It was a bit of a drive to the Isle of Skye, so Tom took the opportunity during the bus ride to talk about current history, which captures my interest more than ancient history.  I like to learn about how events during my lifetime have affected the lives of the people who are still alive to either benefit from or suffer from the consequences.

One example: Brexit. More people of the United Kingdom are going to suffer the consequences than benefit from that debacle.  So, you say they voted for it and deserve what they asked for?  Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the European Union (EU), but England did not.  They were sold a bill of goods and flat-out lied to by Boris Johnson, their “Liar in Chief,” as Tom so aptly called him.  (Funny, because Tom was such a gentle, mild-mannered soul, but he couldn’t help himself.  To that, I say, “Good on ya, Tom!  Call it like it is!”)  We have one of those who will get inaugurated on my birthday. What a birthday “gift”…

We passed a road sign that stated, “Investing in your future,” referring to improvements that had been completed on a previously horrible road, according to Tom.  Now, with Brexit, there will no longer be access to those funds for improvements.

The only benefits of Brexit, according to Tom, were faster access to COVID vaccines and higher wages for hospitality workers.  Otherwise, the results have been negative: Exports have declined, the GDP has dropped, the value of their currency has decreased, there is a labor shortage in some sectors, immigration has tripled, and much, much more.

As it turns out, the money the United Kingdom was paying to be a part of the European Union was less than what they gained economically from doing business with other EU countries. 

Tom got the shaft from Bexit, because he had been covered by medical insurance no matter where he worked in the EU, which, in his case, included Prague, the Netherlands, and France.  When Brexit began, he lost his citizenship to every EU country and had to return to the UK due to the loss of benefits.

After a long bus ride, we arrived at the Isle of Skye, known as the “Misty Isle,” except we were fortunate to have a rare sunny day!

The Isle of Skye is a sparsely populated place; just 10,000 residents.  Gaelic is spoken in this region.  (A total of only 50,000 people speak the language in all of Scotland.)

We stopped at a few viewpoints, took a hike, and enjoyed a lunch of Cullen skink, a delicious, creamy Scottish fish chowder.  Later, we stopped to get a view of Eilean Donan Castle, the iconic Scottish monument that stands on a tiny island overlooking the Isle of Skye.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Coming up next: UNITED KINGDOM #15: A FOND FAREWELL AND OFF TO OXFORD