Thousandapologies

People that have me heard talking about my travels to Scotland, know of my enthusiasm about that country. Up till now this country ranks high in the “top-five most beautiful places I ever visited”. The rough beauty of the landscape, the rich history present for each step you make, the castles, the lochs, and the isles provide you with such a complete experience that it’s a holiday location I can recommend to everyone. Because of my enthusiasm, I also try to follow the TV documentaries about this country I happen to come across. Luckily, the BBC seems to have a lot of them nowadays, the latest being Monty Halls’ Great Escape which reports on a marine biologist, tired of city life, and following his dream to become a self-sufficient crofter (Dutch: keuterboer) on the Scottish west coast. What makes the documentary interesting in my opinion is that such a decision takes a lot of courage but also at the same time illustrates a person that’s tired of the hectic city life we all got so used to and goes in search of a life of harmony, quietness, in touch with nature, but most of all less stress. The BBC website gives the following summary:

Marine biologist and professional diver Monty Halls turns his back on city life to become a 21st century beachcomber on the west coast of Scotland. Inspired by his childhood love of otters, Monty moves into a run-down cattle shed overlooking an isolated beach. With the help of a team of locals, he turns it into a comfortable home. The spring weather is the best anyone can remember and Monty is soon bringing the croft to life, with a crystal clear sea inviting him to explore.

So if you share my love of Scotland and feel for romantic days of yore, go and check it out!

Last Saturday, I really enjoyed watching this documentary on the history of Scotland, one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited. As it turns out, it’s a series, so I hope I can watch the next episodes too. The documentary explored the Scotland of the early middle ages, when it was still divided into four large parts, every part ruled by a different tribe: vikings, Picts, Gaels, and Angles. Most of all, the documentary was beautifully shot, showing off Scotland’s most beautiful scenery, the rough Highlands, the glenns, the lochs, and the ruins of old castles. It reminded me off our beautiful journey to the Isle of Skye and furthermore think of visiting the country again soon. The documentary is broadcasted on BBC 2, on Saturdays from 21:00-22:00 CET, and made in cooperation with the Open University UK. More information can be found here. Oh yeah, and check out the accent of the narrator/presenter: it’s just brilliant!