It's Reunion Year : Scotland '09 !

Hard to believe it is almost here but 2009 is reunion year in Scotland , my other homeland . I am a McMillan on me mum's side ! Next year all the clans will converge and celebrate with many festivities starting in June . If you plan to go , and I hope you will , start planning now because hotels are already filling up fast in reunion HQ Edinburgh . This city put the cos in cosmopolitan . Standing high above the city Edinburgh castle gives visitors dramatic views . Both medieval and Georgian styles abound and of course Edinburgh is home to the greatest arts festival in the world bar none . Coming down from your perch at The Castle you will walk The Royal Mile the city's medieval heart . Coming off this road are many lanes , cobbled and storied by Burns and others . At one end of The Mile you will visit Holyroodhouse , a Renaissance palace once home to Mary , Queen of Scots and the Scottish home to the English Royal family . In August the famous Arts Festival gets cranking . You will also visit the New Scottish Parliament building . Scotland now has its first Parliament since The Act of Union disolved it in 1707 . Check out http://www.cometoscotland.com/ for more on what to see and do in Edinburgh .
Like to shop ? Then go to Scotland's largest city Glasgow . Be sure to see Charles Rennie MacKintosh's tour de force , The Glasgow School of Art . This city must be Britain's greatest Victorian city though through MacKintosh Glasgow also became the center of Art Nouveau .Go to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and MacKintosh's own house at the Hunterian Art Gallery and you will see why this Glasgow architect is so revered today . Only London can compare to Glasgow for shoppers . A must is Princes Square and Sauchiehall Street . Next , finish at the Merchant City District . Support your addiction by buying casmere , Celtic jewellry , tartan scarves , shortbread , and whisky , without an "e" please as Irish Whiskey has the "e" . Glasgow nightlife , in my opinion has no equal . Diverse is the word for food and eateries and please go to some noodle bars which were converted from banks and other public buildings . Finally , go to the Highlands . My favs are , Armadale Castle , Museum of the Isles on Skye , Dunrobin Castle , and as me eyes tear up , the beautiful Loch Lomand , and yes , the banks are indeed "bonnie" ! The heart of Loch country is the 720 sq. mile Trossachs National Park made up of loch , hill , forest , and moor . Go to Lomand Shores and the Gateway Center at Balloch which will introduce you to the Park and loch . Everyone asks me , " What whisky distillery shall I visit ? " Easy ! Strathila Distillery at Keith . So , come and walk the ways your ancestors did . You will feel your spine tingle with excitement and a tear in your eye when you do . Check out http://www.ancestralscotland.com/ . These and all adventures can be found on my website at mpage.paradisenetwork.com/welcome/ . Mike Page is certified by VisitScotland and by The National Tourist Office of Scotland as a SCOTS Destination Specialist . Keep those traveling shoes on !