Category Archives: Scotland

June 1, 2015 · 23:27

Direct from New Scotland

It is no secret that I love Scotland and when I was given the opportunity to join WestJet on their inaugural flight from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Glasgow, Scotland I was ecstatic.

Here in Atlantic Canada we get excited about direct flights across the pond to Europe. Last fall WestJet announced daily non-stop service from Halifax to Glasgow for the 2015 summer season from May 29th to Oct. 23rd. Some great fares are still available for this season with easy connections from Toronto and westward.

It was an incredible experience to be part of the inaugural flight from Halifax to Glasgow on May 29th. WestJet and Halifax Stanfield International Airport really knocked it out of the park with festivities leading up to departure.

WestJet had their own tartan designed to celebrate the flights to Scotland this season. The tail of the plane has been wrapped with the tartan. For you twitter followers check out #TartanTail.

The flight was full of many guests of WestJet, including the Premier of Nova Scotia, Stephen MacNeil along with a delegation from Nova Scotia to promote our province. WestJet also had invited many of their frequent reward travellers. The CEO of WestJet, Gregg Saretsky, was onboard mingling with all the guests and helping the flight crew. The excitement leading up to boarding and on the plane was contagious, and the quickest flight I’ve ever taken over the Atlantic. On our descent to Glasgow, the pilot gave us an extra little show of Scotland and it was absolutely amazing. Beautiful sunny sky, the highlands on the horizon, and the landscape, words cannot describe the beauty of Scotland.

For the much-anticipated arrival in Glasgow we were treated to a bagpiper and Highland Dancers greeting us at the arrival terminal, this Pictou County girl felt right at home!

Glasgow City’s brand ‘People Make Glasgow’ was 1st promoted during the 2014 Commonwealth games, which they hosted. It’s great slogan for this traditionally industrial city, now with so much to offer but the people do make the city, their spirit is charming.

https://peoplemakeglasgow.com

Glasgow hits the mark with free admission to most museums in the city. Children of all ages are welcome to explore.

A few Glasgow highlights include Riverside Museum, KelvinGrove Art Museum and Charles Renny MacKintosh architectural buildings.

A cocktail reception at Glasgow City Hall was hosted by Glasgow City, VisitScotland, Tourism Nova Scotia and of course the star of the show, WestJet.

Nova Scotia’s own Bruce Guthro was flown over to play a few tunes. He is quite well-known in Scotland and actually plays for Scottish band Runrig. He had a new song to promote and also played one of my favourites, the Purple Heather.

For the evening reception Nova Scotia offered lobster rolls, rum and NS blueberries mixed with champagne, the Scottish supplied local haggis, fudge and of course whiskey; enjoyed by all!!

Glasgow City was a buzz Saturday evening with this event at City Hall. A short walking distance away are many shops and night life. Many similarities to Halifax with all the pubs and the city bar scene in the city centre.

On Sunday, a short trip from Glasgow to Cameron House on Loch Lomond and Glengoyne Distillery was enjoyed media and travel trade representatives.

An ideal setting for corporate events, weddings, or just a weekend getaway from the city. A quick transfer from Glasgow airport takes aprox 20 minutes. Cameron House is more like a resort, with rooms in the main lodge and 3-4 bedroom cabins around the property. A Canadian designed 18 hole golf course on site. Boat or sea plane available to tour the loch.

If you’ve ever thought of making a trip to Scotland and the UK there has never been a better time. Go explore your ancestral roots, play on an award winning golf course, visit the Highlands and Islands around Scotland, follow the Whiskey trail or for the more adventurist try one of their many hiking trails. The city of Glasgow and Scotland are excited and ready to welcome you with open arms.

http://www.glengoyne.com

http://www.visitscotland.com/en-ca/

#WestJetGlasgow

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Filed under Glasgow, halifax, Scotland, Travel, Uncategorized

September 19, 2014 · 14:00

Belfast/Northern Ireland

I was a bit sad to be leaving Scotland, I really had an amazing time and still so much to explore, I will be back someday! Departed Edinburgh to Belfast Harbour City airport, a quick flight of only 38 minutes on Flybe. Although we almost missed it, we were at the airport on plenty of time but saw on the board that the flight was delayed and being Canadians found the nearest bar and got a drink to kill some time. Did not hear the announcement for the flight as it was going on time now (this never happens at home) once a flight is delayed, anyway long story short we had to run to gate and got the final call to board!

We took our 1st cab of the trip when we arrived in Belfast, fairly short drive to the city centre and 10 GBP. We stayed 2 nights in Belfast at the Park Inn city centre. Great location and easy walk to the city square, caught the last hop on/hop off tour of the day around the city. Belfast is the site of shipbuilding and famous for the building of the titanic, they are cleaning up their waterfront and there is a huge museum of the shipbuilding and titanic and also a titanic studios where much of the Games of Thones is filmed. Another well known area in Belfast is also Shankill Road and Falls Road, the roads are lined with many murals and an area known for the troubles in Belfast.

We heard this a lot in Belfast, “during our troubled years”. A few people we spoke to in Belfast said they are about 30 years behind, which I wouldn’t disagree with this but they are very proud on how far the city has come since the troubled years, I guess if you lived through this tumultuous time it would be something to be proud of to see you city grow and tourists coming to visit as they said no one came for 30 years.

Most of the people we met in Belfast are very eager to move on from the troubles and are happy to see tourists visiting their city, as it was not very long ago it was war torn and to get into the city centre their were car bombs mirrors to search under the cars, and army checks and everyone got searched. We had a great tour guide to giants causeway, he was born and raised in Belfast and seemed very opened to the different beliefs and as he said the majority would like to move on from these troubled years and see Belfast prosper but he also said there are still some people from both sides that live in the past. For someone like me I find all this very interesting but have a really hard time understanding the divide between catholic and protestant.

Our day tour the North and Giant’s Causeway departed from Belfast taking aprox an hour to go directly to Giant’s Causeway with a stop close by at old bushmills distillery, it was a great day tour costing 25 GBP.

http://www.belfastcitysightseeing.com/gc/

Giant’s Causeway is a beautiful spot on the tip of a Northern Ireland and only 12 miles from Scotland. It became a world heritage site in 1986. If you go as our tour guide told us to save your 8 pounds and walk around the visitors centre and straight down to the site, you can get a shuttle as it is a bit if a walk up especially coming back it is mostly up hill. They charge 1 pound each direction for the shuttle.

From here we went to the famous roped bridge, I believe also famous area where game of thones is filmed if you are fan. This was 5 pounds entry fee, if you want to cross the bridge, it was an aprox 20 minutes walk and a well maintained trail to cross the roped bridge. The views were spectalar and lots of great photo ops. The bridge was pretty cool, not nerves but maybe coming back over it it was shaking quite a bit but we both did it!

For here we drove the coastal road back to Belfast, beautiful drive. It is true what they say about the north, you’ve got to take the time to explore.

Took the train from Belfast to Dublin, a relaxing 2 hours but buy your tickets in advance got stung a bit buying day of, but a great way to travel.

Spent our last two days in Dublin having a great visit with Siobhan, shopping and hanging out at our favourite spot from last year, Oliver St. John Gogarty pub. I’m sure the locals would think it’s too touristy but a great spot for live music from 1:30pm to 1:30AM daily.

Pictures from Scotland

Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye Tour

Day One –

Our tour departed from the Royal Mile in old town Edinburgh at 9AM sharp on a Saturday morning. Our guide looked a wee but dissheleved and we were debating whether he looked more like Gene Simmons or Slash, both in their 80’s hay day!

With our group all loaded on the bus we were away on our Scottish 3 day adventure. We were driving from Edinburgh to Portree on the Isle of Skye and it was going to be an eventful but long day on the bus.

It was quite a drive to the island but just amazing scenery, something I have never seen before, the mountains were incredible! We had a break at the famous Loch Ness, and stopped many places along the way for breaks and photo ops. I actually got goose bumps a few times!

Our last stop before heading onto the Isle of Skye was Eilean Donan Castle, it’s quite famous as movies have been made here, the one I remember is Maid of Honour.

We travelled to the Isle of Skye via bridge, it took about an hour from where we crossed at the bridge to Portree, our destination for the next 2 nights. We stayed and a lovely bed and breakfast the Rosebank Guest House, a short walk to the town square. Family run and the nicest people!

We walked into the square for supper and some entertainment as it was Saturaday night, we didn’t need to go far. First place we stopped was hopping and we stayed until closing, although I think we were the entertainment for some guys from Glasgow. One of them says, you’re Canadian? Are you a lumberjack? …seriously buddy that will really win the ladies over!

Day 2 –

After a late night at the pub the 9AM start time was a little rough for us 2 Canadian girls, but we didn’t let the others see us sweat! We toured the island and I really can’t discribe the beauty we saw, I will add pictures but unfortunately they do not do it justice. We did see where they are filming the next Star Wars, pretty neat.

Everyone on the tour was loosened up from most of us hanging out at the pub from the night before, we had some great people on the tour with us along with a few duds but that’s to be expected I guess!

We visited the MacLeod Castle and were able to go inside and tour around but no pictures allowed, MacLeod’s have lived in the castle for over 800 years, they have beautiful grounds as well.

The evening was not a late one, we had dinner and into the pub for a drink. We met a young guy from NYC, he was starting a solo hiking tour around Skye.

Day Three –

Another 9AM start time with and new tour guide, our rock star had a family emergency and we were left with a real keener, now this would have been great the first day but we kind of got use to Keith’s grunts and took a liking to his crankiness and YES for independence for Scotland signs all over our bus and his rockstar hair! Scot was our tour guide for the last day and he shows up in a kilt and lots of wee stories to tell along with music. I make fun but he was great, very different from Keith but we enjoyed all his music knowledge and he played it along with the stories he told.

We stopped at the Clan Donald Castle and museum, they had reference to Pictou County and the Ship Hector so I found that pretty cool.

Found out all these MacDonald’s and MacLeod’s have fought for centuries, not sure what over but maybe that’s why you’re hard pressed to go to a Pictou County beer garden without seeing a good scrap!

We sailed from the Isle of Skye by ferry to the mainland and caught the steam train to Fort William. Took about 2 hours by train, apparently this is the Harry Potter train, people were pretty fired up for it but I have know idea about Harry Potter but really enjoyed the experience! The bus picked us up in Fort William and we made out way back to Edinburgh.

I really enjoyed my first organized tour but I think I’d max out between 3-5 days at this stage of my life. But it was easy and no worrying about driving and directions. Met lots of fun people, Canada was represented well, a father and son from Victoria, B.C. And a couple from Saskatewan.

Great experience and one I will never forget, I love Scotland and it’s been a dream come true.

http://www.highlandexplorertours.com

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Filed under Nova Scotia, Scotland, Tour, Travel

September 12, 2014 · 15:01

Food Walk Tour Edinburgh

We met Alan, our food/walk tour guide and owner of Eat Walk Edinburgh at the Hotel Du Vin in Edinburgh for their afternoon tour. There was 7 in our group, a couple from Washington, D.C., a couple from Melbourne and their friend.

At the hotel, which has lots of history and a beautiful wine tasting room and cellar, we enjoyed oatmeal crusted herring with a tomato chow, it was lovely.

We left the hotel and walked for about 10-15 minutes and made a quick stop at a tasting room that sells olive oils and spirits. We each tried a shot of one of the liquors, the favourite was a rhubarb vodka, made by a farmer in Scotland. Neat spot!

For the main course we stopped at Calistoga, ” the California twist in Edinburgh”. We had our main course here of pork belly and mashed potato and paired with a red California wine. All wines are from California and we had a delicious red that was paired with our meal.

After the main we went to a private whiskey club, the Scottish Malt whiskey society. It was a highlight of the tour. Although we had to try haggis and it came with mashed potatoes (as most of my friends know, I can’t stand mashed potatoes) I did eat the haggis and turnip. Haggis wasn’t that bad but wouldn’t rush out and order it anytime soon or if ever! We had a malt whiskey that was 62%, maybe this is why it was the highlight of the tour.

The next stop was a French restaurant, Le Di Vin, we all shared a couple cheese boards and beautiful white wine. Lovely place and setting, the wine and cheese were excellent!

Our last stop was at Grillie Dhu for dessert, raspberry and cream, with a little whiskey mixed in, I swear they put that in everything here in Scotland, not that I mind!

The tour took in both the old and new town of Edinburgh, my 1st food walking tour and it will not be my last. Really enjoyed the small group and seeing the city this way. The couple from the U.S said they do a food walking tour wherever they travel, they raved about one in Greenwich Village in NYC.

Alan, our tour guide was exceptional. Very knowledgeable about the city with all it’s history and he stopped along the way to tell funny little stories about Edinburgh.

http://www.eatwalkedinburgh.co.uk

A few pictures: