The Isle of Skye and the Eilean Donan Castle

This week during UT's spring break, Brett (a super-senior like Sara) came all the way over to Scotland to visit the Isle of Skye. Or as I kept calling it, Skye island or Skyeland. Anyways, I just think a land called Skye is pretty sweet.

Apparently Brett has family lineage that connects him to the Eilean Donan Castle in the highlands. So our adventure was set - upwards and onwards to the highlands! It began like all great trips, with the standard train ride.

Above: Left=Sara, Right=Brett, Bottom=Giggly.

After a relatively long train trip, we ended up in Stirling. We were still a ways off, but from here there was very little public transport could do to get us where we needed to be. To make it there we needed a car. It was quite eventful since it was the first time I've been in a car since Texas. It also was the first time Brett ever had to drive on the left side which added a layer of excitement. He was very professional and managed to drive us without even a fender-bender.

Above: Whoah, look where that steering wheel is!

As we drove to Skye I could see the seasons pass by.

Above: Driving in Spring.

Above: Driving in Winter.

I believe that we honestly spent 20 hours of our two day adventure in the car. But  it was the most beautiful road trip I've ever been on. Miles and miles of empty unspoilt lochs, mountains, and sky. We took a lot of scenic shots, and I tried to cut out as much as I could.

We also took many stops for pictures, but the stops never lasted long. It was so cold! Remember, at the time we were 57 degrees latitude, higher than Moscow (55 degrees)!

Above: Cold Photo-op.

There were mountains everywhere. Must have been some serious tectonic business going down here for the last eons or so.

Above: This is about as ugly as the highlands gets.

Eventually our awestruck brains realized that our bodies were hungry. So we found a Paddy's Pub in a little town to get some grub. Brett got the classic with a fish n' chips.

Above: Classic.

Sara and I tried for something a bit adventurous. We both ordered the venison (deer) burger with melted brie and haggis. Here's a burger that won't be in the states anytime soon!

Above: A venison, haggis, and brie opportunity.

The venison burger was a bit tough, like venison always is. Overall a very filling sandwich though. Had a nice salad and fries as well.

Eventually we kept driving, getting colder and colder the higher we went. The misty mountains (LOTR anyone?) become really mysterious. We couldn't see the top, which made them look even higher than they already were.

Above: Where's my sled?

Eventually we started going lower in altitude and escaped the snow. Just in time for the castle too!

Above: So open, makes Linlithgow feel confined.

Above: Earth, Wind, Water & Bryan.

And then we found Brett family's castle, the Eilean Donan Castle.

Above: Eilean Donan Castle.

If you think you've seen it before, you probably have. It's a pretty famous castle, and has been shown in a lot of movies, like Highlander.

Above: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE (Eilean Donan Castle)!

Sean Connery's also been there, which gives it insta-cool status.

We arrived ten minutes before the last tour. We weren't allowed take any pictures according to our dressed-up Scottish guide. Brett, Sara and I were the only english-speaking tourists, so we were essentially given a private tour.

Above: Stylish Stone Structure.

At some point in the middle I noticed this hugemongous sword at a fireplace. I asked if I could pick it up, and I think the guide was bored enough to let me. He even let us take photos!

Above: Brett saw a good opportunity and got in on the action.

Above: You call that a sword? THIS is a sword.

After that I realized that the guide was really lax and didn't really care if we took pictures. Unfortunately we already went through most of the short tour before I could snap away. Here's a picture of Sara in the castle's kitchen.

Above: One of these statues looks real.... I think it's the waiter.

After our tour we quickly circumnavigated the castle. I found the foundations of a house.

Above: What happened to my house?

Sara posed behind a old-timey cannon.

Above: Don't piss off Sara.

Eventually we had to go, there was a whole island to explore.

Above: Bye bye Eilean Donan Castle.

We looked around for a hostel in several places before finding one for 16 pounds per night in Portree, the closest thing the Isle of Skye has to a large city. We decide to sleep there. I thought the hostel colors were especially funky, but this might just be regular hostel practice. I'll be able to tell you more about hostel's after my Eurotrip.

Above: Funky Colors.

The place was a bit dodgy (the first rooms we booked didn't unlock) but eventually we get a private double and another single. Another weird thing, the rooms we slept in didn't lock. You better believe I slept with my belongings that night.

Above: Sara and Brett's room.

Sara and Brett got the double bunk bed room. I went to a room with one other guy in a large 6-bed room. I feel sorry for the other guy though, I dropped my phone and went looking for it at 4:30 am. We all also got up to go at 5:30 am. Sorry roommate!

We drove in the morning to try and catch the sunrise. Unfortunately it was too cloudy, but we got some good shots of beautiful places all over the isle.

Above: Some famous waterfall.

Above: The jagged edge of Skye.

We make it a bit early to our 10:30 tour at the Talisker distillery. I've never been at a distillery before (probably because I can't enjoy the freebies). But we were all chemical engineers, and it was really neat seeing all the machinery and chemical engineering sections in the distillery.

Above: Ethanol Plant. I mean Distillery.

There was a waiting room with some interesting Skye history. I particularly liked the story of the frightened run-away cross-dressing prince Charles.

Above: The very attractive Betty Burke.

Again photography was forebade. But unlike the Eilean Donan Castle tour, here it was enforced. The biggest thing I secretly learned from the tour is that despite it being Skye beer, a big part of the final product is dependent on American wood. All the caskets where the beer is stored for years and gets its color from is all american imported wood. Also it is fermented in large (american) wooded fermenters. To be fair though, the water is from Skye, and the grain is from Scotland.

Above: Lots-o-Ethanol.

After the tour we had to go back and returned to the car. The trip back from Skye was a lot faster, probably because I has that whole comfy back seat to myself. Zzzzz (snort)zzzzzz....

There were some curiosities that you wouldn't find driving around in Texas.

Above: Just sheep walking on the road.

Besides beer and pretty pictures, sheep products are the major export of Skye.

Above: Mufasa, the Majestic Sheep Version.

I really enjoyed all the different animal crossing signs there were. Too bad I didn't take any pictures of them. The cows there were a bit shaggier and even nicer than their US counterparts!

Above: Red Highland Cow.

This cow was just the friendliest. He took poses and wasn't even remotely scary.

Above: He really stuck his neck out for us.

The main thing Skye lacked was a sense of danger. It lulls you in with its pristine landscapes and beautiful horizons, but inside a car I got sleepy. Still pumped from GoApe, I tried to fit in excitement where I could. I got my chance at the dock of Skye.

Above: So while Brett was taking this picture of Sara....

Above: Bryan was up to no good.

Hey, I've got to practice my high-beam balancing. and it really sealed the trip was a wonderful experience. If you want to experience lush, cold, mountainous beauty, look no further than the Scottish highlands.

Unfortunately this was Brett's only week here, and he spent the second half visiting family. So this is the only post I'll have with him. We had a great time, and played some card games before he left. Which reminds me, I really enjoy a new game I learned called Up the River; Down the River. It's like a pseudo-spades game that is quick and can be played with any number of players. Great game. Ask me how to play some time.