45 posts tagged “travel”
Happily, there were no literal tears on Thanksgiving but there were some metaphorical "tears in our beer," at the acknowledgment that this wondrous, crazy experience is all nearing an end. I say, all the more reason to live in the present and appreciate every moment as it comes.
The anniversary celebrations continued throughout the weekend, as Nick and I went to Celtic Park on Saturday for our first Scottish football match, followed by an all-Scots concert at the SECC featuring the highly influential Glasgow-based '90s pop group Teenage Fanclub.
Our Thanksgiving feast, en route to Gourock.
We had to schlep most of the ingredients from Glasgow, as everything in Gourock closes at about 6 p.m.
The next morning, Nick started on the turkey early.
As he slaved over the stuffing, I ate pouridge with berries and cream.
We had to schlep most of the ingredients from Glasgow, as everything in Gourock closes at about 6 p.m.
The next morning, Nick started on the turkey early.
As he slaved over the stuffing, I ate pouridge with berries and cream.
Later that evening, Alissa arrived with the amazing sweet potato casserole.
By this point, I'd already prepared the cornbread, apple cobbler, a green bean casserole, creamed spinach and baked beans. You can see the evidence of my hard work lining the counter, shrouded in aluminum foil.
By this point, I'd already prepared the cornbread, apple cobbler, a green bean casserole, creamed spinach and baked beans. You can see the evidence of my hard work lining the counter, shrouded in aluminum foil.
While the worker bees were busy whipping up a suitable Thanksgiving meal,
the drinker bees were pre-gaming it with some Strongbow.
Here (L-R) Natalie, Chris C., Chris S., and Nick G. stand around the kitchen.
It was nightfall before we even started carving the turkey, which isn't saying much in Scotland because,
around this time of the year, the sun sets at 4 p.m.
The spread was amazing!
This photo doesn't do the food any justice at all.
After we'd all gorged ourselves, the antics began.
Here, I'm wrapping Alissa like a mummy.
Which eventually turned into the "Aztec Turkey."
At midnight it was our one year anniversary.
The next morning, on the way back to Glasgow, Nick stunted on the train.
I think he was trying to embarrass Alissa and myself.
Joke's on him, my life is one long embarrassment!
On Saturday, we bought tickets to the Celtic match against St. Mirren.
We took the subway to St. Enoch and walked the two miles past Glasgow Green (pictured above) to Celtic Park.
We were in a hurry because we were about thirty minutes late to the match,
but I wanted to snap a photo of all the equestrian cops around the stadium.
We finally made it to our section and realized that, in our lateness, we'd missed absolutely nothing.
In fact, in the first fifteen minutes of our arrival, the Celtics scored two points
and we were graced with an amazing sunset!
Another view of Glasgow and Celtic Park.
We were freezing in the nose bleeds.
Some Celtic propaganda.
After the match we walked back through Glasgow Green, past the People's Palace (pictured above),
en route to the SECC.
Before heading to the concert, we stopped at an Italian restaurant in the East End.
At the SECC waiting for Teenage Fanclub to take the stage, I found a curious machine.
This thing dispenses "Rollasoles," the disposable shoe.
More filly-farting.
This time, I found a Lady Gaga poster and posed beside it.
A view of the SECC hallway decorated for Christmas.
Finally, King Creosote took the stage.
He's Alissa's favorite.
At the end of the night, Teenage Fanclub.
"Love of my life," "Husband," "Sonic soul mate" — over the years, I've called John Vanderslice a lot of things. That's why, when I saw that he was scheduled to play Sneaky Pete's in Edinburgh on Nov 5, I instantly booked a ticket.
The past three times I've seen him, he's performed in crowded venues in New York and Austin. To my surprise, only about twenty people were in attendance Thursday night, allowing for a really special and intimate performance from Vanderslice.
Here's a link to a rendition of "Keep the Dream Alive" that I took at the end of his set: KTDA.
A couple Saturdays ago, while on the lawn bowling courts at Kelvingrove Park, I had the odd and utterly awesome privilege of playing beside Belle & Sebastian front man Stuart Murdoch and his wife. Although I recognized him, I was unable to place his face, even after one of their balls rolled into our court, it was not until I went home and Googled who I thought he was that I indeed discovered it was Stuart Murdoch.
Two weeks later, that's yesterday, I was working the regular Saturday night shift at my job and guess who sits down at a table in the back? None other than Stuart Murdoch and his wife. We ended up chatting about Glasgow for a while, my master's degree, and the state of the journalism industry! He even suggested that I write a novel to curb the economical impact of the recession!
Star-worship aside, the music nerd in me thinks that this is probably one of the coolest Glasgow experiences that I've have. After all, we are talking about the genius behind Dog On Wheels, Tigermilk, If You're Feeling Sinister, and The Boy With the Arab Strap!
Stuart Murdoch, lead singer of Belle and Sebastian
On our last
day, we hiked in the Cuillin Mountains outside Glen Brittle.
Fortunately, the first part of the hike gave decent weather.
Fortunately, the first part of the hike gave decent weather.
The second
half, not pictured, gave lots of fog, gusty winds, and rain.
We even lost the trail and had to come down a bit early.
Here's the last photo of the trip, a waterfall on our long journey home.
We even lost the trail and had to come down a bit early.
Here's the last photo of the trip, a waterfall on our long journey home.
We spent our
first night in Skye camping in Portree, at the start of the Trotternish
Ridge.
When we woke up, it was Nick's birthday!
When we woke up, it was Nick's birthday!
We spent most of the day hiking into the rugged landslips of the Trotternish Ridge.
This is one of the more famous of the area, the rock formations that make up the Old Man of Storr.
It is thought that the protruding pinnacle of the rock resembles the nose of an old man.
It is thought that the protruding pinnacle of the rock resembles the nose of an old man.
Another view of the landslips and vandalized sign advising hikers that
"[we] are advised (not) to go beyond this point"
After climbing along some of the steeper cliffs, amidst 40-to-50 mph wind gusts,
I decided that the mountaineering life is not for someone prone to vertigo.
Here I am defeated and humbled.
Hiking down we found a little pond carved into the side of the mountain.
I decided that the mountaineering life is not for someone prone to vertigo.
Here I am defeated and humbled.
Hiking down we found a little pond carved into the side of the mountain.
We drove up the coast and found Kilt Rock (not pictured) and this epic waterfall.
Skye is littered with this out-of-sort British telephone booths.
Here I am trying to do a David Lee Roth in front of one.
Phone booths and sheep.
Two things you can find everywhere on Skye.
Two things you can find everywhere on Skye.
Ruins, too.
Okay, phone booths, sheep and ruins.
Okay, phone booths, sheep and ruins.
When we made it back to Portree for dinner, a flock of seagulls massed to our parked car.
This one landed right outside the window.
Portree or Maine?
For
our second night in Skye we camped beside the Sligachan Hotel (not pictured).
It was one of the windiest and rainiest camping experiences of my life.
It was one of the windiest and rainiest camping experiences of my life.
When we awoke
in Inverness the next day, we found that someone had keyed our car.
As it turns out, we had inadvertently stepped into the middle of parking lot dispute
between the hostel and neighboring residents.
As it turns out, we had inadvertently stepped into the middle of parking lot dispute
between the hostel and neighboring residents.
This sent Nick into a contemplative downward spiral.
At this point, he was thinking about writing a hateful note to the Slovak that keyed our car.
I think it closed with something like "you're a horrible, horrible person."
I tell you, we barely made it out of Inverness alive.
At Johnny Foxes, I found a piece of steel wool in my Guinness pie and, on the way back to our car,
a stranger accidentally punched me in the stomach.
Then, we confronted the suspected vandal and I thought Nick was going to get punched out.
At this point, he was thinking about writing a hateful note to the Slovak that keyed our car.
I think it closed with something like "you're a horrible, horrible person."
I tell you, we barely made it out of Inverness alive.
At Johnny Foxes, I found a piece of steel wool in my Guinness pie and, on the way back to our car,
a stranger accidentally punched me in the stomach.
Then, we confronted the suspected vandal and I thought Nick was going to get punched out.
Things started
looking up for us once we got to Loch Ness.
For one, we found this giant Nessy statue.
For one, we found this giant Nessy statue.
For
two, we found Urquart Castle and
another rainbow!
Proves there's always a rainbow after 18 hours of very strange (and intermittently painful) dark clouds.
Proves there's always a rainbow after 18 hours of very strange (and intermittently painful) dark clouds.
My favorite Medieval contraption and modern-day font: Trebuchet!
Nick looking very dad-like again.
Urquart rhymes with...
Nick looking very dad-like again.
Urquart rhymes with...
At the top, with my own Loch Ness monster.
Between 1919 and 1932, the castle was restored to its original splendor.
Eilean Donan, on the shores of Loch Duich, originally built in the 13th century as a defense against Vikings.
Between 1919 and 1932, the castle was restored to its original splendor.
Across the Loch, I found a patch of blackberries.
I always get so excited when I find edibles in the wild!
They were mostly good.
After Eilean Donan, we crossed over to the Isle of Skye and into the Inner Hebrides
and onto to our campsite in Portree, at the base of the Trotternish Ridge.
and onto to our campsite in Portree, at the base of the Trotternish Ridge.
Our trusted steed at a rest stop in Kirkcaldy.
Nick said it was like driving a roller skate.
Nick said it was like driving a roller skate.
Making Parma and Manchego baguettes outside of St. Andrews.
Snobs!
Snobs!
The ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral,
built in 1158 and destroyed by Protestants during the Reformation.
Still exploring the St. Andrews cemetery.
Nick looks like a dad in every picture of this trip.
Most of these tombstones predate the United States and some of the occupants
died in other areas of the world, as part of historic American exploration efforts,
and were shipped back for proper burial in Scotland.
Everyone loves a good Scottish ghost story, right?
The Haunted Tower is part of the fortified Abbey Wall around the St. Andrews Cathedral,
used to bury bodies during the plague of 1605 and sealed until 1868.
This is home to "The White Lady of the Haunted Tower."
St. Andrews Castle, the former Bishops' Palace prior to the Reformation.
Golf fans, eat your hearts out!
This is the home of the British Open, the best green in the world.
Famous golfer such as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods regard this course to be the best in the world.
This is the home of the British Open, the best green in the world.
Famous golfer such as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods regard this course to be the best in the world.
RRS Discovery, the first ship to sail to Antarctica, docked permanently in Dundee.
The expedition launched in 1901 and brought five years worth of provisions, a flock of 45 sheep, and 19 sleigh dogs.
Nick has always been fascinated by Antarctica and it's a personal goal of his to make it to the continent some day.
As an early birthday present, I gave Nick an Antarctica patch on the decks of the Discovery.
As an early birthday present, I gave Nick an Antarctica patch on the decks of the Discovery.
Exploring the sleeping quarters aboard the Discovery.
Can you spot me?
In every other bunk there were creepy wax figures of the men from the crew.
I swear I must have jumped at the sight of these things at least three times.
Can you spot me?
In every other bunk there were creepy wax figures of the men from the crew.
I swear I must have jumped at the sight of these things at least three times.
Ernest Shackleton's sleeping quarters.
Nick was OBSESSED.
Nick was OBSESSED.
Yet another great example of a "dad" photo.
All you need to do is Photoshop a six-year-old child beside him.
"Into the ice, men!"
After leaving Dundee, we made our way up the rural two-laned A92 toward Inverbervie.
The coastline at Inverbervie, a quaint little town that came to us at the sparkling recommendation of my coworker Amy.
She told us that we just had to visit the Bervie Chipper, voted best chippy in Scotland in 1998!
It's name and flavors precede it.
Nick got the fish and chips, a noble selection.
The famous grouse!
Sadly, there was no whiskey in sight.
Sadly, there was no whiskey in sight.
Just south of Stonehaven and about ten minutes north of Inverbervie, we found Dunnottar Castle.
This was the site of many murders, including William Wallaces victory over the English in 1286
and a Covenanters torture and massacre in 1639.
Here I am at the mouth of a cave by Dunnottar
with the North Sea in the background.
with the North Sea in the background.
This castle was even the setting for Mel Gibson's "Hamlet."
Totally not Denmark!
Totally not Denmark!
This place, with its mossy cliffs, wind-torned walls, and "grizzly" past, was by far my favorite of the trip.
When we hiked up from the coast, the weather turned on us,
yielding high winds, rain and a gradient of colors in the sky.
yielding high winds, rain and a gradient of colors in the sky.
In true Scottish fashion, it lasted all of ten minutes.
The cows were unfazed by the weather, the landscape, or even the rainbow overhead.
The cows were unfazed by the weather, the landscape, or even the rainbow overhead.
I've lived in Scotland for just over a year and I've seen only a small fraction of the dramatic mountains, crumbling castles, crystalline lochs, and mythic biology that attracts so many to this ancient land. For this reason (and for someone's approaching 29th birthday), Nick and I are renting a car and setting off into the Scottish countryside for a four-day tour that will take us along the eastern seaboard, swinging left to Loch Ness, over the Eilean Ban, and onto a surely idyllic hike on the Isle of Skye.
Here's a map of our route, along with some of the anticipated highlights. Are you jealous yet?
Our route.
Dunnottar Castle — read about it's grizzly past here.
Inverness
Landslips in the Trotternish Ridge, Skye
On Monday, I was off from work so Nick, Chris, and myself took advantage of the nice weather and headed north to Stirling, home of Stirling Castle and the famous William Wallace Monument (which also shares the site with a Mel Gibson monument).
Most of our trip was spent at Stirling Castle admiring one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland and the beautiful surrounding landscapes.
Here are a few highlights from the trip:
Most of our trip was spent at Stirling Castle admiring one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland and the beautiful surrounding landscapes.
Here are a few highlights from the trip:
On the train to Stirling.
Nick sporting a hairy coo hat at the Stirling Castle gift shop.
The Stirling Castle gardens.
A view of the garden ruins outside of Stirling Castle.
The Holy Rude cemetery and chapel.
A view of the Wallace Monument from the Castle.
Another view of the Wallace Monument and a surrounding cemetery.
Nick and I inappropriately dancing in a graveyard.
The Holy Rude Chapel and Cemetery.
The Church of the Holy Rude.
Nick and Chris representing their respective languages.
The interior of the Church of the Holy Rude.
Nick and I at the Stirling Jail.
The Stirling Jail.
After traipsing around Stirling, we stopped into a pub for a quick bite and a pint.
The pub cat Bertha took a liking to us.
What a whirlwind American vacation we had!
In two weeks we covered New York City, Pennsylvania, and most of Central and Southeast Texas. It was the first time that Nick and I had ever been to the US together and we sure did have a great time.
Here are some highlights from the vacay:
In two weeks we covered New York City, Pennsylvania, and most of Central and Southeast Texas. It was the first time that Nick and I had ever been to the US together and we sure did have a great time.
Here are some highlights from the vacay:
On the road to Pittsburgh, for Nick's sister Beth's wedding.
On the day of the wedding, Nick's brother Mike dressed to the nines.
Nick preparing for his sister's big day!
After the wedding, everyone let their hair down and danced the night away at the reception.
The bridal dance, a Slovak tradition.
Everyone pays to dance with the bride and then dances around her in a circle.
The fellow seen dancing with her above is actually a groomsman.
After you pay to dance with the bride, the brother of the bride gives you a shot of alcohol.
Once everyone has danced with the bride, the groom breaks in and steals her away to the bridal suite.
After that, the wedding party leaves the reception and drinks until the bars close.
The next day, our last day in Pittsburgh, Nick and I explored some of the city's sites.
This is the incline, a means of transport from the top of the hill to the bottom.
At the top of Pittsburgh.
Going back down...
The next day, we flew to San Antonio, where I took Nick to one of my favorite taco places on Earth:
Taco Haven!
We later went to the Missions at San Juan.
19th century graffiti.
On the way to Austin, we stopped in Lockhart for some famous barbecue.
Later, I took Nick to see the Congress Avenue Bats.
It's the largest urban bat population in North America.
We stayed with Loren while we were in town.
Here, Alex Dotte came to visit.
The next day we drove to Houston for an Astros game.
This is Nick acting goofy in our room at the Marriot.
