Stirling, Scotland (1pic)

[squiddd]

I went to scotland last winter. The weather was not so welcome, rain and wind all the day. I was visting stirling castle, it was raining, and suddenly one beam of sunshine thrust cloud and shine on the hill far away.
I think it is a cool moment:D
This picture alone worth the trip :rofl
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/197989621-L.jpg

[ian408]

Drop a few more shots and a story. Then it'll be a Journey!

So far, a great start.

Ian

[squiddd]

Sorry I did not realize this is a forum to tell a story of our trips, I thought it's just some place to show pictures taken in the trip.
Now I understand how this work, I will tell my story about my visit to Scotland last winter. This might be quite long, and the photos won't be so pretty since it was taken by Pana fz5 (you will notice quite a lot of noises there), but I will try my best.
Also English is not my native language, so please forgive my grammar errors here and there ( I will really appreciate it if you point out though:clap )

Day1
Thats was the first time I come to Britain. I had to make a connection at London first, then to Edinburgh, where my uncle lives.
As soon as I reached Heathrow, I was told due to fog, all domestic flight are canceled. Ｗell, that's a warm welcome, isn't it?:cry I heard London was quite foggy, but wasn't it 'long time ago story'?
So I took the free bus British Airway offered. The road trip was 8 hours, 8! There was not too much to see, but I admit when fog cleared, the view was quite gorgeous! I want to take a photo , then I realized my camera was checked in my luggage, and my luggage of course is still in the airport.
So, no photos for day1:rofl

Day2
Still there days to Christmas, so my uncle had to work. Well that's ok for me, beacuase I borrowed :deal my cousin's sony camera, and grabbed a map of Edinburg. Here I come!
It took me quite some time to get used to that sony camera. I ended up with bunch of crappy shots. My first stop is Braid hill. I just wanted to get to some place high enough to watch Edinburgh's skyline.
The top of the hill is a golf club?
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231453532-L.jpg
Then I lokk around, OK, all top of hills are golf clubs...:rofl
At least, I got a view of Edinburgh castle. To tell the truth, it's not so beautiful in my eyes...
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231455576-L.jpg
Instead, I like these small houses
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231456210-L.jpg
and the quiet street
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231456590-L.jpg
Also, it seems weather is not very predictable:scratch
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231457501-L.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231460071-L.jpg
It seems it's going to rain, so I went home. I took a picture of this lazy cat near Christmas tree on my way home.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231456803-L.jpg
So, although it's till two weeks early, Merry Christmas, everyone!

[squiddd]

Please let me know If I shall continue this. I still have 7 days to cover.
Also is it better to start a new thread?:scratch

[ian408]

Wow! That's a great start for sure and thank you!

Feel free to keep adding to this thread. I'm looking forward to it.

Ian

[squiddd]

Ok, let me continue my story. Please let me know if you have any suggestion.

Day 3 (two days to Christmas)
It was a beautiful day. Sunny, no cloud. We went to Holyrood park. It is a hill from which you can see the whole city and seashore. People call it 'Arthur's seat' beacuse it looks like a lion from far away. It's locals' favorite hiking place.
View of seashore
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231721855-XL.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231721502-L.jpg
Queen's palace (on bottom of the picture)
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231740407-L.jpg
Beautiful residental area on the other side of hill.:lust
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231721165-L.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231721671-L.jpg
It's quite cold on top of the hill. Big wind, too. So we did not stay very long:dunno
Then we walked around near Calton hill, in the downtown area.
There is a peaceful graveyard on the hill.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231721416-L.jpg
And a tower(?) with cross overlook the city
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231721990-L.jpg
In winter, sunset is very early in Endinburgh. Here is the last picture I took that day. 'The scotsman' is a famous newspaper(?) in Scotland.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/231721230-L.jpg
Although, it was a beutiful day, nothing fancy happened. Still, Thanks for looking.

Ok, I have one thing to apologize here. I usually take pictures where I think is beautiful. I don't have many 'landmark signature' type photos. Sorry.:bow

[DJ-S1]

Ok, I have one thing to apologize here. I usually take pictures where I think is beautiful. I don't have many 'landmark signature' type photos. Sorry.:bow No apologies necessary, we love this stuff. That opening shot of the Wallace monument is great! :thumb

[Ann McRae]

Great journey. Keep them coming!

ann

[schmoo]

Wow this turned into quite a great tale! Keep them coming -- I really am loving seeing this country that I've wanted to visit for so long. :thumb

[squiddd]

Thank you for your kind words. So let me continue:D

Day 4 (1 Day to Chiristmas)
My Christmas gift finally arrived!:clap Well, not really, just my luggage and my camera... British Airway made it before Christmas, at least :D
The bad news... That fog huanting England 2 days ago also arrived at Edinburgh...:huh

So, as a result, all my photos end up like these...
The famous Edinburgh castle:
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232076799-L.jpg
It is there, I'm telling you! Just look more carefully...pls?
A graveyard near the castle and prince street. Sorry, I forget its name... Looks spooky in a foggy day.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232076758-L.jpg
Downtown area of Edinburgh. I like these buildings, you can feel the history
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232076884-L.jpg

Meadow park, a small park in downtown
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232077067-L.jpg
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232077006-L.jpg

Christmas eve, everybody is rushing home:D Soon, all stores are closed, and only a few people were still haunting the street. (I'm definetely one of them:rofl )
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232077258-L.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232077193-L.jpg

Soon, it becomes darker and dimmer. It's time to go home and have Christmas eve with my family...
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232077229-L.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/232077158-L.jpg

I think it's terrible weather like this that will make you really miss you cozy home:lust

:scratch I have to stop here. We had a terrible storm today, need to clean my lens and gears. Take care.

[Moogle Pepper]

You are making me antsy to go to Scotland! :thumb

[1andyw]

I enjoy your work. Thanks for sharing.

Andyw

[squiddd]

Sorry, I have been busy(and lazy) recently. Today I finally get some time, so let me continue...

Day 5 (Christmas)
Usually people stay at home on Christmas. But our family went to visit St. Andrews instead. The weather was dismal: cloudy, wet and cold. Maybe we should sit by the fireplace and watch Christmas TV programm instead:dunno
Anyway, Here are some pictures I took along the way.
An old railroad bridge near queen's ferry. It's quite a view!
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233897273-XL.jpg
a graveyard (again... sorry)

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233897348-L.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233897435-L.jpg
St Andrews's coast line. The other side of the sea will be Nederland or Danmark?
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898030-L.jpg
A church near university of St Andrews. (I can't stop taking picture of church and graveyards...:scratch )
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233897488-XL.jpg
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233897868-XL.jpg
Both St Andrews castle and cathedral are now ruin. Especially the cathedral, it was at one time Scotland's largest building. You still can imagine how big it was from the picture.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898078-XL.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898126-L.jpg
Nobody is on the street (Christmas...) All students of university is on holiday with their families, I guess.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898241-XL.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898298-XL.jpg
It's really a beautiful and peaceful town.

A spooky picture I took on our way home, just for fun:D
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898349-L.jpg

Day 6
Bad weather again. It's boxing day, something similar as thanks-giving. People are all on a shopping frenzy. Our family went to Glasgow, Scotland's largest city.
It's a modern city with lots of shops and people, but I prefer Edinburgh, well maybe it's just the bad weather...
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898418-XL.jpg
city hall?
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898465-L.jpg

And at last, two pictures for fun :rofl
Somebody did this to a statue...
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898724-L.jpg
and now I know the meaning of Scotland's flag...
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/233898549-L.jpg

Thanks for looking!

[nightspidy]

Your photos are so beautiful. I really like the foggy photos, they seem so mysterious. I'm soooo longing to go to Scottland now more than ever! Thank you so much for sharing your photos and your story. :D

[Rhuarc]

Wow! I am speehless! This was an amazing series! I particularly fond of the set from Day 4, all of the foggy shots. There is something about "good" fog that I just love. Wonderful!!! :clap :clap :clap

[squiddd]

Thank you everyone! I never imagined so many people are enjoying it. I will try my best!
Day 7
Weather was overcast, again... I really started to miss sunshine. What choice did I have?:cry I went to Edinburgh castle. I did not quite enjoy the trip, because it's all about exhibition and museum, and I am not very into those things. It's looking is not even close to 'a castle' in my imagination, it's more like 'buildings on a hill' in my eyes.
Castle view from far away
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227537-L.jpg
Since it's built on hill, it's higher than all the buildings in Edinburgh.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227587-L.jpg
Hey, at least we got cannon! And it's pointing at prince street, the main street of Edinburgh
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227637-L.jpg
Another picture of prince street, and the park next to castle
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227674-L.jpg
Anyone know what are these structures called? Watch tower? Arrow tower?
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227704-L.jpg

http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227748-L.jpg
A view from one of castle's room. The hill far away is Arthur's seat, the hill I mentioned in 'Day3'. Ok, it does not look like a lion from this angle:bow
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227779-L.jpg
Guess where this picture was taken?
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227857-L.jpg
And at last a picture of Greyfriars Bobby, the famous dog.
http://squiddd.smugmug.com/photos/234227921-L.jpg
If you don't know its story, here it is:


Bobby was the pet of shepherd John Gray who died in 1858. The loyalty of the little Skye terrier was so great that for 14 years the dog lived on his master's grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
When Greyfriar's Bobby died in 1872 he was buried in the churchyard close to his master. A statue of the terrier is now situated on Candlemakers Row, and is one of the most photographed statues in Edinburgh.

I don't like pictures I took on that day. I desperately need some sunshine!!!:bow
Fortunately, my luck was about to change:D
To be continued...