15 Jun 2010 Glenfinnan - Eilean Donan Castle

After breakfast, we drove to the Glenfinnan Viaduct and waited for the harry potter Express to pass the viaduct.
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I was barely at the cliff when the train roared pass. The video is uploaded to youtube at this address:



It was at Glenfinnan that I came to know Mike, a professional photographer. We spoke for somewhile, and then he decided to pass lotsa books and map so that my navigation job is easier. I am eternally grateful to his kind act. To top it all, he asked me to go Stein's Inn and try the seafood. He said this is one good restaurant that you must try.

Below are some of the photos that Mike took later and sent me by email when I was back to Singapore. in the email he told me he even managaed to catch a Salmon in Skye after we met haha!






We parted ways as he need to catch the ferry to skye, while we will be going there by the road.

We had a lunch break in Fort William, fed the car with petrol and then we drove to Eilean Donan Castle. Greeneries and sceneries along both side of the roads. Along the way, we passed by the Commando Memorial at Spean's Bridge.



It was then I realise quite a number of British soldiers passed away in Afghan. In fact, quite a number of the people we met later, either have their love ones or someone they know, stationed in Afghan. The moment I gently mention that the next destination is Eilean Donan Castle, the car suddenly sped forward at great haste.

We continued on and finally reached Eilean Donan Castle at 330pm.





Since the castle will be closing at 530pm, I hurried to the ticket office. We took quite a number of photos outside the castle. It was low tide but the castle still looked photogenic - it is the most photographed castle in Europe afterall. The guide pointed to the walls of the castle and said that those were spies holes used to eavesdrop on the conversation going on at the dining table - thats how the phrase "the wall have ears" came about.



The scottish piper who was playing the pipe before we went into the castle, was already changing back into his normal outfit, ready to go home when we came out of the castle.





We got into the car and continued on to Skye.

The Skye Bridge

It was not until 630pm that we reached Portree finally. Cold. Grey. Drizzle. Hungry. Late. Still dunno where the hostel is haha! All the negative feelings came to us. But hack! Lets cure the stomach first - Fish and Chip at the Stuart's. After the meal, we drove to the hostel. The journey was long - particularly when we do not know the exact location and in a drizzle as well. So we drove on, with a lot of self-doubt. After some wrong turns and all, we finally reached the hostel at 830pm. Collected our sheets and off we went to the room.

I must say i havent seen a hostel so well-kept and so spacious. Back in those days when I backpack in Europe, the hostels were normally small and cramped, and the washroom floors were flooded. Not Flodiggary. Sparkling clean with respectable hot water. It even has a lounge with piano. The kitchen is so spacious and well maintained. Little surprise! The washing machines were the same as those I used to used in Presy - the Maytag machines with tokens! I finally met Bryan, the owner. I asked to see the tokens and it is the metal ones, not the plastics one i used to see in presby haha.