The Battle of Culloden

June 06, 2022

06-06-2022

Just got our welcome photo!

We have a leisurely morning, just making sure that we're dressed before ten, when Ivan is coming to fix the door. Everyone is on their own for breakfast and Ivan is right on time. He works diligently and says he's fixed it. Being the trusting souls that we are, both Marilyn and I have to lock and unlock it before we let him get away! And we have a lovely chat. He invites us down to number 44, which he and Caroline have just acquired and are busily decorating.

When we're ready to hit the road we know downstairs and are impressed with how lovely that one is, too. And Caroline is ass charming and entertaining as Ivan! We're off to the site of the Battle of Culloden about which we know very little and I, for one, am not expecting much. What a surprise! There are interesting displays but before we've gone very far a young man invites us to the back of the building for a discussion of the weaponry used in the battle. Alexander is fun and knowledgeable and we learn a lot!

He invites us to join a tour of the actual battlefield that is starting in about ten minutes which is just enough time to observe the battle field table display and go outside.

Gaven is just coming back from a tour and barely pauses before beginning ours! There is just the right mixture of history and humor to bring the entire scene, and its preceding history to life! We begin to understand that what began as a war of religion morphed into a war of politics, pitting brother against brother. At the end of the tour Gaven tells us that we Americans have Scotland to thank for our Declaration of Independence, as it is based on aa Scottish document.

As we're walking away, after thanking and complimenting him profusely, he asks if we'll be around a while. There is going to be a demonstration of how to put on a kilt! We can't miss that! We have just enough time to hit the gift shop and head for Gaven's show. First we have to find it!

When we get there he and a partner are pleating a tartan spread out on the floor. He shows us how it can also be aa shawl or aa raincoat or aaa sleeping bag! Then he demonstrates the use of a musket, a shield, a dirk and a basket-handled broad sword. The sword's handle is wrapped in snake skin! We learn that a normal kilt takes six yards of fabric but a rich clan chief's kilt will take nine yards - hence going the whole nine yards! And speaking of sayings, when you load a musket you pull it back to the half cocked position to load the powder, hence, going off half cocked!

It's time for us to find the cafe; but it is going to close pretty soon, so the kitchen is closed. We get sandwiches and dessert and as we're eating Gaven comes in and comes over to chat! He has a degree in history and is going back to get a teaching degree to teach high school. He tells us that there is yet another demonstration if we're interested. Of course we are! It will be a quiz to see what we've learned!

We're early enough to get seats this time! Gaven says that if we don't get at least six correct out of ten, we have to stay until we get them all right! Several are trick questions and he won't get away with that in high school! Once again, we've closed the place down!

Down the road to the Clava Cairns, ancient burial sites from about 2000BC. There are three cairns, two that have open roofs and an entrance which you can use, and a central one that has no entrance. They are all surrounded by standing stones. The site is tree-covered and feels quite mysterious.

From here we head for the Tomatin Distillery but we arrive just fifteen minutes from they close. The helpful lady at the cash register gives us each a complimentary taste of their 12 year old Scotch and the first sip really opens our eyes!! But the warmth is immediate and the rest of the sample goes down so smoothly! We promise to come back tomorrow and she says we'll get another complimentary taste of that one - we just have to play dumb and not mention that we've already sampled it! Gaven had recommended a pizza place near by and we figure that will be tomorrow's dinner. Tonight we have yummy leftovers!

We stop at the little store in our neighborhood and get some bits and pieces to stretch our leftovers and head home. Connie is in charge of laundry and Ginger cooks. I clean up and Marilyn does all the driving and doesn't have to do a single other thing! Tonight we've added beetroot and rice and made another salad. And I've bought us all pistachio cannolis for dessert!