Thursday 28/10/04

The drizzly weather matched my mood on departure. Sort of mooched around the castle and the village until it was time for the guided tour of the castle at 12.30. This was an eye-opener, particularly with the background info. The abiding images will be the orchestrion, the monkey-eating eagle and (of course) the Steinway. Had to dash to the ferry after the tour, and the Ullin Staffa left at 2.20. One child nearly got run over by a lorry, as it was about to reverse onto the freight ferry Raasay. Plenty of kids about on the castle tour as well. The return journey to the mainland was boring, bumpy and long. I once again subjected myself to Sheena's, and had dinner in the Clachain Inn. Knew this joint from years ago, and it was recently done up. Only to be torched days before its opening.