Failte,
I just returned home from one of the best trips of my life. I went with a few of my friends on a Heartland Travel 3-day tour, which is run by a wonderful man named Nory who drives the bus and tells stories. We visited a bunch of places including:
Doune Castle
The Fairy Pools
Fairy Glen
Loch Ness
Eilean Donan Castle
"The Harry Potter Bridge"
and many many picturesque mountains
It was a blessing to be able to see all of this, and more (places I can't remember the name of because they are Gaelic). I almost wish I could turn back time and do it all again, with less worrying. I did a bunch of worrying about stupid little things like not wanting to fall in the mud and getting my feet wet. Looking back, if I had just enjoyed the moment, I would have been much more at peace with myself. Lesson learned.
Nory showed us lots of places and told us a whole plethora of history about Scottish clans and politics and traditions. But the best part was the stories. He told us stories about fairies and friendship and loss and magic and the way he told them made you feel like you were there, watching them unfold. The stories strengthened the connection between my body and the land. When we visited the fairy glen and the fairy pools, I could almost imagine the fairies themselves bathing and dancing and luring people into their world of trickery. The stories make Scotland come alive. It is impossible to understand Scotland without its fables, its legends, its myths. They teach you about the land and the people and the world and yourself. The power of language is just incredible. Nory's stories remind me why I am a writer, and what I hope to be able to do with my words. I want to teach people about themselves. I want to contribute to a greater literature, one of stories being passed down through the ages, without which it is impossible to understand the world and how it works. Our world is strange sometimes. Literature captures that. Stories capture that.
For anyone going abroad to Scotland, or just visiting, I would urge you to do the tour with Nory. He is a fascinating and energetic tour guide, and it is well worth the money. Here is a link to the website: http://www.heartlandtravel.co.uk/
Beannachd leibh!
I just returned home from one of the best trips of my life. I went with a few of my friends on a Heartland Travel 3-day tour, which is run by a wonderful man named Nory who drives the bus and tells stories. We visited a bunch of places including:
Doune Castle
The Fairy Pools
Fairy Glen
Loch Ness
Eilean Donan Castle
"The Harry Potter Bridge"
and many many picturesque mountains
It was a blessing to be able to see all of this, and more (places I can't remember the name of because they are Gaelic). I almost wish I could turn back time and do it all again, with less worrying. I did a bunch of worrying about stupid little things like not wanting to fall in the mud and getting my feet wet. Looking back, if I had just enjoyed the moment, I would have been much more at peace with myself. Lesson learned.
Nory showed us lots of places and told us a whole plethora of history about Scottish clans and politics and traditions. But the best part was the stories. He told us stories about fairies and friendship and loss and magic and the way he told them made you feel like you were there, watching them unfold. The stories strengthened the connection between my body and the land. When we visited the fairy glen and the fairy pools, I could almost imagine the fairies themselves bathing and dancing and luring people into their world of trickery. The stories make Scotland come alive. It is impossible to understand Scotland without its fables, its legends, its myths. They teach you about the land and the people and the world and yourself. The power of language is just incredible. Nory's stories remind me why I am a writer, and what I hope to be able to do with my words. I want to teach people about themselves. I want to contribute to a greater literature, one of stories being passed down through the ages, without which it is impossible to understand the world and how it works. Our world is strange sometimes. Literature captures that. Stories capture that.
For anyone going abroad to Scotland, or just visiting, I would urge you to do the tour with Nory. He is a fascinating and energetic tour guide, and it is well worth the money. Here is a link to the website: http://www.heartlandtravel.co.uk/
Beannachd leibh!