Finally I’ve got my internet connection back.

So, to resume, we were off from Damascus acroos the desert to Palmyra which just has to be experienced.

This was taken from the bus just to show the terrain we passed through on our way to Palmyra.

The next group are from the tower tomb of Elahbel.

Whilst the next is of the hypogea of the three brothers, Atenatan, Hairan and Dionysus.

The last of these shots is of a tower tomb and the 16th Century Arab Castle, Fakhredin Al Maany, in the background.

I hadn’t really looked at the Statue on the front of the Wallace Tower before – I had just assume it was another statue of William Wallace. However when I did, I was struck by how much it reminded me of pictures of elfs, albeit somewhat taller and armour plated.

St James’s Church was built as a chapel of ease in 1885 to designs by John Murdoch. There is a rose window above the pulpit.

Maybole Old Church is no longer being used as a church, but building work is taking place, so it will be interesting to see what transpires.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen any other steeple/tower like this one, but you might know different!

The link in the first paragraph gives a brief, but interesting, history of the church.

Mure Church; built in 1849 as the Irvine Free Church, it became the Mure United Free Church in 1900.

It always seemed to me that this church was a bit back-to-front! – what you see is actually the back of the church; the entrance is at the other end.

This tower is to be found at Girgenti farm in Ayrshire – visible from miles around, even from the Ayrshire coast. It used to have a spire on top of it.

Captain John Cheap(e) built his eccentric mansion house at Bonnyton (as Girgenti was originally known) with plantations, shrubberies, a walled garden and the tower.

[Girgenti was a town in Sicily 'named' for the famous ancient Greek ruins of Agrigentum. The name of the town has been changed to Agrigento.]

There are many stories associated with it, but the most likely seems to be that Captain Cheape believed in reincarnation and, being sure he would return as a bird, built a large tower, with a dovecote on top. It was finished in 1843, is 80 feet tall, has four clock faces, a coat of arms and a motto – Didus Fructus (Let it spread its fruit abroad).

A more fanciful tale is that Captain Cheape was in league with smugglers and would light a lamp in the top of the tower when he knew the coast was clear.

The mansion was demolished in the early 20th Century, but there are also stories of Glasgow alcoholics being brought down to be immured in the extensive cellars of the mansion until they had ‘dried out’.

Fullarton Parish Church has a slightly odd ‘lantern’ on top.

The Irvine Town House, with its octagonal lantern, was built in 1859.

Note the similarities in style to St Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church which is but a short distance away.

A Picture of Prestwick North Parish Church tower.