Messages from Scotland
Message 3: Kenmore
Hello back to the states!
Yesterday we packed up and loaded onto the big white bus. John, our driver, is quite the character and, being from Glasgow, has a very heavy accent. It is fascinating just to listen to him weave his stories!
Our first stop was the small, historic village of Culross (said cure-ross) where some of the scenes from the Outlander tv show had been filmed. Traffic delayed us a bit so we had a quick visit to the local landmark--a medieval merchant's house that was called a "palace."
We were then off to the beautiful town of St Andrews, known for it's connection to both golf and the university where Will and Kate met. Right beside the ocean, the winds were fierce! I can only imagine what it is like to play golf there.... St Andrews was also an ancient religious site and has a lovely ruined cathedral. I spent my time wandering the cathedral, beach, and town. The more sports minded tour members checked out the golf course and picked up souvenirs for friends back home. I found the church and graveyard ruins very peaceful and loved reading the old inscriptions, pondering the people who were immortalized there. Often the stones had a long list of family names documenting generation upon generation.
Our day ended nestled beside the River Tay in the village of Kenmore. This stunning forested area is quite the contrast to the big city of Edinburgh. Due to the isolated location we had group dinners in the hotel both nights we stayed here. The food was excellent so there were no complaints!
After dinner on the first night a local woman came and gave us a demo on the bagpipes and how to play them. Gillie was charming and told many stories about her life and experiences playing the pipes. I have always thought the bagpipes have a mournful, mysterious sound but I found out how hard to play they are. Some of the tour members tried to play the instrument with limited success. The finale to the evening was Brian carrying out a plate the national dish Scotland-haggis-with a bagpipe escort. I tried it but think it is an acquired taste!
 The Culross Palace was a merchant's house |  Our bus driver, John, waits for us to get settled before we take off |
|---|---|
 The group gathered in the sunshine |  We explored the palace gardens |
 View of beach near golf course in St Andrews |  St Andrews had a ruined castle |
 The graveyard surrounded the The Cathedral of St Andrew |  Many family members were buried in the same grave |
 The ruins were evocative |  Gillie first explained how the pipes worked |
 Then she made music |  She also told us all about the correct attire |
 Gillie helped tour member Ralph play the bag pipes |  The dreaded haggis, ready to be tasted |
The village of Kenmore is so peaceful and beautiful that today I had to get out before breakfast to walk and take pictures. The light in the local church yard and river reflections were stunning and I snapped to my heart's desire.
After breakfast the group started out early at The Scottish Crannog Center, which is very close to our hotel. These are prehistoric dwellings built on stilts out in the lake. The structures were not large but were quite cozy in a primitive way. And they were certainly more defensible on the water. Outside the building a guide showed us how they lived and performed everyday tasks, including making fire. Made me appreciate our modern conveniences!
The rest of the day was all about walking in the woods. First we stopped by the Hermitage, which had a towering forest and rushing water and a rescue team practicing their craft. Then we took a quick ride to Dunkeld. I spent my free time there checking out the local cathedral, chatting with a couple tour members and other travelers over a sandwich, and walking through a wooded area. The woods are so majestic and green here. Very different from Colorado!
Martha
 Our hotel is the white building |  Graveyard shadows |
|---|---|
 Bridge over River Tay |  Crannog over the Loch (lake) Tay |
 How would you like to live here? |  We were fascinated about how the people lived |
 Making fire |  We were off for a walk in the forest |
 Tall trees |  Good thing this "rescue" was a practice |
 A couple tour members get to know John |  Dunkeld Cathedral |
 How about attending a service here? |  Let's go for a stroll |
 I wonder what this lion has seen? |  Aren't these beauties? |
 Bracken in the sunshine |  Dunkeld was also beside the River Tay |