Room With A View
It’s been raining here in Oban non-stop since we arrived. I’ve been very glad to have a good raincoat! We’re hoping that it will clear out enough tomorrow to take the ferry over to Mull and Iona. Still, we’ve enjoyed a walk around town and a tour of the Oban Distillery, which was quite interesting.
And last night after dinner we did a bit of Ceilidh dancing!
It was us in a room full of rowdy college-age kids. The caller walked us through several simple dances. We had a blast and worked up a bit of a sweat.
What I’m loving about Scotland:
- The electric teakettles. Boiling water in less than a minute.
- Black pudding.
- Mussels.
- The signs in Gaelic.
- “A wee whiskey.” Unlike bartenders back home who pour three-finger shots, drams are carefully measured out and a manageable size. Make mine neat. I’ve tasted several over the last few days, and still haven’t decided on a favorite, though I am partial to the Oban whiskey brewed here.
- The people. Everyone we’ve encountered so far has been warm, helpful and charming.
If we’re able to get out to the islands tomorrow I’ll have some pictures to share; if not, it’s on to Windermere on Sunday.
Bon weekend!
~
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I love black pudding! But we’re limited, those of us who appreciate its virtues, no? Glad to hear you’re in that good company 😉
That’s a very evocative, broody sort of landscape, perfect for a few fingers of whisky!
Oh I love it too, it’s so delicious.
That’s so funny, I can never manage an American measure, they are utterly massive, I could never manage even one full drink in the US!
That’s so funny, I can never manage an American measure, they are utterly massive, I could never manage even one full drink in the US!
Black pudding is not my cup of tea, so to speak. But electric tea kettles are the best. I switched over to them several years ago. Your pictures look so beautiful and it sounds like you’re having a blast. Good for you, dancing with rowdy college-age kids!! Burns off the Whiskey too.
Oh I love it too, it’s so delicious.
Beautiful views! Do happy to hear that dancing has been included in your adventure.
Electric kettles are a staple in Canada; I forgot the are not in the US. Also, in the US servings of meals as well as drinks are larger. But sometimes I really appreciate those big martinis!
Madame – it took me 14 hours to get to Shetland and I live in Scotland – crazy!
Ceilidh dancing sounds like fun! Sorry to hear about the rain though. Hopefully it will clear up soon.
I have a funny black pudding story. When we were in Oxford year before last, our hotel served a very fine breakfast with many offerings. Our wait person was a charming young woman who was speaking English as her second language. I inquired about black pudding and asked what it was exactly. She said, “First, they take the blood…” I stopped her right there, and said, I think I will have yogurt instead.
What? No blood sausage? No haggis? 😛
I was raised by a Scottish lady and visited her family in Troon when I traveled to Europe on my first trip at nineteen. They were so awesome and her grand nephews…! Gorgeous, polite and fun. I like the Scots so much better than the English. They are more down to earth. I’ve only been to Windermere once and it was on that trip. Gorgeous place. We met a boy from Windermere who invited us to stay in his London flat during our stay. It was awesome. He was a student. He studied Arabic and was planning a career as a linguist. This was back in the day when nobody really talked about doing THAT for a living! He and I wrote one another for several years after wards and he ended up studying in UAE and we lost touch.
So many memories.
Hi California Girl – black pudding IS blood sausage! :0) One of my faves. Une Femme, really enjoying travelling along with you, enjoy the rest of your trip.
Hooray for dancing in Scotland! And what a grand view – hope it dries up in time for your ferry ride.
We have black pudding Christmas morning. When I visited the relatives in Shetland, everyone offered a wee dram.
Madame – it took me 14 hours to get to Shetland and I live in Scotland – crazy!
Oh I love Scottish Country dancing. We use to have a Burns Night at my work with dancing, Haggis and whisky tasting. So much fun!
Enjoy your trip.
Annette
Lady of Style
now on Facebook
What do you use instead of an electric kettle in the US? I think Scottish whisky is spelt without the ‘e’ – which is for Irish and American tipples – and it is lovely stuff indeed. I can’t manage black pudding myself 🙂
Tiffany, yes, the iPad keeps correcting my spelling of “whisky” and I haven’t bothered to change it. Have a love/hate relationship with autocorrect. 😉
My husband and I went to a ceilidh once – worked up a sweat is an understatement! Plus there was so much stomping of feet that my legs were sore the next day.
Also, first thing my British husband bought when we moved to the US was an electric tea kettle – can’t live without it! We do live without blood pudding, though.
Fun to travel along with you! And I’ve relied on an electric tea kettle for years now. Such a great invention for the frequent tea drinker:).
Someone asked what we use instead of an electric tea kettle in the United States. We use a tea kettle that is filled with water and then set on the stove. It takes just a few minutes for the water to boil–most kettles will sing when the boiling starts. My kettle sits on the stove top all the time, ready for when I need it.
I studied in London the summer I was 20 and took as short trip up to Scotland. I wore a thin dress and carried a shoulder bag with a nightgown and undies. I washed my dress out every night and put it on in the morning… I brought no other clothes. This worked out fine EXCEPT in Oban, where it was so rainy that my dress did not dry. I had to wear a damp dress. I also remember that I had some kind of salty fish dish for breakast. Isn’t there a round building in the center of town? Thanks for the memories!
Oooh, what a view!
Sounds like a fun evening! I love mussels!!!… even tho I’m allergic to shellfish.
I love black pudding, or “morcilla,” as it’s known here in Spain. Delicious, and just the thing to get you going on a cold, rainy day.
An electric kettle was the very first kitchen plug-in I bought when I moved back to Madrid. I’ve had them for years, and they are really indispensable, not just for tea but for broth, coffee (I use a French press), and all kinds of other kitchen endeavors that require boiling water. Mine’s a fairly modest one, but it will still boil a liter of water in 45 seconds. Could not live without.
The ceilidh looks like fun. Another good way to stay warm!
Must always be bleak in Oban and Iona. It was one of the coldest places I’ve been too. Not sure I enjoyed the Abbey that much, I kept hiding behind cloisters to try and avoid the cold. Do hope you are enjoying your trip.