Orkney rocks

Helloooooo...

So today we did Orkney... and tomorrow we do more Orkney, before we leave Orkney. We love Orkney. Today, was beautiful. We couldn't ask for better weather.

There were three sites we visited today that were more than 5000 years old -- older than the pyramids! Wow. Names won't mean much to you, but the Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae, Brough of Birsay, Standing Stones of Stenness and Maes Howe were awesome. I attached the links so you can have a look in case you are at all interested in that stuff. We also went to the Orkney Museum, Earl's Palace, Bishop's Palace and Wideford Hill. We find again and again that our cameras just can't do it justice here. You will have to come and see for yourselves -- we recommend it!

The Orkney accent is different and much stronger than the regular Scottish accent, which makes it difficult to understand some people -- I find myself doing a little more of the smiling-and-nodding schtick, although this could be problematic since today I think a Scottish man was trying to get me to take him home with me, and there I was with my smile & nod... oops.

Tomorrow we are going to the Tomb of Eagles, Orphir Church (no, I won't be worshipping this time), Stromness Museum, and maybe some others... but we have to get back on the ferry in the afternoon, to go back to the mainland. We are pretty disappointed, because we really liked it here. So far, Scottish isles have really impressed!

Also impressive are towel warming racks in the hotels and B&B's -- why don't we have those? They come in especially handy when you need to wash some clothing and it needs to dry quickly.

I have discovered that I really like rhubarb yogurt. And rhubarb jam. And I like that grilled tomatoes and mushrooms is standard breakfast fare here. I don't really like the bacon (it's thick slabs, more like back bacon) and the sausages always get delivered to me in varying shapes and sizes... I don't like that, makes me suspicious! Haha.

Cute story from today: we were driving along the country road (they are pretty much all country roads until we get back down to Edinburgh I think), and we see this huge crowd of big black cows huddled up at a fence. And there's a guy, a tourist with a camera, standing directly on the other side of the fence within about an arm's reach of the cows. Thing is, he's not taking photos -- he appears to be talking to them (or with them), quite animatedly. Funnier still, I kinda wanted to jump out of the car and join in the conversation. Just BE there, you know? :P Ya, so I might be crazy... but I feel a lot saner than I have been in a very long time. It heals your soul to be somewhere like this, it really does.

We stay at a different B&B in Inverness this time tomorrow. And they know we are coming late, so hopefully they won't be cranky. :)

We have heard the news about the sea-to-sky landslide and butchery on the bus to Winnipeg (very disturbing) -- hopefully there's more good news (and weather) in the works for you guys back home.

Hope y'all are well!
xo
Elaan