Scotland ... What associations usually causes this word? Men in skirts, bagpipes, whiskey, or the Loch Ness monster, which appears after the third glass of whiskey itself ... Yes, another friend from childhood ballad Stevenson in translation Marshak: "From heather drink forgotten long ago ...". By the way, friends have asked us to bring a sprig of heather from Scotland. And it looks like, this heather, we honestly never thought of.
The reason for the visit to Scotland, served as ... the British government visa policy. Get a visa is not very easy: it is usually required to be interviewed (we have avoided this fate, because before this British visa had already received twice), fingerprinting, and increased attention to the financial possibilities of the tourist. But if you really give a visa, then once in six months than we've decided to take, because after the May trip to Wales we still have the opportunity to visit the United Kingdom before the end of October. We started in early September.
On the first day in Scotland, we almost never saw - rally, which started from London's Heathrow Airport was completed late at night, dawn, in the Scottish town of Evimor, which is a ski resort (imagine that!). Maybe, of course, ought to get to Edinburgh or Glasgow by plane or train, but I decided to jerk the car immediately to the place.
In the morning we discovered that settled a cozy cabin in the golf club Macdonald Dalfaber Resort Chalets on the outskirts of the city, where towering mountains on the horizon, Cairngorm, golf courses run into the river Spey, and on the lawns between the bungalows are not claimed by anyone grow mushrooms (by anyone other than - we could not deny myself the pleasure to cook with white and aspen gribovnitsu and then dial again, and fry them with potatoes ...).
Unfortunately, the more benefit from "grazing" food does not come out - the fish this time I could not catch, and 8 pounds, paid for the right to fish on Loch Insh, sailed with the off the hook Rybina ...
The main attraction in Scotland - this is nature: we have taken some reason to believe that Europe - is almost entirely urbanized areas. However, Scotland is one of those places where the acute kind of savagery, the primeval nature.
Cut into the memory of landscapes: a severe forest with giant pine trees, though of the movie-stories of Alexander Rowe, alternate similar to the tundra heath, heather-covered thereby, which gives them an unusual purple color.
At the same time in the woods to make a route for tourists and even equipped with a scaffolding on which to spread out a sleeping bag.
What we've got another symbol of Scotland? Whiskey ... I must say that we lived in a place could not be more appropriate to study this issue. Speyside - the area which produces about half of Scotch whiskey, which has, in contrast to the whiskey from the western islands of Scotland, a soft, sweet taste (well, as the epithet can be generally applied to the temples).
We, of course, could not visit any small factory for the production of whiskey. Among the many variants of the choice fell on viskokurnyu Glenlivet (the names of many whiskeys begin «Glen ...», which means "Valley"), located on the River Livet. This plant is the first to get a patent in 1824.
One of the reasons for the choice was not only famous brand, but that visit with a trip production is available for free (many plants do not show such generosity, however, make a discount when buying whiskey). In anticipation of the beginning of the next tour we bought some branded cups, a couple of which are now used for its intended purpose, and the pair (wrapped in the same paper brand), waiting for cases to be donated by true connoisseurs.
The plant is automated, the people there, just looks funny padlock on an old type of glass "cabinet", inside of which runs through the meter rapid flow of alcohol.
The culmination of the event was ... (you guessed it?) Tasting whiskey 12 - and 18-year exposure, generously poured into glasses, placed on two trays. Given that half of the tourists were not drinking the lady in years, taste can be from the heart. Unfortunately, staying behind the wheel did not allow me to "relax" in due measure, so I did not spoil the mood kind of unclaimed glasses with 18-year-old whiskey, and watched the founder of the plant, whose portrait hung above the fireplace, I walked away from sin ...
By the way, the British old. They are very nice. Firstly, they are quite elegant - even in cold weather, when our granny pull their shapeless knitted berets, British women are walking without a hat, and only the presence of gloves like the weather. Secondly, they are ... gay. Yes, yes, we are always watched with interest as per companies merrily chirping pensioners and for not refusing pohihikat-old women with buyers saleswomen pawnshop. When in one city we looked at the church, the local gay old woman began to regale us with tea. We are not accustomed to any friendliness old women in our churches, nor to the drinking of tea in the institutions of worship, a little confused and did not use such a good opportunity to talk (about what then, of course, regret).
With regard to komissionok in the UK (and Scotland is no exception) - this is a separate issue. In every town there are several pieces and sell them as an outspoken old and new (apparently discounted) things. Rather, by the way, a good place to buy souvenirs - some lovely plates 50-ies. These shops perform charitable functions - raising money for various purposes: from the fund to combat heart disease, ending with the fund in favor of women in Tajikistan. Moreover, among these stores are, and network, for example, Oxfam. And the sellers are usually old ladies, and there are veselushki ... Well, lovers of antiques in Britain at risk of losing his head ... such an abundance of antiques I have not seen in any other country, and, good as they say, for every taste. Ranging from very expensive, the stores on main streets, to the frankly rubbish, just piled in a box, or even in a heap in the village shops.
Since we lived near the famous lake Loch Ness, then do not attend it would be sacrilege.
To be honest, it is no different from other Scottish lakes - a very picturesque surroundings and a narrow path on which we skirted the lake.
Roads in Scotland, mostly narrow, not enough freeways. Most memorable road in the wilderness itself, a width of one car, where, in order to disperse, in 50-100 meters made "pockets".
And rest assured, if you're somebody gave way, the oncoming drivers need to thank you and waved. Upsetting to the Scottish roads, only the number who died under the wheels of rabbits and squirrels, and sometimes just a road littered with poor animals. At night when we were nominated for the return journey, most of all I feared a collision with a deer - a half hour on the road they met three times ...
The second week we spent in the town of Dunoon, west of Glasgow, where he lived in an ordinary apartment, rented through Interhome.
The town has dlyunnyuschuyu embankment and already two points where the ferry can cross the bay, then to a train ride to Glasgow.
I confess, Glasgow, we do not see no time, though, seem to be visited twice. For the first time cultural program spoiled rain: we decided to, as we say in such cases, 'total shopping. Came upon a Primark. When the appointed time (about an hour later) I was making my purchase, I met his wife, then her mind realized that shopping is not specified. Sure enough, she grabbed at a loss then one thing after another, but tricky process of drawing up the collections did not run and I realized that it's time to stop this outrage. Basket with things was nervously curled somewhere under racks and we went for lunch (as it turned out, to gain strength for the new plaque). Two servings of fried chicken for only 7.5 pounds, eaten at some eatery among local colorful characters, cheer up, a collection in my head has finally taken shape, and the defeat of the store was successfully completed.
Second visit to Glasgow was on his way back to London, almost nightly, on his way, so forgive Glasgow and Edinburgh for disrespect, to recover ...
Rest of the time we spent in leisurely ride along the beach and walking through the beautiful botanical parks, whose collections are carefully gathered more than one hundred years.
I almost forgot about the skirts and bagpipes! And, both in Scotland, thank God, as there is. Not to say that every second Scotsman wears a skirt, but the men in traditional dress were repeatedly seen, and in the atmosphere, excluding options, it's a show for tourists.
Although, remember, and a small idea when on a deserted mountain path, we suddenly saw standing on the sidelines of a Scotsman in full uniform, playing the bagpipes.
The few passing tourists, of course, stop to listen to bagpipes, to photograph lighten the Scot and ... put a coin in a box.
We assume that our coin will be omen for which we are sure to come back to Scotland. A sprig of heather, we, of course, brought ...
Author: Dragon Talk: http://forum.awd.ru/viewtopic.php?t=76176 |