Today was our day to explore the northern highlands, north of Inverness!  We started our day with a lovely breakfast and then into the car, and off on our journey!

Our first stop was the Dalmore distillery… One of my favourites…. As I was driving I was reduced to a drop in my tongue at the end of the tour!  But first, we had sited some drilling platforms in the firth as we approached the distillery and discovered the best viewing point would be from the distillery itself!

      

The tour was excellent… And while I recite the process in my sleep, the differences between the distilleries is very interesting…of course, the tasting at the end was excellent as well…. Or so I’m  told!!!

 Our next stop was to explore the seaside village of Dronoch…a lovely spot, but as I was driving to leave the GPS took me right along the 10th tee and putting green of the Royal Dronach Golf Club… Quite spectacular and frightening at the same time!!!

Our next brief stop was at the Glenmorangie Distillery… Home of the tallest stills in the country ( making their whisky the smoothest and lightest…. As Graeme from Macallan called it, a ladies whisky!!!). No disparaging comments … I think this is one of the best… But then again, I’ve said this about a few of them…

    

One of the things we learned today is that the black you see on the outside of most of the granite building in a distillery is actually a bacteria that thrives on the “angel’s share”, or the whisky that evaporates as part of the natural aging process… Interesting… It looks like they have been burning coal on the outside of their buildings!

After a brief visit here we went on to see our dear friend Sandra…after looking for her constantly, it turned out she was at the same pilgrims mass that we were at… She had squeezed in the door at the beginning of the service, but with well over 1,000 people there we had little chance of seeing her!  On the Friday, she headed off to Finisterre by bus for her final step of the way…

Sandra treated us to incredible hospitality, including award winning fish and chips as promised!!!  We all had a wonderful afternoon recounting stories and hearing Sandra’s adventures getting home!

Sandra, THANK YOU for all you did for us today and throughout the Camino!  Looking forward to hosting you in Canada soon!

As for Alan, his Camino walk is over… He is safely back in Santiago, and will be heading to the Spanish coast for a few days R and R before heading off to the UK…after a near miss in losing Hanna bear, all are reunited and safe in their Santiago hotel!  Bravo my friend!

As for us, we’ve had a lovely light supper and then headed back to the Markovich “Suite” for a nightcap… Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Suzanne is drinking Scotch!!! Well I seem to have lost my ability to add more pics to this blog, so stay tuned on Facebook!  Goodnight to all!!!