Films: Local Hero

Local Hero: It is the 25th anniversary of a film that highlights the ecentricitries of Scotland. If you have not seen it you should. The phone booth in the film is a tourist attraction and many of the film locations are worth a visit. Here is a website to give you the location spots. CLICK HERE

And another site for even more location spots: CLICK HERE

Check out the BBC's news story on the anniversary. CLICK HERE

Click on the picture of the phone booth to learn more about the phone booth location.

If you are a fan of Burt Lancaster you'll love the film.

Hiking: Ben Nevis, Scotland's Tallest Mountain

The tallest mountain in Scotland is Ben Nevis. In fact, it is the tallest mountain in the British Isles. The mountain is over 4,000 ft tall. Click on the picture and see a recent webcam of the mountain.

The mountain is near Ft. William and many people hike it. It is possible but there are some safety concerns as the weather changes quickly and can strand hikers.

If you click on the wikipedia account of the mountain you can read about all the rescues needed in the past ten years.

Click and view the video below of a climb on Ben Nevis.

Hike: Dunkeld

Click on the picture and take a virtual hike in Dunkeld.



Dunkeld is a great little town. We stayed there in 2003 and really enjoyed ourselves. Check out the video below:









There is also a great pub where the legendary Dougie MacLean plays. If you are lucky you might be able to hear him or his mates give up a rendition of his tunes. See the video below to get a flavor of the good music you can hear in Dunkeld.

TAKE A HIKE!!

With the discovery of the white stag, the interest to hike Scotland should increase. Anywhere you go in Scotland is a good hike. The best part of Scotland is that you can walk for miles, feel totally safe, and experience places you will never forget. Click on the picture and go to the link walkhighlands.co.uk.

A hike through a small hamlet can be as rewarding as a hike through the highlands. However, the highlands and lochs offer views to warm your heart.

A good place to start is Fort William. There should be plenty of B&Bs to make your hiking headquarters. Downtown Fort William has good pubs and shops. You can't go wrong. Loch Linhe is one of my favorite views. The hike along won't be for the escapist because roads line the loch, but it is a beautifully nestled place.

Just above Oban is a nature center with otters, sharks and stingrays.

At the center, there is a tank full of tiny sharks. You can feed the sharks with your own hands. It's very cool. There are also stingrays as well.

It's fun and the kids will love it. When we were there some American students were guides.

For the serious hiker, Scotland has many places almost too numerous to name but for me, I like traveling on the grounds where my bloodline started. It is hard to imagine the way of life in the 14th century.

I will come up with a few good hikes for you in the next few posts.

Get out your maps.

BBC America: It's a bit like New Coke.

The BBC is great at many things. First, their attention to international news outweighs American counterparts. The reason of course is financial. American broadcasters did not see the benefit of the many foreign bureaus they use to have spread throughout the world. Americans just don't really care about news too far from home. At least in-depth news. When was the last time the networks did a story on Kenya or Darfur or Uganda? Been a while. Americans also love icons. And so it seems BBC America has to sell the hosts to the American people like the other American networks.

For me, it doesn't work. The real BBC you can watch overseas is hard hitting, thorough and not watered down. The hosts are generic reporters who do not get publicity for sitting in a chair.

That's just my view on it but I like the BBC News I get overseas to the America version. They seemed to have crammed the two hosts into a closet in Washington and the news comes to us Americanized. We already get that. Why they don't just give us the news from overseas befuddles me. I think it would be a real wake up call and would provide better news.

Instead the weaker version is just as good as a local affiliate. Again, just my opinion.

However, at least we get the BBC. In any form it is better than nothing.

BREAKING NEWS: White Stag Spotted in Scotland

A rare white stag was sighted in Scotland. It is a rare sight and I thought I'd bring it to your attention. Legends says they bring messages from another world.





It is legend that you see. Like Narnia or Lord of the Rings, this is the real deal. Of course, the last one seen last year was shot and killed.




In 2007, the only white stag believed to be in Britain was shot and beheaded by poachers. The decapitated 300lb carcass of the animal was found strung up from a tree.

The White Stag is actually a variant of the male red deer. The one sighted in 2007 was kept secret for years. The people of the community where the deer was found considered the deer sacred.

The deer is sacred in many traditions and in Celtic and Egyptian mythologies.

Hopefully, the new white stag will remain alive. Unfortunately all the added press will bring out poachers who may repeat the acts of 2007.

Check out the video below and see the footage of the stag. It is not a hoax, white stags do exist.

Golf Scotland: On the Cheap

Okay, so you don't have the time or money to spend on a legitimate round of golf.

Well, here's a cheap alternative.

If you are traveling near Stirling. The Mrs. wants to see the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle, which are both fine places, but you want to get out and enjoy the fresh air and hit a few golf balls.

Well, take a bus to the University or drive depending on what type of transport you have and check out their par-3 course. You'll only need three clubs to play. A seven iron, a pitching wedge and a putter.

It is a good place to practice your short game. I was lucky enough to play the course every day as a student. It only cost me $4 a round...and well, if you behave yourself and it is not crowded, you can go around again and no one will get upset.

Stirling University has a very good Sports Management program and the course is used by the golf team as a practice facility. You can get lessons from the pro, but you'll have to ask in advance.

The scenery is quite nice. The Wallace Monument is always in view, the loch provides a beautiful backdrop and the mountain of Dumyat gives it a special touch as well.

The Scottish Premiere League team from Falkirk practices just off the 2nd tee. There are football pitches and practices facilities for the team. The locker rooms for the team are part of the golf course pro shop.

If you want pristine greens and fairways, this is not your golf course. If you want to have a relaxing hour of golf crammed into your travels, this is the perfect spot.

You'll meet real Scots, play a few difficult pitch shots and face some mean bunkers. You won't be disappointed by the scenery either.

The staff at the pro shop are very nice and will probably chat with you for a good ten minutes before you head out the door.

I enjoyed golfing there because I saved money, worked my irons and practiced my short game.

There is one very challenging hole #7. It is a narrow fairway, into a valley with a hole on a steep hill. It's probably a 150 yard shot to the pin. With just a seven iron, it is a tough shot.

The course won't open until April and the wait can feel like forever when the sunny days of March come around.

The greens are very slow and hairy. Don't expect world class greens. However, it is good training for the public courses in Scotland.

Most greens are the same throughout Scotland.

After the round there are numerous places to get a pint on campus. The MacRoberts Center probably is the closest. You can pick up the bus there as well. So go have a pint, then get on a bus and meet back up with the Mrs.

Cheers.

Golf: A Hidden Gem of a Course

The Falkirk Golf Club is one course for the tourist who does not want to pay a fortune to get a good round of golf but wants to play on a good quality course.
It is conveniently located between Glasgow and Edinburgh. You can take the train and get off close to the course. It makes it easy for those who send their wives shopping and the boys want to go out for a day's round.

I have never golfed the course, but have passed by it frequently. In seeing the course, I inquired about it and the locals gave it good reviews.

The layout reminds me of many US courses but what sets it apart is the rough. You won't be able to slice the ball in many places without losing your ball for good.

The first thing you should learn about Scottish golf is the rough is tougher than anything you've ever experienced. Once a ball goes into the barbed wire like shrubbery, it's as good as gone. Or if it is high grass, good luck with your feet because you will never see it. You'll have to feel it with your foot.

But that's what makes the Scottish game so tough.

The greens are not spectacularly trimmed like many posh US courses. It can either benefit you or not, depending on your putting stroke.

And the sandtraps and bunkers are a bear. They are legendarily difficult at any Scottish course.

I give you Falkirk as a good place for a decent round. Click on any of the pictures and you can go to the course website.

A round is $60. Best of luck.

Golf: Scotland's Game

Scotland and golf is like saying America and baseball. Many Americans go to Scotland to golf as if they are on a religious pilgrimage. The scenery at most Scottish golf courses beats what you see in the United States. Like many things in the United States, we make things a bit more sterile, commercial and of course, we must drive instead of walk.

Before you go to Scotland to golf the first thing you need to do is get in shape. You will have to get rid of the motorized cart and walk. It's a sacrifice but golf was made for walking and is part of the game. You're going into the heart and soul of golf and not a trip to Walmart.

Another thing you might need to do is get a letter from your local course. Some of the better courses in Scotland want to make sure you are not a hacker. They want to know your handicap before you play.

I will give tips on if you want a serious golf trip or just want to say you played a round in Scotland.

Today, we will start with a difficult course and one worthy of good golfers. Carnoustie Golf Course.









With the ocean in view on every hole it is a stunner. It is also very easy to get to. Take a train from Glagow and there is a train stop near the course. You probably don't even need a cab, depending on if you have brought your own clubs. As a tourist, I don't think you need clubs as you can rent them.


There are three different courses at Carnoustie and depending on your ability and your check book, you may find one better than the other. You must contact the course before you get there. You won't be able to just walk on. A simple email can solve those problems from arrising. Also, the three courses have three various rates.

The Championship Course will cost you $250 for a round.


The Burnside Course will cost you $68 for a round.


And the Buddon Links Course will cost you $60 a round.







Club rental is $60.



Shoe rental is $20.





A caddie will cost you $80
















President George H. W. Bush at Carnoustie with Caddie Master Martin Roy.





As you can tell a golf trip to Scotland can be very expensive. If you are planning on going to many courses, bring your clubs as your expenses for rentals will climb.





Don't get depressed. If you just want the experience of hitting a golf ball in Scotland, I'll give you some cheaper alternatives. One of my best experiences in Scotland was the first time I hit a golf ball and realized I had finally made it to the golf mecca. And the day I went to St. Andrews, I didn't even golf and I was moved to tears.





If you love golf, you will fall in love with Scotland. You may play on better courses but you will never experience the game the way it was meant to be, in any other place.

Shinty: A Unique Scottish Sport

Shinty is a game similar to hockey and lacrosse. However, it is different from hockey and lacrosse in that the feet can be used to stop the ball but not the hands (unless you are the goal-keeper). You can carry the ball on your caman (stick) which can be swung above sholder height. It is a fast moving game where being physically fit counts.

The game is played with 2 teams of 12 players. Each player has a curved stick called a Caman (pronounced ca-man). Each game lasts 90 minutes. it is a community gamed played in some of the most remote parts of ScotlandStudents at Stirling University played the sport on a regular basis. They would carry their caman's with them throughout the day and then play in leagues at night.

The one thing noticeable between field hockey and shinty is the rough nature of the sport. You can use the stick above your head. Some players were able to toss the ball upward, using their stick, and then whack it like a baseball to forward the ball.

Very impressive when seen in person.

Here's some video with Gaelic commentators...

Cricket - An Aquired Taste

Let's be frank, at first glance cricket is about as exciting as watching paint dry. It also seems to be a sport without any rules or too many rules or just bizarre rules.








After awhile, once you start to understand the sport, you gain an appreciation for it.





In the United States, it is very difficult to see a cricket match. In Scotland, the highlights are on television. Instead of quick snippets of action, you can see long segments of matches. Considering that some of these matches can last hours or days, a long television segment may be required to fully describe the action. It is in watching the highlights at night where I learned the game. I'm still a novice but I can describe to you what I believe.









To start with, imagine baseball where instead of three outs and you change sides, you let one team play all of their outs (27), all their innings (9) at once. So let's say they have all their at bats and score 11 runs. I only use the MLB numbers for a comparision...but in cricket a player is allowed only one out, and basically they play only one inning. However, matches last for hours depending on the skills of both bowler and batter.







Now imagine if our Yankees had all their at bats, then the Red Sox come up and bat and they have to either tie the 11 runs or best the 11 runs with 12.

That's cricket in a nutshell.


The biggest difference is the scores. A cricket player can score points for ground balls, foul balls, home runs, and singles. In the end a good day for a cricket player is 100 points. It is called the century mark.




The field is a circle, so a "baseball foul ball" could be a home run.

Here is the field and how the field is covered by the pitching team. A short stop would be the "Stiff Cover" position.

The "Bowler" is the pitcher. He throws the ball overhanded and is allowed to run up to the line. To see how it is done check the scottish highlights:








This is where most of the action takes place.
The objective of the bowler is to hit the wicket. The objective of the batter is to protect the wicket and hit the ball to score points.


Two batsman run back in forth from the Popper's End to the Knacker's End and vice-versa to score points. Each time they cross the line they get a point.

For more rules go to .



Scotland does not have the best cricket team, but England, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan are the best in the business. Australia has been very good lately and their bowlers are first rate.

I gained appreciate for the sport when I realized how the batters must hit every pitch. If they let it get by them, it hits a wicket and they are out and done for the match. So, imagine Randy Johnson running at you, throwing a ball in the dirt and you have to hit it? That's cricket.

Before you toss it off as being a weird sport with no athletic prowess, think again.

Here's a few videos of what I mean:

Rugby Rules in Scotland

Every year Scotland participates in the Six Nations Rugby Tournament. It is the sporting event that takes the headlines. The fans react to it similar to how we react to March Madness. Scotland is struggling lately to do well in the tournament and unfortunately England has a very good team, which can get upsetting.

The six teams are: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

If you have never seen a rugby match then you may not appreciate the athleticism and brute force of the matches. The game is very similar to American football however, no one wears pads and even the big defensive guys have to run up and down the field all the time. There are no substitutions every play. These guys are fit and the game is brutal. Blood and broken bones are common each game.

Scotland was destroyed on Sunday by France in a 27-6 match played in Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

France has a very good team. It would not be surprising to see England play France in the finals.

Below are some rugby highlights from previous seasons. Check it out and experience the frenzied nature of rugby.

Scotland vs. Ireland: They aren't the same.

A pet peeve of mine and one that will roll the eyes or get blank stares from Scots is to think Ireland and Scotland are the same. Unfortunately, ignorant Americans lump Ireland and Scotland together because of music or kilts or accents or a combination of the three. Another reason is the "over there" factor. A basic lack of knowledge causes a lot of the confusion. A lack of caring keeps the indescretion from being corrected.

I will attempt to illustrate the differences and hopefully educate those who link the two countries.




Ireland
Ireland is a country of its own. It is an island by itself. Ireland's currency is the Euro. Scotland's currency is the Pound.



Ireland has a booming software industry and is the "silicone valley" of Europe.



Scotland is known for banking. The Royal Bank of Scotland owns many US banks.




----------------------------------
Irish names begin with Mc.

McCarthy
McLaughlin


Scottish names begin with Mac.

MacKenzie
MacGregor
-----------------------------------


Northern Ireland
When I was in Scotland, when Ireland was discussed the reference was to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland still belongs to the United Kingdom.

Northern Ireland is the onclave of the Protestants of Ireland. This is the area of the "troubles". This small part of Ireland is the only part that links Scotland and Ireland but they are as similar as Puerto Rico is to Texas. They may look familar in lots of ways but it is in the details the differences can be seen.

I think the analogy of Puerto Rico to Texas is the best for explaining the differences between Northern Ireland and Scotland. There are cultural differences and political differences.

The accents are different. Their history is different.

---------------------------------
IRELAND

The flag of Ireland is flown only in Ireland. Ireland has a President and a Prime Minister. They do not have a Queen.






---------------------------------
THE UNITED KINGDOM
consists of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.


The Union flag (Union Jack) is flown in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. They constitute the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has a Prime Minister as well as a Queen.




This flag is the governmental flag of Northern Ireland.








This is the flag of England: St. George's Cross. Notice if you put the Scottish flag and the St. George's Cross together you get the Union flag.







This is the flag of Scotland. Scotland has its own parliament but it acts much the same way as our state government. The federal decisions are made in Westminister, England. Scotland has representatives in British Parliament, again however, the affairs of Scotland are privy to the Scottish Parliament. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown, is Scottish and with it comes much disdain and expectations from his fellow Scots.


This is the flag of Wales. Don't forget, Wales is also a member of the United Kingdom.





------------------------------
Ireland has its own television news network. http://www.rte.ie/ Click on the link and check it out. You might want to compare it to the BBC... http://www.bbc.co.uk/. When the BBC discusses "Ireland" it directly refers to Northern Ireland. You can click on the links inside the BBC site and you will see what I mean.

I have heard many Americans confuse Scotland with Ireland and ignorantly toss their confusion as a "what's the difference?" There is a huge difference for those who know better. If you go to Scotland and believe there is no difference, I suggest to you there is no differences between Canadians and Americans.

The next time someone lumps the two countries together, you can educate them of their ignorance.

Super Bowl Not Super in Scotland

Despite the contrary articles (click on picture for one), I never found many Scots in Scotland who knew anything about the NFL. They may know about the Super Bowl, probably because it is one of the few games available. Ex-pats and students cared greatly about the NFL on Sunday, but I recall sitting with ten US students in the basement of the University watching the games alone, while a hundred students upstairs watched the English Premiere League.




I was recently informed the Scots are excited about the New York Giants because of Lawrence Tynes, the kicker. He's the only Scot in the NFL.

Lawrence Tynes

The BBC aired the Super Bowl for the first time this year and I know ex-pats were very happy to be watching it on free telly.

If you click on the STV website, no mention of the Super Bowl is given. The Six Nations Rugby tournament gets more press. From my experiences, it is the case. American football is still an American game despite all the press. Yes, London may have its hot spots but probably the reason is the businessmen and women who travel may boost up the interest.

In Scotland, the NFL is as common to them as cricket is to us. Really. The NBA is another story. Scots like basketball and follow the NBA. I have seen many basketball jerseys being worn around. I saw a Lebron James jersey on some kid waiting for a train and I thought I'd say something but thought better of it.

If you wear a NFL shirt or hat or anything like that, you will be immediately identified as American. Baseball caps are rare, however, the only caps you will see are New York Yankee caps. Why? Because they see it as a trendy logo and not as a hated or loved team. It means New York to them. It means they've traveled or just want to look cool. Look at this guy running for office.

If you don't want to be identified immediately as an American, I suggest you leave the baseball caps at home. Unless you are a Yankee fan, of course. However, I strongly recommend you don't wear the cap. If you saw Trainspotting, you may remember the American tourist that walked into the bar wearing his baseball cap and jacket, only to be beaten up. Well, you may not be beaten, but there will be a bit of disdain for your gaudy American fan wear. Just a thought.

Final Accent

We'll do more on accents later I'm sure, but three days on a topic is quite enough for now.

If you want to learn more about Scottish accents here are a few places to go.

Click on the Wallace Monument for one site...






And if you haven't heard the Robin Williams take on Scottish accents, then you must see this:



Check out behind the scenes of BBC Radio Scotland and hear some proper Scottish accents.

Scottish Comedy: Funny Accents and all that!

To continue the discussion on accents and dialects, how about some more Scottish humor to help us better understand Scotland.

Billy Connolly is one of Scotland's favorite sons. He's up there with Sir Sean Connery. Check out his tourist information below:



The Reality TV show, "Big Brother" is a huge success throughout Europe. In the UK, it almost caused an international incident when I was there when an Indian movie star was not treated properly and racist remarks were incited.
Here's Billy on Reality TV.



And there are two things you need to know about Scottish Football...Celtic and Rangers.





Billy's bang on with the football chants.

Accents, Dialects

The Scottish accent is music to the ears of tourists but at times the dialects can be very difficult. For example, watch this clip.



The video will give you an idea what it will be like when you arrive in Glasgow and ask a bus driver for information. Don't be surprised if he gives you some of the same slang.

Glasgow is one place where the accent can be very difficult to understand as the speakers will more than likely add their regional dialect to the discussion. The dialects are what takes time to understand. A dialect is associated with a particular class and with it jargon unlike anything you hear in the United States.

As you move around Scotland, the accent changes. The rolling gutteral speak of Glasgow will disappear as you travel to Edinburgh. The dialect is less stated and you won't be gobsmacked with words you don't coomprehend. As you head north to Inverness the accent becomes even more neutral. In Skye, you may meet one or two with the stereotyped rolling "r"s.

For the most part, Glasgow is the toughest place to carry on a conversation. You may want to get a book that helps with local slang. It won't help much, however, as the speaker will be saying it at hundred miles an hour. You have to live there a while to pick up any part of the conversation. But, don't give up.

Here's one tip...don't say I stained my pants....pants means underwear in Scotland. Say, I stained my trousers. Right, then...ya danna wanna be a bampot...that'll be pish.