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We spent the night at a B&B in Dumfries. In the morning, we went downtown for some pharmaceuticals and electronics. The cord to my dad's GPS was broken, and it couldn't charge. After asking for suggestions or directions a couple of times, we found a store that sold that sort of thing. I don't know what they call them, but I'll call it a catalog store. You go to the counter, pick some stuff out of a catalog and place your order. They go upstairs and pick it. It took a bit of searching, but they had a sort of universal electronics power cord adapter kit, with car charger and various USB plugs.
We were in the area to check out the Robert Burns historic sites. Mainly so my dad could gather material for artwork. If you are unfamiliar with the man, you may check out this link. Go ahead. I'll wait.
We headed north out of town. Not too far along, we passed a sign for Ellisland Farm, which was Robert Burns's farm for several years. My dad mentioned he'd heard about it, but didn't know where it was, so hadn't planned on going there. He still didn't really intend to stop, but I kinda thought we ought to. As we drove on for a couple of minutes, we discussed whether we should. I was leaning more towards stopping (going back) than he was, but eventually he decided to turn around. They were opening just as we pulled in. By that time, I think we both decided it would be stupid to pass up the opportunity.
It was Wednesday, which was was Work Day. Volunteers came to do some work on the farm, basically to keep the place up. Painting, mowing, repair work, whatever. A bunch of old guys were sitting around the kitchen table when we came in. After a minute they decided they should really get to work and get out of our way.
When we first went in, a guy was talking to some guests about the exhibits in the museum part. They had some artifacts inside some glass cases. Then we went over to the granary where they had more exhibits and a video.
Then we walked around the yard for a while.
Just before we left, we spoke for a while with a guy who'd been trimming the hedges. My dad enjoyed talking with him, because he was one of the few people on the entire trip that he could understand. We were surprised to learn that he was Scottish - he had been schooled in England. He talked politics a bit, was anti-windmill and proud of the Peace Pole. Note the great drystone wall.
Dumfries is about as far south as you can go in Scotland. We went north to Alloway in Ayrshire. That's partway to Glasgow, on the west coast. Alloway is where Robert Burns was born. There's a good sized museum...
and a good sized monument. I'd seen pictures, but didn't realize how big it was. I was disappointed by the scaffolding, but we got lucky at some other places, where restoration had been recently completed, so I won't complain.
<-clicky?
Brig o' Doon, over the Doon river. Built in the 1400's, rebuilt in the 1700's. Appeared in Robert Burns's Tam o' Shanter. Lent its name to the title of the stage and film musical, Brigadoon.
First we checked out the museum a little bit. Then wandered over to the monument. But had trouble finding it. We went out the back of the museum, but found ourselves fenced inside their garden, and had to go back out the front door. Found the monument, went down to Brig o' Doon. Then back up, and to a very old cemetery, where Burns's father is buried (photos forthcoming). Looking at the museum's map, it looked like a short walk from there to the Burns Birthplace Cottage. It turned out to be over a ten minute walk. I would have been fine with that, but my dad wasn't really up for it. And we had to walk back afterwards.
After getting back to the museum, we looked around some more, then had lunch. I had ginger beer, which was great! I had ginger beer at almost every opportunity thereafter. Then we continued northward.
We were in the area to check out the Robert Burns historic sites. Mainly so my dad could gather material for artwork. If you are unfamiliar with the man, you may check out this link. Go ahead. I'll wait.
We headed north out of town. Not too far along, we passed a sign for Ellisland Farm, which was Robert Burns's farm for several years. My dad mentioned he'd heard about it, but didn't know where it was, so hadn't planned on going there. He still didn't really intend to stop, but I kinda thought we ought to. As we drove on for a couple of minutes, we discussed whether we should. I was leaning more towards stopping (going back) than he was, but eventually he decided to turn around. They were opening just as we pulled in. By that time, I think we both decided it would be stupid to pass up the opportunity.
It was Wednesday, which was was Work Day. Volunteers came to do some work on the farm, basically to keep the place up. Painting, mowing, repair work, whatever. A bunch of old guys were sitting around the kitchen table when we came in. After a minute they decided they should really get to work and get out of our way.
When we first went in, a guy was talking to some guests about the exhibits in the museum part. They had some artifacts inside some glass cases. Then we went over to the granary where they had more exhibits and a video.
Then we walked around the yard for a while.
Just before we left, we spoke for a while with a guy who'd been trimming the hedges. My dad enjoyed talking with him, because he was one of the few people on the entire trip that he could understand. We were surprised to learn that he was Scottish - he had been schooled in England. He talked politics a bit, was anti-windmill and proud of the Peace Pole. Note the great drystone wall.
Dumfries is about as far south as you can go in Scotland. We went north to Alloway in Ayrshire. That's partway to Glasgow, on the west coast. Alloway is where Robert Burns was born. There's a good sized museum...
and a good sized monument. I'd seen pictures, but didn't realize how big it was. I was disappointed by the scaffolding, but we got lucky at some other places, where restoration had been recently completed, so I won't complain.
<-clicky?Brig o' Doon, over the Doon river. Built in the 1400's, rebuilt in the 1700's. Appeared in Robert Burns's Tam o' Shanter. Lent its name to the title of the stage and film musical, Brigadoon.
First we checked out the museum a little bit. Then wandered over to the monument. But had trouble finding it. We went out the back of the museum, but found ourselves fenced inside their garden, and had to go back out the front door. Found the monument, went down to Brig o' Doon. Then back up, and to a very old cemetery, where Burns's father is buried (photos forthcoming). Looking at the museum's map, it looked like a short walk from there to the Burns Birthplace Cottage. It turned out to be over a ten minute walk. I would have been fine with that, but my dad wasn't really up for it. And we had to walk back afterwards.
After getting back to the museum, we looked around some more, then had lunch. I had ginger beer, which was great! I had ginger beer at almost every opportunity thereafter. Then we continued northward.
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no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 05:45 am (UTC)From:another view
Date: 2013-12-14 05:55 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 06:00 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 06:03 am (UTC)From:The kitchen of Burns's house in Dumfries, where he lived after leaving the farm.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 02:36 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 09:14 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 03:32 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 09:14 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 11:58 pm (UTC)From:The peace pole - I feel like I have to mention festivus.