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| Cruise ship in the Scottish Isles |
Have just read two of Peter May's book, The Lewis Man, and The
Black House, which was the first of the trilogy. I found the motive for the murder in B/H rather poor, but both stories are excellent, especially in their descriptive words about the islands. The bleakness of these Scottish islands is fascinating. Island life so hard over the centuries, yet people made a living in these harsh environments. I am not sure I could have lived in a place with no trees, but the ever changing skies would have me rooted to the spot in contemplation. Anyway thanks to those who recommended the books, think it was Jennie.
I somehow feel that these islands will be destroyed over the years by the coming threat of tourism, watching that six storey cruise ship in harbour on television the other night and the tourists pouring off, the same happening of course in Venice. Wealth brings the ability to travel of course, should we who have already travelled already be so ready to condemn? People make their way to the furtherest corner of the world devoid of other humans, but by the very act of doing so clutter and destroy what they set out to seek.
Luckily as I get very seasick, won't be crossing the Minch to Stornaway and must live through the experience of these islands by the written word or the box.
Yesterday with my trusty moonboot steadying me, I clipped the dead racemes of the buddleia, saying goodbye to those pretty butterflies that had graced the bush feeding on the nectar. They had warmed themselves on the church wall and gravestones, wings wide open on the East facing graves.
Yesterday I had been reading a book on local history, the names of local people are part of the gravestones, the Bells and Foxton, the farms seeming to slip from one family to another and then back again, how times have changed now though.
Well here is the island of Skye mentioned below
Luckily as I get very seasick, won't be crossing the Minch to Stornaway and must live through the experience of these islands by the written word or the box.
Yesterday with my trusty moonboot steadying me, I clipped the dead racemes of the buddleia, saying goodbye to those pretty butterflies that had graced the bush feeding on the nectar. They had warmed themselves on the church wall and gravestones, wings wide open on the East facing graves.
Yesterday I had been reading a book on local history, the names of local people are part of the gravestones, the Bells and Foxton, the farms seeming to slip from one family to another and then back again, how times have changed now though.
Well here is the island of Skye mentioned below
Strange you should say about the tourism my husband read an article the other day that said they are getting so many tourists on the isle of sky that is has become a real problem .
ReplyDeleteFound the BBC article on that which I have just added. But they do seem to be suffering on the island of Skye, not enough infrastructure to look after everyone, overcrowding and of course mess left by people.
ReplyDeleteI have seen that Viking cruise add where this enormous ship arrives in Venice and I am so glad I saw Venice before such huge crowds. Nothing wrong with travel, but those big ships are too invasive.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest they must be liable to tip over in a rough sea they are so enormous. The tourist problem is of course being experienced all over Europe..
ReplyDeleteI really think the time has come to limit the number of tourists who visit the islands. The trouble is that tourism is one of the industries which bring money to the islanders.
ReplyDeleteThere is talk of 'tourist tax' not sure how that would work. I remember when I was a child going to the old Torremolinos in Spain and it being absolutely beautiful. Then a few years later just a sea of modern buildings and of course Spain 'upmarketed' to its present standard. But if we have been benefactors of past tourism how can we quibble with the present?
ReplyDeleteI sympathise about the sea sickness. I was fine on the way over but on the way back I was really ill (I don't think it was even that bumpy). I think people off big cruise ships are probably quite easy to contain, they can't go far and I doubt they want to go far either. And Lewis must really rely on the tourists surely, I'm not sure it would be a good idea to put them off. While we travelled round we did see the same people off the ferry here and there all week. But I wouldn't say it felt spoilt by numbers, it's easy enough to leave everyone else behind and find somewhere remote. There'll always be 'tourist honeypots' same as anywhere? I guess they just have to be managed as best as possible.
ReplyDeleteHi Rhiannon, funnily enough I listened to a radio farming programme on Sunday, the farmer arguing that all the sheep on the islands were necessary to keep the islands looking wild for the tourists and he also welcomed the cruise liner tourists. Think though there are several opinions by the islanders for and against large numbers. If I remember you had a quiet beach and a lovely holiday in the islands ;)
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