UK
Travel Notes UK
Scotland
To capture some of the cultural clichés of Scotland, Travel-Notes-UK turns once again to the TV show, BlackAdder III:
Blackadder: Was the man who gave you this, by any chance, a red-headed lunatic with a kilt and a claymore?
Baldrick: Yeah, and the funny thing was, he looked exactly like you.
Blackadder: My mad cousin McAdder. The most dangerous man ever to wear a skirt in Europe.
Baldrick: Yeah, he come in here playing the bag-pipes, then he made a haggis, sang Auld Lang Sayne and punched me in the face.
Blackadder: Why?
Baldrick: Because I called him a knock-kneed Scottish pillock.
Blackadder: An unwise action, Baldrick, since Mad McAdder is a homicidal maniac.
Even in an American film, Mike Meyers in So I Married an Axe Murderer states that traditional haggis (oatmeal, suet, liver and spices in a sheep's stomach) is "repellent in every way. In fact, I think most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare."
But don't let any of that deter you from exploring some of the most fascinating parts of the UK.
Scotland's history is deep in mystery and intrigue. King Duncan united four groups, including the famous Picts, in 1034 only to be murdered by some guy named Macbeth. Yes, that Macbeth. Scotland produced lots of fighters because they faced challenges from Vikings to the English. After centuries of strife with England, Scotland -- rather unenthusiastically -- joined England in 1707. The poet Robert Burns is quoted as saying that the Scottish Members of Parliament were "bought and sold for English gold".
Edinburgh, the capital, is critical to visit. The key reason? Edinburgh Castle. Take lots of time for this castle and take the tour. It isn't cheap, but the history is fantastic. The story behind the lost and then later found Scottish crown jewels is fantastic.
Glasgow boasts the best nightlife in the UK, outside of London. A significant landmark is Glasgow Cathedral, built over the 13th through 15th centuries. It is the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the 1560 Reformation mostly intact.
Aberdeen is not the north of Scotland, but is on the way. As you head north, the accent changes, and even those in Glasgow remark that Aberdonian accents are tricky. The key advantage of Aberdeen is its access to many castles and Scottish countryside. Castles include Ballindalloch Castle, Balmoral Castle (the Royal Family's Scottish home), Crathes Castle and Dunnottar Castle.