Monday, September 9, 2024

September 9: Inverness, Scotland

 Days 11-12:  Edinburgh Fog / Ultimate Loch Ness & Outlander Experience

Yesterday our arrival in Edinburgh was delayed by three hours due to the dense fog and once we arrived, all excursions were cancelled.  Viking made the best of it by making busses available for everyone to at least visit the city on their own if they wanted.  We opted not to wander around in the chilly mist and instead spent the day on the ship.  In the evening at dinner our favorite girl, Manuka, posed for a photo with us as we followed the Miami Dolphins game on the ESPN app via the "Gamecast."

Today we woke up in the Highlands of Scotland and boarded our bus for an all-day, 8-hour adventure to Inverness where we visited the ruins of Urquart Castle which sits right on Loch Ness.  We took an hour long boat ride the length of Loch Ness in search of the mythical (or is she?) monster.  Had a wonderful lunch at a 4-star hotel and then visited the historic battlefield of Cullodon where the  British squelched the uprising by the Scottish Highlanders.  Our guide Sonia was AMAZING.  A superb story teller with an infectious laugh and she has a beautiful singing voice.  Made for a wonderful day.  And to top the day, she is a big Outlander fan so she wove many stories around what we are familiar with from the excellent TV show before the tour ended at the Stones of Cairn.  Of course Kim and I tried one last time to travel back in time to find Jamie & Claire, but to no avail :)

Urquart Castle
Castle Close-ups....

View of Loch Ness from the castle tower
Loch Ness from tower, the other direction
Passed a sailboat on our cruise
Scanning the Loch Ness for the "mythical?" Loch Ness Monster "Nessie"
Wait....what the ????
Passed by this castle as we cruised
Photographic proof that we WERE there :)
Culloden Battlefield Monument / Our amazing guide Sonia
The 4,000 Year-Old Standing Stones of Cairn
STILL a mystery what these stones were used for
Trying our luck at time-travel again






















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