EDINBURGH SCOTLAND
An unexpected treat was our trip to Scotland to meet up with a friend of Bud’s. John is originally from Peebles Scotland which is suburb of Edinburgh. Every year or two John makes his way to Scotland to see his remaining family. This year he timed it so that he could meet up with us.
John flew in and rented a car and spent 4 days showing us around the country he grew up in. We went to an amazing festival right in the heart of Edinburgh. The weeklong festival consisted of artists, bands, plays, and a variety of shows all around town. John invited us to attended a show called the Tattoo that has been running yearly for over 50 years. Let me tell you, it is a magical feeling being in Edinburgh Scotland on a warm summer night under the stars, watching talented marching bands from all over the world with the back drop of a real castle in the immediate back ground. The ultra-modern light show that went along with the music was displayed upon the ancient castle – you can’t get any better mix of old and new. This was an event I will never forget and I appreciate the invitation of John and this wonderful memory.
Our next day was spent with a long walk in a local park of Peebles. The park had the greenest grass with a lovely stream down the center. After a 30-minute walk we ran into a trail that lead us right to the front door of a local castle that is now abandoned. John told us of the times as a young man how he and his friends would visit the castle and were able to go inside. When we wandered back into town we stopped by an old bar near the edge of the park. When we went inside John was greeted by a few guys that he has known since his school days. These men have had a Saturday morning date at this pub for over 40 years. We were entertained by stories and even a local poem/song that was recited by memory from the men. We were able to entertain the men for a minute when Bud had to show me the old urinal in the men’s room and I had to take a photo because I had never seen anything like it. The whole bar was in stitches with laughter at our delight of seeing such an old style bathroom equipment. We left with laughter and hugs.
We spent a day driving through the Highlands of Scotland and some local whiskey tasting at Glenlivet distillery and Cardau distillery. We tried a few samples of their whiskey which I learned to appreciate the taste even more that I now know how it was made and the history behind it. We also stayed in a remote Inn along a hillside with a lovely young lady as our host. Her and her husband have relocated to the area from Bulgaria and now run the Inn full time. It was so Idyllic that I felt she belonged in a fairytale with her soft voice, big friendly dog and tranquil and immensely beautiful surroundings.
Our last day was spent again with a drive through the countryside with the destination of St. Andrews. St. Andrews is the home of the oldest golf course in the world and Scotland’s oldest university. It is also the beach that they filmed the opening scene from Chariots of Fire when they are running along the beach. St Andrews golf course is the home of the world class British open golf tournament. It was fun to see John’s excitement and enthusiasm for the place and to hear the stories of how he was able to play the course with his brother years ago.
Before our adventure, I knew little of Scotland. What I learned is Scotland is full of old traditions, castles, beautiful tranquil land and people who were easy to laugh with if you could understand their Scottish accents. If you are looking for a green country with fresh air and history that dates back to Roman times, Scotland should be on your must visit list. Bet
