“The only pleasure in redecorating or moving house comes from stumbling across books that I’d almost forgotten I owned.” John Burnside As we are going to move soon from our house in the South of Bordeaux to a new home situated in a lovely corner of Périgord Noir, I am making boxes and boxes of books and it made me … Continue reading →
New Glasgow While googling for the physical address of nearby retail store, I notice a name on Google’s map that captured my attention : New Glasgow. Could it be that a Canadian-Scottish link is near where I live? (I’m based in St-Jérôme, near Ste-Sophie, approximately 50 km north of Montreal, in the beautiful province of Québec, Canada. ) Well googly … Continue reading →
Robert Burns : Our Poet at Ellisland Farm, 1788-1791 .. . Bonjour Janice, Marie-Agnes et Jean-Claude. Hello again from Scotland ! 🙂 We do hope that you’re all keeping safe. Margaret and I were very happy, Marie-Agnes, to receive a message from you just a few days ago, saying how much you liked the Burns poem “in English” that … Continue reading →
Dear readers, dear friends and fans of Scotland, the whole team of Scotiana wishes you a very Happy New Year! May our Scottish adventures inspire you to travel and walk on the wonderful paths of La Belle Alba… Never more than in winter, does she wear her lovely name better… !!! HAPPY HOGMANAY !!! https://youtu.be/hAkadrmhhx0 Let me share … Continue reading →
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 →
Scotland will certainly mourn Sean Connery for a long long time because before being the very charismatic movie star we’re celebrating all over the world he was first of all a Scot and indeed, one of the most famous and dedicated defenders of the Scottish cause… some fans of the irresistible London agent 007 might still think he was born … Continue reading →
Since I do not listen to the news, as they are mainly constant negative ones, I thank you Mairiuna for letting me know about the departure of Scottish beloved actor, Sean Connery. Always sad when a thougtful and loving soul departs. My prayers are with him and loved ones. Things and lives end but memories last for ever… … Continue reading →
In my last post I told you about the wonderful days we shared in Thirlestane Castle with our dear friends Iain and Margaret! Souvenirs ! Souvenirs ! In the living-room of our magnificent apartment, situated in the south wing of the castle, a glittering Christmas tree added its cheerful note to the warm and cosy atmosphere of the place. We’ll … Continue reading →
Hiking through spectacular views and autumn colors in Nova Scotia Feeling a call to escape the city’s noises and distractions, I was contemplating a road trip that would get me closer to the nature and by the sea. In the CAA Quebec monthly automobile association magazine, I stumbled upon an article depicting the Cape Breton Trail in Nova Scotia. I … Continue reading →
Who has never dreamed to spend a holiday in one of those fabulous “romantic” castles which have enchanted generations of travellers, artists, writers… a few months ago the dream came true for us and that was like being part of a fairytale story… Many many thanks to our dear friends, Iain and Margaret, to whom we owe such a wonderful … Continue reading →
“Writer, traveller and adventurer, and with a Spanish grandmother, I nevertheless find Cunninghame Graham’s involvement in politics to have been the most remarkable feature of his life – for he was from a noble Scottish family, yet became the first ever Socialist member of our British parliament when he entered the House of Commons in 1886.” Bonjour Janice, … Continue reading →
Dear friends, I am so excited to write about the story of an abandoned village, Rivière de La Guerre, located in the province of Quebec, where Scottish settlers began to come over from the Hebrides Archipelago, west of the Highlands. Originally, the area was called Godmanchester. Named after a man known as Francois dit La Guerre, a settler that had … Continue reading →
Dear readers, Ages seem to have passed since my last post on Scotiana and our wonderful trip to Scotland in winter. In the meantime, there has been the outbreak of that infamous covid 19 pandemy and I sincerely hope that you, your friends and family are doing well in such hard times. In France, like many people all over the … Continue reading →
Hi Mairiuna, Iain and Margaret 🙂 Trust all is well. I am so happy to share today with you and our followers the exciting story of the discovery in Montreal, Canada, upon carrying out archaeological excavations under the Jacques Cartier bridge of an old pipe furnace used during the 19th century in the Faubourg Sainte-Marie which was also known as … Continue reading →
