Travel writer Patti Callahan on a time-hopping tale of two cities
If you had just 24 hours in Scotland where would you go? Add in teleportation, time travel and even the magic of pausing time you can conjure up the day of your dreams.
That is what Our Scotland is all about, highlighting the places and people that are memorable.
My name is Alison Fraser and I love all things Scotland, the people, the food, the music and the places.
In this episode I’m joined by Seattle-based writer Patti Callahan.
Patti has been a student, hairstylist, cocktail waitress, corporate professional, and small business owner. She’s also an expert multitasker who has pursued a lifelong love of travel, completed her MBA, and raised two sons. Patti maintains a blog on Medium - @novelsandtravels - and lives in the Pacific Northwest with dreams of an apartment in Europe to use as a home base for wandering the world.
You’re going to hear a tale of two cities where Patti would love to spend her perfect Scottish day.
Here’s a snippet…
“So we get to Inverness and my first stop would be the Culloden House. Again, my love of history, it's an immersion, it's a full, just let yourself be part of the experience.
I've stayed there a couple of times. I love how true to itself they've kept it.
I know it's not the real building, the real structure where Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed. It was built in the 1800s, but it's still just fantastic.
And it has been maintained and they've got these beautiful grounds. You really feel like you're stepping into a bit of a portal.
It's got a 5 star restaurant and it's got these other things, but you can sense the history and the energy and all of the things that came before. And I really like, just feeling that.
All of these wonderful people who have wandered the halls, and the grounds themselves are hallowed to me. There are stories and rumours that there might be ghosts or hauntings or sightings at Culloden House and I can believe that.
And then to be able to go to the battlefield while you’re there. That’s a war grave, so there's just a reverence there.
I like going off season when you don't have all the touristy crowds that are just finding the Clan Fraser rock because they're Outlander fans.
I want to know all about the history and I love that you walk in and you've got the British side of things on one side and the Highlanders on the other.
Seeing the sheer volume of musket balls that they've pulled off of the field, reading the numbers and seeing how this was a lose lose from the beginning.
There was no way, but they were still out there and they were going to fight for their way of life.
You go through all of that and you get really kind of immersed in what happened and educated and you walk out and this battlefield unfolds. If you aren't overcome with a powerful sense of reverence and honor, then I think you're doing it wrong.
Candidly, so many people in America, we didn't know anything about it. Things get lost to history, right?
So if it's not front and centre, you're not learning about it in school or you're not seeking it out or, you know, stumble into it because you love Diana Gabaldon's books, then you don’t know.”
Patti’s perfect day:
Where:
Music:
Canadian Celtic singer Loreena McKennitt
