Dogs can also have some toys :-)

A little town in Scotland, on the EST coast.

First the beach: 

Walking on the sea!

The town:

The Castle:

The other nice place:

In St Andrews you have to be very carefully, they are everywhere! Waiting you to attack you!

The botanic garden:
 

Like you can see it was so sunny!

People:

4.30pm departure time:
  Still sunny !!

It was snowing during the night... (during the coming back from a party...) so Snow battles!
But at 10am the sun have chasse the snow, and everything come back as usual!

Burn's night is one of Scotland's most important celebrations - Burn's Night, celebrating the life of the poet Robert Burns (we're actually one day early, Burn's Night is always on the 25th of January).

The event was in Bute Hall (in the main building of the uni), and that was the occasion to see some Bagpipes, Scottish Dancers.

That's was also the occasion to try some Haggis (In french: panse de brebis farcie):

And no ways I don't like it...

And of course, some Ceilidh dancing!!

This pub is really amazing! Maybe five different floors, two bars... Just a little bit expensive (£2.5 a Tennent's). 

Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye

The tour was organized by the Haggis Company!

So here is one of the 3 bus and our Guide for these 2.5 days!

Friday 23 Nov 2007at 4pm: The departure

At the main gate of the University. 80 persons ready for the trip to the Isle of Skye in the Highlands!

The Isle of Skye is at 6 Hours of road on the north! 1656 km² Skye is the second largest island in Scotland.

So the first step was to travel a little (3h) and get a dinner.

In the second part of the road we were able to see some stuff like the Eileen Donan Castle on the Kyle of Lochalsh.

And we arrived at the hotel at 00:30,

Saturday 24 Nov 2007at 9am: Day trip in the Isle of sky! Let’s take the Bus...

And now my first views of the Highland!

Everybody is here enjoying this first hour of trip:

To remember that we are in Scotland some rain, but thanks we have a nice bus :-)

Next point: The River of beauty!

The legend is that the cutest girls of the Skye of the clan Mc something (Sorry I don’t remember exactly the story) was going to marry the cutest boy of another clan.

Each family was standing on one side of the river. The girl was mounting a wee pony to pass through the river. She was so happy to discover the guy she will marry.

When she was passing the river, the wee pony slide on a rock and the girl fall down directly on one of the big rock of the river and his family see her left eye going out.

She was completely bleeding, practically blind with only one of his eye... But anyway she goes on the side of the other family. When the other family see the girl approaching without one eye, completely bleeding, they think that the other clan wanted to marry a monster to the most beautiful guy of the island! So they start fighting with the other family (Fighting seem to be the most favourite sport in the Highlands).

The girls was so desperate, and she was crying along the river, when she see one of the wee people (pour les Français une sorte de lutins), he ask her what’s append? Why are you crying? She explains the entire story...

The wee people say her: "Don’t worries, just put is head in the water during 7 seconds, and everything will be ok".

After some hesitation, she did it. When she put is head out of the water her eye was there again, and she was more beautiful than before. So she put is wee pony inside the water, and the pony was transformed in a beautiful pony.

Then she mounts it, and she goes on the other side to the other family and marries the guy! (I’m not sure of all the details but that’s the idea).

Since this time this river is called the river of beauty and people come here to put their head inside the water and be beautiful forever.

So I have tried!! Under the rain (it’s was just starting to rain) and I promise you: it’s cold!

Just in case if you want to buy a place close to this river:

Next stop! The windiest place I have never seen!

That’s was really windy (I have never seen so lot of wind, and a so cold, but so gorgeous!

Next place: The kilt Rock!

Practically at the top of the Island, it’s a typical view point of the Isle of Skye.

Lealt Gorge

As you can see it’s beginning to rain and have a lot of wind,

But we are strong and we have continued to the point of view!

So beautiful!

After you will not get any picture until the next point, because that was starting to fall ice rocks, with the wind, and the rain! That’s was so hurting! We were completely unable to look in the direction of the wind (the direction of the Bus). When I arrived at the bus I was completely wet, and when I say wet I mean like falling down on a swimming pull... and my face was so cold and so hurt by the ice rocks... Amazing!

Next point: The Old Man of Storr

The legend is there is an old couple living is this valley. But the man was working on the other side of the house. So he was unable to come back at home during days. So with his wife they were used to speak, gossips about the news of the village, say stories each other, from each side of the valley.

One day the man see a wee people listening the stories, and the wee people said that he really like these stories. He also said that if he could listen stories regularly, it will be sunny every days in the area. And that’s append! And more and more wee people stayed listening to the stories.

But the man becomes to be very old! And be unable to walk to the top of the mountain to tell the story. So one time he said that they (his wife and him) will only do one other time and they will stop.

Next week when the old man said his last story, at the end, he eared a little song in the rock being him, he walked to the rock and see some steps, he take it, and he seen a big party specially for him with all the wee people!

At the end of the party, when he leaves the place, the wee people was so sad, that they asked him to continue, but he said that is impossible, and continues to leave by the steps. When he was outside the wee people transform him, and his wife in the other side, in a big rock. As this the old man will stay here forever and he will be obliged to tell stories.

So now you can see the big rock of the old man, and another one on the other side (I was unable to see it from where I have take the shot). Also now there is a river in the valley created by the cries of the old man and his wife...

Yeah the wee people can be sometime good sometime bad! So be careful!

Has you can also see the weather is changing every 10 minutes...

14:20 Lunch to Portree

Everybody was wet and cold, so first we have eaten in a little pub, trying to stay close to the fireplace or the heater.

And finally a short visit of the city and the port.

And of the day

Let’s go to the hotel, take a hot shower! go to diner in another place and have a party!

The Isle of Sky (in the pub where we have eaten):

And the party have continued in the hotel, drinking and playing a version of bullshit with dice until 2am.

Sunday 9am: Return to Glasgow

First stop at 10am, to see the Castle of the Isle of Skye! The spot where the post cards of Skye are taken... Lochalsh!

Next point: Just an amazing point of view!

Another one...

...And another one...

13:40 Everybody is still there:

17:00 Glasgow!

We have just done a little stop to Loch Lomond, the 3th biggest loch of Scotland; I haven’t taken any picture because I was already being there...

So End of this gorgeous trip!!! See you.

(I just come back from the trip, And I have past 3 hours to write this post).

Day 1: Glasgow - Skye
Depart Glasgow 4pm to drive up the West of the country. As we head into the Highlands we pass the famous Loch Lomond as night falls.
We follow the Loch up into the northern Highlands. Our route north takes us through the dramatic & inspiring Glencoe, before heading for Fort William - in the shadow of mighty Ben Nevis (Britain’s highest mountain).
Travelling through the Great Glen we head for the Isle of Skye having stopped en route for dinner before finally arriving at our destination of the “Misty Isle”.

Day 2: Full Day Touring on Skye
Today we explore the magical Isle of Skye.
Ruined castles, awesome scenery, Viking fortresses and home to the legendary MacLeod and MacDonald Clans.
Immersed in Celtic myths and legends, hear all about the Faeries and the Selkies, and local characters who have contributed to the rich history of this magical island.
The day’s route takes us through the imposing Cuillin mountains.
We see such famous sites as Kilt Rock and the Old Man of Storr and have a chance to explore the capital of Skye - the colourful harbour town of Portree.
Quite simply unmissable!

Day 3: Skye - Glasgow
Our return takes us back down the West but this time in fully fledged technicolour daylight with more time to appreciate the beauty of the Highlands.
Our first attraction for the day is a visit to one of Scotland’s most famous sights - the stunning Eilean Donan Castle where we have the opportunity to explore the former stronghold of the clan Macrae. We then pass through Glen Shiel and under the Five Sisters of Kintail - impressive mountains surrounded by a famous legend.
We descend back along the Lochs of the Great Glen taking in views of the famous Nevis range of mountains and back into Glencoe to appreciate the impressive nature of this atmospheric place.
We cross Rannoch moor and meet up once again with Loch Lomond and another chance to take in the sights of one of Scotland’s best known bodies of water before returning to Glasgow at about 6.00pm.

I have just read on a blog this amazing tips !

When you arrive to the gas station, and for any reason you don't know on which side is your gas tank --- It's not your car, or you always forget...--- There is two ways to know it !

The usual : Stick your head out the window, and look.
The best one: Just look at your gas gauge! there is a small icon of a gas pump, the handle is on the same side than your gas tank!

Crazy isn't it ? I am sure nobody know this tips ! ;-)

Explanations from Wikipedia:  Guy Fawkes Night (more commonly known as Bonfire Night and sometimes Fireworks Night) is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November. It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5th of November 1605 in which a number of Roman Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Some photos of the party on Glasgow Green, but there were more than 7 other firework in Glasgow this night.