Loch Lomond and InverarayAlthough it was the last full day of the tour, the drive back to Edinburgh through central Scotland did not feel like an ending--new discoveries awaited. Some of the most beautiful scenery of the trip and the astonishing Stirling castle-palace complex continually surprised us. Our first stop was at Inveraray, a town on the shores of Loch Fyne, the longest sea loch in Scotland. We walked around town, visited a coffee shop and then climbed uphill for a look at the Gothic Inveraray Castle.
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Stirling CastleStirling Castle was perhaps the most well-preserved and impressive of all the royal residences and castles we visited in Scotland. Stirling's elevated location and incredible views-- the original reason for its construction (defensive fortification)-- combined with superb historical exhibits, and afternoon mix of sunlight, shadow and clouds made for a magical experience.
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Kelpies!As we reached the outskirts of Edinburgh, Brian had one last surprise for us--a visit to the Kelpies, 100-foot tall metal sculptures in the form of traditional Scottish water spirits. The Kelpies are located in a new multi-use park, the Helix. Although we only spent a half-hour or so at the Helix visiting the water spirits, the experience is a hard one to forget.
After returning to Edinburgh and checking into Parliament House for our final evening we headed to dinner together at Harvey Nichols, a couple blocks from the hotel. The food was very good, the company was delightful and Brian offered some thoughtful parting words, and a toast to new friends and good health-- Sláinte! |
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