Staying at the end of the rainbow #Scotland #hfholidays #walkaboutscotland

My last night on the West Highland Way, my hotel was end the end of the rainbow! Not only that, I had a personalized welcome letter...

The view out the back of the hotel...

The view out my room window! 

After the rain blew away and the sun reappeared I was greeted with a stunning view on the back patio:

#174: The generosity of friends

The Main Light at the Isle of May

I am here in St. Andrews with friends from Boise.  They were generous enough to offer me a bed in the house they rented for the family during the week of their daughter's graduation from St. Andrews.  Because of them, I am saving some money (okay, a LOT of money) but more meaningful to me is the sense of belonging I have being here with people I know.

And I get a taste of family.  We reunited for dinner last night: myself from sightseeing and the family from graduation.  It felt like home watching the family dynamics between brothers and sisters-in-law!  No swanky hotel room could replace that!

I would not have come to Scotland at all if it weren't for my friend suggesting I join them, and because I'm here I have walked the "Old Course";  seen what was once the largest cathedral in Scotland;  stood underground in the [no longer] Scottish Secret Bunker;  been attacked by nesting birds on the Isle of May; and tomorrow I'm going to visit a castle.  Oh, and I have 4 new friends in this family now, too. 

Thank you, friends!

An attacking bird

The Cathedral of St. Andrews. What's left of it that would fit in my screen.

#135: Scotland, here I come!

My Rick Steves guidebook to Scotland arrived, WooHoo!

I'm going back to Ireland this summer to comlete part 2 of my Masters program in Educational Technology through Michigan State.  This year I'm going to Scotland for a week first with friends, and Rick is going to help ensure that I don't miss anything!