Fantasy Island

     

Mount Teide (my first view of Tenerife by air)

    Folklore inspires me and so when I go on vacation I try to immerse myself in it. Not just in the material I read, but by searching for places of interest to visit.


Casa de la Aduana (Custom House) in Puerto De La Cruz. Circa 17th century

    I've just returned from Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, Spain; a place which is a regular haunt of mine and many writers of all genres. Whatever makes you tick as a writer, or artist you'll find here. Fiction and non-fiction writers alike, will be inspired by its awesome landscape, botanical wonders, buildings of historical and religious importance. After all this is the island where Horatio Nelson lost his right arm.

Castillo San Felipe, Puerto De La Cruz

    Away from my normal base on the south of the island, I spent a few days this time round in Puerto De La Cruz, a ciudad in the Orotova Valley. Although it's a very popular tourist resort, it's jam packed with sites to visit and sights to see, all with a magnificent story to tell.

Nuestra Senora de la Pena de Francia Church, Puerto De La Cruz

    This city, located on the north of the island has played host to authors for centuries. Oscar Wilde's father and renowned writer in his own right, William Wilde spent time here in the early 19th century. As did Prussian writer, explorer, geographer and Foreign Honary Member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Alexander Von Humboldt.

    The journey both men made here would be very different from mine, but they were inspired just as I am with this fantasy island.

   

Leaving Tenerife and Mount Teide behind





   

Doesn't Time Fly By ?

   

    Okay I've kicked off my beach shoes, put on my slippers and swapped the sun lounger for a computer chair. I'm back.

    Having deliberately taken a break from social media for the last two weeks, I managed to have a few days away to sunnier climes and I'm now raring to get working on a day to day basis again.

    Yesterday I spent the day catching up with Twitter and reading some of my favourite blogs. When taking a break, time always seems to fly by even faster than it does normally and reading all that interests me in the social media scene, is a mammoth task. A task which would take me more than a day to do, but that's all I'm afraid I can spare it at present.

    On Friday, I'll share some of my vacation escapades and snaps with you, so please drop by. Hugs to you all. Why ? Because I missed you. Come on, admit you missed me too!

   

   

   

   

Take a Break

Sun loungers at the ready

   
    This is my last post for a couple of weeks as I'm having a break from my normal schedule and going to spend some time recharging my batteries. Of course I will be writing, but nothing too taxing on my little brain.

Sunny, lazy days beckon

    Being a writer is like any other occupation, there are times you need to get away from your desk and have some fun. That's exactly what I'm going to do. Hooray! Fun for me includes lots of relaxation, because when I'm lying on a sun-lounger I can absorb myself in a fantasy world and come up with some fresh ideas. Or, think through ideas that I'm already toying with.

    So hopefully the sun will oblige, because I prefer to use the umbrella to shade me from the sun, rather than the rain. But c'est la vie. Even if I don't get some rays it will be nice to spend quality time with family and friends. So guys, time to sign off. Adios! amigos.

And maybe a dip in the pool!

Strangers on a Train

     I'm someone who fears heights and I find it somewhat scary to think of travelling 100m by lift, up to the top of the south tower of the Forth Rail Bridge. But I don't think my personal fears, or phobias were likely to be considered when Network Rail proposed the new visitor centre and viewing platforms to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the bridge's opening in 2015.

The Forth Rail Bridge

    This magnificent metal structure designed by Sir John Fowler and Benjamin Baker opened March 4th 1890. Ten times the amount of metal to that of the construction of the Eiffel Tower was used to link our capital city Edinburgh, to Fife and the North of Scotland thereon, across the River Forth.

The Forth Road Suspension Bridge

    The bridge itself, as well as the road bridge which was opened in 1964, is important to the whole infrastructure of Scotland. Being the second longest single span cantilever bridge in the world;  it commands breathtaking views of the river, Inchcolm Island, its Abbey and I'm sure demand for the tours will outstrip supply.

View of Inchcolm Island through one of the cantilevers

     The Forth Rail Bridge was used for a scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film, 39 Steps, an adaptation of Scottish writer John Buchan's book of the same name. Although it would have been befitting to the film Vertigo, the director's adaptation of Boileau-Narcejac's novel, D'entre les Morts. 

Train approaching Dalmeny Station, on the Edinburgh outskirts



        I think for some visitors it will be an adventure of a lifetime, but for me I'll be keeping my feet firmly on terra firma and I'll admire the scenery from below. That way I won't experience wobbly legs, dizziness, my hair being messed up by a hard-hat and I won't need to encounter any strangers on a passing train.

    Both Forth Rail and Road Bridges

   

Brave Heart

Stirling Castle

    Bloody battles are being fought all over the world today, with no end in sight. Bringing misery to the lives of many. Everyone killed, is someones son, daughter, father, mother, lover, or friend. Some of those who have lost their lives are innocent by-standers, others for various reasons are fighting for what they believe in; rightly, or wrongly.

Stirling Bridge. Sir William Wallace defeated King Edward's Army here in 1297.

    Writers of fiction know that their MC seems to dictate as to how their story will conclude. Just as non-fictional individuals can influence the course of history. One such character was Sir William Wallace who was sentenced to death by King Edward 1. His punishment for leading an opposing army to the English King's, in the War of Scottish Independence, was that he was hung, drawn and quartered. His execution took place on the 23rd August 1305 in Smithfield, London.



Stirling Bridge

    Many of you will be familiar with the film 'Brave Heart,' starring Mel Gibson which depicted the life and times of the guardian of Scotland. William Wallace fought and died for what he believed was correct and now has his place in the history of Scotland. In 1869 a monument was built in Stirling overlooking the battle site to commemorate him and is visited by tourists from all over the world. www.nationalwallacemonument.com

Wallace Monument

    As is Stirling Bridge, which although it's a replacement bridge, it is said to mark the victory site of the battle where William and his army defeated King Edward's. Scotland, once again is debating a state of independence and a referendum will take place on the 18th September 2014. Thankfully no swords, or other weaponry will decide the outcome this time round, only a ballot box. Because if nothing else, we have learned lessons from our sanguinary past.
   

A Hug's a Great Place to Start

   

    Teenagers over the last few weeks have been experiencing angst. They've been nibbling at their fingernails and had butterflies in their tummies.Why? Because the day of reckoning, they felt was upon them and it's all down to it being time for exam results.

   It's a difficult time for kids, parents and guardians. But, if grades aren't as good as was expected, the world isn't about to end. Is it? Not achieving the top grade in a subject, doesn't change the kid. The word fail, or the letter that equates to failure, doesn't suddenly make them into a bad person.

   Yes, it may mean that they have to change the path that had been planned. It maybe that a place at college, or university may no longer be open to them. However, coping with failure isn't as easy for some kids to handle as it is for others and the feeling of angst can turn into one of shame.

    Enough bad things happen in this world, without children feeling as though they have to apologise for not performing on the day. A majority of us have the confidence later in life to pick ourselves up, when we're faced with disappointment. We learn that talking a problem through gets things into perspective and that feeling disappointed isn't something to be ashamed of. It's all part of being human.

    Firstly, the parent needs to try to comprehend as to why the grades were bad. Even if the kid had been procrastinating their studies, there will be a reason why they did so. Whatever has gone wrong, the negative emotions that are being encountered, can with a little help be turned into positives. Giving them a hug is a great place to start, but speaking to someone who is a neutral party can help too.www.childline.org.uk
   

   

   

   

   

Reinventing the Wheel

  

Heads of a Kelpie, a mythological horse

      I live in a country that oozes with historical locations and many are only a short drive away from my home. These sites are presently enjoyed by people from all over the world. But what does the future hold for these great places?
   
    Will the children of tomorrow still be interested in the castles where Kings and Queens of the past were born, or forts where battles were won and lost? I'm sure some will, however the world is an ever changing place. A world where technology and great scientific inventions prevail.

The Falkirk Wheel

    If we want to keep the children of the future interested in the past, I believe we need to link the two and one such example is the Falkirk Wheel. Built on the site of a disused tar works, an industrial site which was nothing but a blot on the landscape and a hazard to the local inhabitants health. The Falkirk Wheel www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk enables boats to travel along the Forth & Clyde (c.1790) and Union (c.1822) canals, by acting as a boat lift between the two. 

The aqueduct that meets the Wheel, joins the waterways together 

   

    These waterways lie on different levels, are unconnected and in times gone by this journey between Glasgow and Edinburgh could only be done by the boats passing through a series of lock gates. Each gate having to be worked manually and eventually falling into disrepair in the 1930's.

The Falkirk Wheel is 79 feet high 

 

  The Falkirk Wheel, is a feat of engineering. Note, I don't say modern day engineering because although designed by architect Tony Kettle and opened by the Queen in May 2002, it was based on the principle of Archimedes's. I'm no physicist, so excuse me for not going into the ins and outs of this law of physics, discovered by the great Greek physicist and mathematician. However, I can tell you that it's all about buoyancy. 

The whole experience can be enjoyed by taking a trip on a canal boat

 

    This sample shows that we can preserve our heritage with a few scientific, technological tweaks and we can link the past to the future seamlessly, without having to reinvent the wheel.