Scotland

I love Scotland! As a stones and bones kind of girl it doesn't get much better than this. Scotland has plenty of old haunted cemeteries, castles, and a stone circle older than Stonehenge. Yes, it can be cold, windy, and wet but it's also dark and enchanting. You can see why it has served as an inspiration for writers and is home to the largest annual festival for the preforming arts. If I ever write a novel, I want to do it at Ardoe House in Aberdeen. 

My first few visits to Scotland, were to the capital city of Edinburgh (pronounced Ed-in-bur-uh). I still remember the sense of awe I experienced pulling into Waverly Train Station, for the first time from London, and seeing the gothic soot covered Scott Monument. Wow! This is my kind of place! I love Old Town. 

The second time I visited, I arrived by air, and I remember the guy that stamped my passport  at the airport saying, "You came back for more punishment, did ya?" Lol. I enjoy their sense of humor. By the way, I really miss passport stamps!!

I remember first wanting to visit Scotland, as a kid, after learning about the Loch Ness Monster. It took 40 years, but I finally made it to Loch Ness! Sadly, I didn't see any sign of Nessie, but I did get some cool Nessie swag at a gift shop! I also got to explore the ruins of Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness.

There are so many castles! There are over 2,000! So far my favorite is Dunrobin. 

Some other reasons to love Scotland:

• Bagpipes! 
• Whiskey - if your into that. 
• The accents!
• The hospitality. 
• The numerous fairy legends.
• Scotland's national animal is a unicorn! Hello?! Awesome!!
• Harry Potter's adventures were inspired and written here. 
• The 10 pound note from the Bank of Scotland has two otters on it!
• There are several places I visited that I still think about often. Like the Fairy Pools and the Fairy Glen on the Isle of Skye or the Callanish Standing Stones on the Isle of Lewis. 

My dad and I took a memorable road trip around Scotland in 2023. It was no easy feat with many roads being single lane and roundabouts galore!

Scotland, is a country that I can just keep going back to. I still haven't seen it all. I hope that I can get this page to keep growing with more visits! I'm interested in exploring more of Scotland's islands. And I long to stay at the famed Witchery Hotel in Edinburgh. I want to stay a night in each of their elaborate unique suites to see which one is my favorite. One day!