I once told people visiting Spain was like visiting home. For once I got to hear Spanish, a language that was familiar to my ears, and it brought a level of ease and comfort that I didn’t experience while being in delightfully strange Germany. Well, for the same reason, being in Scotland also gives me the same sense of home. I’ve gotten into the habit of not speaking to people in public spaces because I don’t want to go through the whole hassle of fumbling with my knowledge of another language…
“Sprechen sie Englisch?”
“Parlez-vous Anglais?”
“¿Hablas Inglés?”
It was in Scotland I realized my conditioning! Here I am at Top Shop (my new favorite fashion store btw) sorting through racks of dresses and a girl starts chatting with me and amazingly…I understand every word! For the first time in two years I can talk to strangers in the shops in my native language and it’s also their native language! You just take for granted that privilege until you no longer have it.
In addition to speaking my (adoptive) mother language, Scotland feels like home because I am of Scottish Decent (or I at least have a Scottish last name…whole other story for another day). I had a sense of belonging to finally get to announce my Scottish last name when checking into hotels or making reservations. I know these people probably do not find any significance about my last name but here, it fits in. It’s not in Germany where my last name clearly stands out.
Since I am three weeks out from training for my first fitness competition, my diet is very restricted and I need the ability to cook healthy meals for myself. Fortunately, Scotland is not known for it’s delectable cuisine. So I got a two bedroom apartment hotel at the Holyrood aprtHotel in the Holyrood neighborhood of Edinburgh. I almost felt guilty having so much for little ol’ me. It made me wish my family was there with me. But it had the kitchen, a fitness room/closet, and a grocery store around the corner. It’s in a perfect location near the Royal Mile touristy area. I’ll certainly stay again when I visit Edinburgh. I spent something like 20 USD on fish, eggs, water and couscous food for four days. Not bad. Besides, I packed my own oat meal, seasonings, and tuna.
Tranquility in the middle of the city
Anyway, of course Apart Hotel was a little pricy to maintain the entire time I was there and I didn’t plan where I’d move next after my first few days. Scotland was having some sort of Bank holiday and all the hotels were booked for the weekend. So I got one day at a budget hotel on Princess Street, the main commerce artery of the tourist center, but I still needed another night to cover me before my flight. Nothing like a good vacation with to add a sense of drama to in if I’ll find a place to stay for the night. After some internet searches I found something in my price range through the goodness of airbnb.com
Overall I love Edinburgh. It’s one of my favorite places in all of Europe. It’s beautiful, peaceful, and Edinburgh is just big enough to be an interesting city but without the crazy hustle and bustle of Europe’s major capitol cities. As one local said, Glasgow has a bigger party at a funeral than Edinburgh does at a wedding. And I certainly believe it after just a few daytime hours in Glasgow. So keep that in mind when planning your Scottish visit. I’d love for my big extended southern family to visit Scotland. And here’s what we’d do if we did:
We’d stay in the ApartHotel or rent a hotel from Airbnb. It’s perfect for exploring the Royal Mile which is the tourist district lined with shops. Royal Mile or actually, High Street, is the mile long road linking the Palace to the castle. From this location you can stroll along the cobble stone streets. If you have the time, I suggest picking either the castle or the palace per day…
Day 1: Get acclimated. Yes! You are really in Scotland! After checking in, buy groceries, visit Holy Rood Palace, stroll the streets, have lunch back in the apartment, spend the afternoon in nature at Holy Rood Park and watch the sunset. You can see the entire city from its highest point. And it’s like being in the country while in the middle of a city. You may be tempted to watch Parliamentary proceedings in their modern building. This I must discourage. I’m not sure why I thought it would be so interesting. It wasn’t. It was as exciting as C-SPAN in a Scottish Accent. Terrible.
C-Span for Scotland (beautiful but boring!)
Day 2: Explore. Stroll streets, Visit the castle as soon as it opens, have lunch in town, explore the streets while picking up information for evening walking tours from one of the countless advertisements. Rest back in apartment, have dinner before going on an evening walking tour or taking a whiskey tasting evening.
Day 3: Spend time in the Royal Botanical Gardens, check out and return to places in the area you might have missed or want to revisit on The Royal Mile, stroll down to Princes street across the river stopping by the Edinburgh University Library, the free Scottish National Gallery, listen to the Kilt-clad bag piper, shop on George Street and Princes Street (Top Shop, Princes Mall, and Primark are my favorites). Walk Multrees, the city’s first street build since the 18th century. Dine out or Rest up with a meal at home.
Day 4: Time for a city break! Eat a big breakfast and take a Scottish Tour to the Loch Ness and the Highlands. I went on this tour. I was a bit disappointed it was a whirlwind with a lot of driving and pointing but not much getting out and exploring. Besides, when I went in May, it was cold and rainy. Additionally I was afraid to drink anything all day because there were no facilities on the bus and they made it clear they wouldn’t be stopping for comfort breaks. The best thing about the tour was the guide providing insight on Scottish culture and history in her lovely accent with her terrific story telling abilities. If it weren’t for that, I’d suggest making the same trip on your own.
Day 5 Branch out. I explored much of Edinburgh on foot. Now it’s time to branch out. Next time, I’d use this day to taxi, rent a car, learn the bus system and visit the zoo, the pier, and any other extraneous locations that weren’t in walking distance. See Edinburgh’s neighborhoods outside the tourist district. Relax.
Not to Miss! If you don’t have five days I’d say Spend your time on the Royal Mile. Holy Rood Palace, Holy Rood park, Edinburgh Castle, the streets, and the monument on Princes Street. If I had more than five days, I’d spend the rest of my time in Scotland road tripping to Carsethorn south of Dumfries on Colvend coast southwest Scotland/Galloway district or to Kippford and Sandyhills. I could spend a summer exploring the gorgeous landforms and coasts on the Scottish country side. Of course, that’s just the country girl in me coming out.
Two things the American South and the Deutcshland Sud have in common: Colorful culture, distinctive from the rest of the country and delicious, fattening, fried foods that this southern girl has a hard time resisting.
Model, entrepreneur, leader, nutrition snob, friend, and Belle
Now that I’ve committed to a healthy lifestyle and made winning a figure competition my new goal, I’m amazed at all the yummy vices that seem to spontaneously appear begging me to take just a tiny taste. Let’s face it, no matter how committed you are to clean-eating life style, chicken strips just taste better when twice-battered, deep-fried, and dunked in a bowl of creamy, rich ranch dressing rather than grilled. Plus here in Deutchland, ice cream and gelato stands on every corner, sauce-drenched spätzle, schnitzel, pommes, pork, schweinshaxe…all of it delicious yet counterproductive to my fitness goals. What’s worse are the limited healthy options I have when I travel. One travel weekend can blow all the hard work I’ve put in at the gym and the self-control I’ve displayed in the kitchen.
I have some amazingly fit friends who have long been part of this clean eating tend. My favorite Texan, Suze, studied dietetics at her university in Texas and just started her own clothing line that suits her cute, athletic style: Nutrition Snob. I’ve always known her to be very knowledgeable about the effects different foods have on our bodies. I go to her for food guidance all the time. She stressed the importance of pre-planning when traveling. When I plan to travel, food is usually a minor detail on the itinerary if part of the plan at all. Eating shouldn’t be an afterthought! That only leads to me switching into the “critically hungry” mode and ready to vaporize anyone who gets between me and whatever will stop the pangs in my belly!My super fit friend, Natalie, who is a physical therapist (PT) and ran cross country for her university in Kentucky. I was out of my element when I went on a beach vacation with her and her new PT friends. They were super particular about what they allowed in their bodies. They chose turkey over ham, low fat snacks and drank water. I was craving cookies, chips, dips, ham sandwiches and wild cherry Pepsi. But even Natalie admitted that she slacked on fitness when she was on the road. Of course, she isn’t training for a competition any more and doesn’t travel every weekend like me either. I just cannot afford to go without a workout or proper diet for an entire weekend every weekend. What she is committed on is maintaining her runs regardless. So I have several challenges to address. I can work out all day no problem but it is a challenge to make the deliberate, conscious effort to eat well. Both become difficult when constantly on the go. It’s easy to make excuses to blow off the work out and healthy diet while on the road (or rails, or in the air). Yes it takes effort in planning and prepping for food. But, like Suze always reminds me, if it was easy everyone would be walking around with a six pack.
Here’s the Advice I’ve collected from my most fit Southern Belle friends:
1. Get a climate control lunch bag with an ice pack and take your own lunch for the road.
On the road in Germany your three fast food options are McDonald, Subway, Burger King, and KFC and those are few and far between. You’re almost forced to go to a sit-down dinner off the autobahn and as Americans, we do not like to waste time. Even so, if we went to a dinner, you are relegated to chose from whatever they are serving which could mean choosing between deep fried pork or deep fried beef. Try these as on-the road meals (I don’t do lettuce so I’m skip over the obvious choice of packing a salad but if you are a salad girl, by all means, find some creative recipes and pack that salad):
Cold pasta salads
Bean, tomato, cheese and corn salad (mix in some cilantro)
Grilled chicken/Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
Lean meat, low fat cheese quesadillas
Spinach or Tomato Wraps: spinach, feta cheese, turkey bacon and grilled chicken or try a combo with hard boiled eggs, shredded carrots, chicken and avocado yum!
Tuna and hard boiled egg sandwiches/wraps without the salad dressing
2. Although going for chips, cookies, and candies are my habitual travel grabs, I’ll plan head for those travel muchies and make this my snack-food shopping list:
Water
Granola
Nuts
Granola, cereal, protein bars
Fresh fruit & veggies
Dried fruit
Pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans, almonds
Hard boiled eggs
Sharp cheddar cheese chunks
Wheat thins or other whole grain crackers and hummus
Yogurt
Apple sauce
Peanut butter sandwiches
Almond butter sandwiches
Tuna
Smoked Salmon with dill
Dark chocolate is okay (just don’t bring the entire bag)
3. Microwaves and refrigerators in European hotels are rare. Instead of staying in a hotel which forces you to eat every meal in restaurants, try staying in a vacation rental where you’ll have a kitchen. The costs are usually competitive with hotels but of course, it takes pre-booking (i.e. pre-planning). Once you’re there can you hit the local grocery and whip up kitchen miracles just as you would at home.
4. If you stay in a hotel consider meals that do not need to be heated or see what wonders can be worked with a coffee pot. For example your coffee pot can be used to bring water to a boil to make oatmeal, soft boiled eggs, rice, noodles, or steam vegetables.Countless meals can be started with steamed veggies, rice, pasta, eggs and boiling water.
5.You’re on vacation! By all means, eat out. Just chose leaner options and don’t get carried away on the portions. Luckily, the restaurants in Europe post their menus outside the restaurant. After translating the meals on the menu, chose the restaurant with the most healthy options.
6. Not having workout clothes can hinder your will to work out. Of course, you can do pushups, dips, and crunches wearing nothing but your underwear in your hotel room but without the gear you’re less likely to do it. Besides, you’ll miss out on some beautiful scenery on morning runs or hikes.
7. If you are flying to your location, you’re obviously going to be weight contentious about your luggage. However, if you’re road tripping, consider bringing your hand-held weights along. While you’re at it, why not bring a hot plate to save you the trouble of cooking in a coffee pot. If these are not options for you, once you arrive at your destination find a 1.5 liter bottle of water to use as weights.
What a beautiful sunrise run.
8. Chose a hotel with a gym and use it!
9. Dancing, circuit training, jogs, dips, crunches, push-up do not require fitness centers. Commit to a minimum of a set of push ups and sit-ups first thing in the morning to get the blood flowing then right before bed to tire you out. that way you won’t forget or not have time.
What other advice do you have on staying fit while traveling in a tasty world?
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