Bagpippers, castles and football...oh my!

Dec. 27th
My time in Scotland with my family was really good even though the weather was a lot cooler than in Ireland because we were further north. The first night we were in Scotland we stayed in the city of Glasgow. We had originally thought to purchase tickets to see the Celtic football team play (which is Mario's team), but the tickets were so expensive we decided not to go to the game. Instead, we were able to go to the Celtic stadium (the team was playing at the Rangers stadium) and we watched the game with hundreds of other Celtic fans on big screens in the bar/restaurant at the stadium. It was really fun to just be with other Celtic fans and see the enthusiasm. Technically, we watched the game live at the Celtic stadium...it's just that the players weren't there. :)
After the game, we took a tour of the stadium with 2 other people so it was a small group and we were able to see so much. We saw the locker room of the home team and there was mud and grass on the floor from the player's cleats since they had just had a practice game against the rangers. Our tour guide kept telling us that maybe we'll be lucky and come back to the locker room at the end of the tour and the players might be back from the game. We got a little excited (I was more excited for Mario than for myself). After we finished touring the stadium, we were standing outside taking pictures and decided to walk to the team's store that was across the parking lot. Before we left, one of the team's buses started to pull up to the stadium to drop off the players! I couldn't believe we were actually going to see them! There were a few other people waiting too, but no more than 10. The players were really kind and were signing autographs for people and shaking hands and such. They won the game so it was even better. Mario didn't want to go up to any of the players because he didn't want to bug them, but when Mazuno walked by us I told Mario to go up to him so that I could take a picture. Mazuno was nice about it and so I got the picture of him and Mario. It was pretty cool. So after all the players left, we went to the store and Mario bought some Celtic souvenirs.
In the evening we walked to George's square, where Glasgow was having a carnival and a band was playing to get ready for Hogmanay (Scotland's New Year's Eve party). We stayed there for awhile and listened to the music.
George Square
Mario with Muzano from Celtic FC
Entrance to Celtic Stadium

Mario at Celtic Stadium

Dec 28th-Jan 1st
On the 28th, we left for Edinburgh and are staying for 4 nights here. While here, we visited so many different places. We went to the Edinburgh Castle, which is beautiful. The castle isn't large itself, but there are several separate buildings/towers that make up the castle. We also visited Scotland's National Museum, which has many artifacts from different periods of Scottish history. We also visited Edinburgh's National Gallery, which had a special exhibition on Scottish paintings. I forgot what time period they are from, but they were very interesting.
This is the view of the lower part of the city from one of the cannon windows of Edinburgh Castle.
The magnificent Edinburgh Castle!
Mario with a Scottish bagpiper
The main street in Edinburgh, the Royal Mile. Our hotel was right off this street, so we were close to everything.
St. Giles Cathedral, the main cathedral in Edinburgh. On New Year's Eve we came here for a candle lit concert. It was very nice.

One day we took a tour to the Highlands and to see Loch Ness. This was a one day tour, so there was a lot of traveling involved, but we saw so many beautiful landscapes and views along our trip. Our tour guide kept stopping the mini bus so that we could go out and take pictures of the views. We eventually made it to Loch Ness where my mom, Mario and I took a boat ride on Loch Ness in search of Nessie, the monster. My mom actually told me the reason why people claim to see the Loch Ness monster, but I won't ruin it for any of you. It is interesting though and it makes sense. Anyway, we took the boat ride and we learned a little bit about the history of the monster, Nessie, and the Loch itself. After visiting the lake, we drove back to Edinburgh and again, we stopped along the way to take pictures. Enjoy them, they're beautiful!
View of the mystical Loch Ness
A beautiful landscape of the highlands
At one of the stops, there was a large male deer and people were walking up to it petting it (stupid, I know), but the stag was very common and seemed used to the people. Mario decided to take a picture with it, so here it is! He did pet it as well.
The highlands
What a beautiful view!
More highlands
The loch ness monster!
I forgot to mention that along the journey we stopped for a coffee and to pet Hamish the hielin' coo (Highland cow). He's apparently well known and you can by a bag of veggies to feed him. Mario and I both did it. Just to inform you, he had drool hanging from his mouth and fur the whole time; it was so gross!

On the 29th, Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations began. That night there was a light and torch processional. Anyone could do it and so the three of us joined in on the fun. Everyone lines up on the main road in Edinburgh, which is the Royal Mile, and we each carry a large wax candle and once it is lit, we walk from the square in front of St. Giles Cathedral all the way to a hill across the city. It took about an hour to get to the top of the hill, maybe a little longer, because there were thousands of people involved in the processional. Once everyone was at the top of the hill, someone announced that Hogmanay had officially begun and then there were fireworks and two signs were lit. One sign said Scotland's Homecoming and the other sign had the symbol of the lion. It was pretty cool to be involved in such a major event in Scotland and experience this celebration.
The carnival for Hogmanay
Here are the three of us during the torch processional. As you can see, the torches were long (and these were half way melted!).

So for New Year's Eve, Edinburgh has one of the largest celebrations in Europe. It starts at 9pm and goes until 1am. There are 4 different stages set up around the main streets of the city and one of the stages is located in the gardens below the castle. There was a carnival going on and different types of music being played at the different stages and tons of people in the streets. There were so many people that it was very difficult to walk around. We stayed in the gardens the whole time; that is where the more well known bands played, but we didn't know any of them because they were UK bands, but they were good. At midnight, there were fireworks and singing and it was a lot of fun. Something that I will always remember. On New Year's Day, we slept in a little and then headed to the train station to leave for York!
Happy New Year!
Ciao!