This weekend my bride to be and myself went on a trip to visit the location we are to be wed at a year from now. Manresa Castle in Port Townsend WA. It is a beautiful Victorian style building with many great views and every room is decorated different. Furthermore, its haunted to boot. Keep in mind that this is the first time I have spent a weekend anywhere while kilted. I must say, after three day of wearing a kilt my pants just don’t feel right anymore.
View from the room.
We up the steps to the lobby and arrive at the front desk when a man leaving the castle couldn’t help himself and blurted out “nice skirt”. I thanked him kindly with a smile on my face which must have perplexed him because he turned back round to apologize and ask what the correct name was. I informed that it is referred to as a kilt and after a few questions about background, history, family and such we were off to do a little sight seeing.
This is Fort Warden castle near the edge of Port Townsend. Its an old military camp and the site where the movie “Officer and a Gentlemen” was filmed. This “castle” was build by an officer who wished to use it as a home for himself and his bride to be. However, after a short trip to Scotland he found upon his arrival back home that she had married another man. I believe he continued to live here himself and now the building is protected by the Historic Society. Very fun and beautiful place to visit should you get the opportunity. After some sight seeing we returned to the castle to have a lovely dinner at Castle Key restaurant to try a few dishes that we may want in our catering. The staff was amazing and the manager Bob was a terrific help and really gave me confidence that I would get every penny worth of what I am paying for the catering. I took a short visit to the bar to see if they had any brands of scotch I like and decided to sample a taste of a Mccullum 12 year aged single malt and quickly picked up the the beautiful Sherry notes and the hint of dryness from the oak casks. About five heads turned at the bar in shock that I knew the flavors. I got a good laugh and talked to some patrons. Got asked “where are the bag pipes?“ And “is there a festival going on” more times than I can remember. It was my first time at the bar kilted so I am not sure if this is normal or if these travelers have just never seen a kilt worn before.
This the courtyard at the castle.
Right behind us is the restaurant. A great gypsy jazz band named Pearl Django was playing that night and we had an amazing time enjoying their music . The next morning I ran into the bass player in the hotel staircase and he gave some nice compliments about my kilt. Funny being that I was looking at then in awe of their amazing musical talents yet seeing a kilt at their show was what became memorable to them.
Day two walking around the docks of Port Townsend.
All in all we got to see a many beautiful sights and meet some really great people. A man working at the counter of the seafood department at Poulsbo’s central marked asked about my black watch tartan (first person I have run into who has known even what a tartan is) and he told me about his family (Stewarts) and how at his brothers wedding they had 30 Royal Dragoons playing them into the chapel from down the street. Stopped traffic for about half an hour he said. Imagine what a site that would be.
Thank you all for your continued support and I hope you enjoy the pictures and story. I hope to have many more travels kilted in the future.
This is why I don't get many photos of my wife and I "out and about" when I'm kilted. Your photos look great, though. How'd you do it? 
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