My trip to Scotland last weekend took me back to my roots. Perhaps you didn’t know that the prominent Pringle clan originated in the Scottish hill country? And maybe you are unaware that the Pringle sweater brand is famous throughout Britain today? Well, now you know.
Although I’ve always wanted to visit Scotland because of my family’s heritage, the main motivation behind my Scotland trip was to visit Brenna Cogswell, the girl I’ve called my best friend since the day she moved in next door when we were two years old. Brenna is spending her entire junior year studying at St. Andrews University, something my Dad practically begged me to do as well, simply so he would have an excuse to “visit me” which would conveniently involve golfing every day. Sorry Dad, you’ll have to settle for Italy!
Getting to Scotland was an adventure in itself. I was a little nervous about traveling alone, especially considering the fact that I had to maneuver four different forms of transportation. But everything went smoothly, thank God. I even booked a long layover in Dublin so I’d have the chance to see Ireland! I was only there long enough to do a quick bus tour of the city, but I hit all the highlights and still found time to stop in a pub for a Guinness. Truthfully I could only finish half of my glass, that stuff is heavy!
It wasn’t until my bus pulled into St. Andrews and I saw Brenna waiting for me that I felt I had truly found my roots. It felt surreal being in Scotland together. This was the girl with whom I used to spend hours playing elaborate pretend games in my backyard, but here we were in Europe having a real adventure. Not as Simba and Nala or two lonely orphans, but as Aubrey and Brenna.
The weekend was nothing short of fantastic. Brenna showed me around her university (the oldest in the world) and the charming town of St. Andrews, located along the North Sea. We re-enacted “Chariots of Fire” on the beautiful West Sands Beach and took a walk along the Old Course at sunset. Since I come from a golfing family, it was pretty special to see such a historic course. We also enjoyed lattes and scones at North Point; I’m told Prince William and Kate used to frequent this spot when they were students at St. Andrews. If all this weren’t enough, Saturday night I got to go to a fancy St. Andrews Ball! Live music and lots of dudes in kilts…recipe for a good time if you ask me!
On Sunday Brenna and I went to the capital city of Edinburgh and spent the day exploring there. The Edinburgh Castle was a highlight, but so was taking a coffee break at the Elephant House where J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book (see the decorated toilet below). Also notable was dinner, where I ate one of the best cheeseburgers I’ve ever had. You don’t generally find burgers on the menu in Florence, so for me it was quite a treat.
So far my time in Europe has been unforgettable, action-packed, and full of new experiences. Living in a new city and adapting to another culture is exciting and fun, but occasionally I find myself craving the familiar and the comfortable. Brenna and I agreed that the weekend provided us both with a healthy dose of home. Sometimes you just need a little comfort food.
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