White Wife is the name of the most populair Shetland beer brewed by the Valhalla brewery. Tatstes good. This morning July 28th I started with Allen the second day trip. This time fully booked with 8 passengers and we left early morning for the most northern island of the Shetlands Unst, On our way we had to take two ferries , each about 10 minutes. Untill 13.00 hours it was raining but later the wind came and it became dry and sunny. But so cold. Great views again . Walking about beaches and hills. In the end we saw the most nordren island of UK. A small spot in see just 200m from the northern point of Unst. Came back at 18.30 and Allen dropped me at the museum restaurant where he had made a reservation ... read more

Irish people are like everywhere else in Europe very proud on their politicians. The way they accommondated the bankers in their search for a good life brought the politicians a lot of admiration. The irish people found after long research the test all candidates who want to become politician has to make. It goes as follows: Duration max 35 minutes. They don t have to be able to read or write. However talking at least 30 minutes without saying something give them the chanche to get a number from their party to join the next elections. You can see already some signs of the crisis Ireland is in. Taxidrivers complaint about the weather and about people who are not spending anymore, Parents are complaing about children who emigrates. Emigration the old medicine for Ireland in difficult ... read more

Arrived sunday july 24th in Inverness with the coach from Fort William. Weather was speldid and I made a long walk along the river Ness.Guesthouse Ardconnel is a small 6 rooms guest house. Beautiful interior but rather small room and they need to invest some in matrasses. Kind people. On monday I went on a long daytour, 14 hours, to Orkney Islands. First 2,5 hours by coach, than you reach John O Groats where the ferry to Orkney just arrived. John O Groats started his live as dutch Jan de Groot.. On that spot you can see also the last house of Scotland and the distance to London will be about 1000 km from there. The day was cold,real cold, with some rain in the morning. The ferry to Orkney only takes about 45 minutes and ... read more

Had made a reservation in the restaurant of the Alexandra Hotel where I stayed a few years ago. First I took half pint Foster for the waiter saaid they don t have bad scottish beer and Foster, Australian, brewed in Glasgow, is the best. probably he means the margin. The glas was special with the text Half Pint CE MO9. This means that one of the certifying companies started to make standards for beerglasses. Certainly a good business for a thing you don t have to do. Than I ordered an Ovenbaked pie case with char grilled fillet stonaway black pudding & marmelade with mashed potato cake. I dont know what s inside the Black Pudding and perhaps better keep it that way. Food was not bad and there was life music An old couple, really ... read more

Yesterday July 20th early train again .The 7.35 from Conolly Dublin to Belfast,in Belfast the ferry to Scotland and there a connecting train to Glasgow central. Arrived at Maclays Guesthouse end of the afternoon. The Guesthouse is quite big , 6 connecting houses with about 60 rooms.Found out during breakfast that I increase the average age by approx 1 Year to probably 24 years. However it s quiet but unfortunately no beer. In the center is a shop showing old sewingmachines of the type my mother used 50 years ago. A quick count, about 1000 on display. Took the hop on hop off sightseeing tour this morning and saved £ 2.-- by being a sr. Went in the afternoon to New Lanark about 1 hour from Glasgow. And again a saving of £ 1,50 by being ... read more