The Top of the World..the Isle of Skye

Wednesday..Sept 14

This date weighed heavily on my mind as I needed to send an e-mail to my daughter wishing her a happy birthday. Early in the day we stopped at Culloden Visitor Centre at the scene where the Hanoverian victory over Bonnie Prince Charlies's Scottish clans occured. Then we followed the shores of Loch Lomond and had a lunch stop at Eilean Donan Castle. Then we crossed to the Hebridean Isle of Skye. Our room faced the water and we had large open windows. A seagull tried to get into our room which was very fun and interesting. That evening we had a guided tour around the island where a Gaelic scholar gave us an overview of the history of the Gaelic language. Drinks of various whiskies were passed around . I ordered Drambowie and it hit the spot. We went back to the hotel where had dinner and then I spotted an internet access and e-mailed by daughter my birthday wishes to her. It was very satisfying to be able to communicate with her. We bounded up the stairs to our room since there was no elevators. A little tv..very little tv and then off to dreamland.

Thursday

After breakfast we drove down to The Clan Donald Centre for a visit to the Museum of the Isles. and then boarded a ferry at Armadale to sail across the Sound of Sleat. We went to Glenfinnan , the scene of the raising of Bonnie Prince Charlie's standard in 1745. in the afternoon we saw gorgeous scenery at Fort William beneath Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain. It's only visible twelve days a year and as luck would have it we were able to view it. On to the mountain pass Glen Coe where the MacDonald Clan was treacherously massacred by the Campbells. We drove by the Bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and on to Glasgow. We had a guided tour through Glasgow to view the Georgian squares and 12 century university buildings. That evening we found a Chinese Restaurant and then walked back to the hotel.

Friday