England, Scotland & Wales Photo Blog

England, Scotland & Wales Photo Blog

Tour: England, Scotland & Wales

Dates: October 9 – 17, 2024

Tour Director: Laura Bomberger

Tour Director Highlights:

Perspective. One of things I love most about travel is the opportunity to refine, sharpen, and perhaps, realign my perspective as I step into another culture to learn, experience, and observe a new and different way of doing life. It is so enriching and invigorating! And, while some cultural differences are more extreme than others, I often come away from my travels with the beautiful realization that, while different, we are actually more similar than different – we just have different ways of doing things.

Our trip to England, Scotland, and Wales was another rich experience filtered through the lens of perspective and enriched by the encounters and conversations with people I met along the way (BNT travelers and otherwise), the opportunities to learn about and from history, and the refreshing ability to step outside of my own world and into another – even if just for a few days.

We packed A LOT into our short, 9-day trip. In fact, our local Tour Guide referred to the tour as a “Whitman’s sampler” where we got to “taste” many different places in the United Kingdom. As I reflect on our trip, my overall takeaway is that England, Scotland, and Wales are lovely countries riddled with history, pomp and circumstance, and tradition – yet are also incredibly diverse. In fact, there are so many ethnicities represented, particularly in the restaurant arena, that it was a challenge to find traditional Scottish or British food (i.e. Cullen Skink Soup, Scotch Eggs, Bubble & Squeak, Yorkshire Pudding, etc.)! Yet the centuries-old buildings and historical monuments around nearly every bend quickly spoke to the powerful history of the British empire and the many facets of history experienced in that land.

Here are just a few of my highlights and reflections from the trip:

• Strolling the quaint cobblestone streets of Edinburgh, Scotland, with the majestic Edinburgh Castle towering above and stumbling upon the brightly colored Victoria Street and the National Museum of Scotland (filled with top notch exhibits, including fashion statements throughout the centuries)
• Hiking to Arthur’s Seat (Edinburgh, Scotland) with the sound of bagpipes in the distance – a classic and picturesque Scotland memory!
• Stumbling upon Clarinda’s Tea Room (Edinburgh, Scotland) – a beautiful and quintessential tea room with walls decorated with mementos from years gone past and a tabletop adorned with freshly made pastries – and being asked to sit with another party (a common request in Scottish culture). During a delightful lunch filled with freshly made soup, sandwiches, and scones with clotted cream and jam, we had the opportunity to meet a young Canadian solo traveler and learn about one another’s travels and backgrounds. From there, we spontaneously ventured together to a local landmark to capture the views of the city before going our separate ways. I love meeting other travelers along the way!
• Meeting a group of retired Scottish women enjoying a night out together while eating dinner at a cozy local pub in Edinburgh. I enjoyed learning about their professional backgrounds and seeing pictures of the incredible Northern Lights spotting the night before!
• Hearing the incredible acoustics of the York Minster cathedral in York, England, as three men practiced their acapella vocal music for an evening concert
• Sitting in the courtyard of Shakespeare’s birthplace, watching a live rendition of Romeo and Juliet from Shakespeare’s home
• Walking INSIDE the walls of the Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, Wales as WWII audio recordings played simulating the sounds of WWII planes flying above and bombs dropping. It was a moving experience as I imagined the hundreds (if not thousands) of civilians sheltering inside the dark, dank stone walls, risking their lives while desperately trying to save their lives. The intensity and gravity of the situation was heightened as posters littered the walls of the castle reminding people that “Careless Talk Costs Lives” and that they should trust no one (including spouses) because “you never know who is listening.”
• Savoring the delicious cinnamon-sprinkled Welsh Cakes (a mini pancake-like pastry) in Cardiff, Wales
• Capitalizing on a moment to engage with a local by offering to help a British woman load a filing cabinet into her small car. She was bound and determined to get two cabinets in her car before finally resolving to just do two trips (something I can relate to)!
• Stumbling upon Sally Lunn’s Eating House (the oldest house in Bath, England) and learning about Sally’s brave decision to flee her homeland in France (1680) and move to Bath, England, to escape the persecution she experienced for standing firm in her faith. Upon arrival in England, she began baking a brioche buns (a French bread) to make a living, which quickly became loved by locals (including Jane Austin) and have now earned legendary status around the world! It was extra fun that we met a friendly British delivery man as he rolled carts full of freshly baked buns into the restaurant. I enjoyed our a “lil chat” with him.
• Seeing Stonehenge – one of the wonders of the world and the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe
• Dining at a quaint outdoor café in the Covent Garden of London while enjoying the most delicious focaccia bread
• Watching a sweet curly-haired, 2-year old dressed in a prim and proper dress with a red velvet cloak pinned around her shoulders toddle after her “mum” while strolling the banks of the Thames River in London
• Gaining a firsthand look at iconic London landmarks such as Big Ben, the Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the iconic Tower Bridge (from the London Bridge).
• Seeing and experiencing God’s repeated hand of blessing and provision through the many rainbows and sunbows that were spotted throughout the trip….and very minimal “liquid sunshine” (aka rain) in a land that has more rain than sun.

Perspective. It’s a powerful lens. And as I step back into “normal” life in my corner of the world, my prayer is that the experiences, encounters, learnings, and perspectives I gained throughout this trip are ones I can intentionally incorporate and build upon in my days ahead.

Until next time,

Laura

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