thit_cho

http://tinyurl.com/llvfvs

I just returned from a trip to Scotland, including visits to the Shetland and Orkney Islands. I started my trip in Manchester, from where I visited the Isle of Man, but I also used my arrival day to visit Liverpool and Chester, two English cities that I had not visited on my many prior trips to England. I ended my trip with four nights in Edinburgh during festival season, attending the Military Tattoo and the Edinburgh Fringe.

Highlights were:

1) Shetland -- boat cruise around the island of Noss, visiting the enormous colonies of nesting northern gannets, but also seeing a few puffins, grey seals, porpoise and one minke whale (trip was with Seabirds-and-Seals (http://www.seabirds-and-seals.com/)

2) Orkney -- visiting the Neolithic Heart of Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site. I visited all four sites: (1) Maeshowe -- a unique chambered cairn and passage grave, which was looted by Vikings who left one of the largest collection of runic inscriptions in the world; (2) Standing Stones of Stenness -- the four remaining megaliths of a henge, the largest of which is six metres high; (3) Ring of Brodgar -- a stone circle 104 metres in diameter; and (4) Skara Brae -- a cluster of ten houses making up Northern Europe’s best-preserved Neolithic village.

3) Doune Castle -- where much of Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed (I also visited Rosslyn Chapel, but its undergoing renovation, was covered in scaffolding, was overrun with tour groups and forbids pictures inside the chapel)

4) Highlands -- including Loch Ness and Glen Coe, a beautiful valley

5) Glasgow -- the Mackintosh buildings, including the Glasgow School of Art and the Willow tearooms (Mackintosh reminded me of Gaudi or Wright in his individuality)

6) Edinburgh -- excellent haggis (I had it twice) at Whiski Bar & Restaurant on the Royal Mile (followed by a deep fried Mars bar from the Clamshell Fish and Chip Shop)

Andeesue

Thanks for sharing your highlights! Were you driving? I'm interested in visiting Scotland next year and appreciate any tips.

thit_cho

I relied in trains and buses, except in the Orkney Islands, where I rented a car to visit the sites that make up the "Heart of Neolithic Orkney" UNESCO World Heritage Site -- that would have been very difficult to accomplish in one day by public bus. I think it can be done by bus, but it will take two days and lots of waiting time.

adrienne

I loved your photos! Sounds like you had a great trip.

irishface

I'd love to have seen your pictures, but it seems as if you can't see them unless you join kodak and I do NOT want to join kodak.

sheila

Lovely photos. You seem to have had a great time

thit_cho

http://tinyurl.com/m94qyt

Irishface, this link should permit unfettered access.

irishface

Thanks, thit_cho, I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of your trip. Many thanks for making them available.

cynthia_booker

Beautiful photos! Looks like you had pretty good weather.
Also, thanks for taking the time to do the captions. Makes a big difference to know what the photos are about. Sometimes it takes me months to get them done.
I really wish we could know the actual story behind the rings all over the UK. Not just the various theories, but the real story.