Scotland
Scotland. Well I’m here to tell you, it was BRILLIANT! This place feels magical. I don’t know if it was the castle perched high on the hill, the layer of fog that covered the city at night, or the endless streets of colourful pubs each with a unique story of their own. Maybe it's because it's my heritage but Scotland has so much to offer, beaches, mountains, highlands, castles, lochs, etc... It is so easy to do one day trips in Scotland because trains and buses are fast, accessible and affordable. The roads are great and you even have ferry options in some cities. Edinburgh, there are a TON of pubs! Each has their own unique name and story. Check out the names of these places. If you go inside, you will learn all about why the bar has the name it does. For example, The Greyfriars Bobby Bar is named after the scruffy Edinburgh Skye Terrier Bobby who is said to have stayed at the graveyard where his master was buried, until his own death, 14 years later. There is actually a cemetery that is named after this dog called Greyfriars Kirkyard. I highly recommend doing the Free Ghost Tour at night, which is put on by Eventbrite. Even though this is free, you still need to register. Oh and check out the tomb of Mackenzie Poltergeist as well! I also did the Harry Potter tour. There is such a feel of Harry Potter all over the whole city. This is mainly due to the fact that JK Rowling wrote most of the Harry Potter books in Edinburgh. Go to The Edinburgh Castle, It was built in the 12th century, there are tons of museum rooms full of history to check out. Also the view from the top of the hill is amazing in all directions. Definitely hike up the nearby hill to Arthur’s Seat. It is a moderate walk with the path getting steeper at some points but it is well worth it! If you can be in Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival, do it too! This is a 25 day festival with 3,400 shows ranging from comedy, plays, music, magic, and anything else you can imagine. Of course, Scotland is known for their pubs too, so having a few pints is a must. Innis & Gunn is a great Scottish lager that is delicious. Traveling through Scotland from Edinburgh ~ Stirling ~ Inverness ~ Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park ~ Glasgow ~ Motherwell... It was a quest!