Jeremiah Watt

As you can see the heads were just a tad sleepy this morn, so we let them get thiere beauty rest. It was near 9 when we headed down stairs for our Euro Brekky, with some toast and jam, and a croissant. Just fine to my way of thinking, and seemed okay for my crew as well. The downtown to do a little shopping, not sure just what got bought, but we left some money in this back backers community.

This hostil was the usuall converted house, and a rather eclectic mix of cultures and spiritualities. Once you got past the Panama Red reefer stickers and peel and stick Jack Daniels Whiskey labels, it really wasn't that bad.

Ft. William Youth Hotel shots above
Just a creative door amongst the many neat architectural treats that are about this Hostil.

High ground before we drop into the Loch Ness

The countryside about here is rugged, much like parts of Albert and or maybe British Columbia, with plenty of logging on every hill side. In some places it was a clear cut fashon, and on the lesser slopes it then seemed to go to more selective cutting. All in all things just appeared to be in good health, when on a hike or look out as we are here from a sceneic overlook along the road side. Being able to signal and brake and get the heck out of the way quick enough on these roads is a learned art, not genetic.

Grove of trees along the upper end of Loch Ness.

The famed Loch Ness as we round a bay and head due north. Loch Ness is not only famed for having Nessie, you know that monster who shows up just about the time the tourism seems to be getting slow in this area.............yes that Nessie. Beyond that claim to fame we have here the deepest body of fresh water in the world, and it contains enough total water in it to fill every pond and resevoir in all the UK. It ranks as the second coldest lake in the northen hemisphere.............so ther is a little Loch Ness trivia for the day.

My Highland friend whom gladly donated a healthy hank of hair from his blonde locks, for my collection of what I seen that was neat in Scotland.The cattle that my boy Pine has fell in love with........I guess now I will have to do some horse-tradin with my friend Marty Elmore to see if I can come up with a calf.

Foxglove is everywhere

One of the many small cottages that dot the lanscape.

We seen many of these rock bridges along our travel, some with a single arch, and some with maybe 20. We are on what is known as a A road, which is very major compared to the B sized roads as you will see later. It seems that these rustic little farm houses are just everywhere, and you will seldom see any thing diferent about these parts. Plety of rock built bridges that are used to cross most rivers, the total tonnage limitation of this sort of road is 7.5 tons.

The ruins of what used to be Urquart Castle, and at one time home to Robert the Bruce. The history of this castle is quite unique and makes for interesting reading if you love history as I do. It was under constant attack by the Clan McDonald from the west, it had long been a Jacobite Garrison post that was one of the first to fall to the hands of a ruthless attack by Willaim (Braveheart) Wallace. Afer that sacking and burning by Wallace he moved on, and that same Castle would later become a place of refuge for Robert the Bruce. It would again be sacked but this time by the English. SO in total it has been burned and rebuilt some 4 times............the last time around it was a project rebuild by the crew from "This Real-old House"............

The upper end of Loch Ness where the forest gives way to Glens as we then head north towards Inverness, where we all done a little shopping. Pine bought a Sporran, thats the great hairy pouch/bag worn by the Scots about thier waist and hanging directly on front. Then we looked around for a Scian Dubh, which is the small knife worn stuffed inot the socks of a Scot when he is wearing a kilt. BUt all we could find a terrible copies made someplace but here. These folks in the UK have a real problem with Knives and Guns, not sure what the whole Kilt dress has in store in the near future................it won't be long and we will be down to clubs to do harm to one another. Ahh well, I am just a tourist right, I will quit my whingin and get on with it

A view of Inverness from the window of our Hostel. It was looking real bad for our Aberdeen Hostil stay which we had booked back in October of last year. When we pulled in they had a fully booked sign out, and a whole bus load of Italian backbackers had just arrived.............complete with dread-locks,body piercings and Tattoos not to mention that smell of a heavily laboured back packer. BUt by the miracles of my wifes Prayers, she finally got to the counter and the manager heaved a sigh of relief and told her that he had been reluctantly holding onto our rooms and waiting for us to show. Thankyou Jesus we have a bed tonite.

Walking the streets of Inverness, for no good reason but too look around. After which we went to a small theater performance. It was mostly Bag Pipes and singing, with little dancing of traditional dances so all in all we got a real good cross-section of the music and dance of this Highland culture

Our own personnel pipe concerto, by Bag Pipe repairman Ian Ferguson. This was a real fun stop, and Ian really got inot having an Audience. We finally had to just reach down and unplug him so we ould move on to having our supper.
Supper was well, shall I say a real new expierince for our driend Darren. We flipped a coin to decide, I lost and I picked. And by unanimous choice it was southern Indian Cusine tonight, southern is the HOT end of the food styles. Darren was a semi-brave lad who did not quite make the "GOAT" category of eating, but did make the Seagull level. To make the GOAT level you eat without trace of discomfort or dislike. In the complicated SEAGULL strata of eaters, there are the tell tales signs, each item is bit ONCE, and then with the eyes rolled back and the eaters neck straitened out all food is swallowed as quickly as possible. But you have to understand Darren goes thru the same motions to get white bread down his gullet as well. In all the meal was a fine one, I never heard nor listened to one complaint.

Fitting I thought, that I should have the bed which matched my profession, but got its name from the peak of a local mountain. We walked back to the room and had a cup of tea along with the last of the NEW FAVOURITE COOKIE that are called Gypsy Creams in Ireland and Hobnob Creamies in Scotland. I am beat, so I head to bed about as soon as the tea hits the bottom.

Good Night and God Bless