10 Things You Would Not Know About Scotland.
1. In .5 miles take the roundabout to the third exit.
Driving on the other side of the road was quite challenging enough for this
Canadian – now imagine the inclusion of roundabouts every 5-10 minutes
while driving on the left side of the road! I don’t know how I survived with the
terrible directions my lovely friends gave me.
2. Wee, Wee, would you like some tea?
Tea had a whole new meaning in Scotland because it is used to reference
dinner time. On top of the Scots throwing you that curveball they also love to
call everything wee. ‘Would you like a wee cup of tea?’ … oh shit are they
referencing dinner or actual tea? FML!
3. Redheads are as rare as seeing unicorns!
Let me tell you I went to Scotland with my full Outlander fantasy in mind! I
imagined getting of the plane and Jamie with his red hair glistening in the
sunlight waiting to receive me at the airport in his kilt. Well let me tell you I
saw only three redheads my entire trip – and two of them were women!
4. Beyoncé Fan
I really pride myself on looking cute when I leave the house in the morning
but I honestly don’t know why I even bothered wearing my hair down in
Scotland. As soon as I left the house I was hit so hard with winds that make it
difficult to walk forward and my eyes immediately watered so much it left
streaks in my foundation. Maybe I am being a bit dramatic but it was always
fucking windy in Scotland and my hair was all over my face 99% of the time!
I don't know how Beyonce does it.
5. Are summer shorts in winter the new kilt?
As you probably could have already guessed I have a total #kiltfetish – was
great to see some various men wear them in Scotland! What actually took me
by surprise was the amount of men who wore shorts in the wintertime.
Scotland is definitely not a warm tropical paradise – it’s a pinch about freezing
at best! There were plenty of men out showing off their neon white legs acting
like they owned the place! Meanwhile there I was freezing my imaginary tits
off.
6. Where is the light switch?
Despite being in Scotland for two weeks I could NEVER find the light switch
to the washrooms. I would constantly walk into dark rooms and would be like
a naked mole rat feeling around the walls for the switch only to remember in
Scotland the switch is located outside of the door! lol
7. Hi YA
Probably one of the cutest surprises when you walk into a shop or restaurant
and get greeted with the warmest ‘hi ya’ which is their way of saying ‘Hello,
how are you?’
8. Eggs on the shelf.
It is a topic that I feel I remember reading in a Buzzfeed article that you do not
need to keep eggs in the fridge – but when you see an entire end cap of an
aisle totally of eggs not refrigerated it really throws off your North American
brain for a minute.
9. Put it in a pie
When you think of Scotland’s signature dish many of us would quickly think
haggis! But I quickly noticed how common it was for them to find ways of
making many forms of savory pies! It was on many menus offered at various
restaurants – even the local Starbucks sells meat pies haha.
10. I could not believe how small it was!
Get your mind out of the gutter, I was talking about their roads! The roads are
so tiny I was so afraid that I was going to smash my side mirrors on every
passing car. You also cannot move over to the sides of the road as the left
side does not have a shoulder just a very deep ditch!