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SCOTLAND’S PINK CASTLE AND THE WONDERS OF ABERDEENSHIRE

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  I did not have a chance to tour the interior of Craigievar Castle, as I arrived in the off-season. It was regrettable but did not dampen my visit to the castle as, even from the outside, Craigievar is among Scotland’s most unique castles. Newer than many, with a construction starting in the late 16 th century and then a spruce up by William Forbes in the 1620s, the castle has stood more or less intact for four hundred years. Of course, his descendants, who resided in the castle until the mid-20th century, did much to preserve it and the surrounding land. More recently, Craigievar Castle has undergone extensive restoration by National Trust for Scotland which entailed preservation measures for its artifacts and its structure. Most importantly, the volunteers and trustees restored the castle to its distinct pink shade which has made it an icon since the early 19 th century when the Forbes family painted over the original off-white with that warm shade of tonal vibrancy. From th...
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LOCH TUMMEL, BRAEMAR AND BALMORAL

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  In 2017, while visiting Joshua Tree, a ranger lamented to me the difficulty the park had attracting the casual nature lover as the desert lacks the icons that have become emblematic of national parks such as snow-capped mountains. But the beauty of eco-tourism is that no two places are alike. Nature’s landscapes are as varied as our world is big and the rewards of nature are in its very biodiversity. This also means that there is no place quiet like the forests of New England in autumn. But if a place comes close, it’s Scotland’s Loch Tummel, a stunning woodland with views…well, fit for a Queen. Visitors can make up their own minds if the Queen memorialized in the breathtaking ‘Queen’s View’ is Queen Isabel who fled to the forest after her husband, Robert the Bruce, was defeated at the Battle of Methven in 1306 or Queen Victoria who visited the park in 1866. In either case, the sight, the loch swirling through the Glencoe Mountains, embodies the mystic beauty of the Scottish co...
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LILINTHGOW, DUNKELD AND THE HERMITAGE

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  The morning of October 21 st began with planning the drive to the Hermitage through Dunkeld with awe-inspiring vistas of the Scottish countryside. But I had to visit Linlithgow Palace before departing the Edinburgh area. Linlithgow was, after all, the residence of Scottish royalty from the 15 th to the 17 th century when the Scottish crowns left for England. After falling into neglect in the 18 th century, the palace has since been revived as one of the most popular destinations in Scotland. It’s construction was a group effort started by the English occupation as a post between Edinburgh and Sterling Castle in 1301. Throughout 1302, the King’s soldiers as well as 200 civilians were hired to build the ditches. This palace was largely finished a year before the arrival of Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, daughter of Edward I (founder and visionary of the castle) to give birth. Nine years later Scotland would regain the castle in a battle tactic that can only be called Homerian. A fami...
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EDINBURGH

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  Admittedly and sadly, I saw too little of Glasgow to weigh in on its feud with Edinburgh for the title of the city most representative of Scotland. What I can say, however, is that Edinburgh is a beautiful city and, however it may hold up to Glasgow, is Scottish to the core. My first introduction to the city was at night, which is to my eyes the best way to see a city. The walk back to the hotel from the garage in which I left the car took me through its narrow, winding roads and past Edinburgh Castle. Few were out, however, and almost all the pubs were closed. Among the scarce signs of life are saw were a few European hares on the castle grounds. European hares bare a closer resemblance to our Eastern cottontail than the cottontail does to its Western cousin the jack-rabbit. Despite being canonized in British culture by the works of Lewis Carroll and A.A. Milne, the European hare is an import to Great Britain having been introduced from continental Europe by William the Conque...
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ARRIVING IN EDINBURGH

  Scotland has become so synonymous with its history, its customs and vistas that the real place has become inseparable from its ballads and legends. Few people have seen their traditions become popculture tropes as have the Scots. I would state that it had been on my radar to visit for as long as I can remember but I feel that is true of so many others that the point is hardly worth expanding. Nonetheless, I managed to visit Cuba before I made it to Scotland and I did not make it to the land of castles and highlands until some years after my 40 th birthday.   Like many first time visitors I brought with me the images of what I expected Scotland to be and the anticipation for the reality that awaited. Well, the reality was a slight mishap upon my arrival in Edinburgh that could have created an inconvenience for my first night but ultimately proved a testament to the kindness and hospitality of the Scots. Before departing I booked a car through a rental company called Eu...
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ARMENIA FAREWELL: ARAM KHACHATURIAN AND THE GENOCIDE MEMORIAL

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  August 31 was my last full day in Armenia and my time was devoted to my host city of Yerevan. Throughout my stay, I had gotten to know Yerevan quite well, its pulse and rhythm and its many charms. The pink glow of the vibrant Republic Square greeted me each night back to the hotel after a journey to the county’s mountains. Within its ancient walls I discovered many bookshops, arts and crafts galleries as well as authentic Armenian cuisine and a sampling of Armenia’s version of international cuisine through a Mexican restaurant (Los Pueblos) and an Italian eatery (Limone). Before I left, however, I felt I ought to visit Aram Khachaturian Museum before the highlight of the day, the Genocide Memorial. Museums are often on my “maybe” list when I visit places as I prioritize absorbing myself in the daily life of the citizens but I had grown rather fond of Republic Square and after days visiting ancient sites I was ready for a stroll through galleries.         ...
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MOUNT ARARAT AND SURROUNDING MONASTERIES

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  August 30 brought us outside of Armenia if only temporarily in both a literal and political sense in a way that can only be understood with an appreciation of the nation’s political climate, both current and historical. And yet, Mount Ararat, the highlight of this day and in many ways this trip, though it towers the landscape from across the border in Turkey, is the truest embodiment of the Armenian spirit than anything I saw on my journey. That it defies hostile and even contested boundaries, though, is fitting with the visceral power of the mountain. Rising across the Ararat Plain like a snow-capped giant, Ararat has inspired wonder since the beginning of civilization when it was fabled as the resting place of Noah’s Ark. While much of the world has moved away from legend the sheer majesty of Mount Ararat elevates emotions. Its bigger peak, Greater Ararat, has come to inspire Armenia’s resiliency through the centuries while Little Ararat completes the compounded volcano’s uni...
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