The first view of the day presented a symphony of colors - the blue
of the sea, the green of the meadows, the gray of the rocks and the
white of the beach. We were woken up by wind and sunshine.
Today we let our car at the camp ground and after breakfast we
walked to the village Fionnphort to take the ferry to Iona. After we had
visited the Nunnery which ruins are planted colorful with flowers,
naturally we went to the famous Abbey with its Celtic Crosses. Alike
Linlithgow Castle the Abbey played an important role in the history of
Scotland. There are a couple of legends and myths connected with the
Abbey. Starting from this place in 563 the Monk St. Columba christianizes
the Scotians (most of the inhabitants of Scotland in this time). And in
the time after the Battle of Culloden Bonny Prince Charlie was hidden at
Iona after his adventurous
elopement together with Flora Macdonald. The Iona Abbey by
itself is an impressive simple Romanesque Abbey in an austere but beautiful landscape. The interior concludes only few original
furnishing and a museum of Celtic Crosses. Inside the Abbey there are some of this very impressive
monuments from early Christian times which are decorated with Celtic patterns.
You can find further of this mysterious objects in Ireland and the western Parts of Scotland.
After our visit of the Abbey and all its public rooms we decided to
make a short walk to the white beaches at the south west side of the
isle. The beaches by itself where a disappointment. And while we tried
to return on an other route we lost our way inside the low but complex
hills in the northern part of the island. The weather had no compassion
with us, it was sunny and
hot. So we where more than thirsty when we came back to the village.
Nevertheless the walk was a nice part of this wonderful day. We got a
refreshment in a food shop and then we went back to the camp
site. At the camp ground we had to shower with cold water - the
power supply was gone at the Isle of Mull. We were tired and sweated, the sun
was shining and we had the desire to go swimming in the sea but the
temperature of the water was too cold (only children seems to be insensitive
for cold water)
