June 16th
“Drip, drip, drip, pour, pour, pour, it’s absolutely pouring!” This was a song we used to sing in the baby music class with Elsi! Today it has been dripping a bit and pouring a bit more! But now it’s just windy! Some glimpses of the old familiar sky might even be expected! In Scotland, they say it usually rains and blows. At least some of the time!
In this rainy weather, we decided to drive around the most remote part of the island. Of course, the low-hanging clouds covered some of the scenery, so we didn’t really see any actual mountains. The magnificent tidal beaches with their fragrant seaweed mats, peat meadows and flocks of sheep, small villages with white stone houses, and fishing ports where numerous boats waited for the wind to calm down. Our first stop was in the town of Portree, where we would be spending the night. We found the area to be satisfactory and continued our journey with confidence.
In the northernmost part of the island, in Kilmaluag, we stopped at the smallest café of our trip. Inside, there was only one table. Outside, it was windy and drizzling enough that we decided to stay in the van, from which we could enjoy the beautiful coastal view while sipping our coffee. As we continued our journey, the single-lane road turned into a two-lane one after the next port town (Idrigil), which significantly increased our travel speed. The slightly gloomy weather seemed to weigh down the heads of cows and sheep more than usual.
After setting up our camper at the campsite, Eva enthusiastically started preparing baked potatoes from the ones we found in the cupboard. The air fryer worked excellently, and soon we had delicious baked potatoes, which we served with some tinned sardines. The meal was accompanied by water, which added a touch of variety. If anyone thought we were on some health retreat, they can forget it. For dessert, we had a stick of mint chocolate, and I paired mine with whisky and cola. We’ll live more sensibly once we get home!
I plan to spend the rest of the evening studying Scottish history. It has been somewhat neglected in my studies. I know the local whiskies better than the history – as probably do most Finns!