Our fishing guide who was wearing a tweed tie with his tattersall shirt and herringbone tweed cap was impressed when I showed up in a tie as well and said that it is how one should show respect to the fish. I said I wore it in respect of him. Since he used to manage an Orvis store he liked my Orvis flannel as well. We fished a beautiful Beat ( a reserved section of private water) of a few kilometers. The reddish black water looked like flowing Guinness😋. We stopped for lunch and he asked if he should out on a kettle or would we rather have coffee. He also poured us a dram of whisky. Although I’ve been fly fishing for over 36 years I learned how to do a proper European nymph fishing technique with a 2Wt rod set up (caught a small salmon!). We were fishing for wild brown trout. Unbelievable day!

I memorized all the kilt yoga I learned from this book😎. Should be ready for the big fishing trip today. A little trip highlights: Majorly significant battlefields and cool structures for a history nerd like me solidifying my knowledge of Scotland; unbelievably great food-from roasted duck smoked venison, fresh seafood and the best fish and chips I e ever had; fantastic views and great family time together; oh yea been a scotch drinker now for I’ve 48 years

Another day in Scotland at the Talisker whisky tour. Wore my Orvis flannel shirt on a cold wet day. But still no comparison to coolness of the guy behind me at the little inn where we had lunch. Wearing his waders with a tweed tie Tattersall shirt and a tweed Gillet. He just finished a trip as a guide flyfishing for salmon with a Spey Rod (fly fisherman will get this). Of course he is with his dog at the little Inn Pub.

I can't remember where I originally heard this, but it seems to be something a lot of people have either forgotten or never heard... The people that matter aren't impressed by things, they are only impressed by people. A Rolex on a random wrist means nothing more than a receipt. The important factor isn't the watch, but the wrist. Any interesting watch on an impressive gentleman's wrist becomes a status symbol - because of the wrist that's wearing it. There's a reason the phrase, "an empty suit," even exists. It's because the suit doesn't make the man; the man - or woman, for that matter - makes the suit. Buying things that a significant number of people can purchase does not impart status. Striving to be the best version of yourself, however, demonstrates a status that cannot be purchased...

Posting as I get a chance so this will include a couple of days ago 8/17. OOTD: Barbour jacket Peter James and Levi’s again. Orvis light weight cotton flannel. (Remember, I only packed a single carry on😉) After a few ferry rides from Oban to the island of Iona we walked the Abby which is the venerated site of St Columba who brought the Christian faith from Ireland to Scotland in the 6th century. His bones were buried in a small wooden structure that was later rebuilt in stone that now is attached to the large Church structure. This small chapel is purported to be the first stone church in Scotland. On the ride back across Mull we stopped at a weaving shop. I was fascinated by the fact all wool colors were natural sheep colors and the only dyes used were flowered and root matter. This inner Hebrides owner explained to me the process of shrinking the wool then “shaving the wool. The difference between their tweeds and Harris Tweeds is 100% of her materials (sheep [see las pic with large grid pattern blanket] and flowers) came from the Isle of Mull (Harris Tweeds, while woven in the Outer Hebrides, are not natural dyes and the sheep can be outsourced from Australia and New Zealand). The natural colors are more authentic to ancient tweeds this way. The loom was a 1956 machine. I’ll do a subsequent post about my birthday 8/18 where we travelled from Oban to Glencoe. Now we are on isle of Skye