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Day 11
Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, with Scottish and American options available. Morning: We'll begin our discoveries around 9am with a walking tour of Aberdeen led by a local guide. Known as "the Granite City" for its primary building material, Aberdeen is characterized by its stately, silvery-gray architecture. The city was an important political, ecclesiastical, and cultural center dating back to the late Middle Ages; today, it's a center of the Scottish fishing industry as well as the North Sea petroleum and oil industries, which have brought much wealth to Aberdeen. In the company of our local guide, we'll explore the city center on foot. Our walk takes us down Union Street, Aberdeen's main thoroughfare, where we'll see notable sights such as St. Nicholas Church and the Mercat Cross, a 17th-century outdoor sculpture depicting portraits of the royal Stuart family. Then, we'll make our way to Footdee, or as the locals call it, "Fittie," an old fishing village that sits at the east end of Aberdeen's harbor. The neighborhood's narrow, cobbled streets are lined with colorful, ramshackle cottages, and despite its proximity to the city center, it has preserved its history and charm. At around 10:30am, gain a richer understanding of the Controversial Topic of Scottish independence--in this case, the argument against it. We'll have an hour-long conversation with Liam Kerr, a member of Scotland's conservative party, elected to the country's devolved parliament in 2016. In 2019, he rose to the rank of Deputy Leader, in part due to his advocacy for the "Better Together" movement--the campaign against Scottish Independence. We'll sit down with Mr. Kerr for this conversation at Footdee's constituency offices of the local Scottish conservative party. Mr. Kerr, now in his mid-40s, served as the Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2019 to 2020. He has also been the Scottish Conservatives Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice since 2017, and a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East Scotland region since 2016. Mr. Kerr's years of experience give him a deeply informed knowledge of this topic. During your conversation with Mr. Kerr, you'll learn why approximately half of Scotland's people wish to remain part of the United Kingdom. Mr. Kerr and others point to a decline in Scotland's education system, economic prosperity, and public services, that in their opinion can best be remedied with a strong, healthy partnership with their neighbors in Great Britain. In particular, you'll talk about how the oil and gas industry has suffered in the wake of Brexit. With Aberdeen's location on the coast of the North Sea, where a great deal of oil and gas mining takes place, the local population relies heavily on this industry to make a living, and many believe that the political fracture caused by an independent Scotland will threaten their livelihoods even further. Mr. Kerr will share other issues he believes will arise from a split with the UK, such as a loss of the international clout being part of Great Britain provides. Should Scotland leave, they would have to reapply to enter the European Union--an entry which is not guaranteed. Plus, an independent Scotland would need to devise its own form of currency. While Scottish politicians would like to continue using the British pound even if they gain independence, London politicians would most likely reject this request, leaving Scotland scrambling to develop its own form of currency which could lead to economic turmoil during the transition. Further, Mr. Kerr will argue that during such an upheaval, Scotland would also suffer the loss of businesses pulling out of the country. In fact, insurance company Standard Life has already warned that it will relocate its headquarters in the event of a "yes" vote for Scottish independence--which would mean the loss of around 5,000 Scottish jobs. You'll have 30 minutes to ask Mr. Kerr questions during our interactive conversation. You might choose to recall the pro-independence arguments put forth by Campbell Cameron during your time in Oban; now is an excellent opportunity to hear a rebuttal from an expert with deep knowledge, strong opinions, and personal ties to this Controversial Topic, and to draw your own conclusions from your newly-gained well of knowledge. We'll finish up with Mr. Kerr around noon, and then you can choose to walk about 15 minutes back to the city center or drive about 5 minutes by private motorcoach back to the hotel. Either way, you'll have about the next 4 hours free to do as you'd like. Lunch: On your own, whenever you'd like. Aberdeen has no shortage of restaurants, from cafés for a quick sandwich to gastropubs for a sit-down meal; ask your Trip Experience Leader for suggestions that fit your mood. Afternoon: Enjoy some free time for independent explorations. Perhaps you'd like to learn more about the city's connection with the sea at the award-winning Aberdeen Maritime Museum. Exhibitions include features on shipbuilding, fishing, and the North Sea oil and gas industries; the museum also boasts fine views of the Aberdeen harbor. Or, if the weather is nice, you might like to spend time in the great outdoors at Duthie Park. With Victorian fountains and boating ponds and one of Scotland's most visited indoor gardens, the park is beloved by Aberdonians and visitors alike. Around 4pm, our small group will reconvene back at the hotel lobby and board our private motorocoach for a 30-minute drive to Grace Farms, a family-owned farm nestled in Aberdeen countryside. Here we'll meet Grace Noble, the owner of the farm, and learn about the Highland cattle that inspired her love of farming before we have a chance to meet these gentle, wooly beasts for ourselves. After about 1.5 hours of exploring the farm, we will join Grace in her home where we'll meet her two children. Perhaps you'll take this opportunity to ask the family questions about rural life in the Scotland. Dinner: At the farm around 6pm with Grace and her children, featuring barbecued Scottish meats such as premium Highland beef from the farm. Evening: We'll board our private motorcoach around 7:30pm and return to Aberdeen, arriving at our hotel around 8pm. The remainder of the evening--our last in "The Granite City"--is free for you to do as you'd like. |
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5/6/21 |
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Explore Aberdeen
Exclusive O.A.T. Activity:
Today's discoveries will once again feature the Controversial Topic of Scottish independence--this time, the case against it. We'll talk with Liam Kerr, a member of Scotland's conservative party, who will give us a deeper understanding of this complicated issue that we first discussed on Day 6. Read more about this in-depth conversation below.