Living the Scottish Culture

To visit, or to live in, Scotland is a glorious place. I can only describe the countryside as being rugged, and that ruggedness is the heart of the nation. From the beautiful green trees, the wild moorlands, to the great Lochs it is lavished in wonderful scenery. The weather is usually only what can be described as "dreary" at best, but the bad weather doesn't take away from the overall appearance of the land.

The Scots, like a lot of nations, are immensely proud of their culture and heritage. Scots are interesting people with their own sense of humor, even making jokes about themselves, and their home land. From way back in history the Scottish have formed an identity in the form of Clans. Each Clan has their own colored tartan, the members of the clan wear kilts, sashes, scarves, and other items of clothing in relation to their clan colors. Gaelic is still spoken in the Highlands of Scotland. Clan means children of the family on Gaelic. The wearing of kilts, drinking of Scotch whiskey, eating haggis, and the throwing of the caber are all traditions which have been popular for many years. Burns night, bonfire night, hogmany, and Saint Andrews day are some of the many Scottish celebrations. Robert Burns was a famous Scottish poet, the Scots celebrate Burns day eating haggis, nips, and tatties. Bonfire night is on the 25th of November. Fireworks are set off, and fires are made, called bonfire's. There are a lot of parties to bring in the new year, and this is called Hogmany in Scotland.

So, you might be wondering where do I go in Scotland? Where should I visit? Well, there are many places to visit, the choice is yours. You may want to visit the city or perhaps a small quite area, a family place. I am listing a few places here, and some information on these places. This is by no means the wide spectrum and there are a lot more interesting, historical, and exciting places in Scotland.

Edinburgh is the country capital, and as a result gathers the most tourist per year. The city attracts around 13 million visitors each year. It is the second most visited city in the UK, London being the most popular. Early August is a good time to visit if you want to catch the famous events of the Edinburgh festival. This also incorporates the Edinburgh fringe, which is the largest performing arts festival in the world. Located in the south-east, it is also a city known for its vast stone architecture.

Glasgow has the world famous Burrell collection and the Royal concert hall is amazing to see. The Scottish exhibition center and the Glasgow science center also have various attractions. Glasgow is full of old architectural buildings.

Stirling castle is a must to see in this city, with its lovely scenic views from, and leading up to the castle. Near the castle is the Wallace monument. Lots of information can be found on the battle of Bannockburn which took place in the 13th and 14th century.

Aberdeen is the center of Britain's oil industry. It is named the granite city as it is built primarily of granite. Tourist attractions include the Art gallery, and the Maritime museum.

Fort William is one of the well known towns of the west coast. Above the town, looming down, is the largest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis. One of the attractions worth noting is the Ben Nevis distillery and visitors center.

There are also the Orkney and Shetland islands. The Hebrides, Skye, and the Orkney islands too. This concludes my short article about Scotland. I hope you will one day visit, and enjoy the country.