Today consisted of Plan B, as we woke up to drizzling rain that put a damper on any outdoor activities. We spent the day exploring and learning about the historical sights of Lewis. Our first visit was to another Blackhouse village where one of the ancient homes was renovated to as near to original condition as they can gather. The thatch roof had been replaced and a peat fire burned in the central hearth. Apparently the smoke has similar properties to acetaminophen (aka Tylenol), so it helps to soothe aches and pains. I was just happy for the warmth it provided against the cool air from outside. The woman who ran the museum was extremely knowledgeable concerning the lives of the people who would have lived here around 1500 years ago. It's amazing how long these islands have been inhabited! And how skilled the people were at surviving the sometimes harsh conditions of such an isolated place.
Next, we made a stop at the Callanish Standing Stones. The stones were very impressive and beautiful, but with the wind thrashing the rain into my face, it was hard to enjoy them. It reminded me of my time at Stonehenge, battling the elements. After grabbing a warm and much needed cup of coffee, we headed out again. Danny took us on a very narrow, very bumpy road that traversed the center of the island. Thank goodness I don't get carsick! It was pretty amazing because, as Danny pointed out, there were hardly any signs of human habitation along the road in any direction. We arrived on the other side of the island in the main town of Stornoway to have lunch. There was some trouble finding a place that was still serving lunch after 2pm, but we found a cute cafe with delicious food.
Following lunch, we visited another Blackhouse to see how the Norse invaders altered them after they conquered the local people. Basically, they made them larger and brought their livestock inside the home. The final stop of the day was at Dun Carloway, an ancient broch, which is a type of building used as defense during attacks. If an enemy were to come, everyone in the village would retreat within with their animals and food and wait. The fort was half-crumbled, but they were supposed to be nearly impenetrable. This particular one was only infiltrated because the roof was set on fire, forcing everyone outside to their deaths. We had fun exploring the 2000 year old ruins, though, before heading back to our Blackhouse to make dinner. Beth and I helped prepare a Mexican feast to introduce the fabulous cuisine to those who were unfamiliar with it :) Everyone seemed to enjoy it.
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