Bob,
Thanks for that. It was one of the most informative and interesting things I've ever read on the list. Shortly after your post the phone rang and a Scotsman with a thick accent was calling. He started reciting the story of the thistle to me and went on for quite a bit. I knew of course it was my buddy Pergolizzi, doing one of his famous voice imitations that generally put me on the floor laughing. He sounded like "Fat Bastard" from the Austin Powers movies. He didn't know what I was talking about! Rent the movies, John, they're priceless. Great spoof on "spy" movies, if you like comedy. Anyway, Pergolizzi agrees with me; stuff like this is what makes this list such a great place. Thanks, Bob.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
Or is it a pineapple? ;-)
Help ma boab, we helped you form your fledgling government much to the consternation of the English, we provided you with endless engineering feats and engineers, we built half the worlds ships, and spawned a few US presidents, but what happened to your Scottish ancestry ?
It's a Thistle - a prickly purple weed, or to the botanists among you a "wild flower" (carduus or cirsium) of the daisy family. Adopted as the emblem of Scotland since the mid-1200s aparently and the royal emblem since 1470 (James III).
Story has it that "during the rein of Alexander III (1249 -1286). an Army of King Haakon of Norway, intent on conquering the Scots landed at the Coast of Largs at night to surprise the sleeping Scottish Clansmen. In order to move more stealthily under the cover of darkness the Norsemen removed their footwear. As they drew near to the Scots it wasn't the only thing hiding under the cover of darkness. For one of Haakon's men unfortunately stood on one of these spiny little defenders and shrieked out in pain, alerting the Clansmen of the advancing Norsemen. Needless to say the Scots who won the day"
And the Haggis - well it's seen running about as often as the Loch-Ness monster but with less grainy black & white pictures for the tourists. Lamb, beef, oatmeal, onion, seasoning and spices cooked together in a natural casing of - you guessed it sheeps intestines, nothing more nothing less. If you've never tried it Brian, try and find a butcher who knows how to get a hold of one or make one, and eat with boiled potatoes and turnip, preferably on the 25th of January, and bottle of Scotch and ceremoniously stab it with one of your knives whilst reciting Burns. BTW Bruces employers will pay handsomely for a picture of a live haggis.
The classic bike content ?
Flying Scot's used the Thistle emblem, and Dubya's favourite doggie, the 'Scottie' amongst other things.....
Bob Reid
Stonehaven
Scotland