Tag: beautiful

  • Post 5: My Trip to Scotland: Part 5 -Yesnaby Coast and Skara Brae

    Post 5: My Trip to Scotland: Part 5 -Yesnaby Coast and Skara Brae

    Our day of seeing ancient structures continues. But first, wee stopped at this beautiful site on the Yesnaby coast on our way to Skara Brae.

    I’m pretty sure this is a fossil.

    Skara Brae is a stone age village that was uncover during a storm in 1850.

    It was fun to see a place people lived in 5000 years ago!

    They had one section staged like it would have been.

    Here is a bed.

    And a cupboard.

    It was a short walk to the rest of the village.

    They have a serious rabbit problem.

    Here is what the village looks like now. Imaging living in these cool stone houses.

    The Skaill house is a 17th Century manor house that overlooks Skara Brae and the Bay of Skaill. It was built for the George Graham, the Bishop of Orkney, and has been added to over the years. His son became the laird of the estate. It’s not as old as Skara Brae, but looks nice. So do the flowers.

  • My Trip to Scotland: Part 2

    My Trip to Scotland: Part 2

    August 2nd began our five-day tour through the Highlands and up to Orkney Island. If you’ve ever tried to drive on a narrow winding one lane road over hills in a foreign country, you know why we chose to do a tour instead of renting a car. It was well worth it!

    Along the way we learned a lot about Scottish history and saw some beautiful sights.

    The drive took us through Glencoe in the Highlands, site of the Glencoe massacre. In 1692, men, women, and children of the MacDonald Clan were murdered in their sleep by troops of the Clan Campbell. It was ordered by the government but violated clan hospitality that Clan Campbell had requested because of a winter storm.

    We drove past Ben Nevis Mountain, the highest point in Scotland.

    And through Loch Lomond National Park.

    Of course we stopped at Loch Ness. Nessie didn’t make an appearance, but we did see some brave swimmers in the icy water.

    Inverness is on Scotland’s northeast coast, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. It’s the largest city and the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands.

    We got to spend the evening there.

    I even found some wolves on a church along with some other critters.

    Dinner was a MacGregor’s Bar which had this lovely quote from Sir Walter Scott.

  • THE MOUNTAIN

    Find out what ruined this couple’s holiday.

     

    Could it get any better than this?” said Jake. He sipped his drink, then gazed across the lake at the white capped mountain. “Clear blue skies, clean crisp air. It’s as spectacular as everyone said.”

    “Hon, I hate to break it to you, but we need to pack up and leave right now.”

    “What?” he said, nearly choking on his cocktail. “What for? This place is perfect.”

    “Apparently not. I just got a message that it’s no longer safe. They’re closing the park, effective immediately.”

    “No!” Jake shook his head. “Just because some bureaucrats can’t do their job doesn’t mean they have the right to spoil our vacation. It’s the first we’ve had in ages.”

    “It’s more than politics and you know it. The infestation is creating havoc. They have no choice.”

    He pointed at the view. “Look at that flawless peak, delicately dusted with powdered sugar. They’re going to ruin it.”

    “No, they won’t. I promise we’ll come back as soon as things settle down.”

    “Right, sure we will,” said Jake. “Remember Pompeii? Completely buried. Atlantis? Sunk along with all the unicorns.  Mars? Uninhabitable. Before that it was Quirinus. That planet’s nothing more than an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.”

    “Okay, maybe you have a point. We still have to leave.”

    “I suppose,” he said, gathering his belongings. “but this place better still be here after the fumigation. Damn humans. Every time we think those parasites are gone they spring up out of the ooze like a virus.”

     

    Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Wolf Dawn and Star Touched.

    Wolf Dawn 13

     

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers. But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

     

     

     

     

     

    Startouched AL Kaplan

     

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers. Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends and herself.