Dear readers, Are you ready to resume our trip around Scotland and to discover or re-discover some of its most beautiful landscapes and seascapes? Books, maps, photo albums and notebooks are gathered on my desk ready to make us dream about ‘Everything Scotland’. Last time we focused on the beautiful Cowal peninsula and the Isle of Bute, ‘Doon the Water’ … Continue reading →
Dear readers, This post introduces a new series of articles which will lead us to some of the best places of Scotland. We’ve visited a number of them during our seven trips there and we’ll share with you a selection of our photos focusing on what we love best. Our last travel to Scotland dates back to September 2012 … Continue reading →
Paris, 8 January 2015 It’s a day of national mourning in France, all flags have been lowered… ………………… On 7 January 2015, three gunmen opened fire at the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo, killing at least 12, and wounding 11, 4 seriously. Staff cartoonists Charb, Cabu, Honoré, Tignous, and Wolinskialong with economist Bernard Maris, and two police … Continue reading →
Scotiana’s team wishes you and yours a very Merry Holiday season and a Happy New Year! ” Nollaig chridheil agus bliadhna mhath ur “ [Gaelic pronounciation: “noll-eg cree-yel ugus blee-anna vah oor”] 🙂 Who made the sea and shore; Thy goodness constantly we prove, And grateful would adore; And, if it please Thee, Power above! Still grant us with such … Continue reading →
Dear readers, In a very few days it will be Christmas! Hectic times again. 🙂 Many of us are busy preparing the coming festivities, some of us haunting frozen paths in the woods to find and cut green holy branches with little red berries on them, other ones decorating the Christmas tree with glittering colourful tinsel and bells, candles and … Continue reading →
Did you know that the unicorn gold coins of Scotland are among the most famous and curious of all gold pieces? Greg Reynolds wrote a very interesting article in his series about the fabulous Eric Newman Collection of European coins that went on sale in early January 2014 in which he states : Scottish Rarities No single English coin was … Continue reading →
Dear readers, We have wonderful memories of our trips in the Outer Hebrides in 2003, 2004 and 2006 which led us from Lewis in the north to Barra and Vatersay in the south. We’re eager to go back there to immerse in the wild and colourful ‘lunar’ landscapes we’ve passed through, to get in closer touch with the … Continue reading →
It is impossible to read and weigh the facts in connection with the conviction of Oscar Slater in May, 1909, at the High Court in Edinburgh, without feeling deeply dissatisfied with the proceedings, and morally certain that justice was not done (Conan Doyle – ‘The Case of Oscar Slater’) . We were introduced to the Oscar Slater Case, … Continue reading →
If you’re headed to Scotland for a vacation then it’s essential to make sure you pack well. My travelling friends Mairiuna and Jean-Claude have visited Scotland many more times since 2000 than I did, but still enough times on my part to have learned, sometimes the hard way, about the essentials! In general, visitors who plan to go to Scotland … Continue reading →
One week ago, on Wednesday 17 September, Scotland was about to live one of its greatest pages of history with most of the Scottish people feeling like on the eve of a battle. Indeed, the Scottish independence referendum WAS a battle, a peaceful battle but with big consequences, a battle between two camps of passionate opponents. Scotland would never … Continue reading →
YES or NO to become independent from the United Kingdom, that is the big question to be answered in Scotland today! A historical day indeed ! The above photo of the Saltire and the Union flags being raised on Arthur’s Seat with a view of Edinburgh Castle and the hills in the background is absolutely WON-DER-FUL. The two flags … Continue reading →
Dear readers, It has escaped nobody that a strong wind of change is blowing in Scotland these days, a wind murmuring echoes of the old Scottish dream of independence, a dream which is not shared by all, far from it. In a very few days each Scot will have to say whether he chooses to remain or not in … Continue reading →
They used to call it Drumossie Moor – a bleak stretch of boggy, heather-clad upland moor above Culloden House, south-east of Inverness, overlooking the broad waters of the Moray Firth. This was where the last pitched battle on British soil was fought, on 16 April 1746. Culloden is now one of the flagship possessions of the National Trust … Continue reading →
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 →
