Quick trip indeed.

We hopped on the caoch- made it to Thistle Hotel in Irvine around 7PM- had a nice Scottish dinner (including haggis and tatties, roast beef, and cranachan w/berries)- then lounged around taking a quick walk outside on the golf course to hit around the football...aka soccer ball- and then passed out on blankets of clouds, the bedding was amazing. 

Saturday morn we awoke to a fantastic continental breakfast and then took a ferry ride to Brodick on the Isle of Arran.  Enjoyed a guided bus tour of the island- took a break to visit the Isle of Arran Distillery (wisky distillery #2 for me)- finished up the bus tour and then departed at sunset.  We returned to the hotel where I jumped into the lagoon area jacuzzi and then ate another tasty Scottish (but this time buffet-style) dinner.

We woke up this morning and headed home.  Like I said, quick trip. 

The Isle of Arran is absolutely gorgeous though.  It's nickname is "Scotland in Miniature"- no surprise there.  The mountainous north on Arran is comparable to the Scottish highlands with the lowlands in the south.  Wildlife is abundant on Arran- I saw deer, seals, and...sheep.  [Did you know there are 2.5 sheep to every human in Scotland?]  And of course the mist streaming in and out of the glens makes the experience even that much more perfect.  O yes, I even got to see my first standing stones- not as impressive as those in the Orkney Isles or anything like Stonehenge- but still- a great historic moment. 

Time to get back to these essays....less than 2 weeks until all my essays are handed in and life will be heavenly again....until then- aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!