From a 17th-century Scottish castle to a family restaurant in Montreal, the name Braemar travelled across the Atlantic through memory, affection and family history. Discover how Braemar Castle became part of my own Scottish-Canadian story.
Continue reading →Discover the Isle of Iona, one of Scotland’s most spiritual and beautiful islands, where ancient history, sacred sites, and stunning Hebridean landscapes come together in a place of pilgrimage and reflection.
Continue reading →Nestled in the Scottish Borders, St Mary’s Loch captivates with its serene waters, historic ties to William Wallace and literary icons like Sir Walter Scott, and endless trails for hiking and watersports
Continue reading →“I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book’ (J. K Rowling) I can’t but agree with J.K. Rowling for this is exactly how I feel when I’m reading a good book, especially if it is a book about Scotland. As a great fan of this fascinating country it’s always magical for me to get … Continue reading →
Bonjour Mairiuna et Jean-Claude, Iain and Margaret and loyal readers! 🙂 I’m very happy to contribute this article written from my home-based town of St- Jérôme in the province of Québec, Canada just before rusty oranges, golden yellows, and ruby reds of autumn transform the landscapes. Upon reading and learning through Mairiuna’s most recent post A Virtual Journey to the … Continue reading →
Hello dearest friends, As you might know by now, I’m passionate of all things Scottish related! Therefore, in my ongoing quest of Quebec-Scottish links, I’m very happy, as a native Quebecer, to share a glimpse on the origin of a brave, courageous and thoughtful municipality in the Centre-du-Québec region of Canada named Inverness ( referring to Inverness, Scotland) which first … Continue reading →
The countdown to 2020 is well and truly on…..A guid New Year to ane an` a` and mony may ye see! Happy Hogmanay from Scotiana! Our team wishes you all the very best of Scottish travels in 2020 and throughout its decennial 🙂
Continue reading →Hi Mairiuna! I’m happy to learn, inside your latest article touring us around Arcachon’s ‘less known heights’, that old villas of the area had a Scottish link! Great discovery my friend 😉 . And I just love the black & white postcards you showcased, as they romantically travel us back into time … The following excerpt from your post caught … Continue reading →
As mentioned in my previous post, Donald Alexander Smith (1820-1914), 1st Baron Strathcona, was famously known for having created, at its own expense, the most illustrious military regiment, the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians). Born on Scotland’s northeast coast, in the small town of Forres, Morayshire, in Scotland, he really had simple personal taste. Sleeping no more than six hours … Continue reading →
Very hot summer day in Bordeaux, especially in my attic room which overlooks our neighbours’s blue swimming pool ! I feel like flopping down on a deck chair in the garden with a good book and fresh lemonade. Of course I would choose a detective novel or a thriller ! It’s quite topical on Scotiana presently and the Scottish crime … Continue reading →
This is the tree that never grew. This is the bird that never flew. This is the bell that never rang. This is the fish that never swam. (Traditional rhyme associated with the symbols of Glasgow’s coat of arms) Glasgow ! YOUPI, Janice ! YES, let’s go to Glasgow ! You know, I was looking forward to writing about this … Continue reading →
What a great tour into Sue Walker’s literary work you just guided us through Mairiuna! It is so interesting that I will continue on the same path for a while and explore how the unique atmosphere of a particular place provides inspiration to an author. And come to think of it, to capture such “sense of place” is a great way … Continue reading →
What a good idea, Janice, to have chosen this quotation from Sue Walker. It perfectly illustrates the idea of a “sense of place” which has always played so important a part in Scottish literature. Sue Walker is a popular Scottish crime fiction writer. As she was born and has lived for some time in Edinburgh she is particularly well placed … Continue reading →
(…) “I was asked by an acquaintance recently how the inspiration for my novels came about. A common enough question and I had a straightforward reply. ‘Location, location, location.’ And that answer, to a great extent, is the whole truth. It is certainly the case that the locations used in The Reckoning (the island of Fidra and the East Lothian … Continue reading →
Take a good detective novel with you in the car, read it or listen to it and you’ll soon forget bad weather, heavy traffic and long hours of driving on dull motorways. As Janice mentioned it to you, in her last post, that’s exactly what we did on our long journey from Bordeaux to Scotland. Motorways being not the best … Continue reading →
