Culross, Kingdom of Fife, 5.27.08
Well, we made it to Scotland after 7 hours' train journey from Buckinghamshire. We arrived at Dunfermline Town Station and were picked up by Gerry McMullan, who is not only a Fife Councilman, but also President of the Dunfermline Sister Cities Association. Gerry's been in Sarasota several times and was so happy that we were also vacationing in Dunfermline instead of just spending all our "Scottish time" in Edinburgh.
Gerry had been on my radio show together with award-winning photographer/designer David Ewles when they were in Sarasota in January, so it was wonderful to see them on their own territory; Gerry drove us to our hotel, the King Malcolm Hotel, and then out to David's house in the 16th century Burgh of Culross, where we were able to meet up with Sarasota's own Hope Byrnes, who was also visiting the area, and make the acquaintance of David's lovely wife Margaret and their son Roderick.
And what a spectacular evening it was! They live in a fantastic Victorian/Georgian house overlooking the Firth of Forth, and before we were treated to a magnificent feast by Margaret (including home-made bread baked by David himself), they took us on a guided tour of the village and clued us in on its magnificent history. Later, after dinner, Gerry and David presented their self-produced promotional DVD "The Kingdom of Fife", featuring spectacular views of the area - and music by Dunfermline's own NAZARETH, a band with whom I had the honor of working in the Eighties when I was at Phonogram Records in Germany. My two then bosses, Louis Spilmann and Jurgen Wockert, were instrumental in the band's success in Germany, and many's the time I've had the pleasure of their company, be it at one of their concerts, at a jam session or in the bar afterwards over a beer or three!
Superb hospitality - Maria and I can't thank David and Margaret enough for showing us such kindness. Please take a look at the Culross photos album in my Photos section -admire the wonderful sights, enjoy with us the Ewles' family, and be inspired by the history of the area.
Gerry had been on my radio show together with award-winning photographer/designer David Ewles when they were in Sarasota in January, so it was wonderful to see them on their own territory; Gerry drove us to our hotel, the King Malcolm Hotel, and then out to David's house in the 16th century Burgh of Culross, where we were able to meet up with Sarasota's own Hope Byrnes, who was also visiting the area, and make the acquaintance of David's lovely wife Margaret and their son Roderick.
And what a spectacular evening it was! They live in a fantastic Victorian/Georgian house overlooking the Firth of Forth, and before we were treated to a magnificent feast by Margaret (including home-made bread baked by David himself), they took us on a guided tour of the village and clued us in on its magnificent history. Later, after dinner, Gerry and David presented their self-produced promotional DVD "The Kingdom of Fife", featuring spectacular views of the area - and music by Dunfermline's own NAZARETH, a band with whom I had the honor of working in the Eighties when I was at Phonogram Records in Germany. My two then bosses, Louis Spilmann and Jurgen Wockert, were instrumental in the band's success in Germany, and many's the time I've had the pleasure of their company, be it at one of their concerts, at a jam session or in the bar afterwards over a beer or three!
Superb hospitality - Maria and I can't thank David and Margaret enough for showing us such kindness. Please take a look at the Culross photos album in my Photos section -admire the wonderful sights, enjoy with us the Ewles' family, and be inspired by the history of the area.
Tags: culross, dunfermline, ewles, fife, kingdom, nazareth, of, scotland
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