Yay for Highland Games day!!! The games were in Strathmore for the eighth year running, and are held on the grounds of Glamis Castle. Glamis is a very large, very beautiful castle. The drive up the long driveway was impressive, and then we veered off to park in a grassy lot near the game field. The field itself is a grassy lot with a track cut shorter into the grass. On one end there was a stage set up for Scottish dancers and at the other end was the space for tug of war, log toss, etc. Surrounding the track were chairs and behind that were tents and trailers of vendors and games. Before the games started Alison, Grace, Ashley and I took a tour of the castle. The tour covered only a few rooms, but the rooms are so interesting, and our tourguide was so animated. The royal family still spends time there/ live there which was intereting to hear about, and in the basement is an exhibit for the Diamond Jubilee with tons of information about the royal family. Afterward Grace and I walked through the Italian Gardens and the nature paths before heading over to the games. It is easier to understand someone thinking up things like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, or A Midsummer's Night Dream if they grew up in an area like this. On our walk we came across this couple that had with them their huge dog, so I stopped and asked them if I could pet their dog....they couldn't resist my excitement about their dog and said yes. The dog's name is Esgow, and I can't remember his breed, but he is bigger than Grace. Anyways...we met up with Alison and Ashley to watch some dancers, tug o' war, log toss, hammer throw, various running and bike races, and of course the bagpipe bands. One of the unofficial races was and international visitors foot race, and when the guys raced there was this guy from Greece that took the race a bit seriously, because as he ran past this 12 year old he stuck out his arm and pushed him over. This kid just went rolling, the Grecian fellow won, and all of us gave him the stanky eye when we saw him for the rest of the day. At the end of the games 9 Scottish bagpipe bands played together (there had to have been at least 40 pipers) and it was amazing. Overall, the Highland Games were awesome; it didn't rain! When we got back to Hospitalfield we had dinner: sweet potato mashed potatoes with beef tips, and cake that was kind of corn bready with whip and cocoa. A little later Don, Al, Mrs. Bissek, Naomi, Grace, Ashley, and I walked into town to hit up some pubs. We went the West Port because they have karaoke, but it was to slow so we went over to the Corn Exchange which was also pretty boring, so we went back to West Port. By which time the karaoke was started and the place had filled up a bit. By the time I picked a song from their really mondo and hard to search karaoke book (Sweet Caroline) and walked up to the stage the dj said they were done for the night. I have decided that Arbroath is the land of declination for me: old men won't dance to polkas with me, Dublin tickets got messed up here, young men won't ask you to dance, and the DJs won't let me sing...sad. So we walked back and had leftover cake in the kitchen and went to sleep.