Worst Reviews of Scottish Landmarks

[denmcdough]

Mt. Everest: Too steep . . . too cold . . . air is too thin . . . Sherpas charge a bloody fortune . . . and when you get to the top all you see are more damn mountains. What a waste.

For some folks, expectations can never be met.

I agree 100%!!!!!

[Liam]

Well at least we finally made it to our hotel. I was able to score a kilt from that shop in Edinburgh just before our flight left. Only $30.00. That will look really nice on my wall next to my Gordie Hull memorial Hockey Jersey.

Ah yes the great Gordie Hull, #9, of the Chicago Red Hawks, or was it the Detroit Black Wings.

[The Wizard of BC]

I'm not sure where or when you were born but I for one remember the immortal Gordie Hull. number 83 of the Tucumcari, NM Sidewinders. The very first Sidewinder to score a goal in their 8 year history.
I remember as a boy hearing those stirring words as Gordie and his teammates watched the Stanley Cup playoffs down and Mulligan's bar. "To be great, really great at this sport you just have to keep on skating. Oh, and don't fall down, that's important too."

They were going to retire Gordie's number after his goal but the new guy Dave "The Stick" Brennan didn't have one so he is wearing Gordie's goal scoring jersey now. The one I have on my wall is the one his son wore for halloween in 1984.

I still remember well the Sports Illustrated edition that shows the Sidewinders during spring training. They 'borrowed' skates from the Tucumcari Dustdevils roller derby team and skated down the big hill out on the interstate highway. You can tell how experienced the team is because no one is smiling in the photo. They had all learned from last year that if you smile you get bugs in your teeth.

When they finally publish the tourist guide "Guide to hockey legends of New Mexico" I'm sure that the visitor reviews will be kinder to the statue of Gordie (well, it's actually the Ronald MacDonald stature that they put skates on) than those the OP posted.

See, unlike Scotland that has a bunch of old stuff that no one cares enough about to do something interesting with, we have real honest to goodness heroes and monuments that the whole family can enjoy.

Every heard of Carhenge?

[Kiltedjohn]

Perhaps the reviewers might have suggested improvements to these clearly substandard sites. A couple of suggestions:

1) Skara Brae has clearly not been renovated for a very long time. The houses lack basic amenities such as television, fridges, and internet. Much needs to be spent on this village.

2) The Ring of Brodgar has little (as the reviewer suggests) to interest younger visitors. Its size and shape would make it excellently suited to having a miniature railway installed to take visitors round the site.

(Other suggestions welcome.)

[denmcdough]

Personally, I thought all those places of interest looked wonderful. In fact, I visited some of them, also. I guess there's truth in the old saying: beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

[The Q]

Perhaps the reviewers might have suggested improvements to these clearly substandard sites. A couple of suggestions:

1) Skara Brae has clearly not been renovated for a very long time. The houses lack basic amenities such as television, fridges, and internet. Much needs to be spent on this village.

2) The Ring of Brodgar has little (as the reviewer suggests) to interest younger visitors. Its size and shape would make it excellently suited to having a miniature railway installed to take visitors round the site.

(Other suggestions welcome.)

2)
It's been done , now Stonehenge visitor centre has been moved further away from the Rings themselves, this is required to get to the henge!

[tripod]

I remember going on a school trip to Stonehenge as a kid, in those days we were allowed to walk right up to the stones and clamber about on them.

As to Scotland I think the Corries Scottish Holiday should be required listening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcMXcDnvdiE

[Jock Scot]

The "Portree Kid" by the Corries is another well worth a listen. I had the privilege to hear them sing it live and have laughed out loud whenever I have heard it since. Those from North America may recognise the tune, but probably not the words!

[The Q]

I remember going on a school trip to Stonehenge as a kid, in those days we were allowed to walk right up to the stones and clamber about on them.

As to Scotland I think the Corries Scottish Holiday should be required listening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcMXcDnvdiE

I used to cycle down there with my mates, as we lived nearby and also remember clambering around, Not having to pay to get in.
On September 21 this year it will be 100 Years since Sir Cecil Chubb bought the Henge after the Heir to the Local estate (Edmund Antrobus who would have been the 5th Baronet) was killed during WW1 and the estate sold off.
In 1918 Sir Cecil presented the Henge to the Nation, English Hertiage who now run the site, and still honour the agreement which gives 30,000 local people the right to free entrance.

[Mike_Oettle]

Father Bill, that was a lovely set of pictures with really enticing captions. Not sure that I would want to go and see wallabies in Scotland (that’s what Australia is there for!), but every picture had something special about it.
People who write reviews like that in the OP have no soul.
They might as well stay far away from Scotland and Wales (even the guy who lives close to the Ring of Brodgar – he doesn’t deserve the privilege).
Regards,
Mike