Inverness, Scotland (Invergordon)

Celebrity Silhouette will dock in Invergordon, about 40 minutes from Inverness and an hour from Loch Ness. Inverness, literally means "mouth of the river Ness". Inverness, regarded as the capital of the Highlands, is the northernmost city in the U.K., located near the site of the 18th century Battle of Culloden. Click here for a Youtube video of Inverness. History, as well as breathtaking scenery, will be all about us as we explore the Scottish Highlands.

Scotland, and especially the Highlands, has been on my bucket list since I opened the first page of Book 1 (entitled "Outlander") of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Seven more books complete the series of eight and she is working on book nine.  I am smiling.  Ken literally had to drag me away from reading as I got so ensconced in the Scottish Highlands through these books.  I am so blessed to have visited Scotland once and am eagerly looking forward to next visit in August 2016!

Have you ever heard of haggis?  How about hielan coos?  
Well, haggis is a Scottish specialty, made with minced meat and oatmeal (porridge) cooked in sheep’s bladder… I was not brave enough to try it on my first visit to Scotland... and I may not be brave enough to try it next time!  Hielan coos (pronounced heelan koos) are the Highland Cows that are so cute.  Well, perhaps cute is not quite the correct word because they are huge & have fuzzy faces and horns!  Scotland is the land of folklore and myths along with quite a storied history.

1) The legendary Loch Ness - first search for the monster, then enjoy the beautiful scenery! National Geographic has a wonderful video of the legend of Nessie, the Loch Ness monster.

2) Culloden Battlefield - The Battle of Culloden took place on April 16, 1746 and pitted the Jacobite forces of "Bonnie Prince Charlie", Charles Edward Stuart, against an army commanded by Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government. The Jacobites consisted largely of volunteer Scottish highlanders. Following the battle Handel wrote his oratorio Judas Maccabaeus to honour the Duke of Cumberland, with the aria “See how the conquering hero comes”.
The Jacobite cause to overthrow the reigning House of Hanover and restore the House of Stuart to the British throne was dealt a decisive defeat at Culloden; Charles Stuart never mounted any further attempts to challenge Hanoverian power in Britain.
Between 1500-2000 Jacobites were killed in this bloodbath, while the government casualties were lighter, only around 50.

3) Ruins of Urquhart Castle - Magnificently situated overlooking Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle is one of the largest castles in Scotland. It is near the castle that many Nessie sightings occur, so have your cameras handy! Urquhart was one of the medieval Scottish strongholds and remains so, despite it's ruinous state. Click here for a photo of Urquhart situated high atop Loch Ness.

And here's a photo that I took looking through the trees!

4) Clava Cairns - Named after the group at Balnuaran of Clava, near Inverness, these burial cairns were erected in the early Bronze Age or late Neolithic Age (2000 - 1700 BC) with a stone circle surrounding either a chambered tomb or a ring cairn. There are about 50 cairns of this type around Inverness. In the Neolithic through the New Stone Age, the older you were, the more important you were; so logically the dead were the most important of all. Ancestor worship became the center of people’s lives, and great emphasis was placed on the burial of the dead. 

5) Beauly - "C'est un beau lieu", from the French 'what a beautiful place', was Mary Queen of Scots reaction to the grandeur of the scene when she stayed in Beauly in the 16th century, and local tradition credits the naming of the village to her. However, the naming may date back to around 1230 when the French monks arrived to set up the Priory.  The River Beauly is one of Scotland's prime rivers for trout and salmon fishing.

6) Brodie Castle - is the seat of Clan Brodie. This is a 16th century tower house is packed with art and antiques.  The castle is interesting and you will see everything from the drawing room to the nursery... even the toys, including dolls, game,s and hobby horses.  Our castle tour concluded with lunch in the tea room where we dined on home made minestrone, salad, and sandwiches.  The baked goodies were yummy – scones, tea biscuits, shortbreads, etc.

7) Monlochy Clootie Well -What is a clootie?  In Scots, a clootie or cloot is a piece of cloth or a rag.

The well is hidden in a hilly forest and is said to bring good health and well being to those who leave a piece of clothing or a coin behind. The branches of the trees surrounding the well are covered with hanging socks, handkerchiefs, and other articles of clothing left by those hoping for well being.  Many Scots come here on the eve of the Scottish New Year.  

Edinburgh, Scotland - Clans and Castles

Celebrity Silhouette will anchor in Leith and Edinburgh will be a tender port. 

I can hardly wait to visit Scotland again!  What a lucky girl I am to be able to travel to this gorgeous country more than once in a lifetime!  Oh my!  Scotland is more than a wee bit beautiful!  On our last visit, our first stop was S. Queensferry, where we were ferried to shore for our excursion to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.  Gorgeous fields of barley welcomed us along our drive to the city.  Barley, of course, is one of Scotland’s important agricultural products.  It’s essential to the production of Scotch whiskey and beer! 

The highlight of our upcoming August 2016 visit will be the opportunity to attend the renowned Edinburgh Military Tattoo!   It takes place on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle and will be an evening of music, dance, theatre, and ceremony, including pipes and drums, military bands and more. I've read that tickets for for 2016 will go on sale in November or December of 2015. 

We jumped on the HOHO bus (hop-on/hop-off) upon arrival in Edinburgh for an overview of the city.  First stop was Edinburgh Castle, where of course, we hopped off!  This majestic castle, perched atop an extinct volcano, dominates the Old Town.

Next up was a tour of the Scotch Whiskey Experience… you know the drill:  when in Scotland, do as the Scottish do!  This was a swirling, bubbling barrel ride through a replica distillery, followed by a tasting.  Did you know that in just two minutes 4,680 bottles of Scotch Whiskey have been sold worldwide?  This experience did not turn me into a Scotch whiskey lover, but it was interesting and oh so very Scotch!

Afterwards, we proceeded for the most essential walk down the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle to the Holyrood Palace.

As we explored our way down the Royal Mile (yes it’s down hill all the  way!), Ken & I were both looking for the perfect Scottish lunch spot.  We found it at Angels with Bagpipes!  Oh what a most divine lunch in a beautiful setting, away from the hustle & bustle of the touristic Royal Mile!

We were given a fixed price menu and chose the two course option.  I ordered fish & chips, as I am planning to write a review of the best fish and chips in the U.K.  It was the best fish & chips yet!  My first course was a salad with ham and rocket greens.  Ken’s entree course was a beautiful dish of mackeral (not fish & chips style) and apricots with poppyseed ice cream for dessert. Wine complemented our lunch quite nicely. 

After lunch, we continued along the Royal Mile, past St. Giles Cathedral, to Holyrood Palace, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland.  The HOHO came our way so we hopped on to continue our city tour all ‘round Edinburgh.

As for shopping... there is plenty!  You will find lots of shops and boutiques to purchase your Scottish souvenirs!  You may also want to make a stop in the department store, Jenner's The House of Fraser.  In 1849 Hugh Fraser and James Arthur opened a drapery shop in Glasgow and it's been in business ever since!

Bruges, Belgium

Celebrity Silhouette will dock in Bruges.  I am looking forward to visiting beautiful, tiny Bruges!  I've never been here but everything that I have read is making me daydream of my upcoming visit.  Evidently there's a great movie that will really inspire you to visit Bruges.  "In Bruges", 2008, starring Colin Farrell. I plan to see it soon!

Everyone seems to love Bruges.  The entire city is named as a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Beautiful streets, gardens, bridges, churches, canals, swans, chocolate shops and restaurants provide photo-ops at every moment.  Bruges is often called The Venice of the North.  You will marvel at the medieval attractions and buildings that were not damaged during the two world wars.   

Bruges, an occupied city during the First World War, is within easy reach of the First World War battlefields, cemeteries and memorials. Several companies in the city offer full-day tours, with knowledgeable guides who will help you to understand the history, horrors and stories of Flanders Field and World War I.

Grote Markt –   (yes markt is how it is spelled!) the main market square.  Horse drawn carriage rides originate here; although I’ve read that they are not leisurely and are expensive.  Click here for a web cam view of Grote Markt Square.

Climb the Belfort Belfry and take photos overlooking the city – It’s 366 steps and dates back to 1240.

Another must-do is a canal cruise – You will see a totally different view of the city, as well as areas not accessible by streets. Bruges has more than 54 bridges, some so low that you will have to duck!  Here's a link to Bootochten Brugge for more information on canal boat tours.

Who hasn’t heard of Belgium chocolate?  Plan to gorge on chocolate!  Here's a link to Rick Steves' (my favorite travel guru) tips for chocolate in Bruges.

Drink a beer – Bruges is home to more than 600 varieties of beer.   Plan to visit the Brewery de Halve Maan , a brewery and museum. De Halve Mann opened in the 16th century, and still brews beer to this day. You can visit the brewery and following your tour taste a glass of beer, so-called Brugse Zot.

Bruges is home to many museums, even the Frietmuseum, dedicated to the potato!  The Frietmuseum is located not far from Grote Markt. There is also a chocolate museum, diamond museum, and of course several art museums.

Shopping anyone?  Bruges is famous for its lace.  But beware that much of it is made in China, so be sure that you find the real Belgian handmade lace!  Of course chocolate will be on my list; but I may find a grocery store for better prices for gifts to take home.  If you're a beer connaisseur, then perhaps beer mugs or coasters from different bars, or perhaps a Belgian national soccer jersey.  Beautiful tapestries are also found in Bruges.

 Take a Walking Tour and explore the historic city center with a local.  Learn about the history as well as urban legends.  Here's a free tour that gets great reviews on Tripadvisor; but tips are appreciated. - Legends of Bruges free walking tour

As you must have learned by now, I love to eat as part of experiencing the local culture!  Here are some Must Eats in Bruges:

Chips and Mayo, 

Carbonnades Flamandes/Stoverij, aka Flemish beef stew

Moules/Frites, aka Mussels and Fries

Speculoos, Belgium's national cookie