Day 2: Scotland, Highlands
Hello everybody! Today was our first full day in Scotland and we got to see A LOT! This is thanks to the 3 day tour we are taking with the fantastic group The Hairy Coo! We departed Edinburgh with our tour group bright and early this morning (fun side note: we took the tram which is the same model as the Cincinnati Bell Connector, but no Nick Lachey). [Jeff Sidebar: Tha Edinbrah Tram is noo aproachan Haymarkaht Steyshun.]
We were sitting in the tour bus for long stretches of time, but it was hardly ever boring because we have a fantastic tour guide named Sean. After driving past Sterling Castle (the birthplace of the Pound Sterling) and the adjacent monument to William Wallace (and the real history of what happened with every error of Braveheart pointed out) we stopped at Doune Castle. Recognizable because it's been in Monty Python (all the castles), Outlander (Castle Leoch) and Game of Thrones (Winterfell). It was pretty neat! I could see a person getting lost in there, there are SO many small rooms and hallways, all of them thin and winding. Japanese castles are cool, but I liked how huge and detailed the UK castles are!
We made a quick stop at the Three Sisters, which are a trio of mountains, in Glen Coe and learned about the bloody history of the MacDonalds and the Campbells. [Jeff Note: The biggest surprise is that it's even bloodier than the ongoing strife between McDonald's and Cambell's Soup.] Let's just say that if you ever break highland hospitality, you will never live it down. Also in Glencoe is where Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, owned most of the land. Scotland was very, very happy when James Bond was officially declared Scottish in Skyfall (in which Glen Coe is featured)! Finally, there's one mountain, that apparently looks so awesome, they decided to cut it and paste into the background of a Quidditch match in Harry Potter.
We stopped next at the Glennfinnan Viaduct, where the famous Hogwarts Express crosses over a picturesque bridge (and Ron crazily drives his dad's flying car under), and is the historical site of the real Jacobite train. We had been pretty lucky with the rain being quick and while we were on the bus. This time we finally got caught in it. Wanting a good spot to photograph from Jeff and I climbed a super mucky, muddy hill in the rain, but dammit, we got some great photos!
Finally, we passed Loch Ness to get to our B&B in Inverness. We didn't stop because there was a HUGE wreck where no one luckily got hurt, but we didn't move for over an hour and there was even an Air Rescue copter! We will get another chance to photograph Loch Ness on Friday. I just gotta try and capture everyone's favorite plesiosaur on film!
Now we are here in Inverness. It's late and we gotta get up early. Too dark to take pictures, otherwise I would be taking photos of places from Outlander. :) See you tomorrow!
A side note, I don't think I've ever seen so many rainbows before. There is much pride in Scotland! These are seriously all different rainbows!
We were sitting in the tour bus for long stretches of time, but it was hardly ever boring because we have a fantastic tour guide named Sean. After driving past Sterling Castle (the birthplace of the Pound Sterling) and the adjacent monument to William Wallace (and the real history of what happened with every error of Braveheart pointed out) we stopped at Doune Castle. Recognizable because it's been in Monty Python (all the castles), Outlander (Castle Leoch) and Game of Thrones (Winterfell). It was pretty neat! I could see a person getting lost in there, there are SO many small rooms and hallways, all of them thin and winding. Japanese castles are cool, but I liked how huge and detailed the UK castles are!
Watch out, the French like to lob cows over these walls.
Or time traveling Englishwomen get taken here.
Author photo?
The Duke's Bedroom, where he had a large bed "from which he would do business". Talk about working from home!
We made a quick stop at the Three Sisters, which are a trio of mountains, in Glen Coe and learned about the bloody history of the MacDonalds and the Campbells. [Jeff Note: The biggest surprise is that it's even bloodier than the ongoing strife between McDonald's and Cambell's Soup.] Let's just say that if you ever break highland hospitality, you will never live it down. Also in Glencoe is where Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, owned most of the land. Scotland was very, very happy when James Bond was officially declared Scottish in Skyfall (in which Glen Coe is featured)! Finally, there's one mountain, that apparently looks so awesome, they decided to cut it and paste into the background of a Quidditch match in Harry Potter.
We stopped next at the Glennfinnan Viaduct, where the famous Hogwarts Express crosses over a picturesque bridge (and Ron crazily drives his dad's flying car under), and is the historical site of the real Jacobite train. We had been pretty lucky with the rain being quick and while we were on the bus. This time we finally got caught in it. Wanting a good spot to photograph from Jeff and I climbed a super mucky, muddy hill in the rain, but dammit, we got some great photos!
Mount Muck that I climbed to get this photo op spot!
Behind me was this!
Hogwarts Express! Hogwarts Express! Hogwarts Express!
Finally, we passed Loch Ness to get to our B&B in Inverness. We didn't stop because there was a HUGE wreck where no one luckily got hurt, but we didn't move for over an hour and there was even an Air Rescue copter! We will get another chance to photograph Loch Ness on Friday. I just gotta try and capture everyone's favorite plesiosaur on film!
Now we are here in Inverness. It's late and we gotta get up early. Too dark to take pictures, otherwise I would be taking photos of places from Outlander. :) See you tomorrow!
A side note, I don't think I've ever seen so many rainbows before. There is much pride in Scotland! These are seriously all different rainbows!
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