Monday, December 31, 2007

Scottish Media: Channel 4

The first thing you may notice as a tourist is the difference in television news. They do not have local affiliates and the main news comes from England. In Scotland there are two news organizations on television, STV (Scottish television) and BBC Scotland. They compete like our local affiliates but they must cover an entire nation.

The other media from England provides various other news organizations. There is the BBC, Sky News and Channel 4. Channel 4 is renown for its in-depth news. I met Jon Snow at the university and he was quite a nice fellow. I had no idea who he was but was told later he was the news anchor for Channel 4. After I figured that out and listened to his speech, I was a bit ashamed. He is the equivalent to our Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw or Peter Jennings. He covered the Iran Crisis in the 1979 for ABC because American Journalists were not allowed there for obvious reasons.

If you watched any of the Bhutto assassination coverage from the States you may have seen the graphic, Channel 4 exclusive. Well Channel 4 kicked butt with the story and if you see their version of the story you will be better informed. Click here to see the story.


Overall, the news in the United Kingdom is much better. They spend more time on a story and it is rare to see ridiculous teases about sexy co-eds or some stupid thing that we get in the United States. The reason: commercialization. The US needs ratings to make money. The United Kingdom puts a limit on the number of commericials and give government funding. The media is public funded. It makes a big difference.

The full link to the story:
Channel 4 - News - Pakistan's Bhutto killed in attack

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Scottish Premier League: Motherwell

(CLICK ON THE EMBLEM TO GO TO THE TEAM SITE)

Motherwell football club was formed in 1886. Motherwell is between Glasgow and Edinburgh. An industrial town with many working class fans. A period of time similar to the Cincinnati Reds of Major League baseball. Their best season so far was the 1926-1927 squad and for the following seven seasons they remained in the top three, winning the league title in 1932 for the very first time. Motherwell's first major Cup success came in 1950 by winning the League Cup, being Hibs 3-0 in the Final. The Scottish Cup jinx was finally laid to rest two years later when 136,274 fans saw Motherwell beat Dundee 4-0 at Hampden to lift the Cup for the first time.
In recent times, Motherwell won the Scotish Cup in 1991.
On December 29, 2007, their team captain, Neil O'Donnell died on the pitch. Click on the picture of him to get more information.















Saturday, December 29, 2007

Scottish Premier League: Falkirk

Falkirk practices at Stirling University so there is a bit of a bond to the club. However, Falkirk is not a very good team. Click on the picture and you will go directly to their site. I wish I could put up more pictures but the team sells the pictures at quite a substantial amount. I guess capitalism meets mediocrity. If they won a few championships maybe I could see paying $30 a picture. Falkirk right now is in the middle of the table, which is pretty good and it is astonishing that Hearts has fallen to almost the bottom. Celtic and Rangers keep their dominance going.

Friday, December 28, 2007

PUB CRAWL: Stirling


Have I a pub for you. No. 2 Baker Street in the heart of Stirling is one of my favorite pubs. Click on the picture to see the rating it gets from Carling Beer. You'll love it. Janis and I would go for a bowl of soup and a pint and not spend over 5 pounds. The crowd is very pleasant and on Sunday, the old ladies will sit comfortably near the windows chatting about their morning services or whatever they would chat about. Men would sit at tables and read their newspapers. Others would watch the telly.

My mother was afraid to go in when she was there, as there were people outside. Smokers and maybe drunks but I never had a problem in that pub. You might get a strange look, but keep your mouth shut and you soon blend in. I would meet the other PhDs there for a pint and sometimes I would be the only male at our table. The old duffers would give me a look over as to why I was so "gifted".

It's a family pub and worth a stop. They have live music some nights and quiz nights on others. Go, enjoy and have a pint on me.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Scottish Traditions: Boxing Day




Boxing Day is a public holiday recongized in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zeeland and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is celebrated on December 26th, the day after Christmas.




Boxing Day had its origins in the feudal eras when lairds would give their serfs a boxful of food, clothing, etc. as a gift. Thus "Boxing Day". Many of the lower classes were given gifts from the upper classes on this day.




Today, in all of the countries it is another reason to be festive however, sales at stores reflect the United States and many shoppers hit the malls.




Churches and citizens box up whatever leftover from Christmas and deliver it to homeless and others.




It is also know that during war time, the boxes would go to soldiers.




Unfortunately, Boxing Day brings another tradition of the fox hunt despite the hunt being banned throughout the UK for the past three years. However, the tradition continues.


Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Scottish Traditions: Hogmanay

Edinburgh's Hogmanay is one of the best. Click on the sparkling lassies and find out more.


Hogmanay shuts down Scotland for two days! Let the party begin!
Click on this picture for more Hogmanay info.




Make that FOUR days! Young old and everyone in between take up the torches, drink the drams and present the coal. It's a fine festival that celebrates the new year. Dance the night away.

Click on this picture for more!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Scottish Influence: Music

ROCK ON!!

Here's a list of some of the more influential rock bands. I am sure you know one or two.



** CLICK ON THEIR PICTURE FOR MORE INFO **

Big Country
Big Tune: "In a Big Country"











NAZARETH

Big tune: "Love Hurts"





Simple Minds

Big Tune: "Don't you (Forget About Me)







Teenage Fanclub
Big Tune: Fallin'



The Proclaimers
Big Tune:
"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"


Franz Ferdinand
Big Tune : "Take Me Out"
If you want to see how far we've come with music videos check out Big Country's video below from 1983...whew, we thought it rocked back in the day....you can check out some Scottish landscape in the video...check it out!!


For those who forgot who is Nazareth, here is a concert video. It will come back to you.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Scottish Similarities: Slot Car Racing


Slot car racing is not just an American thing. There are clubs throughout the world. Scotland boasts many different clubs. Click on the pictures of these cars to learn more about different clubs and interests in both countries.






Notice the Scottish flag on the hood?





Friday, December 21, 2007

Scottish Traditions: Christmas



The most popular Scottish toys seems to be farm equipment and Bob the Builder as well. That's a certain age group. Video games are very popular. In fact, as I walked the campus of the university, you could see students cornered off in their respective lounges playing games. One of the local pubs had monitors at the tables for people to play sports games.


To see other toys available click on the picture.





There are ToysRUs stores in Scotland with all the same goodies as our country. So as far as toys go, there isn't much difference between the two countries. I'm not sure about Barbie dolls and stuff like that but for the boys its pretty much trucks, sports and video games.
Click on the picture and find out what a ToysRUs in Scotland has that we don't.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Scottish Religions

Religion is Scotland is no different than anywhere else. There are plenty of different types from Baptists in Stirling to Jews in Glasgow.

Here are some links to learn more about what religions in Scotland and contacts for you if you wish.

The biggest difference between religion in Scotland and the United States is that it is not widely publicized in political debate or in personal communications. In fact, during one of our orientations at school, a few students walked out on a presenter when he casually mentioned Jesus. So be a bit careful discussing God or any religion when you are in Scotland. Tread lightly on the topic.




Here's a link to Jewish Scotland. (click picture)





Here's a link to Young Scottish Muslims. (click picture)











Here's a link to Stirling Baptist Church. (click picture)









Here's a link to the most popular church, the Church of Scotland. (click picture)

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Scottish Influence: Films


The Top 20 Scottish Films (1-10) by Brian Pendreigh
18th September 2001

Scotland’s contribution to world cinema has been huge, from the charismatic presence of Sir Sean Connery to the star warrior antics of Ewan McGregor, from John Grierson, the father of documentary film, to Robert Louis Stevenson, whose Jekyll and Hyde have provided the premise for dozens of films. But they are all individuals. How do we fare when it comes to Scottish films?

There are more than you might think, making it no easy task to choose just 20. This list takes a very literal definition of the term "Scottish film". The films on the list are all feature films, set in Scotland. The vast majority filmed here, at least in part, though one or two created versions of Scotland in studios beyond our borders. Many have been made by directors from Hollywood and England, though Bill Douglas and Bill Forsyth blazed a trail for indigenous talent in the Seventies, and an increasing number of productions have been instigated in Scotland, or by Scottish producers, since the release of Shallow Grave in 1995. Ten years ago the list would have looked very different, which can only be a good sign.


1 Braveheart (1995: director Mel Gibson)
Scotland lent Hollywood its history, and Hollywood gave it a "creation myth" in return. William Wallace may have been a national hero, but no one had heard of him outwith these shores before American writer Randall Wallace came on holiday to Scotland and saw his surname on a statue at Edinburgh Castle. He decided oor Wullie might make a good subject for a film and elicited the support of superstar Mel Gibson. So what if they tweaked the odd historical detail? They produced a rousing piece of entertainment, that compares favourably with the epics of Kirk Douglas and Charlton Heston. Few remained unstirred by the battle scenes and grown men were seen to weep at those final harrowing scenes. "Every man dies; not every man really lives." Politicians talked about the "Braveheart factor" and Scotland voted itself a parliament.


2 Trainspotting (1996: Danny Boyle)
If Braveheart gave Scotland a belief in itself, it was Trainspotting that made the country positively cool. The film-making troika of Boyle, Macdonald and Hodge turned to Irvine Welsh’s cult novel for their follow-up to Shallow Grave. His portrait of a sordid Edinburgh that American tourists never see might have made for a heavy, depressing movie, but the film-makers capitalised on the black comedy and honesty of the book. Although the film does not glamorise drugs (far from it), neither does it fob the audience off with platitudes. "People think it’s all about misery and desperation and death... but what they forget is the pleasure of it," says Renton, one of cinema’s greatest, and most articulate, anti-heroes, brought to life in a career-best performance by Ewan McGregor. "Otherwise, we wouldn’t do it. After all, we’re not f***ing stupid."

3 Whisky Galore! (1949: Alexander Mackendrick)
"A happy people with few and simple pleasures," says the opening voice-over, as nine children appear, one after the other, through a crofthouse door. Commentators have dismissed Mackendrick’s comedy about the islanders of Todday as stereotypical, patronising and tame, but it is outrageously funny and highly subversive. In attempting to salvage 50,000 cases of whisky from a grounded ship, a criminal Celtic brotherhood outwit the English Home Guard captain. Mackendrick, a Presbyterian with a strong work ethic, fell out with producer Monja Danischewsky over the latter’s romantic vision of a remote community fighting foreign interference, but Danischewsky got his way and his vision was encapsulated in the American title Tight Little Island. Novelist Compton Mackenzie was inspired by the grounding of the SS Politician off Eriskay, but it was only because Ealing was full that cast and crew made the long trip to shoot on location on Barra, adding greatly to the film’s character.

4 The 39 Steps (1935: Alfred Hitchcock)
Hitchcock’s Scotland, like that of Brigadoon, was a Scotland that existed largely in its creator’s imagination. Fugitive Robert Donat does make a daring escape on the Forth Bridge, but on the other side he finds himself in the middle of the Highlands, a suitably barren and sinister landscape. John Buchan’s novel is a great old-fashioned yarn about a man on the run from foreign spies and the police, who wrongly suspect him of murder. He must clear his name and save the nation at the same time. But in Hitch’s hands, it is much more. The scene in which a woman’s scream turns into the whistle of a train is a landmark of early sound cinema, while Hollywood has come up with few sexier moments than that in which Madeleine Carroll attempts to remove wet stockings while handcuffed to Donat.

5 Local Hero (1983: Bill Forsyth)
Bill Forsyth became a one-man Scottish film industry with That Sinking Feeling and Gregory’s Girl, low-budget comedies, with teenage actors and little in the way of budget. For Local Hero, he recruited a Hollywood star and retreated to the Highlands. Burt Lancaster plays the head of an oil company that wants to buy land for a refinery, but changes his mind when he sees it. The film attracted the same sort of criticism as Whisky Galore!, and the carping was equally misguided. Forsyth builds stereotypes only to undermine them - the Highland idyll shattered by a low-flying jet, the remote wee village whose minister is black, and, most memorable of all, the meal in the hotel that turns out to be the bunny rabbit Peter Capaldi had rescued from the roadside.

6 The Wicker Man (1974: Robin Hardy)
Yet another film that focuses on a remote Scottish community, though The Wicker Man is a true one-off, a unique blend of horror and musical. The distributors released it as the bottom half of a double bill, but it went on to become a cult classic. Edward Woodward flies to the island of Summerisle to investigate an anonymous report of a child’s disappearance. The upright policeman is shocked to discover a people obsessed with sex, and suspects the missing girl has been the victim of human sacrifice. The islanders, who include Britt Ekland and Christopher Lee in a kilt, burst into song at every opportunity, which simply adds to a feeling of unease. Schoolgirls dance naked in Lee’s Garden, and Ekland’s nude body-double memorably gyrates against a bedroom wall. The only glum character is Woodward’s. Very unnerving. Hugely enjoyable.

7 Gregory’s Girl (1981: Bill Forsyth)
What Rebel Without a Cause was to disaffected LA youth in the Fifties, Gregory’s Girl was to pimply Scottish teenagers in the Eighties. America had James Dean and Natalie Wood; Scotland had John Gordon Sinclair and Dee Hepburn. And the amazing thing is it worked. Gregory (Sinclair) is the hopeless goalie in a hopeless school team, Dorothy (Hepburn) is the girl who comes into the side and proves a star. Gregory makes awkward overtures towards her. And no one ever played awkward better than John Gordon Sinclair, except James Dean. But this is awkward with the death wish replaced by a rich vein of quietly-understated, self-deprecating humour.

8 The Bill Douglas Trilogy (1972-78)
Douglas’s autobiographical trilogy holds a unique place in Scottish cinema, the only indigenous work that compares with European arthouse classics. The first instalment, My Childhood, presents a sparse portrait of a boy, Jamie, living in poverty in a Scottish mining village in the Forties. He is starved of food and affection, living with his half-brother Tommy and an elderly grandmother. A man, who may be Tommy’s father, gives them a canary, but the cat eats it, and Tommy beats the cat to death. Douglas depicts his world without sentimentality and with little dialogue, leaving the audience, like his protagonist, to work out what it means. My Ain Folk and My Way Home continue Jamie’s story through to adulthood, national service and some hope of a better future.

9 Highlander (1986: Russell Mulcahy)
Reviled by critics, Highlander inspired a cult following, three sequels, and live-action and animated TV series. Frenchman Christopher Lambert plays Conner MacLeod, one of a race who are (virtually) immortal and must battle each other through the centuries for no other reason than "there can be only one". Sean Connery is his Egyptian-Spanish mentor. The action jumps between modern New York and 16th Century Scotland, an amalgam of swashbuckler and urban thriller, exploiting, for all it is worth, the Hollywood stereotype of noble Highlander, splendid in designer tartan, marching off to war across the causeway of Eilean Donan Castle. Loud, flashy and intellectually empty, Highlander is unadulterated trash. But it is also great fun. And those scenes where Conner’s wife ages, and he remains the same, and Freddie Mercury sings "Who wants to live forever?" are heart-breaking. Which would you rather watch repeatedly Bill Douglas or Highlander?

10 Brigadoon (1954: Vincente Minnelli)
New Yorker Gene Kelly gets lost in the Highlands, stumbles upon a village that appears only once every 100 years and falls for one of the villagers, signing "Almost Like Being in Love" along the way. He returns to America, but ultimately love brings him back to Brigadoon. Producer Arthur Freed shot his musical on an MGM soundstage in Hollywood after touring Scotland and failing to find any locations Scottish enough for his requirements. On the face of it this seems outrageous, but his failure to find Brigadoon in Scotland really is the whole point of the film - Brigadoon is Scotland the Fantasy and can exist only in the imagination and in Hollywood. It is escapism in a very literal sense.

Scottish Traditions: Christmas


HOW TO HAVE A TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS
any of the elements of the Christmases of the Celtic countries are the same. If you have already read through the other countries, you will know how this one is going to go, with books to put you in the right spirit, music to set the 'tone'! (forgive the pun here!), decorating ideas and customs to follow.

First the Decorations. Scotland tended to hang evergreens, the holly particularly. But My Scottish Tree is decorated with bows made from many different tartans. A strip of cloth is all you need. from 1" to 8" widths and around 18" to 4' long. Then I select plain enamelled baubles in different sizes to compliment to colours of the tartans, from black (yes they do work!) to rich greens, reds, deep gold, and blues. For the tree top I put a teddy bear with a tartan beret! But you could use a large tartan bow, or a simple star.

Next the music. The most traditional one is Hogmanay Party by Jimmy MacLeod and his band. Rousing and foot-tapping, you can sing , dance or just turn this one down for background music. A must for a Scottish Christmas party!

A good all-rounder with carols like Taladh Chriosta, Scottish songs and music such as New Year's Day and Bottom of the Punch Bowl, well blended with some of the more popular carols such as God Rest ye Merry, Gentlemen. Many of which you can hear a sample of at the Amazon.com music site.

To read I recommend Silver Bough vol.3. Calendar of Scottish National Festivals - Halloween to Yule. This one has all the customs for you to follow, many of which are very old. A must for anyone who is of Scottish ancestry and wishes to live the seasons as their forefathers did! This book is available through IBS Bookshop, from this site.

Also, if you can find it, The Scottish Yule an American publication by Francis Thompson, who has written many other Scottish books. This does not appear on the pages of either IBS or Amazon, that I could find, but is the best book of Scottish Christmas and Hogmanay customs. Try Amazons out of print book service if you cannot find it on their pages. Published in 1987 by Scoters, Burton Mills, Virginia. 26525. Please mention this site - they dont know us, but maybe they should!

You must have a Scottish Shortbread on your table. You can make it, or buy the real McCoy. Black Bun, and a Venison Stew would set the right feel at the table.
** the above is copied from http://www.christmasarchives.com/how2scottish.html

A Scottish Christmas walk in Virgina...check it out.


Scottish Christmas Walk

Get the nitty about Christmas past from an old Gran...

Monday, December 17, 2007

Scottish Influence: Music

Same Old Lang Syne...or is it Auld Lang Syne? Well Robbie Burns wrote the famous poem that was turned into song that everyone sings on New Years Eve. And did you know that New Year's in Scotland is called Hogmanany? There are many traditions involved in the Hogmanany celebration. The first to cross the threshold after midnight brings a bottle of whisky and a piece of coal. It's called First Footing...

What is First Footing? Traditionally, it has been held that your new year will be a prosperous one if, at the strike of midnight, a "tall, dark stranger" appears at your door with a lump of coal for the fire, or a cake or coin. In exchange, you offered him food, wine or a wee dram of whisky, or the traditional Het Pint, which is a combination of ale, nutmeg and whisky. It's been sugggested that the fear associated with blond strangers arose from the memory of blond-haired Viking’s raping and pillaging Scotland circa 4th to 12th centuries. What's more likely to happen these days is that groups of friends or family get together and do a tour of each others' houses. Each year, a household takes it in turn to provide a meal for the group. In many parts of Scotland gifts or "Hogmananys" are exchanged after the turn of midnight.

We'll have more on Hogmanany for sure but right now the difference between Dan Fogelberg's Same Old Lang Syne and Robbie Burns Auld Lang Syne.

Dan Fogelberg


Robbie Burns

Sunday, December 16, 2007

TRAVEL TIP: Weather


Scottish weather is the most maligned weather in the world. I swear it is due to the Floridians who travel there and think 50 degrees is freezing temperatures. My experience in Scotland taught me this. The weather in Cleveland, Syracuse and Western Michigan is worse than Scotland weather. In the winter of '06-'07 it snowed three days. The ground was covered for one day and that was it. It rained heavily in January but for the most part this is how a day in Scotland works. You get rain everyday, but for only an hour or so on most days. The sun does come out even in the winter time, unlike the three places in the US that I mentioned. And the night time is brilliant. I rarely recalled cloudy evenings and so the air was clear and the stars shone bright. I now sit in Cleveland and lament at the constant hazy darkness.

If you click on to the picture it will take you right to the BBC weather center to get an idea of temperatures. If I were going to plan a vacation, the summer would be the best time to go to Scotland, however the past summer was not as good as usually. I found that September and October were brilliant. You don't go to Scotland to surf or sun worship. If you go to hike, sightsee and experience a great country, the weather is perfect. It is not too hot and not too cold. For a northerner like me, it was great.

A tip: The western side of Scotland gets more rain...kind of like the lake effect that we experience in the US. So your travels on the east coast may not be as threatened by rain.


Other links: Click the picture to get the most recent forecast!











Click this picture for a live webcam:

Saturday, December 15, 2007

MEET REAL SCOTS: Politics


I often tell people that a liberal in the United States would be a conservative in Scotland and most of Europe for that matter. I mean, their conservatives push for universal health care, green living, state funded elderly care, etc. For instance, the Scottish Labour Party states in their Sunrise Agenda, "expand entitlement to free school meals to 100,000 children living in low income working families. And end child poverty in generation and halve child poverty by 2010." Wendy Alexander of the Labour party has "called on the SNP to give an early Christmas present to 50,000 disabled young Scots and their families - by guaranteeing that $68 million investment from the UK government meant to help Scottish children with disabilities will go to provide respite care for their families."
The Scottish government has supported a charity scheme to help the homeless this Christmas. Sales of Christmas trees benefit homeless shelters in Scotland. (check here). The homeless in Scotland are protected by the government (check here) with legislation and the move toward government housing projects. When was the last time in the United States that we discussed homelessness (the Reagan era probably). Now with foreclosures mounting, I'm sure that there are many more homeless to deal with. And the head of the Conservative Party, David Cameron sounds like a conservative about terrorism but speaks of the environment like a democrat in the United States. See video below.









And don't forget about the Green party (click here). We have nothing close to the organization and impact of such a liberal party.


Yeah, there are exceptions but overall, an American Republican will feel like a fascist in Europe and a Democrat will feel like a Republican. Trust me.

Friday, December 14, 2007

PUB CRAWL: Stirling

Meadowpark (The Med)


My stomping ground. For students, this was a great place to get a decent pint at a good discount. The food is good, the service is fine, and the atmosphere is perfect. Many nights were spent there talking and drinking. There are benches and tables outside, so that you can sit out there, eat and look out at Stirling Castle.
I highly recommend at stop. Click on the picture and get another perspective.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Find the Haggis


Learn more about the haggis and maybe chase one at the Scotsman's website. Check it out and while you're there,
read today's news in Scotland. Click on the haggis and find out what's happening.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

TRAVEL TIP: Loch Ness

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO WIN A FREE TRIP TO SCOTLAND!





















Loch Ness is worth a stop in your travels. Make sure you take one of the guide boats. It is a pleasant trip and educational as well.

Urquhart Castle is on the shore of Loch Ness and provides one of the best history presentations of any castle. You've probably have glimpsed the castle in one of the many Nessie "sighting" pictures or films.

Drumnadrochit is the nearby town and has two Nessie museums. A touristy rip off really but if you just want a laugh or two it is worth the visit. We found it educational but a bit lite.

One thing that will stand out in your journey of Scotland are the World War I memorials. Drumandrochit has one. We don't see many of them in the United States. After your visit you will appreciate the sacrifices made in Europe during the first Great War. It is unfathomable today that so many could lose their lives on a battlefield in one day.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Scottish Premier League: Hearts

Scottish football is important in Scotland. However, two teams dominate the SPL and that limits the quality of the other teams. Rangers and Celtic are consistently the two teams that fight for the championship every year. Celtic are like the New York Yankees of Scotland. Rangers can be seen as the Red Sox, however the Rangers have won many championships throughout the years.

The Scots aren't upset about the disparity. However, some teams are consistently on the cusp of breaking the tradition. Hearts is a team out of Edinburgh. When I was in Scotland they had a quite the row (a favorite phrase in Scotland and England is the term "row", pronounced "rou".) The row was over management and the team captain. The captain was benched and the season went into the toilet. Much dismay followed.

The gold standard in soccer, and I may be biased, is the English Premier League. Even Scots seem to watch more EPL than SPL...probably because you can't see any SPL games for free. You need to purchase a satellite deal with SKY sports to watch any matches. The pubs are full of people on saturdays to watch the matches because of this and other reasons. We watch football on Sunday, they watch football on Saturday. And Tuesday nights as well. Click on the picture and learn more about Hearts.

Monday, December 10, 2007

TRAVEL TIP: Take the Tea...avoid the Coffee


I strongly recommend that when you travel to Scotland that you avoid the coffee. Unless of course you like very strong coffee. But the tea in the U.K. is tops. The tea is better than what you will find in the US by a long shot. I was not a tea drinker until I went to Scotland and now I start each day with a cup of tea...I have coffee later but to start the day with tea is kinder to the body. Ty-phoo is my favorite and can be found in the United States. Click on the logo and go to their site.

If you do insist to have coffee over there...here's a tip. Order the White Coffee. It is a milder version of the normal stuff. You can also ask for an Americano, which is like a latte but not quite.

There are Starbucks and they supply the same types of coffee as US shops but if you are in a restaurant I offer the above advice. The coffee shops will give you what you want, but if you want coffee with your meal or with breakfast...be prepared.


Costa coffee is very popular. Click on the logo to learn more.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

MEET REAL SCOTS: Travel tips

Go to Church

If you really want to experience the real Scotland and not just the touristy places...I mean, would you go to Williamsburg and say you understood America? Maybe the past. Or if you just visited New York City, would that tell you all you need to know about the United States? No way.

So go to a local church service on Sunday. They won't throw you out. If you are a gent, wear a tie...but it won't matter if you don't. You will learn more in that hour about the people that live in the country than any other place but the pub. The secret to being a good tourist is listening. It's not about you, it's about learning about them. Unless of course, you want it to be about you and then I'd ask you stay away from me, you give Americans a bad rep. Click on the picture to learn about the Logie Kirk in Stirling. A fine place to go and meet real Scots.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

PUB CRAWL: Bridge of Allan


Westerton Arms
As part of the Kilty Pub Crawl, we will start in Bridge of Allan. This is a family pub with a restaurant as well. We enjoyed the food there. Simple meals but good tasting. Quite an atmosphere. It is a good pub to start in because it is a good transitional pub from the American way of life. Most pubs in Scotland, you order food at the bar but here you have sit down service. So you'll enjoy it. It's right on the main road in Bridge of Allan. To see a map click on the picture.

Friday, December 7, 2007

TRAVEL TIP: Go Self-Catering if you can.



Americans sometimes are surprised to hear there are "real" grocery stores in Scotland. There are many but there are three prominent ones. Tesco is the best for price and quality. Sommerfield's prices are about the same but the produce is poor quality. So, if you are afraid to go find them, they will find you. Click on the TESCO logo and see what they offer. You can also learn how to get your groceries delivered to you while you are in Scotland.
Sainbury's has the best quality produce but their prices are quite a bit higher. So if you don't like the food at TESCO go to Sainbury's but be ready to pay an extra 50p or so (that's a buck to you Yank). Click on the SAINSBURY'S Logo and take a look a their stuff.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

TRAVEL TIP: Pound Coins and Exchange Rates

If you travel to Scotland remember there are ATMs all around the world. What I do is wait until I get to Glasgow and then withdraw the money from the ATM right there. I get a much better rate than if I was to get money from a US Bank or Currency Exchange shops. The Currency Exchange shops will rip you off. Don't think about it. Use the ATMs and withdraw, however, let your bank know you are traveling overseas or else they could stop your card from being used and then you will spend a day on the phone trying to solve that problem.

Now another suggestion is once you get your money, go to the Starbucks at the airport and get a coffee. Ask for as much change in pound coins you can get. You'll need the coins for buses and pretty much a lot of things. Just a suggestion, but if you are going on a bus any time soon you need to stock up on the coins.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

TRAVEL TIP: Fly Continental out of Newark


Use Orbitz and find the best fares. Usually if you fly in January and February you can get good prices. If you go in the summer you will pay a lot more. My suggestion if you want decent weather and less crowds go in April or May. September is another good time. Avoid July and August if you are on a limited budget.
Check Orbitz for the best deals. I use Orbitz for every flight. Recently, I checked a flight from Newark to Glasgow in January and I found one for $585 round trip. Flying into Glasgow is cheaper than Edinburgh. Avoid Heathrow as best as you can. It is like flying to Charlotte to go to New York. Yeah, it's cheaper but you still are a long way from your destination.
Aer Lingus was the most disappointing airline I have ever taken. My luggage was lost both times I used the airline and one time it was left out in the rain and soaked everything inside.
Continental has the best flights by comfort and by price.

Monday, December 3, 2007

TRAVEL TIP: Go to Oban

Go to Oban! One of the places I truly recommend to you is Oban. It is a quaint little town on the coast, looking out at the Island of Mull. From Oban, you can take a ferry to Mull and Iona. Two other places you must go to.

Click on the picture of Oban Bay and see live pictures from Oban.




If you do go to Oban, don't go to McTavish's Kitchen. It is a tourist trap and the food is horrible. You will come back like all the rest saying Scottish food is crap if you got to places like McTavish's. Instead, check out my favorite
seafood restaurant, The Waterfront. Click on the Waterfront logo to go to their website.
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And I challenge anyone to go to Oban and leave thinking that food in Scotland is lousy.
Click on the boat and wine bottles to get a listing of the restaurants in Oban. Go and eat well. Tell your friends that yes, Scotland does have some good food.
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Photos from scottish4ever1

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