Thursday 24 July

Last night, the Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow. I thought the opening ceremony was crap. Cheap tat. A disgrace to Scotland, and I wasn't anywhere near in the mood for the papier-mache ceremony we were being bored with.

Dutch national broadcaster NOS reports that tomorrow, Thursday, at least 74 bodies will be brought to Eindhoven AFB, to be transferred to Corporal Van Oudheusden barracks in Hilversum. The ceremony will be identical to today's, and a government minister will attend.

Profoundly moved by the dignity afforded to the 40 victims of ‪#‎MH17‬, who were flown into ‪#‎Eindhoven‬ AFB this afternoon. A group of eight servicemen carried each coffin from either plane to a hearse. The cortege of 40 hearses will travel to a military barracks at ‪#‎Hilversum‬, 65 miles north of Eindhoven. The A2 and A27 motorways will be closed for 3 miles either side of the cortege as it moves north. The same process will be repeated for all the coffins when they come in from Ukraine.

 

Wall to wall sunshine, and although it's just 10.15 am, the thermometer has already crested 70F or 21C. I imagine we'll easily cruise into the high 20s this afternoon - in fact, we reached 26C / 78F.

A very warm visit to Gress cemetery, 9 miles north of Stornoway. The adjacent beach was well frequented, and quite a few people were in the sea. The temperature of the sea here is about 14C / 57F, so it's not too cold. I didn't go in myself, as I didn't have time until the bus back into town.