Blue Skyes

Trip Start May 19, 2008
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Trip End Jun 02, 2008


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Flag of United Kingdom  , Scotland,
Thursday, May 29, 2008

We reached the hostel at Uig, one of the northernmost towns on the Isle of Skye, last night. This morning, while re-charging the camera battery, I picked up a couple of books from the hostel's library (pay or exchange). I got one in English about two sisters living in a castle with no money to their name, and one in German which I have been struggling through as we drive. I think it's about a prisoner being released from prison, but I couldn't swear to it. In my defense, I can only say that it's been twenty years since I studied German. But I'm having fun trying to read it, and hope Kian and Karl will enjoy it.

This morning, we stopped at a historic farm. I stayed in the car and read (or tried to) while Andrew went in. We also did some driving around in the area and saw the grave of Flora MacDonald, who seems to be almost as big a name around here as Lincoln and Washington are to us. She helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape his pursuers some time before (I think before) the Jacobite's defeat at the Battle of Culloden, and is very much a national hero for that action.

After the farm, we stopped at Skye Skyns, a family business that prepares sheepskin in the traditional manner. We were shown around the work area, and the 12 or 15 steps it takes to prepare a skin, from the various baths and pickling rinses to stretching and drying the skin to softening it and fluffing the wool.

I forgot to mention in a previous post, yes, we did try haggis. It's very good. It tastes just like meatloaf, but maybe a little better. And we'll hope that's a comment on how good haggis is, rather than the quality of my meatloaf!
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