Final Thoughts, Final Post - September 27-28

It was an uneventful trip across the Atlantic, remarkable only in that we left Heathrow on time and got into San Francisco a little early.  We made it through customs without a hitch, caught the connecting flight from San Francisco, and even made it into Portland early.  The only hiccup was that our car battery was dead.  The good news is that the Portland Airport Parking offers users free roadside assistance for precisely these little problems and the wonderful man was there in 15 minutes to give us a jump.  It actually took us longer to figure out how to get into the car given that our electronic sensors in our keys weren't working.  After maneuvering safely out of the parking lot and going in the correct direction around the roundabout, we got home around 10:15 pm, fell asleep around 11:30, and I was wide wake at 4:30 am (12:30 pm Scotland time), starving for my regular Scottish breakfast of eggs, sausages (or smoked fish), tattie scones, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes. 

We are now in "reentry" mode.  The bags are unpacked, laundry has been sorted and begun, and we've picked up cream and milk from the grocery store . . . where I tried to enter on the left side of the automatic doors, which of course was the exit.  Rick was highly amused.

A few final thoughts and observations on our Scotland travels:

- So glad I brought my hiking boots, leggings, and rain pants.  I practically lived in those the entire time we were on Skye.

 - Probably could have gotten away with packing less clothes.  Didn't touch a lot of my short-sleeved t-shirts.

- Love the heated towel racks in every hotel and B&B.  Must get one of those.

- Like any country, Scotland has some interesting road signs.  Two that stand out include, "Elderly People" with a picture of someone walking with a cane, and "Oncoming Vehicles in Middle of Road" (unlike here in the US, this is not considered a condition that needs to be corrected; folks are just expecting you to be smart about it).

- Scotland seems to see allocate more responsibility for safe driving conditions on the individual driver than is done in the US.  The American design concepts of "shy distance" and "clear zone" (which result in more physical impacts and expense) do not seem to be incorporated as much in Scottish roadway design, and, consequently, results in requiring drivers to pay more attention and treat driving as the primary activity, not one secondary to phone calls, texting, eating, or applying make-up,as is the case here in the US.  I like that.

- Based on the above, don't try to navigate on your blackberry while driving (or distract the driver with questions about navigating on the blackberry).  You'll likely wind up with a flat tire.

- Even if you can navigate on your blackberry, always have a paper map.  Sometimes there is no cell service.

- If I plan to keep a blog on future travel, be sure to schedule some downtime.  When traveling in Europe in 2010, our frequent train travel provided me a natural break to record our experiences.  Didn't have so much of that this time around given that we were driving, and typing while Rick was driving made me queasy.  This resulted in me being up early most mornings, sitting in the bathroom typing away, taking advantage of a few quiet hours before the day started.  This was OK for a while, but it became exhausting by the end of trip.  Not writing a blog isn't an option for I enjoy rereading and reliving the experience months later.  By the way, Spoons had the most comfortable bathroom for blogging due to the nice soft lambskin rug . . .

- Bacon is not served crispy but, well, rather floppy and very thick.  It is more like fatty ham.  Even when you ask for it "crisp, they cannot fathom that you want it that crisp.

- I like poached eggs, so long as they are poached hard.

- The Scotch really do use the word "wee" a lot.  I like it and plan to start incorporating it in my conversations.

- During rush hour, at least on the Isle of Skye, you have to wait in line for gas.

- Everywhere we went they used low-flow toilets.  I don't like them.

- Everyone we met in Scotland, without exception, was warm and friendly, though, admittedly, most we met were in the hospitality industry.   Would have like to met some more of the locals, though I imagine, the locals, particularly on the Isle of Skye, are a bit sick of us tourists who are always in a rush, don't know how to drive, and invade their quiet pubs.

- Met a lot of friendly English folks at the various B&Bs.  The islands and the highlands seem to be a popular place for them to come on holiday.

- All accommodations provided only a comforter, no top-sheet, and rarely a blanket.

- In Scotland, our queen-sized bed is called a king and our king-sized bed is called a super king.  Doubt they can even fathom the dimensions of a California king.

- On Isle of Skye, if you want a nice B&B and good dining during the tourist season, make your reservations well in advance, preferably a year for the B&B's.

- The Scottish drink their whiskey with water (or this all could be just a hoax to see how gullible we tourists are).

-  I've been able to discern that the unique flavoring in the different single malts is due to the following three (possibly four) things: 1) What is burned during the malting (drying) process for the barley, 2) the shape of the distillery; 3) the barrels used to age the liquor; and, possibly, 4) the water used when the whiskey is bottled.  Unlike, wine, the location (terroir) of the source material (barley for whiskey, grapes for wine) is not a factor in the flavor.

- Found out that the neat-looking crows that I saw two years ago in Germany (grey bodies and black wings) are present in Scotland and are called jackdaws.

- European robins are smaller and cuter than American robins, with yellow orange breasts, and are very, very territorial.

- Castles varied greatly in size and function.  There is no one size fits all.  Still don't know how they were built.  The quest for this knowledge continues.

- Rick and I kick a$$ as travel companions.  We compliment each other wonderfully.

- Rick agrees that, excepting for my freaking out a couple of times while he was driving, I was a far more pleasant travel companion this time around, compared to the 2010 European vacation.

- While some people might make fun of this, reading the rather large book on Scotland history was well worth the time.  I felt I had a decent beginner's grasp of the Scottish identity and culture and was better prepared for what I might encounter during my sightseeing and interactions with the locals.

Well, that's it for now.  Thanks to Rick for helping to make this a most memorable adventure. I love traveling with you.  Now it's time to return to the real world . . . and start looking for some books on the history of New Zealand and Bali :-)

The Two of Us at Falloch Falls, The Trossachs and  Loch Lomand National Park, Scotland

Three Chimneys - Haute Cuisine Without the Attitude

Our first night of dining on Skye, September 20, was so magical that Rick and I believed that it warranted a blog post all of its own.

If our first few hours on Skye were not magical enough, Marie had booked us a dinner reservation at the Three Chimneys, the finest dining on Skye, and one of the most enchanting culinary experiences I've ever had.

After donning our "formal" wear (that means skirt, tights, and mary janes for me) we made the half-hour drive to Waternish, the westernmost peninsula of Skye, driving through some lovely rural landscapes and croft villages.  Every building here seems to be whitewashed.  We later asked Marie if there was a zoning regulation requiring all buildings be whitewashed.  Puzzled, she thought about it and then said, no there isn't.  People just don't think to do anything different.  Even she and Ian white-washed the B&B without thinking twice.  Well it works for me.

After working through island rush hour traffic (sheep) and practicing on the one-lane with pullouts road (good brakes a must), we arrived at a sweet, white-washed (of course) building, no bigger than an individual home . . . and probably much smaller than many individual residences in the US, looking out on a serene bay (or loch).   The sign indicated that it was "Three Chimneys" and, indeed, it had three chimneys.

Rush Hour Traffic - Note the Single Lane

We walked into a wonderfully warm and snug evironment of stone walls, low ceilings, decorative hearths, and fine-crafted wood tables and chairs.  The walls were adorned with tasteful abstract and landscape paintings and the lighting, glory be for Rick, was sufficiently dim. The dining area in the restaurant consisted of three rooms with a total of 11 tables.  One large table in a room by itself for big parties and the remaining 10 (seating no more than 4 each) were split evenly in the other two rooms.  This made for a very intimate dining experience.  When we arrived at the whopping early (for Skye) dinner hour of 6:30, only the large table was occupied.  Like in the US, 7:30 seems to be the preferred dinner hour.  We are just getting too old to do that and sleep well!

Landscape on the Way to Three Chimneys

We were greeted by the matire'd and shown to our table by the hearth and window.  After that, we had two waiters, a sommelier, and, for the lack of a better term, the bussboy, waiting on us.   We later learned one of the waiters, a redhead, was named Richard Dunn.  He asked about Rick's surame and relatives, wondering if they might be related.  Possibly.  He will be coming to New York when the tourist season ends in a couple of weeks for hospitality services training.

 The menu was designed so that we could order a seven course or a three course meal.  Though tempted, we did not think that we could manage to consume seven courses, so we opted for the three course meal.  I ordered the langostinos over "rocket" (arugula) and then the lobster.  Rick had the scallops and the pot roast.  While the chef prepared the meals, hearty, dense home-made bread was brought to our table along with a little appetizer of cod and haddock soup in a tomato base, presented in a "wee bit" of a bowl.  Wish there had been more.  If I could have cod and haddock that fresh and prepared so deliciously, I'd be eating it far more often.  Our wine came as well.  Rick ordered a Argentinian red and I had the good fortune to order a French white burgundy that ended up beautifully complimenting my seafood meal.

Three Chimneys . . . with three chimneys

Then came the "Starters" as they are typically called in this country.  Rick said his scallops, freshly caught on the Isle of Skye, were delicious, perfectly cooked.  My langostinos, also "just caught in the bay outside the front door", were scrumptuous but they posed a bit of a dining challenge for me.  Half the langostinos had been shelled but the other half were not, as they were a part of the presentation, and, unlike shrimp, it was not readily apparent how I was suppose to remove the succulent meat from the little suckers.  Finally, swallowing my pride, I asked one of our four waitstaff what to do with them and he showed me that the tails were split and if I just pulled them apart the meat would be for easier to remove . . . and it was.

Outdoor Dining Anyone?

Then came the entrees.  The meat in Rick's "pot roast" (it's presentation was really too refined to be called pot roast) was beef and rabbit along with some vegetables.  My lobster was unbelievably sweet and tender.  It was served in a light creamy sauce, along with some winter root vegetables.  Though not a large dish, the lobster, itself was incredibly rich and did I already say sweet?

Having cleared every speck off delicious food off our plates, we were then given the option to "rest" before ordering our dessert, which we did, thankfully, and enjoyed the atmosphere.  While we were dining on our "haute cuisine," the tables around us filled up with locals and travellers alike.  Though dressed nicely, no one was dressed formally, despite the caliber of the cuisine, which, I think could command a tux and evening gown.

Happy Me in CoseyThree Chimneys Interior

After agonizing over all of the divine choices on the dessert menu, I settled on the Three Chimney's specialty, a marmalade pudding (cake) with a drambuie custard and Rick selected a sticky pudding with two sauces (what those sauces were, we, unfortunately, cannot recall).  Like everything else, the desserts were a delight to the tastebuds.  Afterwards, Rick ordered a 21-yr old Blavenie, whiskey and I ordered a 10-yr old GlenMorangie Quinta, barrelled in port barrels.  Rick liked his whiskey so much that he searched for it in every store we visited until he found, and purchased, it.

View from Three Chimneys - Can see all the way to the Mainland

Only when we were more than amply satiated and warmed by the fine food, superb service, and savory scotch, did we look at the time and see that it was a little after 9:15 pm.  Almost 3 hours sped by in a blink of an eye.  We also noticed that there were no second seatings.  When we asked Marie about this later, she said that this is typical in the finer restaurants.  A table is reserved only once in the evening in order for the diners to fully relax and enjoy the experience . . . and what an experience it was.  

September 26 - Beginning the Journey Home . . . and Planning the Next

Shifting gears now from touring to travel mode. Packing gifts and souvenirs and sorting what can be in the checked luggage, what can be in carry-on and what needs to be placed in pull-put bags for security.  Traded my beloved hiking boots for my not-as-much-loved, but still comfortable, easy slip-on Clarks and removed all superfluous accessories to simplify security stripping down and redressing.

After the packing, we had a nice light breakfast and then bid the other couples goodbye and gave Seamus a good hug.   Paid what we believe was a remarkably reasonable bill for the quality of the accommodations and started our 3-hour drive to Edinburgh where we are scheduled to take the 5:00 pm flight to Heathrow.  There's a 50/50 chance that we'll leave on time.

So we proceeded southeast through our beloved Glen Coe one last time, taking a couple of final shots and saying goodbye to the beautiful landscape, hoping to return again.  As we progressed southeast, revisiting Trossachs and Lake Lomand National Park, I saw on the map that our route would take us right past Doune Castle, the castle used in the Monty Python Movie, the Holy Grail.  I couldn't resist so we stopped in for a very quick tour.

The Great Hall in Doune Castle

This castle was similar to the Duart Castle that we saw on the Isle of Mull, as it was intended only for a family and guests, but it was much grander, because it was built for the brother of the king in the late 15th century, and who, himself, had hoped that he would become king someday.  The walls were very thick and there were beautiful large common areas.  Unlike all of the other castles we visited this is one that was built in its entirety at one time.  Most castles are expanded and renovated over time to meet various changing needs but, aside from various restoration activities, this castle has remained the same for over five centuries.

Doune Castle

After snapping a few photographs, we made our way to Edinburgh.  As it turns out, highway driving is much easier than driving the back roads, because the lanes are wider.  The challenge is entering the roundabouts that serve as the on-amps and off-ramps for the highways.  There are signs, lights, multiple lanes and traffic coming and going in all sorts of directions.  Rick handled it like a pro and safely deposited us at the car rental return, unscathed.

As we walked to the check-in desk, I found myself automatically bearing to the left side of the walkway.  I guess I'll have to go through a little cultural retraining when I'm back in the states.

Had a uneventful trip to Heathrow.  During the flight Rick and I made a rough tally of trip expenses.  The good news is that we came in under each of our budgets.  The bad news is, BARELY, thanks to the poor exchange rate caused by the Fed flushing the system with dollars and lowering the dollar value compared to the pound. Upshot is we spent a bit more than anticipated.

We'll be flying out of Heathrow tomorrow so we will be staying at the Sofitel Hotel at Heathrow.   A last little bit of luxury, paid for, fortunately, by Rick's accrued miles.  Had a nice light dinner at Belle Epoque, me a variety of tomato treatments (consomme, tomatoes marinated in vodka, bruschetta, and tomatoes caprese) and then a spinach and cheese souffle with figs and cheese sauce, Rick had a form of Beef Bourguignon.  Dessert was strawberry and a mandarin orange/mint sorbet.  All, very good, and a great way to cap off our stay in the United Kingdom.

So our travel to Scotland is about to come to close.  What next?  Well over dinner, New Zealand and Bali (maybe both?) came up as possibilities . . .

September 25 - This Was the Scotland I Was Expecting

Seamus the Scottish Terrier

Woke at 6:00 am to a fantastically windy day .  Low lying clouds have moved in over nearby Loch Linhe, but it is partly clear overhead.   No considerable rain yet.  Would have gone outside to get some photos but couldn't figure out how to open the front door :-)

Due to the stormy weather, there was little point in attempting a sunrise photo shoot, so we stayed at the B&B and had a breakfast of fruit compote, Scottish pancakes and sausage.  After introducing ourselves to the "Lord" of the B&B, Seamus, the Scottish Terrier, and making friends, we set off to the post office to return the Spoons key to Marie, and complete our gift and souvenir shopping in Fort William.

Stormy Conditions at Loch Lochy

At Joan's recommendation, we headed north to Spean Bridge area to check out a pretty drive, known locally as the "Dark Mile" between Loch Lochy (Lakey Lake?) and Loch Archaig.  We drove through considerably stormy conditions and there were white caps in Loch Lochy.  THIS was the weather I was expecting.

After taking a few wrong turns in this sparsely populated area, driving passed an impressive fortified castle/home not in our guidebooks and also some McMansions, and dodging some sizable downed tree limbs, we entered a pretty little one-way lane lined, to our left, by an old mossy stone fence. These picturesque cobblestone fences are everywhere, but, in an effort to keep out possibly deer(?) owners have raised the height of the fence by instaling posts and barb wire.  This was one of the few fences that I found without this modern modification.

Chia-aig Falls and Witches pools

On a beautiful stone bridge, we crossed over a cheerful little cascade and kept going until we reached the Chia-aig Falls and Witches Pools.  The number of water falls that we have come across is staggering.  They feel almost as common in this region as trees are in Oregon.  They are so common that many falls that would warrant a name and carpark in the United States, remain nameless and unidentified on maps, though they are beautiful and easily accessible by the road.  It is not surprising that with the plethora of waterfalls, lush green landscapes, and castles in this landscape, one dreams up a magical mystical world full of witches, fairies, and water and woodland sprites.

After snapping some photos of this magical world, we returned to Fort William.  We debated on the value of going onto Glen Coe, about 30 minutes south, given the weather conditions.  Utllitmately we decided that we'd rather do that than sit in the B&B, nice as it was, and hope the weather moderates.  Who knows what conditions one might encounter a little further south.  Who knows, indeed.

As we drove down to Glen Coe, the weather began to give hints of breaking up.  We scooted on past the Three Sisters, beautiful but in dark shadow, and headed on over to the mountain where we had stopped previously, called Buchaille Etive Ben (Great Sheperd of Etive).  Though it was still heavily overcast, it was good conditions to capture the colors of the vegetation and the waterfalls in the eastern foreground of the mountain.

Buchaille Etive Ben and Mor

At long last, here was the Scotland that I had always imagined and romanticized - massive landscapes set in a sphagnum moss bogg against a backdrop of grey and sometimes dramatic skies.  Though it was still very windy, the temperatures were in the high 50's so we comfortably spent an hour or so photographing the area.

We then set off down a one-lane road adjacent to what I later learned was Glen Etive, that is, the Etive River Valley.  Flanked by large mountains on either side and with the sun breaking through, we witnessed such breathtaking and dramatic landscapes, that unfortunately, my pictures are unable to convey.

Rick included for Scale

At one point we stopped at a little pullout and took a short walk to the river.  Because the river had encised into the valley we were unable to see the water from the road, but we could definitely hear it.  Just over a grassy knoll we look down and saw a series of cascades and, yes, another impressive waterfall.  I later learned that this is a haven for whitewater kayakers, but saw none today.

Tree at Etive River Falls

Everywhere we turned there was something to photograph.  The vegetation, the landscape, the water, even the sky all seemed to come together in this moment to create a photographers dream, and nightmare, because you did not know where to start and time was precious for the sun could become too bright or get covered by the clouds.  I snapped what I could and then just had to sit back and take it all in, for there was no way I could do this place justice digitally.  I'd have to just file the image in my mind.

Etive River Falls (one of them)

We drove a little further down but the warm light was fast dissipating as the sun proceeded on its track west, so we turned around and headed back to the B&B to clean up for dinner. 

Landscape along River Etive River

Dinner was at Smiddy's in Spean Bridge where we were earlier in the day.   We arrived a little after 7:00 for a 7:30 reservation and were by the Maitre'd, named Robert, into a nice lounge sitting room where we ordered drinks and looked over the menu.  We couldn't help but overhear the two English couples next to us planning a group vacation to Vancouver, Canada and visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks.  We discussed places to see with them and also compared notes on our experiences in Scotland.  One of the gentlemen had just climbed Ben Nevis, a 7-hour effort, for his birthday and was quite proud of the accomplishment.  His wife managed a third of the way and was proud of that as well :-)

Large Landscapes and Rock Walls in Glen Etive

After ordering from the menu, me, cream mushroom soup and seabass, and Rick, seared scallops and an Aberdeen Angus sirloin, we were show to our table and were waited on by a Polish waiter named Adrian who just completed his Master in history, focusing on the early 20th century in Poland.  He is now looking for a job and does not want to teach as he "has no patience for teenagers". 

Another view of Buchaille Etive Ben and Mor and Glen Etive

Apparently staying at the Grange pulls some weight here for we were seated at "The Grange" table which was a lovely window seat overlooking the garden.  The meal was delicious, despite the fact that the chef seemed avoid any seasoning of the food (even I needed to add a little salt).  We struck up a conversation with the two gentlemen near us who, we thought were speaking French, but were actually Dainish.  One of them was celebrating his 50th birthday by hunting deer.  Both bagged a stag.

This lead to an interesting conversation about hunting and gun ownership with Robert.  It is not clear how hunting of game is regulated, I assume that there would be a limit to how many dear one can hunt, but more interesting is the rigorous process one must go through to own a gun in Scotland.  In addition to obtaining a great deal of knowledge and experience in operating guns, one must also have letters of recommendation from reputable individuals.  Once one obtains a gun, they is a probationary period and he/she will have his/her licensed reassessed at the end of the probation period.

Robert gaive us a company brochure on wildlife touring (the brochure mentioned "highland cattle" as wildlife) and explained that they can take us out to view, feed, and shoot wildlife, deer in particular.  Seemed a little absurd and unethical to lure deer in with food and then shoot them between the eyes, but, upon closer review of the brochure, the shooting is of clay pigeons, not deer.  Not sure about the ethics of feeding deer, acclimating them to humans and, consequently, making them much easier to kill, but at least you aren't feeding them with one had and acquiring a trophy head with the other.

Snuggly Companions

Before we left, one of the Dainish men handed us what he claims to be the next big money making item, a close-pin manufactured out of plastic that looks like a money clip.  It says patent pending on the back and is recyclable.  He, Thomas, designed and manufactured this and advised us to be on the lookout for it in the near future.  Um, will do.  Did we just let the business opportunity of a lifetime pass us by?

We closed down the restaurant (9:15!) and made our way back to the B&B.  Need to get to bed to prepare for the trek home beginning tomorrow.

September 24 - Goodbye to Skye, on Our Way to Ft. William

Sheep observing Rick observing sunrise

Mountain Ash and Heather at the Quiraing

Though sunrise looked promising when we rose at 6:00 this morning to make one last attempt to catch good light at the Quiraing, the warm light and colorful skies we had hoped for did not materialize.  However, drinking coffee from a flask prepared by Marie, while sitting in a field of heather next to a little grotto with the sheep calling to each other on the hillside is not a bad way to start the day.  

One last shot of a Scottish Blackface Sheep

We stayed for a couple of hours and then headed back to  Spoons for one final breakfast.  Rick had his regular and me poached eggs and sausage and then we packed up and said goodbye to our home away from home for four nights.  Staying at the Spoons has been one of the highlights of our trip.  I can't think of time when I've been looked after better during my travels.  I hope that we cross paths with them again someday.

On the Drive to Armadale

We headed south to Armadale on the Isle of Skye's southernmost peninsula, Sleat, where we caught the ferry to the Town of Malaig on the mainland.  Though the reservations got a little messed up, for some reason they had Rick's name down as Mr. Thump, the reservation numbers matched, so the clerk opted to accept us a the Thumps and issued our tickets. 

It seems like we are leaving at an opportune time as rain is moving in today.   Cannot believe how fortunate we have been with this weather.  Skye's climate and people have been very hospitable and have treated us well.  I hope we return, but even if we don't, we have many fond memories of our time here.  And thank you to my wonderful husband for taking the initiative to plan this trip to Skye, including finding the delightful B&B, and researching the hikes and all of the scenic locations to visit.  It has been the experience of a lifetime.

Coming into the Hamlet of Malaig

It was a 45-minute ferry ride to Malaig and then a quick hour drive to Fort William.  Fort William is the second largest town in the Highlands; Inverness is the largest.  Fort William is known to be the gateway to Glen Coe, the beautiful valley which we visited on our way out to Skye, and is also near Ben Nevis, the highest mountain on the British Isles at 4, 409 feet.   It appears that Ft. William's primary economic generator is tourism, appealing to hikers scenic drivers such as ourselves.

The Grange B&B

We arrived at our B&B, the Grange, at around 4:30.  It is quite a stately and elegant place.  We parked our car next to the cars of the other three guessts, two Audi sports cars and a B&W, and I began to feel a little out of my element.  We walked passed the formal gardens to enter the B&B and was greeted by Joan who was very pleasant, despite the fact that we interrupted tea time. 

Teatime is something that has been offered everywhere we have gone at roughly 4:00 pm.  We have always been out and about or we are never dressed properly (tea time is a rather formal affair), so we have never partaken of this cultural event.  But Rick thinks it will be amusing to see me try to be elegant and demure in my hiking boots and rain pants, balancing tea in one hand and biscuit in another and talk of small pleasant things and to not do or say anything offensive.  Depending on tomorrow's schedule, we just might give it a shot.

Joan showed us to our room, beautifully decorated in a "non-fussy" (Rick's term - means no doilies or finged lamps) way with rather modern furniture and lovely, but breakable, items throughout.  If rooms were given a risk rating for destruction by your truly, this room would rank high at a level 5. I hope we get away with not too much damage.

From the Grog and Gruel

After settling in, and, discovering that I failed to return the Spoons room key to Marie (we'll "pop it in the post" tomorrow) we went out to investigate the Town of Fort William and get some Indian food for dinner.  The dinner was unremarkable, but we visited a whiskey store nearby to find some of Rick's preferred whiskey (Bahlvenie 12-yr doublewood - yes folks we have cultivated another whiskey drinker), and met a very helpful clerk who identified other whiskies that might appeal to our tastebuds.
When then went to a local pub, the Grog and Gruel, where they had a selection of over 70 whiskies.  Rick purchased a dram of his Balvenie, and I tried one made by Springbank Distillers located on the mainland in Campbelltown in southwestern Scotland.  I seem to be developing a liking for the peaty whiskies, once I've added a few drops of water and warmed it up a bit.

The endangered cocktail glass

We then wandered back to the B&B.  While walking on the main street we saw an electronic highway sign announcing rains and heavy winds for Tuesday's weather forecast.  Well, we've been lucky with the weather for just about our entire vacation so we can accept a day of wind and rain.  Might make for some dramatic pictures.  Back in the room, I made it to bed without any destructive incident though I did trip twice on the step leading into the bath room and I almost broke the cocktail glass :-)

September 23 - A Light Day of Hiking, Driving, and Music

Hiking the Quirang

Feeling a little bit run down so Rick and I slept in this morning and then had breakfast, me, poached eggs and poached smoked haddock, delicious (it is so easy to eat fish here), and Rick, his regular of eggs, sausage, bacon, and "tattie" (potato) scones.  We also had sauteed pears with cinnamon in crepes.

View of Skye Sound from Quairang

The Rock Maze

We then set out to hike the Quiraing.  We arrived at the trailhead around 11:30 and, being a Sunday, it was chaos.  Locals and tourists alike were out walking the trail.  The guidebook wasn't kidding when it said that the Quiraing is the most visited area on Skye.  Nonetheless, we set off and the crowds thinned a bit as we proceeded down the path.  As we hiked northeast, we entered a maze of stone outcrops called the "Table", "Needle", and "Prison".  Soon after we reached the summit and were able to see clearly into the Sound of Skye on the east side of Skye.  At the pass we turned around and headed back, scoping out possible sunrise photogrpahy spots.

Harvesting Peat

Neist Lighthouse

We then headed over to the westernmost part of Skye, Neist Point Lighthouse, on the Waternish peninsula, to see the dramatic scenery of  high cliffs and waterfalls plunging into the ocean.

Harvest Peat to be Collected

As I tromped around, I discovered a place where they mine peat.  As one who obtains environmental clearances for projects I found this amusing, because in the United States, peat bogs (also described as a specific kind of wetland called a fen) are very rare and are protected under the Clean Water Act.  I doubt that the US government would let you mine peat bogs if you wished and if the government did let you do this, then you'd have to mitigate the impacts at a ratio of 15 acres, or more, to one.  Here, like in Alaska, peat bogs are plentiful, it is the dry uplands that are rare.  As such, the peat is mined for fuel.

Live Music in Edinbane Pub, Isle of Skye

We then headed back to the B&B to clean up for dinner at a nearby pub called the Edinbane Inn.  Marie guided us to this location and the selling point for me was that it had local Celtic Music and the performance was between 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm . . . not some ungodly hour of 10:00 pm.  What's more the music was so local that Marie's own 13-year old son was playing.  When we got to the small pub, the music was in full swing, a guitar, a fiddle, and Marie's son playing a very simplified form of the bagpipes.  We ordered whiskey for me and a beer for Rick and sat a table, occupied by a single woman drinking a glass of white wine, who, as it turns out, is Marie's mother.  Soon a couple of women, who were on holiday from Glasgow and were staying at the same B&B as us came in and joined our group.  We struck up a conversation with the couple next to us and we learned that they were also from Portland, Oregon, and lived near our rental property.   Rick remarked how ironic it was to travel 7000 miles and end up knowing half the people in the pub on the Isle of Skye.

When the music ended at 6:30, we excused ourselves to the dining room where we ended up dining near the folks from Portland and the women from the B&B.  As it turns out, the other third couple from the B&B was dining there as well, though we didn't know that at the time.  Rick had a dinner of lamb (very good) and I had smoked salmon, also delicious.  For dessert it was more whiskey, sticky toffee putting and a frozen Talisker whiskey and butterscotch custard.  I am not typically a dessert person, but I've really enjoyed the desserts here.

We then headed back to the B&B where we ran into all the guests and Marie and Ian in the entryway having a spirited conversation.  We all shared our adventures for the day, quite a nice thing to do, and then thrilled that we were actually back "home" before 9:00 pm we excused ourselves and, once again, fell into bed.

September 22 - Lake Coruisk, Jennifer Drives, Toffee, Ginger, and Whiskey

Sligachan Bridge and the Cuillins

The Fast Boat is Fun!

A chilly morning.  Got down to below freezing last night.  We were up and out of the B&B at 6:30 am, and, once we scraped the ice off the car windows using credit cards, we were on our way to catch a boat ride to take us to Lake Coruisk located in the heart of the Cuillin Range.  We have read that this area provides some of the most ruggedly scenic views in Scotland.  We headed south to the croft of Elgol, located near the southernmost point of Skye.  Along the way we stopped for a quick photo op at Sligachan where an old, decommissioned mason bridge is set against the backdrop of the Cuillin.  From here one can embark on a 11-mile hike to the same area that we will reach in 20 minutes by "fast boat".

Harbor Seals

Heading for Lake Coruisk

We arrived at the Elgol jetty a little before 9:00 am, packed up the picnic brunch that Marie had kindly prepared for us, and then went to check in with the boat operator.  Lickety-split, Dave had us, three other folks, and a golden retriever named Bolly, life-jacketed, in the boat and ready to go.  At 25 knots in low 40-degree temperatures, it was, to say the least, "brisk".  In 20 minutes we pulled into Loch na Culce and after viewing the year-round population of harbor seals basking on the rocks, the five humans and one dog were quickly deposited on the "boat ramp" (rickety stairs), return times confirmed (we were to spend about 3 hours in the area), and Dave took off while we adjusted to our spectacular surroundings.

Yummy picnic brunch

Views Around Lake Coruisk

It was as though we were in a high mountain cirque, complete with the high granitic mountain walls and a lake at is base, only we were at glorious sea level which meant no high altitude concerns and hiking was a breeze.  We scrambled up the large drumlins to where we had a view of the lake and proceeded to layout our brunch picnic, packed thoughtfully by Marie, complete with cloth napkins, and metal utensils.  What a brunch!  Here was what was on the menu.  Fruit juice, french press coffee, bananas, berries, homemade granola, prosciutto, cheese, onion oatcakes (crackers), hard boiled eggs, and chocolate chip shortbread cookies.  THANK YOU MARIE!  After stuffing ourselves silly, we decided we had better burn it off so we packed up and began to scramble up the rocky outcrops to get a better view.

We spent a good couple of hours roaming about picking our way through the bogs and rocks.  A note about hiking in Scotland - some Hiking guidebooks provide a "bog factor" between 1-5.  Rick and I naively found this amusing but, as it turns out, it means something.  Scotland is very boggy.

I've learned bogs occur where the water at the ground surface is acidic and low in nutrients.  In general the low fertility and cool climate results in relatively slow plant growth (which is why there are few trees), but decay is even slower owing to the saturated soil. Hence peat accumulates.  It is important to pay attention to the hike bog factor as it can mean the difference between get muddy boots and sinking into a marsh up to your knees.

Rick at Lake Coruisk

After a couple of hours we decided it was time to head back to the boat ramp.  As we arrived for our schedule departure, Rick realized that he left his camera bag somewhere on the "trail"  (there really is no trail to speak of).  Though it contained only a few memory cards and some hardware of little value, it was going to be difficult and moderately expensive to reacquire all of this so, when the boat arrived, we informed the captain (a different captain, this is key to the story) that we would be taking a later return trip so that we could go in search of the bag.  Only when we retraced our steps to the top of a granite outcrop, which permitted us to look down into the bay and the boat ramp, did we realize that there were two boat operators and we told the wrong one that we were delaying our departure.  The consequence of this, we learned later, was our boat operator having a 20 minute discussion with his staff regarding options to manage our "missing:.  These options ranged from "wait and see" until the end of the day to calling in the Scottish Mountain Rescue Team.  Ugh!  Fortunately it is a small community and, the operator of the other boat fairly quickly realized that he had no Rick Dunn party on his list of clients for the day and soon passed that information onto our boat operator, before they did anything drastic.  Alas, all of this was for not.  We retraced our steps as best we could but were unable to locate the camera bag.  (It doesn't help that it was a sage green color.  I told Rick to buy a bright pink one next time.  So we returned to the boat launch, talked to the seals (well I did) and enjoyed the scenery while we waited for the "proper" boat to arrive.

We traveled on the fast boat back to Elgol with a couple from Fort Collins who were at the beginning of their two week jaunt in Scotland.  We discussed much about Scotland and Colorado, as Dave did fantastic doughnuts in the bay, tilting the raft almost completely on its side . . . and we weren't strapped in!

Me driving on the "proper" side of the car and road

Because we arrived back to Elgol about three hours later than we had originally planned, and we had 6:30 pm dinner reservations almost at the opposite (north end) of the island, we dashed along the one-way roads, hoping to not be stopped by sheep or cows (cops were of no concern up here) as was the case when we drove down to Elgol that morning.  Midway to the Loch Bay Restaurant, Rick decided that I just might be ready to drive.  I've been offering to drive for sometime but, given my tendency to get easily flustered, he was a a little reluctant to let me get behind the wheel.   Within five minutes of my pulling onto the road, he clutched the armrest and yelled "you're driving off the road!".  I thought he was joking, referring to the many times that I did this and, consequently, driving him nuts, but he was in all seriousness.  I wasn't off the road but it certainly looks that way.  I just replied that he now knows how I feel . . . and I now know how he feels because you really do have to hug the centerline.  It is almost easier to be on the one-way-with-pullouts roads because at least this way you don't have to worry about staying on your side at high speeds . . . you just need to worry about the blind summits and curves, of which there are many, especially in combination, accompanied by sheep wandering in the middle of the road.  We got to the restaurant without incident, which I believe surprised the both of us a little.

Loch Bay is a sweet 7-table, white-washed restaurant set amongst a row of similar buildings on the shoreline of Loch Bay in the hamlet of Stein on the Waternish peninsula. Their advertisement was simple, sublime, seafood and that it was.  Marie had recommended the restaurant as her favorite and we soon learned why.  They serve only seafood, most of which is freshly caught on Skye or Scotland and it is simply prepared, grilled with olive oil, salt and pepper and some citrus.  Our Slovakian waitress, Danka, helped us select our appetizers and main meal.  Both of us, still cold from the boat ride, ordered whiskey, me, Loch Bay's own 10-yr made in Speyside and Rick, a Balvenie doublewood 12-yr old.  The starters arrived, Rick a yummy bouilliabaisse and me Skye scallops (caught just down the single-lane road) with chorizo.  The scallops were so sweet.  Then came our fish dishes, Rick had the salmon and I had the halibut.  Oh it was so good to have something so light and delicious.  We ate every bit of that along with the chips (fries) and veggies.  Needless to say we were very hungry.

Another Highland Cow for Aleta

As it turns out we were one of only three tables that evening . . . and yet a couple came in to eat and was turned away.  Curious.  No one eating there was local.  One table had an elderly couple and their son from New York City and the other table had a couple, Roy and Claire, from England near the Wales border.  The elderly woman from NYC, perhaps a little tipsy, went over to the English couple and, while leaning on Roy, engaged them in a conversation about dancing.  When her husband began to talk to us, she took him by the arm, said sternly said that it was nice to meet us (though we didn't meet at all) and pulled him from the restaurant.  Hmmm.  Claire, Dunka, Rick, and myself all had a good chortle over that.

After we "rested" from dinner, we ordered for dessert, sticky ginger pudding (which is really just dense cake) with a whiskey cream sauce and Scottish toffee ice cream.  What these Scots can do with condensed milk and brown sugar!  We also ordered another dram of whiskey, Rick the same brand as before, me a Talisker 18-yr old distillers edition.  I'm not one for peaty whiskeys but after adding a few drops of water, I came to like this very much.  Roy later informed us that the true way to drink single-malt whiskey is to add a few drops of water (he chided Rick for not doing so) and warm it up in our hands.  He himself prefers the peaty whiskeys.

After finishing up dessert and wishing Danka well as she heads to Norway to work in the hospitality industry during the off-season in Scotland (the Loch Bay restaurant closes down for the season at the beginning of October) we made our way home (with Rick driving), full, but not stuffed, and very, very happy and tired.  It was the end of another eventful enjoyable day.