Glasgow: the legendary John Smith & Son Bookshop …
Discover the story of John Smith & Son, Glasgow’s legendary bookshop, and its lasting place in the city’s literary and cultural history.
Continue reading →Category Archives: Scottish Towns & Cities
A Cold Plunge, a Warm Heart: Hogmanay Wishes Inspired by the Loony Dook
Celebrate Hogmanay with the spirit of the Loony Dook, Scotland’s chilly New Year’s Day plunge that brings warmth, laughter, and community to the winter festivities.
Continue reading →World’s Oldest Post Office has a New Lease on Life
Hello everyone! I have exciting news to share: The continued operation of the world’s most ancient functioning post office in southern Scotland is ensured, thanks to the acquisition by new proprietors.🎉 Scotland has long been home to tales of the old and the new, of history merging with the contemporary, and of traditions that refuse to die. One such tale … Continue reading →
✨ New Year Blessings of Health, Peace, Wealth and Happiness! 🎄
Dear Friends and Readers, ⌛ Another year is gone…May the New Year 2022 bless you with health, peace, wealth and happiness! Pretty much in all the largest cities of the world as in Scotland – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Stirling and Inverness – all-night celebrations are traditionally held to welcome the New Year. The Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations are among the largest … Continue reading →
Inverness Quebec Scottish link with Settlers from Arran Islands
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 →
Merry Christmas Edinburgh ! Merry Christmas Scotland !!
Whether you live in Edinburgh, in Scotland, in France, Canada or everywhere in the world, We wish you all, dear readers, a merry, MERRY Christmas ! Un très très Joyeux Noël ! And believe me, one of the best places to spend Christmas is Scotland ! I can tell you that because one year ago we were there and … Continue reading →
Winter 2019-2020: more postcards from Scotland!
So, we’ve come back from our winter trip in Scotland though, after one month of Scottish adventures we were not at all eager to leave. Days are so short in winter, still more in the north, and time passed much more quickly than during our former trips! It was quite frustrating too that so many places of interest were closed … Continue reading →
Ever heard about fire plants?
A rare species! 😉 Check them out in the video below and be wowed by magnificent light displays. Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden Christmas ©2019 Scotiana “Why didn’t the gardener plant any flowers? Because he hadn’t botany.” 🙂 Enjoy! Janice
Continue reading →Noah’s Ark Automaton Clock in Inverness
Indeed Mairiuna, the beautiful automaton clock that we had the privilege to view inside the Eastgate Shopping Centre depicting Noah’s Ark provide a special moment that all, adults and childrens, enjoy. It moves into action at noon sharp every day. On each hour the clock diorama also plays an animal themed song and a single set of doors open to … Continue reading →
Scotiana’s favourite places on North Coast 500: Inverness…
In 2015, to attract more visitors to the most northern part of the Scottish Highlands and to stimulate local trade and cultural activities, the North Highland Initiative (NHI), set up by Prince Charles, decided to launch the NC500 road (North Coast 500) . Hardly had it been created that, in 2015, the new touring road, sometimes nicknamed “Scotland’s Route 66”, … Continue reading →
Unicorn Mercat Crosses in Scottish Towns
Having travelled many times around Scotland, I noticed that many Scottish towns have a unicorn carved on the pinnacle of its ‘Merkat’ Cross. Why so?… Because the ‘Mercat’ (market) cross was the traditional heart of the burgh and although we now look at the unicorns as a mythical creature, in times past there were a lot who believed in their … Continue reading →
Dundee: ‘One City, Many Discoveries’…
Dundee, one of Scotland’s seven cities, has acquired a few names over the years: ‘Jute, Jam and Journalism’ ‘One City, Many Discoveries’, ‘UNESCO City of Design’. Scotland seven “cities” are Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Perth and Stirling. Dundee, which is the fourth largest one is situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay which … Continue reading →
Miss Toward’s Tenement House .. .. ..
Bonjour Marie-Agnes, Janice et Jean-Claude – Ca va bien? – How are you all today? 🙂 Margaret and I love to read all the letters you send us, so full of kindness and bonhomie! Our readers here at Scotiana may not know that your letters are in fact doubly charming, for they are always illustrated! (As you have often … Continue reading →
Edinburgh Airport break records!
Since it is not everyday that great events are spread amongst the news broadcasting networks, I’m happy to share a great moment in time here on Scotiana’s blog, in case you missed it when it came out. Edinburgh Airport is now the first Scottish airport to handle more than 10 million passengers over a 12 month period! Wow…10 million passengers, … Continue reading →
A journey around Scotland: up and down the Royal Mile …
Wednesday 5 September Today we are leaving our cosy wigwam at Morton’s Hall Campsite and we intend to spend the whole day in the old town of Edinburgh before taking the road to Glasgow. The weather is fine. In our journey around Scotland, we look forward with much anticipation to our last day in the Scottish capital city and our … Continue reading →