Scotland

[Jackie Ramo]

Well I'm here to bore you with my trip to Scotland, Smith's homeland. He and his sister went the week before John, my brother-in-law and I joined them. It was a pilgrimage for them, home after 50 years to the date of their leaving, neither having been back before.

This isn't about their trip but mine. :frisbee:

No bombed out airport pictures as we arrrived at 5:20am joyful as we knew it was only 11 our time and they had to get out of bed to pick us up. After doing mundane things like breakfast and rental cars we drove into Glasgow where Smith and I visited the Burrel museum. Interesting to me that fish have been an artistic icon for centuries

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_koivase%201700.JPG

Then on the road to Luss, one of the prettiest towns I've ever seen. I took about 100 pics but only this one of me taken by Smith for you.

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_ramo%20scotland.JPG

Driving on the otherside of the road is exciting to say the least but once one heads out or up to the highlands the roads get narrow. Have a close look, the truckis exactly the width of the road.
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_truck.JPG

The signs are funny, we had a good laugh about these ones, make up you own, we did
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_signs.JPG

[Jackie Ramo]

Another picture from Luss to show the flowers, the envy I have of their growing season you can not imagine!!! More on that later

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_hydrangeas.JPG

If one thought that the county side was left to nature this truck sure proved that wrong. Our rental car guy told us to take this route, the prettiest in Scotland he assured us, he may be right but it was hard to tell with so much beauty everywhere.

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_grounds%20keeper.JPG

The grounds the owner of the truck was keeping
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_grounds.JPG
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_grounds2.JPG

The 400 year old B&B we stayed in the first night (please note no sleep for me as yet)
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_B%26B.JPG

Loch Lomond as in the song, these taken on our way back to the B&B after dinner. It is 10:30 pm

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Loch%20Loman.JPG

:chew: http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Loch%20Loman2.JPG

[Jackie Ramo]

After being up for more than 24 hours I was still on Canada time so at 5 am I went for a walk. Where I took another 100 pictures but this one shows that up small roads are treasures. Beside this was the train station and behind a forest.

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Loch%20Loman3.JPG

After breakfast its on the road to Skye. We didn't go in the castle but it sure was a beauty

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_castle.JPG

A place we may have spent time in our younger years
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Jail.JPG

This is a place we spent far too much time at. With everything being twice the price we saw more bank machines than we ever wanted

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_bank.JPG

Every turn in the road brought more beauty

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_history.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_ruins.JPG

[Jackie Ramo]

Weather, well let these show you the weather. It was neither wonderful nor awful but it made the sky interesting and the mountains close.

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_weather.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_weather2.JPG

So here we are not even in Skye as yet but I'll try to resize more to post for your boredom soon. Skye is heaven.

[Jackie Ramo]

Although no oneseems interested I've resized a few more pics so I'll post them.

On the road to Skye still, closer since we have hit the ocean

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_seashore.JPG

The land weeps with small and larger streams everywhere you look.

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_streamlette.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Skye%20Falls.JPG

The calm side of the falls
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%20falls%20calmside.JPG

The view from our hotel in Portree, Isle of Skye
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_view%20from%20Marmalade.JPG

The seashore of Skye, the blue building is a fabulous seafood restaurant - tide is out, seems tide was always out....
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Skye.JPG

[Jackie Ramo]

Yes, these are fushia, growing like small trees north of James Bay. I had such bad plant envy the entire time I was in Scotland.

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Fushia.JPG

This is a hedge of Rhododendriums.... red ones I think by the stray bloom I saw. This path leads up to Dunvegan Castle

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Rhodo%20hedge.JPG

Dunvegan Castle itself, no pics allowed inside
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_dunvegan%20castle.JPG

One of our many sheepish encounters
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_sheep%20encounters.JPG

[The Other Lynda]

Keep them coming, Jackie - I'm interested! What beauty!

[Jackie Ramo]

The problem is choosing which pics. The country side was so beautiful that each one is a gem.

[Koidaddy]

Jackie, your photos are spectacular... please keep them coming. Countryside is beautiful, but that is to be expected. I'd love to visit Scotland one day, but Europe is so expensive now. See any koi in your travels?

KD
:frisbee:

[Jackie Ramo]

Everything there was almost exactly 2 x's as much as here. A burger and chips for 8.95 but that's 18.50 Cdn!!!! Some things were even more expensive. I don't want to see the charge bill when it comes in :banghead: Still I am not sorry we went. It was an important trip for Smith and his sister to return to the homeland. It sure kept shopping to a minimum. We did get sweaters :grin: but it was hard to find ones made in Scotland. With all those sheep one would think the industry was strong but no.

No koi... but then I was in minority that wanted to see them.

[clm]

Beautiful pics Jackie. I haven't had much time to pop in lately, but keep them coming. It's nice when I finally get a break to have some nice pics to look at.

Cindy

[Jackie Ramo]

We spent a full day in Skye driving north and about Here is a pic of one of the roads we took. Yes, like many in Skye it is one lane for both ways

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%208.JPG

You can see the pass pull over area in this shot, sorry I missed the bus shot!!!

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_sky%2010.JPG

This next series of shots are all from the same spot or area using different angles and lenses. I can't tell you how breathtaking it was inthe drizzle I may have moved there had the sun been shining

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Skye%203.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Skye%204.JPG
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%206.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%205.JPG

[Jackie Ramo]

One can not talk about Skye without talking about sheep. For some reason I really fell in love with these silly creatures who in real life are more stupid than chickens but these looked so regal

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%20sheep.JPG
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%20sheep%202.JPG

This is one of the farm houses down in the valley

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%209%7E0.JPG

And although there are indeed fences, the sheep pay little mind to them

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%20sheep%203.JPG

The next morning it is time to say farewell to Skye and take the ferry 30 minutes back to the mainland, for a small charge of 50 pound or 100.00 per car!!!!


http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%20ferry.JPG
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_skye%20ferry1.JPG

[Peg]

Great pics Jackie :yup: keem em comming :cheers2U: