james test

We had another half day in Plockton before heading back to Edinburgh. I'd finally run out of enthusiasm for cooked breakfasts, so we both started the day with porridge (with a bit of jam mushed on top). It was a warming start to the day, and I'm sure my heart appreciated the break from fried eggs. Our original plan was to spend our last couple of hours in the Plockton hotel enjoying their hospitality and free wireless internet. Alas, the internet was broken, so we were driven back out into nature. Following the recommendation of the hotel staff, we headed for a walk up a track in the northern section of the town. Something about the scenery reminded Cindy of a particular scene in Monkey Island , so she spent the whole stroll singing the midi-style tunes that are eternally lodged in her brain. It really added to the highland ambiance. The weather was a bit crappy, but the walk was still wonderful. A fitting finale to our couple of days in the highlands. Afterwards, it was...

Since our hostel in Edinburgh didn't include breakfast with our lodgings, the Plockton Hotel provided our first taste of the traditional Scottish breakfast. Most of the cooked plates included various types of fish, though our waiter was happy to accommodate Michael's interest in a vegetarian version. I hope I'm not being too condescending when I say that there's nothing much cuter than one grown man asking another if he'd like tattie cakes with his breakfast! To me, they really sound like a treat a mother might whip up to comfort her child. I was expecting something round and puffy like a scone, though funnily enough they are more like Johanna's potato scones : flat, dense pancakes consisting mainly of mashed potato and flour. The gummy texture didn't win me over on first bite, but they are actually quite addictive. The other novelty for us was the couple of oatcakes that were served with our tray of toast. They looked a little like digestive biscuit...

Cindy and I dragged ourselves out of bed bright and early to board a longish train trip to Plockton via Inverness. We'd snuck Plockton onto our itinerary for a couple of reasons: I was keen to go somewhere a bit wild and remote (but with a train station) in the North West and Cindy has long harboured an unhealthy obsession with Hamish Macbeth , a hugely enjoyable British TV series set in the fictional town of Lochdubh. Of course Lochbubh is actually Plockton (at least a lot of it). So we spent our time soaking up the wonderful scenery, enjoying the delightful village and having flashes of recognition of Hamish Macbeth set locations. The train trip, particularly the leg from Inverness to Plockton, was spectacular - dramatic coastlines, giant lochs and green as far as the eye could see. I didn't get too many great photos (a lot of the best views were from the opposite windows), but there were a couple of nice ones (with a phantom sleeping Cindy reflection). Last stop: Plockt...