Springtime Adventures

We returned three weeks ago from a two-week holiday, mostly in Scotland with a couple of bonus days in Ireland. As my head continues to whirl with memories and images of our travels, I’ll take this opportunity share them with MCW readers, especially those who enjoy a wee armchair adventure when friends post photos of their trips. (“Wee.” I picked up that expression somewhere between Edinburgh and the Isle of Skye.) Settle in with a cuppa and cross the sea with me.

We spent time in Edinburgh at both the beginning and the end of our trip.  It’s a beautiful city, easily walkable and full of history and stories. We enjoyed both the medieval Old Town and the New Town full of Georgian buildings.

We had to hunt for it, but found the Writer’s Museum tucked down a cobblestone close off the Royal Mile. Robert Burns, Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson are particularly well-celebrated. I was hoping for some mention of Val McDermid or Ian Rankin, but did not find them, though we didn’t have time to check out every nook and cranny of this historic building.

 

 

We took a three-day trip into the Highlands and to the Isle of Skye, the charming town of Portree being our base for exploration. The scenery was stunning, start to finish. Below are  photos taken on the drive through the Highlands to Skye and on the island itself.

Glen Coe

Bluebells fill the woodlands in spring. Some botanists call them wild hyacinths.

Wisdom posted in a shop near Glen Coe.

The path down to the Fairy Pools on the northern slopes of the Black Cuillin mountain range on Skye. The hike down and back was a vigorous way to start the day.

On our way back from Skye we stopped at a seaside spot and took this selfie. Contrary to our expectations, we enjoyed bright sunshine at least part of almost every day. And plenty of wind, too.

After leaving the Highlands we visited our friend Robin Facer Taylor in Stirling, where she lives with her family when they’re not at their summer home in Maine.

Robin, wearing a tartan jacket for the occasion.

Crime Bake folks will remember Robin, and her amazing video production skills. She’s also a terrific writer and a marvelous tour guide. Stirling is less than an hour’s drive from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and Robin knew the most beautiful roads to get there.

Though my last name is Scottish, my father’s family has been in this country for many generations, so I didn’t grow up steeped in Scottish lore and culture. But a bit of research revealed the Buchanan Clan was based around Loch Lomond. It turned out that area, particularly the village of Killearn, is Buchanan Central.

This monument in the center of Killearn commemorates the life of George Buchanan (1506-1582) who turns out to be quite an amazing possible ancestor.

Here’s a thumbnail of George’s accomplishments.  The plaudits, not to mention the size of that monument, attest to his remarkable attributes.

Quite the resume, no? I thought it particularly interesting that his work influenced the framers of the US Constitution.

Many, many Buchanans are buried in this Killearn graveyard. If I ever write a book with a Scottish theme, this will have to be the cover art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.

We spent three days in Glasgow after bidding farewell to Robin and her lovely husband and sons. We had some fine meals there (if you ever find yourself in Glasgow, be sure to go to Cafe Gandolfi) and loved our time at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

We returned by train to Edinburgh to wander that lovely city for a few more days, then we were off to Dublin.

Longtime readers of this blog know that my mother’s side of the family is Irish, and I was raised step dancing to the the music of that beautiful country. If you missed the step dancing post, it’s here:https://mainecrimewriters.com/2016/03/15/my-dance-of-fame/

We’ve visited Ireland several times, and while we only had two days this time, we were able to meet another cousin who lives outside of Dublin. My cousin Gráinne told me her uncle Mícheál Ó Fiannachta is the family Seanchaí —the historian and keeper of the stories. She was right. We talked for two and a half wonderful hours about ancestors and loved ones.

Our lunch meeting was at Davy Byrnes, a Duke Street pub mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses. The Gorgonzola sandwich on brown bread eaten by Leopold Bloom in the book is still on the menu every day. How’s that for tradition?

Micheal and me, on a sunny day in Dublin last month.

 

Our final stop before heading home was the Cobblestone, a Dublin pub known for its traditional music.

Our friend Simone, a talented fiddler, once again was part of the Thursday evening session. The music had us tapping our toes to tunes familiar and new, a perfect ending to a terrific trip.

Did you travel this year? In Maine or outside of Maine?  In the US or elsewhere? Please share your tales in the comments.

Brenda Buchanan sets her novels in and around Portland. Her three-book Joe Gale series features a contemporary newspaper reporter with old-school style who covers the courts and crime beat at the fictional Portland Daily Chronicle. Brenda’s short story, “Means, Motive, and Opportunity,” was in the anthology Bloodroot: Best New England Crime Stories 2021 and received an honorable mention in Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022. Her story Assumptions Can Get You Killed appears in Wolfsbane: Best New England Crime Stories 2023.