Hello all!

So, just got back from a week off in the scottish highlands. It was very relaxing, which is just what i needed after the last few weeks. We started in Aberdeen as we flew up there and rented a car. Ange and i went along the east coast to see some rather nice sandy beaches (which you normally would not think of as part of the scottish landscape).

Grandpa would like this golf course!

Then off to Banff and Macduff - two seaside ports - very nice and real if you know what i mean - not touristy. One thing i can say is that we really got the chance on this holiday to explore the out of the way places. In Macduff we travelled to anges acetrial home. Her Grandmother had been born in scotland. The farm that she was born on had been in their family for several generations. We knocked on the door and they knew the name straight off. We had a look around and they hadus for lunch - very nice people (they served some homemade shortbread that was just to die for!!!!)

Headed off to Inverness via backroads (Dad would be proud). We stopped by a few castles along the way. We also stopped by the battle site of the last great Jacobite uprising (1746) at Culloden. The English defeated the Scots in under an hour and were able to kill over 1200 scotsmen in that time and signalled the end of the clan system. The area has remained untouched since that time - it as it was in 1746 - and you really feel it as you walk across the peat (which i can tell you would not be an easy thing to do while fighting for your life!).

Castle One: Great view and gardens. We walked down by the lake, sat on the lawn had a picnic and then a nap in the sun. What a great afternoon relaxing!

Iverness was a very nice city - loads of trees and bridges as the river ness flows through the city toward Lock Ness further inland.

Inverness Castle

We stopped to do a bit of a walk north of inverness to see some waterfalls. It was fantastic.

Ange looking at the falls from the bridge...

Ange jumping across to get to the top of the falls...


Another castle we stopped at along the way. The family still lives there.

Then we travelled further north and west. We drove through some of the most beautiful mountains and glens. We got on this road which was a single lane - so when you meet on coming traffic you need to pull off the road t o allow them to pass). This was on the way to Torridon on the west coast. I loved it. Ange, not so much - she felt claustrophobic. We were surounded by mountains - big ones. The big white building below for example was the hostel that we stayed in. Where the building ended the mountain started.

Torridon was one of my favourite parts of Scotland.

This is a picture of one of the mountains and the hostel we stayed at is the long white blob on the far right - the building was literaly build on the side of the mountain.

more to come...

Hey i know i know i still have to post the ireland picts but it takes a bit to upload them. Will be coming soon. I just wanted to lewt you know what is going on over here. Not much really. Next week (one weekfrom today) i am heading north to the highlandsof Scotland to do some hiking. Ange and i are going to drive from Aberdeen to Inverness - then hike away. Planning to also stop by the Isle of Skye for some fun.

Last night i book my flight ot see Salina and Ryan in June. Will be stopping by Belfast to meet up with them and then who knows what. Could be a fantastic time. Really looking forward to seeing them!!!!

All else is okay. I had the flu last weekend and it has developed into a full on cold. I think that it may be heading toward chest infection - needless to say i sound like a train reck hacking up a lung.

Anyway, hope all is well with you and miss you, talk to you soon,

Love Martha

Hello All!
So it has been a while for some and even longer for others that i have not talked to or seen. Things here are good. Mum, Dad, Murray, Sherri, Emily , and Molly can for a visit a few short weeks ago, and it was so great to see them. We had lots of laughs, lots and LOTS of back seat driving, and lots and lots of fun (at least on my part).

So they arrived and off we went from London Gatwick to Birmingham England. It was a bit of a long day for them.

Dad and i picked up the car and then everyone got to see where i live - and with whom i live. It was nice to introduce everyone.

Next day we were off early, and i only got slightly lost as we headed out of Birmingham. Shrewsbury, England was our first stop. Saw lots of Tudor Homes (you know when Henry VII, Henry VII, Bloody Mary, Elizabeth, etc. lived). These buildings were built in 1400's and they are still used today!

Then off to Wales. Spent some time in Llangollan. Took a very "interesting" train ride. Dad thought it was a highlight - well not quite. Still at least i was not driving!

Stopped at Trevor, Wales to see the Aquaducts. Walked across - it was rather high.

Fantastic weather, fantastic scenery as we drove through the mountains.

Stopped by our first castle in Cowny. Got to explore the ruins and have a look at how the Kings lived.

This is Conwy bay.



Drove to Holyhead for the ferry - had some fish n chips by the seaside - a total must in England.

Ferry crossing was really smooth - even if Murray lost his wife for a bit. Meanwhile Sherri was outside on deck.



Dublin was...okay. Did not see all that much, but it was a city and you know how they look. I was excited to see the Book of Kells. Very beautiful and in the Trinity College Library. Went to some good pubs and enjoyed some really good lamb stew.
Trinity College:

Off to Kildare next to see the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens. Sherri loved the horse barns and Murray was mentally adding up the cost. By the end i think he had pulled a few hairs out of his head. Really cool to see. The horses are world champions and make millions of dollars every year. The gardens were very nice as well. We could just imagine what it would be like when it was in full bloom.

Off to Kilkenny next. Went to the Black Abbey - 700 year old Catholic Church, saw the Kilkenny Castle (very cool - fully restored), walked around the city quite a bit. Dropped by the local boys private school to walk the grounds. Saw how the other side lives - it would be fairly odd going to boarding school i think. Met Father Joe Murphy - very nice priest that we had a chat with. Lots of graveyards were seen as well. At this point Emily leaves us to head back to Dublin, and there on to London to fly back to Canada. Having lost one of our number, we soldier on - and enjoy the extra space in the car!

Kilkenny Castle: a Butler Family bequest to the city of Kilkenny

Then we were off to Cahir - another Butler Castle. Maybe we should check to see if we have any Butlers in our family tree...

Next we went to Kilarney - big drive to get there. We back roaded it and had the first real experience of small, twisty roads. Once there we went to have a breif look around. Stayed in a very large place - used to be the house of the local Lord. We had a bit of trouble leaving the town. We tried about...six times...seven was the charm. All those roundabouts can cause problems.

So off to the Dingle Penninsula - my personal favourite. We drove along the low mountains, along the coast (sometimes there was very little room between the clifside and our car - there was a lot of MARTHA DON'T LOOK)





Ferry crossingthe River Shannon. Dad enjoying the passing shoreline. It was rather windy - again.


We continued on north - had a look at the Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, stopped by the coast for a bit and then off to Galway. Stayed in a nice town just north of there in Taum.

The Cliffs of Moher:

Sligo Abbey:

Northern Ireland:

Hey,

So, day two, Ange and i first wandered the city, crossed the Ponte Vecchio (one of the few bridges across the Arno river that survived the war), and did a bit of shopping - all before lunch. Bought a really great italian leather purse and wallet.

This is the bridge that i mentioned. Kinda different as it does have buildings hanging off it.

That afternoon we explored the Uffizi Gallery - fantastic!!! Here is Ange and i outside the gallery with Donatello.

The Uffizi is the home of: Leonardo da Vinci's "The Annunciation"

Botticelli's "Spring"

and most famous of all Botticelli's "Birth of Venus"

They were all very impressive, and these pictures do not do them justice. The gallery had so many great pieces. I just loved it.

After that we went to the Piazzia della Signoria to see the fountain, and enjoyed an espresso (my first and it was not to bad at all).

Of course you can't go to Florence without spending time with "the man" - Michelangelo's "David" - it is at the Academic Gallery. It is really cool - and huge, i mean HUGE!!! I kinda took a picture and you're not really allowed to - the lady yelled at me! Oh well got to do what you have got to do!!!!

Now of course we could not forget that this was Valentines Day, so Ange and i went out for a nice Italian Dinner, drank some red wine, and looked around us at all the couples. All we needed was two cute italian men (and Florence seems to be full of them!) to finish the night off. Too bad they were all out with their girlfriends! Oh well, the wine was good!

Next day we did some shopping in the markets (bought two italian silk scarfs, and two cool leather bracelets). Went to the Pitti Palace - the Medici Palace. It was really ornate (to say the least). Then off a hiking we go. Found this

This was a great day. We hiked up out of the city, found some old streets and basically wandered around. We got a great view of the city.

To end this great holiday in Italy i went to mass at the Sanata Maria Novella Chapel. It was in Italian and really quite beautful.

We caught the bus later that night (10:30 pm) back to the Pisa Airport. We arrived at the airport at 1:00 am - acually 5 minutes past. I know this because the airport closes its doors at one in the morning. So we had to sit outside in the cold (it dropped in the temp - we could see our breath) for THREE hours!!! Thank you Salina for the flanal PJ's becasue i think that they saved me from getting a very nasty cold. I wraped my body in them - i did not bring any real winter clothes to Italy as i was not anticipating having to sit outside in the cold. Finally got inside at 4:00 am. When we entred we saw all the people sleeping in te chairs - they were smarters as they arrived before one in the morning so they got to stay INSIDE!!!

Anyway, caught the flight back to London (and the rain). Got back to Birmingham at 2:00pm. I must say i was kinda tired as i had been up for 34 hours. Crashed last night. Had a great time and would recommend Florence to everyone.

Hope all is well, miss and love ya all,

M.