Yesterday was a busy day. We awoke to a steady rain yet the sky was mostly blue and a hazy sun could just be seen filtered through the clouds. When we arrived at Blackness Castle the wind picked up...more horizontal rain. The castle was closed anyway but I shot some pics and video nonetheless. When we arrived at Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, we had the palace all to ourselves--except for a few birds who would fly off whenever we approached. The palace is mostly in ruins but that made it all the more assessable. I was able to sit in a seat of stone most certainly used by ancient royalty. Doing so got my butt wet but a wet bum was a small price to pay for such a treat. On the way to Stirling Castle we stopped at a grocery store and bought some provisions; crackers, peanut butter, fruit, cookies, etc. The Scottish Oatcakes were especially good--kind of tasted like haggis-flavored Triscuits. We had Stirling Castle all to ourselves as well. It sits atop a hill in Stirling and overlooks The Wallace Monument. This monument is to honor Scotland's national hero William Wallace and is
Stirlingplaced within a short distance of his great victory at Stirling Bridge. Stirling Castle is the location of another great victory by another Scottish hero Robert The Bruce who retook the castle from the English in 1314. After the castle we drove north to Inverness. I drove (in the rain, of course) while Charles nodded off. Our hotel in Inverness is nice. It sits beside the swift-moving Ness. Upon checking in I asked the young receptionist about connecting to the advertised free WIFI. She told be that it wasn't available. After dinner and a pub I was about to complain to a different receptionist about the lack of WIFI. He told me in a strong Scottish accent "Neigh, the lass was nought correct. We dooo haff WIFI and it goes by the name "palace" He was right.
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