Scotland is one of the most magnificent places that I have had a chance to visit thus far. From the moment the train pulled into the country, I knew that I would enjoy my time there.

I was visiting a friend who lived in Edinburgh and both of us journeyed to Glasgow to meet another friend. I am lucky enough to have connections from around the world thanks to the camp where I work during the summers.

While in Glasgow, we visited the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art, which was an interesting museum to say the least. One piece of art was simply a sticky note with writing. As an art history major, I appreciate art, but there is a point at which you can shake your head and think maybe that is going a bit too far.

Architecturally, Glasgow was beautiful, but it was Edinburgh as a whole that grabbed my heart. From the top of Arthur’s Seat, which was a climb in itself, you can see the entire city, and it was amazing. In every direction. There is the beauty of Scotland and I was smiling the whole time, even as I got covered in mud from slipping during the climb down.

The little sites were almost as exciting as the big ones. There were Harry Potter places scattered across the city and even the little cafes were great, but I also got to enjoy them in my friend’s city, which made me truly appreciate the entire place.

The next day would top the first because of the experience I got seeing my first rugby match. The Scotland vs. Italy game was huge and we were only a few rows up from the field. I didn’t know what was going on half the time, but I know the 80 yard score was not usual and Scotland winning was a big deal. I took the social cues, cheered appropriately, and had an absolute blast.

A location I didn’t expect to see was St. Andrews. It was cold and rainy the entire trip, but the beach was still great. I got covered in sand when the epitome of cuteness in a border terrier puppy jumped on me and I got the best pictures of him hopping around. After the beach we went around the town with my friend’s father, who attended the university.

During the walk, I was also able to see St. Andrews Cathedral which was a site that takes your breath away. It has burned down three times in its history and it was very dark and ominous, but brilliant in its own way.

This journey included seeing all the sites, seeing one of my best friends, eating haggis, and appreciating the beauty of a new country. I can honestly say that, so far, Scotland is my favorite country.