Highlands and Islands

Loch Lomond from Firkin Point

Alan and I were invited to spend a weekend with Jim and Jennifer in Tarbert. Scotland is such a funny place when it comes to lack of straight roads and Lochs everywhere, that it would have taken normal people about 4 hours to get there. If we could go in a straight line, Tarbert is just a bit north of Arran and we think it would take about 2 hours. But without a boat, this is impossible!  Lucky for me, we could not go until Saturday, so there was no conflict with me watching the Royal Wedding!

We sauntered up the road and stopped numerous times to take photographs. Anytime we go anywhere, we take pictures. Alan has been known to stop every 10 feet until someone (meaning me) stops him! So we left Ayr at 8am and got to Jim and Jennifer's caravan about 4:30 pm!  I know this sounds like I am complaining, but I also have a camera and take pictures!  (If you can't beat them, join them!)

Inverary on Loch Fyne



On the way, we stopped for a very short time in Inverary.  This is a darling place and we have spent alot of time in Inverary, but today, it was a short 20 walk  up and down the main street.

A short history of Inverary -  In 1770 the Fifth Duke of Argyll rebuilt the entire town in a more pleasing manner.  To this day, the beauty and symmetry continues, although the buildings are beginning to show their age.  I think the town continues to be owned by the Duke. 

Loch Fyne

Inverary Castle - home of the 13th Duke of Argyll, who is also Chief of the Clan Campbell

Alan and I had spent a weekend with Jim and Jennifer last year in the same area. It was the first time we had seen the Crinan Canal, which goes for Ardrishaig to Crinan.  On this journey, we drove from one end to the other and had lunch on the side of the canal.  I think it must be one of the shortest, if not the shortest, canals.  Lunch was very peaceful, no boats went by while we were there.  Most of the locks are not automatic and it looks like really hard work to get your boat through!

Our next stop before arriving at our destination was the shore opposite the Isle of Jura.

When we got to the caravan, Jim and Jennifer were sitting on the deck in the sun.  It was a lovely welcome!





On Sunday, Alan and I took the ferry to the Isle of Islay.  Being Sunday, we knew it was a gamble because the islands are known for being much more religious, with even ferry service not running until recently.  And it was even worse than we imagined, absolutely everything was closed!  Not even a place to buy a bottle of water!  But it was beautiful and we had a nice walk along gorse lined roads.  We got to the nearest distillery to the ferry - Caol Ila.  I loved it anyway, I have always wanted to see the Scottish islands, so hopefully the is only the beginning!

Gorse lined road on Islay

Ferry between Islay and Jura

Alan had to work on Monday, so we got up early to get ready to leave.  This was the day it was announced that Osama bin Laden was killed by Navy Seals in Pakistan!  It was a wonderful, patriotic feeling for me and a huge relief for the world, I hope!  It is almost a week later now and very disappointing how so many  Americans put a negative spin on something they should be proud of.  If any other President had accomplished this after so many years of the world searching for this man, it would have been shouted from the roof tops how good the President was.  But not for President Obama.  After the initial wave of joy and respect for him, the narrow minded Americans searched for ways to discredit him.  Now saying it was not Osama and all other kinds of things.  Why can't we just live together and respect each other's differences?  It is so depressing for there to be this underlying hate and suspicion in the certain aspects of US citizens of people that don't think exactly like they do.



"Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened." Cora Harvey Armstrong