::::::::
WHAT ABOUT BEING OVERPAID, OVERSEXED AND OVER HERE? No, not militarily, we need the tourists to come back. Much of the tourist industry has suffered since 11/9 (I know it should be 9/11, but that is the 9th of November to me.) The only Americans that visit now, nip into Edinburgh for the festival and disappear sharpish.I remember travelling with a father and son from Boston, across Perthshire some years ago. When I apologised for the misty weather they both said, " No, this is what we came for. " They wanted the castle at Blair Atholl to be shrouded, like in the films. We went on to "Lock " Ness and again, the weather was straight out of Hollywood.
Any time I have been, it has been windy and the wave tops all look like monster heads. My son, who was 5 at the time we travelled with the Americans, saw it 42 times in a half an hour. The guy from the Guinness Book of Records said "No, some kid from Fife could beat that. " You are compelled to stare. You know that if you look away for a second...
The monster legend is wonderful and no amount of scientific rationalism is going to alter the belief that there is something there. In fact, the more you prove it doesn 't exist the more people will think 'and all those clever scientists....they would not be here if there was nothing..' ... BUT THEY HAVE DISPROVED ITS EXISTENCE.. ' Yes it suits them to say that for the time being ...next year their story may change.'
The local fish farm had trout leaping at the public who would pay to throw some smelly oily stuff to fed the fish. The fish, en masse, would surge eagerly. You may also try fishing. The Boston father, in hat stuck with tied flies, waders up to his neck, and 25ft pole smiled weakly when my son jumped in and lifted a huge trout in his bare arms. He went wild. 'One more, please Dad... You kill it.' We ate frozen trout for two months.
