UP THE SCOTS!

Up the Scots!

I had a couple of days up in Scotland at the beginning of the week. I had an interview up north at Inverness. Since there were no flights on the Tuesday, I flew up on the Monday and returned on the Wednesday. It gave me the opportunity to have a little exploration. There were only two places on my agenda on this visit, one was the Culloden Moor Battlefield, where the Highland Army of Bonnie Prince Charlie met it’s sad end on April 16th 1746. I wanted to find one particular stone, which doesn’t come from my own personal history, but from a series of books that both my mum and I have read, written by Diana Gaboldon. Jamie Fraser, is the main male character, and without giving the game away, Claire visits the Battlefield looking for the Clan Fraser marker stone… I found it, and took the lads a wee dram of Irish, to show my respect. It might seem bad manners to take a bottle of Irish Whiskey to Scotland, but the Irish lads died alongside the Scots that day. I also went to find the Irish lads who have a less personal marker…,The “Mixed Clans”, and dripped a dram at their stone. It was very atmospheric with crows calling from the trees above the stones. It was dour dark day, but was still well attended by tourists and folk bringing flowers to the fallen. There was even a rose left at the British Marker! Fair Play! Despite the fact that they were the invading force, and depriving the locals of the choice of their own Catholic Sovereign King.



My family ancestors remain unmentioned (lowlanders from the Banks of the Loch Lomond…). We all know a song about that, don’t we boys and girls… and it was sung by all in the pub on Wednesday Night!. This is the "Frazer Stone", marking the dead of this fine clan.



However, I did discover amongst the souvenirs… something quite amazing!





Please examine the Buchanan Badge! Click on it for a better view! Those who know me well, will know that my Buchanan Tartan Blanket is not only a part of my survival equipment… but where-ever I lay my blanket, well, that’s my home. The badge depicts a hand gripping a crown, robbing it, saving it? I don’t know, but as the “Official Pretender to the Maalie Throne”, what can I say? It’s in the genes, I guess?

Wednesday morning was interview morning, followed by an afternoon on the Loch Ness. I had a little cruise on the “Nessy Hunter”, followed by a presentation in the Exhibition Centre, before returning home for an evening of song and Ceilidh at the famous Hootananny, which just happens to be on the corner of Fraser Street/Church Street, Inverness.


So I’ll show you some pics. The Castle is on the Loch, and was last occupied by William of Orange, who blew it up when he left. Something that you can’t blame the English for, for a change! The Rainbow just kind of followed us around. A good day was had by all. Ah, no picture of a rainbow uploaded, never mind... use your imagination, you've alls seen one... the fact that I took twenty plus photos is beside the point...