Sunday, September 12, 2010

Jura: The Hotel, and its landscape


I really enjoyed our stay on this island. It has a very small human population (apparently some 200 people), and a very large deer population. "Jura" means "Isle of the Deer". The people live on the east side of the island (the west is too rocky). On the north end is the Corryvrecken, an outrageously dangerous whirlpool between Jura and the Isle of Scarba. Apparently, it is in full roar during the winter months. Roads up in this part of the Island are rare and difficult. They advise four wheel drive, etc. So, Mary and I did not even try to go that far north. One person who did go up there, and spent the last years of his life in that part of the world, at "Barnhill", was GEORGE ORWELL. While there, he wrote "1984." Given the description of this isolated place, one has to agree that George was a hair shirt kind of guy.

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