Scotland. When most people hear the word, a few things usually come to mind. Braveheart. Loch Ness Monster. Haggis. Kilts. Heavy Accents. You get the idea. I know when I first was deciding to go to there or not I thought to myself, "What's so great about Scotland? Am I really missing out if I don't go?" If I can stress anything to all of my lovely fellow travelers, It would be VISIT SCOTLAND. I think it has to be one of the most underrated countries in the world. I had my doubts, but they were definitely squashed as soon as i stepped foot in Scotland. When you get to Old town Edinburgh, you could almost swear you were back in time. The Medieval architecture will blow you away. Of course they have modern stores built in, but the architecture outside remains the same as it always has been. The contrast of old and new is absolutely beautiful. I suggest anyone planning to visit Scotland take the ever popular Haggis Adventures. (http://www.haggisadventures.com/ ) I promise you will not regret it. You will travel through the highlands of Scotland on a bus with a Local Scottish tour guide. They make the whole experience worth your while. You will not stop laughing from the time you get on the bus until you get off. They will tell you Scottish legends, jokes, and even some hidden secrets. It was a great bonding experience for most of us driving around the country for three days talking, laughing, and singing some Queen..You will love it. If you can't tell from my picture above, Scotland is full of beautiful mountains and valleys. It is very difficult to see the landscape on your own. The tour stops at every key place you can want to see. Loch Ness, William Wallace Monument, Eilian Donan Castle, etc. You stop several times a day for sights, lunch, and whatever hostel you are staying at. My favorite night in Scotland has to be at the hostel we stayed at in Loch Ness where they hosted a "Kilt Night" for all of us. We went to a show of the man who designed the very kilt for Mel Gibson in Braveheart. He still had the exact one and showed us how to properly dress like a Scottish Man & Woman. It was very entertaining. We then had a traditional Haggis Dinner at the hostel and some traditional Scottish Whiskey. Now I am a fan of Whiskey, and I must say Scotland has the best. So smooth. We danced the night away and learned some traditional Irish dancing from one of our Irish friends Tony. It was definitely one of the best nights I had while I was abroad. Scotland has so much natural beauty flowing through it. All around are vividly colored highlands with waterfalls flowing as far as the eye can see. One day we stopped at one for a Scottish Tradition.
The legend says, you must go to the top of the waterfall, drink from the water but hold it in your mouth until you reach the bottom. Once you reach the bottom you may spit it out and make a wish. If you do it correctly, your wish will most certainly come true. ;) It a must do while you're in town! Visiting Scotland is such a welcoming and amazing experience. The people are so down to earth and friendly to you, no matter where you are from. There is this sense of tradition and value of times past that is so rare to find these days. It feels like a complete different world from what you are used to, it's very refreshing. I promise you will never want to leave! If you are debating on whether to go to Scotland or not---Go. It's that simple. If the breathtaking views don't impress you, I promise the people and sense of tradition will.
xx, Miranda Lopez
xx, Miranda Lopez
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