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f4f3I just found my journal from a coast-to-coast trip I took across the USA 16 years ago. Although I've changed in a lot of ways since then, and stayed the same in some alarming aspects, one thing hasn't changed: I'm crap at keeping journals when I'm on holiday.
This week has been lovely, relaxing, wet, and lots of fun. The weather has been more or less what we expected. I don't think we've had a single dry day so far, and the forecast is for more of the same (including Sunday, which bodes, well, wet for the Connect Festival).
That's meant less walking and cycling (and no golf) and more reading, driving and watching DVDs. I'll write up the reading later, but we've finished 24 Season 3, and are halfway through season 1 of The Wire. I have to admit that I'm loving it. Not as dramatic as Deadwood, but very, very good. I've been convulsed in laughter more than I expected (by the "Fuck" crime scene investigation, and the desk moving) and, even though I know he's in Season 4 or 5 I was surprised by Steve Earle's appearance, and impressed.
What else have we been up to? Well, after conquering the length of the canal and back we took a ferry over to Arran, and made a circumnavigation. By car. Apart from the tearoom next door to Arran Aromatics it was a brilliant day. The Creamery is as good as ever for cheese, and we bought enough to have a lovely picnic in the south of the island. Can't remember the name of the tiny village we stopped at - Dundonald, maybe? - but it had a lovely beach and great views out to the Ailsa Craig. We got back to Lochrannza in time to buy some whisky at the distillery (matured in a Tokay barrel - not as weird as it sounds, and very nice when we tasted it), and then made our escape before the crowds arrived from the Waverley, which had dropped a load of day trippers and headed back out to cruise over to Kennacraig where we'd started. The Waverley arrived back in time to block in our ferry, so we left a few minutes late, but got to see the world's last ocean going paddlesteamer arrive and cast off.
We'd decided we wanted to give the Crinan Hotel a go, after enjoying their bar food, so we booked the restaurant for that night, and we weren't disapointed. I had lobster followed by their seafood chowder and then a treacle tart for desert. All wonderfully presented, and we got the best table in the house to watch the light fade over Jura. The cooking wasn't as accomplished as the Hotel du Vin, but it didn't have to be. The lobster was from the Sound of Jura, offshore from the hotel, and everything in the chowder had been landed just outside.
Monday we took a little trip along the canal, and Tuesday we headed up to Oban for a day's eating and shopping. The plan was to have lunch at the seafood shed and then dinner at their restaurant, the Temple. Unfortunately when we got to the shed the owner was in, and told us they shut on Tuesday and Thursday. Bah. He made up for it with friendliness, though, pulling up two creels for us to use as seats while we munched on our scallops and prawns. We did a quick change of plan and bought two lobsters to take away, despite my reluctance to transport dangerous crusteceans in Scooby. We made it back alive, andunblinkered did wonderful things with the lobsters for dinner. Well, she cooked them for a start, and made amazing chilli butter and salad, and then crumble made with apples and blackberries picked in Arran the day before.
Today we did some chilling and planning and packing, and we're off in the morning to visit Islay (oh, and my pronounciation tip for the day is that it's Aye-La, not Aye-Lay, or, worse, Izlay). We've booked a hotel next door to the Bruichladdich distillery. The only slight fly in the ointment in that we couldn't get booked on the ferry back on Friday night, so we're wait-listed for it instead. If we can't get on it, then I'll sleep in the car and packunblinkered off as a foot passenger...
Hey, what could possibly go wrong?
That's meant less walking and cycling (and no golf) and more reading, driving and watching DVDs. I'll write up the reading later, but we've finished 24 Season 3, and are halfway through season 1 of The Wire. I have to admit that I'm loving it. Not as dramatic as Deadwood, but very, very good. I've been convulsed in laughter more than I expected (by the "Fuck" crime scene investigation, and the desk moving) and, even though I know he's in Season 4 or 5 I was surprised by Steve Earle's appearance, and impressed.
What else have we been up to? Well, after conquering the length of the canal and back we took a ferry over to Arran, and made a circumnavigation. By car. Apart from the tearoom next door to Arran Aromatics it was a brilliant day. The Creamery is as good as ever for cheese, and we bought enough to have a lovely picnic in the south of the island. Can't remember the name of the tiny village we stopped at - Dundonald, maybe? - but it had a lovely beach and great views out to the Ailsa Craig. We got back to Lochrannza in time to buy some whisky at the distillery (matured in a Tokay barrel - not as weird as it sounds, and very nice when we tasted it), and then made our escape before the crowds arrived from the Waverley, which had dropped a load of day trippers and headed back out to cruise over to Kennacraig where we'd started. The Waverley arrived back in time to block in our ferry, so we left a few minutes late, but got to see the world's last ocean going paddlesteamer arrive and cast off.
We'd decided we wanted to give the Crinan Hotel a go, after enjoying their bar food, so we booked the restaurant for that night, and we weren't disapointed. I had lobster followed by their seafood chowder and then a treacle tart for desert. All wonderfully presented, and we got the best table in the house to watch the light fade over Jura. The cooking wasn't as accomplished as the Hotel du Vin, but it didn't have to be. The lobster was from the Sound of Jura, offshore from the hotel, and everything in the chowder had been landed just outside.
Monday we took a little trip along the canal, and Tuesday we headed up to Oban for a day's eating and shopping. The plan was to have lunch at the seafood shed and then dinner at their restaurant, the Temple. Unfortunately when we got to the shed the owner was in, and told us they shut on Tuesday and Thursday. Bah. He made up for it with friendliness, though, pulling up two creels for us to use as seats while we munched on our scallops and prawns. We did a quick change of plan and bought two lobsters to take away, despite my reluctance to transport dangerous crusteceans in Scooby. We made it back alive, and
unblinkered did wonderful things with the lobsters for dinner. Well, she cooked them for a start, and made amazing chilli butter and salad, and then crumble made with apples and blackberries picked in Arran the day before.Today we did some chilling and planning and packing, and we're off in the morning to visit Islay (oh, and my pronounciation tip for the day is that it's Aye-La, not Aye-Lay, or, worse, Izlay). We've booked a hotel next door to the Bruichladdich distillery. The only slight fly in the ointment in that we couldn't get booked on the ferry back on Friday night, so we're wait-listed for it instead. If we can't get on it, then I'll sleep in the car and pack
unblinkered off as a foot passenger...Hey, what could possibly go wrong?
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Date: 2008-08-27 09:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2008-08-27 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 09:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 10:08 pm (UTC)The Tobermory I got a few weeks ago, the Mitchell's with the new Campbeltown in the blend, that special 12 year old Talisker...
Oh, and I suppose I might pick up some bottles in the next couple of days.
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Date: 2008-08-27 10:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 10:50 pm (UTC)Fortunately it's a Monday we're coming through. :D
I have a funny feeling I'm really going to like what little I'm getting to see of Scotland - if you consider that my favourite things are rolling green hills, old landscapes, history, water, wet weather and seafood.
I've been pronouncing Islay - EeeLah - will have to fix that. I blame Julian May.
Oh, and I've found in the past that a gum boot (wellington boot?) is a good way to transport live crustaceans in the boot of your car. Of course, I ended up feeling guilty and letting the yabbie go - there was only one of it, which wasn't worth the cooking. I'm such a sap sometimes.
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Date: 2008-08-27 11:00 pm (UTC)Oh, and you are going to get the best Kilmartin/Oban travel guide ever...
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Date: 2008-08-27 11:03 pm (UTC)Oh really!? You know someone? *cheesy grin*
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Date: 2008-08-28 08:14 am (UTC)