Part of today's drive was a history lesson, or perhaps a page from horrible histories. We learned about Bonnie Prince Charlie and how he chose to make his army stand to face the Brits on the field of Culloden (where they had no cover to support their preferred style of fighting), using cannons (that they hadn't been trained to use), clustered close together (which made them much easier targets for the British guns), commanded via messengers from Charlie (who was too far back to see what was happening). And even when his Jacobite forces managed to rush the British lines, they found the British soldiers had been trained in new fighting techniques to counter the melee style of the northerners.
Charlie saw how badly his battle was going, and boldly ran away.End of history lesson.
Our bus driver and guide, Fergus, has been introducing us to the sexiness of Scotland. Other countries brazenly display all their splendour, leaving nothing to the imagination. Scotland keeps its mystery shrouded in a veil of cloud. It always has something more to reveal. Give me time. I may come to understand his point of view. So far, the romance of the highlands is like having a bucket of cold water thrown over you.
The sun smiled on us when we arrived at Loch Ness.
I trust you can all see the edge of Nessie's tail in the photo.We're staying the first night in Carbisdale castle:
That's about the most impressive room. The castle's been converted to a hostel. Lots of rooms all fitted out with bunks. We've already been filled with its ghost stories--children starved to death by a nanny who was overly concerned with food hygiene...
Which sounds more likely:
1. Our tour guide is one of the few in this company that will even stay in the castle. He has experienced the ghosts, but doesn't fear them.
2. Our tour guide knows he must tell sincere, convincing stories of hauntings because they add to the atmosphere of the tour.
I think the only manifestations tonight will be alcohol induced.
At least the ghosts here are elegant:
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