A Large Clan Murray Gathering in the Highlands

 Every year the Clan Murray meet at Blair Castle and enjoy a celebration with the Duke of Atholl and  all the Murray's around.  It was exhilarating to hear the bagpipes but what topped it off was to see the Murray tartan go on for miles.

 A roadtrip to Scotland wouldn't be complete without seeing a Heeland Coo!

 One of the most beautiful memorial benches I've seen, Pitlochry.

 Enjoying the Scottish bluebells and their variations of color.

 Oh Flower of Scotland!

 A ruined church we visited on our way to Crieff.

 Heaven kissed.

 A Murray chapel, Tullibardine Chapel.

 One of the most unaltered and complete Medieval churches in Scotland.

 Another Murray Chapel, Fowlis Wester.

 The window bellow is the leapers window, where they were allowed to stand and look in from the outside.

 A tall cross slab with Pictish symbols.

 Four in a boat.

 The side stop on the road trip was Hadrian's Wall.

A Special Place in my Heart

Where has the time gone, it has been 13 years since I first moved to Estonia as a missionary.  We found people to teach both about the gospel and we also taught English classes.  I have many memories of those cold winter days with my companion, the challenges of learning the language and also the joy of loving the people of Estonia.
For our 12th anniversary, a good friend watched our kids while my sweetie, C. and I caught a quick Ryanair flight into Tallinn.  I was able to use that ever so difficult yet rewarding Estonian language I agonized over the year and a half to learn.  I was able to take in the deep breaths of this magnificent medieval town, this time as a tourist.

We climbed the old City Walls of limestone and peaked through Tallinn's medieval fortifications and towers.

These are 14th and 15th century tomb stones displayed on an old wall.

What a price these people have had to pay for freedom.

The Church of the Holy Ghost is a 13th century treasure trove of art and also has a steeped gable, an octagonal spire and Tallinn's oldest clock.

This clock was made in the 17th century.

You can see the ferry coming in and out from Tallinn to Helsinki, Finland.

I just love the old doors.

We made it a point to climb every bell tower in the old town, we walked 11 miles on Saturday.  This is one of the best views of Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky.

My favorite thing was to climb each bell tower we could for different views of the city, they were worth ever step!
This translates:  Estonia's War of Independence.  This is at Raekoja Plats, "Freedom Square".

Many of the tombs are in the floor we walk on in these old churches.

The Museum of Occupations was very humbling, as you see the old prison doors that were once closed to interrogate locals.

The suitcases act as a powerful reminder of the mass deportation that took place, taking Estonians from their homes, shoved into cattle carts and taken to Siberia (June 1941-1949).

The Russian KGB had spies everywhere and even holes in doors so they can see into wherever they please.

Propoganda posters.

The communist agitators and revolutionary hero during the Soviet occupation now guard the toilets in the basement.

Do you see that tv tower off to the right?  That was built to provide better telecommunication services,  it is the tallest building in Tallinn.  In 1991 a couple radio operators risked their lives to protect the free media.  They jammed the elevators, made the Soviets climb the 1,000 stairs up and they were ready to protect themselves and all of those of the newly reborn Estonia to listen to more than just news from Russia but Finish radio and more.

One of the highlights was meeting up with a very good friend.