Scotland was a magical surprise. To be quite honest, we decided to add this country to our massive trip (Ireland, England, Scotland, France, & Spain) of 2015 only because it was so close in proximity to Ireland and England. To any of the Scots reading this post, we apologize. We had no idea just how enchanting this land was. In fact, we were distinctly annoyed that we had not allowed for more than four days to explore this beautiful and intriguing country.
After due consideration, we resolved to stay in Edinburgh and it ended up being a perfect choice! Quaint and calm, we felt as if we had been transported to another age altogether. This impression was helped by the fact that we were lucky enough to stay in a converted church. This marvelous dwelling still retained immense stone walls covered in medieval murals, and was complete with corridors that were small and narrow in the gothic style.
On our first day of exploration, we wandered around the cobblestone paths until we chanced upon Prince’s Park. While Ireland hosted a dark green scenery that reminded one of a land cloaked in mystery, the green of Scotland was bright and lush. We marveled at the play of light across the grass, the entire area sparkling in the afternoon sun.
Just up the hill from Prince’s Park was Edinburgh Castle. Of all the castles we’ve visited thus far, this was one of our favorites. Located at the very top of a small mountain, this extensive stone fortress was in unmistakably good repair and one could easily imagine what it must have been like in its prime. We trudged to the summit and admired the workmanship of the buildings, as well as the glorious view from the battlements. While there, we saw the Scottish Crown Jewels and enjoyed a relaxing cup of tea in the adjacent Tea Rooms.
On the trek down afterwards, we came across The Scotch Whisky Experience. Intrigued by the name and, with the sound of bagpipes in the distance, we entered the building and navigated our way down the stairs to the bottom floor. Here we came to a bar, a place where hundreds of bottles of whiskey were showcased against the back wall under soft lights. The bartender asked us what we would like and, having no real knowledge of whiskey in general, we ignorantly said “the best”. The immediate frown on his face inspired us to change our response almost immediately. Not knowing what else to say and on a whim, we threw out some flowery and vaguely descriptive terms. Lucky for us, this seemed to be what he was looking for since he withdrew two bottles from the horde. 
After the bartender paired us each with our own shot, we said a brief toast and, as was our custom, chugged the shot down. Unfortunately, this made his frown deepened further and he explained why one should never shoot top shelf Scotch whiskey. After giving us the nicest and most polite scolding of our lives, he poured us two more shots for free. Quick to learn from our mistake, we followed his advice and did our best to savour the flavor. While enjoying the taste of the whiskey itself may have been lost on us, we did appreciate the information and guidance provided by the bartender as well as the ambience of the bar. In fact, we were so impressed that we found ourselves returning the next day, better prepared for the experience to come.
While in Scotland, we knew we could not miss the famous Loch Ness and so joined a tour heading north into the Scottish countryside. Needless to say, the scenery was breathtaking. Making our way through rolling green hills and dismal bogs, the bus chugged along for a grand total of ten hours round trip. Thankfully we stopped at several locations along the way.
However, nothing will stand out quite so vividly as the event that occurred when we disembarked at the Gateway to the Scottish Highlands. It was here that an extreme storm of substantial proportions was reigning supreme. It hit us the instant our feet touched the ground, blasting us with its full force. Bundled up as we were, we still felt the entire weight of the torrential downpour and it was quite clear that the elements were in control. While being pushed by the wind and slapped by the rain, we managed to get a couple of photos, proof of our desire to document the powerful few moments we spent in the teeth of the storm.
Another couple of hours brought us to the Loch Ness, a lovely lake in the northern part of Scotland. Apparently home to Nessie (aka the Loch Ness Monster), this lake felt serene and peaceful as opposed to sinister. We appreciated the beautiful sight but, to us, it looked just like any other lake. However, as we ate lunch at the nearby cafe, we still enjoyed the verdant land that surrounded the crystalline blue waters.
While our time in Scotland was limited, this beautiful country made a lasting impression on us and we’re determined to revisit one day soon. 😀
For additional photos, please see: