Audio Excerpt

Listen to an audio exerpt of Philippa Gregory's Taming of the Queen - from Overdrive. It looks and sounds like a good book - and, it was!!

Sounds of Scotland

Here's a quick video of Julie Fowlis singing in Gaelic - http://video.pbs.org/video/2283113448/.

If you’ve seen the animated Pixar/Disney film, “Brave,” which is set in a fantasy medieval Scotland, you’ve heard the voice of Scottish folk singer Julie Fowlis. She sings mainly in the Gaelic language – or Gallic, as they say in Scotland – and had a surprise hit in the UK a few years back with her version of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” In this video, Fowlis performs “Tha Mo Ghaol Air Àird."

The joy of traveling, for me, is to discover new worlds. Music is one of the greatest ways to familiarize yourself with new cultures. SO - start your day, or move it along, with a little touch of Scotland.

For a different approach, try this snippet on Scottish Independence: http://video.pbs.org/video/2274007063/

The Gaelic revival is just part of a vibrant debate in Scotland. Here’s a brief sample of opinions about an independent Scotland, featuring musician Julie Fowlis, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, and author Alan Bissett.

Both these short video clips are taken from the treasure-trove of Public Broadcasting Service streaming video archive.For more options, go to Programs: http://video.pbs.org/programs/

Best of Britain Tour 2014

In July of 2014, three of us will travel together, along with up to 37 others, to visit England, Scotland, and Wales. Here's a map of the tour.