While watching Outlander this past weekend, I couldn’t help but dwell on my time in Scottland, aka the Scottish Highlands, and how much I missed this scenic country. Oh, what it would be like to be able to travel back in time to experience being a lairds wife of a clan and to have a barin.

To this day, the culture of kilts, the highlands, bagpipes, and food express the beauty of the country. And let’s not forget about the most badass queen of all time, Mary Queen of Scots. Their national animal is the Unicorn, they are famously known for Haggis (which I will talk about later), the country is made up of nearly 800 islands, and has the largest proportion of redheads in the world…but that’s not all.

While traveling through the English countryside into rolling hills of bonnie Scotland, I couldn’t help but admire all of the untouched lands. As you travel across the border from the one country into the next, we were greeted by a large stone inscribed with the word “SCOTLAND” and a Scottish lad standing next to it, kilt and all, playing his bagpipe. (I kid you not, this is the truth)

We were on our way to Edinburgh, the “Athens of the North.” Possibly one of the most magical cities of all. Rich in history and culture, the town is overlooked by Edinburgh Castle, high in the skyline and able to see all that is below. While there, we toured the castle. If you are fascinated by torture, I highly recommend visiting the dungeon to check out all “special” fixings they use on prisoners back in the day.

The city is split into two, Old Town and New Town. Spending most of the time in Old Town, you must travel along the cobble street Royal Mile to get the real feel of gothic, medieval Scotland.

The nightlife in Edinburgh is supposed to be fantastic, however when we visited my brother and I was not of age yet to drink. (The legal drinking age in Scotland 18ish; you can drink beer at 16.) However, this did not stop my parents from eating at a famous pub; Arcade Bar; Haggis and Whiskey house. Two things scots are famous for. My parents live by, “When in Paris, you must do as the Persians do.” Thus in Scotland, we did what scots do, and that is to eat Haggis. In case you didn’t know, Haggis is sheep’s or calf’s offal mixed with suet, oatmeal, and seasoning and boiled in a bag, traditionally one made from the animal’s stomach. Luckily for me, this was my brother’s dinner and not mine. To be completely honest, it wasn’t awful. But it also wasn’t something I would ever want to eat again. Later that evening, while walking under the street lights, my brother threw up the Haggis in a back alleyway. Try it if you dare!

Someday I hope to go back to be able to spend more time in this majestic country. To visit Glasglow is a must, and to go off the beaten track into the highlands is a dream.