Kelpies

The second part of the first day was even better!

The Kelpies are giant horse head statutes near Falkirk, in a massive park. It would have been great to spend more time int he park but we really came to see the Kelpies. Dad was a little unsure on this part of the trip (how impressive can a couple of horse head statues be?) but even he admitted it was amazing. We had a quick lunch there before going over to the Kelpies.

Near the visitors centre and restaurant, there are some smaller scale versions. These were used to tour the world before the larger versions were built to fundraise the money needed for it. Also to figure out how to actually make them! Each of the metal panels is individually shaped and had to be very careful placed. 

I have a wonderful sweet photo of my parents from their trip to see me in America. I have been trying to get another for some time. They always seem to look slightly nuts. :) I haven't managed to them to be even slightly serious for a photo yet. Which I guess is therefore an accurate picture of them.

Photos at the little kelpies.

The main statues are a fair bit bigger at 30m tall. A Kelpie is a mythical water horse, thought not a very nice one. They would wait for someone to touch them out of the water and then they could not remove their hand and would be dragged under water to drown. But the are a Scottish myth and also represent the Clydesdale horses used in the area for moving anything.

And the tour inside is pretty cool (and more than worth the entrance fee). The talk was fascinating. Like how they deliver all the pieces and laid them out nicely on some spare ground. Which was a bog. So they all sank. They ended up being moved to an Asda carpark. :)

Looking up inside the Kelpie

picture of the original horse models.

After this we had a long drive around Glasgow to get over to Saltcoats, in Ayrshire. It wasn't quite where we thought it was but it was fine.

Mom and Dad got a full scottish experience when the police came to the caravan we were staying in a couple of times the first night. The second time the police were accompanied with a drunk and bleeding gentleman who thought he was staying in our caravan.  The police were attempting to get him home but had no clue where that was. All (police and drunk) were very polite and apologetic about it all. 

Welcome to Scotland!