Looking for a castle

On the way out, a quick search for the best castles Scotland has to offer. The candidates?

for Monty Python and the Holy Grail fans...

...and Stirling Castle, what the "experts" say is Scotland's best.

Arguably the most beautiful place in Scotland

Glencoe.
Though no history lesson from me here...

Met a guy at my hostel in Glencoe who was an Obama-supporting Marine from California just finishing up his contract. He was in Scotland for a bagpiping competition, and played the snare drum with a band from the American Midwest. I think they came in sixth.

And now for a history lesson.

Located just a little bit outside of Glasgow, New Lanark is a mill community that was begun in the 18th century. In the early 19th century, the socialist and industrialist Robert Owen took over the mills from his father-in-law and set out to start a social experiment involving humane living and working conditions for the mill workers. Among other things, he forbade the labor of children under ten, and started the first-ever pre-school. Additionally, he had decent housing for the workers (by the standards of the day), some sort of socialized health care, and a mill store that sold higher quality and cheaper goods than were otherwise available. Despite his mill turning a profit, other investors were obviously unhappy with the expense going to the workers' living conditions, and he wound up buying them out.
After Robert Owen left New Lanark (some 25 years after he arrived), he came over to the United States and, with his sons, attempted to found a Utopian community called New Harmony, in Indiana. This experiment failed, and he returned to England. His sons, however, stayed in America. His oldest became a member of Congress, where he drafted the bill for the founding of the Smithsonian and worked towards women's and widow's rights. Of his other two sons one became a geologist and surveyor and the other a professor of natural science.


I must confess. No, I do not remember all of this, only that I read or heard it while visiting New Lanark. I had to "refresh my memory" via Wikipedia and other websites.

Please do notice the Xtra Tuffs

So many pictures; so little to say.

Islay continued.

The Pilgrimage: Lagavulin

Lagavulin. Its standard is a 16-year-old, although they offer two others. Stick with the 16-year-old. Definitely one of my favorite whiskies.

And to finish off the day, a stroll along the coast:

Whisky and walking. Slainte.

Islay. An island of 3000 people and 7 whisky distilleries. Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, and Caol Ila. A 2.5 hour drive plus a 2 hour ferry from Glasgow. Worth a visit.

Bob was in England for a meeting, so decided to join me for a spell and offer some assistance with the birthday splurge. He met me in Glasgow and coordinated the visit to Islay.

Port Ellen, Islay

The 8th century Kildalton Cross, similar to those found on Iona, from the time of the early Christian movement from Ireland.

Happy 30th Birthday!!

Not the most progressive choice of vacation for entering into my 4th decade. But it is beautiful, and has been a precursor to many crucial life crossroads. Plus it's gorgeous. And there is so much familiar, yet so much left to see. And what better way to celebrate one's 30th birthday than by drinking single malt where it is made, on a small island off the west coast of Scotland. Oh, I feel so mature...

But first, a trip to Glasgow. The American side of Scotland to Edinburgh's European style, or so they say. The cheaper airport. But perhaps, in a more relevant sense, a place in Scotland I'd never been.

You can't go back. Except, of course, when you do.

A Confession. The less than impressive course of my dedication to this little blog has meant that I haven't written in nearly a year. Surely there was something going on worth sharing en masse... Perhaps... but I only think the past few months are worth going into. So, it is currently the end of October; however, through the ability of the internet to lie so beautifully, I am going to pretend that my updates were timely. Starting with my 30th birthday.