Happy Halloween

 Yesterday I popped along to the Bishop' palace and the Earl's palace in Kirkwall. It was threatening rain and the Bishop's palace looked and sounded more exciting, so I went there first.






















There was a great view out across Kirkwall to the harbour and it was nice to see the omnipresent cathedral from a different angle.

It did, indeed, start to rain, just as I got in to the Earl's palace, but one end of it is still roofed in stone. So I sat on the window sill in one of the old guest chambers and read (kindle, Living Dead in Dallas) until it passed. Then went exploring all over the palace and up and down stairs. One of the turrets was set up as a study with a little writing desk. I immediately added one to my imaginary house.

 Today (Halloween) I took some photos of the shop windows. People are quite into the whole idea. The Scottish Hydro Electric is in the building that once held the Norse parliament. King James went there in 1540. And now it is selling whitegoods...

Florist.

Random Stuff Shop.

 The Orkney Soap shop went with a Solstice/Beltane/Pumpkin theme.

 The bookshop has spooky stories.