Catching up in Mexico – Part Two
Life is about the adventures you take and the memories you make. So travel often and live life with open eyes and an open heart. Author unknown
Catching up Part Two
We finally got settled into our apartment in Melaque. Unpacking what we needed here and leaving the rest to be taken to San Luis Potosi (SLP). It was hot and humid, but little did we know that it was going to get worse.
Our friends came for a two-week stay. We didn’t do a lot because of the heat. We spent an hour or more in the pool, which was not that refreshing. Frankly, it felt like bath water. The ocean wasn’t much better, with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius.
A rare picture of my husband in the pool
Walking around was not comfortable. So, we spent time in the pool, in our air-conditioned apartments, going out only to eat. One of the restaurants we chose was Kraken—excellent food and service.
Mango margarita. Yummy
Our friends left after a week because it was not much of a holiday for them. We didn’t blame them. We only wished we were going with them.
CUZALAPA COFFEE PLANTATION – COLOUR OF THE EARTH
We booked the tour with Flip Flop Tours https://flipflopnomads.com/ Dan, the owner of Flip Flop Tours, is an awesome guide. The trip to the plantation is about an hour or two. Dan talks about the vegetation, local history, and background of the names of the towns we travelled through. He answered all questions. It was so informative and interesting. The time flew by.
I have been to this plantation many times. Dan and I thought at least 6 or 7 times. Always interesting and always new things to learn and discover. Check out my post on the plantation.
https://www.thetravellinglady.ca/color-of-the-earth-the-cuzalapa-coffee-plantation/
Rosy, the head of the co-op, remembered me! There were a few changes which was nice to see the progress that has been made. The number of products that they sell from the surrounding communities has increased. This was good to see; as you know, it is helping not just the coffee plantation but also the communities.
We had planned a trip to the coffee plantation in Cuzalapa. We decided to go anyway. There were a few more friends that came along.
Please note the horsetail for sale. Apparently, it is brewed as a tea and is good for a lot of things, including digestive problems. I spent a huge amount of time trying to get that weed out of my garden!
A clay oven used by the owner.
This little guy came running out of his house when he saw us. He grabbed a broom because that was what the guide was using, and this little pretended he was the guide. He would find fallen fruit and share it with us. So cute.
Our landlords’ son had his 3rd birthday party on the road outside of the apartment. In Mexico, it is common to see celebrations on the street.
I am not sure what they used for the pinatas, but they were tough. As you can see from the videos, even the adults had problems.
Yes, those are dark clouds, you see. Just as the food was being served, the sky opened up. There was a big scramble to get inside. Within minutes the dirt road was a mud puddle.
Last Friday, we applied for our 3-year temporary residency and got it! All we have to do now is wait for the cards to arrive, which, with any luck, with be in a week. If not, then two weeks. As soon as we get the cards, we will make travel arrangements to go to SLP.
In the meantime, this week, we will apply for our drivers’ licence. I will let you know how that process went.
Until then.
CATCHING UP IN MEXICO
It has been a long time since I have written anything on this blog. Thanks to my subscribers who have stuck with me. I appreciate all of you.
So where to begin? As you know from my last post, we decided to stay most of the time in San Luis Potosi. We agreed because SLP (San Luis Potosi) fit most of our wish list. It has excellent medical facilities, an airport, and lots of things to do in and around SLP, few “gringos” and mild weather. The only downside is the size of the city, over a million people. Of course, to check off all our wishes, we knew we had to go to a larger city—a small price to pay.
Once we got back to Canada the real work began. We started downsizing. I would highly recommend that you downsize whether you are moving or not. We are not collectors, but after 30 years of living in the same place, one tends to gather things. Once we had downsized enough, we put our house on the market. We got an offer on the second day, which we accepted. The closing date was in six weeks! No problem. We started selling and giving away our possessions. I underestimated the amount of time and effort it would take. We were fortunate that the people who bought our SUV allowed us to use it until our last day. That also went for the people who bought our bed and our recliners. They picked them up the day we were leaving, which allowed us to stay in the house until the last moment.
So off we went on our new adventure. We flew into Puerto Vallarta and stayed a couple of nights to allow my husband to renew his passport. The only other Canadian consulate was Mexico City which would be difficult to get to.
Once we got settled in Melaque, we decided to apply for my husband’s RFC number (tax number), which is required by anyone who is a resident of Mexico. I received mine last year. So, with the help of our facilitator, Pedro, we got an appointment at the SAT office in Manzanillo, an hour away from Melaque. We had all the paperwork ready, or so we thought. My husband and Pedro went into the office only to be told we needed to copy the back of the CFE (electrical bill). They gave us an extra 10 minutes to get this done before we lost our appointment. Thankfully Pedro knew where to go, and we got it done and back in time for the appointment.
We decided to get our Mexican drivers’ licenses. We haven’t done it yet as we have company arriving in the next few days. But this is the procedure. First, you need to go to a lab, get your blood type done, and get a card showing that. Apparently, we may need it for other things. We have done that. Then you go to Cihuatlan, the county seat, and City Hall to verify your address. This is for people who rent. The next step is to go to the office where they issue the licenses to show them your blood type card and address verification and, I think, answer a few questions. You then need to go a block away to another office where you will pay and take a written test. If you don’t want to take the test, you can give some money to the personnel there. Once done, you return to the first office, show that you have paid and have taken the test, and they will issue you a license. This should be interesting.
We can’t apply for our three-year temporary residency until July 27th. It should be straightforward. We will hire a facilitator again, just in case.
The rainy season is here. We got a bit of Hurricane Beatriz, but she didn’t come inland, so all we got was a lot of rain. We know this is not the end of storms. We only hope that we get some nice weather for our friends that are arriving.
I will leave this post here. We have plans for our friends and will bring you along. Until next time.
San Luis Potosi
Mexico has no shortage of beautiful towns and cities. San Luis Potosi is no exception. We fell in love with this beautiful city. The Historical Centre is drop-dead gorgeous. There are so many museums that we didn’t have time to explore them all.
San Luis Potosi also referred to as SLP, has many industries, including General Motors, Mabe, Cummins Group and BMW. These industries, and many more, provide a stable financial environment for the city and state.
We stayed at the Hotel Santosi by Inmense. Our room was large, with a kitchenette and a sitting area. The only downfall was that it overlooks the dining area of the hotel. The “window” was plexiglass, giving us privacy but no noise reduction. Chez Waffle was part of the hotel and served a good breakfast that was included in the price of the room.
We started our tour of the city at the Museo Nacional de la Máscara. No, it is not about mascara but masks. There are over two thousand masks from Mexico and around the world. It is very impressive. It is in the Plaza del Carmen and is closed on Mondays.
Across the street from the Museo Nacional de la Máscara was a unique display by Edgardo Charnichart. With my limited Spanish and his limited English, I think I understood it was his interpretation of many things in Mexico. He tried valiantly to explain, and I think I understood the gist of it. Unfortunately, my phone was stolen and all my notes etc. were lost. A lot of work and artistry went into his display. Very impressive. The photos do not do it justice.
The Templo de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, also in the Plaza del Carmen, is imposing with its baroque style with marble apostles on the façade, which are duplicates of statues in Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica.
We went to the train museum, Museo del Ferrocarril. It was very interesting, and they did an excellent job preserving the old cars. There are a couple of places to eat there, and Restaurant La Estacion is across the street.
Museo del Virreinato is another museum we toured. The building was built in 1747 and was the former convent of the order of Carmelita nuns. It has been an asylum for orphans, a masonry and the office of the Ministry of Health. Today, there are concerts, conferences, children’s workshops and courses, and an art gallery. They have preserved the cloister and one other room as a museum.
Closed Monday. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fee 15 pesos.
The Museo Federico Silva is an interesting look at a different type of contemporary art sculpture. The building dates back to 1611 and is named after the most important sculptor in Mexico. For us, it was very different but interesting.
One must-see museum is the Centro de Artes Centenario. It was a prison up until 1999, and ten years later, it was transformed into an arts and cultural centre. We had an excellent guide take us around the museum. With him, we knew what everything was before and what it turned into now. Some cells have been maintained as cells, and others converted into offices.
The museum also houses another museum, Museo Leonora Carrington. Her sculptures are unique. Visiting the Centro de Artes is worth it. She was a very interesting person.
Further down the street from the Centro de Artes is the Basilica Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. The church is beautiful inside and out. One of the unique items is the crystal boat hanging down from the ceiling.
In between our sightseeing, we found a couple of nice restaurants. Our favourite (so far) is La Historica Cantina de Autor. Great venue, food, and service. They had musicians playing softly. The place was full, so I recommend making a reservation. The waiters were quite busy the night we were there. For more information, visit their website: lahistoricarestaurante.com.
Another restaurant is La Posada del Virrey Restaurante. Address Jardin Hidalgo 3. We only had lunches there but enjoyed the food and view. The décor inside was interesting and different.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Jim and Karen Clifford, who kindly met up with us and showed us around San Luis Potosi, and took us to Café Pacifico for breakfast. Lovely place, not fancy, but with good food. They are a part of the reason we have decided to move there. Thanks to Jim and Karen Clifford for your kindness and friendship.
HOTEL CASA LEON, MOON RESTAURANT, Melaque, Mexico
There is a new hotel on the beach in Melaque, Casa Leon Hotel. Some people like it, others don’t. Some don’t want the town to change from its small fishing/tourist town; others welcome the change. Whatever your opinion, progress is inevitable. There is progress happening all over Melaque. Hotels are renovating and adding additions, and stores are upgrading their facades.
One of the perks of this new hotel is the restaurant on the roof. Moon Restaurant. The views from this restaurant are breathtaking. The restaurant is on the 6th floor, and there is an elevator. The only one in Melaque.
The restaurant is operated by Gilberto Rodriquez, owner of El Patio Restaurant in downtown Melaque. He has many years of experience running a very successful restaurant.
The décor is tasteful, and much thought went into the staging. The ambiance is wonderful with the décor and, of course, the view.
Chef Aldo Vazquez comes from Mexico City, and his resume is impressive. At the age of 14, he worked at the Cow & The Chicken Grill, where he started as a helper in the kitchen and worked his way up to being in charge. He also worked as the cook and bartender at Burrito’s Company Bar. For another two years, he oversaw an Italian pizza traditional. Before taking the Moon Restaurant position, he was a restaurant advisor. He would go to new restaurants, help with recipes, portions, food to order and how to set things up for a better chance of being successful. Besides all this, he went to Centro Universitario Mexico for four years. His thesis was on the salt of Colima. He stated that the salt from Colima is lower in sodium. He is only 22 years old. I am sure he will be an excellent addition not only to this restaurant but also to Melaque. Oh, and I was told that he was single.
There is a conference room which seats 50 and has a kitchen. It is also on the top floor.
Also, on the top floor, there is a full-service spa.
The opening night was New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, we had other plans and could not go, but we heard it was very successful. I did have a chance to have lunch there, and the food was excellent. The fish and chips were so good. We also had ribs, and they, too, were good. There was a minor glitch with our order, and we got mashed potatoes instead of wedges. After tasting the mashed potatoes, I was pleased with that, but they insisted that we have the wedges. The wedges were also delicious. As they have just opened, you can expect minor glitches. Overall, it was excellent.
This is the place for anyone wanting a fine dining experience with the best views in town.
The hours are 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
After lunch, we had the opportunity to meet with the owner of the hotel, Jose Leon. He graciously showed us a room which was nicely done. There was a kitchen there with everything you would need to cook if you didn’t want to eat out.
He also showed us one of the condos that are for sale. Floors 4 and 5 are private floors with a private entrance. You are also given a special card to use in the elevator to get to those floors. The condos have two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a large balcony overlooking the ocean. If you want more information about the condos, please get in touch with Jose Leon at 33 2254 7601
Jocotepec, Mexico
“In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.”
Jocotepec, Mexico, is on the west side of Lake Chapala. It is a small, seemingly unassuming traditional town, but what isn’t apparent at first is that just outside this town are miles and miles of greenhouses or coverings for berries. Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are mainly for export to the U.S. or Canada. These greenhouses provide work for many people, and many of the workers live in Jocotepec. What I found strange was that I didn’t see many berries sold in the town’s grocery stores. Maybe I didn’t look hard enough. I did not realize that Driscoll Company started the berry “farms.” The following is a quote from Driscoll’s berries. They provided all the infrastructure for the berry growing.
“Our business is run differently from others. We don’t grow our own berries. Our Joy Makers develop proprietary varieties, and our nurseries cultivate the plants. We then hand those off to independent farmers that range in size to do what they do best. Once sold, 85% of the revenue goes back to the farmers.
Over 22 years ago, Driscoll’s set up small plots in Jocotepec and worked with the local farmers to farm berries. “
The town itself is walkable and is a typical traditional Mexican town. The main square has the usual restaurants and stores surrounding it. There is an excellent café with baked goods where the locals gather.
We stayed at a lovely Airbnb, Carmen’s Place. She and her family were wonderful hosts, and the accommodations were clean, comfortable and a perfect location to the square and other points of interest. We would definitely stay there again.
Another great find was Panaderia Artesanal Bakery, Coffee Shop Bistro! The owner Joe Campos was very proud of his work. So much so that I thought it was just newly opened, but he has been in business for five years. My husband had a giant burger, and I had a sandwich, which kind I forgot, but I never forgot that I loved it. I haven’t felt that way about a sandwich since my favourite sandwich at Earl’s Restaurant. It was so good. If I lived there, it would be my go-to for bread, desserts, sandwiches, and excellent coffee! You can find him on Calle Juarez 29. His phone number is 33 3011 4123. His website is on Facebook on Panaderia Artesanal.
The Malecon in Jocotepec is beautiful. We decided to walk, thinking that it was not that far. A neighbour across the street from our Airbnb said she would not walk there, but we thought, hey, we walk a lot; how far can it be? Our landlady also showed us the “Uber” place up the street where you can get an Uber. Strange, we thought. I assumed that you had to call Uber. Anyway, we decided to walk to the Malecon. Well, we walked and walked. Several km later, we finally came to the Malecon. We rested and then continued our tour of the area. Along one side of the walkway, there were several huts. They sold drinks, food and souvenirs and wine. The wine hut caught my eye, and we decided to try it out. The wine is made from local berries and is excellent. We talked to the owner and asked him about his company.
He told us that the company started a few years ago when one of his sons was 16. The teacher wanted the class to make something saleable from ingredients or materials from the area. He made marmalade from berries which went over quite well. He then asked the teacher if he could make wine. She researched and said that was doable. So that was the beginning of the winery. From their website:
“2014 Andres Gonzalez, a 16-year-old boy, saw an opportunity to present a school project in high school based on the use of berries grown in Jocotepec, transforming them into an artisanal wine.
2015 it was presented for the first time in Ensenada, Baja California at the XXII Congress of Science and Technology of the Sea in the land of wine, considered the cradle of wine in Mexico, having great acceptance by the public. There he began his participation in school competitions, highlighting the “Expolitec” innovation contest by the Polytechnic, University of Guadalajara, where he won first place.
2016 He participated as a representative of the company “Lago Rojo” in the state-owned National Network for Sustainable Development (agribusiness contest), where he won second place and, with it, the opportunity to participate in the same contest but National. “
They are a small company and sell to local shops or specialty stores further out of town. They will also ship anywhere in Mexico.
We bought lunch at one of the huts that only make burgers. They were excellent!
After lunch and some wine, we decided to head back to our Airbnb, so I pulled up my Uber app and requested an Uber. We waited and waited until, finally, Uber said they couldn’t find any drivers. Boy, they must be busy, I thought. We tried to get someone to call a cab for us, but no luck. So, we walked and rested and walked. We later discovered that the “Uber” stand is not linked to the real Uber that I am aware of. You just go to the spot and tell one of the cars that you want an Uber. Basically, it is just a taxi stand. Maybe the rates are lower, but I don’t know.
One day we took the bus to Chapala, further down the lake and spent some time walking around the Malecon. The traffic was heavy, and it took us an hour to get there. A pretty place that we will have to explore more of one day.
All in all, Jocotepec is a pleasant small town where life is at a slow pace. We need that sometimes.
Some general photos around Jocotepec.
Baby turtles, Temporary Residency and more
BABY TURTLES, TEMPORARY RESIDENCY AND MORE
“We take photos as a return trip with the ones you love.” Katie Thurmes
As you may have read in my last blog, my husband and I are applying for Temporary Residency in Mexico. We were approved at the Mexican Consulate in Vancouver, B.C. We had 60 days to finish it in Mexico.
Last Thursday, we went to the immigration office to start the process and hopefully finish it, as it usually only takes a few hours. When we started the process, they asked for our FMM, and we explained that we flew into Puerto Vallarta, and they said they were no longer necessary. At the time, we thought great, less paperwork. Because the INM (Immigration) wanted to see our FMM, we had to try to download it. Long story short, it took a while, but we got it downloaded but couldn’t access it. Then the power went out for 4 hours. The next day was a holiday and, of course, the weekend, so we had to wait until Monday.
On Monday, we head back to the office. They managed to finish mine but before they could finish my husband’s, they decided that all the offices were to be fumigated to control mosquitos. Of course, we had to leave the office, and after waiting a bit for it to air out, we went back inside, and they started his again.
Then there was an earthquake drill, so once again, we left the office to participate. Back again, and they managed to finish his. They asked us to come back in 40 minutes to get our photos and fingerprints done. We decided to go across the street to a restaurant and have a beverage. We were there for about a half hour when a real earthquake happened! We were told it was 7.6 . The building was really shaking, and it was difficult to get outside. After the earthquake, we couldn’t finish because the whole system was down. So we had to go back again the next day. We were able to get our photos and fingerprints done. We waited over two weeks for the cards to arrive! So what was normally a few hours to do took days. But it is done.
During the two weeks, we were fortunate enough to take part in the release of 500 turtles. We headed to the beach at the appointed time, which I found out later was determined by a few factors. One, the sun had to go down so the birds would nest for the night and not have baby turtles on the menu. Second, they were watching the waves, as in Goldilocks and the three bears, where the porridge had to be not too hot or too cold but just right. They wanted as few obstacles for the hatchlings as possible, as only 1 in a thousand make it. Once that happened, we all lined up to get a baby turtle and take it to the ocean to be released. As I was waiting in line, I talked to a local woman and explained that this was my first time doing this. She immediately grabbed my hand and brought me up to the front of the line (the children had already taken theirs) and got a turtle for me. She then brought me down to the ocean and showed me where I should let it go. Apparently, you can’t get too close to the ocean. The organizers draw a line in the sand as to where you should stand and release them. It was an awesome feeling. I hope my little one made it
A few days later, we left on our exploring trip. We took an ETN bus, which is the most luxurious line for comfort. It took us over 6 hours, and then we took a taxi to Jocotepec to start our adventure. More on the next blog.
A New Adventure
MEXICO
It has been quite a while since I have written anything for my blog. Of course, the pandemic reared its ugly head and continues to do so on a smaller scale. Some people chose this time to start or finish a project. Me, well, I went into shutdown. No projects, no writing and of course, no travelling. That, for me, was one of the hardest things. Thanks to my friend and writing coach, Kathrin Lake, she gently prodded me to start writing again. I am writing a murder mystery book and I have decided to continue with the blog but in a slightly different fashion. Since I am not sure whether I will be travelling overseas I have decided to focus on Mexico. In particular, our thoughts and final decision on moving to Mexico. We are going to be exploring new areas to hopefully find one where we would like to spend the majority of our time. So, let us begin!
To live or stay in Mexico longer than the usual 6 months, we needed to apply for a Temporary Residency in Mexico from the country you are a citizen of. The process, if you are prepared with all the required paperwork only takes about 2 ½ hours and that includes going for lunch while waiting for the approval. The cost was minimal, $62.00 Cdn. It will vary slightly from month to month. You do have to qualify financially but if my readers want, I can go into that in another blog. We were approved for the first part. Now we must return to Mexico within 6 months of being approved to finalize the paperwork. Once that is done, we will receive a Temporary Residency card which will allow us to remain in the country for up to 4 years. After that, we can apply for a Permanent Residency. At this point, there is no financial requirements for the permanent one.
As some of you may know, we stay in Melaque ‘for the winter’ which is on the Pacific coast, 4 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. Why not stay there year-round? We think it would be too hot and humid. Also, they tend to have hurricanes and tremendous amounts of rain which brings on flooding. So, we have decided to try inland. We have not decided on our final choices yet but here are a few that we are considering.
Jocotepec
Morelia
San Louis Potosi
Aguascalientes
Comala
Do any of you have more ideas?
Scotland Day Four
On day four, we headed to the Isle of Skye and a two-night stay in Portree. Portree is a picturesque little town on the Isle of Skye. It is the largest town on Skye. The houses are painted in different colours—a photographer’s dream.
After settling in our accommodations, we travelled north to the Trotternish Ridge. The Old Man of Storr is a well-known site on Skye. It is a 4 km hike to the rock and is rated a medium length and medium difficulty walking. Our group did not do the hike but instead went to a different area to view the rock. Legend has it that Old Man of Storr was a giant who had lived in Trotternish Ridge, and when he was buried, his thumb was left jutting out the ground, creating the famous jagged landscape.
This is the best view we could get of it.
another view
From there, we went to the viewpoint to see the Kilt rock. It does resemble a kilt. You can also see Mealt Falls. When a strong wind is blowing, you can hear a tone that appears to come from the surrounding area. The instrument emitting the eerie noise is the fencing that surrounds the lookout point. Holes facing the sea allow wind into the piping, turning the safety feature into an organ of sorts. It was an eerie sound.
The next stop was the Sligachan Bridge. The old bridge is not in use anymore. They built a newer one to resemble the old.
I hiked around the area. The mountains were incredible. The legend associated with this bridge and water is enjoyable. Unfortunately, I heard about the legend of this area too late to try the water treatment.
This is an excerpt of that legend from Rabbies Tour Company.
“There’s a little bridge in Sligachan on the Isle of Skye. A small stream runs below it, and you can look up to a mighty mountain.
Many travellers would never think to stop there to have a look around. It’s just another beautiful stream in the Scottish Highlands. But that’s because they don’t know this water has the magical power to grant you eternal beauty.
No, really, it does.
We’ve splashed about here a thousand times, and we’re stunningly beautiful. Or at least that’s what our mums tell us.
Anyway, the way this stream became magical is one of our favourite myths on Skye.
It’s the tale of The Enchanted Waters of Sligachan. And if you stay around for the ending, we’ll explain what you’re supposed to do in the water to gain eternal beauty.
A Famous Warrior
So, the story begins with Scotland’s warrior woman, Scáthach. She lived on Skye, and the news was travelling around the world that she was the greatest fighter in all of Scotland.
But this news travelled to the wrong people. Cú Chulainn, Ireland’s favourite warrior, had found out. He wasn’t a bad guy; he was just very competitive. He had to know if he could defeat her in battle, so he jumped across the ocean to Skye and challenged her.
But Scáthach was no coward. Even though Cú Chulainn had the strength of Hercules and was a half-god, she accepted the challenge. She even believed she could win.
This fight would be bigger than Muhammad Ali versus Bruce Lee, bigger than Terminator versus Predator; it would be the largest fight this land had ever known.
The battle raged for weeks. Valleys were moved, mountains shook, and all the animals had fled the Isle of Skye.
But Scáthach’s daughter couldn’t take it anymore. She was upset beyond belief and ran down to the stream to cry.
She shouted, “please, somebody stop this fighting. I can’t stand it anymore”.
And she was in luck.
A Delicious Resolution
The fairies of the river had heard her. They beckoned her to dunk her face in the stream for seven seconds to discover how she could stop this terrifying battle.
She did as they asked, and the fairies blessed her with the knowledge of what to do.
Her legs pattered across the land as she ran around Skye, finding herbs, meats, nuts, and every delicious thing that this small island produced. She then brought them home and stewed up the most delicious broth you could imagine.
The smells of this meal were incredible. The scents travelled far and were so delicious they could make you hungry again after a ten-course Michelin-starred feast.
The fighting warriors smelt it and couldn’t fight on. Their saliva glands were gushing faster than the Niagara Falls. So, they agreed to take a break to enjoy a feast.
Scáthach and Cú Chulainn arrived at the house and scoffed up the food like they hadn’t eaten a meal in their entire lives.
The feast marked the end of the battle. By eating in the home of Scáthach, Cú Chulainn had become a guest. Cú Chulainn was no animal; he had been raised with good manners and knew the rules of Celtic hospitality: you can’t fight someone who has hosted you…ever.
So, there, the battle ended.
A Portal to the Fairies
But the fairies of the river had been disturbed by this battle forever. So, by dunking your face in it, you transport a part of yourself into the underworld and attain eternal beauty.
Here’s how you do it.
Firstly, don’t be a coward. Get on your knees and dunk your entire head in the stream for seven seconds.
And secondly, don’t dry your face. Let it dry naturally, so you absorb all of the fairy goodness.”
There are many slightly different versions of this legend, but I enjoyed the Rabbies Tours one more. Now I wished I had dunked my head into the water. I will the next time.
Our next stop was to the mountain pass of the Quiraing. I did not take the path up the mountain but chose to hike around the base. It was extremely windy. I was surprised that the wind did not pick me up and blow me over the hill.
One fun stop on the Isle of Skye was to the Talisker Distillery. I am not a scotch drinker, but my husband likes it. Jim, our tour guide, had a standing table reserved for us. He showed us the correct way to drink scotch, and if you don’t care for the taste, how to add one drop of water at a time until you do like it. No more than four drops. I used all four.
Our group went out for dinner and then back to our accommodations to get a good night’s sleep for our next day’s travel.
Scotland Day Three
On day three, we headed to River Droma to see the 60m plunge into the River Droma. The walk to a Victorian suspension bridge is short but steep. Once there, you can see one of the most spectacular gorges and view a series of crashing waterfalls.
Love the sign on the bridge
You can see the bridge we were on.
On the path to the falls
Corrieshalloch Gorge is designated a National Nature Reserve. The paths are easily negotiated around the woodland—a beautiful and quiet place to be.
We were supposed to go to Applecross, but the roads were blocked due to repairs.
This is a picture heavy post but I hope you still enjoy it.