Sad clan chief in Oban--I have no idea why.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Extras for Thursday--Oban
Interesting butcher sign in Tobermory --makes you want to go right in for a big slab of beef, huh?
Thursday, May 21--Our Harry Potter Tent!! & Tobermory
Took a taxi to Waverley and had a light breakfast while waiting for the car rental office to open. When it did open, the person had no cars that were cleaned and ready to go in the size we requested, so he upgraded us! Bigger, nicer car, better for carrying all our camping gear.
It was crazy getting out of Edinburgh. What with the new tram construction tearing up the streets and blocking off others, none of the maps make any sense. There was even one street that had a white arrow drawn all the way from the right lane thru the middle lane and over to the left lane, all squiggly.
There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask: whenever I have ordered a milkshake over here, I get this runny, thin flavored milk concoction that tastes good, but it is nothing like milkshakes in the States that are super-thick and ice creamy. Is there some special word I need to use to request one of the thicker shakes or are they not available over here?
Okay, back to our trip out to Oban. Our new rental is so smart—it has these automatic wipers that can tell when it is raining and how hard and adjusts itself! Good little car. It also has this HUGE automatic sunroof that covers the entire top of the roof and would be so cool to sit under and watch the stars.
We passed through some truly beautiful towns this morning. At one point these fingers of fog that had a hard grip on the mountaintops earlier seemed to be loosening their hold slowly and lifting upwards. It was very pretty to watch.
Loch Awe was just that—awe-inspiring. We hope to come back to this area while we are staying in Glasgow.
We arrived in Oban and immediately it began to rain. Just a misty showery kind of rain but rain nevertheless. We walked over to a restaurant called Ee-usk on the waterfront and the manager gave us a window table and served me the most delicious salmon. Ray had mussels and for dessert, we shared a bread and butter pudding.
Then we went back to the car to board the ferry which only took 45 minutes to cross, all while the rains got harder and harder. We watched a helicopter off-load supplies from a big ship onto this island where stood a tall lighthouse. By the time we landed at Craignure on the Isle of Mull, Ray had resigned himself to the inevitable. He immediately went to the Shielings Holiday Park and got us a shieling for 2 nights. And not just any shieling—it has 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, shower and WC, gas heater, curtains on the windows, and electricity! And it is carpeted! It is 33 x 16 feet, 500 square feet, and over 8 ½ feet tall. An ensuite tent!!! It is so cool. So we are finally camping for 2 nights!!!
We threw our things into the tent and headed off to the other side of the island to see Kilmore Church. To get there, we took a ten-mile-long single-track road, but the trip went very fast and through the gorgeous countryside. This island was the location site for the filming of one of my favorite movies, "I Know Where I'm Going."
The church was done in arts-and-crafts style and stone. The most amazing thing—and what I had come all this way for—was the stained glass window depicting Jesus and Mary Magdalene. They are walking through a doorway and holding hands and she is very visibly pregnant. Will post more about this church as I am going back for another visit tomorrow.
Then we drove into Tobermory, the most colorful waterfront town ever. Each building lining the harbour is a different color and makes for very picturesque postcards. I believe this is the town that the lead character from that old black-and-white movie, “I Know Where I Am Going,” ended up. She was trying to get to the island of Kiloran (which ws really Colonsay) to marry her fiancé, but she is delayed by weather and ends up meeting and falling in love with another man. It was filmed here, based mainly in Carsaig & Calgary, and she stayed at a hotel very much like the one in town, and the movie shows scenes from all around here.
We did our pin and postcard shopping then ate at MacGochan’s Bar. Shopping at the Co-operative then drive back to our lovely shieling tent. Walked around to see the area then into the tent to get into warmer clothes and blog while little birds are hopping around on my doorstep. Someone is playing a guitar a few tents away and the gentle sound is wafting up to us. It is 9:07 and the sun is still out and bright. Rain on the horizon, but we are safe and snug in our little home.
***pictures from top: Duart Castle from the ferry, our shieling tent, stained glass window at Kilmore Church, Tobermory harbour, view from our shieling.
It was crazy getting out of Edinburgh. What with the new tram construction tearing up the streets and blocking off others, none of the maps make any sense. There was even one street that had a white arrow drawn all the way from the right lane thru the middle lane and over to the left lane, all squiggly.
There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask: whenever I have ordered a milkshake over here, I get this runny, thin flavored milk concoction that tastes good, but it is nothing like milkshakes in the States that are super-thick and ice creamy. Is there some special word I need to use to request one of the thicker shakes or are they not available over here?
Okay, back to our trip out to Oban. Our new rental is so smart—it has these automatic wipers that can tell when it is raining and how hard and adjusts itself! Good little car. It also has this HUGE automatic sunroof that covers the entire top of the roof and would be so cool to sit under and watch the stars.
We passed through some truly beautiful towns this morning. At one point these fingers of fog that had a hard grip on the mountaintops earlier seemed to be loosening their hold slowly and lifting upwards. It was very pretty to watch.
Loch Awe was just that—awe-inspiring. We hope to come back to this area while we are staying in Glasgow.
We arrived in Oban and immediately it began to rain. Just a misty showery kind of rain but rain nevertheless. We walked over to a restaurant called Ee-usk on the waterfront and the manager gave us a window table and served me the most delicious salmon. Ray had mussels and for dessert, we shared a bread and butter pudding.
Then we went back to the car to board the ferry which only took 45 minutes to cross, all while the rains got harder and harder. We watched a helicopter off-load supplies from a big ship onto this island where stood a tall lighthouse. By the time we landed at Craignure on the Isle of Mull, Ray had resigned himself to the inevitable. He immediately went to the Shielings Holiday Park and got us a shieling for 2 nights. And not just any shieling—it has 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, shower and WC, gas heater, curtains on the windows, and electricity! And it is carpeted! It is 33 x 16 feet, 500 square feet, and over 8 ½ feet tall. An ensuite tent!!! It is so cool. So we are finally camping for 2 nights!!!
We threw our things into the tent and headed off to the other side of the island to see Kilmore Church. To get there, we took a ten-mile-long single-track road, but the trip went very fast and through the gorgeous countryside. This island was the location site for the filming of one of my favorite movies, "I Know Where I'm Going."
The church was done in arts-and-crafts style and stone. The most amazing thing—and what I had come all this way for—was the stained glass window depicting Jesus and Mary Magdalene. They are walking through a doorway and holding hands and she is very visibly pregnant. Will post more about this church as I am going back for another visit tomorrow.
Then we drove into Tobermory, the most colorful waterfront town ever. Each building lining the harbour is a different color and makes for very picturesque postcards. I believe this is the town that the lead character from that old black-and-white movie, “I Know Where I Am Going,” ended up. She was trying to get to the island of Kiloran (which ws really Colonsay) to marry her fiancé, but she is delayed by weather and ends up meeting and falling in love with another man. It was filmed here, based mainly in Carsaig & Calgary, and she stayed at a hotel very much like the one in town, and the movie shows scenes from all around here.
We did our pin and postcard shopping then ate at MacGochan’s Bar. Shopping at the Co-operative then drive back to our lovely shieling tent. Walked around to see the area then into the tent to get into warmer clothes and blog while little birds are hopping around on my doorstep. Someone is playing a guitar a few tents away and the gentle sound is wafting up to us. It is 9:07 and the sun is still out and bright. Rain on the horizon, but we are safe and snug in our little home.
***pictures from top: Duart Castle from the ferry, our shieling tent, stained glass window at Kilmore Church, Tobermory harbour, view from our shieling.
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