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SCOTLAND
For some reason or other, Scotland is one of the few European countries we'd yet to visit after four years living abroad. If discussing our travels with friends or family, we undoubtedly will be asked, "Have you been to Scotland yet?", to which we answer a resounding "no". Finally, I'd had enough. I'm okay with not hitting Macedonia, Serbia and a few other smaller European countries. But Scotland? There is no excuse. Through some quick internet research and a few clicks at the keyboard, the trip was booked.
Scotland is surrounded by water: the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, North Channel and Irish Sea. All this results in some lush green landscape and stellar seafood. I had the best oysters in my LIFE in a small fish restaurant in Leith (yes, my travel reports seem to circulate around culinary delights). Between the beer (and I'm not much a beer drinker beyond my penchant for Guinness) and the oysters, I get the 'Scotland' thing. Now, I'm an Irish girl and quite the Eirephile (is that even a word??), so for me to take a shining to Scotland over Ireland is something that is likely not to happen. It is, however, quite similar in feel and I liked it. Alot.
How I digress. Some tidbits about Scotland:
Scotland is 30,414 square miles, has a population of over 5 million and its capital is Edinburgh It is one of the largest financial centers in Europe. Scotland uses the Sterling and it even issues its own currency, despite belonging to the UK (monies are marked from the Royal Bank of Scotland). Three languages are spoken here: English, Scottish and Scottish Gaelic (which is pretty darn close in pronunciation and spellings to Irish Gaelic).
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