQI0gbRSp5t_rojH3azGrNRgOe9MlPiAxYLR_ztgyxy9i0KKjHq1kmzHeVTUJIKKAt-Hhr8HC/s640/IMG_1806.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">It was rainy, so we avoided the muddy pathways. Greg is making his way across the turf: </span><br />
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<b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnm-9QmXy89VXkO94vwy2ZtfdGcFo3CsWAaxqvPkEZM4JmfHb8kb2f9fIRjy5frB_NX5VN_32OW9FzNXNPR-c62Yvu_-UYuilT1HBnG8jdeXnLWNt2H0bNDfTEgtEqRqa0LAMvWlzBX4W/s1600/IMG_1805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnm-9QmXy89VXkO94vwy2ZtfdGcFo3CsWAaxqvPkEZM4JmfHb8kb2f9fIRjy5frB_NX5VN_32OW9FzNXNPR-c62Yvu_-UYuilT1HBnG8jdeXnLWNt2H0bNDfTEgtEqRqa0LAMvWlzBX4W/s640/IMG_1805.JPG" width="640" /></a></b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nevertheless, the sheer size of the stones was impressive and since the area around them is thought to have been a marshy fen at the time they were erected, the effort expended to transport and raise them is mind-boggling:</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOLTcVRlX47OMLLpR15GLJTV4USLWFdi_xCAAWYaEKrJQPJkwr4iRKF_rnbA16DfWZXLl_7kLWfRY_hsub-5wBMTSPfpGN9ecBohjhrcp-7OBw_-5_Vh33Ehe8pBE4dG3FEyp8QzVFhda/s1600/IMG_1801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOLTcVRlX47OMLLpR15GLJTV4USLWFdi_xCAAWYaEKrJQPJkwr4iRKF_rnbA16DfWZXLl_7kLWfRY_hsub-5wBMTSPfpGN9ecBohjhrcp-7OBw_-5_Vh33Ehe8pBE4dG3FEyp8QzVFhda/s640/IMG_1801.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wonder if there was heather 3,000 years ago!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PBSBP8u8fiWQ2upXrcslYIehEWdeMSQlRRNPdqVTsxEbJA9K_IQEYB7pY6L3CaRcz9lM9IdTp1xrtqmFubW58x2bbubcFphynecB1ZZjJRaf3ewk0WRQZxpZawlCuaAYe9YykCv54Aag/s1600/IMG_1799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PBSBP8u8fiWQ2upXrcslYIehEWdeMSQlRRNPdqVTsxEbJA9K_IQEYB7pY6L3CaRcz9lM9IdTp1xrtqmFubW58x2bbubcFphynecB1ZZjJRaf3ewk0WRQZxpZawlCuaAYe9YykCv54Aag/s640/IMG_1799.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Unlike the Standing Stones of Stenness, which in 1814 a tenant farmer began to knock over when he got tired of ploughing around them, the stones in this ring seem to have toppled for other reasons:</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_GhhiriM8Dg6DpfaGrdm_7w8KkcZJpXfZ1jj6XQGY9tavrbGG4wAuRG2qpc5jPknLG-o3t4QrncRtaxw38A8obCU_dgRLc5Knq-Fd9HkU5sh7solUOBD7z9TwizCVyO2CMH1IQqwuyKk/s1600/IMG_1803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_GhhiriM8Dg6DpfaGrdm_7w8KkcZJpXfZ1jj6XQGY9tavrbGG4wAuRG2qpc5jPknLG-o3t4QrncRtaxw38A8obCU_dgRLc5Knq-Fd9HkU5sh7solUOBD7z9TwizCVyO2CMH1IQqwuyKk/s640/IMG_1803.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">The sign explains how lightning cracked one of the stones: </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfRVO7ugnz96YQhvahQjheqyp8wXt8VCfGPhnwG7PEqr8cocOPAd3uTfslllH4SXXnLpayP9XpCe1oJHLfym4gTotR032ha5t2rPhy-PYih12llxwl00-KbhtWJ1yHwShB5Q2Yw-cb8c1/s1600/IMG_1804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfRVO7ugnz96YQhvahQjheqyp8wXt8VCfGPhnwG7PEqr8cocOPAd3uTfslllH4SXXnLpayP9XpCe1oJHLfym4gTotR032ha5t2rPhy-PYih12llxwl00-KbhtWJ1yHwShB5Q2Yw-cb8c1/s640/IMG_1804.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Incidentally the insensitive farmer was prevented from destroying any more of the Stenness stones and narrowly escaped having his house burnt down by his angry neighbours.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In 1906, the two henges (and other pre-historic sites) were taken into care by the government, the sites protected and studied and many fallen stones restored to their sockets.</span><br />
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(My source for much of this information: http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/index.html)<br />
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-77792809889211193382016-12-21T16:27:00.002-05:002016-12-21T16:27:28.665-05:00Our tour of Orkney was a highlight of the trip<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Re-reading my travel journal, I found this entry:</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Sept. 9</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>We went on a tour
with Carrie from See Orkney. It was well worth it! We saw all the Neolithic,
Pict, and Viking sites as well as Skalle (sic) House and the Italian Chapel, where a truck spring gave bounce to the baptismal
font.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">We ate lunch at a brewery, which used to be a school – I had
hot pot: beef, potatoes, turnips carrots. Again, not enough flavouring but still good on a cool windy day. I had soup as
well – carrot and coconut. It was good too.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">No dinner: we were still full from lunch – ate biscuits
and had tea in our room and watched <i>Father Brown</i>. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-size: large;">My rather abbreviated journal entry doesn't do justice to the day. It actually began propitiously when at our typical Scottish breakfast, we were joined by a tiny surprise guest. Someone at the table spied movement on the floor, which we all first thought was a mouse. But no, it was a frog. It must have hopped in when Greg and I arrived in the dark the night before in the wind and rain. Clever amphibian preferred the heated floor of the solarium, where we were now eating breakfast, to the outdoor chill.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Someone at the table picked him up and set him outdoors </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">in the little walled garden just outside.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I looked for him over the next couple of days, but I didn't see him again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Carrie, our tour guide from See Or</span><span style="font-size: large;">kney, arrived at the dot of 9:00, and off we went, the only passengers in her van. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Carrie, pronounced as in <i>car</i> (not<i> carry),</i> was a wonderful host: she knew lots of stories about the area and the sites. She also kept us on time so we didn't have to worry about when to be anywhere, especially lunch, which she arranged for us at a pub/brewery.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There were of course sheep everywhere:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4gVbh3A8VLwyIcdGFY08UQuj5hel8Lsfn5KpE_sM3BAzLfVN2gUS1kswzKfgIKj1Kl_-ZDnC4_2fDpVLbZXNxZNxf9A2oRa_p6D9j_FoeEJ7HrFZCg9q448PQrZ0vha69M34hZwSL27T/s1600/IMG_1756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4gVbh3A8VLwyIcdGFY08UQuj5hel8Lsfn5KpE_sM3BAzLfVN2gUS1kswzKfgIKj1Kl_-ZDnC4_2fDpVLbZXNxZNxf9A2oRa_p6D9j_FoeEJ7HrFZCg9q448PQrZ0vha69M34hZwSL27T/s640/IMG_1756.JPG" width="640" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Here are some standing stones with sheep:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zofJ40d7DoMXlda0QXxGn2-7lldsoPDgcru3UVxoeDDD0uT0DMaSDcn7a526YhJ1XIIIahRE8MB0ZFDMhoP1P-6ICzuLQj4FBF5l4UEUgnBe_iPeyVamUxOBowxd9OQcHOW2BbGsGNFT/s1600/IMG_1757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zofJ40d7DoMXlda0QXxGn2-7lldsoPDgcru3UVxoeDDD0uT0DMaSDcn7a526YhJ1XIIIahRE8MB0ZFDMhoP1P-6ICzuLQj4FBF5l4UEUgnBe_iPeyVamUxOBowxd9OQcHOW2BbGsGNFT/s640/IMG_1757.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eW9_UKiNnfgqYBz8-dlGgXcueA_03_V0aPekSq8hH9WiAATOFNX3ARFKulUubwFLEphQnI6oDfBlTl8hHIOxuRa6asYVPEG3yAGhdIpJKwTLESPB_itC9DXgSQSLx4v7MItyvywXpO9i/s1600/IMG_1758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eW9_UKiNnfgqYBz8-dlGgXcueA_03_V0aPekSq8hH9WiAATOFNX3ARFKulUubwFLEphQnI6oDfBlTl8hHIOxuRa6asYVPEG3yAGhdIpJKwTLESPB_itC9DXgSQSLx4v7MItyvywXpO9i/s640/IMG_1758.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and no sheep:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wn1e6o4Yp16krITo7IN_hkMjU6NzxuPKzYYT-vbN5r15uvZglKzSjioj14tSouD6ZJ3wOLayTxJ4jLmaI1_1rjQ-VwEMcxIljln_-YAqtRT1jPugByusNhbFlho0wxaUH1Iqiz3HYD82/s1600/IMG_1759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wn1e6o4Yp16krITo7IN_hkMjU6NzxuPKzYYT-vbN5r15uvZglKzSjioj14tSouD6ZJ3wOLayTxJ4jLmaI1_1rjQ-VwEMcxIljln_-YAqtRT1jPugByusNhbFlho0wxaUH1Iqiz3HYD82/s640/IMG_1759.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">and a shy sheep (just one):</span><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEird5yJReXt2eKxoq1O-sNeP5kLfqb46MJbJeffcigRdoYrpGijD06v1otiSQdPfRb4ktfcaKnHG2ek_16QAODvjo6xOIYXZrxW4pUbN3P9myfiFlEwRXnQTeHkmwBsqCQ6XR0ISOsqs/s1600/IMG_1760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEird5yJReXt2eKxoq1O-sNeP5kLfqb46MJbJeffcigRdoYrpGijD06v1otiSQdPfRb4ktfcaKnHG2ek_16QAODvjo6xOIYXZrxW4pUbN3P9myfiFlEwRXnQTeHkmwBsqCQ6XR0ISOsqs/s640/IMG_1760.JPG" width="356" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carie said that the standing stones were so prolific in years gone by that farmers used them as flagstones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our next stop was <b>Skara Brae</b>, a neolithic settlement inhabited between 3200 and 2200 BC. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Eight prehistoric houses, connected by low passageways, have survived.</span><span style="font-size: large;">The village was revealed by a massive winter storm in 1850, which not only gouged out the land around the village, but killed about 200 of the local people.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1HEWqstmy7Yh_6tKhRNNKBnEyEo9pPtS7WAPJCs6QelCh-FjgvjtAvuUReRMQ6DIinsLsD6WWKIiDcHuBj9EYLOwD5F39ciktLvsnyL93rR932jIKzgLe6SU_iqJJwPLmhEkpA_31-HD/s1600/IMG_1765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1HEWqstmy7Yh_6tKhRNNKBnEyEo9pPtS7WAPJCs6QelCh-FjgvjtAvuUReRMQ6DIinsLsD6WWKIiDcHuBj9EYLOwD5F39ciktLvsnyL93rR932jIKzgLe6SU_iqJJwPLmhEkpA_31-HD/s640/IMG_1765.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMwkUstWenJ5SVeFlGpo794MyHFeyWhuikgtg5mpCpcYrgGE761MlSoAhcl5aXIrXkUodr7i8lR-WfQoeZUHrLzU39pGd9cfhvzTDNMQ82_kl2ZjFUGVaU0yC9O0YiEdab8uhu-FN3eT-/s1600/IMG_1772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMwkUstWenJ5SVeFlGpo794MyHFeyWhuikgtg5mpCpcYrgGE761MlSoAhcl5aXIrXkUodr7i8lR-WfQoeZUHrLzU39pGd9cfhvzTDNMQ82_kl2ZjFUGVaU0yC9O0YiEdab8uhu-FN3eT-/s640/IMG_1772.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the older part of the settlement, which probably never held more that 150 residents, the sleeping areas are little rooms off the main area:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzbrvSl6qNM1YyQAAzpEwAcBACe9bYfoPZpJ-xtW5cBd78H6btWEB17I7ichn8E4TA4DGBp8R54qkl-xyN5MIn5waU4BPVbB0nnc2NKf0pNI08sYYS_WT_dR2GDgUge_JC1v9po8KCdt1/s1600/IMG_1766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzbrvSl6qNM1YyQAAzpEwAcBACe9bYfoPZpJ-xtW5cBd78H6btWEB17I7ichn8E4TA4DGBp8R54qkl-xyN5MIn5waU4BPVbB0nnc2NKf0pNI08sYYS_WT_dR2GDgUge_JC1v9po8KCdt1/s640/IMG_1766.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is a passageway:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJ3HABgKXN-_ZsG3mZEOoOBjQD1qkkOAe5gzsPo7Qry6H2R3uRxDvarLkAhZrgPumSiHZtTwjDag2JNfNwMipUjhdVD4GKff2nTSEb3KP8In88WQ20bT8eqeMMM5gz6RlDQdOTD_t_28V/s1600/IMG_1767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJ3HABgKXN-_ZsG3mZEOoOBjQD1qkkOAe5gzsPo7Qry6H2R3uRxDvarLkAhZrgPumSiHZtTwjDag2JNfNwMipUjhdVD4GKff2nTSEb3KP8In88WQ20bT8eqeMMM5gz6RlDQdOTD_t_28V/s640/IMG_1767.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The view across Skaill Bay is rather unadorned:</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSVbhNZGTLdS9ST_gTCZ2zIdFUBxy0tUoUnJUcFn5ru6HvsoRFz3osGA4FBe7ddnBGtcdcBLzlZiyTQUe71-6RcKA6j5tsD9TNVAm91enzJQCCreeXjCCFl6wi5Oce6YIoS7Wk6SnlFnM/s1600/IMG_1771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSVbhNZGTLdS9ST_gTCZ2zIdFUBxy0tUoUnJUcFn5ru6HvsoRFz3osGA4FBe7ddnBGtcdcBLzlZiyTQUe71-6RcKA6j5tsD9TNVAm91enzJQCCreeXjCCFl6wi5Oce6YIoS7Wk6SnlFnM/s640/IMG_1771.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Apparently this structure was a workshop , as described in the photo below this shot:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrquECHR8i37EM8VfC4bT94h7b9runExGHAgdGv1uAzI0jnKMFLe9UfTk7Kr89CcGjQh9yKpAQkN-X24PK87BG4_pjT8xlAznolmKpuDHcK6VcGEzqrCqeZEZ8zvBuIHM2spQH7cFPZvX/s1600/IMG_1773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrquECHR8i37EM8VfC4bT94h7b9runExGHAgdGv1uAzI0jnKMFLe9UfTk7Kr89CcGjQh9yKpAQkN-X24PK87BG4_pjT8xlAznolmKpuDHcK6VcGEzqrCqeZEZ8zvBuIHM2spQH7cFPZvX/s640/IMG_1773.JPG" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVFXDGlJJ5Q5YBW754Vm3cPRlKC_k436P_FdrOXey3RUjVKp1FGzRicXCmnJacRZAYcCiYPS-d7K9R7R-TuXsQ5EMTnthyxp5gCytHdkiPZR4UGMSJ9UZ2B_PqM5qqnBfA7FLtTMCBV1j/s1600/IMG_1774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVFXDGlJJ5Q5YBW754Vm3cPRlKC_k436P_FdrOXey3RUjVKp1FGzRicXCmnJacRZAYcCiYPS-d7K9R7R-TuXsQ5EMTnthyxp5gCytHdkiPZR4UGMSJ9UZ2B_PqM5qqnBfA7FLtTMCBV1j/s640/IMG_1774.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We were there on a rainy windy day. Glad I don't live in neolithic times, deerskins notwithstanding:</span><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYMb258JCnDAvYHvCy1lUVhgoIXbpKhPw0t710b2B43atdZ9rpLCx9SjuUI9TC6ewaxf7RCT8VLMpFSjMw8n-6ECmxvfQwkx8bWDw2okUFJJFPAZqLIsUgqbxCHROJhEu3veltXfHQ_i_/s1600/IMG_1775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYMb258JCnDAvYHvCy1lUVhgoIXbpKhPw0t710b2B43atdZ9rpLCx9SjuUI9TC6ewaxf7RCT8VLMpFSjMw8n-6ECmxvfQwkx8bWDw2okUFJJFPAZqLIsUgqbxCHROJhEu3veltXfHQ_i_/s640/IMG_1775.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The later houses changed slightly and "became more rectangular with rounded internal corners. Also the beds were no longer built into the wall but protruded into the main living area."("http://</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">www.orkneyjar.com/history/skarabrae/skarab1.htm)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The doorway seems a bit low; notice the rounded corners:</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdwpfkKnruVIbdVHZjLlAkN9vuJbyKKWkL5mknRCNBDZAmBG3vx2iXwva5YhPlFJzKpD88IjfVRm7kLiYpz2-OBOSnJoQ96POYte7_wGiaOZs50n_jhNwSHlXTNKX1iq__A71m2SAP_mf/s1600/IMG_1778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdwpfkKnruVIbdVHZjLlAkN9vuJbyKKWkL5mknRCNBDZAmBG3vx2iXwva5YhPlFJzKpD88IjfVRm7kLiYpz2-OBOSnJoQ96POYte7_wGiaOZs50n_jhNwSHlXTNKX1iq__A71m2SAP_mf/s640/IMG_1778.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is the shoreline around Skaill Bay, probably not too much changed over the years, although erosion from storms is taking a greater toll now. </span><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocE-ARtPEWJ-rvtDKpTUitjlUu6DUVxZR-TP4u19OTBtG5LWpCuho-x7mQ4xeEhtCnQ-bxhfqvhAFZBN05trZrbg1Y66hABnAJqF3ln03-DCS4UdHcZjPnjhLwdDPWvmS1gxl3nyH3QdL/s1600/IMG_1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocE-ARtPEWJ-rvtDKpTUitjlUu6DUVxZR-TP4u19OTBtG5LWpCuho-x7mQ4xeEhtCnQ-bxhfqvhAFZBN05trZrbg1Y66hABnAJqF3ln03-DCS4UdHcZjPnjhLwdDPWvmS1gxl3nyH3QdL/s640/IMG_1779.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After seeing Skara Brae, we warmed up a bit touring <b>Skaill House</b>, which Visit Scotland calls the "finest 17th Century mansion in Orkney." It was built in 1620 by Bishop George Graham, who was given the land after the execution of the previous land-owner, Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney, for treason in 1615. I mention this only because the 2nd Earl us a very distant relative of mine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I (very quickly) realized that the Stewarts are still strongly disliked, I kept my pride at being related to this earl under heavy wraps. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The southern wing of the house stands on a pre-Norse, likely Pictish, burial ground.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #161616; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This link provides a fun account of the lives of Bishop Graham (who was removed from office for being soft on witchcraft and incest) and the various lairds who succeeded him:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #161616; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://skaillhouse.co.uk/the-house/the-lairds-of-skaill/ </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLWEK7tY28V1sFu1HZjzTP7-gftuaoXrjb1JkYmpJ_mnwBy1v80X25QvqfaWZn38SWostbkWqLsWp8X6e1HEiBiGvun6xD2JBjzDCTQVdjlUvrlIrO8x7zKGwLhfaapeUPgry_fPcw0L6/s1600/IMG_1764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLWEK7tY28V1sFu1HZjzTP7-gftuaoXrjb1JkYmpJ_mnwBy1v80X25QvqfaWZn38SWostbkWqLsWp8X6e1HEiBiGvun6xD2JBjzDCTQVdjlUvrlIrO8x7zKGwLhfaapeUPgry_fPcw0L6/s640/IMG_1764.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is the sunken garden at Skara Brae. The weather in the Orkneys is relatively moderate since, thanks to the Gulf Stream, it is on the same latitude (ca. 58 degrees) as the southern tip of Greenland. Often the flowers we saw were similar to those which flourish in PEI.</span><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfk5CL3HBUtCL3NXIzCym_cN7A7cWRGdroPo9F9wm7drgFBhCUmTRbsMNJb7IUzgDDtCIOz9Q6HBagxkKOyHONAloi-Hz1UINcljHCGx_sJBOf7qyVYss1qi3cE2CTx-umz29TZDELohO/s1600/IMG_1781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfk5CL3HBUtCL3NXIzCym_cN7A7cWRGdroPo9F9wm7drgFBhCUmTRbsMNJb7IUzgDDtCIOz9Q6HBagxkKOyHONAloi-Hz1UINcljHCGx_sJBOf7qyVYss1qi3cE2CTx-umz29TZDELohO/s640/IMG_1781.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Skaill House was eventually home to the man who unearthed Skara Brae in 1850, William Graham Watt. According to information in the link below, he entertained Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Sir John Franklin after the explorer left Stromness on his ill-fated voyage to find the Northwest passage (a Canadian connection in that Franklin's ships, the Erebus and the Terror were found in 2014 and 2016 respectively). http://skaillhouse.co.uk/the-house/the-lairds-of-skaill/</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I must confess I don't recall whom the portrait below memorializes. It might be Lord Watt. Captain James Cook's dinnerware is displayed at Skaill Hose, but the captain probably didn't linger long enough to have his portrait taken. </span><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QH81b06VS3zVynBfyPQCxJpI7p5qHIFkbw71fc7ASpBPDcy7mXDq58m8JnmfioyxXNAgPmIkG001nsX24vraEA_fVJo48nghhRmvChwkgOR1gVe2zPlTXqeeVRsvpnjnifvDCQNludZG/s1600/IMG_1782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QH81b06VS3zVynBfyPQCxJpI7p5qHIFkbw71fc7ASpBPDcy7mXDq58m8JnmfioyxXNAgPmIkG001nsX24vraEA_fVJo48nghhRmvChwkgOR1gVe2zPlTXqeeVRsvpnjnifvDCQNludZG/s640/IMG_1782.JPG" width="604" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our next stop was <b>Maeshowe</b>, a 5,000 year old burial place, through the passageway of which the sun shines at the winter solstice. I hope, since it is December 21st today, that it is not overcast in Orkney. The entrance is at the white patch to the left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-axcoghWHucPcTZXXCwKL0O5az1_GEC04xwT-CZJQk4442e_Fdcmnr2ZgSX02ChDTTkwbiy45n8mRthIGk8Wh7vQoGRXl3Y601EmRV2DSKwAiJQdvEMsGsn9d_GAE0AFPj79q88I4IUA-/s1600/IMG_1785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-axcoghWHucPcTZXXCwKL0O5az1_GEC04xwT-CZJQk4442e_Fdcmnr2ZgSX02ChDTTkwbiy45n8mRthIGk8Wh7vQoGRXl3Y601EmRV2DSKwAiJQdvEMsGsn9d_GAE0AFPj79q88I4IUA-/s640/IMG_1785.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: center;">Archeologists call it a "superlative monument."</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9KrYCQng_zcb4776MjwpuCJX9InMExPjxhx5PU0AlEnu2IlaIrYv4siCeUEiKCKlFUqXOu57Udun1-GLEeuVUKJbTvQ6ZrkV-AykQHk1gPU9pfi5srwOH0KOZwFlcXzFN0Swf5fZXreZ/s1600/IMG_1797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9KrYCQng_zcb4776MjwpuCJX9InMExPjxhx5PU0AlEnu2IlaIrYv4siCeUEiKCKlFUqXOu57Udun1-GLEeuVUKJbTvQ6ZrkV-AykQHk1gPU9pfi5srwOH0KOZwFlcXzFN0Swf5fZXreZ/s640/IMG_1797.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is the walkway to the mound. Carrie told us that the powers- that-be are thinking of closing Maeshowe to the public because people have to cross a busy road to get to it and they are afraid of accidents. There must be better ways to solve that problem than closing the monument.</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUTVG1adPcnGh2c83BfN0kMhy5S2PA9ty11S_SrKZoMGCRYgA_rwd3pYAE4H1f0K_OjzQzGi7x4GsM4drmHj1No2zgpzu3lUkMNAvhB1Ib1F0oyd9R1zY5HaghF6vD9Dvgv3WyD5wdY6s/s1600/IMG_1788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUTVG1adPcnGh2c83BfN0kMhy5S2PA9ty11S_SrKZoMGCRYgA_rwd3pYAE4H1f0K_OjzQzGi7x4GsM4drmHj1No2zgpzu3lUkMNAvhB1Ib1F0oyd9R1zY5HaghF6vD9Dvgv3WyD5wdY6s/s640/IMG_1788.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The passageway </span><span style="font-size: large;">into the mound</span><span style="font-size: large;">, lined up to greet the wintry sun, is 36 feet long.You have to walk doubled over and by the end, you feel very glad to be through it.</span></div>
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<b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtg6rPw5YNIhTWIaD0XQkcFRA1UpBkHKpbf5pmG20MJgXFRdgw_iHNE3aCXkxbwg6iGIUkN3EbWUyn-ozykoUc0c2vSIC5nuLJj7ReomWgF4WvFKGtk3QZENT72c71mNeFMfepVAzImqr/s1600/IMG_1789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtg6rPw5YNIhTWIaD0XQkcFRA1UpBkHKpbf5pmG20MJgXFRdgw_iHNE3aCXkxbwg6iGIUkN3EbWUyn-ozykoUc0c2vSIC5nuLJj7ReomWgF4WvFKGtk3QZENT72c71mNeFMfepVAzImqr/s640/IMG_1789.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In about 1100-200 AD, Vikings found their way into the tomb, likely to pillage it, and left rune carvings on its walls. They called it the Mound of the Orks "Orkahaugr." (Graffiti were popular even then but are now considered to be very fine examples of runic writing.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">http://www.visitorkney.com/things/history/maeshowe</span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aGI7nXy53pX8FxGxi-uGMtZh6U4WB2grrEAaZ2LNFsK77L7P39bZA1XQnStyiGUfqyu2bOEUvpz5oEyEQeow9k8DRP1nTkjx8IdS2VZd-ZFoekKTWfGr2Jq8jG1_Ifb9uhAnbFJ38Pal/s1600/IMG_1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aGI7nXy53pX8FxGxi-uGMtZh6U4WB2grrEAaZ2LNFsK77L7P39bZA1XQnStyiGUfqyu2bOEUvpz5oEyEQeow9k8DRP1nTkjx8IdS2VZd-ZFoekKTWfGr2Jq8jG1_Ifb9uhAnbFJ38Pal/s640/IMG_1793.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Vikings weren't shy about boasting:</span><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8trEbDrpv4aUQcYvrQAwBpt7VpFyRqmzCHd6tjRDzCzTAQWpoVcbAu5K7JVE87Olui0oDd7Qs19zOyXA15X6SDL4VPHtjpPoUALA3ZYMNPzObsOmKpL4T5xirujpq5vCuM41BhBBgfNzo/s1600/IMG_1794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8trEbDrpv4aUQcYvrQAwBpt7VpFyRqmzCHd6tjRDzCzTAQWpoVcbAu5K7JVE87Olui0oDd7Qs19zOyXA15X6SDL4VPHtjpPoUALA3ZYMNPzObsOmKpL4T5xirujpq5vCuM41BhBBgfNzo/s640/IMG_1794.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This graphic give a good idea of the elements of the mound:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iybYrRu0Jq-YgwPVE4nhi8a4Sl2cQGfRUQh31Aibfch5QnWtec0hfb_Xhza4TNxm4qwCkawRGvH4ZVTSHDnD_WlQ88wJQKgeoW2NInIvk1-e1gSjh5FmhHHm-PGgsh_hz7rIPrD8YS_B/s1600/IMG_1784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iybYrRu0Jq-YgwPVE4nhi8a4Sl2cQGfRUQh31Aibfch5QnWtec0hfb_Xhza4TNxm4qwCkawRGvH4ZVTSHDnD_WlQ88wJQKgeoW2NInIvk1-e1gSjh5FmhHHm-PGgsh_hz7rIPrD8YS_B/s640/IMG_1784.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></b></div>
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***</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At about then, it was time for lunch. Now it is time for my 4:00 pre-suppertime break. I shall continue the story in my next blog.</span><br />
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<b><o:p></o:p></b>Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-48215325341423618112016-11-20T14:03:00.001-05:002016-11-20T14:11:23.691-05:00 In which we make our way to the Orkney Islands<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Taking the bus to Inverness is faster than the train<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">When planning the trip, I was puzzled that it
would take seven hours to get from Fort William to Inverness by train. But, as a
glance at the map made clear, we would be going back south to Glasgow only to
come back up north: but this time on the west side of Scotland, not the east side.
Taking the local bus would take only a couple of hours, so I arranged for that.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTB2CklxmQhqap8mHWNwG8rvUxbhvPAzqVEWGHOzPDUjoPmtZhEkFHrsxRmfEF4II5__Nsqrx0iALEqB-nkVcaJn5XBGh3MKLvcfr5FavPL9bNCaZ4XlGikFwAizJMtH5fmYI3kC_OjGnE/s1600/IMG_1754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTB2CklxmQhqap8mHWNwG8rvUxbhvPAzqVEWGHOzPDUjoPmtZhEkFHrsxRmfEF4II5__Nsqrx0iALEqB-nkVcaJn5XBGh3MKLvcfr5FavPL9bNCaZ4XlGikFwAizJMtH5fmYI3kC_OjGnE/s640/IMG_1754.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leaving Fort William on the bus </span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In the early
morning at the bus station in Fort William,
which was really just a series of bus stops with benches, we were all alone
except for two other travellers. One was a man on whose hat were the words<i> Prince Edward Island</i>. Turned out he and his wife were United Church ministers, who
had been living in Vernon River but were
living now near Ottawa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Except for
the scary narrow road, whizzing traffic, and daredevil touring bicyclists, it was a pleasant journey.
Prettier actually than the much vaunted trip to Fort William, but admittedly, the day was clearer. The sheep looked like rice kernels thrown on the hillsides. Middle-school children rode the bus to their school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">At some
point in the morning, we ate our breakfast sandwiches packed by the proprietor
of the Bed and Breakfast back in Fort William. We had to leave before breakfast,
so she made us a nice little packet of comestibles instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>We wait for the train in Inverness</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The train station
at Inverness was a five-minute walk from the bus depot through a parking lot
and past a lot of chain link fencing . We
followed the people ahead of us who assured us this was the way. Once we got to the station, I was put off by
the fact it cost 20 pence to use the washroom: or as I cleverly noted, 20 P to pee.
But it seemed , as I observed
people’s comings and goings, you could activate
the turn stile without actually paying. That seemed to me far more reasonable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While we
waited the 90 minutes for the train to Thurso, we took turns going outdoors to glimpse downtown Inverness: many stone buildings, very ornate hotel next door with a wrought iron staircase, as I recall.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Helpful cab driver makes a lot of
sense<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Once on
board the train, we shared our table with our new-found friends from Canada . They were heading further into Caithness than we
were, so we bade them good-bye at Thurso and alighted onto the platform into a downpour of rain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I had arranged, in a series of emails with a local cab company, to
have a taxi waiting for us for the short trip to the ferry terminal at Scrabster.
</span><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt;">Richard of Ormlie Taxis had also advised us that a cab ride to Castle Mey could be rather
expensive. That helped with our travel plans. He also warned us of an impending rail strike but said not to worry, as there would be alternate transportation, and
his driver would find us at the station.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And indeed he did, looking rather wet and a bit anxious,
as we were last passengers off the train. He spoke strongly against going directly
to Scrabster, as the ferry terminal there was not yet open, and we would be
sitting for several hours, with only an overhang for protection, in the pouring
rain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Instead, he recommended visiting the local museum “where
there is a café.” He would return at 5:30 pm to pick us up. This seemed a bit daring, but we said yes. The
museum was excellent, and we absorbed a lot of local history and listened to stories
recorded from elderly members of the community in a local dialect almost
unintelligible to us (something about a desperate couple eloping). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we had a tasty snack and tea in the café. I had a
rather odd chicken curry, as it turned out to be a chunky chicken sandwich
flavoured with curry, not curry on rice as I was expecting. We also enjoyed a
carrot parsnip soup, which, like the goulash soup Greg had had in Glasgow,
could have used more seasoning. Nevertheless … comfort food for a wet afternoon,
friendly staff, and a cheery space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We were early leaving the museum, but it had stopped raining, so we
found a bench outdoors and sat with our
luggage, wondering if we had made a big mistake in thinking the taxi would
return. I did a bit of window shopping. A pedestrian mall had been constructed
in the environs of the museum, so we didn’t have to look out for darting cars. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Just as we were becoming a bit antsy, lo and behold, the little cab returned, scooped
us up, and took us to Scrabster just as planned. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I highly recommend </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ormlie Taxis.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Arriving at the Orkneys<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Excellent crossing I remember very little about. It was dark when we
arrived at Stromness, one of the two towns on the Mainland, the largest of the
70 Orkney Islands, hence the rather misleading name (for an island).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The woman at the ferry counter called us a cab . A man from the local tourist
bureau on his way “back to Scotland” recommended our choice of a Bed and
Breakfast and said to say hello from him to Joy, the proprietress. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">My journal
notes:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have a nice
room with our own bathroom next door off the hall. We watched A <i>Midsomer Murders</i> repeat … to bed at
11:30… awake at 4:00 am (grrr). Read an architecture magazine for a while; back
to sleep about 6:00; alarm [placed in the in the armoire this time] went off at 7:15. </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-4087096289441718692016-11-04T20:25:00.000-04:002016-11-04T20:25:34.140-04:00Day 3: In which I channel Eeyore<br />
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Spent most of the day on the train through Highlands to Fort William</span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">I had read a newspaper article extolling the wonderful scenery on this train route, the West Highland Line, running from Glasgow to Mallaig and over the bridge made famous in the Harry Potter movies. It was somewhat foggy, so the views were a bit less than we had hoped for, and we foolishly got off the train before the famed bridge. My travel journal summed it up: </span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Bare hills, waterfalls, sheep, moor,
cute train stations<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWHotTo9E5i0lxF0wEH_D6-WUWWrakauUwkszdkMAP01-lvr5N3WaUU9u63Kt03FIqRz8k6w6AZftDjI0aMxrQy07twA1fEOE_tbnA2ocBWSUiKGMP-wVA-8O5x2o5uq70eqN1tw3gUDy/s1600/IMG_1722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWHotTo9E5i0lxF0wEH_D6-WUWWrakauUwkszdkMAP01-lvr5N3WaUU9u63Kt03FIqRz8k6w6AZftDjI0aMxrQy07twA1fEOE_tbnA2ocBWSUiKGMP-wVA-8O5x2o5uq70eqN1tw3gUDy/s640/IMG_1722.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is one of the train stations in Glasgow, shot from inside our car.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Greg always sees the advantage of a nap (this one was through the suburbs of Glasgow).</span><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MAPLzq-mDTVGPX8IaAAlt47nKqnb5z776EEeJEO6deEI11M5wo9zpSoVTBD_RiduJQAWgDOwE1GLUM4a-555c97nLMC8wElQz2juc1lKOfAfQhUoMssuKYq4EWgKIP5APPoIb2SWbLSF/s1600/IMG_1729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MAPLzq-mDTVGPX8IaAAlt47nKqnb5z776EEeJEO6deEI11M5wo9zpSoVTBD_RiduJQAWgDOwE1GLUM4a-555c97nLMC8wElQz2juc1lKOfAfQhUoMssuKYq4EWgKIP5APPoIb2SWbLSF/s640/IMG_1729.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The weather closed in along the way north.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxZ97NL8dg_Acs4IEQLh-8v80E0wpN3Qui0I0bwYt9mf6u8aWTo142UKPu1pdw2kODLoWVierSlh1MY8Q41x5dCOHz_auImCZK1HokzfI-9FjuEVcY7_mV4tjCacBjkvdqxn9ydfMqN5z/s1600/IMG_1734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxZ97NL8dg_Acs4IEQLh-8v80E0wpN3Qui0I0bwYt9mf6u8aWTo142UKPu1pdw2kODLoWVierSlh1MY8Q41x5dCOHz_auImCZK1HokzfI-9FjuEVcY7_mV4tjCacBjkvdqxn9ydfMqN5z/s640/IMG_1734.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am sure there are sheep on this picture; I just can't see them.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD0UaGOEzp6yUTlb8lbiP3wcECe0qyylUpGZqTQfPRG3JJ7LovkhQQAxc9kn0Ge4u8uoLUpEjXx5zO6F_rzXER0LU_yA2wpLAfe1c0GnjrSV59r90KMvjFatR1kP4IC6zlE99SysoTOeS/s1600/IMG_1735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD0UaGOEzp6yUTlb8lbiP3wcECe0qyylUpGZqTQfPRG3JJ7LovkhQQAxc9kn0Ge4u8uoLUpEjXx5zO6F_rzXER0LU_yA2wpLAfe1c0GnjrSV59r90KMvjFatR1kP4IC6zlE99SysoTOeS/s640/IMG_1735.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Every now and then, there was a house.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rather forbidding land</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">More moor-like terrain reminded me of Wuthering Heights..</span><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hikers walk along a path through the moor.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The train stations are so handy and they have cafes or bars.</span></td></tr>
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I must escape from my Eeyore complex for a moment to say I really enjoyed the ScotRail trains. They were clean, the staff helpful, the snacks tasty ("but get your sandwich now as I may not have any when I come back"), and I loved the table between the seats.<br />
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Fort William? We should have continued
to Mallaig. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">There was
not much for the jet-lagged to do in downtown Fort William. Only after the
worst lunch we had all trip (some sort of barley soup and something called
tongs, which turned out to be large tasteless white-bread buns), did we found the
tunnel under the railway tracks to the main part of town, where there were better restaurants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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We sat on a park bench, and hoped it wouldn’t
rain. It didn’t. Took turns visiting two churches bordering the green (the bench-sitter guarded the luggage, which we were too tired to haul around). We window shopped: so many thrift stores for so many charities.</div>
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Our meandering got us to the other end of the pedestrian promenade where a sign
said "taxi stand." We waited patiently, but alas no taxi came. Finally, we retraced our steps and bought some stuff at a Tesco store to eat at our bed and breakfast, which was too far out
of town to walk to. All along the way, we passed places I could have chosen to stay at.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Got one of
the last cabs running that day, apparently. They seem to quit about 5:00. The driver of the first
one we hailed had just gone off-duty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Interesting conversation
about whiskey with the cab driver who was still available and who opined that Famous Grouse, a whiskey Greg likes, was only one step
above rot gut. That cheered Greg enormously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Plunked ourselves in our very tiny, very green room. The bathroom
was across the hall on the other side of the stair well with another in what was to be a long series
of perplexing faucet arrangements.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfa4uK6E1Ryf6WxT9rTJGJDu1tZ5-dEfLXYTvSuye4cqRaqVTWIpfKDXhqRd80FX02c7TNtJK4YzwBsq851NvNcGA-8cTZhzipAY_jfUATM3FLQETes8D3br2Fdz9S0jJ6pOFiQAlujOh/s1600/IMG_1753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfa4uK6E1Ryf6WxT9rTJGJDu1tZ5-dEfLXYTvSuye4cqRaqVTWIpfKDXhqRd80FX02c7TNtJK4YzwBsq851NvNcGA-8cTZhzipAY_jfUATM3FLQETes8D3br2Fdz9S0jJ6pOFiQAlujOh/s640/IMG_1753.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One never knew what temperature the water would be: frigid or scalding.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Notice the electric
wiring running into the water heating compartment. Yes, I pushed that red button and turned it on. At least
if I were electrocuted, I would never have to eat another tong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">We went out
for a walk in a undecided drizzle and discovered a restaurant just down from
the B and B. We were not that hungry. On top of that, my intestinal complaint
began to make itself known again. Very bad cramps: so back we went to our little lime hidey-hole and the comfort of modern conveniences. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">I had a shower to save time in the morning, and we watched a <i>Father Brown</i> re-run on one of the
tiniest TVs I have ever seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">However, one of the remarkable
things about this B and B was my finding a recent murder mystery by Canadian Louise Penney, <i>The Long Way Home. </i>Rather well-named considering the circumstances... it was sandwiched between a few Nora Roberts and a John Grisham or two in a book shelf in
the hall outside the bathroom. I enjoyed
a couple of chapters before bed at 9:30.
I had to put the alarm clock in the closet so the ticking wouldn’t keep us
awake. However, I was awake at 4:00 and up
at 6:00.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Which just goes
to show that not every day can be full of fun and adventure. Some days you are
just thankful you made it to the washroom in time. (Thank you, Eeyore)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-47849123636373178932016-11-02T17:47:00.002-04:002016-11-02T17:47:23.317-04:00Day 2 wraps up with painting by Dali and restaurant dallying <div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Orange juice at
Kelvingrove coffee shop… then museum tour…amazing building… just missed the
organ concert …<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We ended our day in Glasgow by going to the Kelvingrove
Museum and Art Gallery, an edifice in the Spanish baroque style completed in 1901. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwJlohcqltjPUYBbT-FnHDNJB5-omxuEpv3tQg4IimpqYbUSPkJwfaerg5QAcW4QsP-18vIoWy6ligSe6gBbFfHWLoN8VBaU51csizmu0AwYA3RNODWSgP9d6BLEnRhAwJXQzXKklC5kM/s1600/IMG_1711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwJlohcqltjPUYBbT-FnHDNJB5-omxuEpv3tQg4IimpqYbUSPkJwfaerg5QAcW4QsP-18vIoWy6ligSe6gBbFfHWLoN8VBaU51csizmu0AwYA3RNODWSgP9d6BLEnRhAwJXQzXKklC5kM/s640/IMG_1711.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is Greg photobombing the museum.<br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvPkkox-IflPl26RI42T58q5lK5FGiHzlgGn7IYmgb_DSOvMHr8pfNbBHojkGhn41MM71pZy2hxJlHL4_4J5XMMmZDYPrLp-DXGGgYBdJBtkGXq-5X-IQRCRTqcfcfJtWXlkoG-cm2Xn0/s1600/IMG_1713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvPkkox-IflPl26RI42T58q5lK5FGiHzlgGn7IYmgb_DSOvMHr8pfNbBHojkGhn41MM71pZy2hxJlHL4_4J5XMMmZDYPrLp-DXGGgYBdJBtkGXq-5X-IQRCRTqcfcfJtWXlkoG-cm2Xn0/s640/IMG_1713.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A small museum visitor crawls up the entrance steps.<br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwM3ZceFXcQk8giZkIor9guyY_ql0pWvjLFgm6UzzMhhdZsCMhlYk4KLlLPPZow7gPnKCqJlhzLZqIpqNgSePI9g2wddHSvHvLfz3-GndiwrgYO1huTPlu3hhUtA5pgzzdRPKer-M9-Sp/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwM3ZceFXcQk8giZkIor9guyY_ql0pWvjLFgm6UzzMhhdZsCMhlYk4KLlLPPZow7gPnKCqJlhzLZqIpqNgSePI9g2wddHSvHvLfz3-GndiwrgYO1huTPlu3hhUtA5pgzzdRPKer-M9-Sp/s640/IMG_1714.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the spectacular entrance hall. Notice the organ pipes at the centre of the shot.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgI-M01MYQECvWhpsZNBAFCN7gSBJGNpXqtLgdi2kPBpqwTZgEy0-T9uXkS9VIZWUNab652ljYl3kg-MHMLmuRSy0tfmYIk2K3npMjrKLLIpf56CANj4G5t7ZqBi78iGwSMwDtMig9C8I/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgI-M01MYQECvWhpsZNBAFCN7gSBJGNpXqtLgdi2kPBpqwTZgEy0-T9uXkS9VIZWUNab652ljYl3kg-MHMLmuRSy0tfmYIk2K3npMjrKLLIpf56CANj4G5t7ZqBi78iGwSMwDtMig9C8I/s640/IMG_1717.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Greg dozed off while I explored.</span><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODAmJDeIPOmSsowDnGqNEScrhdY-hQJyo5P_FM20dR91-JitS08-ZVcnNnuYD30yPRmRFrRv8ymZ4wdqrY00VWruVcXgGhzFQazyWZ29009k2QYy5l5xlGM-PAVYxXTqsEq57aJDHYBTQ/s1600/IMG_1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODAmJDeIPOmSsowDnGqNEScrhdY-hQJyo5P_FM20dR91-JitS08-ZVcnNnuYD30yPRmRFrRv8ymZ4wdqrY00VWruVcXgGhzFQazyWZ29009k2QYy5l5xlGM-PAVYxXTqsEq57aJDHYBTQ/s640/IMG_1720.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stained glass installation by Harry Clarke depicts the coronation of the Blessed Virgin, </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was especially interested in going to the museum because it houses Salvador Dali’s
<i>Christ of St. John of the Cross</i>, subject of a talk I gave for a course I took last winter at Huron University College.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJW4GbADsVmZoYdP7U_LIgvz9Xj2IflINZNNCCGeRP4sE3sFBmlP7hIQIPwCHrM8J9hRRohCWzhHsEE_70F5lXTkVBJzqGtIuvFEeGGJWblRB6OOEaRxuc6mFlMKPoA7WDwehjuesiScVj/s1600/Dali%2527s+Christ+of+St.+John+of+the+Cross++1951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJW4GbADsVmZoYdP7U_LIgvz9Xj2IflINZNNCCGeRP4sE3sFBmlP7hIQIPwCHrM8J9hRRohCWzhHsEE_70F5lXTkVBJzqGtIuvFEeGGJWblRB6OOEaRxuc6mFlMKPoA7WDwehjuesiScVj/s640/Dali%2527s+Christ+of+St.+John+of+the+Cross++1951.jpg" width="350" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">An early photo of the painting</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I was very eager
to see what it was like in “real life.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Dali’s painting …
very moving… a bit faded…</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Apparently Dali used thin canvas and thin (if that is the
right word) paint, so the colours have not stayed bright, but it was still a remarkable
work of art: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">noticed details …
shadows on right hand like a nail… <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">overwhelming sadness…drooped
head… yet amazing rejuvenation, strength in shoulder and arms.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Originally had more
light around the edges of the shoulders.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Quite a number of people clustered around the painting while we were there. It still has power to draw viewers into its story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Looking care</span><b>fully, you could see the restoration
after its vandalism.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b>In 1961, a visitor who thought the painting was sacrilegious, attacked it with a stone and tore the canvas with his hands. However, after a months-long restoration process, it was returned to public display: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_of_Saint_John_of_the_Cross</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>****</b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-size: large;">We walked the three blocks back to the Argyll Guest House and later had a delicious meal at the Butchershop Bar and Grill, apparently the best steak house in Glasgow. Lucky us. We blundered in there because we liked the decor, and we simply couldn't walk any further. We didn't have a reservation, but we were early and agreed that we could easily finish our meal before 7:30, when our table was reserved for another party. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The steak was succulent beyond belief, although the goulash soup and the salad dressing were a bit bland (as was a lot of Scottish food no matter where we ate). Just needed a wee squeeze of lemon or more garlic ... Nevertheless, it was a grand meal to celebrate our successful navigation of Glasgow.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We discovered an odd idiosyncrasy of Scottish restaurant service, which repeated itself over and over until we finally clued in. When the waitress asked us if we would like anything more, Greg said, "No, that's fine, thank you.' We expected the bill. That 's what usually happens here in Canada. But no bill arrived. We waited ... and waited ... trying to get the attention of our server. Finally in some distress, she came over at 7:15, reminding us tactfully that we had agreed we could be away from the table by 7:30. "Yes, please bring us the bill." </span><span style="font-size: large;">So she did. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We eventually got into the habit of saying "no more thanks please bring us the bill" all in one breath or we might still be in a pub in Scotland waiting, with cobwebs around our ankles.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back to hotel ... walked... two blocks ...Crashed!! took Ibuprofen for aches... Slept well 9:30 to 5:30 (set alarm too early!)</b></span><br />
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-90920693021791629422016-10-29T11:52:00.001-04:002016-10-29T13:46:30.143-04:00We tour our first medieval cathedral<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Walked and walked uphill
to find cathedral — worth the trek</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On our little pop-out pocket map of downtown Glasgow, we
seemed to be only a stone’s throw from the Glasgow Cathedral. What the flat map
failed to show us was the uphill slog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNbtYsXxDGh8PKi-oelWleKBSra1yiWcBJuOj5fX6wO_IiZi2KrGtblh930k5tbcXhfU87z1oTtcMvIRUjQc0URWBMh-FW-0gNAYRBlzmOORTtpaw3LQFQmZJ6JvJKOVJvl5J0g69sywR/s1600/IMG_2168-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNbtYsXxDGh8PKi-oelWleKBSra1yiWcBJuOj5fX6wO_IiZi2KrGtblh930k5tbcXhfU87z1oTtcMvIRUjQc0URWBMh-FW-0gNAYRBlzmOORTtpaw3LQFQmZJ6JvJKOVJvl5J0g69sywR/s400/IMG_2168-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, we made our way doggedly upwards through the campus of
the University of Strathclyde, missed the turn to the cathedral, found
ourselves outside the Royal Glasgow Infirmary, re-jigged direction, navigated
crossing the roads and arrived at “one of the few Scottish Medieval churches to
have survived the Reformation largely unscathed."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/cathedral/">http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/cathedral/</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1547PxblyvlHOH7f606iN-x-ALbLfECgkNf3HsKkfaJx2G3PfTaFlhpTfkVn9pKyQSit8KijgNI4PpNaofTLGhpdpDU24DFKqqOws9XAWls_JiFER1WOuO9ce7k5R1lreWfX5KwaFBMU/s1600/IMG_1708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1547PxblyvlHOH7f606iN-x-ALbLfECgkNf3HsKkfaJx2G3PfTaFlhpTfkVn9pKyQSit8KijgNI4PpNaofTLGhpdpDU24DFKqqOws9XAWls_JiFER1WOuO9ce7k5R1lreWfX5KwaFBMU/s640/IMG_1708.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Built in the 1100’s on the site of an ancient wooden church
founded by St. Mungo in the late 500’s, it was our first visceral experience of
how drenched in history Scotland (like other “Old Countries”) is. After
a while, so much history begins to feel somewhat oppressive. Everything is so
layered with accretion on top of accretion: fascinating but at the same time so very heavy with century upon century of so many things that have happened.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tdBvLRNcSbD17eajXiXs3T3OIRteJIkzPeiZMLzaHKFYxGeDwieYMqB0Ji5IryEeh0C1RBtZY7jYQgV_FPsxfFLUcFdHTTFf7p3DiliVpb28rsTWdy4leWy6HVa1D0YtRK4OxlMSI3h4/s1600/IMG_1701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tdBvLRNcSbD17eajXiXs3T3OIRteJIkzPeiZMLzaHKFYxGeDwieYMqB0Ji5IryEeh0C1RBtZY7jYQgV_FPsxfFLUcFdHTTFf7p3DiliVpb28rsTWdy4leWy6HVa1D0YtRK4OxlMSI3h4/s640/IMG_1701.JPG" width="353" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">flowers in Cathedral Square</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsHLPdFkx7o_33iqe1Dn6JTBXro_Sqo0V7-FxA4kfuXZftS_AC5ANNjSAs_bh_VROBa8xiEqsZcna739xpapCGtdJSvCKXIDhAH5eTw16pJhFw4xDhGqAsfS7wQ3jCLKgs24xmjUY84rO/s1600/IMG_1697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsHLPdFkx7o_33iqe1Dn6JTBXro_Sqo0V7-FxA4kfuXZftS_AC5ANNjSAs_bh_VROBa8xiEqsZcna739xpapCGtdJSvCKXIDhAH5eTw16pJhFw4xDhGqAsfS7wQ3jCLKgs24xmjUY84rO/s640/IMG_1697.JPG" width="353" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">David Livingstone, one of several statues of famous Scots in Cathedral Square</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We left our luggage near the pews by the east window and
joined a tour in progress.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YK24YDDntxMcQvj0Vm8erIskC0l_D0VNEConFkmh5UPkVDePR8jMP_c0qgKad99brEN9PjYWOHKoCPUA1T749OgyGS2oWQNIiQ27QD_esHQWderns0fj3tARJjqpPON0TYD0eY6BO7V0/s1600/IMG_1704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YK24YDDntxMcQvj0Vm8erIskC0l_D0VNEConFkmh5UPkVDePR8jMP_c0qgKad99brEN9PjYWOHKoCPUA1T749OgyGS2oWQNIiQ27QD_esHQWderns0fj3tARJjqpPON0TYD0eY6BO7V0/s640/IMG_1704.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A few minutes later, as we drifted farther and farther
away, I began to worry that someone might take a liking to them —pot-luck
theft, as it were. This caused further consternation amongst the cathedral volunteers,
as one is not supposed to leave bags unattended and they are regretfully not
allowed to check then anymore, for security reasons. So we ended up dragging
them around with us down to the crypt and back, worth the trip but cumbersome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We found out a lot about St. Mungo, aka St. Kentigern (Mungo
was a pet-name given to him by St. Serf, the monk who helped raise him),
including why the lamp posts outside were decorated the way they were. The four
images are Mungo’s symbols and they each have a legend attached to them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/8375093847">https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/8375093847</a></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilXB4ddcL1AWliFBu2AACv7laQPi-n10YJ6ZugJFXhbWxPmfPADPrh_wq5Qq8LYRwClAVTF7IpXQb9T8dMcrAaNpZKQmqZVE1LyHKm7zYAWDK_pqgnVcqICHUd7gSoRneNa5xDNhjUp3I/s1600/IMG_1700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilXB4ddcL1AWliFBu2AACv7laQPi-n10YJ6ZugJFXhbWxPmfPADPrh_wq5Qq8LYRwClAVTF7IpXQb9T8dMcrAaNpZKQmqZVE1LyHKm7zYAWDK_pqgnVcqICHUd7gSoRneNa5xDNhjUp3I/s640/IMG_1700.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The volunteer guide was a jovial fount of knowledge: five
stars for the cathedral, which incidentally, hasn’t actually been a cathedral
(bishop’s seat) since 1690. It is part of the Church of Scotland, i.e.
Presbyterian. I never did get all the denominations of Scottish Christianity figured
out and I won’t bore you with all my difficulties trying to get them sorted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Walked downhill to
catch the #2 bus to the Kelvingrove Museum<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The cathedral volunteers had put their heads together to
advise us of the best way to get across town to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and
Museum. After much more walking — all of it downhill, thank goodness— we found
the bus stop and soon the #2 arrived. We had a scenic tour across central
Glasgow. Always look up, our cab driver had advised us earlier in the day in
the short haul between the airport shuttle bus station and the Scotrail station.
The old buildings are wonderful. One of the most famous is the Tolbooth Steeple, a medieval tower in the middle of the
busy street.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoJZLgIt4sr4ZEwV0RvUpyQtxNbRtF15Utva2SHe5hhR9UoaHplP9_c1DihxyKBLrmlsH3pY_EOEhxiPcehtwas-NPSV_tG9v6kMyRuhyxuiJqkADD20b7D3d7VPPQOEitG0OGbjmWnQX/s1600/Glasgow_Tolbooth_Steeple%252C_Glasgow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoJZLgIt4sr4ZEwV0RvUpyQtxNbRtF15Utva2SHe5hhR9UoaHplP9_c1DihxyKBLrmlsH3pY_EOEhxiPcehtwas-NPSV_tG9v6kMyRuhyxuiJqkADD20b7D3d7VPPQOEitG0OGbjmWnQX/s640/Glasgow_Tolbooth_Steeple%252C_Glasgow.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We walked by it, but I didn't take a picture; this shot is from wikipedia images.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Scots don’t have as well-developed a propensity for tearing down old buildings
as Canadians do apparently. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-Yxqj4UN8xg-zXQeAv-GSqWCEVvAGkKJ9JsahynemJoNBnC2SI5A9kbcXbdXbYwHZA-izgMiKlGzu3BhTYX4R4b78un-oAJxJOpKeOLShbsB1QUKDcllQrBP-csEo2iPR8vky3Db3EDx/s1600/IMG_1693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-Yxqj4UN8xg-zXQeAv-GSqWCEVvAGkKJ9JsahynemJoNBnC2SI5A9kbcXbdXbYwHZA-izgMiKlGzu3BhTYX4R4b78un-oAJxJOpKeOLShbsB1QUKDcllQrBP-csEo2iPR8vky3Db3EDx/s640/IMG_1693.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">a view - from the taxicab - of a pediment</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdanmNJEduEeO8XM3mbI500pB2RoGkC4PccIxXw5IwAAOxVVP6CsN_YhpeTbXtn4n0PxjHpQV-7Ywy88UxJ4Hl-e5QudTMtu8wjp0sPQeZqcepilZbWaFG__laNoq4kzv5UXCNdWrBm70-/s1600/IMG_1694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdanmNJEduEeO8XM3mbI500pB2RoGkC4PccIxXw5IwAAOxVVP6CsN_YhpeTbXtn4n0PxjHpQV-7Ywy88UxJ4Hl-e5QudTMtu8wjp0sPQeZqcepilZbWaFG__laNoq4kzv5UXCNdWrBm70-/s640/IMG_1694.JPG" width="353" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">near George Square</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYwguZOSVF3w6nEiJV9ozhsXq8ji_oZLfcFeQwhho6s74QAuliq9Ja7TmTsZWeJBcC2XgH48y8WHg068lr38Y_ak-NnrOP9fIGihoycwai5JETA5ViFmHNLfH1LB74GEP0oySC3iHG2VI/s1600/IMG_1695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYwguZOSVF3w6nEiJV9ozhsXq8ji_oZLfcFeQwhho6s74QAuliq9Ja7TmTsZWeJBcC2XgH48y8WHg068lr38Y_ak-NnrOP9fIGihoycwai5JETA5ViFmHNLfH1LB74GEP0oySC3iHG2VI/s640/IMG_1695.JPG" width="353" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sir Walter Scott in George Square (erected 1837); column by David Rhind, sculpture by John Greenshield, carving by Handyside Ritchie (likely no relation), pigeon of unknown provenance</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also got a kick out of the local colour provided by the
passengers on the bus. After about 20 minutes, we were within walking distance
of both our hotel, the Argyll Guest house, and the museum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We got off, pop-out map in hand, and found our hotel where we were allowed to
stash our bags, along with those of
other guests, until check-in time several hours later.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-41918170618764984242016-10-25T14:05:00.000-04:002016-10-25T14:07:07.720-04:00 We make our way through customs<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day 2:
Tuesday, September 6<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-size: 14pt;">Security:
“We’re not after style” Problems with who is our contact person - very nice customs man ...</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The quotation is an
obscure reference scholars far in the future will spend ages deciphering. I can’t
quite figure it out now. In the first
place, we were at customs, I believe, not security. You stood in line until
invited to go forward to a wicket. Couples could go together. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I believe this comment was said in reference
to Greg’s passport photo, which is not flattering. Greg remembers the customs
official (a white-haired man with very blue eyes, like Peter O’Toole's </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">– </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">my
memory), saying all he was after was “a resemblance… We’re not after style.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was fortunate he had a sense of humour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the plane, we had received little cards to fill out with our names
and other information. One question stumped us: Who is your contact person in
Scotland? We did not know a soul in the entire United (for now) Kingdom, aside from a couple who had moved to Eastbourne last spring. That
is about as far away from Scotland as you can get without wading in the English
Channel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The conversation
went something like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs:</b> You
haven’t filled in the answer to this question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Me:</b> No, we
haven’t. [I have been told never to give any more information at border crossings than that which is asked for.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs: </b>Who
is your contact in Scotland? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Me:</b> Well, we
don’t actually have one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs: </b>You
don’t?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Me:</b> No,
although [to Greg] I suppose we could
name Cam and Dinah. [To the customs guy]
They live in southern England – moved there last spring… but that’s kind of a long
way away in case of an emergency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs:</b> I
see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[pause]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs: </b>What are you doing in Scotland?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Me: </b>We
are touring in a large circle beginning here in Glasgow and then going to Fort William
and maybe Maillaig, and then Inverness and up to the Orkney Islands, then back
south to Nairn, then Edinburgh, Melrose and back to Glasgow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs:</b> I
see and why are you doing this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Me:</b> Well, I
am tracing my family tree; I have quite a few ancestors who came from various
places in Scotland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs:</b> So
you don’t have any family here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Me: </b>Well, not
exactly… I might be a distant cousin to
the woman in the Orkneys who is going to guide us around the neolithic sites,
but other than that they are pretty much just in cemeteries, I’m afraid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Customs </b>[in
a resigned tone of voice]: I see. Well, where are you staying tonight?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Me:</b> We’re
booked into a hotel on ah ... I can’t
pronounce it … Sauchiehall Street. Just a sec.
I have the name in my folder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I reached
into my black bag, pulled out my plastic folder for holding reservations, and found the reservation sheet for the Argyll Guest House. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RtPz1yTEwo62liqsa9hyijUqy8ZD9Fz692flYPm6MwKxXfLMmWT_xr0N3BEUOmuxtzgEjLExOtpuixEiAe_6I3AsmAGdCZloCelQugC4suMSMelzSsbFV_CPHM9bScJKw5_xlrw8kq03/s1600/IMG_2167-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RtPz1yTEwo62liqsa9hyijUqy8ZD9Fz692flYPm6MwKxXfLMmWT_xr0N3BEUOmuxtzgEjLExOtpuixEiAe_6I3AsmAGdCZloCelQugC4suMSMelzSsbFV_CPHM9bScJKw5_xlrw8kq03/s400/IMG_2167-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His wrinkled forehead relaxed. He smiled, told us
how to pronounce Sauchiehall, and suggested we really should plan on going to
the Isle of Skye. He said he had never been there himself, but he heard it was
wonderful. I said the train trip up there was supposed to be very scenic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He wished us
a good trip and that was that. We had officially arrived in Scotland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And in case you
are wondering about Sauchiehall:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While the correct
pronunciations of this famous shopping street in the centre of Glasgow may well
be more like "Saughiehall" (with a soft "gh" sound) you
will find that from many Glaswegians it will sound more like "Suckiehall"
Street. The name is derived from "saugh" the Scots word for a willow
tree and "haugh" the word for a meadow (which was later corrupted
into "hall"). Originally, it was a winding, narrow lane, with villas
standing in gardens of about an acre or so. It was widened in 1846 and is now a
mile-long, broad street, running in straight lines, from Buchanan Street in the
east to Kelvingrove and the Museum and Art Galleries in the west.</span> <span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.rampantscotland.com/features/pronounce3.htm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-21815322670354797562016-10-18T15:10:00.000-04:002016-10-19T14:29:44.062-04:00Our Big Trip to Scotland: Day 1<span style="font-size: large;">I ventured off the North American continent for the first time a few weeks ago in September. Greg is a more seasoned traveller than I am but not by much.We both kept travel journals. I am going to post my journal entries in bold with embellishments where needed, one day at a time until finished. Yes, there will be pictures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Anyhow, I shall begin with the riveting account of our departure:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Day 1: September 5th, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">No reservation for
the ferry<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This was a major oversight on my part. It was the only
detail of the trip I had neglected to tie down. I forgot it was Labour Day and
everybody and their uncle (and aunt) would be travelling home. Also only one of
the ferries was in service from Wood Islands to Caribou, so there was an unusual four-hour gap between them.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On our way through Montague, I glimpsed the father of the family of Syrian refugees </span><span style="font-size: large;">recently settled</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in town</span><span style="font-size: large;">. He was mowing his lawn. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I had enjoyed tutoring his mother-in-law in English every Wednesday afternoon all summer, so we</span><span style="font-size: large;"> stopped to say hello, and he invited us in for coffee. We regretfully declined, thinking we had better
get to the ferry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We reached the ferry
terminal in very good time for the 1:30 crossing and there was no traffic in the
lot at all. How odd, I thought. Where were the cars which were left behind for
the next crossing? That question was soon answered! Everyone had a reservation
and would be arriving much closer to the departure time. The woman in the ticket booth offered to put us
on stand-by; we thought that would be risky, so she directed us to a small side
exit — made for clueless people like us, apparently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So we left Wood
Islands at 10:45 am and drove to the fixed link</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the way west, we discussed what we would have done had
there been no bridge! Maybe fly out?
Anyhow, the day was lovely, the scenery bucolic, and the traffic light
at least until we got to Truro. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXQl7bawoBKmIT6Cit8JwtSn5xVAOURRW9enkSsl8HArWrYwFlf-mnq7rY27BkZlwm0UMiBPcXUQ-ksU4n1qCyptxGNZCaU1TQBEFiJR2cHb5DVlATyZRI7t-fYJ_bvNp2WDr8RQ7bik4/s1600/2011+-+08+August+PEI+058+fixed+link.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXQl7bawoBKmIT6Cit8JwtSn5xVAOURRW9enkSsl8HArWrYwFlf-mnq7rY27BkZlwm0UMiBPcXUQ-ksU4n1qCyptxGNZCaU1TQBEFiJR2cHb5DVlATyZRI7t-fYJ_bvNp2WDr8RQ7bik4/s640/2011+-+08+August+PEI+058+fixed+link.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A photo I took several years ago of the Confederation Bridge </span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I drove from Amherst
to the airport… got the shuttle… no problem … Parked in “B” at the end of the
driveway near the fence.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We were the only ones on the shuttle bus, which took us the half-mile
or so to the terminal. We were too early for check-in (a pattern — unusual for
me — which was to repeat itself frequently during our trip), so we explored the
airport, then sat on a bench and watched the same people walk back and forth in
the concourse. The outfits people choose to wear while traveling are often eye-catching, to
say the least. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ate dinner at the
airport pub, not a bad meal. I had unbuttered boiled potatoes, veggies and fish
from which I removed the panko coating.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am not usually so conscious of food. I just enjoy eating
it, but I had had a horrible digestive upset which began the night of July 28<sup>th</sup>
and lingered for seven weeks. At one point the diarrhea
was so bad I thought we might have to cancel the trip. After four weeks or so I
went to the medical clinic in Souris (again), and the doctor gave me a prescription
for codeine for its off-label side effect: constipation. It proved to be my new
best friend on this trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFInUAHq_avVjUiCPbTrdH1p51uiMLtxkKQRyxUSDHyCIS9WcXiO_dcNXebnCZJDWKoxS7o03A56L3scOszRbJy0a7Dg_FxzdBSfpbd5gVTwMwagrlgKgRx24HpWHf8zPdK3Dfy9WMSGi/s1600/Maritime-Ale-House-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFInUAHq_avVjUiCPbTrdH1p51uiMLtxkKQRyxUSDHyCIS9WcXiO_dcNXebnCZJDWKoxS7o03A56L3scOszRbJy0a7Dg_FxzdBSfpbd5gVTwMwagrlgKgRx24HpWHf8zPdK3Dfy9WMSGi/s640/Maritime-Ale-House-.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our dinner venue, Maritime Ale House (Source: http://hiaa.ca/at-the-airport/food-beverage/maritime-ale-house/</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pleasant cheerful
security people... I walked through the arch by mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Knowing with my fake hip, I would have to go to the imaging
machine, I took off for it once the security guard motioned me ahead and walked
quickly through the arch most other people go through, thinking I was being
very efficient. I wasn’t. I did not however get a chewing out, as I might have
in other airports. That is Maritime patience and kindliness for you. I got
patted down and then stroked with a wand, and soon Greg and I were sitting on a
bench putting ourselves and our luggage back together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Loooong Flight — twitchy legs — no sleep<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was assigned a the middle seat on a Westjet Boeing 737-700, a plane with winglets, which make it look cute and perky and helped instill nonchalance in me. It was full: 130 passengers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My young seat-mate to the left spent most of the trip cocooned under his hoodie. After we
landed in Glasgow, he said hadn’t slept much either. Could it have been the
twitchy restless seat-mate to his right? He was too polite to say. He did say he was from St. John’s, Nfld and was going to spend the next year studying medical
engineering at Strathclyde University in Glasgow. (By coincidence, later that
day we walked through that very campus.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank goodness Greg was the seat-mate to my right (by the aisle), since I had to crawl out
over him a number of times when nature didn’t just call, but hollered. I felt very
badly at one point that I didn’t let a very elderly woman, leaning on her
daughter’s arm,<span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span>into the
bathroom ahead of me, but doing so would have been much much worse for
everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZ_q8f_NF-fEQW6OsXasEYuE1qQPURdAE6M0DcyuxvJtIBXoAN9F1PLIfX3q-AfCSkOmCZNoa8qXN40NoEjy7c3sN914R7d1Ca_Qbc0iHZia-ZxkDSMI1rQs_GBYmGO2ZAeORyTpSpHj6/s1600/WestJet_737-700.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZ_q8f_NF-fEQW6OsXasEYuE1qQPURdAE6M0DcyuxvJtIBXoAN9F1PLIfX3q-AfCSkOmCZNoa8qXN40NoEjy7c3sN914R7d1Ca_Qbc0iHZia-ZxkDSMI1rQs_GBYmGO2ZAeORyTpSpHj6/s640/WestJet_737-700.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is what our plane looked like. (Source: wikipedia)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally we landed. I am never going to take another red-eye flight
ever again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The only good things about the flight were that I was not white-knuckled,
we didn’t crash, and the Thai chicken wrap I had ordered on-line a few days before
leaving — because I thought I might be healthy
again by the time we left — was delivered without a hitch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-34185544095415502122016-01-01T17:24:00.000-05:002016-01-01T17:36:53.735-05:00Oh, the sunny south<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One of my long-time friends </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">— </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">since grade nine </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> invited Greg and me to spend a week with him at Longboat Key in Florida over Christmas. Greg had prior church commitments, but said why don't you go? </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So I did. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I have always wondered why people go to Florida. Now I know: Sunny days ... sunny, sunny days, unending stretches of white sand and ... warmth. In fact, it hit the mid-80s F while we were there. I was swimming and jumping over the waves in the Gulf of Mexico on Christmas Day. My goodness, that beat the cold and lowering skies of SW Ontario. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When I got back home, I realized I had not made up a daily to-do list the entire week. The most major decision was which to do first: lounge and read on a recliner chair or walk along the beach. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I kept Greg up to date via email. So I am posting my emails to him of my adventures for the first part of the week. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>18/12/2015</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To: Greg Little<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hi there,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I just got to the hotel. Had a good trip to Detroit where we went via the tunnel. The US customs people have an x-ray machine indoors there; otherwise, at the bridge, they look through your suitcase contents outdoors in whatever weather is churning around. The actual border
crossing was uneventful, although the guy did ask when was I last in the States. Apparently I
gave the correct answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am heading over to Bob Evans. It's cold! So I won't
dawdle! The hotel is on the fight path to the airport. The planes fly over in a very determined low way. None has crashed into the hotel yet, however.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll email you once I get back!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Fri, Dec 18, 2015 at 7:35 PM,</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hi again, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Re Bob Evans: yes, I think you could say, the meal
experience surpassed my expectations. I didn't realize potatoes and gravy were
a side and you only get one side in the price for the dinner. So I also ordered
green beans </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">—</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> at least I think that is what they were </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">—</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> very soft and an odd
shade of green with what might have been bacon chunks!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pumpkin bread I
saved for tomorrow since what I sampled was tastier than what might be on offer here at the newly refurbished La Quinta. I drank too much coke (it
gets replenished automatically), so I likely will be awake all night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The food one eats when it is so cold out! However, it was
actually a pretty good meal all things considered... turkey had been slow
roasted for six </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">— </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">count 'em </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> six hours, and it did seem done. I treated
myself to a chocolate sundae for dessert and feel I really don't need to eat
another thing for a couple of days!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No radio in the room so I have set my alarm on the cell
phone. I think I'll also phone for a wake-up call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Glad you enjoyed the movie and that the spiritual direction
went well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">BTW, I am in room 209. So far the planes have managed to stay aloft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>19/12/2015</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To: Greg Little<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Re the winter wonderland/manna from heaven in Parkhill: </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">T</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">here were a few flurries on the way to
Detroit and then a wee bit of snow in the air this morning when we took off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The flight, once we got in the air, was actually rather
enjoyable. I was trying to identify the rivers we flew over. (Maybe your
prayers worked, although landing and taking off were not fun </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">— </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">very routine,
according to John, however)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sarasota is nice </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> extensively developed and neatly manicured especially over here at Longboat Key. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was fun riding the trolley as we saw a lot of Sarasota, and it only cost 60 cents!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The apartment is a bit generic as you would expect of a “time
share”(although it is not exactly a time-share) but very tasteful. There is a
great overhead heater-fan in my shower.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">John and I walked over to the grocery store and got
provisions and gin. It reminds me a lot of the area T and C moved to
after their first apartment was broken into: lovely but almost too perfect. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All the municipal buildings are heavily
landscaped with palm trees and other tropical foliage, which is all new to me
and rather startling at first because</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> it is so different from what I am used to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is very little (and small) signage so you don’t
realize you are in a commercial area. There is a bank, library, Episcopalian church, synagogue,
shopping plaza, and post office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once on the beach, we saw a dolphin and
several pelicans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The light in Florida is so different from up north despite
the fact sun sets about the same time in Florida as further north. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It went down about 10 minutes ago. But until it did, it did not seem as if night was gradually falling as it does from about 3:00 on this time of year up north. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But now it is DARK.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What is especially odd is that at 5:00, it is
so dark and yet so warm! I associate
warmth with 9:00 at night in July, not 5:00 in December.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I noticed they have the <i>New York Times</i> over at the
grocery store.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, do enjoy that manna from heaven! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tomorrow I am off to church and then likely John and I will
spend time on the beach; the sand is nice but not as fine-grained as PEI's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>On Sun, Dec 20, 2015 </b>at 12:54
PM,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To: Greg Little<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hi there,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just got
back from church and going to the grocery store for stuff to BBQ later today.
NO NY Times!! They sell out by 9:30 on Sundays...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;">On the walk to church I thought I noticed odd </span><span style="line-height: 21.3333px;">movements</span><span style="line-height: 16pt;"> on the sidewalk. Finally I stopped altogether and just watched. Then I saw exceedingly tiny newts. I suppose they were warned by my footfall to scurry into the grass.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I enjoyed
church. It was a bit like other Episcopalian services we have attended:
sort of well-heeled and bland. About 70-80 rather elderly folk were
there. Good hymns well sung. A dedicated choir. Very pretty
sanctuary painted white: quite broad and open with lovely round stained glass
window over the altar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">People
were a bit formal at the start, but got friendlier. I was greeted and given a
bulletin, but the deacon ignored me while he greeted
the people he knew. The people sitting next to me and in front
and behind said hello, however. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Peace was passed — friendly but not
overdone, thank goodness. A good sermon in which the priest mentioned the Holy
Family being refugees. Not too much sign that the congregation was sponsoring a
family; however, they did have other outreach. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My kneeler came apart and fell off the chair in front, but
aside from that, I did not do additional damage to the fixtures!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The announcements are at the end as at St. A of C. All guests
were asked to stand. About eight or so did and five of us were from Canada,
from Ontario actually: two from St. James Cathedral and two from somewhere else
near Toronto and me. Everyone laughed while I tried to explain where
Parkhill was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I went out
to the parish hall for coffee hour, just to see what would happen and was besieged by friendly folk;
several knew SW Ontario because they had lived in Michigan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was also
given eggnog. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 16pt;">Once a year they have the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;">eggnog treat with added fixin's
and I don't mean just the nutmeg. Mine was about half eggnog and the rest
brandy. It was DELICIOUS! But I had to go to the washroom surreptitiously and
pour the last quarter of it down the drain, it was so strong. When I went
reeling out of the church, I noticed I was swerving from one side of the side
walk to the other in gentle drifts. By the time I got to the </span><span style="line-height: 21.3333px;">grocery</span><span style="line-height: 16pt;"> store,I was sober enough to get this shot:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZPhBR6_3yXWYbeORwHtSjBNLf3BKZAXM8pooimug7zTc7upt4fAvIH2OPo1YKHVvTMVsBZzFFylRk7gzPoB31jci4C49cE0wmDV0rq5IyQteXOrl7IzGPvdR-Y-zXLOrTcAf4ddhObKe/s1600/IMG_0811-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZPhBR6_3yXWYbeORwHtSjBNLf3BKZAXM8pooimug7zTc7upt4fAvIH2OPo1YKHVvTMVsBZzFFylRk7gzPoB31jci4C49cE0wmDV0rq5IyQteXOrl7IzGPvdR-Y-zXLOrTcAf4ddhObKe/s640/IMG_0811-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow
that is the excitement so far today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">John is
out walking along the beach right now. So he may soon return for lunch...
It is much warmer today so I am no longer wearing four layers. I really wish I
had shorts. I bought a proper brimmed sun-hat with a string tie when I was at the
grocery store. Food here is much less expensive even with the exchange rate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope all
went well at St. JBTL. Miss you! More
news as it arises.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>On Mon, Dec 21, 2015</b> at 12:08
AM,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 16pt;">Hello
again,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just about
to hit the hay. John introduced me to <i>House of Cards </i>after we
watched <i>Frances Ha</i> (a somewhat disjointed movie he didn't like,
and I found only tolerably amusing). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By contrast, <i>House of Cards </i>is mesmerizing!
We watched three episodes. Kevin Spacey plays a scheming congressman ... and how. His wife would give Lady Macbeth a run for her money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, I
am off to bed now. Tomorrow, more beach time in the morning plus a high
school friend and his wife arriving in the afternoon and staying for dinner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On <b>Tue, Dec 22, 2015</b> at 6:58 PM, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A very
quiet day today after yesterday's hospitality excitement. John and I
talked about a dream he had earlier in December. This took most of the morning,
chiefly because there was nothing else we needed to do. We applied the six magic questions to two of
the symbols <span style="line-height: 21.3333px;">— something of </span><span style="line-height: 16pt;">an eye-opener for what looking at inanimate objects in
dreams can do!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then after
lunch it was a walk on the beach, reading the NY Times on the beach (rather windy),
and swimming in the pool (me), sitting immersed in the hot tub (John). I have to be careful
about really hot water because of my bp and meds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So we are now about to have
dinner - then more <i>House of Cards</i> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> you and I need to get
Netflix!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, time
for pork chops, rice, and salad in a bag...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>On Tue, Dec 22, 2015</b> at 11:54
PM,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just
watched another marathon of <i>House of Cards</i>... So much intrigue, so
little time... Only three more episodes in Season One.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On what I
hope is not going to be different marathon, there may have been more than just
salad in that bag, as I have just had a rather explosive time in the washroom.
Took another probiotic. All I need is food poisoning; however, it may have been
too much buttery creamy stuff in the form of the US version of Philadelphia
cream cheese and another rich dip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope you
are eating well with no ill effects! How are the rest of the sermons
coming along?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>On Wed, Dec 23, 2015</b> at 11:29
AM, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hello again, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My innards are settling down. It is a bit overcast here today so John and I are
heading in to Sarasota to see Star Wars... I will not be eating any popcorn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><i>Trumbo </i>and<i> Macbeth</i> will be playing at the Hyland
next week btw...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 16pt;">I have taken a few pictures, and I may post some from today's excursion later today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>On Wed, Dec 23, 2015</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hi there,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;">Star Wars
was OK - I'd give it 7.5 out of 10 mainly because it was mostly shoot-ups at
the OK corral but with the addition of a lot of engulfing flames. Also violence is used when a more subtle </span><span style="line-height: 21.3333px;">approach</span><span style="line-height: 16pt;"> might have enriched the relationship of two of the characters.(I can say no more in case you want to see it at some point.)There are some poignant (i.e.,
girlie) bits, which are good and the scenery is dramatic in the last scenes.
You can tell there will be sequels as it ends much the way the first LofTR ended...
prompting me to say, "What? That’s it?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You asked
what character I would like to be if we had gone in costume to the theatre: I
would go as one of the droids, because they are sensible, caring and can be
fixed if there are spare parts available. I actually got a lump in my throat when I saw poor little dusty R2-D2 languishing in storage. It was a sort of Wilson-the-soccer-ball moment, because after all, R2-D2 is really just a piece of machinery. There are now three droids: I hope this is
not a spoiler alert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Downtown Sarasota
was fun to see </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21.3333px;">— </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">lots of streets going every which way, but busy and full of
interesting shops, including an Episcopalian thrift shop, which I would be tempted
to go into if we should be back at any time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, off
to do a load of laundry. The apartment suite has a washer and dryer in the unit
and detergent. It just lacks an apron to make dressing for the domestic kitchen
chores complete.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">John says
hello and that he would be Han Solo because then he wouldn't have to wear a specific costume.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">End of email string. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">(If I get ambitious, I'll report on the last couple of days and the flight home.)</span></div>
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<br />Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-62803800105619112222015-09-10T16:32:00.000-04:002015-09-10T16:32:36.727-04:00Dining as performance art sparks up our evening<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Recently,
Greg and I visited Michael Smith’s Fire Kitchen at the Inn at Bay Fortune,
purchased by the famous chef earlier this year and extensively renovated. The
old kitchen and way of food service are out, and a new method is very much in. So
popular, in fact, that we had to wait a couple of weeks for a reservation to this family-style eating experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The previous
day, we received a reminder: arrive at 6:00 for the oyster-shucking cocktail
hour. So, what did we find when we got there </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.4px;">—</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">at 6:01? In the first place, not many
other people. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I knew being on time would
be the equivalent of being too early; my dining companion still has to learn
this. However, we were warmly greeted by a chilly hostess in the cool autumnal
air outdoors. She explained the procedure for dinner, then went indoors to find
a coat! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We admired
the new reception area (blond wood ceiling and birch trunks room divider). Once the doors to the kitchen were open,
which reminded me of waiting for the doors to open at the Maple Dining Room at Christie Gardens, a
few of us straggled into what was the former main kitchen. We ate, not Colville Bay, but Fortune Bay oysters
harvested about as locally as you can get </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.4px;">— about 500 feet away </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">in the sea. Local provenance
is the byword here.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With Bloody Mary ice
on top, they were delicious.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We eschewed
the gin and tonic, figuring at $13 a mason-jar drink, we could imbibe at home
for much less money and equal effect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Greg and I
were not quite sure what to do with ourselves for the next 45 minutes while we
waited for dinner to begin, so we sat in the lounge and watched other people
arriving, while at the same time avoiding making eye contact with them, as they
were with us. Is everybody here an introvert?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Carrying our
coats with us, as the former coat closet was now a mini-store for cook-books by </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Michael</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Smith, we decided to explore the
dining room, found our name chalked on a slate, determined we would have to sit
across from each other at dinner (no </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">sotto voce</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> comments possible, darn it), and hung our coats on the back of our chairs.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">More people
had arrived and seemed to be gravitating to the other end of the long room where the
new ovens are. There, we found the next stage: pastrami salmon with lemon caper
aioli being assembled on crackers by a very young man (to our elderly eyes). He
could barely keep up with the demand.
Mmmm good! There was also smoked beef </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> with beer mustard, also very
good as, initially, the beef was not too rare for my liking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">More drinks could
be added to our tab were we to indulge in local beers. Again, we passed: too pricey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I got a big
kick out of talking to the young chef unwrapping the baked beets plucked
earlier in the day from the Inn’s garden. Rail thin and wearing a baseball hat
backwards, he was cheery and chatty. I asked him, wasn’t the heat from the fire
a bit much on his back and he said he was used to it. He told us they
burn maple, birch and something else and that there is not a lot of hardwood on
the island so they have to source some of the wood in New Brunswick …well,
still pretty local! (All the gravel for driveways here comes from New Brunswick
too, by the way. Some things just can’t
be helped.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGG_UGziC1nqQoDaHYhADTmEvQ5ImCPYkxK4WWQptRgu7acSi7PQposgSkoSWarOjQ5GZ4cJBtH6QbGU0RHFLHEXNnapDODGqGzccxA8tkXFL2adx-kOXYfNfzTpi9dJPK-_cuM9Ah9So/s1600/IMG_0102-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGG_UGziC1nqQoDaHYhADTmEvQ5ImCPYkxK4WWQptRgu7acSi7PQposgSkoSWarOjQ5GZ4cJBtH6QbGU0RHFLHEXNnapDODGqGzccxA8tkXFL2adx-kOXYfNfzTpi9dJPK-_cuM9Ah9So/s640/IMG_0102-001.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is our take-home menu.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition
to place-setting menus, the courses for the night’s feast were written on the wall on brown wrapping paper suspended
from what looked like an antique paper
roll, with an impressive serrated edge
at the bottom. On another wall, the 40-plus ingredients for the salad were
listed. Inspecting these items relieved me of the necessity of talking to total
strangers. I said to Greg, we should have gotten a group together, so we would know
people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">However,
that all changed when we got to our tables. We were saved by a</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> retired teacher and co- owner of tourist cottages, who introduced herself and encouraged
the rest of us to do likewise. We did and soon we were finding lots to talk
about with one another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Course after
course arrived </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.4px;">—</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> with explanations from one of the chefs as to their
significance. Sourdough yeast for the bread takes a month to develop from potato mash, so
even the yeast is local! The resulting
12-grain Red Fife sourdough bread was irresistible, especially with brown
butter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Taste of
the Island Board was delectable. The peas could have been younger,
but the dilled beans were yummy. There was way too much pate, delicious though
it was, and too few crackers. Jeff
McCourt’s cheese from Glasgow Glen was pizza-flavoured </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.4px;">— </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and it was “gouda.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cue the
chowder: all local sea food, delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
invitation to smash the sand crusted on the baked halibut drew several
volunteers. After whacking the sandy crust, the participants shared their adventure on their I-phones, while the chefs removed cabbage leaves from the fish, placed there to protect it
from the grit. Served with cauliflower, it was a bit bland… Even the spicy sea
rocket provided from local beaches by the Inn’s forager didn’t spark it up quite
enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, the
occasion itself kindled energy in the crowd.The conversation noise
level rose, while course after course
was presented. I found out the back stories of my seatmates (I already pretty
much know Greg’s). Not telling them here … as what is said in the dining room
stays in the dining room. It was just so convivial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A 90-year old woman and her 50-year old son shared a birthday, and of course
everyone in the room belted out <i>Happy
Birthday</i> when their cake was marched in.
Want to know where on the Island to go for afternoon ballroom dancing
lessons? Now I know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I didn’t think I would like family style dining, but it
turned out I do. Four hours after we arrived, we all said goodbye and wended our happy ways home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If I had a
word of advice, I’d say make the main entree portions a bit smaller. We sent
way too much chicken back to the kitchen as we simply couldn’t eat it all. Same with the excellent brown butter mashed
potatoes. The beets, zucchini and
roasted onions were very enjoyable, and the quantity was just right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also I was
told that some of the garnishes the forager finds are few and far between on
the beaches. Now that local plants are used in quantity at many restaurants, I
worry we might be enjoying the results on our plates but over-foraging in the
woods and beaches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless,
I am looking forward to returning anytime I want an energetic, participatory,
delicious dining experience. Good for Chef Michael for embarking on this
rollicking adventure in Prince Edward Island hospitality and local foods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-90653180247475671122015-07-29T13:36:00.000-04:002015-07-31T10:37:53.214-04:00Walking in a weedy wonderland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRf1PSd03YPlfFRqw_eqwx1yFUK06-ZML-kfdcKhFabWxtZf_dJrB6GBZVNC69gPHGzRXafaTNggY8lOKYZVjsITco80MFZhYdmmGY0jQckkrc59QqV0F4ckFXLpFxPYRwEK6Itfefm07O/s1600/seven+circuit+labyrinth+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRf1PSd03YPlfFRqw_eqwx1yFUK06-ZML-kfdcKhFabWxtZf_dJrB6GBZVNC69gPHGzRXafaTNggY8lOKYZVjsITco80MFZhYdmmGY0jQckkrc59QqV0F4ckFXLpFxPYRwEK6Itfefm07O/s1600/seven+circuit+labyrinth+2.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I toiled last summer to design and outline a
seven-circuit labyrinth in the “back 40” at the cottage. Then the lawn guys
carved out the path. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKsIBa6W8Vy4tYEBhtLnIq4MZCkfJusgJutRQyx5SakpRMpygMMt8ZBySKi5hnepNU97T4ZeQ3iSfAlfA3mWBOafQg6NszWLygFDLQI0IuZyI47l1ddXNcmVcshzgOqfQpsylu0ma_VqT/s1600/IMG_7414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKsIBa6W8Vy4tYEBhtLnIq4MZCkfJusgJutRQyx5SakpRMpygMMt8ZBySKi5hnepNU97T4ZeQ3iSfAlfA3mWBOafQg6NszWLygFDLQI0IuZyI47l1ddXNcmVcshzgOqfQpsylu0ma_VqT/s320/IMG_7414.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Greg collected and placed rocks to define
where it leads. Last, I covered the path with mulch to keep the weeds at bay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In September just before we left, we planted
bunches of three daffodils each around it — 28 bunches in all, as it turned out,
a nice coincidence with their being 28 days in the lunar month. Unlike the
labyrinth at Chartres, the seven-circuit type doesn’t have actual lunations to
mark the lunar calendar, but the little clumps of daffodils were a reminder of
the moon and all it signifies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was neat and tidy when we left last fall. In
fact, practically all labyrinths I have encountered are just that—neat, tidy,
and dare I say, almost perfect. Here is the one at the convent of the Sisters
of St. John the Divine in Richmond Hill:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkUH7ffzbguiePcRlMmSksSeZtZ2nPyMygFgStR6X0uPAB_-t4xqPxnMm4tq6gC-FVr8eODHYBcoMzH2mBvBihNPjTdNS19mIzaIe9FdB2RxOdrL6e7vVStx1pyZeuWOPF9CyqpkZkYpj/s1600/labyrinth+at+SSJD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkUH7ffzbguiePcRlMmSksSeZtZ2nPyMygFgStR6X0uPAB_-t4xqPxnMm4tq6gC-FVr8eODHYBcoMzH2mBvBihNPjTdNS19mIzaIe9FdB2RxOdrL6e7vVStx1pyZeuWOPF9CyqpkZkYpj/s320/labyrinth+at+SSJD.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source of photo: http://www.ssjd.ca/labyrinth.html</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is similar to mine because it its outlined in stones.
So you can imagine how I felt when we
returned this spring and found this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEhlXjs5SPB4kIvZFq6XmzBTK3L1JRuDyGja8XNgK1eVjMcG357iFgPz_N7A8sTjRdX13BYaDNLQo-DriEk589vX2RphqA2vRPIxS3e-c3yrOanhoryQv3ZcU8v7OMDAkm2q7gs-FJqVV/s1600/IMG_9520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEhlXjs5SPB4kIvZFq6XmzBTK3L1JRuDyGja8XNgK1eVjMcG357iFgPz_N7A8sTjRdX13BYaDNLQo-DriEk589vX2RphqA2vRPIxS3e-c3yrOanhoryQv3ZcU8v7OMDAkm2q7gs-FJqVV/s320/IMG_9520.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">M</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">y first thought was: oh no, it is so overgrown</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">! In fact, it was so invaded by dandelions I thought I should call it a
dandelinth. The daffodils were slightly past their prime, their yellow
completely outshone by the dandelions’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My dismay was assuaged by the fact that the path was
still visible, and I enjoyed walking around it while looking at the various
stones. They were all the same (red sandstone) yet unique (in shape and
size). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkCNZPzGYKKCpnyjjDWbpA7FsICu3RTforRq9f7F1ACiGP8NDCigWR83kZBI06Z9craoY0udjVauTwV70fp7Q092uiW7rZM1RDqEvz6K2Ru6Rxe_wmdNc0vlG3anLY5KZeuJdpfhs8T4g/s1600/IMG_9521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkCNZPzGYKKCpnyjjDWbpA7FsICu3RTforRq9f7F1ACiGP8NDCigWR83kZBI06Z9craoY0udjVauTwV70fp7Q092uiW7rZM1RDqEvz6K2Ru6Rxe_wmdNc0vlG3anLY5KZeuJdpfhs8T4g/s320/IMG_9521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I thought about this difference
in sameness for a while and also about rocks: calm, solid, perpetual,
unchanging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course, I immediately began to weed as I walked. Then
I reflected that I was treating the labyrinth as a thing to be worked on rather
than as a means for inner quiet, meditation, and even mystical experience. None
of the other labyrinths I had enjoyed required my on-going care and keeping. They were usually made of
cement and other materials which prevented the infringement of weeds. On them,
I could just quiet my ego and follow the path on an inner pilgrimage. This one pleaded
for my objective attention and hence, the engagement of my ego.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So at first I thought what a pity it was that I did
not have the “right” attitude towards it. Would I ever feel I was not working
on it as merely an artefact and just let myself experience what walking its
path offered my inner Self, my soul?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So then I
decided I would pull weed weeds from the path only on the way in. Being bent
over and humbly weeding would suit the penitential nature of the way to the
centre, at least according to one way of looking at the walk in. Each weed could be a flaw in myself or a trouble in my world or a
trouble in the world at large, which needed to be pulled for personal and
worldly improvement nay, even perfection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then on the way out, I would refrain from working on
it and have a true Sabbath — a time of opening my soul to whatever God/the holy
spirit/the divine within/the mystery of nature wanted to put there. It would be
redemptive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. In or
out, I could not resist pulling up the twitch grass, dandelions and other weedy
things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Then I had something of an epiphany. It is all right
to be a Martha working all the time: Unlike the biblical </span><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 21.466667175293px;">Martha</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">, I was enjoying it. It had a
rhythm. Yet, I did not feel impelled to totally weed everything, nor did I weed with any
pattern or intent: A swath of twitch
grass which I had been happy to ignore going in would attract my attention
coming out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, not only was the labyrinth not perfect, neither apparently
was my plan to do things right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I reflected on the word perfect. It has come to
mean flawless, but if you go back to the Latin root, it means “through”
from <i>per</i>
and “made” from <i>feci</i>, the past tense
of <i>facere</i>, “to make or do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So in its literal sense, “perfect” means to work
through or make through. It is a process or experience, not a product or a goal.
It is in actual hands-on doing (for me, at any rate), that I feel attuned with
the creative and behind that, the Creator, and that I feel an attachment, even love, for this inanimate weedy object,
my labyrinth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now I feel </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 21.466667175293px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18.6666660308838px; line-height: 21.466667175293px;">more</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> attached to it than if it were
flawless. As I go round the path, obscured by the greenery along the border, I
am taken by surprise by the twists and curves. I have to pay attention to how I
am walking to avoid tripping. The way is not clear to my immediate vision even
though I know the way is there, and all I have to do is to follow it.
Nevertheless, I have to weed it out to keep the way passable. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">How like life this is. The way is there, but
not always easily seen.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The tall weeds and grasses at the side form a tunnel
which in my four-year-old imagination, I am exploring and clearing. It is play,
not work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, it’s not about having a belief (weeds are
like flaws and must be pulled out) but about having the experience (I care for
the labyrinth and it provides me a path). I dislike apportioning a moral value
to the poor twitch grass. It’s not the fault of the weeds that I pull them up;
it is just what I have to do to keep a clear path. And I have learned not to be
annoyed by them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In a sense, I am not walking <u>on</u> the labyrinth, I <u>am</u> the labyrinth and all that it signifies
about going in those contained circles to an inevitable centre. The interruptions by the weeds in my way are
moments for pausing, stooping, pulling, and standing up again: sort of doing
physically what we are to do spiritually in our journey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A day or so after having these thoughts, I read a quotation from Rumi in something Richard Rohr wrote in his daily meditation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14pt;">I want to...instead
of being</span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14pt;">irritated by the
interruption and daily</span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14pt;">resentments, feel
those as kindnesses.</span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Admittedly,
it’s easier said than done, but after I leave the labyrinth and return to my daily
life, I hope this pattern of response to life becomes more embedded in
me.</span></div>
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6510595683301736724.post-31779888382742375572015-07-08T09:15:00.001-04:002015-07-08T09:15:55.894-04:00The Village Feast in Souris was a great success <span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">A contingent from Camp Gagetown NB provides chowder from their field canteen each
year. The woman behind the soldier talked to us about one of the charities this
event benefits: Farmers Helping Farmers <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">—</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span> building cookhouses in Kenya. </span><br />
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<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Greg bought the hat, as it unexpectedly got sunny later in the day. You
can't have too many hats.</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">The mobile kitchen cooked up the lobsters.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">tent behind the diners, t</span>he sale of local oysters, fresh from Colville Bay, benefits one of the other charities,</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Some of the folks in our group enjoying their meal are Kathy, (then a space where my place is), Lynn, Ron (the doctor who sewed up
Greg's arm), Maureen, and Kathy.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Joanne is enjoying the meal</span>.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Main course after the chowder: Steak, delicious potatoes and a bit too
much gravy, whole grain bread, salad, and a Kenyan side dish whose name escapes
me.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p><br /></o:p></span>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">All those hats and potato sacks....hmmmm... In the background is the
dessert tent, where strawberry shortcakes were on offer.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">You line up for your steak at the flag indicating the appropriate stage of doneness. The
extremes were" Bloody" and "Burnt."</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">In the background is the chowder canteen provided by the troops at Camp
Gagetown, NB. It was yummy!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Afterwards, the kids swarmed the fire truck and took turns sounding the
siren. The hay bales, which marked the paths to take from one food serving to
the next , a la IKEA, were provided by<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">Springwater Farm </span><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">—</span><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">a great place to visit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><span data-reactid=".2g.1.0.1.0.1.$10154018939982926.0.2.0.0.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$1u2qh.2:$1u2qh-2-0.0"><span data-offset-key="1u2qh-2-0" data-reactid=".2g.1.0.1.0.1.$10154018939982926.0.2.0.0.0.0.$editor0.0.0.$1u2qh.2:$1u2qh-2-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">With a $100 donation, several brave souls volunteered to be installed as
honourary Islanders.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">First, on goes the Ann of Green Gables hat.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Then the potato bag shirt.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Chef Michael Smith explains the ritual involved in becoming an honourary
Islander.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Chef Michael introduces the participants to oyster shucking.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lord help me - it's alive!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Down the hatch:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">How to get the elastic band off the claws without getting pinched!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">How to peel a potato!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">There's where the bridge is on the map.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Chef Michael Smith has the piper lead in all the volunteers, who made the
day a success.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Here are some of the crew members. This event involves practically
everyone in and around Souris.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">My little table centre is now re-potted on the deck.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Bonnie had us all over to her house for drinks and conviviality before
the feast.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Grant, Bonnie, Greg and Kathy are heading home afterwards.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">There were lovely bouquets like this one everywhere</span>.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">All in all the day was seamlessly well-organized down to the last delicious detail.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Lorna M. G. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036631537614304890noreply@blogger.com2