Six miles north-east of Stromness on the Mainland, are 27 remaining standing stones.
Part of the larger "Heart of Neolithic Orkney," a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dee caught an image that shows the challenges to photographers with a group tour.
But she also got some good shots:
I enjoyed getting close-ups:
The number of Neolithic sites in this area is beyond belief.
Dee got the above shot, from the bus window while driving to the site. And also this one of a mound:
They have found these burial mounds are actually on top of underground temples.
After the Stones, we stopped at Orkney's Italian Chapel.
Built by POWs out of half-cylindrical Nissen huts (similar to Quonset huts). The prisoners were from the Italian Tank Corps.
The Chapel was hand-painted by the inmates of Camp 60 who were brought in to construct a causeway (Churchill Barriers) to block the eastern approach to the British Fleet.
We took a short walking tour of Kirkwall.
Their Masonic Lodge is the oldest Freemason lodge in Orkney and one of the oldest lodges in Scotland.
The building says 1885, but official records traced the lodge back to October 1, 1736.
St Magnus Cathedral |
Then we looked up:
Across the street was the ruins of the Bishop's Palace, the residence of the medieval bishops of Orkney.
Around the corner we found a small museum.
That had a great staircase.
More sewer covers:
And disappearing sights:
Before heading back to the ship, we had to sample the local brew:
I like bourbon and have never been able to drink scotch, but our tour guide said this brand had receive top awards in California, three years in a row. I now have a scotch I like:
As we sailed away, we spotted another lighthouse.