Breakfast by the Pool

Our Hotel in Riva

First Day in Italy

Today we made it via plane, train and taxi to Riva del Garda in the northern lakes district of Italy. A really picture-postcard perfect town! We had eggplant parmigiana and pizza for dinner.

Our Last Day in Scotland

Today was our last day in Scotland. We saw a great botanical garden and woodwork exhibit with our friends Neil and Lorna, then stayed near Edinburgh airport, ready for our early morning flight. Saw a fox on the links at twilight.

Another Sad Day

Today we received terrible news from our great catsitter Kylie and our great vet Fran that poor Angel went into acute renal failure today. She was in very bad shape so we had to make the difficult decision to have her put to sleep, made more difficult by the fact that we were half way around the world. We thank Kylie and Fran for their wonderful care of Angel right to the very end. She led a very full life, the Angel of Death! No doubt she is now with Zamboni....

Scottish Scenes

Iris Murdoch Research Centre for Dementia

I was very excited while in Scotland to visit the Iris Murdoch dementia research centre at the University of Stirling. The Dementia Services Development Centre is the forefront of highlighting good design for dementia. The Design and Technology Suite at the Iris Murdoch Building showcases practical design solutions for people with dementia and their carers. The suite (opened in March 2008) features technology and equipment which provides solutions to day-to-day problems for people with dementia. It is based in the purpose-built, dementia-friendly Iris Murdoch Building which showcases both building and garden design.

Edinburgh on a Sunny Day

Messing around at our Hotel on the Scottish Border

Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall is a stone and timber fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of what is now northern England, begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian.

It was realy fun to drive all the way along Hadrian's Wall across the whole of Northern England. Only took one day, and was like stepping into a history book.