Inverness and Loch Ness
On Tuesday we had an earlier breakfast, packed up, and taxied to the train station downtown. Margo picked out a nice selection of foods for an onboard lunch. Then we boarded the train to Inverness for a four hour journey through the Highlands. Here are some pictures, starting with a bridge across (I think) the Firth of Forth, just outside Edinburgh.
We knew our bed and breakfast was a five minute walk from the train station, and we had the address, but we still needed directions, so on our arrival in Inverness Margo called and got some. After climbing several small sets of stairs from the market (no mean feat with a big bag apiece) the heavens opened up on us. We walked as fast as we could down Ardconnel Street and Margo identified the B and B at number 21. The host greeted us at the door and helped us bring our bags inside, us looking like wet puppies. Then we identified ourselves and he didn't recognize our names. Margo thought he was having us on. But it turns out that our B and B was actually 21 Ardconnel Terrace. So, back into the rain for us. By the time we arrived, we were pretty soaked and required a change of clothes.
Margo and Sarah rested while I went out for reconnaissance to find a spot for dinner. Inverness seems a harder place than Edinburgh. Smoking teens, some foul language on the streets. But the downtown is quite attractive. There's a large mall right there, and the River Ness cuts through it. Several bridges span it, including a nicely bouncy pedestrian bridge. Later we had dinner at a nice place a few paces from the steps. You can probably guess what we had by now; plus a nice "sticky toffee" for dessert.
Wednesday we arose and had a breakfast very similar to the ones we're used to. The pattern so far is that we choose from a limited menu the night before, fill it out and leave it downstairs. Tea, juice, fruits and toast are a given; this is usually enough for Sarah. Margo and I also choose either eggs with smoked salmon, or eggs with a combination of bacon, sausages, potato scone (sort of a wedge of a potato pancake), fried tomato, or baked beans.
Then we walked downtown to the information office for a boat tour of Loch Ness that Margo had booked. We boarded a bus that stopped at our boat, moored in a canal. It took maybe half an hour to navigate the canal, with a lock at the end.
Towards the open loch we passed a castle, which was used in a recent Ted Danson movie.
Then we were out on the open loch, which, as the overly dramatic audio narration claimed, has an aura that will stay with us forever.
Now, very few people who visit will claim to have seen a monster. But we saw one. It was horrible. A face that will haunt your dreams. The face of a girl whose Nintendo was not brought on the trip.
But soon the monster retreated back to the murky depths from whence it came. I was also remembering Synchronicity: Many miles away, something crawls through the slime, at the bottom of a dark ... Scottish lake ...
I thought this was neat: sheep grazing on a hillside.
Soon we came to another castle. This was our midpoint. We docked to lose and gain passengers, then turned around and went back the way we came.
We retreated belowdecks to get hot chocolate for Sarah, Diet Coke for Margo, and I waded through 500ml of Nessie's Monster Mash dark ale, brewed locally. And that was the trip ... there was nothing in the least bit mysterious. Or ... was there?
We knew our bed and breakfast was a five minute walk from the train station, and we had the address, but we still needed directions, so on our arrival in Inverness Margo called and got some. After climbing several small sets of stairs from the market (no mean feat with a big bag apiece) the heavens opened up on us. We walked as fast as we could down Ardconnel Street and Margo identified the B and B at number 21. The host greeted us at the door and helped us bring our bags inside, us looking like wet puppies. Then we identified ourselves and he didn't recognize our names. Margo thought he was having us on. But it turns out that our B and B was actually 21 Ardconnel Terrace. So, back into the rain for us. By the time we arrived, we were pretty soaked and required a change of clothes.
Margo and Sarah rested while I went out for reconnaissance to find a spot for dinner. Inverness seems a harder place than Edinburgh. Smoking teens, some foul language on the streets. But the downtown is quite attractive. There's a large mall right there, and the River Ness cuts through it. Several bridges span it, including a nicely bouncy pedestrian bridge. Later we had dinner at a nice place a few paces from the steps. You can probably guess what we had by now; plus a nice "sticky toffee" for dessert.
Wednesday we arose and had a breakfast very similar to the ones we're used to. The pattern so far is that we choose from a limited menu the night before, fill it out and leave it downstairs. Tea, juice, fruits and toast are a given; this is usually enough for Sarah. Margo and I also choose either eggs with smoked salmon, or eggs with a combination of bacon, sausages, potato scone (sort of a wedge of a potato pancake), fried tomato, or baked beans.
Then we walked downtown to the information office for a boat tour of Loch Ness that Margo had booked. We boarded a bus that stopped at our boat, moored in a canal. It took maybe half an hour to navigate the canal, with a lock at the end.
Towards the open loch we passed a castle, which was used in a recent Ted Danson movie.
Then we were out on the open loch, which, as the overly dramatic audio narration claimed, has an aura that will stay with us forever.
Now, very few people who visit will claim to have seen a monster. But we saw one. It was horrible. A face that will haunt your dreams. The face of a girl whose Nintendo was not brought on the trip.
But soon the monster retreated back to the murky depths from whence it came. I was also remembering Synchronicity: Many miles away, something crawls through the slime, at the bottom of a dark ... Scottish lake ...
I thought this was neat: sheep grazing on a hillside.
Soon we came to another castle. This was our midpoint. We docked to lose and gain passengers, then turned around and went back the way we came.
We retreated belowdecks to get hot chocolate for Sarah, Diet Coke for Margo, and I waded through 500ml of Nessie's Monster Mash dark ale, brewed locally. And that was the trip ... there was nothing in the least bit mysterious. Or ... was there?
posted by Michael Nelson at 9:08 am
1 Comments:
Nessie!
Post a Comment
<< Home