From Edinburgh to Oban

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I was suddenly woke up by a bloke puking is guts out...

It was 7:00 am, I've decided to go to the kitchen to have breakfast. Another thing about the life in a hostel the kitchen world! There is some strict rules :

- Put your name on your stuff
- Wash and dry your plate
- Put your name on the box kindly offer to you
- Clean your area

What I always find funny is the only way to get in a clean kitchen is to sleep in it!
There's always a group of lads leaving their stuff on the counter to anxious to go that they just dump their stuff...Or the naughty one who just use a bit of something in YOUR stuff (the one with the name on it) and he says to himself...bah it's so little! Remember, it's NOT your stuff!!!

After breakfast cut short because I hadn't any more jelly or bread in my stuff, I met Chris a scots who would become my partner in crime during my tour of Scotland.

Chris is a very nice chap that was presented to me by a friend in Manchester. He is from St. Andrews and has been conducting tour with a backpacker company. He was waiting for my in the lobby of the hostel with is usual cup of tea! As soon as we were outside and putting my backpack in the booth I was welcome to the real Scotland... Chris says: "Welcome to Scotland, it's seems that the Liquid Sunshine is welcoming you too!" I saw a nice smile on is face! And he says :"We might just get going!" So we were on the road for the real scotland (not the tacky, touristy one...that was Edinburgh). We spoke a lot about where we were going during our road trip and a lot about the touristic Scotland...ahhh, not really! After we finally were able to get out of the suburbs of the suburbs of the surburbs of Edinburgh, Chris was getting excited about the possibility to spit on Mel Gibson. He told me his intention and suddenly I began wondering if I was not in a car with a madman!
Why in hell would you want to spit on Mel Gibson? I ask. "Because he is a feckin eejit." Was the answer. Ay! I've decided to drop to subject from the conversation and start talking about...nothing. Mel Gibson was still in my mind, and I must say I don't know why!

Robert the Bruce vs William Wallace

Chris finally broke out of his silence when we passed by Bannockburn. This site was the site of a battle who saw the rise of Robert the Bruce, as national hero.

"On Mid-Summer's Day, the 24th of June 1314 one of the most momentous battles in British history occurred. The armies of Robert Bruce heavily outnumbered by their English rivals, but employing tactics that prevented the English army from effectively employing its strength, won a decisive victory at Bannockburn."

Bruce was a great scotts...He was the greatest! And he was my buddy's idol!

Chris then, found the tape he was looking for and he start singing the scottish national anthem "Flower of Scotland". It was a way of saying thanks to all his ancestor who fought for his freedom.

We were now approaching Stirling.

Chris was now ready to spit on Mel Gibson and I was still not sure about his mental health! We passed a small bridge and Chris told me the story of William
Wallace (yeah the guy from Braveheart...).

"In 1298, at the Stirling Bridge, a Scottish force, led by Wallace, won an astonishing victory when it completely annihilated a large, lavishly-equipped English army under the command of Surrey, Edward I's viceroy. Wallace's great victory, successful because the English cavalry were unable to maneuver on the marshy ground and their supporting troops had been trapped on a narrow bridge, proved to be a Pyrrhic one."

Why Chris was not a fan of Mel Gibson, I found out when he pulled in the Wallace Monument. This is the strangest feeling I ever felt. There he was Mel Gibson, a Aussie representing one important Scottish. How can you have a Hollywood star representing William Wallace? I still don't know! But I think there's a lot of people not happy about that because each night, the statue must be locked because of vandalism! Give the Scottish a real monument!!! And in the background I saw Chris spitting in the shoes of Mel Gibson!

After all those historic stuff, It was time for me to meet Hamish one of Chris' friends! I was all pumped up to see Hamish who in Chris' opinion was more of a local folks than my meeting with the "pub drunk" of Glasgow! The only thing I was hoping is that he didn't ask me the same type of question! Suddenly, Chris pull off the road where was a pub! Ay! A pint and a meeting with a scottish! Chris knows is stuff! He asked me to stay in the car during the time he was going to see if Hamish was there. After 5 minutes, he came back with a bag full of veggies! Is that our lunch? I've ask! No it's not it's Hamish's lunch! Hamish must be a very stange chap! And then Chris urged me to follow him to see Hamish! I was expecting to meet a guy, instead I was greeted by a highland cow or more communly called Hairy Coo! It was still a good experience to get to know the cow of Scotland!

In was still in shock after meeting Hamish and Chris was already talking about our next meeting. As you probably realize, when you feed a cow with you mouth like Chris and I did, you need a good pint or something to rinse it! We've stop at a nice pub outside somewhere in the Highland for a nice pub lunch! Chris ordered two plate of haggis and two pint of bitter! I was still wondering what the f%?k was some haggis when the plate came on a sound of bagpipe! Everybody in the pub then raise his glass of scotch and said : "brrreath a prrayerr for the soul of Rrrobbie Burrrns!" I must say that the scotch was very good as the haggis!

But still I didn't have a clue of what I was eating until Chris told me : " Traditionally, a Haggis is made from the lung, liver, and heart of the sheep. These are mixed with oatmeal and a few spices and stuffed into the sheep's stomach and boil."

...

I must say it was good until he told me that! I had to order another scotch and another...

After that delicious meal...We took some country roads passing by numerous Loch and beautifull scenery. We finally stop at the village of Balquhidder. And then Chris told me everything there's to know about Robert MacGregor or "Rob ROY" Which is not much!

"He was a Highland freebooter known as the ScottishRobin Hood. Nominally a cattle dealer, he became a cattle thief who sold his neighbors protection against other rustlers. When the protection business failed, Rob Roy was accused of fraud and declared an outlaw."

We had a look at is tomb and then move on to Oban just before nightfall!

Who would ever spit on Mel Gibson, kiss a cow and go see a cattle thief in a day??? I DID!