The bagpipes
Based on what I understand, the pipes are liked or disliked; there is little middle ground. There are those who say that the pipes should be appreciated from a distance and it is suggested that London is a good distance away from Scotland; or, perhaps, New York from Los Angeles. LOL
For me, the sound of the pipes is very stirring and the sound of a lone piper leaves me misty eyed. Today I was watching the Travel Channel which was re-broadcasting a program about the building of the Queen Mary 2 and, at the end of the naming ceremony by Queen Elizabeth, there was a lone piper playing at the bow of the ship. That really tugged at my heart.
On another occasion, many years ago, I was visiting home and had walked up to the castle, the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, when, looking down from the battlements, I saw and heard a lone piper. The surroundings and the music are forever in my heart. I should mention that from our house we looked directly up the castle.
Ironically, for all the years I have been in California, I have never attended the local annual Scottish Highland Games which draws pipe bands from around the world.
