Friday, March 30, 2012

The Goddesses of the Fountain

Edinburgh

This fountain was not operational today, but it is gorgeous non-the-less.
It is huge! And it is surrounded by flowers and the backdrop from every angle is wonderful, especially in the rare and brilliant Scotland sunshine!



















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Edinburgh

I am not sure what this is. I asked someone and couldn't make out what they said. But it is very visible coming into the train station and then from all over town. It has this amazing patina to it. I'll look into it further.




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More Edinburgh


A view from the bus stop.









Here is where I catch my 6 am bus to the airport tomorrow, I will be waiting on top of the kings stables, what looks to me like a cemetery.




I walked through this into a gorgeous park filled with blooming flowers, and tons of daffodils!














I climbed this hill through the daffodils to the castle.
Just a few angles of the omnipresent castle.









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Scot-rail


The ride from Oban was very scenic. Last time I did it in the dark, so it was nice to get to see where I had been.
From Glasgow to Edinburgh was a fast train so no fotos, I had a rear view seat and had to pay attention so I didn't get car sick!




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Last day on Iona


Look at this fun, checkered flower! It is growing in the old nunnery.
The original nunnery. The Sheela na gig nunnery!













This lovely circle and the following willow wicker, growing sculptures are in the garden of the Caledonia Hotel, where they grow their own organic greens and such.













Sylvie and Tammas, my Iona friends, walked me to the ferry today.
We had time so we stopped in garden spots and semi hidden pathways.
We also discovered, thanks to Tammas' watchful eye, a labyrinth someone had made on the beach near the pier.
It was wonderfully created with beach findings, shells, stones, seaweed, rope strands, colored glass and pottery shards, very well put together.
Sylvie took some fotos I will share when she shares.






I miss these women already, it has only been hours!




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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Goodbye, Iona!

i

Iona in the wake of the ferry, and a large, broken boulder on the beach near the ferry pier in Fionnphort, Isle of Mull.





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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Loch Staonaig

This Loch (lake) is on the top of the hill, which is weird to me, you climb up and there it is with no vegetation except heather.
It is very boggy here, even on tops of hills. I would intuitively go up to get out of the boggy conditions, but that doesn't help, the ground is like a giant sponge. And bog-wash ( my term) is very brackish and doesn't come right off.






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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Viewpoint


Sylvia took this foto of me saluting the sinking sun from atop a big rock in the sea,while the tide comes in.


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Salute to the Sunset


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Beach flowers


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Sunset March 27,2012~Deborah's Birthday!









I was standing on a big rock in the sea for this, but I had to get down before the final setting because the tide was coming in and I didn't want to have to swim ashore!






I did do some sun salutes atop the big rock while watching the sun head toward all of you!






Sylvia,who works here was on shore and she took a foto of me on the big rock but I cannot figure out how to attach it.






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Birds

I was climbing around on some cliffs like places off the trail and there was this narrow canyon type place and I looked down and there were these birds.
I looked them up in the bird book when I got back and can't find them, there was something similar without the little head bump and yellow throat....
Perhaps this is the winter/spring dressing of the cormorant?
The puffins are back early this year, did you notice them in a garden foto?
There are many birds and they are announcing spring with a cacophony for sure. I can't identify many of them, but have been looking through the bird book furiously. There are loads of greylag geese and water birds, wishing I had binocs!
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Old Marble Quarry


The old marble quarry. The marble from here is white with beautiful green inclusions, a lovely jade/sea green.







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Gardens on Iona


They all seem to be within stone walls, which mesmerizes me!





























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