[10] Fort William, Scotland.

Okay, here is a brief update since I last updated.

July 6th: Edinburgh: Arthur's Seat (hike) and National Gallery.
Early in the morning we woke up and got ready to hike up Arthur's Seat. As the hill is accessed from Holyrood House Gardens, we took our usual route to the Royal Mile, and then East down the Royal Mile towards the House and the Scottish Parliaments (a neat building). This time the streets were nearly deserted, and the few souls who were out and about were on their way to a Garden Party with the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen at the House. It was quite warm out already, so I was thankful that the path was in the shad eof hilly peak. From the slow ascending path we could see the queue of guests outside the south gates, and we got a great view of the peculiar shape of the Scottish Parliament from above.

The view from Arthur's Seat is outstanding, and the hike did not take as long as I expected. After lunch out doors we found the Brass Rubbing Centre in the old Abby just across form the Museum of Childhood we visited earlier in the week. It was just down Chalmers Close. Closes are small alleyways between tall buildings in Edinburgh's Old Town area. I made two rubbing, one of St. Margaret, and another from the Book of Kells, a 6th century text.

Later we visited the National Gallery of Scotland. The Scottish collection was the most impressive part, as the other stuff seemed more like downgraded versions of what I saw in the National Gallery in London.

Okay, I'm running out of internet time.

July 7th, 2006: Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh.
We saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Camilla. Also, shopping along Prinecs Steet.

July 8th, 2006: Bus to Glasgow, Bus to Prestwick Airport. Rental Car!!!
Let's just say that I would rather be driving than my mom. I make a rather good (and modest) co-pilot. We haven't had an accident yet.

July 9th, 2006: Depart from Ayr. North from Loch Lomond to Fort William.