GUIDE TO SCOTLAND: MUST-SEES

Hey everyone!

This past summer my mom and I travelled to Scotland for 12 days and visited some amazing places. Here are some must-sees if you find yourself in this beautiful country.

Glasgow

I find Glasgow is always overshadowed by Edinburgh, but I quite enjoyed the city. If you’re in Glasgow, do yourself a favour and check out the Glasgow Cathedral. It is absolutely beautiful and you won’t regret it. (Maybe I’m just obsessed with churches in different countries, who knows.)

If you like Italian food, check out the restaurant Gusto. The food was delicious, the decor is fancy (I wish I would have known that before I went in wearing an old sweater…) and my waiter… one of the most handsome red-head men in the world. Overall, 5 stars from me!

Photo credit (http://www.hiyaitsashley.com/2015/05/gusto-glasgow-restaurant-review.html)

The People’s Palace is another place I would recommend seeing. A museum and greenhouse garden, opened in 1898, it’s equally as beautiful inside as it is on the outside.

 

Alloway

If you’ve heard of Robbie Burns, celebrated national poet and lyricist of Scotland, then you should visit the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Along with a museum to learn about his life, there is also a tour of the exact cottage he was born in and lived in with his family. There is also a nice little café and gift shop to finish off your visit.

The cottage where Robbie Burns was born

After you’ve checked out the cottage, close by is the Brig O’Doon. This bridge crosses the River Doon and was thought to have been built in the early 15th century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybole

Only 20 minutes from Burns’ Cottage, Culzean Castle (pronounced Cul-ain) is breathtaking! It was built between 1777 – 1792 and is now owned by the National Trust of Scotland.

 

Glencoe 

The town of Glencoe found in the Scottish Highlands is home to the ‘Three Sisters of Glencoe’ mountains. A stunning view that you do not want to miss out on. There was also a man there playing the bagpipes when I went, just to make the scenery even more tear-jerking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loch Ness

Yes, like the Loch Ness monster. I found out during my visit that this is where the myth originated. While you’re in Loch Ness, I recommend two things: the Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle (although they are just ruins, it’s still very interesting).                                            .

 

Dornie

I may seem like a castle junkie, but it’s hard not to be — especially in Scotland! The gorgeous Eilean Donan Castle has been featured in many films such as Highlander and James Bond: The World is Not Enough.                                                                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isle of Skye — Portree

This beautiful island gave me all sorts of nostalgic vibes. The colourful harbour and quaint scenery make this spot incredible. If you’re looking for some delicious fish and chips, check out the West Highland Bar in the Portree Hotel

Inverness

If you do anything in Inverness, please go and see the Culloden Moor. It is a very emotional place — the Battle of Culloden took place here which ended in the ruthless slaughter of the Jacobites by the English. There is a museum to go along with it that will educate you all about Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites. The battlefield is lined with mass graves, plaques and markers that show where the English and Jacobites stood. Warning: you will cry.

 

Pitlochry

If you’re a whiskey lover like me, you won’t want to miss the Blair Athol distillery! A guided tour through the distillery shows you how the whiskey is made step by step, ending off with a “wee dram” (my favourite part… I may or may not have snuck a second shot).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Andrews

You must visit this beautiful town on the East Coast. While you’re here, check out St. Andrew’s Castle and Cathedral, St. Andrew’s University and, if you’re a golf fan, St. Andrew’s Links. There is also some shopping to be done here with many quaint, fashionable stores.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edinburgh

Edinburgh was the last city of our trip. There are so many things to do here; you must see the Edinburgh Castle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, my mom and I were lucky enough to be visiting while the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was going on! If you ever get the chance to see it, do not pass it up. The Tattoo happens in August every year at the Edinburgh Castle. It was so incredible, it moved me to tears (I am also a crybaby, but the music was amazing).

 

Besides some last minute souvenir shopping, this was the end of the road for us. We had such an incredible time and I miss Scotland every day! If you’re planning a trip to Scotland, take some of these into consideration; you won’t regret it! If you’ve already been to Scotland and visited some of these places, leave me a comment; I’m interested to know what you thought of them.

 

Thanks for reading!

-Alyssa

*all photos taken by me unless stated otherwise*

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WESTERN CANADA: THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN BANFF & DRUMHELLER

Hey everyone!

It’s been a loooong time since I’ve made a blog post, but at the end of August, my family and I went out west for a short trip! This was the first time I’d been out that way and it was incredible, so I thought I’d share some of what we did!

THE BADLANDS, DRUMHELLER

My parents and I landed in Calgary, Alberta at about 10:00 in the morning. After getting our rental car (and of course stopping for some Tim Hortons), we headed out for the Badlands in Drumheller, aka Dinosaur Valley. Luckily, Drumheller is only about 1.5 hours from Calgary. It was here that we visited the Hoodoos which was so cool!

 

THE HOODOOS

LAST CHANCE SALOON

Our next stop was the Last Chance Saloon, located just outside of Drumheller in a tiny ghost town called Wayne. Opened in the 1920’s, it was a very cool spot for lunch. Full of knickknacks, character and bullet holes in the wall!

 

ROYAL TYRRELL MUSEUM

You obviously can’t visit dinosaur valley without checking out a dinosaur museum! This area in Alberta is a gold-mine for dinosaur bones and fossils, and many of these local discoveries are on display in the Royal Tyrrell Museum.

BANFF

While I was very excited to see other places in Alberta, I was the most excited about Banff. We spent 2 days in Banff to be able to see and do everything that we wanted to!

BANFF GONDOLA

My Dad and I were so excited to go on the gondola up Sulphur mountain, but my mom was too scared to go on with us! I was a little nervous, but the view from the top was incredible. Tickets are around $50 CAD and I would say it was well worth it!

BOW FALLS

Located just outside the town of Banff is this picturesque scenery! One of the many things on this trip that took my breath away.

LAKE MINNEWANKA 

After Bow Falls, we headed nearby to the amazing Lake Minnewanka for a boat tour. I highly recommend doing the tour; it’s so beautiful out on the water and you’ll learn amazing things from your tour guide! (side note: if you’re wondering why it looks like I’m wearing every item of clothing that I packed, it’s because I am LOL. It was soooo cold).

 

BANFF NATIONAL PARK

The next day, we got to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the national park as we drove to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. We were really hoping to see some wildlife, but we only saw one deer unfortunately. (It was cute though)

 

LAKE LOUISE

Lake Louise was on of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. I was in awe the whole time and actually cried a little when we first saw it.

MORAINE LAKE

About 20 minutes up an incredibly windy mountain road, we arrived at Moraine Lake, which was just as beautiful as Lake Louise (although way colder!!!).

RADIUM HOT SPRINGS

We then made our journey 1.5 hours from Banff to the Radium Hot Springs in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia. At less than $10 CAD a person, it was a great, relaxing way to end our trip.

 

After this was the worst part of any trip: going home. I had an amazing time with my parents on this perfect trip right before I headed back to uni. It was so beautiful that I definitely see myself going back again! If you’d like to see more photos of my travels, or if you have any questions, follow/contact me on my Instagram: @alyssaenroute

Thank you for reading everyone! 🙂

-Alyssa

*all photos taken by me*

A GLANCE INSIDE MY MIND: PASSIONS

Many people spend their whole lives searching for their passion — that one thing that changes their lives and consumes their thoughts. Some people find their passion quickly and easily, whether it be writer, painting, dancing, making music — those kinds of “traditional” passions.

As a young child, I distinctly remember struggling to find my passion as all of my friends seemed to know theirs from the beginning. In my group of friends, their passions were singing, music, drawing and acting, and then there was me. The fact that I had yet to find the thing that made life worth living caused me a lot of anxiety from a young age. I began to try many different things from music, to horseback riding, to acting, in hopes of forcing a passion upon myself. Needless to say, most of these ended in disaster, and my parents were definitely not happy that I was out of my horseback riding phase after they had gone out and bought me a horse … oops.

I continued trying out different things until grade 10, when I heard of a group in my high school who were going to volunteer in Kenya, Africa. Accompanied by my mom and a giant hiking backpack, we set off to what would be the first taste of discovering my passion — travelling.

Since that trip to Kenya in 2012, my mom and I have been to Mexico, Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Florida, Texas, New York City, Ireland, England, and this past summer, Scotland.

It is so difficult for me to put into words the effect that travelling has on my soul. When I’m traveling and exploring an unknown place, it’s as if I am living my best life to its full potential. I also believe that travelling has humbled me, in a sense. Knowing that the world is so big and that our place in the universe is so small in comparison has honestly changed the way I live and view life.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”

– Saint Augustine

Even the small journey to attend university 5 hours away from my hometown is enough to satisfy my travelling needs … until I can go somewhere more spectacular of course!

For anyone who is struggling to find their passion, don’t rush things! It’s also important to think outside of the box — your passion may not be as common as other people’s. Your passion will find you, and when it does, I hope it changes your life the way travelling changed mine.

-Alyssa xox