Kirkwall also known as Church wall doings

Kirkwall Doings.

So we arrived here on July 16 2015  at 1500 (3:00PM). We then spent the following 6 days penned in by heavy weather including gales and rain. Man (and of course including woman) I thought maybe just maybe the weather had changed finally to Summer! Nope right back to winter sailing. Even the hearty Scots were bundled up!

We did a walk up to the Tourist Office got all the Bus time tables had a quick look at the Cathedral returned to the boat and at 1830 the harbour Master’s assistant Neil arrived to collect the dues (#20.00/24hrs.) had a very nice visit and got a whole bunch of use full information and tidbits(local knowledge). He also offered to drive us to the Italian Chapel and the Churchill Barrier the next day (Fri.) We took him up on his offer.Neil returned later to tell us that he couldn’t drive us the next day as his daughter had had an Asthma attack. Oh well. He then came back later with his daughter Rebbecca who is the real harbour master. And said he could drive us. So we’re back on.

Fri. July 17 2015.

                Up early Big day planned. Hammering down rain! Cold as a witches ??????). Neil arrived as promised and off we went to the Italian Chapel. We first drove over the Churchill Barrier. The Barrier was ordered constructed by Winston (Winnie to his friends) Churchill) at the beginning  of WWII to block off  some of the entrances to Scapa Flow to avoid and hopefully avoid what happened during WWI when a German UBoat snuck in and torpedoed the Royal Oak sinking her with the loss of over 800.) At the end of WWI the German fleet was scuttled(sunk on purpose) in Scapa flow. The barrier consists of sunken ships and concrete blocking some of the passages between small islands on the East(Seaward)side of the harbour (150 miles big). It worked no ships were sunk there during WWII.

                We then drove to the Chapel where we were kicked out of the nice warm dry red (have I told you Sally’s favourite colour is Red if you all ready didn’t know that)car, and Neil drove away. (I could see him laughing with an evil grin as he accelerated down the road and into the fog). “I’ll get even” I said to myself.

                The Italian Chapel was constructed by,,, Yup Chinese  no no just kidding! Italian Prisoners of War,Captured mostly in North Africa and as punishment shipped to this cold wet windy Island.! Think they might have been quite happy not being shot at but I digress so. They got permission from the Camp Commandant (not Colonel Klink) Ask your parents or grand parents if you don’t know. Were supplied with a couple of disused Quonset Huts. And before you could say Jackie Robinson or Holy Cow(an Indian Bovine)The Chapel  was built and decorated inside. The disagreement ended the day after construction was completed and it’s now a must see tourist attraction on the main land. (Mainland is actually the name of the main Island in the Orkney’s. We took the obligatory phot’s and headed for the winery at end of the road and waited for the local bus to take us back to Kirkwall.

Got off the Bus at the Lidle Store did a shop and then walked to the Saint Magnus Cathedral for a look see. A Very nicely constructed house of worship built from red and yellowish Sandstone in the 12^th century. Magnus was a priest who became a Saint when he was killed by a single sword blow to the top of his head by a nephew. They found his Skeleton with his skull sliced open in the church so that’s really what happened not a made up story to scare little kids though it might anyway. (could probably still be used if your kids are being bad. Just trying to be helpful here. Not implying that anyone’s offspring are bad.) Also ever sincethat little family dispute People with head aches come to the church to be cured. More to follow.