Jacobites, James, and Jeffrey

Jacobites – The first Jacobites (mainly Catholic Highlanders) were the supporters of James VII of Scotland (James II of England) who was deposed by his Parliament in the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688. With the Protestants William of Orange on the throne, the Jacobite’s desire to restore the Stuart monarchy led to the uprisings of 1715 and 1745. The first, in support of James VIII, the “Old Pretender,” ended at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. The failure of the second uprising, with the defeat at Culloden, saw the end of Jacobite hopes and led to the demis of the clan system and the suppression of Highland culture for more than a century. We visited several sites of Jacobite supporters. You can read about my visit to Culloden here.

Jeffrey – Lord Francis Jeffrey was a Scottish judge and literary critic. His Whig-oriented Edinburgh Review led opinion. The particular work which provided the starting-point of an article was in many cases merely the occasion for the exposition of the author's views on politics, social subjects, ethics, or literature. These general principles and the novelty of the method ensured the success of the undertaking even after the original circle of exceptionally able men who founded it had been dispersed. It had a circulation of 12,000. Jeffrey's editorship lasted about twenty-six years, ceasing with the ninety-eighth number, published in June 1829, when he resigned. Jeffrey's own contributions numbered two hundred. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Jeffrey,_Lord_Jeffrey

As a thank-you to the blogging community, and to celebrate one year since its publication, I am offering FREE e-pub copies of my western short story “Broken Angel” from now through April 30. If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me at writinginwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com

Inverary, Inventions, Innes, and Iona

Inverary – This multi-turreted mock Gothic palace is the family home of the powerful Clan Campbell, who have been the Dukes of Argyll since 1707. It was built in 1745 on ruins of a 15^th century castle. The conical towers were added later, after a fire in 1877. Interiors include Regency furniture, and a collections of Oriental and European porcelain and portraits. The Armoury Hall contains early weaponry collected by the Campbells to fight the Jacobite rebels. Fans of the show Downton Abbey might recognize this castle as it was the setting for a Christmas episode. Pictures of the filming of that episode can be viewed in the dining hall today. In the front room upon the piano sits an autographed portrait of Audrey Hepburn in her races costume from the movie My Fair Lady. It turns out much of the musical score for the movie was composed on that piano at a party on the estate. I loved walking the grounds surrounding this home, and spending the day shopping and eating in the town down the lane. http://www.inveraray-castle.com/

Inventions – Despite its relatively small size and population, Scotland has produced a remarkable number of inventions over the centuries. The late 1700s and 1800s were years of such intense creativity that the period became known as the Scottish Enlightenment. Many technological, medicinal, and mechanical breakthroughs were made at this time, including the invention of the steam engine, antiseptic, and the telephone. Out of the country’s factories, universities, and laboratories came a breed of men who were intrepid and forward thinking. Their revolutionary ideas and experiments produced inventions that have shaped our modern, progressive society including the continuous electric light, the pneumatic tire, the bicycle, color photography, thermos flask, radar receiver, penicillin, television, and Dolly the cloned sheep.

Innes - Alexander Taylor Innes (1833–1912) was a lawyer, writer, biographer and church historian. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Taylor_Innes

Iona - a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Gaelic monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty.

As a thank-you to the blogging community, and to celebrate one year since its publication, I am offering FREE e-pub copies of my western short story “Broken Angel” from now through April 30. If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me at writinginwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com

Haggis, Highlands, Heathergems, and Heriot’s Hogwarts

Haggis - a Scottish dish consisting of a sheep's or calf's offal mixed with onion, suet, oatmeal, seasoning, and boiled in a bag of broth, traditionally one made from the animal's stomach. As long as you don’t think too much about what it is, the taste can be appealing and slightly nutty.

Highlands - the mountainous part of Scotland, north of Glasgow, often associated with Gaelic culture.

Heathergems - hand-crafted silver and pewter jewelry, made using natural Scottish heather stems. This beautiful jewelry is sold in gift shops all around Scotland, and I particularly enjoyed visiting their main location in Pitlochry where I learned how they make these gorgeous creations.  https://www.heathergems.com/

Heriot’s Hogwarts - George Heriot's School is a Scottish independent primary and secondary school in the Old Town of Edinburgh. It is also said to be the inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s fictional school of Hogwarts.

 As a thank-you to the blogging community, and to celebrate one year since its publication, I am offering FREE e-pub copies of my western short story “Broken Angel” from now through April 30. If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me at writinginwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com

Gaelic, Glamis, Glasgow, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Golf

Gaelic - the Celtic language of Scotland had almost died out, but recent years have seen a revitalization of the culture associated with the language, music, and studies thanks to Gaelic societies and broadcasts.

Glamis Castle – this imposing medieval structure began as a royal hunting lodge in the 11^th century, but underwent construction in the 17^th century. It was the childhood home of the Queen Mother, and her former bedroom can be seen. Many of the rooms here are open to the public, including Duncan’s Hall, the oldest in the castle and Shakespeare’s setting for the king’s murder in Macbeth. We enjoyed hearing the ghost stories tied to this estate. http://www.glamis-castle.co.uk/

Glasgow – the largest city in Scotland, and the first we explored after landing at its airport.

Glencoe – Renowned for its awesome scenery and savage history, Glencoe was compared by Dickens to “a burial ground of a race of giants”. In 1692, the chief of the Glencoe MacDonalds was five days late in registering an oath of submission to William III, giving the government an excuse to root out a nest of Jacobite supporters. For ten days 130 soldiers were hospitable entertained by the unsuspecting MacDonalds. At dawn on 13 February, in a terrible breach of trust, the soldiers fell on their hosts, killing some 38 MacDonalds. Many more died in the wintry mountain hideouts. The heights and difficulties of the surrounding mountains present a formidable challenge even to the most experienced mountaineers. As with many historical events, the Scottish created a ballad to continue the tale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cPitxtk4m0 Glencoe valley is also the setting used in filming Hagrid's Hut scenes in the Harry Potter movie series.

Glenfinnan – perhaps best known for its railway viaduct and steam powered train line which was featured in a Harry Potter movie as the “Hogwarts Express Line.” I really enjoyed the view from the monument looking toward the viaduct, and then back toward Lock Shiel. I could have stayed there all day.

Golf – touted as the birthplace of golf, this ancient game has become synonymous with Scotland. Few countries can rival Scotland for the number, quality, and variety of courses (over 550). Golf is played by people of all ages and capabilities. Whether your game is suited to one of the legendary championship courses, or to a less daunting challenge, you will easily find courses nearby with members heartily ready to welcome any player.

As a thank-you to the blogging community, and to celebrate one year since its publication, I am offering FREE e-pub copies of my western short story “Broken Angel” from now through April 30. If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me at writinginwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com

Fairy, Ferries, Folk, Football, Fort William, and Foster

Fairy and Folk Tales – while many Scottish fairy and folk tales are similar to those of countries in Europe, there are some unique examples. To read a collection: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/sfft/index.htm?PHPSESSID=138d4861a3d9539dbeb6030de133efba

Ferries – since so much of Scotland is made up of islands and lochs, ferries have become a popular form of travel. We enjoyed several ferry rides during our stay.

Football – The Scottish take their football (soccer) very seriously. We were in Edinburgh the day they won the 2016 cup final. It was absolutely amazing to get caught up in the community spirit and revelry of the day. To learn more about that game:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Scottish_Cup_Final

Fort William – one of the major towns on the west coast, noted for location at the foot of Ben (mountain) Nevis. The Jacobite Steam Train runs from here to Mallaig. We passed through on our way to the Isle of Skye, but unfortunately we did not have time to stop and explore.

Allan Foster - Allan Foster is a former film historian, film festival juror and event organizer. He is also the author of The Literary Traveller in Edinburgh, The Movie Traveller, and The Movie Quiz Companion. He is a native of Edinburgh and the creator of several literary and historical tours there. Unfortunately, I did not have time to take one, but it is on my list of things to do next time. To learn more: http://www.edinburghforgroups.com/origins.html and https://www.edinburghbooktour.com/

As a thank-you to the blogging community, and to celebrate one year since its publication, I am offering FREE e-pub copies of my western short story “Broken Angel” from now through April 30. If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me at writinginwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com

Eilean, Edinburgh, and Elephant house

Eilean – is a Gaelic term meaning island or raised ground. So, many of the homes surrounded by water are referred to by “Eilean” and then the name of the family who built it, or the location. The day we left the Isle of Skye we drove through part of the island and returned to the mainland by bridge, stopping for photos at the picturesque Eilean Donan Castle. After becoming a Jacobite stronghold, it was destroyed in 1719 by English warships. In the 19^th century it was restored, and now contains a number of relics of the Jacobite cause. Many of you may recognize it from movies such as the 1986 Highlander, the 1996 Loch Ness, and the 1999 James Bond – The World is Not Enough. http://www.eileandonancastle.com/

Edinburgh – we only had the pleasure of staying in the capital of Scotland for a couple of days, but I will always remember them. We took a tour comparing and contrasting the wide streets and elegant mansions of the Georgian 200-year-old “New Town” with the narrow lanes and medieval townhouses along the Royal Mile, the oldest part of the city. We traveled Prince Street, the main shopping thoroughfare that separates the two areas, learned about many prominent Scottish inventors, doctors and writers, and even toured the imposing Edinburgh Castle where we saw the Stone of Scone.

Elephant House - while we didn’t have time to go in, we did pass by The Elephant House, where writers such as J.K. Rowling, Ian Rankin, and Alexander McCall-Smith are said to have sat writing their entertaining and now widely popular tales. http://www.elephanthouse.biz/

As a thank-you to the blogging community, and to celebrate one year since its publication, I am offering FREE e-pub copies of my western short story “Broken Angel” from now through April 30. If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me at writinginwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com

Distilleries, Doomed, Dead, Dancing, Doyle, and IWSG

Distilleries – Whisky is to the Scots what champagne is to the French, and a visit to this country would not be complete without sampling this fiery, heart-warming spirit. All malt whiskies are produced using similar processes, but the environment, maturity, and storage of the whisky have such a strong bearing on its character that each one is a different experience. We toured The Blair Athol Distillery https://www.discovering-distilleries.com/blairathol/

Doomed, Dead, and Buried – Our last night in Scotland we decided to take a haunted tour. If you’re ever in Edinburgh, I highly recommend the Doomed, Dead, and Buried tour. Equal parts history, legend, and imagination this 2 hour tour offers glimpses of Scottish life not found in any other tour. We began walking the streets from the main square, toured underground vaults, and ended the evening in a cemetery.  https://www.mercattours.com/view-tour/doomed-dead-and-buried

Dancing – is an important part of Scottish culture, and each dance often has symbolic meanings – for instance the circle in a reel represents the circle of life. In the sword dance, recorded as early as the 15^th century and referring to war, the feet skip nimbly over the swords without touching them. To see a sample similar to the ones we watched:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle KStJ, DL was a British writer and physician, most noted for his character Sherlock Holmes and his detective fiction, which are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction.   http://www.arthurconandoyle.com/

Today is also the monthly IWSG posting. This month, we were asked "Have you ever taken advantage of the A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, or publicity for your book?"

MY ANSWER: As a thank-you to the blogging community, and to celebrate one year since its publication, I am offering FREE e-pub copies of my western short story “Broken Angel” from now through April 30. If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me at writinginwonderland(at)gmail(dot)com