Two Telling comments? The Answer Perhaps?

[Alan H]

Well, Jock you and Alex were the only Scots that I saw in 23 days wearing a kilt, except athletes, pipers and dancers at the Games, and a few pipers busking for money on the Royal Mile. Oh, the male staff at Holyrood wore kilts, as well. Even the workers in the Tartan tat shops in Edinburgh wore pants.

At the Airth Games, I came across a couple of attendees who were wearing kilts. They were from Ohio. Every single Scot at the Games, except for the participants, judges and the Wealthiest Guy In Town, who sponsored much of the events, wore pants.

You have said this over and over and my experience was exactly as you described.

When there, I wore a kilt out to dinner with you, at dinner with Cessna152towser....at the Games as a competitor, and ONE other time, just because I hauled the thing over there, and might as well wear it. I'm sure that the locals rolled their eyes.

I was a tourist. A TOURIST. From California. I don't have a problem being seen as a tourist. I mean, every single person in Scotland with two exceptions in 23 days was absolutely lovely. Nice people, all of them, whether I was a tourist or not. I have to say, why get upset at being a tourist, when I AM a tourist? I was pleasant to people, they were all lovely to me, I spent money at their establishments, and had a grand time. What's to get upset about?

Having seen that in fact, Scots generally don't wear kilts, and thinking that it's mostly tourists that are tartan -crazy, I can understand your young friends point of view.