ROBERT BURNS REVEALED
We drove to Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway to learn about his life as one of Scotland's national treasures. He was a beloved poet and author celebrated for works like Auld Lang Syne, the famous song sung worldwide when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve.
Scots even have an annual holiday, Burns Night, on January 25, dedicated to him. Friends and families gather to read Burns's poetry and share a meal of haggis.
The Burns Cottage, where Burns was born and raised, has been converted into a museum with handwritten manuscripts and historic artifacts - the most amazing one being the original Burns's children nightgowns.
where Burns's parents are buried.
Wicker Effigy of Tam O’Shanter on horseback.
Robert Burns's epic poem, "Tam O'Shanter," published in 1750, reflected his love for supernatural stories and his hero Tam. Ten weather vanes along the 1.5-mile Alloway Trail, starting at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum and ending at Belle Isle golf course, reenact Tam's adventure.
Tam is driven from the pub after too much drinking.
A storm is brewing, and Tam and his trusty horse, Maggie,
pick up the pace.
Along the way, he encounters witches, warlocks,
and a devil playing bagpipes outside in a church cemetery.
Later, he encounters a coven of witches.
A beautiful witch, Nannie, wears a revealing 'cutty sark'
or a short dress.
She angrily pursues the spying Tam. He narrowly escapes
but not before Nannie ripped the tail from Tam's poor horse, Maggie.
the "Monument to a Mouse" is dedicated to children.
The central theme of "To a Mouse" is the futility of planning
for a hopeful future in the face of unforeseen consequences.
The speaker begins the poem by addressing the mouse
whose house he has destroyed and apologizing to her.
During free time, Paul shepherded those who wanted more time to explore the Kelvingrove Museum using the subway system. I had to capture this wonderful photo on the way back to the station.
SCOTS LOVE OF VISITORS REVEALED
Many people seem to think Scots don’t like visitors. That is not true on so many levels. Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the Scottish economy, with around 14 million people visiting the country each year. Spending by tourists is around 5% of GDP and accounts for more than 7% of employment in Scotland.
People
were proactive in offering help. All vendors went above and beyond. Men in the pub immediately offered Dale and me
their seats. One of the customers at the bar, whom I sensed was homeless or
drunk (or both), gave up his seat and another empty one so he could hear Dale’s
strong South Carolina southern accent and imitate it, which he did well.
We enjoyed a fantastic home-hosted dinner with Freda, who lives in Glasgow's south side. Freda's husband passed away just a few months before our visit, and her two adult sons had also moved away - one preparing for his wedding in 2024. One of her neighbors suggested she investigate participating in OAT's home-hosted meals to meet Americans and engage with them over a meal.
Typically, language barriers hinder much discussion, but often, we are lucky to have one family member, usually one of the young adults, to translate, or failing that, use the translation app on the cell phone. We had no problems with Freda's accent. Her challenge involved opening wine bottles. We bonded when I told her I could help, later emailing her the Amazon link for an automatic rechargeable corkscrew I used. She was thrilled and couldn't wait to order one.
Time for dessert! Yummy pavlova with strawberries
and melt-in-your-mouth key lime pie,
made with regular limes since no key limes were available.
(I liked it better that way.)
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