This post is both an informative (and hopefully
entertaining) accounting of our time in Scotland as well as a warning. We have
been so amazed and grateful for the invitations from friends to come and stay
with them while we are in the midst of our travels and looking for a permanent
home. However, just know, if you offer, we will come. And we have all the time in the world to
spend quality time with you…
While hiking in New Zealand, we were fortunate to meet a
very kind couple from Scotland. We hiked along together for a couple days and
spent evenings talking with them. We parted with an invitation from them that
if we make it to Scotland to let them know and we would have a place to stay.
Obviously, we made it to Scotland.
We both would have loved to spend more time in Great
Britain. I am definitely going on a Jane Austen tour someday. Matt has seen the
Lake District and would like to go back someday. I really wish we had gone to
Guernsey (please read The Guernsey
Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and you will understand why, also, it
will change your life.)But, as we’ve reminded ourselves all along, we’ll travel
again someday.
So, having friends who would welcome us, we went to
Scotland. We left Riga and flew through Norway (another one we were sad to
miss), then arrived in Edinburghgh. Such a beautiful city! Before we explored
the palace and cobblestone streets and cafes, we were picked up by our friend
and taken to their home. It did not disappoint. It was exactly what you would
expect a little British neighborhood to look like. Green yards, hedges, perfect
little homes. I loved it.
Karen and Kerr had arranged to take us to their family
holiday home in the country for a couple days, so we could see the countryside
of Scotland. It did not disappoint. We drove a couple hours through lovely
green hills and over rivers. Their home sat just above a stream and next to a
pasture of sheep. It was a modern home, but it had a turret, therefore we can
call it a castle. There was a window nearly covering the entire front of the
house and the design was meant to keep everyone together while allowing plenty
of space. It seemed the perfect place for all the family members to gather. And
just down the road was a real ancient castle. So, that was exciting.
We spent our time wandering the area. We walked out on a
nearby trail to get a taste of the Scottish landscape. We walked through a
manor, which you are allowed to trespass through, as the Scots just expect one
another to treat each other’s land with respect. We circled a small lake and
saw clouds over the distant hills. It was truly beautiful.
The next day, we took a drive to a nearby town. The houses
were in the style of townhomes stacked right next to one another, but again so
perfectly matching the image of a well-manicured Scottish village. (I have
spent too much time watching Masterpiece Theater and British movies). I loved
it. We went to a sweet little coffee shop that was inside the old mill (the
water wheel was still there), and again practiced the art of enjoyment by
sitting, drinking coffee and eating cake (obviously). There was also a
bookstore that we meandered through. Honestly, how Scottish can we get?!
We took another short walk near some waterfalls and continued to enjoy the nature of Scotland.
Karen is an excellent textile artist. We had seen her
handiwork while hiking in New Zealand as she was knitting an intricate blanket
for her newest grandchild. She was also a quilter and worked on various
projects while we were at home in the afternoons. I shared some of my
experiences admiring textiles around the world and we visited a yarn shop
together. We also talked a bit about the Scottish tartan, because, let’s be
honest, I wanted some plaid. Anyways, each Scottish clan has their own tartan
design. Matt shared that his side of the family had some Scottish, so we looked
up a variation of our name to learn about the clan. We would be the Napiers and
we were, essentially, royal napkin makers! I think it sounded more formal like
the royal linen keepers or maybe we were just the launderers, but whatever. We
took care of royal textiles! I love that. Our tartan was primarily blue
(perfect, the color scheme I was hoping to bring home in our plaid anyways) and
the clan was from the Kingdom of Fife. This was just outside Edinburgh and we
drove right through it! We visited the homeland while out in the hinterlands.
That afternoon we stopped by a living history type place,
because you know we love those. This one was an
ancient circular abode built above water. It was fairly large housing 15-20
family members as well as their livestock. It had a wooden frame and was
insulated with straw. It was quite warm inside. There were also displays of
tools that were used and artifacts that had been found near these sites. All
were obviously very interesting. However, the best part were the employees.
They seemed to all be historians and anthropologists, either by formal training
or by passionate interest. They were dressed as the ancient inhabitants would
have been. They knew how to use the tools, could create fire from nothing, they
loved being there. Best part: the staff would have camp outs with their
families in the dwelling. They said it was really warm and comfortable. But, up
to that point they had not included the livestock in their sleepovers. Well,
next time they are, and the guy’s eyes lit up when he told us that. You gotta
love that.
After we left, we went out to dinner where we ate haggis
(not that bad, really just oats, and if you mix it with a lot of mashed
potatoes it’s fine) and black pudding, that one I don’t need to do again. Then
we went to a local theater that was putting on a comedy set just after World
War I.
The next morning we headed back to the city, and Matt and I
took a double decker bus to explore Edinburgh. The double decker bus is the standard there!
Obviously, we sat right in front to look out the large window; us and the
preschool aged children traveling with their parents. Whatever.
Edinburgh is an awesome place. Obviously there are many
great sites to see. But there seemed to be two main streets. One was for
shopping, the other for historical sites (and shops selling plaid). We started
with the palace. We saw the crown jewels, the stone that must be used for every
coronation, and the room where Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to her son. We
also tasted scotch, because that seems an appropriate thing to do at a Scottish
palace.
Right outside the palace gates is a plaid weaving house, we
went in there and checked out the large production room. I love anything that
weaves. While I did look at a lot of plaid, I did not bring any home, sadly. Oh
well, it just means I can keep looking.
We went by The Elephant Room, which is where JK Rowling
wrote Harry Potter. We did get a coffee to go and they have these incredible
cookies called millionaire bars, which are shortbread, caramel and chocolate.
So good.
We walked all the way to the end where a second palace sits,
although it was closed when we reached it. We then walked up Arthur’s Seat,
which is a hill overlooking the city. It was a beautiful place to enjoy the
view. We watched the sun shine through the clouds over the stone palaces. It made us proud to be a part of the ancient
and royal linen closet.
That evening we enjoyed a final cup of tea and slice of cake
then got ready to head out the next morning
to our final destination! We are so grateful to Karen and Kerr for
inviting us into their home and sharing their love of the country with us. It
was an amazing way to visit a new place. We look forward to sharing our home in
a similar way eventually. So, once we land, come visit us!
