Kilts and Bagpipes
"My favorite thing is to go where I've never been."
Diane Arbus
This week Amy asks us to address an interesting topic - Unique. Wide open to interpretation, it gives us an opportunity to feature just about anything! Because this is a busy week I've decided to keep it simple and focus on a visit we made a few years ago to a country that, to us at least, offered some very unique sights. In the image above, you see men in kilts (nope, you won't see them here!) playing bagpipes (again, not something we've ever seen here in the U.S.). We had so much fun watching a local Highland Games event, including both the marchers above and the dancers below. Obviously, my subject for this week is Scotland.
Little Ladies in Tartan
"My camera is my passport."
Steve McCurry
Those of you who, like me, love Harry Potter probably know that the railroad bridge used to approach Hogwarts (aptly named the Hogwarts Express in the books and movies) is actually in Scotland. This unique feature, named the Glenfinnan Viaduct, features 21 arches and is quite the sight to behold. There was no way I was going to Scotland and not visiting this iconic element of the Potter movies! I've included one of my many images below. Sadly, although I tried to wait for one, no trains every passed by during my visit.
Hogwarts Express Bridge
"You could say I travel to take photographs and take photographs to travel."
Rick Sammon
While they can actually be seen in many parts of the world, for us Scotland's highland cows were a unique discovery. I found them adorable with their shaggy hair and hidden eyes. Like the cows I'm used to here in the U.S., they were quite docile and very approachable - the perfect subjects for a curious photographer's lens.
Hairy Highland Cow
"Let photography quickly enrich the traveller's album, and restore to his eyes the precision his memory may lack."
Charles Baudelaire
As different as two images can be, the next image was to me something I'd never expected to see in Scotland. Not sure why it should have surprised me so thoroughly but I thought it would fit the "unique" challenge since it seemed so out of place in such a quiet, bucolic country.
Out of Place
"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
One of my favorite things about Scotland is that it is so approachable. Having rented a car we drove all over the country - east, west, north and south. Everywhere we went we encountered friendly, helpful people. We saw some of the most beautiful countryside, water, water everywhere, quaint, quiet towns and lovely cosmopolitan cities. I'll close with a favorite image of Scotland at night - a silhouette of the multi-peaked skyline of Edinburgh.
Edinburgh Sunset
"The Earth is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness."
Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Thanks to Amy for her as-always interesting challenge. Visit her amazing and beautiful post here, and remember to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. Thanks also to Patti for last week's "Empty" Challenge - you left us anything but empty with your interesting and creative responses. Finally, we hope you'll join us next week when Ann-Christine leads our challenge on her wonderful Leya blog. Until then, please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the journey.
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