Thanksgiving in Scotland

We have spent the last two Thanksgivings traveling and the three of us are beginning to think that would be a nice tradition to continue...we're thankful for the opportunities we've had to see such awesome places!

Thanksgiving day was a BUSY one! We started with a really lovely breakfast on the sun porch of our B&B. It was another gorgeous view and after we ate and checked out we decided to drive over to a neat viaduct we had seen from the breakfast room windows.

To our delight, nearby the viaduct were some ancient burial cairns just waiting to be explored! Really fascinating, and an unexpected surprise in our morning.

Then it was on to Culloden battlefield and Bonny Prince Charlie and those jaunty Jacobites.
(http://www.nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home/)
Another gem that we didn't expect to be as awesome as it was. We had a great time exploring the visitor's center and afterwards went out to explore the actual battlefield. It was very well marked and we took along audio guides to get background commentary as we went along.

We also came across a little thatch-roofed cottage. Absolutely charming. It ended up being one of our favorite photos of the trip and now you will find it on a canvas hanging in our living room. :)

the photo that really captured the beauty of our Scottish adventure for us

We had lunch at the visitor's center. I was going to comment earlier that Scottish food was not terribly appetizing, but as I've thought further about what I ate, I think I will amend that. Their desserts (except for the shortbread!) pale in comparison to Germany's, but for warm, filling, and savory food, I must say they fit the bill. I enjoyed almost every meal--even, and especially the one I had for Thanksgiving dinner, which you'll see below.

Then it was time to go look for Nessie. We drove along the shore of Loch Ness, down to the river cruiseship. It was a windy and chilly day, that occasionally broke into rain, but the views were just gorgeous.

the only Nessie we happened upon....

they were braver than i was at this point

We looked and looked, even on the sonar that was on the boat, but unfortunately no sign of the elusive water monster appeared. 

Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time out looking around and we found out some interesting information, like Loch Ness is the largest (by volume) fresh water lake in the British Isles, and in fact, has more freshwater than all the lakes in Britain and Wales combined!

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Urquhart Castle

We stopped by the Loch Ness Exhibition Center before we left. (http://www.lochness.com/home.aspx)
It was a fun exploration of all the myths and investigations that have surrounded the infamous Loch Ness Monster.

Then it was back on the road! We drove all the way back from the Highlands to Edinburgh and checked in at the last of our stops, the Edinburgh Lodge West End. (http://www.edinburghlodge.co.uk) It was a lovely Victorian townhouse within walking distance of most of what we wanted to explore in Edinburgh. It was our fanciest accommodation, and Joshua felt like royalty in his big bed. The girl at the front desk (who ALWAYS seemed to be working-I wonder if she ever gets to sleep!) was so friendly and welcoming. We really hit a homerun on this trip with our B&B's. They were all fantastic.

It had been a long day with a lot of driving, but it was Thanksgiving! So we headed out to find a feast. After finding a few recommended places full, we settled on the Haymarket pub in the historic Haymarket district, which is famous for a number of things, including the local football team who enlisted en masse to go fight WWI.
The service wasn't very quick, and our server was from Eastern Europe, not Scotland, but overall it was a good experience. Joshua and I enjoyed our quirky drinks.

And it was time to try the (in)famous haggis! I ordered the very traditional Scottish haggis, neeps, and tatties for my unconvential American Thanksgiving dinner. And you know what, it was DELICIOUS. Yes, I know what haggis is made of. But I am an adventurous taste-tester and decided if thousands of Scots love it (and it was on virtually every menu everywhere in different dishes) then it was worth a try.
And it wasn't the only time I had them on the trip. Definitely a plus.

traditional haggis, neeps, and tatties

And then back to our room for more game shows and much needed sleep for another full day ahead!