The Wanderlust Begins
Home is behind, the world ahead. –J.R.R. Tolkien
I cannot think of a better way to begin my love for travel than with good friends and AMAZING hosts. My very first (grown-up) trip was to Scotland for a wedding. My boyfriend and I took the 7-hour flight from Philadelphia to Glasgow, and within an hour of settling in, we had our obligatory pint of beer (Tennent’s of course), and were enjoying a nice dinner at the bungo bar & kitchen. We spent most of our trip exploring Glasgow, but found time for a day trip to Edinburgh, and spent our last day in Larbert for the wedding.
I will start by admitting that I did not do ANY planning for this trip. Honestly, my boyfriend and I decided last minute that we were actually going to attend the wedding, and his family bought both of our tickets. While we were in Scotland, we stayed with our friends Craig and Mhairi at their place in Glasgow. As I said in the beginning, Craig and Mhairi were the perfect hosts. They picked us up from the airport, and planned each day for us, making sure that we knew where to go, and how to get there. When they were not at work, they showed us around to some of their favorite local spots.
Glasgow:
I absolutely loved Glasgow. I loved the people that I met, the food that I ate, and the city itself. While in Glasgow, we enjoyed food from so many great restaurants:
- The Bungo Bar & Kitchen – we went here on our first day, and enjoyed meeting some of Craig and Mhairi ‘s friends. I had my first pint of Tennent’s (absolutely love. I wish they sold these in the states), as well as some Heverlee (also super delicious).
- Paesano Pizza – Oh. My. Yummmm. This pizza was SO GOOD. 10/10 recommend you go there!
- Rekorderlig (Strawberry-Lime Cider) – Okay, so this isn’t a restaurant, but this cider is so good! I got a bottle of it while we waiting for our train in the The Central Bar in Central Station.
- Ollie’s – I went here for lunch one day, and it was the cutest little shop. I ended up getting pizza and a chicken sandwich and everything tasted so fresh.
Playing with my camera while we were walking around Buchanan Street
Sitting outside of Ollie’s (before we moved inside because of the rain)
The boys outside of the Bungo
Ollie’s is SO CUTE. Loved this little restaurant.
Grabbing a pint (or two) after our 7 hour flight
Walking along the River Clyde
Doing some shopping on Buchanan Street
People watching on Buchanan Street was so much fun (we also got to enjoy a few street performers)
Paesano Pizza. Seriously SO GOOD
Round two at the Bungo
Edinburgh:
We only spent a day in Edinburgh, but we still had a great time. Throughout the day, we:
- Walked up to Carlton Hill to see the National Monument (such a cute place to bring your lunch and relax in the sun)
- We also paid the £5 to walk to the top of the Nelson Monument (totally worth the amazing view of Edinburgh!)
Larbert:
We were only in Larbert for the wedding at the Glenbervie House Hotel, but the drive there was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. The hotel itself was also super cute. It is right on the edge of the Glenbervie Golf Course, so there is so much green. This adorable Victorian manor house (just outside Larbert) in Stirlingshire was such a perfect venue for the wedding. If anyone is looking to get married in Scotland, I highly recommend this location.
Although we spent most of the trip aimlessly walking around exploring each city, it was definitely unforgettable. There is something to be said for being able to explore a new place without being constrained to a strict itinerary. I thoroughly enjoyed being able live in the moment, and go wherever my heart desired.
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