Farewell Scotland, Dobar Dan Balkan-ia

Thanks for joining me on my travels through Scotland. I was there for about a month, gathering material for our upcoming Rick Steves Scotland guidebook; the first edition is currently with our crack squad of editors and cartographers, and — after a winter’s gestation — will hit the shelves in early April of 2016.

If you’ve enjoyed some of my Scotland blogs and want to read more, be sure to check out the ones that appeal to you: I kicked things off in Edinburgh, where I walked the Royal Mile, explored the underrated New Town, learned about traditional kiltmaking and Scottish “sweets” (candy), pondered the tenuous connection between Scotland and England, and scratched my head at the stone-carved corn in Rosslyn Chapel (made famous by The Da Vinci Code).

Heading out of the capital, I had a blast at some village Highland Games, then headed to Stirling, where I conquered the castle, went ghost-hunting, and debunked Braveheart. Near Stirling, I visited some giant horse heads, a Ferris wheel for boats, the Outlander/Monty Python castle, and the charming village of Culross.

Next, I got to know Glasgow, from its artistic and architectural heritage to its trendy West End. (I also embarrassed myself by trying to play the bagpipes.)

From there, I headed into the Highlands, where I did some island-hopping, basked in the scenic splendor of Skye, drove along the rugged Wester Ross, and came thiiis close to running out of gas at the worst possible time.

The grand finale of my trip was Orkney, with a remote allure, prehistoric sites, and amazing World War I and World War II history. And all along the way, I checked in with some wonderful B&B hosts and got a kick out of many witty British signs. Whew!

I returned from Scotland in early August, and have been writing feverishly ever since. A few days ago I handed in the Scotland book, packed my bag again, and hopped another plane back to Europe.

And now for something completely different: For the next month or so, I’ll be touring the Balkans, Europe’s most misunderstood corner — and, for my money, also one of its most beautiful, most engaging, and most fascinating. After digging deep into Scotland, on this trip I’ll be country-hopping, touching down briefly in Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Romania, and Bulgaria. Basically, if it has an -ia at the end…I’m going there. (I’ve taken to calling this area “Balkan-ia” for short.)

While many travelers find the Balkans intimidating, it’s my backyard: As the co-author of the Rick Steves Croatia & Slovenia guidebook, I’ve regularly visited these places for the last 15 years. While Italian meals and Scottish clichés are fun to write about, as a travel writer I particularly enjoy the opportunity to help demystify these underappreciated gems of Europe. Yes, there’s lots of weighty history (not to mention current events —more on that very soon). But there’s also plenty of fun: Dubrovnik’s pebbly beaches; learning about Bosnian coffee — and Bosnian culture — in Sarajevo; taking the pulse of emerging hipster zones in Zagreb, Ljubljana, Cluj-Napoca, and Plovdiv; scaling Slovenia’s cut-glass peaks; ogling colorful folk art and imposing castles in Transylvania; and checking out rusting communist memorials in the Bulgarian mountains.

Are you ready for a jarring change of pace from misty moors and green glens? If so, I have juuust enough room in my rucksack…so hop in. Let’s go!

Cameron Croatia Selfie

2 Replies to “Farewell Scotland, Dobar Dan Balkan-ia”

  1. The visuals on your writings are vivid, colorful and inviting – I want to Be There! Looking forward to hearing your further escapades. Thanks, Cameron!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *