Outside our window the ancient Castel of Inverness stands over the Ness River. It is not surrounded with soldiers and horses but with scaffolding to support its restoration. It is still a romantic reminder of the old days when the castle was a sort of bomb shelter for the people when invaders from wheresoever suddenly appeared to disrupt their lives. Our lives were disrupted today by a cold Scottish rain. Luckily we had planned to activities and found ways to entertain ourselves despite the weather. A visit to the Victorian Market proved a disappointment. Cheap merchandise and not so appetizing food had no appeal so we left quickly. Along the streets we did explore beautiful shops with woolen goods and Harris Tweed that made us wish we lived in a climate that would justify a purchase of such apparel. But good sense ruled and we were satisfied with feeling the materials as my Aunt LaNell and my mother would say when they shopped for fabrics. A visit to the Inverness Museum was interesting. In two floors they had crowded in the geological history of the Highlands, they Jacobite Rebellion, and the social history of Northern Scotland. A Tartan wedding gown worn by Scottish brides since the late 1600’s is on display waiting for another Campbell bride to claim it and walk down the aisle. I love seeing the personal artifacts of life of ordinary people. Old curling irons, cookware, clothing and such. All so much the same but still so very different. A visit to the oldest pub in Inverness produced a conversation with a young man who wants to see Trump elected, but a change in American gun laws. A young woman who comes in and promptly sits her dog on the bar and all of the bar employees gather round to give the little thing hugs and kisses. No one is bothered by a dog on the bar and in fact brought smiles to a dour face or two. A visit to a huge second hand book store and a lunch of steak and kidney pie finished up the day. There are few foods I have promised myself I will never taste again and smashed peas is one of them. I have learned to love this place where Macbeth and his famous Lady resided, where tartans rule the shops and sea birds fly in to sleep of the roof top but strangely do no leave a mess behind. Tomorrow another city in Scotland.
