More magnificient scenery, I buy stuff, the horrible tourist drivers.

I'm writing this blog after having been here for four days and driven over 100 miles (which is the equivalent of 500 miles anywhere else, those single track roads are killer) and I have to say that the tourists are crappy drivers and don't know how to park and I would kill them if I lived here. 

• They drive 35 in a 60 speed zone on the highway and don't know enough to pull over and let you go by, 
• Don't know enough to look ahead up the road, when it's a single track road, and plan to pull into the passing place so someone can get by you without a head-on collision,
• Can't park correctly so that they always take up three or four spots by parking sideways to the curb/grass/stones instead of parking nose in, 
• But the worst is when they park in a “passing place” spot to take pictures and then traffic either backs up or someone gets in an accident.

I can tell which cars are the rental cars driven by tourists because they either have 19 or 68 in the license plate.I'm glad Ian and Jacqui took the time to show me how it's done here, I feel very confidant driving on the roads.

But now, here are some pictures I missed from Monday of the Island Life Museum, it was closed but we took some pictures of the "black houses".

The next day, Tuesday, Ian drove us around some more, mainly to do a little shopping and some sightseeing. First up was the Post Office where Ian needed to post a package and where I bought some wood postcards/toys for the grandsons. Then we went on a quest to find t-shirts for the grandsons from the Isle of Skye. We stopped at a yarn shop where I bought two skeins of alpaca/silk yarn and the coffee shop next door had t-shirts and other touristy stuff so I managed to get shirts for my grandsons, something I try to do where ever we travel to. Then we went to Skye Skins where they have very cushy sheep skin rugs and other types of animal skins. Plus they had the best pair of boots and they had my size! We had lunch at the yurt shop that is part of Skye Skins and then back in the car for a ride to Waternish and the Trumpan Church.

 

Coming back from there we stopped at the jetty on Stein where we all had a very interesting conversation with a fisherman who was separating his catch of crabs and lobsters by size. He sells to the local restaurants of course, but he also sells to suppliers who then ship his catch as far away as Spain! If you are eating lobsters or crabs in Spain they most likely came from Scotland. 

 

Ian is a wonderful impromptu tour guide and knows so much of the island history and culture, it was great fun driving around with him. I got to drive back from Stein because I needed the practice.  It was very nerve racking and I drove very slowly but Ian is a good teacher and I feel I'll be able to drive us to the Tallisker Distillery tomorrow.

We had a night in with Ian and Jacqui, playing Scrabble (Jacqui won) and drinking cocktails and eating a wonderful curry that they made.

 

Hiking the Quairaing, Uig Bay, Ian as hiking guide, Dutulm Castle, dinner out. Part 2

Ian drove us to Uig Bay to take a few pictures. 

Ian then took us hiking on the Quiraing “Karrang” trail to test our hiking skills and stamina. It was only about three miles round trip but there were parts that were a little tricky, where we had to cross running water over stones while finding handholds on the side of the mountain path. There were times when you rounded a corner and the wind almost blew you over. I managed to fall twice on the way back and I had to tell Ian that that sort of hike was the limit of my ability anymore. And I walk three miles daily to work and back! 

Ian has parked the car and we've started the hike. Here is a good picture of the single track roads.

 

The hiking path

Ian as guide, then me, and Don took the picture.

This bit was tricky and I was glad for the walking stick. This is also where I fell for the second time on the hike back, but not too badly.

 

Here you can see the hiking path. We are going just up to those rock points in the center of the picture.

 

Here is Ian, showing me how it's done, as I cling to the rocks and the tiny shrubs while negotiating running water over slippery rocks.

Right about here is where I had my first fall. It was wet and slippery. I got my jeans muddy.

After the hike we went to the Single Track cafe for cauliflower soup, bread, coffee and cake. Then it was off to the Duntulm Castle ruins, it was extremely windy.

Ian taking a picture.

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The view in the other direction.

 Don and I then got cleaned up for our dinner at The Three Chimneys, a Michelin rated restaurant that is very hard to get into, I just managed to snag a reservation for two at 9pm on a Sunday night, neither Jacqui or I could find one for four people at all for the week we will be here. The food was very, very good but the service is a little shaky, we didn't get any wine until the main course of a three course meal with an amuse bouche before the starter! But the food really was fabulous and besides the amuse bouche before the three courses we also got a handmade chocolate after everything. Jacqui graciously drove us to The Three Chimneys and Ian picked us up so we could enjoy drinks with our meal. I did have a little fun asking the server to please call “our driver” to come and get us when we were done with our meal.

Hiking the Quiraing, a cemetery, Ian as guide. Part 1

The next day was not too bad, cool and windy, but it wasn't raining so we decided we should go hiking. First, though, we decided to visit a yarn shop, “Island at the Edge” but the owners were out rounding up sheep so we just took a few pictures and went on.

A highland cow.

The sheep are curious.

Very curious!

I enjoyed telling them how much I like their wool and how tasty they are as soup.

Ian then drove us to St. Columba's Isle where there is a lovely bridge and stream, and very old cemetery, and the ruins of an ancient “cathedral” (a cathedral is any church that has/or had a bishop, no matter the size of the structure). Very few tourists know of this place so we had it all to ourselves. It was so peaceful.

 

Here I am, listening to Ian.

Here is Ian, explaining all about the cemetery history.