🤠Scottish Guy goes to NORTH CAROLINA Scottish Festival 🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🇺🇸Scottish guy In North Carolina! SUBSCRIBE to my channel: / @shaunvlog
Watch my North Carolina behind the scenes vlog here on Patreon: / shaun
Fraser's Ridge MERCH here: teespring.com/stores/inspired...
In today's episode, I am in North Carolina for the Outlander themed Fraser's Ridge Homecoming event. I learn all about the Scottish people of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian range who moved here after the highland clearances. We also learn about the local bluegrass music and about the native people - and see performances from the local representatives of the Cherokee.
You can stay in the Leatherwood Mountain Resort Bliss Lodge here: www.booking.com/hotel/us/blis...
North Carolina Log Cabin Tour: • Scottish Guy Tours HUG...
Watch my New Orleans SWAMP tour video: • Scottish Guy Goes On N...
Watch me eat various New Orleans foods here: • Scottish Guy Tries NEW...
Watch me try a Bourbon Street Hurricane: • Scottish Guy Tries New...
America V Scotland cultural exchange videos: • What Does AMERICA do b...
#NorthCarolina #Outlander #America
Follow me across social media by searching for @shaunvlog or twitter @shaunalex87

[@shaunvlog]

🤠The Boonies! This whole episode inspired me to design a Boonies jumper featuring one of the log cabins featured in this video - and it comes with a 10% discount for the next 48 hours - use code 'C0ZY' at checkout here: teespring.com/en-GB/the-boonies

[@GeographRick]

Shaun I could see you living on this side of the pond in the future.

[@stevenkyle9711]

You should check out the movie called song catcher its about the music that was perceived to be lost that the immigrants brought over to America with us

[@carenehobson2039]

Hey Shaun, how do we reach you? I wanted you to know I traced my ancestors to Clan Chattan.

[@carenehobson2039]

@@TanyaJo My ancestor was with him on that journey and founded Ft. Boonesboro with him and another relative 🥰

[@garlandragland]

Shaun, I hope you visit NC again and check out the rest of the state. We are a big, beautiful diverse state. We have mountains, Piedmont and coast. Come back and check out Charlotte, Raleigh (Hurricanes game, we have a great art museum and tons of great restaurants), Durham and the tobacco industry history, catch a Duke game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, eat some NC BBQ (Eastern style, ideally), visit the Outer Banks, see Cape Hatteras and Kitty Hawk, the State Fair, North Carolina Battleship, Asheville is awesome, NC Zoo is great, Cherokee for more Native culture, we have an amazing beer industry, Roanoke Island... Oh, we also have some other places with very large Scottish heritage including Scotland County and Scotland Neck

[@johansmallberries9874]

Haha my girlfriend is from Northern Ireland and when I tell her about our mundane wildlife here in the northeast she acts like I live on the frontier. Try explaining raccoons to somebody who’s never seen one? “It’s like a dog with hands that can steal things at night. So when do you want to go camping?”

[@slcRN1971]

Johan Smallberries : ummm, I wonder if her answer was ..... NEVER! Haha, stay safe. Earlier this year, I had left something in our vehicle so went to get it and about screeched when I saw the biggest raccoon that I have ever seen! It was the size of a pony and very, very fat. I told my husband about it and he really believed that I had exaggerated until a few days later he saw it. He told said, “ you didn’t tell me that it was monster size!”. (A lot of people here have food bowls left out for their cats and this thing must have been eating from them all). A week or so later, my husband saw it on the main road ..... a semi-truck had hit it. I sure hope that truck didn’t get a lot of damages.

[@Danielle33384]

Johan Smallberries they are soooo cute though 😂

[@blacrow7]

Johan Smallberries (Haha my girlfriend is from Northern Ireland and when I tell her about our mundane wildlife here in the northeast she acts like I live on the frontier.) That is funny, lol.

[@Peachy08]

That was funny!

[@annedavis6090]

hahaha a dog with hands...that washes its food before it eats😄😆

[@melodyjordan6052]

That was a stink bug Shaun LOL.

[@righteous247]

i definitely say OH NO out loud when he panned to it. Ignorance is bliss sometimes

[@Mycroftsbrother]

Run!!!!!

[@slick8038]

He doesn’t know the problems we have with them...😬😂

[@kevinerose]

Stink bugs are okay in small numbers. Just don't kill them. If they are smashed it is a real stink.

[@kimholcomb6943]

@@Mycroftsbrother not a good idea if you don't want to be some animals lunch

[@pastagreyhound]

Shaun: "We don't have dangerous animals in Scotland." Football Hooligans: "Are we a joke to you?!?"

[@Mike-8686]

They will never be reintroduced, too many have tried n been shot down over recent years, the best hope we have is the European lynx

[@paulritchie5868]

We have Rangers fans,by far more dangerous than any animal,but it’s ok to shoot them.

[@badgerrrlattin35]

Maybe next time out you can get in on a bear hunt?

[@montrelouisebohon-harris7023]

America is badass country and we have a little bit of everything when it comes to to terrain here. Hawaii is the tropics, and the Guam is muggy is crap but it still tropical. California has the ugliest beaches I've ever seen and I can sincerely say that after living in Hawaii and going to the East Coast beaches and the Gulf Coast beaches. The beaches in Hawaii are by far the most beautiful and the Gulf of Mexico is beautiful! In Louisiana and Florida in the swamplands we have killer alligators! In the north and east; and even in the midwest wherever you find trees, there are going to be bears!! Snakes are everywhere and the worst rattlesnake population is out in California in the damn desert hanging out with the coyotes. Coyotes are scared of people but they can steal your dog or puppy right in front of your face if you're not standing right beside it when you take the dog outside. Coyotes are a pain in the butt in California!

[@ReeseJamPiece.]

Give a Rangers fan some tennants and all should be good for 20 minutes, just don't give him too much otherwise it'll break out it's cage and attack Celtic supporters with a cleaver screaming God Save the Queen.

[@ricochet4434]

I haven't laughed so hard in years. Shaun walking down a paved blacktop road in the daytime worried about "lions and tigers, and bears Oh My".

[@midwestlakelife]

I laughed about that too. Hilarious.

[@dsmith4136]

It was probably a squirrel or rabbit

[@dobiebloke9311]

Ricochet and all - but regardless, the true fear, was worth the price of admission.

[@montrelouisebohon-harris7023]

Where he's walking he would more likely come across a snake of some kind and most of which aren't poisonous. Any poisonous snake would likely be a copperhead in that area.

[@willowm94]

@@montrelouisebohon-harris7023 Don’t forget about the rattlesnakes all over NC..... mountains, too.

[@righteous247]

your genuine anxiety towards wildlife is very endearing.

[@Petalslash]

Lol he's so afraid of nothing lol.

[@shaunvlog]

we don't have dangerous animals in Scotland

[@shaunvlog]

hehe thx. I genuinely love wildlife but we don't have any dangerous animals in Scotland

[@Petalslash]

@@shaunvlog Just teasing ya. Generally wildlife isn't that dangerous unless you seek it out. I have alot of bears and wolves around me If you have food or leave food around or have small dogs/pets you might have a problem. I go outside at night alone without a weapon and I have plenty of guns just not afraid if that says anything. But I get it i'm the same way with poisonous animals I live where there are none so they terrify me lol.

[@deanfirnatine7814]

@@shaunvlog I have lived in or near the wilderness my whole life with mountain lions, wolves, bears and other things and have yet to be eaten, of course I do carry a .357 magnum with bear loads just to prevent becoming lunch ;) To be serious for a second, when I hear the normal sounds of the woods everything is probably good, it is when things go dead silent I tend to be concerned.

[@kathybrown6763]

Do not panic, a squirrel can sound very large moving around in the woods. 😉

[@kimholcomb6943]

Kathy Brown yes it can even out in the open and you can't see them.

[@Chris_Troxler]

One of the worst scares I ever had is when a squirrel got into my shed. Opened a box and out he jumped.🤣🤣

[@jccepicfamilyfun438]

Racoons are pretty noisy too. :-D

[@jccepicfamilyfun438]

And skunks...

[@jccepicfamilyfun438]

...and bats, only at at night. Yes, those probably weren't just bugs and birds flying over you on the porch in the evening. ;-)

[@thatwiseoldbitchchannel]

We're Cherokee from NC... So glad you got to see the Native side of NC as well...❤❤❤

[@iknow2145]

I bet you're as white as Elizabeth Warren. lmao

[@nowahblanco9935]

its really cool to see that people were to express there white and native culture collectively. made me really happy to see that.

[@jacobusderottmann1000]

@@iknow2145 - Although I'm not a big fan of Elizabeth Warren these days, her claim to Cherokee-ness flunking a DNA test really proves nothing as to whether her granny got it right. Native American geneticists encounter this all the time with people wanting to prove their native heritage, and the odds of doing that even when the family has documents, are a tossup. There are several reasons why, but perhaps the most important is simple math. NO ONE gets 100% of the genes of their ancestry. Each person gets 23 base pairs of alleles, 46 in all. Each of your parents has 23 pairs, so 46 pairs between both. Each of the grandparents has 23 base pairs, or 92 between the four people of that generation. And so on back through history. See the issue there? You get 23 base pairs, which are A RANDOM SET from the total 46 base pairs between your parents. So if your ancestry included say, 25% Creek/Muscogee, plenty to ask tribal membership, there is only a RANDOM CHANCE it will show up. You might have a cousin or even a sibling whose DNA included it, but yours didn't. Would that make you a liar? No. If a cousin takes a DNA test and an indicator for Creek ancestry DOES show up, cool for them, it's a nice confirmation. A good, solid confirmation. But the abscence in your DNA test cannot prove the abscence from your historical ancestry. It only shows that didn't happen to be in the RANDOM SELECTION of 23 base pairs, 46 alleles, that you happened to get. Same for Scottish, or Chinese Han, or African Bantu. Unless it is the majority of your ancestry, there is no guarantee it will show up. And the percentages of each they quote is the percentage that randomly made it through, NOT your actual historical ancestry.

[@okchief]

Hey buddy, not sure if you realize this. One of the most prominent Cherokee Chiefs, my 5th great grandfather.. Was actually half Scottish. His father was an immigrant from Scotland. He is one of the most famous chiefs. He led the Cherokee people through many hard times related to the removal or the Trail of Tears. You should do some research on his story. I think you'll like it! John Ross is his name.

[@okchief]

I'll share a few interesting videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHvUl5J7obCVmdE

[@okchief]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6evfGB3Z9-cY9U

[@williamkeith8944]

Salute to you and your kin.

[@elfdream2007]

Scottish surnames are fairly common in the Cherokee community because early Scottish traders went and lived in their villages and married into the tribe. Names like McDonald, McDaniel, McIntosh etc show up a lot. (I'm also Cherokee btw, descendant of Youngaguska.

[@midwestlakelife]

It seems there are lots of secrets about the Cherokees history we are all just learning. Cherokees are much more than history claims them to be. AND, in historical photographs, they are very very caucasian. Highly educated and landowners. The USA was not some uninhabited land. It was highly developed and from what evidence I've seen, the Cherokees were at the top of the pyramid.

[@ritaprice1715]

Shaun, that fog is why this region of the Blue Ridge mountains are also called the Smoky Mountains.

[@Endoptic]

I swear I was an adult before I heard them called the Blue Ridge instead of Smokey Mountains. "Blue Ridge" was always the parkway, here in the Piedmont.

[@danhelms8134]

The Smokies are a part of the Blue Ridge (which is a part of the Appalachians). Ferguson and the rest of Wilkes county is a part of the Blue Ridge but not the Smokies. The Smoky Mountains lay a little further southwest.

[@TheReTurnersFlips]

He wasn't on the Smokies

[@jessicacarr6493]

Smilies are mainly in Tennessee.

[@jessicacarr6493]

Smokies*

[@bob_._.]

"Boonies" is short for "boondocks." And the Appalachians are so similar to the Scottish Highlands because they used to be part of the same mountain range, back before Pangaea broke up.

[@kimholcomb6943]

bobobobinalong cool thanks for the info

[@nadiasilver5762]

Correct. Bonus fact: It's from the Tagalog word "Bundok" which means "mountain".

[@wtk6069]

I saw the same when I visited Ireland several years ago. As an Appalachian, I felt right at home. Even a lot of the Irish rural slang is the same as you hear in Appalachia! Appalachians pronounce "Ireland" as "Are-land" like rural Irish. I never understood why my grandmother pronounced it that way when I was little; now I know it was just her being authentic! It doesn't surprise me that the same phenomenon is true for Scotland.

[@decrox13]

bobobobinalong The mountains aren’t similar at all though - North Carolina is very much of a Subtropical ecology, the mountains of Scotland are near Subpolar, they’re largely treeless, of a completely different biome

[@elcidbob]

@@decrox13 that's what one ending up 23 degrees father north than the other does. They are literally the same mountain range.

[@blakerh]

You were in the boonies, and some would say "the sticks." 😂

[@devenscience8894]

Or BFE.

[@blakerh]

@@devenscience8894 BFN?

[@devenscience8894]

@@blakerh BFE, as in, Bum Fuck Egypt, a phrase I've heard for the middle of nowhere since I was a baby.

[@jaykecee9496]

Dude, I was so glad you listened to native performances. Being native, our history is largely forgotten. Thank you. I'm not Cherokee, but I appreciate it.

[@rwbimbie5854]

As a Texan, I am willing to give them Carolina boys credit where due- They do make a pretty good BBQ.

[@Djnc17]

Have you tried Lexington style?

[@numsixber]

Their barbecue is just fine it’s their sauce that’s horrible , it’s more of a pickling brine than barbecue sauce.

[@soybasedjeremy3653]

@@numsixber It's supposed to be. Carolina BBQ sauce is vinegary.

[@ritaprice1715]

Thank you from a South Carolina girl.

[@ritaprice1715]

NC BBQ is vinegar based but SC BBQ is mustard based.

[@Oldleftiehere]

Y’all come back now, ya hear?

[@shaunvlog]

100% :)

[@karengower3472]

And bless your hearth honey child.💖🐾🌲

[@blacrow7]

@@shaunvlog Do recommend when you are back over here and have time, go to the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina and see the Oconaluftee Indian Village and the “Unto These Hills” Outdoor Drama, it is not to far from Fraser Ridge. Cherokee Reservation 398 US Highway 441, Cherokee, NC 28719 .

[@Hokie94CPA]

When I was a kid, my family spent many a vacation in the Smoky Mountains of NC. A few years ago, I was in Gatlinburg, TN and made a point of driving over the mountain into Cherokee for the day. It's a great trip! Next summer, I'll be in Banner Elk for a week, exploring many of the places I went to as a kid with my family... Grandfather Mountain, Chimney Rock, etc. We'll be sure to find a cavern tour while we're there as well.

[@Joetime90]

Please come back to the southern US!

[@nyneeveanya8861]

I’d be more worried about coming across a skunk more than bear.

[@schrodingersgat4344]

I'd roll the dice on a mauling before i'd take a spray from a skunk.

[@paulayala4816]

A skunk would ruin your day for sure, fearless cute little buggers, they'll even chase off bigger deadlier animals.

[@shannongolden]

Very True!!!! you cant run from skunk stink. it lingers for miles! teehee

[@heatherhunsaker7414]

Yes!!!!

[@VaporeonEnjoyer1]

@@shannongolden You can't run from a bear either. They run 30 mph, can climb trees and swim faster than humans. I'll take a skunk blast over what Leonardo DiCaprio got in the Revenant.

[@capismama2922]

That bug, my friend, was a "stink bug" and you don't ever want to smash them. Trust me...they aren't called stink bugs for nothing.

[@jarlpitt5439]

The only thing you need to do to protect yourself from wild life is to be faster than the guy in front of you.

[@000006ify]

😁😁😁😁😁

[@heron6764]

True that...

[@killerfunghoul3948]

Jarl Pitt faster than the guy BEHIND you. 😂

[@Mitheledh]

Which doesn't work so well when you're alone.

[@slcRN1971]

My daughter was employed for a few years by a firm that inspected the oil pipe line in Alaska. She was doing her daily run on a path when she heard something running just behind her. She glanced back, it was a baby bear. Knowing that the momma bear would be close by, she really picked up her pace. That baby bear was getting closer and closer, when she heard a loud sound that let her know that the momma bear was not too far off. Luckily for her, she passed a fishing boat docked close by and there were some big buckets of fish close to that path. The baby bear immediately stopped to take advantage of all that food, just as the momma bear cleared the forest line. She got a big surge of energy and didn’t look back till she was getting into the huge company truck. Yep, both momma bear and her cub had stopped to eat that fish ....... she was very relieved! 😰😬🏃‍♀️‼️

[@samanthar1214]

Your fear of wild animals is hilariously adorable 🤣

[@donkeyslayer4661]

Gotta remember, his ancestors killed off most animals. Thus, he acts like an ignorant city man, though he would deny it.

[@samanthar1214]

@@donkeyslayer4661 rude

[@bryonensminger7462]

Yeah but he grew up in a country that has no Predators running loose in it we're just used to it so we don't get freaked out about it

[@angelah538]

It's smart. As a Carolina girl, I can tell you that a little fear and respect goes a long way toward staying alive. There are many things that live in the wild in our beautiful state that are not to be trifled with.

[@bryonensminger7462]

@@angelah538 yeah your right we just dont panic cause we in this country live with predators all our lives respect them but dont freak out where he comes from the have no large predators on the lose

[@Morgonna]

As a Cherokee, on my father's side, I spent every Summer of my childhood in North Carolina. My dad liked to celebrate his heritage by going to the ancestral lands.

[@iknow2145]

Oh lawdy, another white "indian". Shall we call you Pocahontas as well?

[@Mojo_3.14]

@@iknow2145 More than 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the 14-county tribal jurisdictional area that covers most of northeastern Oklahoma. People whose ancestors survived the Trail of Tears. Most all have some percentage of Caucasian blood. And North Carolina IS there ancestral lands. Just like most people of African American decent have 30% Caucasian blood doesn't mean that they can't go to Africa and honor their roots. Also Pocahontas was from a tribe near Jamestown, Virginia, not a Cherokee from North Carolina, ya dumb ass.

[@diol9313]

Mojo 😂😂 well said

[@leekenyon8705]

I would love to play cowboy and injuns with real ammo.

[@pastagreyhound]

Your fear of the American wildlife is no surprise to me. Having several friends from the UK, a few were terrified to come here. I had them believing that they would be carried away by a tornado, struck by lightning, fall through a crack in the earth from an earthquake, burnt to cinders from a volcanic eruption, frozen to death by a severe nor'easter, washed away by a hurricane or eaten by any number of wild animals. HAHA! One was just terrified that he was going to get shot. Suffice it to say, none of this happened and they love coming to visit me. Conversely, I adore my travels to the UK, with my first road trip from Wales to Aviemore/Inverness a few months ago. Having been to the UK a dozen times, I finally talked my British bestie to take me up to the Highlands this past June. it was absolutely stunning. I've been to a great many places around the world, but the Highlands sits atop the list! Plan on taking a trip from London to Inverness on the Caledonian Sleeper Train in 2021!

[@nocteexmortis979]

My family still has records of when we arrived in America in 1720 in Virginia. They fell in love with the land around them, and the only reason why they ever moved South to Georgia in the first place was the English crowding them out. Apparently, the further south they went, the more they fell in love with the land around them, until they hit Georgia, and decided that was it, no further south.

[@blacrow7]

A lot of people don't know that in the Appalachian mountains it is not uncommon to find Native People with Scottish Ancestry, I myself is Cherokee & Scottish.

[@francisxes8471]

I Know.

[@MadMage1993]

What an amazing ancestry!!!!

[@a00141799]

Shaun, you continue to outdo yourself and each video is even more incredible than the last. Cannot tell you how impressed I have been with your presentation of Scottish culture and tradition in your videos. I'm not Scottish or even of European descent, but I thoroughly enjoy being educated and entertained on your channel through your love of your culture and ours. There is nothing like this anywhere on KZbin and you are so worth supporting. Great, great content my friend. I believe you channel will enjoy extraordinary success when more people see this amazing content. Your editing, the music and the narration are all superb. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@shaunvlog]

thank you so much truly appreciate the kind words :)

[@DavidHSouthernGent]

Where you born and live in the United States?

[@kaylan369]

I love this kind of content! As a person with Scottish ancestry I love seeing a real Scot react to our life here in Appalachia. I might have to go to that festival next year, looks pretty cool and not too far away from where I live.

[@Gwenhwyfar7]

:D The moment when Sean finally discovered one of the many reasons we have so many guns in America!

[@rhiahlMT]

Here's how to avoid bears here in Montana 😂😂😂: The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter. They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge. Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away. It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat. Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

[@AG-mt3xs]

🤣 I think no one read to the end. I laughed when I read that part! 🤣🤣

[@rhiahlMT]

@@AG-mt3xs It's funny stuff. Been around a while. But, it is serious. We had three hunters mauled by grizzlies out in eastern Montana last month.

[@AG-mt3xs]

@@rhiahlMT I don't doubt it. People are entirely too comfortable and don't realize we aren't at the top of the food chain.

[@rhiahlMT]

@@AG-mt3xs True, these were local experienced hunters though. It was in the same area. Fish & Wildlife went out to the area to look for the bear. I'm in the western part of the state and haven't heard the end result of it. They were talking about darting it and checking it for illness and then moving it.

[@AG-mt3xs]

@@rhiahlMT That is scary. I wonder if they became complacent. You know how it can be. You just get too comfortable.

[@shadowwitch4796]

Shaun do you understand why we Americans of Scottish descent are so obsessed with and love any thing Scottish.?

[@stevenkyle9711]

We are proud of our ancestry and our ancestors that developed America I hope he understands why we are proud now

[@paultoy9611]

Yes my Henry family ancestry traces back to Aberdeen/shire Sotland.

[@williamkeith8944]

Shout out to all the Clan Keith!

[@archerlady]

Canadians, too. Rich Scottish culture from the Maritimes to the West. This song by Spirit of the West is about the "newer" Scottish diaspora: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWeuc5lna9Z9f7s I have Clan Campbell from one side and Gillanders/Ross on the other.

[@texaspeashooter1587]

Clan McKinsey!

[@jamesbarca7229]

"I'm not out of the woods yet..." In America, we don't consider ourselves to be in the woods if we are walking down a road, especially a paved one.

[@diol9313]

I disagree lol you can see the woods right beside him that don’t have pavement or a trail! 😂

[@MadMage1993]

You're not in the woods/country/rural area unless you have at least four of these... 1.) You're neighbors are a good walk away. 2.) Vegetation and nature completely surrounds you and there is more of it than there is humanity nearby. 3.) People need directions to get to your house and even then they have difficulty. 4.) You have to worry about wild hogs and deers when driving. 5.) During the day, you hear nature as clear as a bell (no roaring cars and such). Nightlife is very much alive with the sounds of nature as well. 6.) You can see the Milky Way on a clear night. The nights of the full moon will be enough to light your way. 7.) Your road is either riddled with pot holes, broken up in sections, or is just a plain ol' dirt road.

[@jamieturnage4574]

the scotts been in them mountians for a very long time.

[@aaronvillanueva2239]

Shaun, your enthusiasm for all the food, animals, music, indigenous culture, and all the little things is what I imagine my enthusiasm would be like when I go to Scotland! Love it! Thank you for sharing such a great journey!

[@devenscience8894]

My wife and I went to Scotland last year. I was excited, but not overly so. I loved it way more than I thought I would, and we definitely want to go back in the future. Edinburgh was an incredible city, the way buildings were built on top of buildings! Ground level was sometimes five or six stories up, it's built so crazy. We saw the Queen of England at the legit Highland Games, which was amazing. Just one of the better trips we've ever taken. I don't know your taste, but I hope you end up loving it as much as we did.

[@danalou_who7765]

I have talked about you to my parents, and this is the video I am going to show them as an introduction to your channel. We have been actively invested in our Scottish heritage for 30 years, and they will love your enthusiasm for experiencing our Scottish-American history and culture as well as the native cultures.

[@shaunvlog]

thank you DanaLou really appreciate it :)

[@pipsheppard6747]

Correction: I've got deep roots here and it wasn't Highlanders who settled in these mountains. It was Ulster Scots, but Scots nonetheless.. The Highlanders who came to North Carolina settled along the Cape Fear River. Great video. Please come again! Had to laugh about you being so afraid of the wildlife. We've gotten used to them in our own backyard.

[@sandracox4341]

Don't worry Shaun you're doing the right thing. Talking loudly and making noise alerting the animals. Most people that get attacked by bears do so because they stumble up on them and surprise them. If you make a lot of noise they will USUALLY steer clear.

[@elfdream2007]

I was born in Cherokee NC. I'm glad they invited the Warriors of AniKituhwa.

[@shaunvlog]

It was such an honour getting to learn about the Cherokee

[@suznhjack]

They're returning for 2020--they'll set up camp and stay for the entire event! They are amazing!

[@maryellencook9528]

Shaun, this just proves to me once again that you and Teka need to take a Year's sabbatical and tour the United States attending all of the various Highland Games across the country. From March through the end of November you would be able to attend a festival every weekend somewhere in the United States. As I told you before we have at least eight of them here within the state of Texas, although you would probably have to miss the ones in Salado if you attend the Fraser's Ridge Outlander reunion again in 2020. You would need to check with your friend there in North Carolina as to when they have the Grandfather Mountain games because it will either be the weekend before or weekend after this Outlander reunion weekend. Better yet, just move to the United States .

[@shaunvlog]

Mary, I'm not kidding - if you guys would give me a visa i'd get a flight tomorrow. It's near impossible to live in the US for me without a sponsor

[@maryellencook9528]

@@shaunvlog as I have said multiple times before contact the US Consulate there and Edinborough. If you need a US citizen to sponsor you and techtic contact me on Facebook. I'm sure then I'm not the only one of your United States followers who would be willing to sign whatever necessary paperwork there is to get the two of you over here on a visa. If it is a corporate sponsor my recommendations again are to contact through the US Consulate PBS , the Public Broadcasting System, which has channels in every major u.s. city across all 50 states and do a documentary on what it's like to be a Scot in search of his heritage in the New World. You are a good enough videographer that you would need minimal assistance from there cameramen and editors. As far as corporate sponsors I would suggest Winnebago or Coachman or any other major RV manufacturer here in the United States to provide you with either a Class C or Super C motorhome because I was only require a regular drivers license as opposed to a CDL license with the Class A Motorhomes. I might be wrong about the super C's, but I don't think so. Dan the last sponsorship that you would need would be from either Shell, Exxon, or Valero Energy companies to provide you with gas cards to travel across the USA. If the American Consulate or PBS cannot help you with all of that that I would check with your friends there in North Carolina who put on this Festival because if they can find funding to bring three of The Outlander cast to next year's event then they know how to go about getting corporate backing. As one of the board members and founders of the Kerr County Celtic Festival here in the Texas Hill Country, I know what it's like to run a festival on a shoestring budget, and you don't bring three big names like that over here without having corporate backing. Food For Thought ,son, food for thought. If you can make it happen you definitely need to be in San Antonio in April for the Highland Games there, and then up north of Dallas in Decatur during the month of May for the Texas State Highland Games, and then back down here in October for the small Kerr County Celtic Festival. During the summer months so I would recommend that you go to the West Coast and do the festival circuit in the Pacific Northwest and then hit the Estes Park games in Colorado to avoid what you would definitely think was a stent in hell if you were here in Texas during the summer. Even those Texas who can afford it go to New Mexico and Colorado during July and August .

[@bethfrazier414]

Shaun visit Baltimore House. You’d probably get a sponsor since the property is huge. They need some drone footage bad.

[@shaunvlog]

@@maryellencook9528 Hi Mary, when I say Sponsor i mean I would need an employer to give me a working visa and full time, permanent job (which is referred to as sponsorship for a working visa), which would come at great cost to them and they'd also need to prove i was someone of extraordinary talent and could perform a job better than any Americans they can find. Even with friends in the US Embassy i am unable to live in the US unfortunately. It is a very complicated and very costly thing for a British person to try and do - i have tried working for US corporations (mostly banks) in the hope they'd transfer me but so far no luck as they said it would cost them too much. The reality is the US visa system is too restrictive. Like i said if it was possible i'd be over tomorrow

[@soccerchamp0511]

@@shaunvlog Unfortunately, it goes both ways. It is very difficult for Americans to get a visa to live in the UK. Being allies and cousins you would think we would make it easier on each other. Who knows? Maybe both our governments will make it easier after Brexit is completed and Britain needs stronger economic ties to the U.S.

[@Yournamehere7959]

The beef stew you were eating looks a lot like a tasty Southern dish called Brunswick stew.

[@aricmccreary8159]

Walking in the “woods” down a paved road 😂 I got a chuckle out of that. Great video though, beautiful part of the country.

[@teresacarle294]

Yes, he totally cracked me up too❣Out in the beautiful boonies, but a bit more civilised with paved road (vs being on some lone hiking trail.) 🐾Most creatures will flee from you. 🔔bells or jingling keys🔑 will alert them of your presence. 🐻Shaun just fight against impulse to run🏃‍♂️ if ever see a bear or mtn lion in wild. In woods, predators like to chase prey. Make yourself seem larger by stretching out arms & yelling anything forcefully. Back away very slowly until fully out of sight. Pray too 🙏🕊😉.

[@stuartalexander2657]

Shaun, now you understand a bit better why we love North Carolina so much. I've personally lived all over the US, but when I moved to NC 25+ years ago I fell in love with the place. Four true seasons, yet no extremes (we only see a bit of snow once or twice each winter, for example). Spectacular autumns....our favorite time of year. Spring? Gorgeous. We're in Raleigh, about 4 hours east of where you were (the State capital; great city, laid back yet a bustling high tech center; very prosperous). We, too, love the mountains for visits. Breathtakingly beautiful. Some time you need to go to say, Wilmington, and experience the NC coast. Some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet that will certainly rival any in Florida. :)

[@SamtheMan0508]

I love NC and have been there many times. If my family wasn't in Florida, I'd be retired in NC, in a little cabin in the Smokies.

[@extofer]

I’m also in the Raleigh area (Cary). Moved here from California last year. We love it!!

[@NinthYard]

I live I’m Chapel Hill, and I am just saying is superior to Raleigh. And man those beaches are crazy beautiful but in a strange way.

[@stuartalexander2657]

@@NinthYard Wait a minute....The People's Republic of Chapel Hill is "superior to Raleigh"???? Dude.....I would love to try your meds.... .

[@NinthYard]

Stuart Alexander oh man those gummy bears are great, yeah but I stand my point chapel hill is better then Raleigh.

[@TheBilboTN]

I live on the other side of those mountains in TN. I love this area. It definitely reminds me of my journeys to Scotland and I can see why my Scottish and Irish ancestors settled here.

[@Arldavis]

hey fellow tennesseean!

[@Miss_Camel]

That must be the difference...In NC, they are the Blue Ridge mountains. In TN they are the Smoky Mountains. I’d be really interested to meet a Tennessean who called them the “blue ridge mountains” and lived to tell the tale, however.

[@rickdurrett644]

@@Miss_Camel HAHA. True.

[@galoglaich3281]

TheBilbo Ireland is as flat as a pancake except around the edges and the irish that did settle originally came from lowland scotland.The reason they were settled there is because there ancestors were raiders along the english border with scotland originally and there were sent over to ireland where they fought the irish ,so they were born fighting thus making them very suitable for frontier life.

[@Clancy.Mclean]

My first scottish ancestor to come to america came from the highlands directly to the coast of nc and then moved westward,settling in the old buncombe county in the 1760-70s. he was a silversmith. i grew up playing in these woods. most of the time unarmed lol and its just so hilarious to watch you take a stroll down a gravel road on full bear alert lol i like to see your perspective and experiences here in my home state. keep the good videos coming

[@gizmogoose.2486]

Let's hear it for the MARINE !!! _It was just the Marine's Birthday !!!_

[@ThinTheHerd78]

Being a Scotch Irish man whose family came across in 1760 I love this so much. My Great X something grandfather was Scotch Irish, fought in the Revolution as a Lieutenant in the Virginia Militia. I'm a Sheriff's Deputy in Georgia, but I just found where I'm going to retire thanks to you. Cheers.

[@ThinTheHerd78]

@NotJo lol, I was drinking Bourbon when I wrote it. Must've just had booze on the mind.

[@ThinTheHerd78]

@NotJo BBQ is my only way of relaxing. In my job I go from 0 to 100 and back to 0 many times a night. I've put expensive Bourbon into BBQ sauce because I had noting else to use. I hope you have a lot of people to help you eat all that. I cook sometimes for my shift, and we eat at like 0100 hours. We all bring something to eat as a family, but sometimes we get a call in the middle of a meal and have to abandon it. Lots of work wasted.

[@TheRyansLion]

Funny you say how the mountains are similar to Scotland’s. They were both part of the same mountain range millions of years ago before Europe split away from America.

[@1nikg]

The Scottish mountains were carved out by glaciers during the ice age. Im sure he just said the trees were the same though.

[@tailgunnerblue9478]

There's an old American favorite game to play in the woods Shaun, ...snipe hunting. LOL!

[@kristiewommack2635]

Oh my Lord, there's always that one tipsy lady out there clogging by herself. 😉 Greetings from Eastern NC!

[@carenehobson2039]

I am rolling, You are scaring the bejesus out of yourself. I'm surprised you didn't talk them out of something sharp for your walk back.You should see the snow in the NC mountains now.

[@NinthYard]

Oh it’s beautiful scary thing

[@eileenegger4892]

Shaun,most wildlife will hear and avoid contact with humans. It is usually only when an wild animal feels cornered that they may attack. They’re not looking to square-off as that might ruin their day.

[@ricochet4434]

What's that noise? I think they have roaming Packs of Velociraptors in the Blue Ridge Mountains. LOL.

[@rhondawells1526]

Shaun, thank you so much for your kindness toward our country! I started watching your videos to learn more about the land my ancestors came from and it has been a lovely surprise to watch you travel our country and hear all of your kind words. Thanks again!

[@aikidragonpiper71]

No matter wherever you go there is history right under your feet.

[@williamjordan5554]

Southern culture is largely protestant Scots-Irish.

[@Handsy_McGee]

Quite a bit of Texas is German and Czech influenced. Louisiana is largely French (Canadian). It's impossible to say that the South is from just a single culture.

[@williamjordan5554]

@@Handsy_McGee Google "largely."

[@ashmarie5424]

William Jordan I would say there’s probably more in the North, Irish at least. I’m from Massachusetts and we have a massive Irish population, both sides of my family are Irish and came over during the famine. I’m sure some moved south but the ports in MA and NY were where most came in to the states.

[@williamjordan5554]

@@ashmarie5424 Different group of settlers and different reasons to immigrate. Northeast Irish are well known. Earlier settlers in the south, not so much. Here's a clue: Compare Irish folk music and bluegrass music. Clogging too.

[@galoglaich3281]

@The Reckoning I don't think the southern catholic irish settled much in the south ,it was mostly the northern prothestant who we now call ulster scots because they originated in lowland scotland(very different to the highlanders).Many irish catholics fought for the south,but these were more recent revivals .

[@jop7672]

Cop a squat and enjoy the experience! Bears can smell you long before they hear you!! Adorable, enchanting video. Southerners love the Scottish !!

[@peggydeis8415]

I have to admit I laughed out loud a few times. First at the stink bug on your arm! And how worried you were about bears and critters coming to get you. I loved this video so much!! I'm so glad you were able to go to this festival and enjoy another part of America. I love your videos!

[@garydodge7894]

Hey Shaun, you should come to Montana. We're one of the places where decendents of people in North Carolina who came from Scotland settled. We have hotsprings to soak in, mountains to ski, and interesting people you can talk to.

[@KG-qk1qp]

Uh, NC has that stuff as well...lol. Hot Springs, NC, and quite a few ski lodges not far from where he just was.

[@garydodge7894]

@@KG-qk1qp You're just arguing with people in the comment section on KZbin because you can't get a date, and you need some way to find meaning in life because you don't have the willpower to commit to anything and because mommy doesn't tell you you're special anymore.

[@garydodge7894]

@@KG-qk1qp Does that "trigger" you K G? Do you need a "safe-space" with a cup of warm soy milk and some organic gluten free cookies made with fairtrade chocolate chips?

[@KG-qk1qp]

@@garydodge7894 Wow, you're a special one. You need help...now!

[@garydodge7894]

@@KG-qk1qp Haha. Probably, considering that your toddler-like melt down here is the best entertainment I've had all day. Maybe my chakras are out of balance. I'm sure you know a few hippies who practice holistic medicine who could probably help me out, right?

[@nostrathomas2437]

I’m glad a Scotsman agrees that the blue ridge mountains feels very much like the highlands of Scotland. I visited Scotland about 10 years ago and was amazed at the similarities. I have to say I prefer the Scottish climate...lol

[@MrFath-gg8oj]

Youre easily the most likeable youtuber. Enjoy your adventures.

[@suzannesellers7383]

Much love to you, Shaun, and Laurence (Lost in the Pond).

[@Mycroftsbrother]

I've seen several black bears in the mountains, Shaun, and lived to tell the tale. They will usually look at you, sniff the air, and then trot away. Now a mother bear with cub might be a different story.... or, a sick or wounded bear. Mostly what you will see are deer, raccoons, squirrels, and opossums.

[@brandi_with_an_i]

Oh lawd! When the stink bug landed on his arm, and I thought he was about to smell it, started screaming "nooooooo." Bluegrass is the best. Too bad you couldn't have visited the Cherokee Rez while in N.C

[@FuzzyMarineVet]

You need to visit the Tartan Festival in Franklin, North Carolina. During the Revolution, the Scots and Scots-Irish settlers in the Western mountains were referred to as the "Overmountain" people, and they played a pivotal role in ending the ravaging campaign of the British who were indiscriminately killing settlers in Western North Carolina. We owe much to the people of Scotland who settled these mountain.

[@drneil55859]

Your fear of the woods is so funny almost as funny as you throwing knives

[@theylied1776]

The biggest threat in those Woods are wild boar, a 250 to 300 lb male is very dangerous. There are black bear but they won't bother you if you're not close to their den or around their cubs. The only time they're really dangerous to humans are during spring or right before hibernation. I hike the Appalachian Trail three times a year and I see him all the time.

[@NinthYard]

I’ve been to 7 US states (more if you count me flying over/ in a airport) and I have never seen a more mesmerizing place then NC, with Arizona in a close second. Almost every state has its specialities Florida is almost jungle like and is flat as a plate. Arizona is beautiful but in a ancient way. South California has a little bit of everything. And I can go on. But I have never moved away from NC from Boone to The ocean it’s just so beautiful.

[@HeraGEG]

That festival is TINY compared to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in Linville, NC, near Boone. There are thousands who visit the festival for day trips, but there are also thousands of us who camp starting as early as the Friday before the games start the following Thursday. Its awesome. When it comes to Outlander, the North Carolina Highland Festival that they visited last season is based on GMHG. Plus the author has been numerous times, and recently there have been an Outlander actor or two there each year. There are numerous websites out there that come up when you Google "Outlander Grandfather Mountain Highland Games". Those can tell you even more than I cam ever dream of.

[@rebeccamartin5742]

I love going to Higlands NC for the Scottish festival, and the similarity in the mountains of NC and the Moutains in Scotland is because it is the same mountain formation that runs from Scotland under the ocean and creates the Appalachian mountain range In the States. Alot of Scottish, Irish, and German immigrants settled the area. I live in a town called kings mountain in NC and it is known for the Scottish and irish immigrants who defeated the British during the revolutionary war, and ultimately creating the turning point for the States independence from the British.

[@sizemorej]

Sean boon docks is a Tagalog word for mountains. The american military brought it back from the Philippines and it made it's way to American English. Boonies is a shortened version.

[@jeffgreen3376]

Really? That's interesting.

[@equipage72]

I think I'd count this as one of the top 5 videos of yours that I've enjoyed to this extent, Shaun. Thank you for sharing, and so glad you enjoyed your time in NC. Safe travels!

[@StMyles]

Fantastic journey. Now you can go back to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and shown the younger people that there are greater things that the Scottish people have done for the world. Learn a trade and the world will open up to them. Cheers.

[@zurieljoshua]

So many people are out in the woods alone. I've camped solo and hiked solo in bear and mountain lion country many many times. Attacks are so rare. No need to worry. Relax and enjoy the walk in nature.

[@jstringfellow1961]

Shaun, you're making me giggle with the whole "talking loudly so they can hear me". The animals are simply watching you friend. They'd never come out to see you; not even the bears.

[@brycetonproctor5204]

This looked like a great time. I live in North Central NC I'm very used to seeing wildlife especially deer but also opossums, foxes, and raccoons. My parents have a house in the Virginia mountains and I have seen black bears there and a lot of wild turkey. In Cataloochee Valley NC elk have been reintroduced they are really cool to see a lot bigger than the whitetails.

[@teresacarle294]

🦌Live on Verdugo Mtns in greater LA area where we enjoy lots of wildlife. As a child once came upon a massive buck standing still as a statue. He was at a slightly higher elevation on a small bank & completely blended in brush. Froze solid when I realized his presence inches before me. Eventually I started slowly backing up. He was very majestic with big antlers. Seemed like a King surveying his land. Eventually he turned away & continued on his business. Miracle never knowingly encountered a bobcat, mtn lion or rattlesnake on those youthful forays.👼 Our white tail deer are tiny compared to massive elk in other parts of Cali & in Grand Cyn area.

[@mangopog9814]

Just found your channel, I’m a Wilson decedent from the Scottish highlands in Appalachia Kentucky, and most people from here are descendants of Scotland. Much of our tradition is Scottish. Our people are extremely proud of our history and rebellious nature, we love freedom and will die to stay free.

[@calhoun1968]

Lol. Speaking as someone who spends a lot of time outdoors, and more than twenty years in Alaska, I can tell you; "Never, ever, ever, run from a bear. They can and will run you down at 35 miles per hour (56.3 Kph). Play dead, you might get rolled around a bit, but you've a much better chance of living that way". Also, you most likely would never see more that the rear end of a bear running away from you, and that, only if you were quick enough to catch sight of them.

[@ericbarlow6772]

I wasn’t aware of many Highlanders that settled there. They settled in the lowlands of North Carolina where the lowlanders tended to settle in the highlands.

[@FtwNil]

"I'm not out of the woods yet" While walking down a paved road. Lol

[@DanJunkins]

Shaun, you have to realize, and you've probably already realized we are so very very proud of our Scottish heritage, even though we are Americans, we call ourselves Scottish. We know that we were not born in Scotland but, we Claim Scotland as our original home, and we forever will. When someone like you comes over to visit us, you are considered Royalty to us!! We might not show it but that's the way we feel. To us, you might as well be the Queen of England, that's how we feel about people like you. You represent our "Roots" and we take that to heart. You Can Take a Scot out of Scotland but, you will never take Scotland out of a Scot!!! (Clan Muale, Clan Duncan, Angus, Scotland)

[@thesuperdak7224]

Shaun: "this bug just landed on my arm." (shows bug) Gardeners everywhere: KILL IT! KILL IT DEAD!!! It's a stinkbug, the vegetable vampire of the insect world. (shudders)

[@daddams100]

Next time you visit NC, go to Cherokee, N.C., reservation...there you'll learn more about the Cherokee people and visit a reenacted village. I visited there and everything was so spiritual for me.

[@bensweiss]

I adore your enthusiasm, zest for living, sense of adventure , openness to new things, and desire to connect with other people. Thank you for your passion and videos. Hope your dreams come true.

[@JenkinsCrossing]

This is so crazy. I watched for the first time one of your videos a few days ago and now this is in my reccomends. I'm from Cherokee NC and know each one of these native performers! I used to work with two of them at the Unto These Hills outdoor drama.

[@r.marie08]

I really want to see that play someday. I've stayed in Cherokee once and another time very close to it on the Tennessee side, but I never did get to Go see the play. I live in South Central Kentucky so, hopefully, I'll get to go see UTH someday.

[@donniehagy5125]

Shaun: I want to thank you for making realize how much this country has to offer. What I take for granted EVERY DAY, you have made a new discovery. Thank you, son. You're welcome in the states anytime!!

[@jerrismith9337]

If you really like blue grass, go back for Merle Fest.

[@jerrismith9337]

And if you want to experience a modern band from North Carolina influenced by blue grass, check out The Avett Brothers. Not a blue grass band but you can definitely feel the blue grass influence.

[@captainblacktoe1328]

Or go to Maryland for Delfest

[@Mycroftsbrother]

Better still, go to the Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Galax, VA.

[@rebeccaanderson5191]

@@Mycroftsbrother Yes!! #1 on my bucket list!🎻

[@thewhisperingwoods5069]

Old Crow Medicine Show too. One of my favourite bands

[@nobodyhere017]

This was great fun! Glad you had another good time in N. Carolina and discovered some new words and new friends along the way. And as always, thanks for sharing your adventures with us Shaun!

[@amyporter4867]

Dear Shaun, I would love to take you on a hike in Yellowstone National Park! Last time I was there I saw wolves hunting the bison, a grizzly bear mom and her 2 cubs, elk, coyote and so much more! You would be afraid but thrilled!

[@jerrywillis8244]

Shaun..my great great grandfather, john ferguson,sailed out of glasgow and into wilmington nc in 1774. Settled in central nc. There are many many fergusons in our area still. We are all very very proud of our scottish roots. Jane ferguson willis. High point nc

[@Bob_just_Bob]

Hey Shaun, The Boonies is short for The Boondocks which means: An uninhabited area with thick natural vegetation, as a backwoods or marsh, a remote rural area.

[@mandydalrymple6074]

I grew up on the other side of the mountains in E.TN. Coming from a hillbilly Scotch-Irish home, growing up in and around all of the bluegrass, history and hills I never really looked at and took in what was all there. I’ve been in TX 15 years now and watching someone like you truly experience the wonders of the Smokies makes me long for home. I am 100% going to drag my family to this festival next year! Thank you!

[@claires1177]

Shaun, my son, and I just returned from The Fringe in Edinburgh! My heart just stayed there! What a glorious city! We are planning to return and visit the Highlands! Thank you for creating such awesome videos!

[@MegzeeR]

Isn't it beautiful :) I'm glad you got to see a "barn dance" because that type of bluegrass music and dancing was all given to us from our Scott and Irish immigrants and we "took a shine" to it :) Took a shine in America means we enjoyed it so much we shined in warmth from it :)

[@patriotsleepercell4060]

I appreciate your love for America!

[@debramartin1894]

Shaun it was a wonderful vlog. I’m so excited for y’all. That was a stink bug on your sleeve. You’re so funny I was laughing. Oh how I wish I was a patron. That will be the best part. I heard the southern accent. I absolutely loved it. We had record breaking heat in the south for October. So sorry for that. I’m very proud of my Scottish heritage. Thanks sooo much for sharing. Hi To Teka.

[@lindsayschilling8707]

Oh, yes! The Blue Ridge Mountains! Absolutely beautiful! My brother lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina! Beautiful and Memorable! Yes, a lot of Scot descendants there.❣

[@dougs7367]

I did my family's geneaology some years back and learned that my ancestors were Scotts-Irish who came over and settled in North Carolina along the PeeDee River in the 1700's. Then my great grandmother's grandfather loaded up his young family and headed West to Mississippi for free homestead farmland.

[@texaspeashooter1587]

My family too... But mine came to Texas from N Carolina....

[@mandystory4275]

This is one of your greatest videos Shaun. I have never been to that part of the US and I loved seeing it with you and Teka. 😊

[@charlesdriggers199]

Just say it Shaun. I am glad you had a great experience. I know it is something you have mentioned before that people in Scotland really do not know their past history. I can say not everyone here does either. I am hoping this may change.

[@willowm94]

Shaun, you should come to the Highland Games at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain during the second week of July. True Highland Games, caber toss, foot races, and sheaf throwing, as well as dog sheep herding, food, crafts, music, Scottish opening clan parade and AMAZING evening calling of the clans to the ceremony.

[@georgiehughes4858]

Love love love your video... How wonderful. I’m a 74 yr old widow, live in So Calif, of Scottish descent... maternal granddaddy Hopkins came here in 1909 from Glasgow, met my grandmother in Pennsylvania and married. My daughter and her family moved to North Carolina in Oct 2017... My younger son lives in the northern part of Georgia (actually, through dna matches.. I have met Scottish-American cousins (Hopkins/Donalds) who live right down the road from my son in Ga... how amazing is that? I also have paternal Scottish ancestors.). Anyway... I’m thrilled to learn about how much the Blue Ridge mountain region is like the Highlands of Scotland... very surprised to learn that you don’t have insects and animals in Scotland like we do here in America. I would love to visit Glasgow and other parts of Scotland one day. Thank you for the wonderful videos. Oh.. I have dear friends in Louisiana which I just visited last year - so I loved your video visit to that State. So, I guess from what I’m learning from your thrill with food everywhere you go... that you just don’t get the good tasting foods in Scotland. Louisiana originally was settled by French and Spaniards... and much of the food tastes are from them. I know Scotland isn’t far from France and Spain.... so it must be the various ethnicities mixing foods and flavors together that has given us so many wonderful foods. So glad those folks in North Carolina set you up with such a fabulous lodge to stay in. You have been blessed.

[@stephaniekittelson526]

Wow! This looks like such a fun event. I've been to the smokey mountains a few times and love them. They would be my second home if I got rich. Happy Holiday season from Texas.

[@Dios67]

I don't think of the Highlands of Scotland generally has that dense of a forest covering it like in Carolina.

[@michellemaine2719]

Also, there's more evergreens.

[@fionnagrant6636]

Apparently it used to be heavily forested a very long time ago. There's a TED talk about it. Heavy grazing from deer and farm animals keeps it bare.

[@Dios67]

@@fionnagrant6636 It's beautiful. It looks like a very green and gold arctic tundra to me.

[@soccerchamp0511]

@@fionnagrant6636 and over-harvesting

[@forestrot666]

Oh a stink bug. Henlo invasive stinky cutie. Also,yes the wild animals can come about during the day but they are more about in the early mornings and nights. I used to have bears and such come around a few places I lived in various parts of western NC. Also you do not see them often. Only heard one wildcat in my life.

[@davidc7765]

Boonies is short for "Boondocks" (See 1960's song "Down in the Boondocks") As used in America , refers to any wild place in the middle of nowhere. It can be in mountains, flatland or swamp. It comes from the Filipino word "bundok" meaning mountain. I assume the American soldiers returning from the Philippine-American war (1898) brought the word home with them. I guess they must have spent a lot of time trudging through the bundoks there. As far as I know this in the only Filipino word that as made its way into the American/English lexicon