Dunedin - "Edinburgh of the South"

I could not include this segment of my visit to Dunedin by including it with other "blog" items.  It is so deserving of itself.

Some may have heard of the "Haggis".....I did not and was certainly not prepared for the ritual.  Three persons who were on my tour were selected to participate (thank goodness I was not one of them).  One of the 'volunteers' carried the whiskey (scotch of course)...another a sword and shield...while the third carried the HAGGIS.

Here they are....

In the picture from the left we have....the Deliver (he told the story of the Haggis)...Ron - he held the whiskey....Helen she carried the Haggis....Reg he carried the sword and shield and then we have in the far right corner the bagpiper.

The Haggis is piped in (by bag pipe of course) and then addressed.  It included dancing by the participants as well as downing a shot of the Scotch!!

Here is the piper....

and here is the Haggis....

okay...now this Haggis is made of lamb and good oatmeal homegrown in Otago.  Basically it is gross!! It is said to be similar to pate......I will never know...since I did not taste it.  Ceremoniously the Haggis was split open and odor went everywhere (I do not as many know have a sense of smell....but Helen did ...so I am going by her facial expression).....and here at last is the Haggis in all its glory!!!

And the bagpiper sending us off to dinner......