Objectivist Group Visits Scotland

The traveling Objectivists took their annual trip in October, touring Scotland. Twenty-five Objectivists visited castles, lochs (lakes, in American parlance), universities, shops, and other tourist attractions.

Charles and Susanna Tomlinson organized the trip, which was conducted through Alumni Holidays International. The group stayed at the Stirling Highland Hotel in Stirling, Scotland, the site of the famous battle of Stirling Bridge portrayed in the movie Braveheart. It was also the site of the battle in which Robert the Bruce defeated the English.

After arriving in Stirling from various stateside locations, the group toured the sights in the area, including the battlefields and Stirling castle, a remarkable fortress at the top of the hill. The William Wallace monument was also on the itinerary. Wallace was the character portrayed by Mel Gibson in Braveheart. The statue of Wallace at the monument was made right after the movie, and it looks like Gibson, who was the model for it. However, Wallace was over six feet six inches tall, while Gibson is much shorter.

The remainder of the days included trips by motel coach to Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, a boat excursion on Lake Katrine, and a side trip to St. Andrews. During the trip to Edinburgh the group attended a lecture by a University of Edinburgh professor in the great lecture hall of Scotland's pre-eminent university. In fact, most of the days included lectures on Scottish history and literature.

For one event, a panel of prominent local citizens explained the educational system and political situation. Scotland now has its own parliament, with national matters decided in Edinburgh and larger defense and other matters decided in London. Legally, Scotland could declare complete independence. When asked whether the panelists thought their country would do so, they unanimously agreed that this is unlikely because Scotland gets more money from the central government in London than it pays in taxes!

Another popular excursion was the Famous Grouse Experience. This was a trip to a whisky factory, with a tour of the whisky-making process and a tasting of various whiskys afterward. (The Scots call their national drink "Scots whisky" or "whisky," never Scotch or whiskey.)

In between scheduled events, there was plenty of time for shopping, relaxation, and conversation. You can join this group next year as they continue their adventures. Susanna Tomlinson and Elaine Ring are currently planning the next trip, which will take place in the spring or fall, depending on the availability of interesting places.