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Here are a few pictures I got at the Dunsmuir Highland Games in Oakland on Saturday. Whenever there are sports events, I revisit my old ambition of getting one of those perfect action shots, where the fellow is jumping to head the ball, or diving to make a save, and the photo catches him midair in some impossible position. The one below, of a shinty match was not that shot, to say the least, but it gives you a bit of a view of Dunsmuir House, which gives the grounds, and subsequently the games, their name. At least you can actually see what the athlete is trying to do here! To learn the finer points of the caber toss, read the short article at the bottom of the page here.

The Prince Charles Pipe Band played a set in front of the house.

Dunsmuir House is down in a narrow valley, quite secluded even today, but a climb to the top of the hill revealed a big-city skyline (the lighting is not accurate, as I took this around 5:30, just before I got in my car to go home. I played with the contrast later to sharpen the silhouettes as much as I could).

P.S. They were letting folks go in and tour Dunsmuir House, so I did. However, a condition of the same was--no photos. On the inside it looked surprisingly comfortable, not as opulent as the outside might suggest, although I would not like to have been the person in charge of cleaning the floors. Speaking of floors, those in the front room and dining room were made of wood of different shades, inlaid in intricate geometric patterns. I wasn't sure whether that was the most impressive bit, or whether the house's main claim to fame should be its four pianos!