Happy 2014 from Scotland

To blow some of the cobwebs away, we all decided to have a stroll along Rosmarkie beach today. A good start to the year.

Wishing all readers a great 2014!

Better late than never.......the January walk

Apologies again for the lack of updates to the blog. I have simply not had the motivation to blog about much over the last few months and Facebook seems to have taken over as my main means of communication with people. I still do like the idea and permanence of blogging, though, so I will try and write a bit more regularly.

My trip back to Scotland over Christmas and New Year was restrained, with few big events of note, with the exception of the previously blogged 4x4 experience to celebrate Joep's birthday. A nice routine which seems to have become a fixed part of my Scotland visits is the end of holiday walk along Rosemarkie beach, followed by a pint in The Plough Inn.

The mid-winter low sun made for some interesting lighting conditions, captured well in these photos from the walk. Very atmospheric and made me think what a truly beautiful country Scotland can be.

I really do miss the great outdoors. Perhaps during the rest of 2013, I will be able to see a bit more of it!

Rosemarkie, Scotland

A visit to Scotland would not be complete without a walk along Rosemarkie beach with my parents. Rosemarkie is a lovely little beachside village brimming with character. The walk is always refreshing and is it also great to see other people enjoying the great Scottish outdoors. I particularly like seeing people's dogs playing on the beach and running in the surf.

As usual, the beach walk was finished with a pint in The Plough Inn - quite amazing to think that it is over 300 years old. The pint was very tasty but it was a little surprising there was not a larger selection from the Black Isle Brewery, just a couple of miles away down the road.

Although the video function on my SLR is rather rudimentary, I thought it would be nice to include a short clip of the beach on this blog.
The skies brightened on the drive back to Inverness and the views were soothing on the eyes. Since living in Tokyo, I have really come to appreciate the scenery in Scotland.

The final couple of days in Scotland were spent shopping (mainly in the supermarket), relaxing in my parents' house, or having some pints with Neil. As usual, a very nice trip home, made even more enjoyable by the unexpected nature of my visit.

Invigoration

In Tokyo I sometimes feel like a hamster stuck in a cage - constrained by concrete with any form of nature hard to find. The place where I work (called Makuhari) really emphasizes the discomfort and underlying tension of urban life with a sterile and charmless environment. Even the bird song that can be heard is artificial and emanates from hidden speakers........

That was why I was desperate to spread my wings and get a battering by a good Scottish wind and to let my eyes be massaged by some picturesque views. It was genuinely uplifting to head to the beach near Inverness and was a great bit of exercise for us all.

I walked along the beach and did not make the return journey on foot as I wanted to sample a couple of ales in the nearby hostelry. A lovely little walk and a satisfying couple of pints. It is nice to live a little.