To Inverness to Visit Mary, Jeni, and Kids

Today we travelled north to Inverness to meet up with some friends of dad's...His old landlady from Inverness, Mary MacDonald, and her granddaughter Jeni (whom dad has made good friends with via email and letters).  Jeni and her husband David (we were not able to meet him as he was at work) have three kids, Angus, Isla & Katie, that were eagerly awaiting our arrival. Dad had not met Jeni before.  He lived with her grandparents Mary & Pat MacDonald and their two children, Jean (Jeni's mum) & Callum while serving in Inverness in 1963.  Since then Pat, Jean and Callum have all passed away, leaving only Mary and Jeni in Inverness.

On our way into town we stopped at the Kilvean cemetery to visit the graves/memorial of Pat, Jean & Callum.  After some searching through the cemetery and a vist to the office, we found them and dad was able to 'pay them a visit'.  We then drove over to Jeni's house.  It was so cute when we pulled up as there were little heads that kept popping into the front window with eager anticipation. What a fantastic little family!!  The girls were adorable...Katie was very energetic and made super duper friends with mom...and Angus was an amazing lad.  They gave dad a highland cup of friendship and he gave them USU & Smithfield Blue Sox/Fire Dept gear.  After spending some time with them Jeni lead us to the nursing home where Mary now resides, via way of dad's old digs.  After a quick picture at the old house, we were ready to go see Mary.  It was so fun to see how excited both her and dad were to see each other.  She is a fun old lady and kept saying how she will think of this day for a long time.  Her and dad reminisced, shared memories and laughed.  It was a great afternoon!

On our way back into Fort Augustus we saw a big old ship coming down the locks.  We rushed to get pictures and see it come through the last gate.  It was pretty cool.  It is great to see how much dad enjoys watching boats come through the locks.  I know the lock workers will notice his absence when we are gone.  :-). Only two days left in Scotland....crazy how fast time has flown!

Dad at Jean's grave and Callum's memorial.

Dad at Pat's grave.

Dad and mom with Angus, Jeni and Katie.  Isla had gone shopping with her BFF.  :-)

Dad and Mary

Dad out in front of his digs in Inverness.  He was able to see all the places he lived while in Scotland, with the exception of Dundee.

The big boat that was coming through the locks.

Isla, Angus, Jeni and Katie wearing their gear dad brought to them. Jeni sent this picture to dad after we had left Inverness.  How fun!!!!

One of the cloister garden windows here at the abbey...taken at night looking in.  I love how the stars stand out...I hadn't really even noticed them til this picture.

All Aboard the Hogwarts Express

Hehehehe... Today was great! With an abrupt 7:15 wake up from me, mom and dad scrambled out of bed and we were off by 7:40.  We drove to Fort William where we boarded the Jacobite train to Mallaig.  The engines they use for the train are the big steam engines that are in Harry Potter (minus the Hogwarts Express emblem on front, but that is what Photoshop is for).  The train pulled out of the station at 10:15.  Since we waited too long to get our tickets, we didn't sit together on the way to Mallaig.  I sat with a mom, dad and daughter from Glasgow and mom sat with a rowdy, but very fun, bunch from England.  Dad walked up and down the aisles and made friends with people taking pictures.  

We had a short stop in Glenfinnan, which is where you find the cool viaduct that you see on the Harry Potter movies.  It was amazing! We reached the end of the line, Mallaig, at around 12:20.  After a short walk around the village, we went and ate at the train depot.  Dad had scampi and chips, mom & I had just chips.  At 2:10 we rolled out of Mallaig back to Fort William.  On the return trip we were able to sit together and had great views of the scenery and viaducts.

You could not believe how awesome the experience was.  The sound of the engine chugging up the hill, the beautiful and haunting sound of the train whistle, and the amazing scenery.  It is a trip I will remember forever...plus I got to pretend I was on my way to Hogwarts...life is grand!!!

All Aboard!!!!  This is the train depot.

Here is our train engine.  Pretty cool, huh?

The Front of the engine

Ohhhh yeah!  Hogwarts here I come!!

Mom & I at the Fort William station.

Dad and I getting ready to board.

I think this was Harry, Ron and Hermione's compartment...I could feel great magic emanating from it!!  (And no, we didn't get to ride in here, but when no one was looking I snuck in and pretended...and I didn't even need to use my reducto spell to blow the locks.  Silly muggles!)

Here we are going over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

One of my energetic companions...

And my other energetic companion.  Hahahaha....that will teach them to fall asleep on me!

Fort Augustus

We decided we wanted a quiet day to enjoy the Higland Club and explore Fort Augustus a little more.  Dad went out at 9 this morning to watch some boats come through the locks.  Mom and I wandered out to Loch Ness because it was a misty foggy morning and we wanted to see it from the loch.  It was exactly how I pictured a wet and misty Scotland!  Dad came back from the locks and fried up some spuds and ham for breakfast (some things are the same, whether in the U.S. Or Scotland), and they were delicious.

With full bellies, we went to the cloister gardens here at the abbey and dad & I played a game of chess...I won!  We then decided to go swimming.  The swimming pool is the old chapel of the abbey all converted to a swimming area with sauna and steam room.  Dad liked the steam room and sauna, but when mom went into the steam room, she felt like she couldn't breathe!  I choose not to venture into either.  :-)

After swimming we wandered over to the village to poke our heads into some of the shops.  On our way Dad got distracted again by the boats coming through the locks.  While mom and I shopped dad watched the locks in motion and reaffirmed his now close relationship to the lock workers.  Mom and I made it out in time to see the last locking and the bridge open up to let the boats through.  I do have to say it was pretty cool.

The wind had really picked up on our way back so we wandered out to Loch Ness to see the wind push waves up against the shore.  Dinner consisted of frozen dinners..pizzas for mom and me...chicken curry for dad.  I do have to say that when dad took the garbage out this evening, he was gone for a little longer than necessary...when he returned he was carrying a container of warm chips (fries) from the local chippy (fish and chip shop).  It was no surprise to me, because when we went for a walk last night, he was staring in the window of the shop with hungry puppy eyes (he had left all his $$ back at the room).

Tomorrow brings the Harry Potter Train.....and in case you didn't get that...Harry Potter Train tomorrow!!!! I am so excited!!

Boats coming through the locks.

The misty morning on Loch Ness

Spider web in the cloister gardens.

Mom and Crissy at the pool.

Another pool shot.

Waves crashing on the shore.

A windy Loch Ness afternoon.

Momma's, feed your boys this...they will be shot put kings!!! Our oatmeal...it is very yummy!

Inverness & Culloden

Today was such a nice Sunday.  We went to Sacrament Meeting at the Inverness Church, walked along the river Ness and then went out to Culloden Battlefield. The sacrament meeting was really nice. The chapel was small compared to what we see in Utah, but it was so awesome to see that things are conducted, blessed, handled, etc. just like they are at home.  A wee lass decided that've closing hymn was extra uplifting and that she needed to come to the front of the chapel and dance (spin) to the song.  It was so cute!  Dad talked to a few of the members and missionaries, but there was nobody still in the ward that he remembered.  

The church sits right off the river Ness, so after church dad took us on a river walk...something he used to do quite often when he was in Inverness.  We walked down one side of the river then crossed over to a chain of islands that run down the middle of the river.  We walked down the chain of islands and came out on the other side of the river.  We then walked to the next foot bridge and crossed back overto the church.  What a beautiful walk!!  Mom said that she couldn't hardly stand all the nature that was calling to her.  :-)

From the church we drove out eastof Inverness to Culloden Battlefield.  This was the site where the Scotsmen that supported Prince Charlie were defeated by the British in a horribly bloody battle.  The battle lasted less than an hour, but over 1500 men died.  Prince Charlie fled Scotland to France and never returned to Scotland again.  The local residents had to bury all the bodies, so they dug graves and any body that they could identify their clan, went into the specific clan grave.  Any they couldn't identify went into the mixed clan grave.  The graves are still marked by clans.  It was a very sombering experience to think about how all those men lost their lives there. It was very peaceful out on th field...very different from that day over 200 years ago.

Dad standing outside the church in Inverness.

View from the front of the church.

A portion of the walkway on the river walk.  The river is on the left hand side.

The footbridge crossing over to the islands.

Looking up the river Ness from the bridge.  Gorgeous!!!

Mom on the river walk.

Vie w of the church from across the river.  The blue car in the parking lot is our rental.

Culloden Battlefield

Well of the Dead.  This spot is where there were a lot of deaths.  The clan graves look very similar to this, but the mound is a little larger and the stone will indicate which clan is buried there.

Mom and dad at the Culloden Monument.

A small cottage that is located right near where the British front line was during the battle.  They say that a cannon ball was found in the side of the house.

Me trying to venture inside...but to no avail.  With that small of a door, I was hoping to discover a new species of Hobbits!

Urquart Castle, Dornoch, Sutherland & Caithness

Urquart Castle and a trip to the north to the counties of Caithness and Sutherland were on our agenda for the day.  We did our first petrol (diesel) fill up and all went smoothly. With a full tank of gas and dad in the back seat, we headed north out of Fort Augustus.  Our first stop was Urquart Castle that is located on the West Bank of Loch Ness about mid way up.  The castle is mostly in ruins, but was still very cool to see.  It's location is amazing with the mountains on one side and Loch Ness on the other.

After a couple hours there, we loaded back up at headed out to Dornoch, located in the county of Sutherland.  The cathedral in this town is the same cathedral mom's 5th (and my 6th) great grand father, Alexander Sutherland was christened.  We visited the cathedral and it's cemetery.  It was an awesome to feel the strength of those roots.  After Dornoch we went a little bit further north into Caithness County, which is also the area where Alexander Sutherland was from.

We then headed back to Fort Augustus.  I feel like I am starting to get the hang of driving on the left and after about 10+ roundabouts and only getting honked at once, I am going to deem the trip a success!

Urquart Castle - inside shot

Urquart Castle - outside shot

Mom and dad at the entrance gate to a Urquart Castle.

The prison cell in Urquart Castle.  If you look closely, you can see the prisoner still there.

A view of LochNessfrom one of the windows atUrquartt Castle.

I thought this cottage was so cute!!!  I could live there, no problem!

Dornoch Cathedral & Cemetery

Mom standing at the baptismal font where Alexander Sutherland was christened.

Dad trying his hand as a minister for the Church of Scotland.  Hehehehe!

Out on the pier of the North Sea in Golspie located in Caithness County.

Fort Augustus and Loch Ness

Today we stayed around Fort Augustus and explored the Abbey grounds and took a Loch Ness boat tour.  Dad saw the Caledonian Canal locks at work bringing a boat through.  The Abbey grounds are so cool.  You have the banks of Loch Ness, a forested area, an abbey cemetery and walking paths all located here at the Abbey...not to mention croquet, tennis, badminton, giant chess board, swimming pool and sauna.  You could spend days here and be completely entertained.  Fort Augustus has a few small shops and that small Scottish village charm.  The gas station is the supermarket and the bank is also a bed and breakfast.  Love it!!!  The area is so pretty and we feel so comfortable and at home here.

The canal workers pulling a boat through one of the sections of the locks.  Using these sections of locks, boats are able to move up the Caledonian canal and from loch to loch.

The hallways of the abbey.  It has a very 'Hogwarts' feel to it...so of course I am loving it!

Our view of Loch Ness this morning from the abbey grounds.

Mom dipping her feet in Loch Ness.

Me standing in Loch Ness...and yes it was cold.

The abbey 'forest'.  It calls for you to explore it.

Dad on the boat tour.

View of the abbey from the boat out on Loch Ness.

What's the secret password???  If you know it then I will let you in.

Our sighting of Nessie.  It was so shocking!!!  Video evidence was also obtained...I will try and post it.