So we woke up Sunday morning to the glorious smells of breakfast cooking - that's what I love about staying in B&B's - I've never yet had a bad breakfast in a B&B and again, the one at Strathgorm did not disappoint. It's interesting, being in Scotland, you're not offered a full English breakfast, but a full Scottish. Now to my mind, I couldn't really tell the difference between the two because, although at first observation, the obvious difference seemed to be the exclusion of baked beans (hallelujah for that!) and the inclusion of black pudding, however I do seem to recall once having black pudding served during an English breakfast somewhere on the South English coast. So I'm not sure that having black pudding included is enough to constitute calling it a "full Scottish breakfast", especially as you can find variations of this in many European countries - blotwurst in Germany, boudin noir in France... Hmm. Apologies to the Scottish nation for bursting your bubble. Although I will let you have your haggis. In fact, you can keep it...
Actually it was very interesting observing the Scots. I don't know that I can get my head around the fact that if you're British, it doesn't necessarily mean you're English - and I think if I was in the position of the Scots, I would be like them, doing all I could to make sure people knew there was a difference. To illustrate this, I quote to you a story I read in a souvenir shop at Armadale, Skye. The story was that God went missing for six days, and archangel Michael found Him resting on the seventh day. He asked God where He had been, and in answer, God proudly showed him His latest creation - Earth. God explained that the Earth would be a great place of people and balance.
"Balance and peoples?" inquired Michael, confused.
God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, but cold and harsh, while southern Europe is going to be poor, but sunny and pleasant. I have made some lands abundant in water and other lands parched deserts. This one will be extremely hot whilst this one will be very cold and covered in ice."
The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a country and said, "What's that one?""Ah," said God. "Scotland -- the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful beaches, streams, hills, and forests. The people from Scotland are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent and humorous and they are going to be found travelling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace."Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there would be balance!"
God replied wisely, "Wait until you see who their neighbours are”.
Hehehe...
Anyway, we set off after breakfast to do a bit of a drive around Skye before taking the ferry back to the mainland from Armadale. Even though this was the first day of overcast weather, you could still really appreciate the beauty of the Island. Actually, I hadn't realised it was as large as it was, and if we'd had more time we could have ventured north and seen sights and places relating to Flora Macdonald and Bonnie Prince Charlie, but alas, we hadn't the time.
Didn't stop Mum and Mal though from giving us public vocal renditions of the "Skye Boat Song" on the ferry crossing back to Mallaig...much to my chagrin...
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