We are now in "reentry" mode. The bags are unpacked, laundry has been sorted and begun, and we've picked up cream and milk from the grocery store . . . where I tried to enter on the left side of the automatic doors, which of course was the exit. Rick was highly amused.
A few final thoughts and observations on our Scotland travels:
- So glad I brought my hiking boots, leggings, and rain pants. I practically lived in those the entire time we were on Skye.
- Probably could have gotten away with packing less clothes. Didn't touch a lot of my short-sleeved t-shirts.
- Love the heated towel racks in every hotel and B&B. Must get one of those.
- Like any country, Scotland has some interesting road signs. Two that stand out include, "Elderly People" with a picture of someone walking with a cane, and "Oncoming Vehicles in Middle of Road" (unlike here in the US, this is not considered a condition that needs to be corrected; folks are just expecting you to be smart about it).
- Scotland seems to see allocate more responsibility for safe driving conditions on the individual driver than is done in the US. The American design concepts of "shy distance" and "clear zone" (which result in more physical impacts and expense) do not seem to be incorporated as much in Scottish roadway design, and, consequently, results in requiring drivers to pay more attention and treat driving as the primary activity, not one secondary to phone calls, texting, eating, or applying make-up,as is the case here in the US. I like that.
- Based on the above, don't try to navigate on your blackberry while driving (or distract the driver with questions about navigating on the blackberry). You'll likely wind up with a flat tire.
- Even if you can navigate on your blackberry, always have a paper map. Sometimes there is no cell service.
- If I plan to keep a blog on future travel, be sure to schedule some downtime. When traveling in Europe in 2010, our frequent train travel provided me a natural break to record our experiences. Didn't have so much of that this time around given that we were driving, and typing while Rick was driving made me queasy. This resulted in me being up early most mornings, sitting in the bathroom typing away, taking advantage of a few quiet hours before the day started. This was OK for a while, but it became exhausting by the end of trip. Not writing a blog isn't an option for I enjoy rereading and reliving the experience months later. By the way, Spoons had the most comfortable bathroom for blogging due to the nice soft lambskin rug . . .
- Bacon is not served crispy but, well, rather floppy and very thick. It is more like fatty ham. Even when you ask for it "crisp, they cannot fathom that you want it that crisp.
- I like poached eggs, so long as they are poached hard.
- The Scotch really do use the word "wee" a lot. I like it and plan to start incorporating it in my conversations.
- During rush hour, at least on the Isle of Skye, you have to wait in line for gas.
- Everywhere we went they used low-flow toilets. I don't like them.
- Everyone we met in Scotland, without exception, was warm and friendly, though, admittedly, most we met were in the hospitality industry. Would have like to met some more of the locals, though I imagine, the locals, particularly on the Isle of Skye, are a bit sick of us tourists who are always in a rush, don't know how to drive, and invade their quiet pubs.
- Met a lot of friendly English folks at the various B&Bs. The islands and the highlands seem to be a popular place for them to come on holiday.
- All accommodations provided only a comforter, no top-sheet, and rarely a blanket.
- In Scotland, our queen-sized bed is called a king and our king-sized bed is called a super king. Doubt they can even fathom the dimensions of a California king.
- On Isle of Skye, if you want a nice B&B and good dining during the tourist season, make your reservations well in advance, preferably a year for the B&B's.
- The Scottish drink their whiskey with water (or this all could be just a hoax to see how gullible we tourists are).
- I've been able to discern that the unique flavoring in the different single malts is due to the following three (possibly four) things: 1) What is burned during the malting (drying) process for the barley, 2) the shape of the distillery; 3) the barrels used to age the liquor; and, possibly, 4) the water used when the whiskey is bottled. Unlike, wine, the location (terroir) of the source material (barley for whiskey, grapes for wine) is not a factor in the flavor.
- Found out that the neat-looking crows that I saw two years ago in Germany (grey bodies and black wings) are present in Scotland and are called jackdaws.
- European robins are smaller and cuter than American robins, with yellow orange breasts, and are very, very territorial.
- Castles varied greatly in size and function. There is no one size fits all. Still don't know how they were built. The quest for this knowledge continues.
- Rick and I kick a$$ as travel companions. We compliment each other wonderfully.
- Rick agrees that, excepting for my freaking out a couple of times while he was driving, I was a far more pleasant travel companion this time around, compared to the 2010 European vacation.
- While some people might make fun of this, reading the rather large book on Scotland history was well worth the time. I felt I had a decent beginner's grasp of the Scottish identity and culture and was better prepared for what I might encounter during my sightseeing and interactions with the locals.
Well, that's it for now. Thanks to Rick for helping to make this a most memorable adventure. I love traveling with you. Now it's time to return to the real world . . . and start looking for some books on the history of New Zealand and Bali :-)
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| The Two of Us at Falloch Falls, The Trossachs and Loch Lomand National Park, Scotland |
A few comments on your comments: how horrid that the Scottish people have not learned the gustatory pleasure of crisp bacon. I am reminded of Herriot trying to down a slab of fat. Poached eggs? My favorite egg as a child and still is. Why low flow toilets in a land with so much water? Is it whisky or whiskey? I've been thinking about what wonderful travel companions you and Rick are. Perhaps you should make a career of it, you writing and Rick photographing and both eating. I am sure Iain would be very interested in this odyssey. In case you'd like to share some thought with him, especially about water in Scotch, email address is iain@pitt.edu.
ReplyDelete"Whiskey"
ReplyDeleteWhile it might be fun to make at a career at this, I don't think it is likely and who knows? We might not enjoy it so much knowing that we'd have to earn a living from it.
Thanks for reading and commenting on every post Mom. Though the primary purpose of this blog is to be my diary, it is fun to have others read and engage in the experience as it occurs. Love to you and Dad.
Jennifer