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.




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Irish names begin with Mc.

McCarthy
McLaughlin


Scottish names begin with Mac.

MacKenzie
MacGregor
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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.

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IRELAND

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






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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.





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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.

Scottish groceries: A few suggestions

A few last grocery ideas.

The lamb steak is awesome in Scotland. Anything with lamb is good in my book from lamb curry to lamb mince (which I put in spagetti sauce). However, the mince gives off an odd smell when cooked. The mince is inexpensive. The lamb steak on the other hand, is expensive. It is odd for a country full of sheep to have such high lamb prices but that's just the way it is.

I've never had a deep fried Mars bar, because my cholesterol level would kill me afterward. But a deep fried Mars bar is supposedly the coveted cuisine of the tourist looking to experience the unique ways of Scots. I always suggest keeping something in your travel bag to help you fend off hunger. You'd be better off filling up with candy than go into a restaurant or grocery store famished.

You can get Haggis, Neeps and Tatties in the frozen foods but it is not worth it. As you experience haggis in your travels you will experience the different quality. You will know what a good haggis tastes like if you have been properly served in a fine restaurant or B&B. For your first taste of haggis, don't go to the frozen food aisle or buy a can. Bring a can back or open one up after you've had the better haggis. Your first experience should be pleasant. A fresh haggis can taste wonderful. Even my wife agrees, there is a difference in haggis and a quality dinner is very good.

You may look at the rows of soup and not know what brand to buy. I actually preferred the cheaper soup, Granny's. It is inexpensive but tastes very good. It has a bit more sodium but the soup was a staple in my daily life. The soup went well with a sandwich. I highly recommend it for a cheap lunch.

Scottish groceries: Slang

Chips or crisps?

In Scotland, chips are french fries. Crisps are potatoe chips. Both are a staple of Scottish life. Crisps can be very pricey compared to the United States. The bags are smaller and have less content but the varieties of crisps is quite expansive. You can find "baked" crisps but they are very rare. Scots like the traditional crisps. Chips are served with everything. I have witnessed dozens of combinations of dinners with chips as part of the meal. I even witnessed a young girl eating lasagne with chips.

The government understood the health risks of chips and began to take them out of the school. The parents did not support the idea, instead, showed up at the school gates with fast food, crisps and chips for their kids.

Another slang term is "take-away". Instead of "drive-thru", they have take-aways.

Also, you don't stand in line, you stand in a queue, pronounced "cue". It is very important in the UK to stand in queue properly. Cutting in line or being rude is a big mistake. Be patient and stand in queue politely.

A hint: Americans are noisy and obnoxious...if you fit the stereotype. When in queue do not talk about your life, the fascinating things you see, or ramble on about anything. Be quiet, stand in line, and listen to the people around you. You went on vacation to soak in the culture. You will learn a lot about the culture by standing in queue properly. Watch, listen and take it all in.

Save Money Traveling: Groceries

Not to fulfill the Scottish stereotype, but to help you keep your vacation within budget I recommend a few tips. Here's a couple of ideas that may save you money, or allow you to put more money into other things such as purchasing souvenirs or something else.

Self-catering saves you money but it may limit your mobility. If you pick a central location and stay in one place, you can fill up your shelves and refrigerator with stuff. At the same time, you can experience living in Scotland like a local. The grocery store experience puts you in the same circles of the locals.

Instead of buying expensive soda buy this unique product. Fruit Squash.


It is concentrated fruit juice. Mix it with bottled water and you can make it last and spend pennies a day. You can carry it with you as you travel. If you plan to go hiking it is something to think about.

Breakfast is a must, as it fuels you up for a vigorous day of travel. You can buy breakfast foods at the grocery store, experience a good Scottish breakfast and save money as well. Most restaurants are not open for breakfast. I have found the breakfast restaurant is an American thing. The B&B provides a great breakfast, as well as hotels provide something to nibble on in the morning but you may have to wait until lunch to get any food on the road. So if you self-cater, you will need to load up on breakfast goods. You can get a pack (see picture) of good Scottish breakfast staples. I do not like black pudding and you may as well. It is basically pig or lamb blood. Yuck. But some love it.


You can get breakfast cereal easily and it is the same stuff as in the States. Sometimes they put it in different packaging, but you will figure it out.

If you don't want to spend much for dinner, I recommend the margherta pizzas. You can get a two for one pizza deal in any of the grocery stores pretty easily. They are pretty good for frozen pizzas. I would have one every Friday night.

The strongest suggestion to you is to enjoy one really good meal. The lunch menu is usually good until 5pm...so if you eat early you will also save money. But if you take care of getting a good breakfast in the morning, you can have a few extra pounds for a good dinner out. Maybe an extra pint or two.

Scottish groceries: For the self-caterer.

When you look into vacations in Scotland, be aware of the self-catering option. Basically what it means is you buy your own food. As I have said many times, the grocery stores are very good in Scotland and they range in price and quality. The low end being Somerfeld, the middle Tesco and the high end Sainsbury's.

Scottish orange juice comes from South Africa.

Yogurt is available in stores for a good price. Look for deals, similar to the ones in the States...5 for a pound, etc.

Salmon is a good deal. This salmon was on sale for 4 dollars a pound.

Beer is much cheaper in the store, just like in the States. You can get a 12 pack for the same price you would pay in the States. Tennents is the most popular and common beer in pubs.

If you want an American beer, there is Budweiser but there is also Miller. The Miller tastes a little different than the American version and you can get good deals on buying the full pint cans.

You can get Pespi and Coke products the same as you can in the States. They usually come in smaller cans.

For coffee, instant seems to be more popular. Most self-catering accomodations will have hot water kettles. I recommend you go with good old Nescafe or else you may get some really strong Scottish coffee you may not enjoy.


If you really wanta to try something new and uniquely Scottish, you must try Irn-Bru. It is an orange-type soda natives love. Rumor has it, it is good for hangovers. But you will find more Irn-Bru then Coke or Pepsi. My suggestion is you give it a try. It may grow on you.

BLACK CURRANT: Scottish food

One thing I found frustrating while in Scotland was the jam I could buy. I could not find regular grape jelly. Welch's does not sell anything overseas and so, concord grape jelly is out.

The only thing close was black currant jam. And if you ever had it, you may like it but I find it too tart and did not mix well with peanut butter.

I would make a sandwich and go for a hike. Unfortunately, I would take out my sandwich, start to eat it and my face would pucker up with dislike for the fruity jam. It ruined my PB&J.

You could find other jams such as strawberry and raspberry, but I'm a grape jelly guy.

If you stay in Scotland for a vacation it is not a big deal. You can handle the black currant for a week or two. In fact, don't miss a Scottish breakfast if you can help it. The breakfasts are fantastic and will get into more of that tomorrow.

But if you had to eat black currant as your own grape-like jam, you'd get sick of it as well. It's an American thing I guess.

If you have a peanut butter and jam sandwich this week, think about the wonderful taste you take for granted.