Scotland and the "Midgies"
Sep 18th, 2007, 08:06 PM
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Scotland and the "Midgies"
A few more thoughts about our very recent trip to Scotland...take at least three kinds of bug spray if you travel to the country. They have little bugs, not a mosquito as such, that almost ate us alive. Also, don't talk politics or criticize the Queen--or any of that tribe.
B&B's are quite inferior, at least to our standard in England and France, but the folks there are so nice and try to be helpful.
Weather:The weather, as a rule, was cool, damp, and windy...a little blue sky, but mostly just like Seattle, where I live. Streets are narrow, cobbled, and autos drive on the left. If you get into a walkway (A pelican or zebra crossing, as it were) they will slow and stop for you, but are very fair minded and don't cut you any slack if you try to cross in the middle.
Language: Hard to understand, still mad at the English if you let them get on the subject, very proud of their history, food was, in general, quite bad, greasy, etc.
Transportation: lots of busses, and trolleys, usually crowded in the city, and they don't stop long. Gotta know your stop, and have exact change. Chairs only for the disabled and/or elderly and they mean it!!
Walking: everyone walks, not too much obesity that we observed. Shops are small and often specialized, so must walk to get all you need. However, they do have a huge concern called "Tesco" which is like our Walmarts times 5.!! Everything but the kitchen sink there.
Parking: Don't even try!! Folks park anywhere/everywhere you can squeeze a car. Drivers are usually pretty ;mannerly and wait for others to 'reverse' etc. Didn't observe any 'road rage'.
Mountains and National Parks abound: Lots of walking paths everywhere and people do use them...well maintained.
Castles: One on every hill, so it seemed. Lots of history there, altho one might have to walk a long way to get to it.
The EU: People told me that they like and don't like what joining the EU has done for Scotland. Lots of immigrants from Poland, especially, who are coming in in droves, and taking the lesser jobs, mostly in the service industry, and putting a strain (so they say) on the National Health System.
Real Estate: Out of sight!!! Selling for thousands of Pounds what we wouldn't put our cars in...little one room flats, etc. Good homes, especially in the cities, are out of consideration for most young people.
Pub Life: Where people meet and mix. Lots of food available for a modest price. Where we mostly ate.
Industry: Mostly wool, and tourism. Seems like every home we passed had a B&B sign. Folks renting out their spare rooms, little "ensuite" showers and toilets that are quite nominal, to state it charitably. Rooms tiny, beds often lumpy, stair cases very tight and small, windows all stuck shut, dark alleys, etc...in other words, old houses. All come with a nice breakfast.
Highways: Often one lane with wide spaces where one is expected to pull out when another car approaches. Cars are small and economical. Gas stations not to obvious, like you gotta know where the next one is.
Parks: very nice, no litter, streets are clean and tidy, school kids all seem to wear uniforms and are noisy and boistrous, just like all kids.
Just a few impressions of Scotland, should anyone be giving it consideration.
B&B's are quite inferior, at least to our standard in England and France, but the folks there are so nice and try to be helpful.
Weather:The weather, as a rule, was cool, damp, and windy...a little blue sky, but mostly just like Seattle, where I live. Streets are narrow, cobbled, and autos drive on the left. If you get into a walkway (A pelican or zebra crossing, as it were) they will slow and stop for you, but are very fair minded and don't cut you any slack if you try to cross in the middle.
Language: Hard to understand, still mad at the English if you let them get on the subject, very proud of their history, food was, in general, quite bad, greasy, etc.
Transportation: lots of busses, and trolleys, usually crowded in the city, and they don't stop long. Gotta know your stop, and have exact change. Chairs only for the disabled and/or elderly and they mean it!!
Walking: everyone walks, not too much obesity that we observed. Shops are small and often specialized, so must walk to get all you need. However, they do have a huge concern called "Tesco" which is like our Walmarts times 5.!! Everything but the kitchen sink there.
Parking: Don't even try!! Folks park anywhere/everywhere you can squeeze a car. Drivers are usually pretty ;mannerly and wait for others to 'reverse' etc. Didn't observe any 'road rage'.
Mountains and National Parks abound: Lots of walking paths everywhere and people do use them...well maintained.
Castles: One on every hill, so it seemed. Lots of history there, altho one might have to walk a long way to get to it.
The EU: People told me that they like and don't like what joining the EU has done for Scotland. Lots of immigrants from Poland, especially, who are coming in in droves, and taking the lesser jobs, mostly in the service industry, and putting a strain (so they say) on the National Health System.
Real Estate: Out of sight!!! Selling for thousands of Pounds what we wouldn't put our cars in...little one room flats, etc. Good homes, especially in the cities, are out of consideration for most young people.
Pub Life: Where people meet and mix. Lots of food available for a modest price. Where we mostly ate.
Industry: Mostly wool, and tourism. Seems like every home we passed had a B&B sign. Folks renting out their spare rooms, little "ensuite" showers and toilets that are quite nominal, to state it charitably. Rooms tiny, beds often lumpy, stair cases very tight and small, windows all stuck shut, dark alleys, etc...in other words, old houses. All come with a nice breakfast.
Highways: Often one lane with wide spaces where one is expected to pull out when another car approaches. Cars are small and economical. Gas stations not to obvious, like you gotta know where the next one is.
Parks: very nice, no litter, streets are clean and tidy, school kids all seem to wear uniforms and are noisy and boistrous, just like all kids.
Just a few impressions of Scotland, should anyone be giving it consideration.
Sep 18th, 2007, 10:56 PM
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clarasong: Watching SKY News this morning re-instates your comment about Polish migrant workers (& others )flooding in for jobs and putting a strain on the police force in the UK.
Chief Constable says "We can't cope with the influx!"
I take it the workers are coming in legally which is NOT the case here in South Africa, where over 2,000 people a day risk life and limb to swim the river border from Zimbabwe. Many of them have totally intergrated and have become part of the community even though they are here illegally.
Thanks for tip about the 'midgies', are they pest all year or just at certain times?Anyone?
Chief Constable says "We can't cope with the influx!"
I take it the workers are coming in legally which is NOT the case here in South Africa, where over 2,000 people a day risk life and limb to swim the river border from Zimbabwe. Many of them have totally intergrated and have become part of the community even though they are here illegally.
Thanks for tip about the 'midgies', are they pest all year or just at certain times?Anyone?
Sep 19th, 2007, 12:09 AM
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I was in Scotland (Cowal Peninsula) at the beginning of September. It was damp, whilst the rest of Scotland and the UK enjoyed a belated summer. Didn't stop us enjoying it all though. We had one glorious clear sunny day which meant we could see for miles, and the rest of the time it was cloudy/misty, but never really wet. (I am used to summers in North Wales where it always seemed to rain for us, and I mean rain!)
We had no problem with midges, but were armed with Avon Skin so Soft dry oil body spray, just in case. They even sold it in the local shop.
Most "A" roads we used were fast moving and fine, the smaller roads were often single track with passing places, but still great driving. I have to say it was a joy driving in Scotland at that time, though I suspect in June/July/August it is a different story.
It was my first time to Scotland and I loved it, we will be getting a ferry across again asap.
We had no problem with midges, but were armed with Avon Skin so Soft dry oil body spray, just in case. They even sold it in the local shop.
Most "A" roads we used were fast moving and fine, the smaller roads were often single track with passing places, but still great driving. I have to say it was a joy driving in Scotland at that time, though I suspect in June/July/August it is a different story.
It was my first time to Scotland and I loved it, we will be getting a ferry across again asap.
Sep 19th, 2007, 02:50 PM
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Shiela: (and others) Here is where we went, more particularly....Four nights in Edinburgh, including the Tattoo, Isle of Skye, Mull, Bramer, Dunkeld, East Lothian, Sterling, North Berwick, Gairlock, Inverness, and back to Edinburgh (not necessarily in that order). Saw a great deal, midgies were mostly in the country (when we tried to walk near evening, clouds of them)..I didn't think, overall, that to much had changed since I was there in the 90's, and before in the 70's, altho I am sure it has. Lots of immigrants, who seemed to be somewhat resented by the folks we talked too. Like I say, all we have is impressions...loved the trip overall, and would do it again.
Sep 19th, 2007, 05:02 PM
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Well - a lot of what you say seems to be true of almost everywhere:
The locals aren't real happy if you criticize their government
Public transit is crowded
People speak with a different accent (or a different language) which you have to learn to understand (although I recall it taking about 5 minutes)
Yes, people in europe - and some major cities in the US - tend to walk more - and so are less likely to be fat (is this bad?)
Small shops have not yet all been driven out by gigantic chains abusing illegal workers (again is this bad - we're trying to do the same here - no Walmarts in NY)
Parking - yes you do have to learn to parallel park the car (since you're dealing with cities and towns built long before there were cars - rather than malls with parking spaces half the size of Nebraska)
Real Estate prices are at least partly a function of the pitiful value of the dollar (and I doubt the average 2 bedroom apartment costs more than a million $ as it does here)
As for greasy food - perhaps that was a function of where you were eating. We've been to Scotland 3 times and found the food generally quite good (esp the salmon - fantastic)
If you were os unhappy with so much I'm surprised you enjoyed the trip.
The locals aren't real happy if you criticize their government
Public transit is crowded
People speak with a different accent (or a different language) which you have to learn to understand (although I recall it taking about 5 minutes)
Yes, people in europe - and some major cities in the US - tend to walk more - and so are less likely to be fat (is this bad?)
Small shops have not yet all been driven out by gigantic chains abusing illegal workers (again is this bad - we're trying to do the same here - no Walmarts in NY)
Parking - yes you do have to learn to parallel park the car (since you're dealing with cities and towns built long before there were cars - rather than malls with parking spaces half the size of Nebraska)
Real Estate prices are at least partly a function of the pitiful value of the dollar (and I doubt the average 2 bedroom apartment costs more than a million $ as it does here)
As for greasy food - perhaps that was a function of where you were eating. We've been to Scotland 3 times and found the food generally quite good (esp the salmon - fantastic)
If you were os unhappy with so much I'm surprised you enjoyed the trip.
