not so early that day and decided not to get up at 8:30. We slept great and although we had fully charged batteries, not averse to the powerful wanted to make breakfast was waiting for us, that this time it could be classified as genuine scottish breakfast.
We are not only more quantity served at Thistle House, but also the traditional dish was accompanied by Haggis and a kind of sausage that there called Black Pudding.
When we said the Haggis was a stuffed lamb belly with the belly of the beast and oatmeal, put a face worthy of a picture Picasso. However, once we tried it we found exquisite and at the end there was no trace of Haggis on our plates. Very, very rich. Really.
After breakfast, we paid the bill, we said goodbye to the staff of the hotel and the first thing we did was fill the tank of the car and replenish supplies for the road.
Then we saw another little walk around town, that unlike the previous day, was full of life and could see people doing their shopping in small shops.
The same shops we were told, sometimes visiting the Queen of England mismísma. And it is not surprising since only Ballater is 10 minutes Balmoral palace car, where the Queen spends her summer vacation.
I do not know. The shops are all a sign of good taste, but .... Can you imagine Elizabeth queuing at the carnage?
Once we got to the vicinity of the palace of Balmoral, we came to the banks of the River Dee, where we saw their rapid and clear waters that are also drinkable. Apparently, the royal family is very fond of fishing and summer holidays at Balmoral elected by the many salmon pools of this river.
After crossing an old iron bridge we entered the grounds of the Palace, whose entry rented motorized carts to move around. We
uploads we met there, racing with retirees and risking an accident.
prefer to walk, passing through those troubling forests.
Once on campus, you can wander peacefully through the gardens of the palace or the main building. Nobody tells you anything. Only occasionally find posters as we saw in the Glamis Castle, which calls for respect for the privacy of the family.
When we reached the main plaza, we felt like to run away by the immense carpet of grass. Menudo
place to set up a barbecue or take a pachanga football.
Inside the palace, there is enabled an exhibition with paintings and family photos (hardly any Lady Di) and some things curiosillas as the suits he has worn the royal family in important events . Like the entrance to the palace, is also free and the only thing not allowed is to take pictures. can also visit the garages where cars are parked and official occasional carriage of the nineteenth century.
In one corner of the palace, part of a path that leads to a bench by the river, where Queen Elizabeth usually sit when out walking their dogs.
is not demean anyone, but my queen is much prettier.
is not demean anyone, but my queen is much prettier.
gray granite which is built the palace gives a stately very impressive and his silhouette against the horizon on the retina is recorded forever. Not bad like the royal family, no sir.
About 11 am we left the palace of Balmoral and we put Tomintoul course to the town situated at the altitude of around Britain and door in the highlands of Scotland, better known as the Highlands, which received us with this sweeping landscape.
As you can see in the picture, the width of the road was just enough for one car and had to be very aware of the " passing place" , a kind of widenings in areas of low visibility, where the vehicle is in its left must stop to let the other.
I think we can do better:
After a stopover in Tomintoul to take a pee and a coffee, we noticed this panel identified two opposite directions and which could take you out ....
We headed Glenlivet Distillery , one of the best known of Scotland. One can not leave the country without having seen at least as important as this distillery.
Admission and guided tours are also free and before entering what is the distillery itself, you can wander through a small museum that tells the story of it and proudly display their best whiskeys.
Soon to be there, a very young and charming girl named Ashley was presented as our guide and immediately led us into the distillery. We were a small group of ten people at most, of which we were the only "guiris." To make it known to Ashley, the chick is really struggled to speak slowly so that we could understand it without problems.
first took us to a huge ship in which there were huge tanks of 18,000 liters each, which took place the process of fermentation. The intense smell of barley malt and flood everything and is impossible to describe if you have not been there.
then pass to the distillate room, dominated by two huge stills in charge of distilling whiskey.
Then we went outside and pointed out to us where was the source whence underground water used for fermetación.
And finally, we learned the huge warehouse where there were many wooden barrels that took place in the maturation of whiskey. In particular, there was a barrel more than 150 years old which, according to Ashley, was priceless.
To end the visit, we drove to a small room where we had the opportunity to sample three types of Glenlivet whiskey 5, 12 and 18 respectively. Needless to say, the 18 was the we liked them all. After Ashley told us that among their best customers, was the very Sean Connery. Anda
it's silly friend.
The whiskey was excellent, but it was not plan to stay warm. Anyone put half Boling driving by these roads, so I only dipped slightly lips. Mari Carmen was the one who really enjoyed the tasting. I was especially happy and not just because I was on vacation in Scotland. That's for sure.
Within an hour we arrived at Inverness our headquarters during the next two days. We chose it for its location on the shores of Loch Ness and its reputation as a city hospital. We'll talk later
Inverness because they only stop there to confirm the reservation and leave your luggage at the hotel.
body asked us more miles. We were eager to travel the road from Inverness to Kylesku, which according to a prestigious travel guide, is the most beautiful in Scotland.
We can not affirm or deny it because there everything is nice, but I must admit that we lacked only drool over this amazing journey.
And, landscapes like the Lake Broom with those mountains in the background, they can to cloud the senses without drinking a drop of whiskey.
The place was so captivating, we decided to assemble a picnic along the banks of the lake. It was almost 5 pm and the breakfast had ceased to work. In the silence, the roar was deafening our stomachs so we went looking for our bag of groceries.
When opened, we saw that they had uncovered a jar of pickled onions we bought and put it all gone. Media spoiled food and romance of the picnic to hell.
After eating as Aprovechalo, undertook the march again Ullapool, a coastal town where the ferries depart for the purposes of Ias Hebrides. A place nestled on an inlet, whose pebble beaches, fresh water is mixed with Broom Lake Atlantic salt.
first thing we noticed when arriving at Ullapool was a considerable fall in temperature, perhaps because of strong wind blowing through there. But that did not stop recorriéramos the main street where it was curious to see the white houses, opposite a strip of grass with innumerable burrows of rabbits.
We found really shocking to see the rabbits by the sea, staring into the horizon, looking at who knows what.
bucolic image right?
continue walking the streets parallel to Main, where we observed that the names of these were written in Gaelic, a language that is still used in Scotland, especially in the Highlands.
Gaelic language is a very aesthetic. Words seemed taken from a manual of magic, although there were some names of people inviting to all, except to knock on the door.
was also interesting to see what's there hanging on some clotheslines. Anyone dare to deny that we were at sea port.
I do not remember where, but we heard that in Ullapool could taste the best "Fish & Chips " in Great Britain, which as you know is the most popular food United Kingdom. As we had not eaten that well said, we went to check.
I do not know if it was hunger that we had but we liked them. The penalty was not having tried it on another site to compare and give a verdict on whether they were the best or not.
the end, we all and the gulls were in charge to devour the leftovers.
At 7 pm we took the new road and headed Kylesku, another fishing village located to 35 miles north. We intended to go direct, but the beauty of the landscapes that we would find no rest to give us obligagaba stop every few minutes .
was inexcusable not to.
is very difficult to describe the feeling of peace and tranquility that is felt in these parts of the Highlands, where silence is the absolute master of all.
Maybe this image serves to explain Cam Loch.
We felt like two intruders in the middle of this forsaken place, small, almost tiny by the greatness environment. Surely in these times, we were the only people for miles around.
As you can imagine, this picture was made by the camera alone.
Along the way, we find scenes as surreal as portable lights fitted with wheels to control not know what traffic or the phone booth in the middle of nowhere.
were right at the end of the travel guide. Drive along the A835 in the evening, was a delight.
But the total orgasm came when we approached the vicinity of Castle Ardvreck , and we could see the sun seemed to get permission from the clouds to crash into the lake around him.
Being there, in the Highlands, next to that helpless feeling ruined castle and the cold north wind in his face, is something very difficult to forget.
Perhaps the aspect of Castle Ardvreck egregious than what one would expect, but their situation in this small isthmus between the two shores of Lake Assynt, it becomes a feast for the eyes.
still amazed by what we had just look, we continue with the path to Kylesku, only this time it was Mari Carmen who dared to take the car for some miles and live in their own meat experience to lead the side.
And he did nothing wrong, considering that the poor did nothing but animals cruzársele of all kinds, ranging from small hedgehogs and rabbits, even a deer that stared at us as if he had not seen a car in his life. When we got up, ran away in terror.
the contrary that the sheep, which seemed more than a sheep dog that was probably more accustomed to human presence. So
posing for the photo.
Kylesku When we arrived it was nearly 8:30 pm and we found a town almost deserted. More than a village, Kylesku seemed a collage of fishing huts scattered through the mountains, so I just went down to give a brief tour of the port, as usual, was also deserted.
was time to turn around and return to the hotel before we were caught completely dark. Kylesku was the northernmost point that we reach all our trip to Scotland and although the town is not what is said indispensable to visit, we strongly recommend that you go there.
Just because the A835 to travel by car, it's worth.
When returning to Inverness, we decided do so by another route. We had loved the scenery but it was not plan to repeat the same price and had the option to see more things, so we took the A838 but not before going through a good stretch of road the third (or fourth) order, two-way and one-way, full of famous "passing place".
This time we were almost at a stretch. The views were beautiful, especially since this is the area of \u200b\u200bScotland where more sense gives of being in the land of the hobbits with these gentle hills of grass, but could even remotely compare to those of the other route.
Perhaps most remarkable was this bridge in the pretty village of Bonar Bridge .
We reached Inverness at almost 11 pm and with a tremendous beating car. It was undoubtedly the more miles traveled day of the trip.
waiting for us in our cozy room bed & breakfast very cute and charming called Bannerman House .
After a replenishing shower, We went to bed without dinner (the fish & chips we went out of the ears). But before we had time to do a little jerk.
After learning that the famous kilt kilt is called and each checkerboard pattern symbolizes a clan, we chose the bed quilt to represent the clan McRodríguez and immortalize him forever with this sorry picture:
Laughing, we were falling asleep. We were exhausted and anxious while it was light, because our next day's plan was one of the reasons we did go to Scotland. I guess that is the main attraction for many people and one of the many mysteries hidden in the Highlands.
We waited for the Loch Ness and its famous monster.
Would he see Nessie?
