‘The Island Dream’ is an entertaining photographic exploration of the Scottish Hebridean islands, their isolation and fragility, their charm and allure, whilst meeting some of the islanders who have chosen to live ‘the island dream’.
‘The Island Dream’ follows the successful ‘An Eye on the Hebrides’ photographic journey and is personally presented by Hebridean Island Images, the photographic library especially aimed at providing high quality images of the islands of the Hebrides and west coast of Scotland, including the Outer Hebrides and Inner Hebridean Islands such as Colonsay, Islay and Jura and many others.
‘The Island Dream’ lasts for an hour and three quarters and looks at the appeal of the Hebrides for visitors and the way of life of the islands and the islanders in a series of audio visual sequences.
February 7th, 2010
You’ll know the sad story of the Scottish haggis kept out of the US for the past 21 years if you read the blogs below, especially Can Scotland make US stomach the haggis, America’s “most wanted” - no chance of parole?
But now, not exclusively announced on this blog, the great chieftain o’ the pudding race is packing its bags, brushing off its fur and getting ready to set sail for the shores of the land of the free.
Scottish American Societies are known to be sharpening their knives in anticipation, although there is some concern that Scottish smugglers (see above mentioned blog link) might have to retire from the bootleg haggis business.
January 31st, 2010
If you love really beautiful landscape photos, and especially with the dramatic background of the amazing Scottish islands of Skye and the Outer Hebrides, then you have to have a look at the National Geographic’s January 2010 edition.
Have a look at National Georgraphic feature on Skye & Hebrides
The feature contains stunning images and information featuring these wonderful Western Isles of Scotland which include Lewis, Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra.
The fascinating article, written by Lynne Warren, and with cracking photographs taken by Jim Richardson, focuses on the special geography of the region and charts its fascination with visitors in recent history.
January 31st, 2010
Whoever thought you could have so much fun with haggis (see posts below, and I hope you checked out the picture titles, I particularly like them - hold your curser over the photos).
Obviously not the US customs, or more specifically the US Department of Agriculture.
Haggis may be the “great chieftain o’ the puddin-race” but watch out for the “most wanted” posters hanging around your local American airport, public health enemy Number One.
Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister (almost like the UK Prime Minister only not quite) is to appeal to the President of the land of the free to release the poor haggis from its 19 year incarceration (no charges have ever been proved against the poor creature).
February 14th, 2008
If you go out to the hills today
You’re sure of a big surprise
If you go out to the hills today
You better go in disguise
For every haggis that ever there was
Will run away for certain because
Today’s the day the haggis end up as your picnic
The essential Guide, ‘How to Catch a Haggis’
Wild haggis are notoriously difficult to catch, being reclusive wee furry beasties that roam the glens of the Highlands of Scotland.
Central to the art is stealth. Like the deer stalker, the haggis hunter must be silent, invisible and without odour.
February 7th, 2008
How to catch a haggis? Well, first throw one up in the air … only kidding.
But really, I often get asked by visitors to Scotland, how do you catch a haggis (almost as often as, what do real Scotsmen wear under their skirts, sorry, kilts).
So how do we capture them?
As you are probably aware, the haggis is a notoriously elusive creature. It can run at speeds in
excess of 5 mph, especially when chased by coachloads of hungry tourists or indeed by our specially-trained haggis-bashers.
Wearing only their kilts, these brave men get up at 3 am every morning and disappear into the misty glens armed only with a bottle of the finest malt whisky and a large baton. Given the agility of the haggis, it would be a futile exercise to chase the beast around the hills.
February 7th, 2008
A true story, allegedly.
Tony Blair is visiting an Edinburgh hospital. He enters a ward full of patients with no obvious sign of injury or illness and greets one.
The patient replies:
“Fair fa your honest sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the puddin race,
Aboon them a you take your place,
Painch, tripe or thairm,
As langs my airm.”
Blair is confused, so he just grins and moves on to the next patient.
The patient responds:
“Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
So let the Lord be thankit.”
February 7th, 2008
The majestic sound of bagpipes introduces a frugal dish - and so begins a Burns Supper, held on January 25th to celebrate the date of the Scottish poet Robert Burns’ birthday (1759-1796).
The tradition originated in 1780, when Robert Burns founded the Bachelors’ Debating Club in Tarbolton for any “cheerful, honest-hearted lad, who if he has a friend that is true and a mistress that is kind, and as much wealth as genteely to make both ends meet - is just as happy as this world can make him”. A sentiment that still seems to ring true more than two centuries later.
January 31st, 2008
From Livingstone in Zambia named after the missionary-explorer David Livingstone (you can visit his birthplace in Blantyre, that’s Blantyre in Scotland rather than Blantyre in Malawi!) to Macquarie Harbour in Tasmania (Lachlan Macquarie, one of the most popular colonial Governors of NSW), the names of famous Scottish explorers, scientists and missionaries have been used as place names right across the globe.
Many other places were named by early settlers after a town, village, river or a mountain in Scotland to remind them of home.
I find place names (and not just Scottish ones) can provide a fascinating trail of the history of exploration and emigration, reminding us of who has gone before, although sometimes I have to admit it’s too easy not to stop and consider where names might have come from. The large number of place names around the world that have direct or indirect connections with Scotland is an enduring legacy of the history of Scotland and her people.
January 19th, 2008
In 1901 the Scottish company A. G. Barr developed a new caffeinated soft drink with a wonderfully radioactive looking orange glow, Iron Brew. Its formula remains a closely guarded secret - only two people in the company know it (the formula is kept in a bank vault) - but apparently it’s made “from iron girders”, hence the rusty colour, and great for young men who feel the need to add a bit of iron to their muscles.
In 1946, proposed new food labelling regulations (now where have we heard that before) stipulated that brand names should be ‘literally true’. Barr’s Iron Brew did contain iron (from the girders of course) but was not brewed, so a new spelling evolved and Irn Bru was born.
January 16th, 2008
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