Scotland, September 13th – Running out of Adjectives

I may run out of adjectives as there are few words that can convey the beauty of Scotland. Spectacular, stupendous, and breathtakingly beautiful only begin to scratch the surface to describe this country.

Kat and Chris were kind enough to collect us to pick up our rental car. The surprise visitor was Kat’s Mum’s dog, Judge. I am a bit homesick for family and fur family, so it was delightful to have a dog for a few minutes.

As they say, it’s like riding a bike, and we were able to pick up driving on the opposite side of the road in no time. The mantra, “left, left, keep to the left” was constant of course, but things made sense and we were able to maneuver about.

We spent the day at Fort George. Both James and I were surprised at the depth and extensiveness of this museum. It was excellent! The audio tour was superb and there were interactive exhibits for children of all ages. We spent more than five hours wandering the fort, listening to the history, and admiring the views. Across from the fort is Chanonry Point where we glassed when we visited two years ago.

After the fort we went to Sainsbury’s market. James and I enjoy the British food markets. The different food varieties are fun and enticing. The United Kingdom has a huge variety of vegetarian foods that I am thrilled to have at my fingertips. We spent more than an hour finding treats and treasures.

Steady rain arrived in the evening. We donned our coats and made our way into the village of Cawdor to the Cawdor Tavern for a delicious dinner. James had a Black Pudding Scotch Egg and I enjoyed a roasted red pepper lentil soup as an appetizer. James loved the venison steak and my roasted hake with capers and local vegetables was delicious. We indulged in desserts of Sticky Toffee Pudding and an iced Whiskey Cream. We were so glad we walked to the tavern so that we could waddle back to the Air BnB after this huge meal.

Catriona, one of the owners of the Air BnB stopped by. Fabulous conversation. She is a restauranteur. This Air BnB stay is like something out of House Beautiful, or one of my favorite BritBox shows “Escape to the Country.” It’s exquisitely appointed and so very comfortable. We highly recommend! Catriona and Neil Cameron, the owners, have made us feel right at home.

Another day done in Scotland. We’re driving to the Highland Folk Museum to see 18th Century lifestyle. This will be crucial for the Elen book. Onward to more Scottish adventures!