Friday, July 24, 2015

My Week in Scotland - The Sequel

  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I want to share a few more photos from my Scottish holiday
which gives me an opportunity to launch my own personal award show:

Nicest ruined castle: Linlithgow Palace.
It is the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots (let me tell you,
this little lady got around!) and so very romantic and interesting.
Even I, with no head for heights, was tempted to climb all the way up.

Best little tea shop: Brodies of Linlithgow.
I don't know which was more perfect, the vintage decor or the cream tea.
Who thought to put clotted cream in a cappuccino cup? Brilliant.

Favorite coastal town: St. Andrews.
We were there on graduation day so it was extra busy and fun.
And the coffee shop where William and Kate used to meet is doing good business.

Prettiest village: Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond.
And not just because of the 'train', the whole place is picture perfect.

Most gorgeous chapel: Rosslyn Chapel.
Perhaps the most elegant I've ever seen, this 15th century chapel is very popular since
it appeared in the Da Vinci Code movie. They don't allow you to take photos inside.

Best behaved animal: the friendly cow who would come to the 
fence every morning to say hello as I was going for a walk.

Most mysterious destination: Inchmahome Priory.
The medieval priory is set on an island in the middle of a pretty lake.
You're supposed to ring a bell and they come to collect you by boat.
And yes, Mary, Queen of Scots stayed there as well.

Yummiest thing around: Baked goods.
Cupcakes, I'm glad to report, are very big in Scotland this season.

Best garden: Branklyn Garden, near Perth.
It is based on a collection of plants from China, Tibet and the Himalayas,
which means that it is built on a slope with a lot of secret corners.

Favorite loch: Loch Katrine.
Probably because it was the first and the only one we sailed on.

Most cheerful fellow: the captain of the steamboat Lady of the Lake,
who kept us entertained as we sailed the loch, even though he was freezing on deck. 

Cutest moment: two little doggies stored securely
in their car seats

Most disappointing moment: when a deer run across the lawn of our rental home
just when I went inside. Obviously, no photo.


94 comments:

Maya Kuzman said...

You are so lucky to have visited all these places and we are lucky too to have you show us a glimpse of that beauty!

The House with the Blue Door said...

How beautiful Scotland is! We used to holiday there a good deal - your post makes me want to go back. I've cycled along the side of Loch Katrine, but not sailed on it. Such a picturesque loch! I love your castle photos, and that Scottish raspberry cream tea is an excellent idea. Glad you had a good time :)
Cathy x

Stins said...

It looks just like the perfect place for a great Holiday! You made so many beautiful pictures; especially the one without the deer ;-)))).
Lots of love from Mirjam.

Nancy Chan said...

Hi Amalia, thank you for taking me along your tour with your photos. It is a beautiful place. I love the barrel train flower containers. Beautiful scenery and the two puppies waiting to be taken home!

La Table De Nana said...

Such CHARMING pics..what royal puppies too..
I love that tea colage?

You are very fortunate to travel so;)

Lorrie said...

Wonderful photos that make me want to pack a bag and hop over to Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots, was quite the character, wasn't she? Those castle ruins evoke so many stories of long ago.
I was wondering what was in the tea cup on your tray, so I'm glad you told us!

Pammy Sue said...

Beautiful pictures you've shared! Scotland is one of those places that has always intrigued me. I'd love to go there some day and see it with my own eyes. Thanks for sharing your vacay with us!

Gracie Saylor said...

Yes, to all that Pammy Sue typed, Amalia :) Thanks so much for posting! I'm leaving soon to camp with some of my family at the beach and then the next week to drive down to southern California with other family members so will look forward to catching up on your news in a few weeks! Wishing you happy days. xx

Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl said...

Such great photos and makes me want to go on a Scotland adventure. I've never been there but from what I see and hear, it's a beautiful place!

Kim said...

Thank you for sharing so many lovely photos, Amalia. I have to say that my favorite was the first. I just adore the contrast of that stone against those dainty purple flowers, determined to make their way!

Lowcarb team member said...

Amalia - such lovely photo's and I love the way you've described everything. I've never been to Scotland ... perhaps I should!

I just love Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond, and that 'train' is just brilliant.

Thanks for sharing and have a good weekend.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Amalia - such lovely photo's and I love the way you've described everything. I've never been to Scotland ... perhaps I should!

I just love Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond, and that 'train' is just brilliant.

Thanks for sharing and have a good weekend.

All the best Jan

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Amalia, you had me at the castle ruins. Everything looks wonderful--We must go to Scotland. ♥

KC'sCourt! said...

Great photos
Julie xxxxxxxx

Helen Philipps said...

Lovely pictures, and some places to put on my to visit list next time we go.....I have visited other parts of Scotland many times over the years, and you have evoked the atmosphere of that wonderful place so well in this post! Thank you for sharing.
Helen xox

greenrabbitdesigns said...

Ah yes Amalia you have captured Scotland so well, such a beautiful place to visit! I have to agree Roslyn Chapel is an amazing place.
Ooooh and all that delicious food! :)
V x

Tanna said...

Loved every. single. part of this post!!! But, most of all, I want to be at Brodie's right this moment! Ha! So glad you enjoyed such a wonderful visit. blessings ~ tanna

AnnMarie aka Vintage Junkie aka NaNa said...

I was going to say that your pictures tell a wonderful story and then I scrolled down to find the story!! Beautiful!

Conniecrafter said...

Oh Wow looks like a fantastic Holiday, I so enjoy seeing all those old buildings with their great architecture, that little trains filled with flowers is too cute as are those precious doggies!

Enara Girl said...

They are very nice places. The cakes seems yummy. There are not many deers here near of houses. xoxo

Anonymous said...

Your photos are stunning! They show the beauty of Scotland! The castle ruins, the gardens and cows- fantastic! I love teacup paper and the barrel trains are adorable! Thank you for taking us along on your trip! I know you enjoyed it!

Mereknits said...

Absolutely gorgeous photos, thank you for taking us with you on this wonderful trip.
Meredith

eileeninmd said...

Hello Amalia, wow, wonderful images from your Scotland trip! Now, I want to go and visit there myself. I love the castle, the tea shop goodies. The sweet dogs and cattle are all so cute. Thanks for sharing your trip! Have a happy weekend!

TexWisGirl said...

love all the blooms, the old stonework, the sweet cattle!!!

Luciana F. Damiano said...

Beautiful photos!
Coffee with cream looks delicious, lol.
Ah, yes, the colored letters, make your niece can learn and have fun !!
hugs

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your pictures. They are gorgeous. Oh, the sweets look so tasty! And what darling little doggies. Such a joy to see the beauty through your eyes.

Dewena said...

I would be in heaven there! There's not one thing you pictured that I would want to miss. Including the cream tea--I would have to learn to like tea, wouldn't I? Were there really flowers growing in the crevices in the top of the castle? All the stonework calls me, can you imagine living where you see it everyday? And the flowers against it, just lovely. And then the lochs!

You lucky, lucky girl! You saw it all, and I love your lists at the end.

Dewena

FlashinScissors said...

What great photos! How lovely to have seen the deer, even if you didn't get a photo, this happened to me too on one of our walks this year! Such cute dogs. Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Barbara xx

Gloria Baker said...

What beautiful pictures of Scotland Amalia!
Im so happy you shared with us!
I love the food and tea all look lovely !:)

Tricia Buice said...

You have a great eye Amalia. Love your photos and hope I get to go to Scotland one day. Love the awards too - you are so creative!

Donna Wilkes said...

I really enjoyed your tour through photography - especially the architecture and the cows!

Julie's Lifestyle said...

It looks like you had a lovely time in Scotland and thanks for sharing the photos of your trip!

Kim said...

Gorgeous photos, Gorgeous scenery. Gorgeous food....love the clotted cream in that pretty tea cup. Scotland has the look and feel of a perfect place to visit for a holiday.

Amy at love made my home said...

I love your idea of looking at your holiday in terms of bests! It seems as though you had lots of bests, which is so great isn't it!! I love the cream tea with the cream in teacup! How cute! xx

Beth said...

Gorgeous photos - I felt like I was on the Scotland Tourism website! It's a beautiful country and you made me long to go back.

ewa777 said...

Amalia, your photos are very beautiful. I really like the flowers and other images as well! I think that your vacation was wonderful.

Ana said...

Oh Amalia,
What beautiful pictures of such a beautiful place. Sounds like you had a wonderful time in Scoctland. I love, love, love the little blue and red train planter...so cute.

Hugs,
❤️Ana

The Polka Dot Closet said...

I think you said in your blogger profile that you wanted to work on taking better picture.....Job accomplished! Your pictures are gorgeous and if the worst thing that happened on your vacation was missing a picture of deers...I'd say your vacation was a total success! Thank you for sharing

Carol

Wonky Patchwork said...

You have such an eye for taking photos, I really love that first one in particular with the pink flowers on the stone, and yet I don't think I would have thought to take it in the first place.

Vee said...

I have enjoyed seeing your beautiful photos of Scotland. It looks as if it was cool and damp. The colors are beautiful and the flowers do seem to love all that moisture. I am also visiitng Scotland via my friend Linds' Rocking Chair Reflections.

Carla from The River said...

Lovely! I enjoy your travel posts so much. You do a great job sharing your trip with us.
Carla

Gumbo Lily said...

The door with the flowers below, beside, up over and nearby was so pretty, but I thought to myself, "How on earth do you get up over that step with your hands full of bags of groceries?" Then I realized it was surely just a "pretty spot."

I could have licked the clotted cream right out of the cup! And you always capture my attention with those baked goodies.

We were watching the TV of St. Andrews during the British Open Golf Tournament. Oh so beautiful! But it did look mighty windy then.

Thanks for always sharing the fun with us!

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Hello Amalia. so nice to come by and meet you and peruse your lovely blog! I have scrolled though many, many of your posts and have enjoyed each one! Sweet handicraft work and fun family pics too. I especially enjoyed your posts on London and France as this fall, my husband and I are planning a trip to these two places to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. It will be a new experience for both of us and we are so excited. Our weekend goal was to decide on luggage we will need to purchase but we are still uncertain :) Still much planing to do.

Looking forward to stopping by again!
Kindly, Lorraine

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

Great photos, Amalia! And, I love your awards! The cow photos are great...oh, and all the pastries, too!

Deanies Stash said...

Loved the photos of Scotland. I enjoyed my visits there and now I know some more places to go if I get back there!

VeggieMummy said...

Gorgeous photos and that cream tea is making me hungry! Looks like you had a fantastic holiday. xx

VeggieMummy said...

Gorgeous photos and that cream tea is making me hungry! Looks like you had a fantastic holiday. xx

akiko hiramatsu said...

Oh!
Beautiful place and lovely photos♡♡
Great holiday!

akiko

magnoliasntea said...

My, my, my but this is a lovely tour of your trip! I enjoyed all the photos, and I think I would have been tempted to climb all the way to the top at the palace, too. ;) You have a particularly good eye for photography. Have a great week!

EG CameraGirl said...

You spent a lovely eclectic week in Scotland! I want to board a plane right now!

Gillian said...

What about best country to visit? Scotland, of course!

Red Rose Alley said...

Simply wonderful, Amalia. The green hills are just beautiful. The food looks so yummy, and I love the tea cup picture. So much history here, and it's the one place that my kids would love to go to.

~Sheri

Daniela said...

What STUNNING IMAGES, my dear Amalia, I'm sure that your trip was unforgettable !
Thank you for sharing such lovelines and beauty,
With love
Daniela

susan said...

I've always wanted to go to Scotland so I thoroughly enjoyed all your photos. Everything was just picture perfect. I'm afraid if I visited, I'd never want to come home. Thank you for sharing this, Amalia.

Rosie said...

Oh, my what stunning photos, you have had some amazing times in Scotland and recorded them so well. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us:)

Celestina Marie said...

Hi Amalia, what amazing photos from your time in Scotland. Such a gorgeous country. You captured each photo perfectly. So glad you enjoyed a wonderful time. Hugs, cm

At Rivercrest Cottage said...

Loved, loved, loved the pretty gardens! Filing your awards away for my someday trip to Europe.

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Absolutely Stunning photos!! How lucky to take such a trip!!

Thanks so much for sharing!!
Thanks for visiting!

Hugs,
Deb

Diane said...

Stunning pictures Amalia, thanks for sharing them.

Hugs Diane

DD's Cottage said...

Love the pictures! I have only been to Scotland once, but I would go back in a heartbeat! So pretty!

Anna said...

Great pictures !!!!!! Thanks for sharing them !!!
Hug
Anna

Pura Vida said...

I want to go so bad! My daughter's best friend and now sister in law is moving there as a CPA for at least a year...crossing my fingers!

Suzan said...

Ohhh My!!!
What lovely photos you have taken!!! the stone castle walls, the flowers around the door and window!! What a wonderful vacation you had and it sounds like since you were renting, you were able to stay awhile and explore!!!
Thank you for sharing your adventure!!

Suzan said...

Ohhh My!!!
What lovely photos you have taken!!! the stone castle walls, the flowers around the door and window!! What a wonderful vacation you had and it sounds like since you were renting, you were able to stay awhile and explore!!!
Thank you for sharing your adventure!!

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

Your pictures are a kaleidoscope of pure joy! I loved your "award show"... and it is next best to going yourself, when you entertain us with your thoughts and pictures about your visit there!

thegrisgirl said...

wow!
such a romantic and lovely place
love it !
cute doggies
really beautiful post and pictures!!!!!!!!!!!

have an inspiring day :)

Rue said...

Gorgeous pictures, Amalia! I'm enchanted by the flowers growing out on top of the castle walls. Amazing how things like that happen :)

xo,
rue

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

What lovely photos! So green, ancient and yet welcoming. Oh, the bakery looks wonderful!

Magia da Inês said...

⊰❀˚° ·.
Fotos maravilhosas!!!
Gostei muito das flores.

Ótima quinta-feira!
Beijinhos.
♡ه° ·.

handmade by amalia said...

On the day we visited Loch Katrine there was a charity race with a lot of people cycling around and it looked like the perfect place for it! Even in the rain :-)

handmade by amalia said...

You should have seen the one without the loch moster :-)

handmade by amalia said...

Thanks for coming with me, Nancy! Aren't the puppies adorable?

handmade by amalia said...

That connection to history was one of the things I enjoyed the most, and that poor Mary was just sent from one place to another to keep her safe.

handmade by amalia said...

That sounds wonderful, Gracie! Enjoy the summer.

handmade by amalia said...

Thanks, Jan. I'll never look at a barrel the same way again :-)

handmade by amalia said...

It's a date, Tanna, let's meet there. I have my eye on their carrot cake.

handmade by amalia said...

Thanks, Luciana, will post the letters when we're done.

handmade by amalia said...

Thanks Dewena, and I can report that Brodies makes really good coffee, so you're good :-)

handmade by amalia said...

Yes, it has a wonderful vintage-y vibe that makes it so relaxing and fun.

handmade by amalia said...

Well, that is a compliment if ever I heard one :-))) Thanks, Beth

handmade by amalia said...

Oh, Carol! That is just the nicest thing to say! Thank you :-)

handmade by amalia said...

Thanks for the tip, Vee, I'm going there now.

handmade by amalia said...

I was hoping to visit the golf course, I think it is absolutely the very first one, but it was raining by the time we got there. I hope that is a sign that I'll return one day.

handmade by amalia said...

I'm so glad you found me Lorraine! I'll look forward to your adventures, what a wonderful trip to celebrate a wonderful occasion.

handmade by amalia said...

I cannot tell a lie - I did :-)

handmade by amalia said...

Of course :-)

handmade by amalia said...

If I could have stayed longer, I would have, believe me, Susan :-)

handmade by amalia said...

Sounds like the beginning of a plan :-)

handmade by amalia said...

Thanks for stopping by, Ines.

Fiona said...

Stunning photos Amalia, you have captured Scotland beautifully.

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies said...

Beautiful photos. Can only imagine how amazing it must have been to see this all in person.

S H Elliott said...

Thanks for visiting my blog. I came to visit you too. Love your photos of Scotland! My hubby is Scottish by ancestry but he has never been I hope to take him to some special places, and some I have not visited yet too. Sheila

Doreen@foxdenrd said...

I think Scotland is calling my name. I was just talking about it the other day with someone who recently visited, and now I see this post filled with diverse temptations...flowers, castles and pastries. What more could one want?! Scotland looks enchanting, mysterious and oh so European! It's on my bucket list, which is getting longer with every passing year lol.

Thank you for visiting Amelia and commenting! I'm glad to meet you :).

Unknown said...

Have mercy these photos are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so very much for your lovely comments on my teeny tiny blog. You bring a smile to my heart! xo Jen