Hike Along the Coast

It is a quiet morning in Stornoway. The sun is shining but I find I need still need my fleece. I'm at the library enjoying the sound of Scottish accents and the light through the windows. A coffee after this post is entirely appropriate.

Yesterday I took a bus up towards the top of the island. There is a hike along the coast and I felt I need the exercise. The driver stopped beyond some pastures. "The Bridge to Nowhere lies up ahead. That's where the trail starts".

Of course it was the kind of adventure I'm always up for. The hike is 10 miles in length and the owner of the hostel had concerns about my shoes and "...did I have a cell phone?"

After crossing the bridge, the trail went up a coastal hill. The beach below and coastline were like some paint scene I once pondered. I bounced on (yes, bounced...that is what it feels like to walk in the bog) until I found myself in complete isolation. I could see across the ocean for many miles and along the north and south coast. There was no sign of people or civilization. My company was the various ferns, mosses and distant bird song.

As I meandered the marked trail, I found myself sometimes above jagged cliff faces looking down on waves breaking far below. Vertigo. The distant bark of seals added to the mystic.

5 1/2 hours later, I found my way out to the main road and caught the bus back to Stornoway. Truly it was a hike to remember.

Ediburgh Thoughts

I'm suffering from sensory overload. Several days in Edinburgh can do that to you. Still I haven't eaten haggis. I have had several shop owners try to convince me I need a kilt. And I need to mention I felt fear when I first listened to the radio and couldn't even understand the DJ (though I'm understanding the accent better after several days).

I did manage to get into the National Archives. Friendly folks. I was able to view letters written by Duncan Shaw (the Factor...or Sheriff of Benbecula and other southern islands). The notes had no mention of the mermaid burial, but had interesting information on the island culture of the 1820s.

Tomorrow I'll be back in the archives. I want to look at any church records for the island. Best to find would be a record of the burial (though I think the mermaid wasn't Christian). I'm curious what kinds of information may be found in the island area as well.

I must go and wander the shores. I am starting to get into a proper mindset. I hope to have some decent writing surface soon!

Back in Dublin

So, I wish I could write with the sincereity and wisdom of James Joyce. I saw a film The Dead based on a short story of his from The Dubliner. I thought it was a fantastic reintroduction to the place (though I must admit I nodded a couple of times due to exhaustion and jetlag).

I was treated to the movie by my friend Robert. I joined him and his friends for dinner and a pint afterwards. It was a great evening! I find my best guidance in travel is a friend from the area. Robert kept telling me things like, "This is a good place for coffee", "St Valentine's remains are kept here", and "This is where Handel's Messiah was first performed". Of course by the time I made it to my humble hostel bed, my mind was flipping through thoughts.

I did take some pictures. My camera has not been the same since an encounter with a waterfall in Costa Rica last winter. I have to take out the batteries after each shot or else the power will be drained. It slows things down. I guess it is helping me to be more thoughtful towards what I am shooting.

Today I am off to see the Beautty Museum (a collection of ancient Bibles and Korans and such). I will get around to the parks of Dublin as well. It should be another fine day.

Tomorrow I must get up at 4 am to get to the airport on time for my flight to Edinburgh. It will be the first time I fly Ryanair (and possibly the last if all the stories from Robert's friends are true).

I'm not certain when I'll blog again. I should start getting my head into the writer and research soon.