Nearing the end of the road, Scotland part Deux

Back in Edinburgh after two days in Inverness, so this'll be a wrap up.

Day before yesterday, we toured some like through the house of the protestant reformer John Knox and then took a buss tour through Edinburgh. We *were* going to go to Holyroodhouse palace... until the Queen decided to show up ... well there went that. Makes sense, it is her house after all. Beyond that Dad had to go to the doctor, something was wrong with a muscle in his shoulder, I think its tension but no one really knows. So after a good stretch with UK medicine, Dad had a prescription and we were on our way.

We caught the train to Inverness but got on the wrong part of the train! Dad got first class for everyone but because the cars aren't marked on all train types we got on the wrong end! It turned out for the best anyway. There was a British couple up from Bristol touring the UK on holiday. The husband is a train geek... serious train geek... and could tell us anything about the railway system in the UK.. and even some about the US train systems! He let us know when we were at the highest point of the trip and crossing the peak of one of the tallest mountains in Scotland and all. They were lovely to talk to and stayed on board with us all the way to Inverness. We didn't miss first class at all.

Once in Inverness, Mom immediately spotted all shopping opportunities before anyone else quite naturally. We walked around after getting checked in and got some dinner. During our stay, the hotel had rotated out staff, but some were still there. Like the restaurant manager remembered us.. mostly me for some reason.

The next day was shopping and then taking Mom on the ride across Loch Ness and touring Urquhart Castle. It was captivating as always. Something about the cool loch air with the peace and stillness. It really gets you. Settles the soul. Something anyone can use these days.

But we spent most of the day touring the loch, the exhibition center about the loch and the castle. We even got a talkative buss driver. He took us by the cottage that J.M. Barrie stayed in to write Peter Pan! Also pointed out the house that Alister Crowley stayed in while in Scotland when he was alive and pulling his shenanigans. He knew all sorts of local legends and stories. He told so many, I tried to memorize them but it may take me days to sort through them all.

That evening we came back, got some dinner and stayed up late just talking. Truth be told, we were too tired to do much more!

The following day was another tour.. this time of Culloden Battlefield.. that was great! With being able to see the battlefield, we also got a presentation about it and a "living history" demonstration from a re-enactor there showing how all the weapons worked. Simply fascinating stuff. I took as many pictures as I could. There was one spot that fascinated me.. ok... in short, Culloden Battlefield is part of a giant moor in Scotland. After the battle (very bloody one) the wounded were murdered by the victors where the wounded lay and then all were buried right where they lay on the battlefield. Stones with clan names and such carved into them litter the moor all over the place with a two story cairn of stones marking the entire battlefield/graveyard. But the really unusual thing is that next to the stone for what apparently was the one main military strategist on the Jacobite side (one whom history remembers as having a brilliant military mind and one that prince Charley *ignored* going into the Battle of Culloden) was a marker for the 'well of souls'. And sure enough.. there was a small well there. The water was dark and clear. Something felt just unquiet there. Naturally... I had to get closer.

Now bear in mind ... when I set foot on the battlefield it suddenly turned from spring to cloudy and winter ice cold! Gusts like November get. Fortunately I had my fedora and leather coat on. I stepped up to the well.. which was a small hole in the ground with water in it. Very ordinary, right? Wrong.

I never could see the reflection of the sky. I saw the reflection of the grass *beside* the water and the well.. but never the sky. Naturally.. I had to stay to look longer. The water would ripple.. when there was no wind gusts. It barely rippled when the wind would blast over.

So encouraged... I walked further into the battlefield. The further I got, the colder it got, and colder and COLDER. When I reached the carin I was wishing for gloves. I took a picture of the commemorative plaque there and read it. Then I looked around at the surrounding moor. For some reason it was very still and hushed and the chill eased back some. We went inside then and got some coffee. I was still cold but the chill wasn't quite what it was when I set foot out the back of the culloden battlefield exhibit and museum.

I would've gone back again ( I really wanted to ) but the tour needed to leave. More's the pity. I wanted to read more headstones.

Once back in Inverness, we caught the train back to Edinburgh. Now that time, we caught first class proper. That was nice. We had the first class car all to ourselves. Very sweet deal. I even got a chapter and a half done on a new Kinloch story! Good stuff too.. right out of the gate I re-read it and thought "damn that's good stuff". Just 'felt' good.

Any case, the train trip back to Edinburgh was great. Very soothing. Even got to see a double rainbow on the route. I think Mom got pics of it. Finally here almost at journey's end we're at the hotel and all but me are sensibly asleep. Me? I'm catching up my blog!