Monday Night in Inverness, Scotland 16 May: The day started with an overcast sky, bleak drizzle and a forecast that it would be wet all along the west coast of Scotland so we decided against the train trip to the West. Instead it was drive around and down memory lane and hope it clears later in the day. So here we sit at 1800 hrs having done all of our souvenir purchases and having driven to:
· INVERGORDON
· Saltburn (found the old summer home: “Sylva” on the main drag but noone home
· Dingwall and around back to Inverness via the new bridge.
· Down next to the islands and all the way to Loch End and back. Up to 53 Temple Cresent and had a cuppa with Mrs. Green next door to #53
Well, that’s how Paul saw it!
It was a bit dreich in the morning but due to clear by the afternoon. We went for a run about Inverness. We got our bearings by heading out to Millburn and past the Golf Club where our Dad spent most of his free time! It was fun knocking on Joan’s door on Temple Crescent (next to our house). She answered the door and just about dropped the phone! She knew me right away. She and her friend Jeanette were so good to Dad in his final months. They really liked him and enjoyed his company. We had lovely visit and we will see her again before we leave.
We headed off to drive across the “new” bridge to the Black Isle heading for Invergordon and Saltburn. It still looks a little familiar, but the cottage in Saltburn looks very different. It has the sign “Sylva” in the porch, but the house next door looked more like Ma and Grandad’s wee house. I remember a center window upstairs where I used watch the mist coming over the hills across the Cromarty Firth. Now, in Invergordon , they are building the off-shore drilling rigs for North Sea oil. Invergordon has the deepest natural harbor in Europe. The Fleet used to moor here all the time.(the Royal Navy that is} Bye the way that bridge over the Beauly/Moray Firth is very impressive! On the way back we came by Dingwall and detoured to Strathpeffer which was a well known Spa town in Victorian times. In my day all the best dances were held at the Strath, needless to say I was never allowed to go, so I showed them, I moved to London! And the rest as you know is history!!
We drove down by the River Ness and along by the Islands, it really is a very lovely town .The center is not anything to shout about, but the residential areas are just wonderful. Some lovely old houses, lots of trees and parks and the river.
We came back to the hotel and Paul gave them a hard time about the low level of the TV. He was so disgusted last night, he went sleep before 10PM because he could not see the telly! I didn’t have a problem myself. Anyway, he created such a fuss they were falling over themselves trying to accommodate him! We went out to walk around in the old Victorian Market and spend some money. That accomplished we moseyed back to the digs to find that they had brought in a table and raised the TV for him! Sometimes it pays to bitch a little. I have to say everyone has been very sweet and helpful.
We are resting before we sally forth into the streets of Inverness to find fodder. We are looking at
Indian tonight. Paul loves that an Indian Restaurant was recommended by the pretty lass in Hector Russells Kiltmakers. So off we go to Raja’s for the best.
