Oban (pronounced oh-bun) is the jumping off point for visiting the outer islands on the Scottish west coast. It's a really nice seashore village that hums with tourists in the summer but for now is relatively quiet.
We took the ferry from the port in Oban to the Isle of Mull ( about a 40 minute ride) and from there we took a bus for a hour and a half, then another ferry ride and ended on the Isle of Iona.
So... after two and a half hours of traveling we were rewarded with this..... the Iona Abbey.It was built in the 13th century by Benedictine monks on the site of St Columba's first church. St Columba landed here when he arrived from Ireland about 549AD. He introduced Christianity in Scotland during the period after he arrived.
The stone cross in front of the Abbey dates from the time St Columba was here. It's hard to believe that it's some 1400 plus years old.
Near the Abbey lies the ruins of a Nunnery dating to the 1300 as well. Things this old give a sense of history and time to anyone who stops and gazes at the stones laid there some 700 years ago.
This photo has no particular significance other than I just wanted to share it with you all. What a beautiful place this is!
This is Duarte castle on the way back to Oban. Again, what stories it might tell if only it could talk. Even without the stories it's still is amazing to look at. By the way.... people still live in it!
Whew! it was a long day .... 5 hours of traveling and two and a half hours on Iona. The McEwans Scottish ale washed the traveling dust off and a good nights sleep helped. So.... the isle of Mull again tomorrow. Or as I said it's Mull again tomorrow..... for my buddie Wally... the golfer... I think that's where the term mulligan came from.
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