Monday, September 15, 2014 - The Scotland Saga

Up to breakfast in the hotel this morning; enjoyed a fair Scottish traditional breakfast, but with no haggis on order - a disappointment, but the eggs were magnificent.

Left Portree around 9:45 and headed north along the outer highway.  Today a day of sightseeing of the entire Island of Skye. Our first site was the Old Man of Store rock formation, a basalt formation on edge and reaching right into the sky from Skye - sort of a Chimney Rock of Scotland. We made our first stop at a pull out, thought by some (in our vehicle) to be the kilted rock formation. A wonderful view of the ocean and a bit of a walkabout.

Next we came upon the true Kilted Rock formation, which were volcanic basalts thrown up some 60 million yeas ago, and then washed clean by the sea.  Very impressive and photogenic.

Next stop was the Crofter's Village Museum, a collection of crofters houses set up as a museum.  These thatched roof stone homes were very intriguing; the displays in each reflecting the ways of the early crofters.  The original homes (not the recreated ones) on site were occupied into the 1950's.  these were reminiscent of the prairie sod houses in our native Nebraska.

Next to the village of Uig, a small ferry stop and port on the coast.  We stopped at the Port Restaurant and enjoyed burgers and a wee pint of Skye beer.  Then next door to the Uig Pottery shop, where the pottery is made and sold.  Again, we did our part to support the economy.

Next, we traveled cross island to the Talisker Distillery, the only whisky distillery on the island. Except for the designated driver, we had a sampling of the four whisky's on offer, and Deb and I settled on a Distiller's Choice (on Deb's taste bud recommendation) to support the economy.

Next stop was back to the Isle of Skye bridge point of Kyle Acklin and our hotel of the evening, the McKinnon Country House and Hotel, a 1912 manor home that has been converted to a hotel. We settled into our rooms, and then down to the lounge for a bottle(s) of wine and a spirited game of Wizards.  The game was won by He Who Shall Not be Named.

As their restaurant was not serving on this Monday evening, we walked to a pub, Saucy Mary's, and enjoyed the cottage pie and a pint of local Skye brew, then back to the Hotel Lounge Bar for a nightcap.  We retired at 10:00, although, as it turns out, not for good.  At 10:30 the fire alarms sounded and all traipsed out to the parking lot to look for the fire trucks and the conflagration.  Neither of these appeared.  Evidently a heat sensor in one of the lounges shorted, causing the alarm.

Back to our rooms and an uneventful balance of the evening.