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Pat has finally made it to Scotland. This postcard is of Edinburgh Castle. Says the guidebook she left behind: "Standing upon the basalt core of an extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle is an assemblage of buildings dating from the 12th to the 20th centuries, reflecting its changing role as fortress, royal palace, military garrison and state prison."

The card is dated Tuesday August 1 and reads as follows:

" Even as I write I am drinking margaritas in Edinburgh. We checked into our hotel.
Tomorrow morning the hiking starts. Looking around at some of these cliffs,
mountains and moors, it might be pretty strenuous. Walter Luthie--head of Walking the
World is here--along with Digby. The other people arrived today with jet lag.
Tomorrow at 9am we meet. Oh yes, why am I drinking margaritas? Janet chose
a Tex Mex restaurant. There is a poster on 'How to be a Texan.' Love, Pat"

From Edinburgh it was on to the Highlands, which is in the North and West part of
Scotland. The guidebook says, "Here lie the magnificent mountains and glens,
fretted coastlines and lonely isles that are the epitome of Scottish scenery."

Pitlochry, Dam and Theatre

"Wednesday, Aug 2, 2000

Time is standing still for me. Pleasures just run one into another. We had a fantastic meal today. Clothes are dirty--getting dirtier, but I didn't come here to do laundry. Love, Pat"

"Aug 3
We visited this castle yesterday. Today we hiked high out on a moor and looked down on it. The town of Pitlochry is very picturesque and touristy. Lots of kiddy entertainment. The trip is a lot like the one to Maine. The leaders make a real effort to keep it upbeat and to organize everything so it doesn't look like work. I am now sitting in a lawn chair, feet up, and soon to start on my book. Love, Pat"

Evening, Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, near Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland

Highland Cow

"Monday, Aug ?
Living a carefree life out here. Food, shelter and all decisions are made for me. Maybe I'm rapidly returning to the womb.
Scenery is beautiful. Expensive food is very good. Clothes are past dirty. Janet brought about 3 times what I did and she has washed twice. I'm choosing not to. Today we take a chairlift to a top and walk down. Cattle are cute, aren't they? There are some small herds of these.
Love, Pat"

Thursday August 10 she sent this e-mail: "I am now in Edinburgh. Most of the trip is finished. The final walk over the moors was SPECTACULAR. Rather than follow Janet to York--where I have been, I am taking the train up to Inverness and taking a day trip by bus to the Orkney Islands. Supposed to be interesting scenery, ruins, and nature."