Just a Few Pictures...

Bit of advertising for myself, first...


This was taken in the Victorian Era Skittle alley (bowling lanes)in back of the Sheep's Heid pub in Duddingston, outside Edinburgh. It is Edinburgh's oldest surviving pub, and possibly the oldest in all of Scotland. I had a pint of the house brew (Sheep's Heid), and it was probably the most bitter beer I'd ever tasted. Fortunately, I had some scones in my pack from Katie's mom that I used to diffuse the taste... To my knowledge, no one saw my little advert that I chalked up on the score board and subsequently visited the page... O well...


This is the newest addition to Canterbury cathedral. On site of the oldest diocese in all of the British Isles, Canterbury has been one of the most important religious institutions north of the English Channel for a millenia and a half. The Archbishop of Canterbury alone has the power to crown the British royals. In 1994, an Anglican congress was held there, and to mark the occasion, this medallion was commissioned. I'd forgotten the translation, but fortunately, I got online this morning and found Lilian, my Greek friend, was on, and she informed me that it says "The Truth Will Set You Free." If you don't know, that's taken from the New Testament, the book of John, Chapter 8, verse 32.


And this is my luggage, Stateside. The smaller, yellow bag is pretty well as it was when I got off the plane. The guitar is in its case. Everything else you see was in that orange bag, including, though not limited to: 1 jar raspberry jam, 1 pewter tea service, 6 pint glasses (one from the oldest pub in Scotland, one from the oldest pub in England- thanks to Alex for the help on that), all 5 t-shirts, extra pair of trousers (corduroy), 8 pair of wool socks (mostly wrapped around pint glasses), full set of James Herriott's "All Creatures Great and Small", encyclopaedia of British Folklore, 4 quaichs (traditional Gaelic cup of welcome and departure), 1 ship in a bottle, from the first shop in the world (Thanks, Yeny), and the autobiography of Christopher (Robin) Milne.