Chris and I just got back from a fabulous trip to Scotland with our son, Aaron and his wife and her parents. I have a LOT to share about this wonderful trip but for today as jet lag hits me I will focus on sharing the top ten things I learned.
Best thing to pack: rain coat and rain pants. The first part of our trip was definitely rainy and windy and cold, cold, cold. Every picture of me shows me with raincoat and hood securely tied to the point that I could barely see out from under the hood. It was perfect to be able to have those layers and the rain pants saved me a couple of days.
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Tap On Tap Off: We got pretty good at using public transportation when we needed it. We usually took the tram that we could take from the airport and beyond and using your phone to pay with a simple tap on tap off feature was easy. As a matter of fact – most places used the tap method of payment which is good until you realize how easy it is to spend money without realizing it!
Scotland if full of genuinely nice people. It’s true. Everywhere we went we were greeted and welcomed warmly. Aaron booked us into some really fabulous accommodations but even the employees that worked there seemed genuinely happy to greet us and bend over backwards to make sure we had everything we needed.
Coos don’t want to be petted. Those fluffy Highland coos are pretty amazing and we even had the chance to feed them but they honestly do not want to be petted. Ask Erin. Those horns will let you know quickly that your pets are not welcome.
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Just because it says it is a road does not mean it is a real road. Erin’s dad was our driver for the trip and we had a huge oversized van to transport us all over the place. He did a fabulous job but let me tell you –it was not without some hairy parts. The roads we traveled on were not generous in size – most were single lane with little pull offs for when traffic came the other direction. It was dicey and sometimes the roads were barely 3 inches wider than our van. Yikes!
Cullen Skink is my new favorite soup. I know it sounds weird but it is delicious and I had multiple versions. of it on this trip. Cullen skink is a traditional, hearty Scottish soup made fro, smoked haddock, potatoes and onions, cream or milk and flavored with leeks and herbs like parsley. Originating from the fishing village of Cullen, Scotland, it’s a rich, smoky, and creamy dish similar to a fish chowder, often served as a starter with bread.
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There is a pub in every other building. This is no joke. There are pubs literally everywhere. If you are a beer drinker or love whisky this is the country for you. While I am not a whiskey drinker, I did try a few samples when we went to a distillery because it is what you do when you are in Scotland.
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Know your limits and do what you can. There are a lot of areas to hike and have adventures. It is also very slippery and rocky in the rain. I leaned early on that I did not have to attempt to do everything. Our group ranged in skill level and Aaron had made sure to include things that all of us could do. Some who were more athletic and adventurous did the longer more challenging hikes and that was great. The rest of us did what we felt comfortable with and there was no expectation that anyone do anything more than they felt like they cold do. That’s the perfect group.
Some of the best things are free. There is a lot ot free things that a visitor can do including oe of the best museums I have been to in awhile. The National Museum of Scotland was free and a bit overwhelming with all it had to offer. Many of the places that we hiked were free (some had a small parking fee) and overall there was plenty to do that did not require payment.
Finally, the unicorn is the national animal of Scotland. Chosen for its symbolism of purity, strength, and untameable spirit, it has been a Scottish emblem since the 12th century, appearing on early royal coats of arms and coins. The unicorn is often depicted on the Scottish Royal Coat of Arms chained, representing the untamed power of the nation. It’s an odd choice but one that makes me smile.
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