Bridging the Gap Between Whisky and Whiskey
With just two full days left in Scotland, we were able to visit another island and Glasgow before heading to Ireland. The last couple of days made us love Scotland even more - so much that it has moved up pretty high on our list of potential countries to live in one day. After our stay in Oban, we drove to the Isle of Jura to visit the Jura Distillery. One of our friends who has worked in alcohol distribution for years recommended it, and we take his wine and spirits recommendations seriously! We made our 10am ferry just in time departing from Tayvallich and given the time of day, we were not expecting drams of whisky being offered to us from the ferry captain which we happily accepted; I cannot think of a better introduction to the Isle of Jura! This was our first boat ride in Scotland, so it was wonderful to take in different scenery and be out in the water. We’re not exactly sailing enthusiasts, so while there are countless sailing opportunities in Scotland for longer rides, this passenger ferry was actually perfect for us :) Although the distillery is not conducting tours currently, we still got a feel of the distillery and its history. We got to try their selection of whiskies and speak with a staff member who walked us through each one and shared what life is like on the island. Sherry Cask was our favorite Jura whisky which is only sold in certain Asain and Southeast Asian countries. If we were flying home right after Scotland, we would have definitely bought a bottle. The island itself is beautiful and really peaceful. We didn’t have enough time to explore (and we didn’t have a car or bike which you need), but we took a stroll along the coastline and played pool at the Jura Hotel (Sarah won btw). To 1984 fans, this island is where George Orwell wrote 1984, and you can visit Barnhill where he stayed and worked on the novel. Once we arrived back at Tayvallich, we drove to Glasgow and passed out fairly quickly after checking-in at the hotel.
We now have a new love and as you can guess, her name is Glasgow. From listening to travel episodes about Scotland and from talking to locals, Glasgow is considered a great town to live in but less ideal for visiting (since it’s more industrial and doesn’t have a castle like Edinburgh I assume). Jeff and I are convinced that anyone who thinks Glasgow’s appearance is subpar have not visited certain towns in America nor have driven down highway 45 (it’s not my favorite pastime). Even though it was too short, Jeff and I loved our visit to Glasgow and would love to go again! In addition to the Victorian architecture that you’ll see in Europe, Glasgow has beautiful and moving street art. We didn’t do a street art walking tour but definitely recommend it if you plan on visiting.
Glasgow, near the University of Glasgow
The city’s slogan, People Make Glasgow, is entirely true based on our interactions. The people are genuine, welcoming, and know how to have a good time. Since this was the first major city we had visited in a while, we decided to do a little shopping. Jeff wanted parts for the camera, and Sarah was looking for a bookstore. As the best interactions seem to happen, we selected stores that were near the vicinity we wanted to explore. We found Calton Books and had a great and enlightening conversation with the owner and employee there. We also picked up shirts that referenced one of our heroes, Woody Guthrie. After eating our way through the city, we had drinks at Òran Mór, formerly a church, and enjoyed live music at the Ben Nevis Bar, which was easily my favorite place. On Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, they host live music sessions of traditional Scottish and Irish music, and Jeff and I were mesmerized - the music was amazing! The bar also had a good selection of beer and whiskies and the staff there were really friendly. I could not stop looking around the bar because it is so beautiful; there were fine details of the Highlands and mountaineering. One day we would love to hike Ben Nevis but until that day comes, we at least got to visit the bar :) We definitely recommend coming here for live music if you visit Glasgow.
The next morning we were off to Dublin and ready to explore Ireland. We knew we would be back before our flight to Greece, so we only stayed a couple of days and took it easy. We of course walked around Temple Bar and Trinity College (which wasn’t far from our Airbnb), and we had excellent coffee from Cloud Pickers. Jeff was relieved to have a proper drip coffee, and I am always happy to eat pastries. After our coffees and strolls, we had drinks at Dublin’s oldest bar, the Brazen Head. We were told that the Guinness beer tastes better in Ireland than in America (ya know, since it’s made there), and the hype is true with one exception. The best “Guinness” stout I’ve ever had is brewed by my sister-in-law’s father who I will be asking a favor from when we get back. After the Brazen’s Head, we had dinner at Bonobo and were pleasantly surprised how amazing the pizza was (and their cocktail menu is on point). One probably doesn’t think of pizza when they think of Dublin, but we heard good things about Bonobo and given the short walk from the Brazen Head and our empty bellies, we went for it and it was delicious!
The next day we left for Belfast by train and had a very rocky start. We rode the red line to Connolly Station and from there, headed to Belfast. Long story short, the train was extremely packed. Due to a misunderstanding, we got separated, which one can put more blame on my husband for that :) Before we rejoined about 20 minutes later, I discovered that someone from the train stole my wallet which had a decent amount of cash. I rarely have cash on me for this reason or if I lose it and instead rely on credit cards. Alas, I needed cash at the time and made a scrupulous swindler very happy. Apparently, brooding spouses on trains make easy targets and while I kept patting and checking everything on me, this person had to be an expert and quickly stole my wallet. After the shock diminished (which lasted a long time) and calling our banks, Jeff and I agreed that we will now take a taxi to the airport or train station when we have all of our bags with us. After meeting more people from Dublin, the red line is notorious for this, so from one tourist to another, avoid the red line unless you have one bag or purse and hold onto it in front of you like it’s Baby Yoda.
Once we got to Belfast, we had a comforting dinner of pho followed by gin and tonic given the afternoon we had :) The next day, I hiked the Cavehill trail near Belfast Castle which is easily my favorite spot in Belfast. It was a much needed dose of nature and once I was past the wooded part, I got to see breathtaking views of the city. I discovered that this is my favorite way of getting to know cities: climbing up a nearby hill or mountain to see all of it with my own eyes. We originally were going to visit Belfast for longer, but since we were able to house sit the last week of our time in Ireland, we had to reduce days from other cities. During our short stay, we still got a taste of the city and met locals and fellow travelers from Dublin who were lovely, hilarious students - definitely one of the highlights of our visit.
Cavehill Trail in Belfast
Giant’s Causeway
The day we left Belfast, we drove to Bushmills to see Giant’s Causeway. Sadly, we did not see the famous giant, Finn McCool, but we agree with the thousands of visitors who exclaim how beautiful and dreamlike the area is. It is stunning; volcanic activity clearly creates masterpieces (Sarah obviously typed this). Our favorite part of the visit however was our conversation with a couple we met from Scotland. It is wild how meaningful connections can be made with complete strangers and come to find out how much we have in common.
It has been refreshing to simply live in the moment and not constantly check the time during our travels. We of course have days when we’re on a tighter schedule, but one of the most liberating things from this trip thus far is being fully immersed in the moment, especially when we meet new people. I’ve noticed that conversations with strangers, particularly when traveling, can go beyond small talk; perhaps it’s easier to be vulnerable with strangers unrelated to your everyday life. Although I strive to practice mindfulness back home and to be intentional with others, it is easy to get caught up in the daily grind and run around frantically (which really doesn’t accomplish anything). Traveling for me is one of the most fun ways to step out of my comfort zone and reinforces what is essential in life.
What do you find most liberating about traveling? What takeaways have you learned from your travels and applied back home? Tell us your thoughts below!
