No, I didn't find the Loch Ness Monster

Back in September, I casually decided to invite Michael and myself on a trip to Scotland that a friend of ours was going on--whoops! He was going to be there for NYE, so I figured that would be an awesome way to get out of New England and see something while on holiday break! Our journey started on a flight from Boston to London, which was actually an early morning flight--super rare when flying from the US to Europe. This meant that we finally reached Scotland around 10PM that night, which allowed for us to get to the hotel and sleep comfortably that first night, rather than try and sleep on a plane. 

When we landed, we had a car prearranged that was waiting for us outside of Customs/Immigration. Although totally exhausted, we tried to be excited for our newest adventure. Around 11PM that night, we finally got to our hotel, the magical Blythswood Square Hotel. Boy, was she gorgeous. Decked out in Christmas lights and garland, this hotel really measured up. Our room was HUGE and the bathroom was insane--a very good choice indeed. My husband forced me to use the spa on my birthday, which also did not disappoint. We spent our first three nights in Glasgow, taking in the sights and strolling along--when it wasn't raining, that is...

I have been to the UK a few times but have apparently always lucked out with weather--not so much this time. It rained, every day, for most of the day. While it was significantly warmer than the weather back in Boston, this meant that the precipitation we were getting wasn't pretty snow, but just rain. Either way, we trudged along and had a great time. Off to Edinburgh! 

I had always heard amazing things about Edinburgh. "oh it's so beautiful! You'll love it!" were some common ones. Michael and I have been very fortunate in our young years to have enjoyed the scenery of many beautiful places, so I was prepared to be underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, Edinburgh is a very beautiful city. It has old stone buildings that make you feel like you're back in medieval times. However, it is also very modern. Right across the street from such gorgeous buildings, you have the Apple Store and a TGI Fridays. Again, not surprised. This has unfortunately become the norm with many popular European destinations. I felt the same way about Dublin. 

Our hotel in Edinburgh was really nice, I have to say. We decided to cash in some Marriott points and stay at The Glasshouse. It was perfectly located--just a 5 to 10 minute walk from Prince Street and all the craziness that comes along with it. Nicely tucked away so you can escape the crowds--perfect. 

My one, major complaint about Edinburgh isn't the fault of the city. We stupidly decided that visiting a top destination for NYE on NYE was a good idea. When I say it was crowded, it was CROWDED! You couldn't get a table for lunch or dinner without at least a 45 minute wait anywhere aside from McDonalds. We ended up eating most of our meals in our room because I just couldn't stand the chaos anymore, or the rain. Again, totally not Edinburgh's fault and this would absolutely not prevent me from visiting again--just not on NYE :-). 

All in all, Scotland was superb. When I visit again (not if, when) I will probably head straight for the Highlands so I can hunt for Nessy (that's what the Scots call him/her). I've heard the Highlands are drop dead gorgeous, so I'm excited to throw that on my list!