On the road to Inverness

Nothing like a flat tire to get your day off to a good start.  So, reminder to always go slower around turns especially if you are not used to being on the other side of the road.  Our road to Inverness and the Scottish Highlands took us through Stirling.  This is where the William Wallace monument is (Braveheart fans) and the famous Stirling Castle.  We spent some time in the castle but it was cut short by getting our tire replaced at the "tyre" shop.  Ironically, the tyre shop was located near the heart of the city.  To get there we went under a huge roundabout through several pedestrian tunnels. In the heart of the roundabout was actually a park that was pretty well maintained.  The heart of Stirling was more pleasant than I had expected.  Lots of pedestrian-only spaces with a number of shops and a farmers market.  There was even a political rally or protest with live music.  Its pretty clear in England that although there is an election coming up in early June, people seem pretty unengaged.  Political signs around Scotland take the form of guerilla art more than what we see in America with individuals loudly proclaiming individual candidates. 

The flat tire turned out to be a blessing in some ways. Edinburgh was so busy with so many attractions, it was hard to find that quiet time.  It felt very much like a typical trip.  We wanted something more, some down time to read and journal.  The flat tire forced us to stop and spend some time doing just that which included me reading a fiction book (I know its rare!).  We ate at the Fat Cyclist Cafe, picked up our car, and then carefully drove to Inverness. 

We ended our night walking down the street to find the first restaurant that had decent food and beer.  We ended up at the Black Isle Brewery which was a BLAST!  great people watching and great food and drinks.  A great way to end a long day!