My adventure today consisted of catching the train from Alloa to Stirling (a whopping 10 minute ride) and relocating Katie, one of my friends from Wallace High School. She and her boyfriend Rab were so kind and took me out for the afternoon!
I'm not really sure why I love that little village so much. Perhaps I love that everyone's door opens right onto the street, although I probably love more that the doors are as tall as I am. After our gander through the Christmas ornaments, I spotted my favourite bakery and promptly made a beeline for it. Katie and Rab bought me lunch, and I was quite pleased with my Scottish sausage roll. Tomorrow I'm definitely going back for dessert.
Now if you know one fact about Scotland, other than that it rains all the time, you'll know that french fries don't exist there. You don't buy hamburgers and fries, you buy fish n' chips. And that's that. If I were to have one last meal on earth, it would be a debate between my mother's homemade bread and Scottish fish n' chips with salt and vinegar. Don't tell my mother I said that.
On our way back to Stirling, they pulled in at Doune castle, which is so beautiful in the rain! Did you know this castle played a part in the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Game of Thrones, and Outlander? It was falling apart in many places, but it was originally built in the 13th century, which absolutely blows my mind. All I wanted was to take one of those turrets home with me.
Then I made my way home and yes, unfortunately got lost again, which is never a good thing when you don't have wifi to call anyone for help. That's why prayer is so important to me. I was definitely guided back home with help from a loving Heavenly Father! Prayer really works, trust me.
These are some pictures from when I went to Blackpool and Preston on Saturday last week with another best friend from Wallace High School. Bekka and her boyfriend Michael were so kind and took me all the way down there. I had originally wanted to go to Drumlanrig Castle, but the people in charge of their website neglected to include that it would be closed on the exact day that I wanted to go there. So sadly, I got as far as the entrance sign. But there you go, Drumlanrig Castle. Maybe I'll get to come back some day and see it for real.
Bekka and Michael took me to get fish n chips, my first one after 8 years! The fish was about the size of my arm. No joke.
The countryside in Scotland is gorgeous and the grass is almost fluorescent green. Did you know Scotland is as high North as Alaska? Scotland, thank you for not being covered in snow. Whatever it is that gives you rain every day, I'd say it's better than snow.
When we made it to Blackpool, almost the first thing I noticed was the beach. The water looked very cold, but it wasn't so bad probably because the Adrenalin rush of excitement to finally be able to touch the ocean warmed me up. Let's be honest, I haven't touched it in 8 years! I rolled up my jeans (careful not to say pants over here as "pants" has a completely different connotation in Britain) and sprinted for the water, careful not to step on seaweed or sea shells. I did collect a few though ;)
I can't thank these two wonderful friends of mine enough. I was definitely being watched out for when we all crossed paths eight years ago. Some people may say that friends are given to us by chance or by choice, or that it's a coincidence you met someone who instantly became your best friend. Well, this is perhaps one of the many reasons why I believe in God - I believe that making wonderful friends doesn't just happen by chance. Rather, I know that God loves all his children, and so one of the blessings He gives to us is good friends. We don't meet because we watch out for ouselves, but because someone is always watching out for us. After all, what would life be if we didn't gander through it with wonderful friends?
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