Scotland

I come from Scotland, a small country occupying the northern part of the British Isles. We may be small but we have a proud history, and we most definitely don't like being mistaken for being English.

Coming from Scotland means several things:

• I'm used to wet weather
• I like Irn Bru
• I get frustrated watching my country play football (that's soccer to you Americans)
• I look a bit pale (no sunshine here)
• I speak with a funny accent (fast become a favourite due to Mr Connery et al)
• I have worn a kilt (see my wedding page) but not every day

Like most people from whatever country, I have an inbuilt impulse to defend my country as "the best in the world", despite our small size, poor health record, tendency to ginger hair, etc. However Scotland does have a lot to offer, despite its seeming insignificance on the map.

Scenery

There has been a lot of up and down movement in the past in the Scottish landscape, producing an impressive set of hills, mountains and lochs. A huge amount of rain falls on the country, keeping everything very green, so when there is some sunshine, the land can be very pretty indeed.

Loch Lomond	Glencoe

Inventions

Any good Scot will tell you that we invented everything. And it's true. Well, nearly true. Here's a list of just some of the inventions of Scots:

• Television - John Logie Baird
• Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell
• Steam Engine - James Watt
• Pneumatic Tyre - John Boyd Dunlop
• Thermos Flask - Professor Dewar
• Anaesthesia - James Young Simpson
• Vacuum Cleaner - Hubert Booth
• Penicillin - Alexander Flemming
• Radar - Robert Alexander Watson-Watt
• American Navy - John Paul Jones
• Modern Economics - Adam Smith

I suppose we had to do something while it was raining outside.

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