We are just two 40-something teachers from Pennsylvania looking to explore the world. No kids. No money. No worries! There is always something new to experience and see every year. And, whether by plane, train or Harley Davidson...we want to experience and see it all! So we're off again....
This great combination tour covers essential parts of Scotland with dreamy castles, mythical Isle of Skye, historic Culloden, skilled sheepdogs and the capital city of Edinburgh. Our adventure continues across the Irish Sea in vibrant Dublin. Throughout Ireland we will visit the Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher plus three special evenings of dinner and shows. Visit CIE Tours International for a full description of our itinerary and tour highlights.
It obviously makes no sense to fly the whole way across the Atlantic and then turn around and come home right away. So we decided to add a 12-night Northern European Cruise to this vacation and hit a few more places before returning home. We certainly have to take advantage of the perks of being teachers! Right?
Northern Delights Cruise
Hitting seven ports of call throughout this cruise will give us a chance to see and do a little of everything as we circle Northern Europe. We'll have the opportunity to eat Smushi in Denmark, drink beer and eat chocolates in Belgium, hang out at the ice bar in Norway, and explore Russia - both in St. Petersburg and Moscow! Looking forward to visiting the Kremlin and straightening out this mess with Putin and Trump!
Over the next eight days we are in the land of Scots! Our fearless leader, Ian, will guide us throughout the land of sheep and narrow roads - kilt and all!
We start our journey in Scotland's largest city....Glasgow! After arriving early Saturday morning, we headed out to explore the city. First order of business was to exchange a few dollars to the local currency. Scotland is part of the United Kingdom which relies on the British pound. Unfortunately, 1 British pound costs us $1.28 US dollars. Yikes! That's gonna be a whopping 28% tax on every beer we drink this week!
Jenesa's on vacation....and she doesn't care how much beer costs in dollars or pounds! So we ventured out to hit a few pubs around town - 1.) Shilling Brewing Co., 2.) BrewDog, 3.) Hippo Tap Room, 4.) The Horseshoe, and 5.) The Howling Wolf. Today was the worst possible day to hang out in the bars because the Scotland soccer (football) team was playing England. It was a major event in these parts and near impossible to get inside any bar with a TV. The town was also full of kilt-wearing men in support of their beloved Scottish football team! It was quite a sight to see!
Another amusing site in Glasgow was the equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington. One of the city's most iconic images is located outside the Museum of Modern Art. We just happened to run into this "cone head" on our hike across town. Due to minor damage and the potential for injury that the placing of cones involves, the practice has been discouraged by Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Police. It allegedly costs the City Council £10,000 a year to remove the cones. When they take one down....guess what? Another one finds it way back up!
A few other notable sites around Glasgow include:
The seven-story Tolbooth Steeple is topped by a clock and a stone crown. This was once part of a much larger building that provided the backdrop to many of the city`s dramas and it was here that witches, thieves and murderers were summarily dealt with, by hanging if necessary. It also had a special platform from which proclamations were read, important in the days before general literacy.
One of Scotland's most magnificent medieval buildings, Glasgow Cathedral is the only one on the Scottish mainland to survive the Reformation of 1560 intact. The Cathedral also houses one of the finest post-war collections of stained glass windows in Britain.
George Square is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow surrounded by architecturally important buildings including on the east side the palatial Municipal Chambers, also known as the City Chambers. FYI...the movie World War Z (starring Brad Pitt) was filmed on the streets around George Square.
And, of course, the Hard Rock Cafe! We never eat at these world-wide franchises...but it never hurts to take a picture with the name of the CITY you're visiting! We're certainly enjoying Glasgow so far....and our Scottish adventure is just beginning! Stay tuned!
Our tour guide has been babbling for the last two days about the Jacobite Rising and the war against the English. The history of Scotland can be dissected piece by piece everywhere we go...and with it comes a complicated and confusing story that begins in Glenfinnan (our first stop today).
I honestly cannot explain this whole saga to you, but it ends in the catastrophic Battle of Culloden between the Jacobites and English. It's almost as confusing as the TV show Game of Thrones!!! So if you'd like another TV show to explore try Outlander on Starz. It seems to explain the whole drama through a WWII combat nurse who is mysteriously transported back to 1743 Scotland and kidnapped by a group of Highlanders.
To make a long story short....everyone in our tour group loves the TV show! And, the English go on to defeat the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden. Don't ask me to explain any more. I am a gym teacher....not a history teacher!
We begin our morning on the lake -- or loch -- with a cruise on Loch Lomond. This is the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain by surface area. The weather lately has been typical of Scotland....rain, rain, and more rain. Fortunately, it hasn't rained hard enough to put a damper on our outside activities. Those new rain jackets we bought before we left for this trip have definitely been worth every cent...and more!
Speaking of rain....there are motorcycles everywhere! These crazy riders have not had a dry day to ride in quite a while. Needless to say they are dressed from head-to-toe in waterproof gear and heavy clothing. This is the last place I'd want to ride my Harley on vacation!
Traveling higher into the Highlands....we were heading north to Inveraray to visit the Castle and have lunch in town beside Loch Fyne. Today we officially had our first order of FISH & CHIPS in Scotland. The town has a few shops, cafes, and pubs. The main attraction in this area was the Inveraray Castle which is featured in the TV show Downtown Abbey. The Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell and the iconic, must-see visitor attraction on the West Coast of Scotland.
Built in the 1750s as a neo-Gothic fantasy fortress complete with dry moat, later modifications included the addition of a third floor with dormer windows and steep conical roofs. The Inveraray Castle features a collection of more than 1,300 pikes, muskets, swords and other weapons on display that are a reminder of the clan’s military might.
We toured half the Castle....because the other half is the actual residence of the Duke of Argyll. He currently lives here with his wife and three children. The guy is not much older than we are....and we lucked out and got to meet him today!
Believe it or not....he works in the gift shop! And because Jenesa thought he was a pretty good-lookin' Duke....she convinced him we would buy something if he posed for a picture! He even autographed our souvenir.
Thank you to Torquhil Ian Cambell, the 13th Duke of Argyll for the picture! Who can say they've ever met an official Duke before? THE LEONARD'S!!!
Glen Coe is probably Scotland’s most famous and most scenic Highland glen. The view of the Three Sisters mountains in Glencoe Valley has been named one of the top views in the UK, beating off competition from mountains and city views in England and Nothern Ireland. Today we drove through this area on our way to the Isle of Skye. Quite picture-worthy, right?
We boarded a ferry this morning for our trek to the Isle of Skye. This area is known for its rugged landscapes, picturesque fishing villages and medieval castles. Skye is one of the three top tourist attractions in Scotland. The weather is very erratic in these parts -- with many people dreading the winter months. Fortunately, for us....today it was beautiful!
Can I say I'm bored yet? There really hasn't been anything too exciting yet on this trip! If you've seen one castle you can pretty much imagine what the next one will look like! Yawn! The Scotland landscapes have been gorgeous....but I'm 40 years old, not 80! I need to have a little more fun thrown into the tour! I'm hoping that will eventually come later this week!
Our first stop in Skye was the Armadale Castle and the Clan Donald Centre. The Clan Donald established itself on Skye in the 15th century. Donald gave his descendants and followers the name of MacDonald or the son of Donald. Clan Donald is still the largest clan in Scotland and the descendants of thousands of MacDonalds who emigrated also make it the largest in the world. This Clan certainly makes some great Big Mac's back in the states!
If you forget what we look like....here we are in front of the famous Eilean Donan Castle. This is just a quick photo-op stop before returning to the mainland (by bridge).
Shortly after returning to the mainland after the Isle of Skye....we began a monster hunt! The shores of the most famous Loch known to man were beside us -- Loch Ness.
If you haven't heard of the Loch Ness Monster....where have you been? The Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, is an aquatic being which reputedly inhabits Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, and is often described as being large in size, with a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water. Popular interest and belief in the creature has varied since it was brought to worldwide attention in 1933.
On August 4, 1933 the Courier newspaper published a report by Londoner George Spicer that several weeks earlier, while he and his wife were driving around the loch, they saw "the nearest approach to a dragon or pre-historic animal that I have ever seen in my life" trundling across the road toward the loch with "an animal" in its mouth.
The "surgeon's photograph" is reportedly the first photo of the creature's head and neck. Supposedly taken by Robert Kenneth Wilson, a London gynecologist, it was published in the Daily Mail on 21 April 1934. Wilson's refusal to have his name associated with it led to it being known as the "surgeon's photograph". According to Wilson, he was looking at the loch when he saw the monster, grabbed his camera and snapped four photos. Only two exposures came out clearly; the first reportedly shows a small head and back, and the second shows a similar head in a diving position. The first photo became well-known, and the second attracted little publicity because of its blurriness.
Since 1994, most agree that the photo was an elaborate hoax. It seems the object in the picture is a toy submarine. Or is it?
***We didn't see any "monsters" around Loch Ness....but we did see lots of souvenirs at the nearby gift shop! And, if our kitties are still alive when we get home there may be some Nessie t-shirts in our luggage for our cat sitters! Got that Josh & Ryan? :)
We ended the day at a manor house property in Nairn that is set on spacious grounds near the North Sea. Jenesa and I took an evening walk down to the beach....and it was one of the best views of the trip so far! Just look at the picture below....lots of green!
Our days never seem to end in Scotland! There is daylight long into the night until 10:30pm....and again early the next morning before 5am. Unfortunately, that makes it hard to unwind and get a good night's sleep on this trip....something that we both need!
The Newton Hotel has been one of the nicest places we've stayed so far....and they even add a little humor to the property. On our walk back from the beach we noticed this walking up the drive to our hotel...
If you are a Civil War buff you would definitely appreciate our stop on the tour today. We visited the battlefield where the British Government forces (red flag) defeated the army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart and the Jacobites. The visitor's center gives you a chance to walk around and see the monuments commemorating the troops. The battlefield is depicted with rows of red flags (British) and blue flags (Jacobites) which give it a proper perspective of the battle lines drawn out on the field between the two armies.
Following up on the military success won by their forces, the British Government enacted laws to incorporate Scotland—specifically the Scottish Highlands—within the rest of Britain. Those lords and clan chiefs who had supported the Jacobite rebellion were stripped of their estates and these were then sold and the profits were used to further trade and agriculture in Scotland. Today, it's possible thatthe most recognizable feature of the battlefield is the 20 foot tall memorial cairn.
Your two favorite bloggers dressed up in Culloden battle uniforms to duke it out at the visitor's center! Can anyone figure out the winner between Leonard vs. Jenesa?
This stop at Leault Farm has been our favorite part of the trip so far! These dogs pictured above are just lying in wait until the farmer gives them their orders to round up the sheep! A few years ago on a trip to New Zealand we also visited sheep dogs and watched their impressive skills. I certainly wish I could get my students to follow directions like these dogs!!!
During a 45-minute demonstration, amid some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland, we watched eight dogs working as a team to maneuver sheep through various obstacles. Every dog has its own set of commands enabling us to see just how each of them responds to their individual whistles and each move by the dogs is explained by their handler.
After rounding up all the sheep....the shepherd gave us a demonstration on how to shear the coats of wool off a sheep. This guy hooked the horns of a sheep with his "crook" and pinned the sheep between his legs and just started shearing away -- as we stood and watched the thick wool easily come off the sheep. Then...it was time for volunteers! Guess who?
I'm not sure I would trust THAT GIRL with a pair of giant shears! But she looks pretty confident...sooooo confident that she can look up and smile for her picture while hacking away at that poor sheep! I'm glad to report everyone is OK after this picture was taken! Except that sheep is now a she instead of a he! :)
What happened next is quite memorable! The shepherd marches back to the barn and carries out a box full of sheep dog puppies! These collie pups were so eager to come out and play that we couldn't stop laughing!
And who could resist picking up one of these little buggers and holding them for a picture! Gonna try to sneak one of these little guys in our luggage to bring home!
***We just found out that one of our little "buggers" back home is on the loose! Please know that we appreciate everyone's help getting Paxton back home! Once you get him inside....make sure he knows that his dad is gonna whoop his ass on July 9th!
This is the Atholl Palace. Can you say ATHOLL five times without laughing? We are not touring this palace....we are staying here for 2 nights!!! It's certainly fit for a King and Queen. Speaking of royalty....the British monarchy is known as a constitutional monarchy. This means that whoever is on the throne does not 'rule' the country, but fulfills important ceremonial and formal roles with respect to government.
Queen Elizabeth currently represents Britain to the rest of the world. For example, receiving foreign ambassadors and high commissioners, entertaining visiting Heads of State, and making State visits overseas to other countries, in support of diplomatic and economic relations. We did not make her acquaintance at the Atholl Palace....but since Scotland is the Birthplace of Golf we decided to get acquainted with the chip & putt golf course at the palace. This picture is just "fore" you!
Jenesa told me I'm not allowed to complain anymore about visiting castles. Why? Because we're scheduled to visit three more in Scotland! Today we would visit the Blair Castle, home of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. Dating back to 1269, the castle has been transformed through the ages, from a strong medieval fortress to a Victorian castle in the baronial style.
Yaaaaaaawn! We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside the castle....but at the end of our tour we earned a treat. A Scotsman marched through the courtyard serenading us with bagpipes. This is where I give you a little history about bagpipes! Contrary to popular belief, the bagpipes were not invented in Scotland or Ireland. It is widely believed that the pipes were originally created in the middle east, with supporting evidence in Egypt and eventually Greece and Rome.
Bagpipe Lesson #1 -- The chanter (the melody pipe), with its simple open fingerholes, might remind you of the recorder you played in third grade. The drones (sticking up from the bag) look like simple, if decorated, tubes. Compared to, say, a clarinet or a guitar, there's nothing visible that looks particularly intimidating. Air must be supplied to the reeds from two places, 1.) the players lungs, and 2.) from the bag, using the left arm & shoulder muscles. Once you have mastered all that take 2 tylenol (for the ensuing headache) and you're ready to play the bagpipes!
Here's a short clip from Blair Castle of the bagpiper. Enjoy!
Go ahead and tweet me at #scotlandhunk. It's impossible to continue our blog from Scotland without mentioning kilts. Don't worry....we didn't buy one! I'm only demonstrating this kilt for educational purposes!
The word "kilt" is a derivation of the ancient Norse word, kjilt, which means pleated, and refers to clothing that is tucked up and around the body. Scottish kilts originate back to the 16th century, when they were traditionally worn as full length garments by Gaelic-speaking male Highlanders of northern Scotland.
Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns. Tartan patterns consist of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors. Tartan is often called plaid in North America, but in Scotland, a plaid is a tartan cloth slung over the shoulder as a kilt accessory, or a plain ordinary blanket such as one would have on a bed.
OK...so kilts may not have been the manliest thing to come out of Scotland. But...Scotland's economy does rely heavily on a certain "manly" drink.....WHISKEY! Today we visited the Blair Atholl Distillery to learn about whiskey-making and sample a "wee dram." This place produce's Bell's Blend, the most popular blended whiskey in the U.K. and a 12-year single malt whiskey.
Whiskey is probably the best known of Scotland's manufactured products. Exports have increased by 87% in the past decade and it contributes over £4.25billion to the U.K. economy, making up a quarter of all its food and drink revenues.
Truth be told....Jenesa is anything BUT manly. She might be able to impress some of you at Happy Hour....but she really disappointed me at the distillery today. I certainly didn't hesitate to drink her share of the scotch.....and I left the distillery with a souvenir bottle of whiskey to bring back home! If you're man enough to drink Scotch Whiskey with me....come on over!
Scottish & Irish Dream Tour
