The "I'm A Landlubber Mini-Tour" Part One

Even non-events are memorialized

This past weekend, Melinda and I bought cheap tickets on the J & S Fife & Highlands Express Tour.  Included in our package were first class seats on the famed "Jack Russell" car (known for its enticing Highland aromas and frequently utilized by the infamous stunt duo Murphy and Molly).  

St Andrews, viewed from St Andrews Bay Hotel

This tour is broken down into three parts, because each leg of the journey brought with it a distinct glimpse of Scotland.  Our tour guide - Jubilant Johnny - is certainly versed on all things Scottish, and is a bit of a Renaissance man.  A painter, carver, photographer, and historian, he may be classified as a jackdaw of all trades, and he carefully orchestrated our journey to ensure that we received maximum exposure to a generous area of Caledonia.  


Upon our arrival in St Andrews, we were soberly informed that a Diamond Jubilee Celebration would take place the following evening; thus, we needed to adhere to a strict schedule.  After receiving our marching orders, we bordered the J&E Express (affectionately known in these parts as the "Who's Gonna Feed Them Hog-warts Express) and began our Fife Harbour Tour.  For a map of our route, click here.  (Editor's Note: Balcomie Links was not our destination, rather Fife Ness, the eastern most point in Fife.  It was difficult to convince Google that this is a place...)

Crail

If you look very closely at the shape of Fife, you will see that it resembles a dog (more specifically a Schnauzer...my Uncle Will told a great Schnauzer joke...).  Thus, St Andrews is the Eye of the Dug (Dog) for which a music festival is named.  And Fife Ness (or nose) is, well, the nose.  Although a bus will take you to these rather idyllic harbour towns, there is no equivalent to a drive through narrow wynds which lead to hidden vantage points from which one has an unmarred view of the town, the sea, and the boats.  

Sunset over Elie

These villages - in which fishing was once the lifeblood of the economy and, to be fair, still greatly influences each town - are an alternating mix of old salts (like our tour guide), tourists, locals, and people just wanting a fish supper or an ice cream.  Each town has its own character, one which continually evolves as stories are told and memories are recalled over pints and drams.  And the ebb and flow of the sea is indelibly etched in some of the faces of the people, who are joined to the waters by some force unbeknownst to landlubbers such as myself.  

Tomorrow's installment takes us to the Isle of May...although thinking I possessed the fortitude to successfully complete this six mile journey without motion sickness medication, I quickly discovered that yours truly is indeed a landlubber.

Birthplace of Jubilant Johnny...