mcleanscotland  are local Scots who pride ourselves on showing you the nooks & crannies other tours companies pass on by.   We can show you those hidden gems even Scots do not know!  mcleanscotland of Perth tour company for vacations to Scotland here are our guides all Scottish for your satisfaction. The poem to mcleanscotland for the clan Maclean gathering tour of Scotland with Mclean of Perth company

Clan Maclean Gathering Tour 2007

Over the Big Pond to where it began;

We traveled to the land of our births;

We left Tennessee far behind to see the land,

Where our ancestors’ graves nourish the earth.

For this was a dream we had cherished so long;

To be close to the land they had loved;

To understand their passions and desires to belong,

And the willingness to purchase it with blood.

We wanted to stand on the hills and in the glens;

To feel their determination to call themselves free;

To hear the stories of the brave-hearted men,

And to weep for the women when it could not be.

We traveled far to experience a part of our past,

So we could touch our ancestors’ faint trails;

The trails that led them on ships with tall masts,

And to a land where their dreams would prevail.

And for all that we saw and all that we heard,

We can only imagine their despair and pain;

Being forced to flee their homes for Ireland,

And then in two short generations to sail again.

But how could they have known what lie ahead for them?

Those brave-hearted men and the women who came;

They would discover new highlands, streams and glens,

And build new lives in a land that looked almost the same.

For it was the stout-hearted Scots who conquered our land,

Who fought for our freedom, our liberty and our pride;

America was built by the strength of their hand,

And by the kings and royalty they couldn’t abide.

So we traveled narrow roads, over bridges centuries old,

And let Colin tell us the history of our clans;

He told us of warriors – brave, strong and bold,

Of battles,“Clearances” and the tartan’s ban.

He showed us a land more beautiful than a dream,

With flowers that grow rampant across the hills;

We traveled the Highlands past meandering streams,

Or by wild, rushing water that had its own will.

We toured through castles and crumbling stones,

And marveled at the churches and keeps;

We were awestruck by the splendor of the homes,

And walked, stumbled and climbed without a peep.

We hopped off the coach every chance that we got,

To make use of our cameras and the views;

Colin would warn us that this was a very short stop,

And the start of the engine was our clue.

We tasted foods with strange sounding names,

Like poussin, haggis, neeps and tatties;

We learned that scotch whiskey isn’t all the same,

And the midges will drive you quite batty.

Some who were more adventuresome at heart,

Would try out the pubs in each town;

Our Scot’s blood would rule right from the start,

And we’d stay till the pub would close down.

We are grateful to McLean Tours for arranging it all,

For making our trip a success and such fun;

And a special Thank-you to Colin, Liz and Paul--

We may come back again – Oh wait! Don’t run!

Ya’ll come back now – Ya Hea’??!!

                                                                                    Kathy Smith

                                                                                    July 2007

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