Europe
      -
      A
      student's
      playground:
      Scotland
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      y
      trip
      to
      Europe
      was
      my
     
     
      release
      from
      student
      life
      for
      a
      brief
     
     
      time.
      Three
      months
      of
      culture,
      life
      and
     
     
      learning.
      Sure
      as
      a
      young
      man
      I
      would
     
     
      be
      attracted
      at
      times
      to
      the
      night
      life
      of
     
     
      the
      cities
      and
      towns
      along
      the
      way;
     
     
      however,
      my
      goal
      was
      absolute
      -
      dur-
     
     
      ing
      my
      time
      here
      I
      want
      to
      experience
     
     
      something
      first
      hand,
      something
      to
      last
     
     
      a
      lifetime.
      My
      eyes
      turned
      to
      Scotland.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Scottish
      Highlands
      are
      one
     
     
      of
      Europe's
      last
      great
      wilderness
      -
      one
     
     
      of
      the
      few
      places
      in
      this
      increasingly
     
     
      cluttered
      continent
      where
      you
      can
      real-
     
     
      ly
      get
      away
      from
      it
      all.
      Some
      people
     
     
      come
      to
      Scotland
      for
      some
      peace
      and
     
     
      quiet,
      others
      come
      for
      the
      history
      and
     
     
      traditions
      -
      I
      arrived
      for
      a
      bit
      of
      both,
     
     
      or
      maybe
      to
      simply
      escape
      England.
     
    

    
     
      Scotland
      is
      impossible
      to
     
     
      describe
      -
      you
      have
      to
      see
      it.
      And
      when
     
     
      you
      do,
      I
      assure
      you
      that
      its
      castles,
     
     
      glens,
      lochs,
      and
      magical
      history
      will
     
     
      leave
      you
      longing
      for
      more.
     
    

    
     
      I
      arrived
      in
      Edinburgh
      (Ed-in-
     
     
      burr-a).
      The
      cost
      was
      7.99
      pounds
      to
     
     
      fly
      from
      London:
      Discount
      airlines
     
     
      truly
      are
      what
      they
      advertise,
      just
      don't
     
     
      expect
      any
      free
      cookies,
      or
      a
      life
      vest
     
     
      for
      that
      matter
      (Ryanair,
      EasyJet,
     
     
      BMI).
      Now
      Scotland
      still
      carries
      the
     
     
      Pound
      as
      their
      currency,
      being
      2.4
     
     
      times
      against
      the
      Canadian
      loonie;
     
     
      however,
      every
      pence
      spent
      will
      be
     
     
      worth
      it.
      Technically
      speaking,
      the
     
     
      country
      is
      still
      part
      of
      the
      UK
      -
      but
      say
     
     
      that
      to
      a
      Scot
      and
      risk
      a
      bloody
      nose.
     
     
      Christ,
      they
      even
      print
      their
      own
      ver-
     
     
      sion
      of
      the
      pound
      called
      the
      Sterling
     
     
      with
      heroic
      Scots
      featured
      prominently
     
     
      of
      the
      bills.
      Nevertheless,
      the
      North
      is
     
     
      cheaper,
      especially
      in
      the
      cost
      of
      hos-
     
     
      tels
      which
      can
      offer
      a
      comfortable
      stay
     
     
      for
      about
      10
      quid.
     
    

    
     
      Now
      Edinburgh
      was
      wonder-
     
     
      ful,
      offering
      an
      incredible
      amount
      of
     
     
      relatively
      affordable
      activities.
      For
     
     
      those
      of
      you
      seeking
      the
      drink
      -
      it's
      the
     
     
      pub
      capital
      of
      the
      world.
      The
      people
     
     
      are
      wonderful,
      the
      city
      friendly...until
     
     
      of
      course
      the
      weekend
      rolls
      along,
      pit-
     
     
      ting
      neighbours
      against
      one
      another
      in
     
     
      a
      blood
      frenzied
      football
      rivalry.
      It
     
    
   
   
    
     
      .:page
      [8]
      October
      21,
      2003:.
     
    
   
   
    
     
          
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Isle
      of
      Skye
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Glencoe
      pass
      (MacDonald
      Clan)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      seems
      religion
      runs
      deep
      in
      the
     
     
      Scottish
      homeland,
      especially
      on
      the
     
     
      football
      pitch.
      Years
      ago,
      the
      Scots
     
     
      killed
      each
      other
      in
      brutally
      ruthless
     
     
      battles
      in
      support
      of
      either
      religion.
     
     
      Today,
      the
      Catholics'
      weapon
      of
      mass
     
     
      destruction
      is
      none
      other
      than
      the
     
     
      Celtics,
      while
      the
      Protestants
      depend
     
     
      on
      the
      Rangers.
      After
      hearing
      shocking
     
     
      tales
      from
      some
      locals
      and
      one
      very
     
     
      drunk
      Irishman,
      I
      can
      best
      describe
      the
     
     
      rivalry
      in
      this
      manner:
      Do
      not
      walk
     
     
      into
      the
      wrong
      bar
      on
      game
      day.
     
    

    
     
      The
      city
      was
      great,
      but
      I
      grew
     
     
      up
      in
      one
      and
      wanted
      more.
      I
      wanted
     
     
      to
      see
      bagpipes,
      mountains,
      men
      in
     
     
      kilts
      killing
      the
      Redcoats
      -
      I
      wanted
      to
     
     
      see
      Loch
      Ness
      and
      William
      Wallace.
     
     
      So
      off
      to
      the
      mysterious
      Highlands
      I
     
     
      went,
      full
      of
      excitement,
      awe,
      and
     
     
      packing
      a
      good
      deal
      of
      local
      scotch.
      I
     
     
      happened
      to
      fall
      upon
      a
      band
      of
      travel-
     
     
      ers
      seeking
      the
      same
      adventure
      as
      I
     
     
      was
      -
      and
      oh
      God
      we
      found
      it.
      After
     
     
      hours
      on
      the
      bus
      awed
      by
      the
      tales
      our
     
     
      Scottish
      driver
      was
      delivering
      to
      his
     
     
      captive
      yet
      fearful
      audience
      (Scottish
     
     
      roads
      are
      more
      like
      mountain
      goat
     
     
      passes),
      we
      quickly
      learned
      two
      very
     
     
      important
      lessons:
      The
      Scots
      really
     
     
      hate
      two
      groups
      of
      people;
      the
      English
     
     
      and
      the
      Campbells.
     
    

    
     
      Ah
      the
      English.
      They
      should
     
     
      have
      learned
      from
      the
      Romans.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      A
      hairy-coo
      (highland
      cattle)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Eileen
      donnan
      (MacRea
      Castle)
     
     
      Emperor
      Hadrian
      knew
      that
      the
      Scots
     
     
      (Picts)
      were
      maniacs
      and
      simply
      built
      a
     
     
      wall
      keeping
      them
      in
      Scotland.
      The
     
     
      English
      got
      greedy
      and
      decided
      to
      con-
     
     
      quer
      -
      and
      to
      this
      day,
      are
      still
      hated
      in
     
     
      Scotland.
      But
      what
      about
      these
     
     
      Campbells?
      Well,
      the
      Scottish
     
     
      Campbell
      clan
      started
      a
      feud
      centuries
     
     
      ago
      by
      massacring
      a
      whole
      MacDonald
     
     
      clan
      in
      their
      sleep.
      Not
      a
      wise
      decision.
     
     
      The
      massacre
      of
      Glencoe
      Pass
      set
      in
     
     
      time
      a
      deep
      hatred
      between
      those
      loyal
     
     
      to
      the
      MacDonald
      clan
      (most
      of
      the
     
     
      Highlands)
      and
      the
      Campbells,
      a
      feud
     
     
      which
      continues
      to
      this
      day.
      In
      one
     
     
      stop
      in
      my
      travels,
      I
      actually
      learned
      of
     
     
      bar
      who
      refuses
      to
      serve
      anyone
      carry-
     
     
      ing
      the
      surname
      of
      Campbell,
      despite
      _
     
     
      their
      origin.
     
    

    
     
      Despite
      the
      hate,
      the
      Scottish
     
     
      folk,
      especially
      the
      Highlanders,
      are
     
     
      ridiculously
      friendly
      (given
      you
      aren't
     
     
      British
      or
      a
      Campbell).
      The
      Highlands
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      are
      amass
      of
      rolling
      green
      glens
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      deep
      blue
      lochs
      nestled
      between
      what
     
    
   
   
    
     
      seems
      to
      be
      endless
      mountains.
      There
     
     
      are
      no
      trees,
      only
      the
      odd
      town,
      oddly
     
     
      placed
      phone
      booth,
      and
      sheep
      -
      mil-
     
     
      lions
      of
      ‘em.
      During
      the
      summer,
      the
     
     
      sunlight
      lasts
      over
      20
      hours,
      only
      to
      be
     
     
      followed
      by
      winter
      nights
      that
      run
     
     
      nearly
      as
      long
      covering
      the
      countryside
     
     
      in
      musted
      hues
      and
      darker
      tones.
     
     
      Despite
      the
      extreme
      which
      is
      Scotland,
     
     
      the
      land
      is
      filled
      with
      the
      warmest
      and
     
     
      most
      cheerful
      people
      in
      the
      world,
      so
     
     
      full
      of
      pride.
      Highlanders
      are
      so
      trust-
     
     
      ing
      that
      there
      isn't
      a
      need
      for
      trespass-
     
     
      ing
      laws.
      Any
      person
      is
      free
      to
      go
      any-
     
     
      where
      -
      free
      to
      enjoy
      all
      the
      beauty
     
     
      which
      the
      lands
      secretly
      yields.
     
    

    
     
      My
      travels
      took
      me
      through
     
     
      the
      Isle
      of
      Skye.
      The
      Island,
      draped
      in
     
     
      a
      continuous
      fine
      mist
      is
      home
      to
     
     
      MacDonald
      and
      MacLeod
      clans
      and
      is
     
     
      truly
      the
      most
      beautiful
      place
      on
      Earth.
     
     
      The
      Island
      has
      one
      lane
      highways,
      free
     
     
      roaming
      ‘hairy
      coos’,
      Gaelic
      street
     
     
      signs,
      drunk
      bagpipe
      playing
      locals
      and
     
     
      a
      crazy
      kilt
      bearing
      -
      knife
      yielding
     
     
      hostel
      owner,
      but
      all
      these
      surprisingly
     
     
      come
      together
      to
      make
      the
      Isle
      of
      Skye
     
     
      the
      pilgrimage
      it
      is
      today.
      Strangely,
      I
     
     
      will
      always
      remember
      watching
      the
     
     
      crowd
      in
      a
      local
      tavern
      as
      one
      Friday
     
     
      night
      they
      simply
      drank
      and
      passed
      a
     
     
      set
      of
      pipes
      around
      from
      one
      happy
     
     
      sole
      to
      another.
     
    

    
     
      .
      Despite
      the
      cost,
      Scotland
      is
      a
     
     
      must
      see
      for
      any
      student
      wandering
     
     
      across
      the
      old
      continent.
      Its
      rough
     
     
      charm,
      warm
      people,
      vibrant
      history,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      and
      ever
      flowing
      drams
      of
      scotch
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
      pints
      of
      beer
      more
      than
      make
      up
      for
     
     
      frightening
      exchange
      rate.
      My
      advice
      -
     
     
      after
      England
      come
      to
      Scotland,
      you
     
     
      will
      appreciate
      every
      pound
      you
      spend.
     
     
      The
      hard
      part
      is
      leaving.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Top
      5
      reasons
      to
      visit
      Scotland
     
     
      1.
      The
      Scotch
     
    

    
     
      2.
      Friendly
      locals
     
    

    
     
      3.
      To
      learn
      the
      ‘real’
      story
      of
     
     
      William
      Wallace
     
    

    
     
      4.
      Freedom
     
    

    
     
      5.
      They
      hate
      England
      too
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Top
      5
      reasons
      not
      to
      visit
     
     
      Scotland
     
    

    
     
      1.
      Haggis
     
    

    
     
      2.
      Blood
      Pudding
     
    

    
     
      3.
      Highway
      driving
      is
      a
      constant
     
     
      game
      of
      chicken
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      4.
      Sheep
      ;
     
    
   
   
    
     
      5.
      Deep
      fried
      hamburgers
      -
      bun
     
     
      and
      all