Couldn't find Nessie

May 10. 2023

Happy Birthday Bailey! We are missing our Sheltie's birthday today, so we FaceTimed Chris and the dogs so we could say Hi and wish Bailey a Happy Birthday! We really enjoyed seeing all of them and talking to them. Bailey however doesn't understand phones and wasn't interested. Oh well.... Can't wait to get home and see everyone.

Invergordon

After breakfast on the ship Viking Venus, we took a coach ride through the city of Invergordon, then through the countryside, past a part of Loch (lake) Ness and on to Inverness. As with the other areas of rural Scotland this is a beautiful, green area.

Invergordon is also known for a series of murals throughout the community created by local artists to celebrate the city and its charms.

Both Invergordon and Inverness are part of the Scottish Highlands. This an area that has been experiencing strong population growth in the last few years. Contributing to this growth is the influx of workers to new business ventures moving into the Highlands. In Inverness the biomedical and computer chip industries are growing, along with carbon fiber technology that is used for race cars. And the big news for the area is the new Space Port being built in the area! Space Hub Sutherland will be the first spaceport in the United Kingdom. Construction has begun already.

Whisky, gin and beer production are also increasing as demand grows across the world. Speaking of which, do you know the difference between Whiskey, Whisky and Bourbon?

• Whiskey - not made in Scotland

• Whisky - made in Scotland, in used casks and stored for at least 3 years

• Bourbon - made in fresh, unused casks

Like other parts of the United Kingdom, the Highlands are environmentally conscientious. In this spirit they are fighting the diminishing size of the salmon population by banning net fishing for salmon.

We only passed by a part of Loch Ness, briefly, and didn't see Nessie. The Loch Ness Monster was not mentioned by the guide, and hardly even seen in souvenir shops. Poor Nessie - maybe if she started a TikTok site her image would improve!

Inverness was a quaint town with churches, castles, spring flowers, and cobblestone streets:

And finally - one last (maybe) celebration of the coronation:

We are heading off to another wonderful dinner on board the ship! We are excited for our excursion tomorrow in the Shetland Islands where we will visit a Shetland Sheepdog (like our Bailey), Ponies, & Sheep Ranch. Enjoy your time wherever you are!