Sunday -Burns Night Supper.

When our group arrived at the venue the evening was well under way. It was a riot of colour. All of the Scotsmen were either in kilts or tartan trews and a few of the ladies in swirling tartan skirts and black patent shoes. You could spot the Welsh a mile off, conservative and low key in smart casual wear, me and my friends among them!

The music was all Scottish bag pipe stuff being played from a CD at this point. I was introduced to the host who was very welcoming, but I couldn't understand a word he was saying, so I had to seek clarification from my friends. I somehow got into a conversation with another Scotsman about currency and he tried to give me a Scottish five pound note as a keep sake! (he was well away on the whiskey you understand!)

Next we were serenaded by the pipes (yes, for real and I suspect not very good, but how would I know?) and the Piper piped the haggis into the room and onto the table. Our host recited Robbie Burns poem 'Ode to the Haggis' when it arrived. Next there was the pouring of the 'sauce' onto the haggis, which turned out to be neat warmed whiskey which was set alight. There was dishes of swede and potato mix on the table, which was moreish, but I just tasted some haggis off someone else's plate due to it being doused in whiskey and me being the driver!


After supper there was a quiz going on in the conservatory, but my friends and I dipped out of that because it was a 'Scottish Facts' quiz and we felt unqualified to enter .... but apart from that the two males in my group were more interested in the malt whiskey tasting session going on somewhere else!

As the evening drew to a close we all sung Robbie Burns most famous piece 'Auld Lang Syne' which was quite an emotional affair when sang with the Scots. After thanking the hosts we left. Well, that was my first Burns night dinner, and I sincerely hope it won't be the last. It was nothing like I imagined it would be, I thought it would be loud and bawdy and everyone having too much to drink, and I suspect it can be, but this evening was nothing like that, it was a super evening, to be recommended if any of you Blog followers get an invitation in the future.