Harry Potter!

Today we rode the Jacobite Express coal-fired steam train from Ft. William to Mallaig and back again.  this is the same train used in the Harry Potter films.  it was great fun--but very rainy and cool in the morning, so the only way you could get any decent photos is by opening the sliding window atop the big picture window.  However (we discovered) when the train goes through a tunnel, steam and coal soot comes flying back inside the coach through said open sliding window.  it was quite an adventure.  But the scenery was breathtaking.  Here are just a couple of the over 100 photos I took today.

The B&B we stumbled on yesterday is a real gem, set on the side of a hill overlooking the harbor at Ft. William.  Absolutely lovely place and we've enjoyed chatting with several of the other guests. 

Tomorrow it's off to the Isle of Skye on a tiny little ferry boat operated by hand that only takes about 3 cars. 

Lost in Scotland. . . for a while

Well, the other night we couldn't find out B&B.  The address was "Gartmore, near Aberfoyle".  That's it.  It got dark, it was raining, I was in unknown territory driving on the left side of the road.  We finally gave up and just stayed at the first B&B we could find.  But YESTERDAY we found out that the old Neilson Parish Church (dating from the 1500's) was an outgrowth of Paisley Abbey nearby, which dates from the 1100's.  We drove up to Paisley Abbey and. . . .Oh. My.   There's not much more I can say.  The place is fabulous!  And the organ is stunning.  Bringing pictures back for our church organist.  Some attached here.  It's late, and we're taking the Harry Potter steam train (the Jacobite Express) out to the coast and back tomorrow.  Will attach pictures after we return tomorrow night.  Should be fun!

Many travels today

Well, we started in Stranraer, where we're currently staying, and went to many litle hamlets and fields that still carry the names they were given back in the 1700's: Lochan's Moor, Crailloch, High Salchrie, and Low Salchrie.  Also investigated the TINY town of Kirkcolm, and found the old Kirkcolm church.  Visited the area where the Inch church used to be:  The original one was built in the 1100's on an island near the old Castle Kennedy, where the Earl of Stair used to keep his residence.  At some point it was abandoned, and a new church was built, looks like around the 1600's.  this is now in ruins, with no roof, however the current Earls and Countesses of Stair and their children are still being buried within the walls of the old church.  Very interesting.  One half has the parish ministers, the other half of the old curch holds the gentry who own or owned the land.  We did find a couple of Gibsons buried there, but if they're 'our' Gibsons, they're only distantly related.  Also, these fields are COVERED with stinging nettles, and my ankles are on fire right now because I didn't wear thick enough or high enough socks.  Yowza!

We visited the 'new' Inch Church and churchyard which is exceptionally well maintained.  Looks to have been built in the 1800s sometime.  Driving in these tiny, mediaeval burghs is quite an experience.  Glad I got the additional cover (insurance) on the car, because a branch came back and thwapped the driver's side mirror and broke it.  Don't know if I should call and get it fixed or just let them deal with it when I return the car.  I'm only out 60 pounds (about $100) since I have the insurance.  Whew!

Also saw some very interesting standing stones and cairns.  Carinholy I and Cairnholy II date from some of the very earliest inhabitation in the area and were places of burial.  Took quite a few pictures.  I wonder how early people maneuvered some of those stones around? And they're still standing, when many grave markers from the 1800's are already down. 

Tomorrow is the Wigtown Book Festival. I anticipate finding many good deals, or "can't miss bargains" as my grandmother used to say.  Will upload more pictures tonight.  Stay tuned!  I just need to re-size them so they don't crash everyone's computer.

Charging your equipment in the UK

Well, the inevitable happened.  I forgot something.  Or rather, I forgot to double-check something.  I brought the voltage converter and an outlet adapter.  However, it's a UK to US 2 prong adapter.  The computer, of course, takes a 3-prong plug.  You know, the one with the little round ground plug below the two regular prongs? and after much fruitless searching for the past 2 days, I've come to the conclusion that I'm unlikely to find said adapter over here.  Because, of course, anyone from the UK would be going TO the US, not coming FROM it.  ::sigh::  So I plugged in the voltage adapter and the converter plug I brought with me, and then just turned the power plug to the laptop upside down and it does charge the laptop that way.  Needless to say, this is less than optimal.  I don't leave it plugged in overnight or unattended for any length of time.  But it works in a pinch, and that's what we're in, laptop-wise.  Ain't technology grand?

New Occupation: Flax Heckler

Okay, this is a new one for me.  While this wasn't an occupation of anyone in our lineage, I stumbled across it.  Flax heckler.  "Hey, flax--you ever catch flak for your name?  hahahahahah!" 

In other news, made quite a bit of progress today after not finding much yesterday.  But one of the few leads we got yesterday turned into gold when the librarian at the Ewart Library here in Dumfries knew how to find which farms we were talking about, and produced an old ordnance survey map showing the locations of both farms, which are just down the road from each other.  Also on opposite sides of the parish dividing lines, which explains why we keep finding people in Inch Parish and Mochrum Parish. 

Ate a delightful late lunch/early supper at the Old Bank Restaurant and Coffee house. Tonight is our last night at the Glencairn Villa B&B, which is situated perfectly for our needs, near town and VERY near the Ewart Library.  Tomorrow it's on to Inch and Stranraer, with a side trip to check out the location of those farms we found on the maps yesterday. 

I'll be back driving on the left side of the road, so watch out!

First stop. . . . Dumfries

As in Dumfries & Galloway, tho this is the town of Dumfries, not the county of D&G.  I have to say, Air France Business Class (Affaires) completely ROCKS.  Ability to rest, wonderful crew members (one even looked like French President Nicolas Sarkozy) and outstanding food and wines. 

We're staying at the Glencairn Villa B&B, which is an older Georgian-era home that's been turned into a B&B.  We passed through Gretna Green on the way up here, but didn't see anyone getting a hasty marriage.  Just sheep and cows.  Sheep and cows.  More sheep and cows.

Tomorrow we'll go into town and see if we can find a voltage converter that takes 3 prong American plugs, instead of 2-prong, which is all I brought.  And fix up mom's credit card because it doesn't look like dad's call to the bank to tell them we're in the UK registered. 

But for now we're just tired.  Picture of the Best Western in Dumfries, opposite the train station.  Not too many Best Westerns that look like this.

Over the Sea to Skye

Well, not quite yet.  Skye is a couple weeks away.  But definitely heading for Paris, London, Carlisle (Scotland) and then, finally, Dumfries.  We'll spend a day or so in Dumfries, then head for Wigtown, where the UK's largest book fair is held every year.  And what a happy coincidence that it will just be starting up when we arrive!  Huh.  I wonder how that happened?
http://www.wigtown-booktown.co.uk/

Am I forgetting anything?

Okay, we're 5 days out now.  The dh (darling husband, dratted husband. . . . depending) is convinced I'll forget something critical.  The red bag has all my electronics, chargers, passport, critical things that are going on the plane with me.  The black suitcase is actually only about half full, and also has two more bags inside of it that fold flat for storage.  I doubt they will be folded flat upon our return.

So will I forget anything?  And if so, what?

Packing for Scotland

Okay, we're 2 weeks out from leaving for Scotland.  There are a few things in the suitcase, but I'm not sure what I'll forget.  Will it be something critical?  What should I take?