Farewell to Scotland

I've loved it here. Of course, I've loved a lot of places that I've traveled to, except poor Thessaloniki in Greece. There have been a few that I thought I'd love to come back to for a longer stay at some point...and now Scotland is definitely on that list.

Because it's beautiful? Of course. It's so beautiful. But so are the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Because of the great exchange rate and cheap accommodations? Um, nope.

Because of the rich historical legacy, and how passionate Scots are about their own history? I love that, of course.

Because of the food? Well, honestly the food was great, aside from the mediocre french meal I had on my first night. Fresh, organic stuff, hearty and tasty, lots of delicious baked goods.

Because of Iona alone, I would come back here. In fact, I really hope to. But in addition to that and the other reasons listed above, I just really liked the people. Often, when traveling, I find that all my various interactions with people add up over the days or weeks to a general feeling about a place. Perhaps it's not fair, perhaps it's inaccurate, but we all get impressions about things based our our experience, don't we? My first trip to Paris, my bumbling attempts to speak high school French led to so many embarrassing and impatient moments that I left feeling that I agreed at least a little with the Parisian stereotypes. I had so many open, friendly, easy interactions with folks in Amsterdam that I've often thought about going back there for more than three days next time. And here in Scotland, people were friendly, yes...but more than that, they were kind. The bus driver, B&B owners, ferry guy, fellow drivers, and so many more, went out of their way to help, direct, advise, and unabashedly and enthusiastically brag about what they liked most about their little corner of the world. Most of these folks were of course in the hospitality industry; perhaps it's all to be expected. But in any case, as I leave here tomorrow, I'll feel a little sad, and very hopeful that I'll be back someday.

Here are a few photos from our last day:

Bannockburn. Today, a grassy field where people run their dogs.
In the year 1314: A bloody battlefield littered with 10,000 English and Scottish fighters, after Scotland's amazing victory over the superior and better-equipped English force. I could go on, but I'll spare you the nerdiness.

Too bad it's 700 years too late, I'm sure I could have held my own as a Scottish spearwoman.

A final cheers, and my first whiskey here. Smooth going in, like fire going down.
I eschewed the ice cube option and only coughed quietly once.
Sticky toffee pudding later helped it all feel better.