The wildlife of the country

The modern side of the country

Useful in many ways

A country profile

A false stereotype

Opportunities for different sports

The national sporting event

A.      Thanks to television and films, Scotland is often seen by the rest of the world as a magical country, a land of misty mountains and the home of a lake creature called Nessie. This is the image most people have in mind. The truth, however, is completely different from the way the world thinks of Scotland. You may be surprised to find out that most Scots live in the lowlands and don’t believe in Nessie.

B.       Scotland is much more than green hills and picturesque valleys. It’s dynamic and cosmopolitan, with a colourful history of invention and innovation. It’s the home of big businesses and a centre of new medical and scientific development. Each year, it hosts the world's biggest contemporary arts festivals. Scotland is an exciting place to live in, particularly for a young person.

C.       Scottish heather, a small bush with flowers, is the floral symbol of the country. The colour of the flowers usually varies from purple to lilac, but they can also be white. In the past, the Scots believed that they would never be captured by enemies and would win victories if they wore white heather. Today, when getting married, girls add white heather to bouquets to bring fortune to their family.

D.      Heather has grown in Scotland as far back as its history goes. This has turned it into a kind of household good. Heather honey is rich in minerals, and was traditionally used in medicinal drinks. Thousands of years ago, dried heather was used to make perfumes, and the tough stems were used to make ropes. On many of the northern Scottish islands, heather played a major role in the construction of houses.

E.       Scotland is an excellent destination for open-air activities all year round. Its lakes and coastline are ideal for boating and rowing and have some of the best sea-kayaking in the world. The rivers are perfect for fishing and the mountains are wonderful for hill climbing and skiing. Scotland is also good for walkers. You can enjoy easy family walks or more difficult mountain hikes.

F.       The Highland Games in Scotland date back to long before Scotland’s written history. The various athletics allowed men to demonstrate their physical power and the skills needed for battle and survival. The Games today still include the athletic competitions in their original form together with dancing contests. All the competitors wear kilts. Traditional bagpipe music accompanies all the events.

G.      Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Edinburgh, the country's capital and second largest city, is one of Europe's financial centres. The population of the country is a little over 5 million people. The currency is the pound sterling although the Bank of Scotland issues its own notes and coins.

 

 

Coffee in the New World

The original taste of coffee

A chance discovery

A place for communication

An illegal drink

A long journey to Europe

Growing coffee plants

Different recipes

A.      Coffee was first found in Eastern Africa in the area we know today as Ethiopia. A popular legend says that one day a man called Kaldi was watching his goats eating grass and leaves. He noticed that after eating berries from a certain bush the goats became very active. Curious, Kaldi tried the berries himself. He found that these berries gave him additional energy. The story quickly spread throughout the region.

 B.      The first coffee berries were transported from Ethiopia to Arabian countries and then they were cultivated in Yemen. From there, coffee travelled to Turkey where coffee beans were roasted for the first time over open fires. The roasted beans were crushed and then boiled in water, creating the drink we enjoy today. Finally, in the seventeenth century coffee arrived in France, Britain and Italy.

 C.      The first coffeehouses opened in Mecca and quickly became popular centres of social and political activity. The government believed that coffee stimulated radical thinking, and the governor even thought it might unite his opposition. As a result, coffee was forbidden in Mecca. The same thing happened in Turkey a century later, when coffee drinkers were severely punished.

 D.     They say, in 1776 the thirteen American colonies adopted coffee as their national drink instead of tea. When the British tried to raise the tax on tea, Americans refused to buy it and switched to coffee. In fact, by drinking coffee Americans demonstrated their political views and their dislike for the British – the famous tea-lovers.

 E.      The Italians drink their espresso with sugar, the Germans and Swiss add an equal part of hot chocolate, the Mexicans prefer it with cinnamon, and the Belgians – with chocolate. Coffee drinkers in the Middle East usually add cardamom and spices. The Egyptians, on the other hand, are extremely fond of pure, strong coffee. They add neither milk nor cream.

 F.      Plain and simple, nothing else. People discovered that if they drank coffee slowly they could taste bitterness, sourness, sweetness and saltiness. For a long time such a taste was new and more than enough. It needed no improvement. Only later did they start experimenting with coffee by adding milk, chocolate, and other flavors. However, nothing can hide the taste of real coffee.

 G.     When the first European coffeehouses opened, they quickly grew into places where people played chess, exchanged gossip, sang and danced. Coffeehouses were very popular because anyone could go and enjoy a cup of the drink. The price of a cup of coffee was reasonable. European coffee houses became meeting points for intellectuals, writers and businessmen.

 

 

 

 

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