How a Whiskey Ad Made Me Cry

In June of last year I travelled to the UK on a dream trip. My days in Scotland, and most notable on the Isle of Skye, were some of my favourite places for scenery and rugged beauty.

I had many preconceived notions of which areas I would fall in love with. I was certainly surprised that Scotland won me over way more than England or Ireland (though I loved my days in those areas, too!).

When a Facebook friend shared a whiskey video advertisement, located in Scotland on the Isle of Skye and made by two film students, I was immediately drawn to watching it.

I watched, I got all teary...then I had to go back and watch again and I got all choked up all over again.

Wow! Just wow!

Music, beautiful scenery, poignant words, people's faces and relationships with one another can certainly have an impact on us in something so simple as a commercial.

Turn up the volume.
Pull up the video full screen.

Watch.
Listen.

Then watch again.

Kudos to Dorian Lebherz & Daniel Titz.

Did you see it?
Did you get it?

So good.



Side Note:

Many of the places in the video are places I walked or saw on my trip, Kilt Rock cliffs and the Old Man of Storr. 

They also crossed the Sligachan Bridge in the video and I walked across that bridge on my first full day on Skye! 

See photo comparisons below.

Scotland Adventures - Days 4-5 - Companions and Castles (Edinburgh and Alnwick Castle)

I'm baaaack!! It's been a busy week but I'm back to let you know what I've been up to on my adventures.

The morning was Wednesday and I got up quite early, looking forward to my Mom joining me on the next half of my UK travels!

I guess I could have taken the subway then airport bus to the Glasgow airport but instead I called a taxi for a quicker ride. (A taxi company my lovely rental flat hosts so helpfully provided!) 

I arrived and waited at the gate and shortly my Mom emerged. Yay! 

She was joining me for two nights in Scotland then six nights in London and Ashford before we headed back home via Dublin. 

Scotland Adventures - Day 4 - Jacobite Steam Train

After quick instructions on a shortcut the night before, I found the subway station on my own. It's about a 5 min walk from my rented flat. An easy walk but boy my body was so tired!! I've been go go going for almost a week!

I used an automatic ticketing machine and paid for an all day pass and found the right stop for the downtown Buchanan St station. It terminated at about a 3 block walk to where the tour buses parked downtown. On the way I found an open cafe and bought a small orange juice and cookie for the road. 

A few fellow passengers were waiting and I met a nice mom and son duo from New York who were bound for the same bus.

The weather was overcast and a bit chilly but I didn't need to put my jacket on, after walking a ways I always tend to run a bit warm. ;)

Scotland Adventures - Day 3 - Loch Ness, Castle Urquhart, Culloden (& maybe some whiskey!)

After another excellent nights sleep I packed up. I tried a different method that a customer at one of my Saturday markets told me about. Lay everything flat and just fold the extra edges up the sides. But it was about the same as rolling it all. I still haven't worn about half my clothes.

I'm headed downstairs to the eating area over looking the luscious grassy backyard sporting a pair of brilliant pheasants pecking for their breakfast and the green hills in the background. I ordered a full cooked breakfast. Poached egg over "black pudding", bacon, sausage, tomato. Tea and oj. Everything was delish! Even the black pudding! I sort of knew what it was but I refrained from looking up its' ingredients until later. (I'll let you do the same in case you are eating right now.)

Scotland Adventures - Day 2 - Circling Skye (Kilt Rock, Portree & Fort Augustus)

Kilt Rock cliffs

Time for a whole day on the Isle of Skye, Scotland!

Agnes, my lovely B&B hostess made me an excellent full cooked breakfast: poached egg on toast, beans, two big pieces of juicy bacon, two yummy sausages, a little cooked tomato, orange juice and tea. I slept so well! My first real full nights sleep since arriving in the UK.

Scotland Adventures - Day 1 - The Isle of Skye (Fort William & Castle Eilean Donan)

So, I left off getting up super early (3am!!) on a crazy noisy night in downtown Dublin, Ireland for my back-up flight over to Glasgow, Scotland.

From the noise beneath my room as my alarm went off at 3, I heard them shout out "last call". At least the majority of merry makers would be off the streets by the time I had gotten up, ready and packed to go around 4am. Here's hopin'!

A Dream Come True!

Here I am, back from the non-blogging abyss of real life busyness and lack of motivation.

I've been meaning to write. Trying to write.

But for one reason or another I never make it here by the day's late end.

I do have LOTS to write about but today is a special day, so I made special time to write about it.

Today is the day before one of my  dreams comes true!

Tomorrow I hop on a plane, well, several planes over the course of almost 24 hours, but who cares, because tomorrow I am flying overseas to visit some of my most dreamed about places!!!


Yes, for those who know me, that's right, I am going to Ireland, Scotland and England!!!