7000 kilometres to Scotland for a bowl of soup and a slice of bread...

Perth, and the River Tay, under today's blue Scottish skies.

Ah yes, there's a lot more to returning to Scotland than "lunch" but one of the things that's so good about being back, is having a bowl of soup and a slice of bread...at the Tiso Outdoor Experience. It's been the stuff of dreams these past months! Tiso is more than a store. It's a veritable treasure trove for those in search of excellent equipment and kit for self-propelled outdoor activities.

And, Tiso offers an additional "perk" - the Fit Food Bistro. A delicious bowl of soup and a thick slice of home-made bread, enjoyed in the midst of outdoor sports ambiance - it doesn't get any better when you're jet lagged and baggage still needs to be unpacked.

So, the long awaited lunch at the Perth Tiso? Here it is...pretty nice, eh? :)

Mmm, the Bistro's lentil vegetable soup and a slice of whole grain bread.

Tiso Outdoor Experience - 
camp / bike / play / eat / climb / walk / run / paddle...
what's not to like about all of that?

A sign, driving into the city today, read, "Perth is Per-fect" - that's pretty much true. Eight hundred years old, and home to the "Stone of Destiny", used for centuries in the coronation of monarchs (including our present Queen), this town has everything: a Café Quarter, countless inviting pubs, a vibrant pedestrian core, a magnificent river (The Tay), and urban walking trails that pass through magnificent gardens and forests. Situated in the middle of town is the Church of St. John the Baptist where John Knox kicked off the Scottish Reformation in 1559 with a sermon that was, well, just a little inflammatory - at least to my very liberal theological mind. And straddling the Highlands and the Lowlands, this area is pure bliss for hikers and hill-walkers...more on that in a later posting. :)

Does the sun always shine in Scotland?
Ah, yes... ;)

Something clearly frightened this jet skier on the Tay.

This one too!

Geesh. We found this river serpent very friendly indeed.

Perfectly "framed" on the Perth Sculpture Trail.
Thought-provoking sculptures all along the trail..

"Insight"...to be treasured. 

The sun has set.

And the full moon is rising.
Good night Perth, good night all.

Here in Scotland, the days are getting nice and long at this time of the year. It's 10:30 pm and we've just finished dinner, a stir fry with Tesco's amazing veggies - it was a long time since the soup and bread at Tiso. The sun has set and the full moon is rising above the hills in front of our flat.

Tomorrow the sun will appear at 4:43 am - and we'd love to be there for that. :)

As always, thanks for joining us here.

Duncan.