Scotland!

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Geo: 55.8656, -4.25722

Well, we finally made it to Scotland. The plane ride was about 40 minutes. We got our car, set up TomTom and he took us straight to our cottage. We unpacked everything, for we are staying here for a month. Our hosts are Ned and Jenny O'Keefe. They are really nice and have been bending over backward to make sure our stay is comfortable. We stayed home on Wednesday and put stuff away and did laundry. Actually Jenn did most of the laundry for us. We tried to find a laundrymat near, but she said that we would have to drive to Glasgow to find one. The do laundry different here. They have no drier. Everything gets drid by hanging it, mostly inside because its so rainy. We have been here for 6 days and it has been cloudy and rainy off and on for the whole time. Oh well, we go out and tour anyway. Thursday we drove over to Sterling to tour around. We stopped at Stirling Castle first. It is so huge and beautiful we spent the entire day there! We went on a tour of the castle and then the Argyll house right outside the castle walls. Friday, we took a driving tour to the north through Aberfoyle, past a couple of lochs and toured the Doune Castle. It was very interesting. It didn't have furniture in it like some other castles but it must have had about 25 rooms in it. Saturday, we drove up the west side of Loch Lomand to Inveraray Castle. It is still being used by the same family that has owned it since the 1700's. The VIII Duke and Dutchess of Argyll still live there. Today, we went up the east side of the loch and went on a hike near Ben Lomand. It was pouring rain when we left on the hike and Stacy wasn't too happy. About a half hour into the hike the cloude broke and some sun peeked out and we got some nice photos. Just as we got back to the car it started pouring again.

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Photos

from our kitchen window
There is a pasture outside our kitchen window. We saw these pheasants out there yesterday.

Tapestry from Stirling Castle
This tapestry is one recreation of 7 that hung in the castle. They are making each one at the castle. You can watch them work on it. It took 3 1/2 years to complete this one. They have 3 finished. They will unveil all 7 on Easter 2011!

Comments

[bfsize15]

Nice... You guy's just seem to keep going and going while you are over there. Castle this day...some big rock that day...road of death tomorrow. Have you even just taken a day to sit around and relax?

[bfsize15]

Mmmm...dinner!!

[pops67]

Love the pictures, looks like you are having a great time, have you met up with Mike yet ?.<br>How is the money exchange rate doing, how much does it cost ot go to McDonalds that is if they have a McDonalds there.<br>Keep them c
oming and enjoy life you hav eearned it.<br><br>Gary & Judy<br>