Scotland....Oban and Tobermory

There is the first and the real Oban Inn!!!
We have been here....Scotland for almost 5 full days and I cannot even believe how beautiful it is.... it is everything I dreamt of.... and more!!!
Gay as that sounds... it is true.
After our awesome place in Glasgow, we hopped into a rental van... the only vehicle big enough to fit my luggage ....oh ya and the other small pieces that the other three people have....it is not that I have alot.......it is just huge....but I sometimes need to have choices.
We drove along some long and windy roads....after about a half hour of winding I took half a gravol.....after another half hour....I took the other half....I am all sensitive to the motion.....
So, I was trying to look at the beautiful views through a drug induced haze...and keep one eye on sweet Georgie's driving...god bless him all on the other side of the road on the skinniest highway.... and I use that word loosely.....I have ever seen!!!
It is so rugged!!!
And mysterious....
We finally drove into Oban...we were staying overnight there before taking the ferry to Craignure on the Isle of Mull early the next morn.
We got to the Hotel......I fell asleep with my clothes on for 3 hours....I still got the jetlag...then we had an awesome meal....again... ( the food is great and thanks to Ma and Auntie Pat we are eating at some lovely places)....
And then we went out to find a place to drink.....
An old dude named Billy, who I could not really understand...who kissed me on the cheek twice...took us to a bar and led us to one side... the lounge side... and told us that I ....being a woman... did not want to go to the bar side because that was where men went....to do men things...
WHAT?!
REALLY?!
I laughed....he didn't ... he was serious.
What year is this?!
Anyhow...that place was kinda ass-ie...so we went to walk the sea wall and ended up at the Oban Inn.....
After living in Niagara it seemed like a good fit....what a great place ....it was founded in....

1790!!!!
For real....we don't even get that in our very new country....anyhow... we met some great people there....Scottish....British....Polish.....I even met a seaman.....seaMan.....who told me that when he didn't live on a ship he just buggered about....then he looked worried... and then he tried to tell me what 'buggered about' meant.... I told him "I got it"!
We drank.
We slept.
We awoke and got on the ferry....and due to the fact that we were going on the rough, open ocean.....another gravol....so I have been mostly drugged up, asleep or full of wine for most of the trip.
And that, my friends, is what I call a vacation.
But I have to tell you... all the I have really dreamt about is the scottish countryside.
And when we got onto the ferry I was pretty sure that was where I was headed!

We got off the Ferry and the sign posted said to be careful of the single lane highways...for 'both ways' traveling cars....on the wrong side.....well...the wrong side to us.
Awesome!
It was a fine drive in.....the country side was so green and then brakenish....again, very rugged...we drove into the seaside town of Tobermory....
Oh
my
god....
First of all... due to where it lies in the gulf stream there are palm trees...
Yup...
And flowers blooming...
In October...
It is about 11 degrees...
It is very magical.
And the harbour looks like it belongs in the Barbados.....
It is all contradictions....
Our hotel....The Western Isles Hotel....overlooks the harbour from a hill... the picture overhead is from our room window....the air is so clear....and the sun is out!!!
Today we went into my very first Scottish castle....I was so excited when I got out of the car I had to use my puffer....
It is called Duart Castle...


It was built in 1350....I mean, really.....it was fabulous.....my fave parts....the battlements...it was all old timey.....then George and I went and walked down to the water and through all the craggy rocks that surrounded the castle....I can almost feel what it was like to see a ship approaching to lay siege.....take out puffer and use it here....
Isn't it all Scotland-ie?
The castle is the home of the Clan Maclean.
One of the chiefs....in the 18th Century.....decided he didn't like his wife.....so he put her out on a rock that would sink as the tide came in.... in full view from a small window in the castle.....oddly one of her kinsman sailed by and picked her up.....her family... the untrustworthy Campbells....didn't kill him right away... they murdered him 30 years later.....keep your eyes on those Campbells.
Duart Castle = Awesome.
I also wanted to go on a walk through the forest....so we went on a hike to Torosay Castle....a newer less interesting castle....and decided to take a short cut back.... basically there was a sign with an arrow that pointed into the middle of a cowfield....
I was feeling very adventurous.....but I stood at the gate with trepidation.....
as the cows are highland cows....heeland coos.....and they have horns.....
But we trudged up the hill.....and were followed by about 40 young students...we made it very clear that we weren't sure where we were going...but they followed anyway.....I tried to give the cows a wide berth.....but when we got to the top of the hill it became clear that the gate and path we wanted to proceed through was occupied.......

Don't they look a little bit scary?
I mean....the horns and all.
But I felt very brave....the brown one smelled my hand....so I went over the fence....
I really did....
The students stood behind us waiting to see what we would do ............
I heard a german voice say "Well, the American is going over!"
As I swung my leg over and tried not to fall 'ass over tea kettle' into a cowpie I yelled out a phrase I have used at least twenty times since I got here....
" No...I am Canadian!"
Not that I don't like my American cousins...but my nationality is a source of pride and distinction!
George just look stunned that I decided to go over....he said that we hadn't really decided what our course of action would be.....but sometimes a girl has gotta go here own way.....I was on an adventure....
with cows.
oh...I am sorry....
coos.
They seemed interested in me.....I just wanted to get up the fricken hill....
All 40 of those students followed.....
Some in highheel boots....
Ah the young.....
I had fricken hiking shoes on and I had to be careful.....then because I was all Norma Rae and filled with P and V....I forged forward.....George told me to turn around....slowly....
they were all following me... not the students....the coos.
Um.
So, we made our way away from the beasts and back onto the path....I was so fricken proud... I felt like I had been on the greatest adventure EVER!!!
I don't get out much.
Now, this what I learned today.

Sometimes you gotta walk off the path.....not knowing where you are going.....sometimes you step in cow shit......sometimes you gotta walk with cows....coos......but if you trust yourself....you will find after a fashion that you are going the right way.
And it will all be worth it!
And you will feel awesome.