Tales of the Travelling Mac

Christmas in the Country - Part II

2010-12-29T20:29:00.000Z

If there's one thing that is pretty much a universal occurrence, it is excitement of waking up, realising it is Christmas morning and running down to the tree to check if Santa's stopped by!

T'was no different this year with Fran, her sister Vicky and I all tumbling down the stairs to the living room. Magically (and miraculously) we seemed to be none the worse for wear after the drinking session from the night before! The usual hilarity of ripping open presents followed after which we headed over to Fran's aunt's home for a big 'ol Christmas lunch.

Many hours and waaay too many drinks later we stumbled home over the crisp white snow back home, only to rinse and repeat the whole thing the next day for the traditional Boxing Day lunch. To my immense surprise and outright delight, I found out that there really IS such a thing as a "Turkey Curry Dinner", it's not just something made up for Bridget Jones' Diary!

My sincere thanks to Fran and her entire family for inviting me to share in their celebrations. It was lovely to meet you all and be a part of your warm and wacky world for a few days.

And to everyone out there, I hope you've had a wonderfully merry and happy and love filled Christmas. The best kind possible!

Christmas in the Country - Part I

2010-12-28T18:00:00.112Z

With all the gumption that I have when it comes to giddy-gaddying around the world on my own (with Mac of course), there's one thing in the world I know with absolute certainty that I cannot do on my own: Christmas Day.

Last year, thanks to the amazing generosity of a dear dear friend, I was able to head over to Bombay and spend Christmas with my family. Turns out, that was the last time I got to see him before he passed away this April; so it was an extra special holiday in more ways than one. This year, I was bracing myself for a Christmas day "en solo", when my friend the amazing Frances Jane invited me to spend the holidays with her family in England. Of course, this was just perfect, and I accepted with a glad glad heart.

At this point, I feel a little back story is needed.

When I moved into the flat last September, my flatmate Aaron was nice enough to take me out and introduce me to some of his pals. Two of them happened to be Fran and Nathan, incidentally, friends of the guy who used to live in the flat before me. The one meeting led to another... and another... and another and just like that a close friendship was forged.

The manic weather that swept across the UK nearly put an end to my plans, but good fortune (and a little bit of Christmas magic) ensured that I got onto what was probably the very last train out of Scotland heading south to Newcastle. All around the tightly packed compartment there were people clutching bags of Christmas presents and gaily wrapped surprises in all shapes and sizes. I hugged my own home made bag of goodies and gleefully watched the beautiful snow covered countryside flash by.

Fran and her mum Pauline met me at the station and after a quick perk-me-up coffee, we hastened over to the city centre where we to meet up with Nathan and his siblings and their wee ones for an extra special Christmas Eve treat - a screening of Dianne Jackson's The Snowman. Based on the children's book of the same name by English author Raymond Briggs, the animated short movie is a much loved British classic and a firmly cemented Christmas staple on this side of the Atlantic.

Post concert, it was another short train ride down to Fran's hometown of Darlington where I had just enough time to grab a quick bite and head off to the Christmas Eve mass at the local church. Fran picked me up after the service and together with two of her high school pals we headed off on a Darlo tradition: the annual Christmas Eve hitting of the hot spots bar crawl! Highlights of the night - though fuzzy - include a hilarious encounter with a large group of guys from Fran's high school class and actually convincing them that I was an old school pal and feigning shock and disappointment when it was obvious that they didn't remember me!

Two very tired (and rather boozy) girls stumbled back home that night. Already, it had been a wonderful Christmas.... and Santa hadn't even arrived yet!

Christmas Wishes

2010-12-23T21:08:00.011Z

I know that breaking into Christmas prezzies early is generally frowned upon, but I'm going to give myself a little bit of leeway this year. Tomorrow, I will be heading down to Darlington, Country Durham to spend Christmas with my dear pal Fran and her family.

So for now, I'll allow a cheeky wee peek at some of my prezzies while enjoying a glass of vino.

Wishing you all a very Happy and Warm Christmas.

Holy Toledo!

2010-11-26T02:23:00.113Z

It was only after my day trip to Toledo, that I finally understood the possible origins of that phrase. For a city that is just about 90 square miles, it has one of the highest concentrations of religious locales jammed right in together and because of this, in 1986 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Just about a half hour's train ride south of Madrid, a visit to Toledo makes for a great day trip. From the train station, (a beautiful building in itself), it is a fairly short walk over to the ancient city. As you cross over the river Tagus on the Puente de Alcantara towards the city walls, you almost feel transported back in time to when Toledo was the capital of the Spanish Empire.

With so many places to visit, it is important that you do a little bit of pre arrival research. And if you're still not sure, pay a quick visit to the Tourist Information centre and they'll help you plan your route depending on your interests and how much time you have.

I invested in a multipass that gave me access to multiple visitor sites for one combined price and that works out very economical if you're going to touch at least 10 sites in the day. The "must see" places are:

The 12th century Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca
The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes
Iglesia de San Tom
Iglesia del Salvador
Iglesia de los Jesuites - views from the top of the bell tower are beyond compare
Mezquita (Mosque) Christo de la Luz

And of course, the most important and not-to-be-missed destination, the Cathedral de Santa Maria de Toledo

All that walking around is bound to make you tired... and hungry. Fortunately, Toledo is the birthplace of marzipan and you can pick up a taste of this world famous sweet from the scores of shops and bakeries around. Also there are no end to the number of tiny restaurants and street cafes where you can stop a while and power up on coffee and churros, the Spanish version of a donut. Both treats are bound to send your blood sugar sky rocketing and give you the energy needed to continue with your exploring.

If you can manage it, try and spend the night in the old city so that you pace your explorations over a day and a half. Half the beauty and charm of visiting a walled city is in getting lost in the maze of streets and alleyways where every twist and turn, doorway and arch is a gateway to another new adventure.

Getting there (from Madrid): The high speed AVE train takes just 35 minutes to complete the journey and there are 10 trains per day. The Madrid-Toledo trains leave from Atocha station in Madrid.
Regular trains also depart daily from Atocha railway station to Toledo about every two hours, starting at 7:05 a.m. until 8:25 p.m. The trip takes approximately one hour and a half.

Tourist Information Centres: If you enter the old city via the Puente de Alcantara, climb up the steps to the very top to the Cuesta de Carlos V. Turn left onto the road and continue along until you come to a wee market square Plaza de Zocodover. The information station is just to the left.
Alternately, there is an information centre located just across from the Puerta de Bisagra, which is the "official" entrance to the old city and the most convenient should you be driving.

Zocotren: For those travellers with mobility issues, there is a special sightseeing tourist train, called the Zocotren that offers visitors a panoramic view of Toledo and a visit through some of the streets, with pre-recorded tourist information in Spanish, English and French.
Daily operations from 11 a.m. to 12 midnight, hourly in winter (October - March) and every 30 minutes in summer (April - September). Tickets may be bought at Calle Sillerías, 14 (3.45 euros, children 2.10 euros). The trip takes approximately 50 minutes and starts in the Plaza de Zocodover.

Visit my flickr site to see a complete set of the Toledo photos

Finally..... Spain!

2010-11-25T23:15:00.044Z

After much confusion and disappointment of having to cancel my initial trip to Spain, I was finally able to reschedule for the last two weeks in November. Although, I was not going to be able to meet up with all my friends as originally planned and also not going to have the pleasure of the "fun-in-the-sun" kind of vacation I had originally envisioned. Still, a holiday is a holiday.... and as my flight took off for Madrid... I was just happy to be going at last.

The itinerary included starting off in Madrid where I caught up with an old study buddy Peter and his wife Maria. With so much to see, do, eat, drink and explore... Madrid was a veritable assault on the overall senses and nearly impossible to neatly summarize in just a few paragraphs. My hosts were absolute dears in taking the time off to show me around and by a stroke of pure luck I did manage to briefy catch up with one of my summer school pals, Carlos.

Over the course of my three days in the city I wandered far and wide trying to take in as many of the sights and sounds possible. My favourite spots were the "Fallen Angel" fountain in the Parque del Retiro, the Templo de Debold with its amazing vistas across the city and of course, the bustling excitment of Peurta del Sol.

The Palau Reial de Madrid, the offical residence of the Spanish royalty makes for a great drop in, and at least one of the many of the city's museums and art galleries is a must. Maria managed to score us free entry into Museo del Prado where I gazed in awe at the works of the genius that was Diego Velazquez!

Travel Tips:
Depending on where you stay, you can get away with spending the minimum amount on public transit since a lot of the tourist sights follow a natural route through the city.

Try and catch the sunset at the Templo de Debold, but wrap up if you're visiting in Fall/Winter as it can get breezy from the vantage point.

Most bars and pubs in Madrid will serve you a small tapas plate with your beverage order. It certainly ensures that the patrons balance their drinking with some food, and also serves to help cash strapped travellers from having to make that agonizing choice between beer at food! My friend Carlos took me to a pub near Gran Via called El Tigre and I could barely finish all of the free food that was thrust upon us!

Really, with good food, cheap wine and the company of good friends.... Madrid was the perfect start to Spanish encouters and totally worth the wait!

Go to flickr for the entire set of Madrid photos.

Travel Interlude

2010-11-11T11:48:00.001Z

I know I've been terrible with updating the blog. So in order to keep the masses appeased, here's something travel related to make yees giggle.

Tales of the travelling Mac (and Pixy) will soon resume. Promise!

Something Wicked This Way Comes!

2010-10-31T11:28:00.000Z

Last year I found out by chance that a lot of my friends here in G Town had never taken part in that oh-so-delightful Autumn activity otherwise known as pumpkin carving. I decided that it was my bounded duty to spread the good cheer of Halloween and with that in mind I invited a few friends around for a night of carving. It was a fun night; lots of laughs, good food and getting to know new friends. And a whole lot of folks who lost their proverbial pumpkin carving cherry!

A few weeks ago, some of the friends who'd come to last year's party cajoled me into organising another such evening. Last weekend, as I looked around at the gang gathered around my living room I felt a sense of accomplishment. I had established a tradition of sorts.

Today there was more evidence of further integration into local culture. Come 8 o'clock and I'd settled in to watch X Factor - the results show. Drama and his boy got me hooked the weekend I was in London and I'm now cheering along with the rest of this island. Again, it seems trivial but its just another thing that makes me feel more at home. Makes me feel like I belong here. Here, in this adoptive home of mine.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Lost and Found

2010-10-22T12:18:00.006+01:00

Pixy and I have been travel buddies for almost 4 years now. She knows that I'm a ready participant in all of her madcap schemes and I know that no matter how small the journey, she will always take me along for the ride. Like any partnership we've come to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. But like a lot of long term partnerships we had at times come to take each other for granted; hardly noticed when each other was around and no longer took extra pains to do the special little holiday traditions we used to have.

Then, yesterday happened.

One moment I was riding along in Pixy's bag as usual, the next I was tumbling out. I tried calling out, but I think the scream just caught in my throat. Pixy walked on, blissfully unaware and within minutes her footsteps were but an echo. I couldn't see my surroundings very well, but I knew I was indoors somewhere in her office building. This gave me some hope as there was the high possibility of one of her colleagues chancing on me. I hoped that the fact that I was wearing a jumper that said "Canada" on it, as well as my very obviously Canadian good looks would point them in the direction of Pixy. Much better than being lost on a side street of the city.

I lay on the cold floor for what seemed like an eternity, my thoughts alternating between wondering if I was ever going to see Pixy again and quaking with outright fear at being discarded in the trash like yesterday's newspaper. Then, someone picked me up and I heard a discussion about my possible origins and ownership. Mentioned was made of my Canadian jumper and then Pixy's name was broached. Yes! They'd made the connection! I was safe!

Still, it was a long night in a cold locker and a longer day before Pixy was back at work this evening. If ever I thought that she took me for granted, her unabashed enthusiasm at having me back settled that question.

Its been a long a stressful 24 hours, and I'm glad I'm back where I belong. With Pixy.

Heaven on Earth - The Scottish Highlands

2010-10-17T23:09:00.000+01:00

Over the past 15 months I have done my fair share of exploring here in Scotland. In Glasgow, almost every lane and side street has been traversed and I've visited (almost) every museum and art gallery around. I've taken day trips to Linlithgow, Stirling, Loch Lomond and many other places which were all wonderful adventures. I was discovering the country, but so far all of my discoveries had been limited to where a paved road or network has taken me. The off-the-beaten path although desirable is also sometimes unatainable. Specially when you don't have access to a vehicle of your own.

That changed yesterday.

My friend Colossus, a fellow photography enthusiast drove me up to what he said was one of his favourite parts of Scotland. I can tell you all about the wild beauty of the valley, or the enigma of the rushing brook or the unexpected sighting of local wildlife and finally, the traquil serenity of the loch at the end of our journey.

But those will be empty words in comparison to the pictures I shot. Every angle, every vista was not just a beautiful frame, it was a work of art. It was the Scottish Highlands at its very finest, and I'm so lucky to be able to call this place my home.

Ballet with a Bite - Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

2010-10-03T10:23:00.157+01:00

When I was six years old, my parents took me to see a local ballet production. The dancers were semi professional with most of the supporting cast being young amateurs, but even so it was a production that got me hooked on to dance and resulted in several years of ballet classes. For a rather chubby kid, I was surprisingly supple. And of course when it came to casting for the role of the Chocolate Bon Bon in the Nutcracker, I was the obvious choice! Over the years, I have had the pleasure of seeing several professional ballet productions like Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and of course Swan Lake. Still, all my years of watching ballet would not prepare me for the thrilling performance I saw last night.

British ballet dancer and choreographer, Matthew Bourne's reinterpretation of the classic Swan Lake made its debut in 1995 and from the first performance, took the theatre world by storm. By replacing the traditional female corps de ballet with an all male ensemble Bourne's version is a radical new take on a well established story. Casting a male dancer in the role of Odette/The Swan made far more sense to Bourne when he thought about what powerful creatures they are, far more akin to the muscular male form than the slender ballerina. I for one could totally relate; swans though beautiful tend to make me very nervous as I've seen them attack anyone or anything that stays onto their territory.

Using Tchaikovsky's timeless score, Bourne has created a story for our times with the very basic elements of human connections - the yearning for love. I know the score well having seen three previous version of the ballet but I could not help but marvel how well it has been integrated into this new storyline and thrilled at watching the fresh new and innovative choreography.

The new version of the story centres around the character of the Prince who, fed up with the confines of royal life yearns for nothing more than love and support from his cold and distant mother, the Queen. Disappointed and disillusioned when he finds out that the girl he loves is in love with his title, not him, the Prince runs away to the solace of the lake. He is about to cast himself into the shadowy depths of the waters, when he notices the magical swan-men and is instantly captivated by the magnetic charisma of their leader. What follows then is his struggle to come to terms with his passion for the Swan as much as the Swan forces him to break out of his restrictive shell and follow his heart. Where ever that may lead.

Watching the dancers was pure magic as they invoked animistic like movements rather than the traditional ballet patterns. They bended, weaved, strutted and leaped around the stage convincing us not only of their strength and power, but also of their beauty and grace.

For anyone familiar with the story of Swan Lake you'll know that there is no happy ending to this story. I knew this going in to the production. Yet, as the story played out, I willed the Prince and the Swan to have that Happily Ever After; after all, I thought, this was a new telling of the tale. With the music rising to a crescendo during the final scene, the tears streamed down my cheeks as I realised that even with all of the changes, Bourne had stayed true to the original theme of our yearning for an unattainable ideal.

The show is travelling to New York City next, and then on to Italy after that. Check out their website for show timings and ticket information. If you're going to be in the same city as the show, I strongly urge you to check it out. Don't miss out on experiencing one of the best show in modern day theatre and dance.

Finding the Silver Lining - An Impromptu Weekend in London

2010-09-27T16:43:00.002+01:00

If there's one thing I learned about my travel mate, its that she rarely allows life's trifles to get in the way of having a good time. Yeah, we were both bummed that our much anticipated trip to Spain was ingloriously cancelled; but that didn't stop us from going out and having a memorable weekend anyway! As soon as we found out that our outbound flight was cancelled, Pixy sprung into action and within an hour we had a new plan of action. We were to head to London to meet up with Pixy's college pal Drama and his husband. Also, one of our friends from the T Dot was visiting London and it was the perfect opportunity for a nice catch up on everything that's happening on the far side of the Atlantic.

It was a typical London autumn weekend; grey skies and incessant rain. Very different from the last time we were there back in the summer but actually nicer to be able to walk around the city without having to shepherd along a group of kiddos and their group leaders. We even managed to grab a couple of tourist type photos in between the pitter patter.

Though, if you are going to be stuck with awful weather while on vacation, a visit to a museum or art gallery is always an alternative. And let's face it, London has ample to choose from. Heading to the Kensington District, Pixy and I made for the Victoria and Albert museum. As the rain pelted down outside, Pixy and I remained warm and dry as we wandered through the amazing collection of metalwork, jewellery, sculpture, paintings and so much more. 3000 years' worth of artifacts was more than enough to keep us entertained right through the afternoon.

My favourite part was the Film and Theatre section where much to our glee (and our inner 5 year old) we found out that we could actually try on some of the fantastic costumes! And not just the kids... there were costumes for everyone! Sadly, none came in travel moose size, but Pixy found a bunch of clothes that suited her quite well. I did think she looked very fetching in the red velvet medieval number.

Post museum, Pixy and I met up with our pal from the T Dot and took a wander further into the South Kensington district. Along the way we saw the Natural History Museum (a stop for another day, for sure), the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal College of Music and finally the very imposing Albert Memorial. From there, we wandered through Kensington Park and much to Pixy's delight stumbled upon the statue of Peter Pan which (if you're to believe the history books) "magically" appeared in the park one summer's morning. We are convinced that fairy dust was involved.

It was farewell to our T Dot pal and back to Drama's where a most scrumptious dinner was waiting for us. Drama had made his signature special dish - Grilled Samon with Cous Cous. Served with a delectible wine, it was the perfect end to not only a wonderful touristy day, but also a lovely weekend that more than made up for our cancelled trip to Spain.

The Jet Plane is Leaving; I'm Not On It

2010-09-23T13:24:00.006+01:00

My flight to Spain is scheduled to leave in 15 mins. Since I am currently sitting on my couch at home and typing this, its safe to say that it will be taking off without me.

The passport issues have yet to be sorted and it was too big a risk travelling to Spain knowing that I may be turned back by immigration. The last thing I needed was to have my name on some sort of travel backlist. That just wouldn't do!

And so, I will instead head off to work in a few hours and try not to think about my pals all meeting up tonight in Madrid. Like the Netherlands back in April, it was merely a postponment of plans, not a complete cancellation.

Still, its going to suck for the next few days so I'd better prepare for it!

A Rock and a Hard Place

2010-09-10T11:56:00.038+01:00

Why is it that every time this year that I have planned a vacation things have gone pear shaped? In April it was the Icelandic volcano that sent my proposed trip to the Netherlands into a tail spin and before that in February I found out that my job of 6 weeks had gone bust right before I was to leave for Paris.

Once again, just as I've finished booking my tickets to Spain for a reunion with my summer colleagues fate has stepped in and poured cold water all over the joy and anticipation. Turns out that Spain "recommends" that your passport should be valid for at least 3 months post travel dates. Mine expires at the end of November. Calls to the Spanish Embassy weren't very helpful. They indicated that it would depend solely on the discretion of the immigration officer; that is if the airline allows me to board at all!

There isn't even enough time for me to apply for a new passport and although the Canadian High Commission in London does issue emergency passports, I need to go to Spain to hang with friends just doesn't constitute the same level of urgency for them as it does for me!

So I'll have to head the airport on the 23rd, bags packed and anxious heart. Either I will be hugging my pals in Madrid that night, or else I'll have had the most expensive day trip of my life!

Bothwell Castle

2010-09-06T23:29:00.009+01:00

Knowing the Pixy was to start work next week, we wanted to make full use of these last few days of freedom before having to bow down to rotas and schedules and the likes. Putting our heads together we poured over the Historic Scotland website to pick our next day trip location. Turns out, we didn't have to travel very far at all!

A mere 20 minute train ride away from Glasgow is Uddingston. A short walk from the station and you're at Bothwell Castle, one of the best examples of 13th century Scottish architecture. What began as the dream of the original Earl of Bothwell, Sir Walter of Moray was sadly only partially completed when the Wars of Independence broke out. What remains from that time is the great dijon or tower which has been widely touted as "the grandest piece of secular architecture that the Middle Ages has bequeathed to Scotland." (Dr W. Douglas Simpson, librarian of King’s College at the University of Aberdeen)

We couldn't have picked a better day for exploring. The sun streamed down on us as if it had quite forgot that we were now in September and that it ought not to be playing as if it were June! Pixy and I had the castle almost to ourselves, the only other people being a wedding party out to get those "magic" shots that are supposed to look natural and effortless but in reality take a lot of prep and constant direction from the photographer.

Once we'd had our fill of exploring the inside, Pixy and I took a stroll around the outside. Nothing gives you a realistic perspective of the power and majesty of a medieval structure than looking up from the bottom of the walls. Again, with the Sun playing on our side for once Pixy was able to capture some mighty fine shots of this beautiful castle.

Bothwell Castle is open all year round to visitors. For details on opening times, check out the Historical Scotland website.
Ticket prices: Adult £3.70, Child £2.20, Concession £3.00.
Free entry for Historic Scotland Members and holders of the Explorer Pass.

Weird, Wacky and Wonderful - The 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival

2010-08-30T00:20:00.317+01:00

Every year in August, the population of Edinburgh triples as people flock to the city from far and wide to experience the "Festival". Every street is a riot of colour and anywhere and everywhere becomes an impromptu stage setting as buskers, dancers, singers and actors all perform for the enthralled masses.

The Edinburgh Festival is widely acknowledged to be the biggest arts festival in the world and takes place every August in Scotland’s capital city. Thousands of performers take to a multitude of stages all over Edinburgh to present shows for every taste. It is the one place where the biggest names in the world of entertainment share the stage with unknown artists looking to build their careers. There is something for everyone at the festival caters with performances that include theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, musicals, operas, music, exhibitions and events.

Glimpses of this fantastic world had been seen the night we went to the Tattoo and I was desperate for some more. With blogger/travel friend Jo visiting, it was the perfect opportunity to play tourist myself and accordingly we headed over on Friday. While Jo headed off to explore the wonders of Edinburgh castle, I let myself get immersed in the wonderful energy all around.

I went to a choral recitation in one church, a musical interlude in another; I saw buskers juggle knives and chainsaws and street theatre involving balloon animals; I listened and laughed at various stand up gigs and even caught a few musical acts. And the best part? It was all totally and completely FREE!Out of the two days that I visited the Fringe, I paid to see just two of the dozen or so shows and musical and comedy acts that I saw. It was surprisingly easy. All you had to do was accept the plethora of fliers that were shoved at you in the street and go to anything (and everything) with a "free" tag.

In fact, there's a whole parallel festival called the Free Fringe that features many up and coming artists who just want the opportunity to get their name out into the world. Their success relies wholly on post-show bucket collections and the goodwill of the audience to spread the world about their performance. Personally, I think its a win-win for both performer and audience. Specially the distinctly poorer visitors like myself who cannot afford to spend an average of £10 on the ticketed shows, but can willingly spare a few quid each performance thereby actually being able to support more artists in this manner.

Two shows simply must get a mention. The first is Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting: Daddy's Basement Circus. Yes, that's really the name of the show and Yes, they are bloody hilarious! Described as French and Saunders on crack by some of the reviews, these two amazing female comedians from New York put together a show that was well written and funny but also smart. No wonder then did the Guardian name them the "Biggest Revelation" of the Festival.

The second of the free acts was a show called Granny's Gone Wild featuring the incomparable Lynn Ruth Miller who is the kind of person who squeezes laughter into every possible moment of her life and lives each day like it could be her last. And at 76, let's face it, it well could be! Its just amazing to learn that she started her stand up career less than 10 years ago and uses her age and her very extensive life experiences as material for her shows. Clear proof that the older you get, the more fun you can potentially have, Ms. Miller was by far the best free entertainment I have ever experienced.

The two shows that I did pay for, were well worth the dineros and did not disappoint. Both musical comedies, both a lot of fun. The one that I would recommend going to should it come to a playhouse near you would be the hugely entertaining When in Rome. Blending 80s and 90s pop music by Queen and The Spice Girls with a storyline set in ancient Rome it is guaranteed to keep you laughing for the entire hour and bit of show time. The dialogue is not very original and some of the punch lines can be seen from a mile away, but if you're looking for nothing more than a good, hearty laugh coupled with some of the best cheesy pop music..... and loads of men dancing around in very (very) short togas, well, you've got yourself a clear winner.

Jo and I had many fun moments as we took in the sights and sounds of the Festival. We met a lovely person just after the Skinny Bitch show and friendships were forged over post show drinks. Big Bird was in town with a group of students from Bristol and was helping them with stage production and show promotion. Although I didn't get the chance to see his show, I did meet up with him on my second visit and showed him around the city giving him a very quick, footnotes version of my walking tour. I hope we have the opportunity to meet up again so that he can return the favour and show me around his city!

After two days of non stop fun and madness, it was time to bid farewell to the Fringe. As I rode the train home to Glasgow, I knew that this weekend was definitely going to be filed under the "Unforgettable" category. Already, I am counting down to next year!

A Sign of Things to Come

2010-08-29T12:17:00.000+01:00

There are still many posts to be written about my time in England and about all of the fantastic places I was lucky enough to visit. I'm steadily chipping away at updating the blog, putting up photographs and the likes so that you, Dear Reader can be fully up to date on the summer shenanigans.

But the fun has far from stopped! Even after I've gotten back to G Town there have been all sorts of wonderful going on. The Tattoo, then the Fringe Festival, Bothwell Castle to name just a few. And coming up, Doors Open Glasgow a fantastic event that allows rare glimpses into some of the cities most impressive and historically significant buildings through free entry, walks, talks and exhibitions. So far I've been able to secure spots on two walking tours; the first a journey of exploration through the city's mercantile past and its connections to slavery and the tobacco trade with the New Colonies in America. The other is a guided tour through the city's Eastern Necropolis to discover the stories of just some of the interesting persons buried there.

If you are going to be in the neighbourhood between September 13 - 19 and you'd like a fun and FREE way to explore one of the most fascinating cities of Scotland, well.... need I say more?

Night of a Thousand Bagpipes

2010-08-21T19:27:00.004+01:00

When I first knew I was moving to Glasgow, I did what anyone who knows me at all would say I would do. I made a list! Things to see, do and experience while living in Scotland. Yesterday, I got to cross off one more item.

Talk about going to the Tattoo first began way back in May. Even at that time, the consensus from the friends was that it was too late to book tickets seeing as they'd been on sale from the previous December. Still, I wasn't giving up and a few phone calls, web searches and one visit to the Tattoo office in Edinburgh later, I had my hands on tickets for me and a few other friends. It was a long wait over the summer, but finally, Tattoo Day arrived and six very excited peeps set off from Glasgow for a much anticipated night out at the Castle Esplanade.
For those readers who are perhaps still under the impression that we went to some sort of convention where mass numbers of hairy bikers all got "Mom" tattooed on their upper arms, let me put your minds at rest.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual event where members of the armed forces perform a series of military tattoos. By definition, a tattoo is a military drum performance, but in the more modern context it is taken to mean any type of military display. Like the definition of the word itself, the Edinburgh tattoo has evolved over the years to include all sorts of musical instruments and also other kinds of entertainment such as gymnastic displays, pyrotechnics and even stunt riders.

The esplanade of the castle sets the stage for the elaborate and awe inspiring performance, now celebrating its Diamond Jubilee 60th year. Over the years military bands and members of armed forces from over 30 countries have performed at the tattoo.

This year's program included over 200 elite pipers and drummers from various regiments of the British armed forces as well as from far away lands of Poland, Southern Australia, Jordan and New Zealand and many more. The latter group was by far my favourite as they managed to mix in some good laughs in the midst of all the pomp and circumstance of the event by having some of their members prance around to the melodies of the Sugar Plum Fairy. And yes, at one point during their performance the they all put down their instruments and performed the haka!

Like most event extravaganzas, I'm pretty sure that my words alone cannot describe the powerful emotions that pageantry on that scale can evoke. From the first notes of the fanfare as the flags were raised, through every individual performance and then to the strong and confident notes of the Lone Piper playing a lament from the high up on the ramparts of the castle, the entire evening was a breathtaking spectacle.

For more information on the tattoo check out the official website at: http://www.edintattoo.co.uk/

The tattoo runs every day in August (come rain or more rain) with two shows on a Saturday. Tickets are priced between £16 - £45 and go on sale December 1 of the previous year.

Although the shows usually run as sell out performances, don't let that daunt you from checking out for last minute cancellations and the likes. After all, fortune favours the bold!

Winchester - City of Legend and Kings

2010-08-05T00:39:00.008+01:00

As a long time fan of myths and legend, it was a real treat for Pixy to find out that we pretty close to a location that is considered a hot spot of English lore. The legends of Arthur and his knights feature prominently in this city that is also a heritage site and home to one of the most spectacular Gothic cathedrals in all of Europe.

The city of Winchester, once the ancient capital of England, has been a place of importance since early Roman times. Travellers making their way along the ancient Pilgrims' Way to Canterbury would begin their journey in Winchester. The world renowned cathedral was built in 1079 on the orders of William the Conqueror as a symbol of Norman dominance over the Anglo-Saxon tribes. It holds the distinction of being the longest cathedral in Europe and its impressive architecture spans the medieval period from the 11th to the 16th centuries.

Among the several important bishops and Saxon kings and rulers who are buried in the cathedral is one of Pixy's personal literary heroes, Jane Austen. The writer of classics such as Pride & Prejudice, Emma and Mansfield Park, Austen like so many other artists enjoyed only limited success on the publication of her books. In poor health towards the latter part of her life, she moved to Winchester to live with her sister for a few months just prior to her death at the young age of 42. The house where she spent her last days is currently a private residence, but plans are underway for the Jane Austen Historical Society to buy up the property and convert it into a museum. I would think that the house's current occupants would be only too happy to sell up and move considering the amount of people who stop to take photographs of their front door!

And of course any trip to Winchester just would not be complete without popping in for a peek at Winchester Castle. Still existing in its original form since its construction in the mid 13th century, it is famous for the Round Table of King Arthur that has hung there since the around 1460s. The table is an interpretation of the legend and though originally was plain wood, was later painted during the time of Henry VIII.

The city's tourist information centre is located on the ground floor of Winchester Guildhall just a stone's throw King Alfred's Statue at the bottom of Winchester High Street. If you have a couple of hours to spare, Pixy and I recommend booking a walking tour through their office. Run by Winchester's official tourist guides, it is a great way to cover most of the important buildings in the city and hear some very cool stories along the way.

Winchester Tourist Information Centre
Winchester Guildhall
High Street, Winchester
Hampshire SO23 9GH

Tel:+44 (0) 1962 840 500
Fax:+44 (0) 1962 850 348

Email: tourism@winchester.gov.uk

Boy Town

2010-08-03T22:40:00.011+01:00

When I packed for 7 weeks of summer camp, I included all sorts of practical wear that I figured would come in use for activities involving kids. Stuff that would bode well with arts and crafts sessions involving glue guns gone wild and for days at the beach where I would probably fall over into a pile of soggy seaweed. Jeans, shorts, a couple of scraggy tees and a tank top or two for those extra hot summer days. Same with the shoes - runners, a pair of sandals and flip flops for the beach. Heck, in fact when finally zipped up my bags I was convinced I had in fact over packed!

Turns out I was very wrong. Apparently the memo about after work shenanigans was lost in the mail and so I ended up being the only person on campus who didn't come prepared for multiple nights out at one of the local clubs on (aptly named) Messy Mondays. My colleagues were further shocked to also find out that I hadn't even brought a hair drier and hairbrush; the former on purpose, the latter an oversight. The shock turned to abject horror when they realised that I wasn't too concerned about the lack of hair equipment and declared that my fingers would be fine enough combs. After all I figured, who was even going to be looking?

The rest of the staff on the other hand had not only got the memo, they'd anticipated all sorts of events including, I believe a Papal visit and planned accordingly. Only that would explain the multiple bags that most of them had brought along. All of this made little sense to me especially since most of the time we were all garbed in those hideous orange t-shirts that passed for a uniform!

After dodging going out for the first few Monday nights by crying poverty, I had little choice after we got our first pay cheques. Fortunately, I had been scheduled for a visit to Portsmouth with a group and a quick poke around the sale bins found me appropriate club attire. But even that wasn't enough. Apparently, my total lack of fashion sense (and sensibilities) and my indifference to doing anything to rectify that had instigated an intervention. While they simultaneously did my hair, tweezed my brows and dabbed on makeup, I came to realise just how bad I was at being a girl. There were at least four of my male colleagues who could not only wield a hair straightener better than me, but also owned their own and most of the boys owned up to being in possession of more hair and beauty products than I even knew existed!

Not only were the lads at camp more knowledgeable about hair care, apparently their expertise also extended to club wear, accessorising and make up! I certainly have miles to go before I can hope to catch up.

It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times

2010-08-02T11:06:00.020+01:00

This summer gig has been the best opportunity for Pixy and I to flex not only our travel muscles but also our tour guide skills. As part of the job, the Activity Leaders lead the groups on walking tours on most of the full day trips. One of these trips was to London Town when Pixy and I were paired up with the lovely, engaging and beautiful Emma to accompany 65 Chinese kids and their group leaders around the capital.

Although Pixy had been to London before, it was decided that Emma would take the lead as navigator while Pixy and I reminded at the back of the group taking on a very shepherd like role shooing the kids along to ensure that no one was getting left behind.

We started at the Science Museum which in actuality was a colossal waste of time since we had just an hour in there. Sure, it was free and the little that we saw was cool; but it was more of a rushed run around the place without actually being able to experience the exhibits properly. Also, I found the choice of museum rather strange specially since the absolutely fabulous Victoria & Albert Museum is situated right next door. It would have made much more sense to take visiting foreign students to see something that is unique to British history and culture instead of a generic science museum that frankly wasn't even top class with exhibits and layout. I believe Pixy made that recommendation to the Centre Manager on our return, but Lordy knows if any heed will be taken.

After the museum, the coach dropped us off at Embankment near Westminster and after a quick stop for lunch, we got going on the walking tour. Starting at the foot of Big Ben, we headed down Parliament St. towards the Horse Guards Parade Grounds pausing briefly to peer through the heavily fortified gates leading to 10 Downing Street.

From the Parade Grounds, we headed through St. James's Park towards Buckingham Palace. It was here that Pixy's role at the back of the pack came in extra handy as we found that the kids were super-enthusiastic-photo-fiends and snapped pics of anything and everything. And I do mean everything. As we walked through the park they went gaga over the pigeons. PIGEONS! Freaking rats of the avian world, and the kids were taking photos like they were albino peacocks!

Pixy made her feelings about the local wildlife very clear to the kids and gave them this bit of advise: Animals and birds carry disease. If you try and touch them, they WILL bite you. That will make me laugh. A lot. And then, I won't let you onto the bus back home because I don't want animal disease on my bus.

Ignoring the pigeons and ducks and swans, she went on to shoot the best specimen of wildlife around. Wouldn't you agree that she made a great choice?

We finally made it to Buckingham Palace. I did get a giggle when Pixy counted out the second window from the bottom and fourth from the left and got all 65 of the kids to wave hello to the Queen on the pretext that that was the window of her private office.
For those wondering, no it isn't. But it was fun to watch a large group of people drop everything and wave frantically!

From the Palace we headed down the Mall and then towards Trafalgar Square. Pixy was a wee bit more excited to check out Canada House (the site of the Canadian High Commission) than all of the excitement of Trafalgar Square. You can take the girl outta Canada, but you can't take Canada outta the girl!
Once everyone had gotten their photo fix we headed on to our final stop on the tour at Convent Gardens. Here we had a one hour break where the kids scattered to spend money on London souvenirs and Emma and Pixy headed over to the underground station where the lovely Jo, an old travel and blogger friend was waiting for us. It was Jo who had told Pixy about the summer job and she herself was a teacher at one of the London locations. Suffice to say, the three girls had a lot of stories to swap about horror kiddos!

Little did we know that as we bid farewell to Jo and headed back to the meet up point, our own little horror story was about to unfold. A quick head count of the kids revealed that we were three short. One of the other kids made a call to the missing three and they confirmed they were a bit lost. At this point one of the group leaders took over the phone call and started to give them directions. All this was happening in Chinese. When they hung up, the group leaders assured us that the kids were on their way back to the meeting point, so Emma took the group back to the bus, while Pixy waited at the meeting point with one of the group leaders.

Long minutes passed, and still no sign of the students. Pixy made another call to the kids and at that point they mentioned being in a cycle rickshaw. Wondering just how far off they had wandered, she asked to speak to the driver and that's when we found out that the three boys were half way to St. Paul's and the next minute, Pixy was bellowing into the phone, I don't care WHAT they told you, turn around and bring my kids right back to Covent Gardens... NOW.

It wasn't until the boys got back that we sorted out the whole mess. Turns out, when the group leaders had spoken to them the first time, they'd told them that the meeting point was outside St. Paul's Church. The kids heard St. Pauls and for some absurd reason decided that we'd changed the meeting point to way the hell across the city. That being said, the group leader could have been more specific. Mistake upon mistake had taken place, and although we were more than an hour past the pick up time, thankfully we left London with ALL 65 kids and their helpful, but misguided group leaders on board.

And it only took a few chocolate chip cookies and some honeyed words from Emma and Pixy to pacify the very irate bus driver! Now that's a sign of a trip well executed!

Fringe Benefits

2010-08-01T23:20:00.000+01:00

There are moments when I am convinced that instead of a job at summer camp, I have instead been cast into some sort of Dr. Seuss dream jumbled in with a P.T Barnum three ring circus. That realisation comes when I'm busting 14 year olds for smoking, or trying to get the kids to go to bed and keep them indoors after curfew; or I'm yelling at one of the kids who has decided to show off to his lady love by attempting to climb up to her balcony a la Romeo; or stumbling bleary eyed from my room at some unearthly hour to yell at the kids on the floor above who have decided to have a race in the corridors using wheelie chairs. (Points for innovation, deductions for not inviting me to participate)

But all of that juggling fire balls seems totally worth it when part of the job also includes having to take the kids to the beach for the day - and getting paid to do it! Sure it involved having to watch out for a bunch of teenagers but we quickly found out that pretty much the only thing they wanted to do was shop and catch some rays.

The day trip to Bournemouth was especially fun since we went on Pride weekend and it was lovely to be able to lay back on the grass and watch the live entertainment which largely consisted of drag acts re enacting popular show tunes. And because I know that the Readers will get a giggle out of this, I should mention that the Pride festival is aptly called "Bourne Free".

I struck twice lucky with the weather in Brighton as well last weekend. Even better was the fact that I had been requested by the Spanish group, so it meant being able to hang out with the amazing group leaders once the kids had dispersed to.. yes... you guessed it - shop!

Ah yes, sometimes you're the person cleaning up after the elephants and then there are times when you're the princess of the parade!

The Best of Beaulieu

2010-07-30T13:44:00.000+01:00

As amazing as the Abbey, the Palace House and the gardens of Beaulieu were, I still think that my best memories of my visits there were all the fun times spent with my colleagues.

As I've always said, any good trip is made better by the great people you meet along the way. And these were certainly some of the best!

Beaulieu - The Palace House and Gardens

2010-07-29T11:35:00.045+01:00

Living up to its name, Beaulieu really is a "beautiful place" the gardens there are certainly a treat. Spanning almost the entire estate grounds are beautifully sculptured gardens that include various themes like flower filled Victorian Garden that is a veritable carpet of flowers in the spring and summer months, the more informal Wilderness Gardens, the Ornamental Kitchen Gardens that are attached to the Palace House and finally the Mill Pond garden walk.

At the far end of the estate is the Palace House. During the 13th century it was the great gatehouse of the Abbey. After the dissolution of the abbey it became the private residences of the Montague family who bought the estate and who's families have resided there ever since. The building was extensively modified during Victorian times and large parts of it are now open to the public.

Beaulieu - The Abbey Ruins

2010-07-27T10:27:00.121+01:00

On my second trip to Beaulieu, I dropped the kids off at the entrance to the motor museum and headed off to the far end of the property to Beaulieu Abbey. Founded in 1204 on the orders of King John who, as legend goes, had a dream about being beaten and cursed by the monks for not supporting the building of monasteries and religious houses So shaken was he by that dream, that he immediately earmarked prime land in the New Forest region for a new abbey.

The King granted the abbey a rich endowment which included land and properties in the region, cattle, grain and a yearly allotment of wine! Apparently, the monks had really done a number on him in that dream! The Abbey took more than four decades to complete and King John's successor Henry III attended the dedication and continued in his father's footsteps of generous contributions to the priory. I guess he wanted to guarantee himself dreams devoid of angry friars!

Unfortunately the Abbey was dissolved on the orders of King Henry VIII. The main church was destroyed and the grounds and buildings sold off to non religious buyers. Without the backing of royal patronage, the grounds and the rest of the cloister houses soon fell into disrepair as well. Still, there is much to see and explore on these medieval grounds. The outer ground plan of the main Abbey church is plainly visible with the original position of the altar marked by a crucifix.

The Domus which would have housed the lay brothers, is the best preserved building and now houses exhibitions of the Cistercian monastic life.The refectory now serves as the parish church and the cloister makes for a beautiful and relaxing spot on a fine summer's day.

During the summer months, there are various events and exhibitions organised by the Beaulieu Trust as an effort to educate and entertain visitors. One of my visits coincided with a Birds of Prey display and although the actual show wasn't until later in the afternoon, the guy in charge was more than happy to give me a quick run through of the birds on display. Most were native to the UK, but he did point out one that was found in southern Canada and parts of the US - the Canadian Red Tailed hawk.

Tickets to the Beaulieu grounds cover admission to all of the attractions including the motor museum, the abbey and the palace house. For more information on the abbey and its history check out their website.

Beaulieu - The National Motor Museum

2010-07-25T23:56:00.087+01:00

By some strange quirk in scheduling, I ended up accompanying groups to Beaulieu on three separate occasions. Still, if there was one spot I didn't mind visiting over and over again, that would be it. Set in the beautiful New Forest region of south England, Beaulieu houses the Montagu family estate. The grounds also house the National Motor Museum, the ruins of a 13th century Cistercian Abbey and extensive acres of beautifully sculptured gardens.

My first Beaulieu visit was dedicated solely to all things vehicular. The National Motor Museum is run by a Trust that was created in 1972 to expand upon the pioneering work done by Lord Montegue of Beaulieu who harboured a life long passion for collecting rare automobiles.

The collection boasts displays of over 250 vehicles from a wide range of motoring eras and includes special exhibits like the World of Top Gear where many of the battered and badly beaten up cars that have had the misfortune to cross the paths of the popular TV show's madcap hosts.

And for those 007 fans out there, the museum had a fantastic exhibition of the uber cool props and vehicles used in a variety of the Bond films including the first ever jet ski used in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, the BMW R1200 motorcycle used in the chase scene of Tomorrow Never Dies and even the £20,000 Ford Mondeo from the more recent Casino Royale.

If you're mad about motors, this is definitely one place that you don't want to miss out on. This one is guaranteed to make your day.

Restaurant Review - The Pointer Inn, Newchurch

2010-07-19T14:18:00.101+01:00

Touring around and discovering new places is, in my opinion hungry work. I usually take along a picnic when I'm on a day trip. This time however, I was determined to escape the horrors of cafeteria food, even if just for one day. Accordingly, I was on the lookout for a good lunch stop.

The bus driver had suggested that I hop off at Arreton where there were a number of restaurants and pubs that I could choose from. However, when the bus pulled up there I took one look at the scores of tour coaches parked around and decided that spending my lunch hour jostling for space between scores of senior citizen tourists was far from ideal.

Instead I hopped off a little further on at the delightful little hamlet of Newchurch. And lo, there before me conveniently located across the road from the bus stop was my God sent destination - The Pointer Inn. A quaint village local that has been recently renovated to include a lounge and restaurant section in addition to the usual pub area.

There is also an absolutely lovely little beer garden out back where I chose to sit down and enjoy the absolute calm that the location affords.

If the charming atmosphere and idyllic location isn't enough, well let me assure you that the food is certainly something you shouldn't miss! I went in for the day's special: Filo wrapped salmon in a creamy sauce served with fresh steamed veggies. Its a good thing I took this photograph right away because once I started eating I didn't take a break (or breath) until my plate was licked clean. In one way I almost wish that I hadn't eaten everything on my plate (and the veggies in the side plate as well) and instead left a modicum of room for dessert. I'm sure it would have been just as yum.

The owners Robert and Rachel Burrows have recently taken over management of the inn and while Rachel is the quintessential friendly server, Robert is back in the kitchen cooking up a storm. If you're going to be in the neighbourhood of Newchurch at any point in your travels, I do suugest that you stop by for a meal... or even just a pint or two. You'd be hard pressed to find a nicer spot on the island to sit down, relax and have a wonderful meal.

For information on the Pointer Inn check out their website at http://www.pointerinn.co.uk

Join their Facebook group online at Facebook/The Pointer Inn

An Idyllic Day Off - My Visit to the Isle of Wight

2010-07-18T15:58:00.010+01:00

My first blessed day off from the 517 kids that have become a constant in my world, and I do what any sane (and travel intended person) would do; flee campus!

A mere 10 minutes ferry ride away from Portsmouth harbour is the calm sanctuary of the Isle of Wight. An island that even had a brief stint as an independant country in the 15th century, the Isle of Wight has a rich and interesting history. Much of its development came during Victorian times as the island was a favourite holiday destination for the Queen and her family.

Today the island is a mecca for day trippers from the mainland who'd like to enjoy the miles and miles of beaches perfect for picnics and family days. But if like me, you're looking to get away from the crowds and explore a bit more, there are a network of bus routes that criss cross the island allowing you to check out the various little villages that are just a bit inland.

The information centre just across from the ferry docking station at Ryde told me about the hop-on-hop-off tours that are run all around the island on multiple routes. After a quick survey of my options, I chose to embark on the Downs Tour that would take me from Ryde north towards Quarr Abbey, then west towards Wootton Bridge, south on to Arreton Manor and then rounding north and east back to Ryde.

My first stop was Quarr Abbey a Benedictine monastary that was first founded in 1132. The name comes from the nearby stone quarry. Rocks mined here were used for several important buildings all over England including parts of the Tower of London.

Wandering around the grounds of the Abbey was such a treat. The wild beauty of the countryside coupled with the deep peace of silence was just the ticket for a weary soul.
While checking out the main Abbey Church (rebuilt in 1912), I struck up a conversation with one of the monks. When he found out that I am from Canada, he scurried off and soon returned with a fellow friar who, turns out was visiting from Montreal. Padre Jean-Marie didn't speak too much English, but my French was good enough to hold a lively conversation. In fact, our conversation carried on to tea with some of the other monks where I was lucky enough to be able to sample of their home baked goodies and honey from their own hives. I tell ya, those monks can bake a mean loaf of bread!

Tearing myself away from the beauty of the Abbey... and the unexpectedly good company, I got back on to the bus. Over the rest of the afternoon I made stops at Wootton for a peek at the steam train, at Arreton for a quick snack of double churned ice cream and Newchurch for a leisurely walk across the fields before I had to head back to Ryde to catch the ferry home.

There are multiple ways to get to Isle of Wight from various points on the mainland. For more information on routes and timings, check out Wight Link Ferry Services website at: www.wightlink.co.uk

Wish List Revisited

2010-07-15T20:27:00.005+01:00

Today is the one year anniversary of my move from Toronto to Glasgow. With so much that has happened over the past year, I'm thinking its a great time to go back to that list I made last year and see how far I've come!

Places to visit in the UK on weekend road trips:

Isle of Skye
Fyvie Castle (one of my current clients grew up on the castle grounds - how cool!)
Oban Distillery (I hear its one of the finest)
Inverness (how can I not?)
Aberdeen
Eilean Donan Castle (where parts of Harry Potter, Highlander and the World is Not Enough was shot)
Isle of Cumbrae
Isle of Arran
Stonehedge
Old city of York
City of Lancaster (on the hunt for a Beastie)
Plymouth and Torbay, Cornwall
Liverpool (because that's where Sigsy is from, and any place that produced a Sigsy is worth a visit)
Barrow-in-Furness (just because it has an awesome name... and I'm sure they'll have beer there)
Dover (to see those famous white cliffs for myself)
South Harris (recommended by Beastie)
The Orkney Islands (recommended by Jules)

OK, so not the best dent in those plans, but I have been to loads of other interesting places in Scotland that I never dreamed I'd visit.

Linlithgow Palace
Sterling Castle
Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh
Troon beach
Village of Luss, Loch Lomond shores
Inchcolm Abbey, Firth of Forth

And in England too:

Winchester
Cambridge
Beaulieu and the New Forest
Portsmouth
Isle of Wight
Chichester
Brighton
Bournemouth

Places to visit in Europe:

Prague, Czech Republic
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Barcelona, Spain
~~Paris, France (for my birthday)~~
Istanbul, Turkey
Copenhagen, Denmark
Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia
Lisbon, Portugal
And OF COURSE - Dublin, Galway and Cork (and more) in Ireland

Places that I have visited instead:

Schoorl, Amsterdam, Alkmaar and many more cities/towns in the Netherlands.
Matheran, India
Planned trip to Madrid, Barcelona and San Fernando (Cadiz) in Spain.

Things to do/see/experience:

Get Cineplex movie pass for unlimited movies in a year (isn't that a great deal?)
~~Visit Kelvingrove museum in Glasgow to view some interesting exhibits~~
~~Explore the Necropolis, Glasgow city~~
Attend at least ONE function where I get to wear a hat (wedding, Ascot, tea with the Queen... I'm not picky)
Sign up for a year long membership to the Scottish Heritage Trust to get me some discounts into castles, churches and the likes - I did instead sign up for a years membership with Historic Scotland which really, was a far better deal and more in line with my interests!
~~Check out the annual Highland games and all the related activities~~
See a real live Puffin
Check out the Edinburgh Fringe Festival On the schedule for when I get back home in August.
~~Set off fireworks on Guy Fawkes day~~
Attend at least one soccer, rugby and cricket game - So far, just rugby!
Find me an early edition copy of The Enchanted Woods and The Magic Faraway Tree, two of my all time favourite children's books. Haven't found those yet, but discovered some other old time gems.
Take a picture with a Shetland pony (aren't they just darling?)
Go to the Edinburgh Tattoo (recommended by Jules. This is NOT a tattoo festival - contrary to what I first though!)Tickets booked for this August!

One year down, another to go. A lot to look forward to!

Portsmouth Harbour

2010-07-11T21:52:00.000+01:00

My temporary home for most of this summer is Southsea which is near the city of Portsmouth on the south coast of England. Although not very big in size, Portsmouth has been a city of great naval importance for many centuries. Credited as the world's oldest dry dock - which is still in use - Portsmouth Harbour is home to some very famous ships notable amongst them the HMS Warrior the first ever iron hulled warship and Lord Nelson's flagship the HMS Victory that participated in the famous battle of Trafalgar.

Even today, Portsmouth remains an important base for the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos and is also a busy commercial sea port with connections to the Channel Islands and mainland Europe. The Spinnaker Tower is a recent addition to the skyline and stands at the end of Gunwharf Quay, a shopping mecca combined with trendy restaurants and sea front cafes.
I'm sure that Mac and I will be visiting here quite a lot as we bring the kids here on shopping expeditions a couple of times. I'm looking forward to the visits, though I couldn't be bothered much with the shopping. The promenade along the harbour makes for a wonderful place to curl up in the sunshine with a coffee and a good book and that failing, it really is a wonderful place to people watch!

Brown Girl in the (Non Existant) Rain

2010-07-07T19:38:00.001+01:00

Life at a summer camp is very chaotic indeed. There's one computer for 19 staff, 12 teachers and about 15 odd group leaders. Suffice to say, its going to be tough to update the blog!

But I know that the fans have been curious and so here's a little snippet for ya. The weather has been FAN-MEGA-TASTIC with clear blue skies and bright sunshine all day, every day. So far, I've been in charge of a trip to Portsmouth and seen the HMS Victory, Nelson's famous battleship, taken a group out to a morning at the beach, done two harbour walks, played games and sports out in the playing fields. And that was just the weekend!

Suffice to say, the sun has hit me hard and I have a feeling that my main expense this summer will be sunscreen. But hey, that's not a complaint at all! The photograph was taken last week on Tuesday , just 4 days after I arrived into Southsea. As you can see, I've taken being brown to a whole new level. Then again, I am seated besides two of the palest girlies ever!

The summer has begun well and I only hope that the fun times keep on coming!

Heading South for the Summer

2010-07-02T21:43:00.003+01:00

There's nothing like a long road trip on a coach bus to force a lot of introspection. Fortunately, a good book, an mp3 player loaded with tunes and a crossword puzzle book can deflect from all that thinking about oneself!

My choice of reading material couldn't have been more perfect. A light fluffy book that tells the tale of a young lady who decides to start a rather unusual service for men-in-need. The story (I found) was well written with just enough balance of humour and sensitive matter and a protagonist that I could well identify with thanks to the description of her ample hips and rear end.

I am scheduled to work in England for 6 weeks over the summer. 3 weeks in Southsea (near Portsmouth) followed by another 3 at Oxford. My journey down to the very very south of the country began at 8:15 this morning when I caught the National Express coach from Glasgow's Buchanan bus station. 13.5 hours later I was dropped off at Clarence Pier at Southsea. It was really quite interesting to watch the relative wilderness of Scotland give way to the rolling topography of the midlands and then finally the flat and vast fields of southern England.

Here in Southsea, I'm staying at the Langstaff Campus of the University of Portsmouth. The campus reminds me of my uni in Toronto; clusters of lecture halls, admin buildings and residential quarters all built in the post war era where the emphasis was more on rejuvenating the economy and physically (and emotionally) re building with little or no thought to the aesthetics of the architecture. This translates into loads of tower blocks and squat buildings in various shades of grey with a lawn or green space thrown in for good measure. Still, I am rather pleased with the fact that I have my own room with en suite washroom. Any dreams of idyllic accommodation must wait until I get to the Oxford location which I'm sure will meet all of my romantic notions of residences in hallowed halls of learning.

For now, it is three weeks in a tiny little town on the southern coast of England. Plenty of time between shifts to take walks on the beach and strolls down the gaily lit pier. I am scheduled to accompany various groups of kids to attractions that include the local maritime museum, a walk along the sand dunes, a day trip to Windsor Castle etc. as well as lead them in daily activities like games and sports, drama and arts. One thing's for sure; the blog will not suffer for lack of material!

The Smooth Side of a Melody

2010-06-23T17:29:00.000+01:00

It was VBF who alerted me about the upcoming Jazz Festival here in G Town. Scrolling through the list of events there was one in particular that caught my eye: Scottish National Jazz Orchestra - Glasgow Fruitmarket, June 22.

I love the area known as Merchant City where the old Fruitmarket is situated. And I had never been to a jazz concert before. Anxiously, I checked the price of the tickets willing that I wouldn't be disappointed and amazingly they were a mere £13.

And that is how yesterday, VBF, her husband, Gingersnap and I found ourselves settling down in our seats in anticipation. The old Fruitmarket provided the perfect backdrop for the music; funky and cool with unexplored dark corners. Act One - Torah; Act Two - Duke Ellington’s Such Sweet Thunder.

Written by Tommy Smith - founder and director of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra - in 1999, Torah is a five-part suite inspired by the Pentateuch, a part of the Old Testament of the Bible that speaks of the foundation myths of the three major monotheistic world religions; Judaism, Islam and Christianity. The music progresses through the first five books of the Old Testament with Smith weaving the tale on the saxophone.

Although a beautiful piece - and it is just one piece almost 55 minutes long - I found myself unable to appreciate it wholly. For me, music equates to dance and as I listen to the notes and sounds no matter what the genre I tend to translate that into dance steps and movements. The more fluidly the music fits with dance, rather my version of dance, the more I enjoy the music. Torah, I feel is pure jazz. And I am not a worthy listener.

Act two on the other hand was Jazz for the masses.

In 1957, Duke Ellington created a suite of music inspired by the words of the Bard himself. The music is based on the plays and sonnets of Shakespeare and enable us to experience the powerful words of literature in a whole new manner. What I liked even more about this performance was that the organisers introduced each piece in the suite with an excerpt from the sonnet or the play so that even those of the audience not familiar with the works of the Bard would also be able to understand the sentiment behind each composition.

At the end of the night we left having experienced the best of jazz performed by some of the cream of Scottish musicians. The notes and the melodies may soon fade from our memories, but the experience was certainly one to remember.

For more information on performances by the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) see their concert listings here: http://www.snjo.co.uk/index.php?id=424

All photographs courtesy of VBF.

Sounds of the City

2010-06-22T10:51:00.003+01:00

The West End Festival is an event that is held in the western parts of the city of Glasgow that brings together music, dance, literature, art and all other aspects of local culture together under one umbrella. First started in 1996 as a small gathering of locals, the festival has now grown to a large annual event much anticipated by the entire community in the city.

Gingersnap and myself spent most of Saturday afternoon checking out the events. From displays of local artists at the railing of the Botanic Gardens to live music events, short film screenings to wine tasting events, the festival has something for both the young and the young at heart. We were particularly appreciative of the fact that a large number of the events were absolutely free of charge making it accessible to everyone.

Although the festival lasts just 2 weeks in June, you can enjoy many free events all year round. Such as the Monday night mash ups at one of the local pubs where a group of local musicians get together to play traditional Scottish and Celtic music. Fiddles, guitars, Celtic drums, pipes and more blend into seamless tunes. No sheet music, no set list, no fancy introductions. Just good music.

For more information on the Glasgow West End Festival: http://www.westendfestival.co.uk/

The Islay Inn: 1256-1260 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8TJ
Monday Nite Fiddle Workshop begins at 9pm. 8pm during the summer.
Cost: FREE. But hey, buy a drink (or two) at the bar. They have good stuff on tap.

All Play and Some Work

2010-06-20T09:17:00.000+01:00

Tummy bugs not withstanding, Mac and I had arrived at the last day of our vacation. Concerned about my relative well being, Barbie suggested that I spend the day at home chilling out, perhaps take a walk to the village or a quick bike ride around.

However, I woke up feeling a hundred times better (phone call to Mom really helped) and the thought of having to potter around an empty house by myself all day was inconceivable. So I headed off with Barbie instead to Zandvoort beach where she was scheduled to work for the day. Her company was running a team building day for the kids from a local high school. The kids were to rotate through 4 different activities through the day - sand sculpting, rafting, an interactive physics challenge and a GPS activity in the dunes.

Now while all of this furious activity was going on, what was I doing you might ask. Barbie had spoken to her boss about me hanging around and he OKed it on the condition that I would help them out. That worked perfect for me since the thought of just lazing around while everyone around me was working. Still, I could hardly believe it when I was handed a super-duper-only-in-my-dreams camera and told that my sole responsibility was to capture photos of the days events. Dream job or what!!?

And the perfect end to a wonderful vacation with an awesome friend.

For more information on these and more programs run by De Jongens Uit Schoorl, check out their website at http://www.djus.nl

XXX Rated

2010-06-19T20:57:00.000+01:00

What trip to the Netherlands would be complete without a visit to that intriguing city of canals and bikes, "coffee shops" and of course, one very infamous part of the city.

Unfortunately, Pixy wasn't feeling the best the day we headed off and so our visit was dramatically cut short half way through the day. Still, we did manage to see a bit of the city on the SANDEMANs Free Walking Tour. Barbie blended in with the rest of the tourists and giggled her way through the tour but later she did admit to learning a couple of things about the city that she never knew before. Such as the fact that part of her university was actually the headquarters of the original Dutch East India Company.

Shannon our guide was a perky little thing from New York and along the tour she told us how coffee houses exist freely in the Netherlands, why the houses all lean over in a rather alarming manner, where to go if you want to sample some of the best "baked" goods in the city and a whole lot more.

There was also a rather lurid story about a miraculous piece of vomit which given that Pixy was already in a queasy mood wasn't the very best to hear to be frank. Still, under different circumstances we may very well have loved it. I guess.

Along the way we crossed the widest bridge in the city and right by the bridge we saw the narrowest house in the city. It would be pretty easy to help these guys move house since they probably wouldn't have any bulky furniture. But can you even imagine trying getting a sofa up those stairs!

And just in case you're wondering about the title of this blog post and are salivating thinking that you're going to get some gory details about the Red Light district.... well you're outta luck. And while you're at it, get your mind out of the gutter you pervs! I was in fact referring to the three Xs that form part of the coat of arms for the city symbolic of the St. Andrews cross.

Of course, it would make complete sense that the triple Xs have been exported to a rather different connotation. But that would make it a post about Vegas!

A Good Idea in Motion

2010-06-15T09:29:00.000+01:00

It is always nice to see a little piece of home when out travelling. In this case, it was a very industrious bicycle owner who probably enjoyed some of Scotland's finest exports and then found good use for the crate.

No wonder then that the Dutch were at one time the top power in Europe. Ingenious lot.

Travel Tip # 437: Stick to the Small Towns

2010-06-14T18:12:00.000+01:00

If you're looking for a truly authentic experience in a Dutch town, then Alkmaar should be high on your must visit list. Situated in the north of the country it is an easy 40 minute train ride from Amsterdam.

Alkmaar though relatively unknown by the average tourist to the Netherlands, has been an important centre of trade for the Netherlands since the early 15th century when it given the rights to export Dutch cheese to Europe and beyond. It was this exploding cheese trade that made the town famous and continues to draw tourists till today. The cheese market at the old town square is a popular attraction and every first Friday of every month the old weight house and market square is the centre of activity as members of the cheese guild demonstrate the old fashioned way of weighting, sorting and transporting the cheese from seller to buyer and beyond.

If you have some time to spare, pop into the nearby cheese museum for a more in depth look into cheese making in the Netherlands and Alkmaar's role in making Dutch cheese famous all over the world.

Dutch heritage and history, quaint canals, "coffee houses", a red light district and tulip patches; Alkmaar does have it all in one neat little package. And for one little town, it does have a lot of museums on offer. There's the bog cheese one of course, but also the national beer museum, a Beatles museums (apparently John Lennon's first guitar was made in Alkmaar), the city museum and (bizarrely) the Dutch Stove museum.

Definitely then, a lot to look forward to in a visit to Alkmaar. And if you're looking for something to take home that's more than the run-of-the-mill souvenirs, how about a nice bicycle bell? Aren't they the prettiest things?

How to Make a Long Car Ride Interesting

2010-06-12T10:49:00.000+01:00

Holidays are often made up of long journeys. Not just flights across continents or train rides across state lines, but more often if not long car rides getting to tourists hot spots. No matter how unique and diverse the landscape, the ride can sometimes get monotonous.

Which is why Pixy and Barbie came up with a brand new car game. Every time you see an old fashioned windmill in Dutch-land, you had to drink! And before you get all high handed about drinking responsibly... I didn't say it had to be alcohol!

Suffice to say the entire vacation was filled with the two of them randomly yelling out "WINDMILL" at regular intervals followed by squabbles whether or not they'd seen that exact one before. *sigh* Sometimes its hard being the only adult in the travel pack.

And while we're talking about drinking, I would like to mention this cozy little bar we went to one night with some of Barbie's friends. Nice decor without being overstated, decent stuff on tap and reasonably priced even though it was in the thick of the entertainment district in Alkmaar. And yes, that IS a print of The Last Supper that you see on the wall.

Here's a shot of Pixy with Barbie and one of Barbie's highschool pals. They're both slouched over so that for once Pixy would be the tallest person in a photograph with Dutch people!

Land of Sea and Water: The Zuiderzee Museum

2010-06-10T10:43:00.000+01:00

The touring of the Netherlands started off with a bang as Barbie drove me to check out the Zuiderzee Museum. Located in the north east of the Netherlands, the museum is a fully reconstructed fishing village with houses that span two centuries and puts forward Dutch architecture, design, culture and industry through a refreshing and interactive approach.

Although the day started off a bit dull and overcast, before long the rain clouds had swept away leaving us to explore the village basking in the warm sunshine.

Barbie and I really got into the spirit of things as we wandered around the old fishing village, but we soon found that although the age old games were fun to try they were actually really hard to figure out and must have taken some mad skills to master!

Leaving behind the fishing village we made our way to the main street and shopping areas where the village church and school were situated. There, we noticed that there was the opportunity to dress up in traditional Dutch outfits but sadly it was just for kids 14 and under. That was a bit unfair we through, specially since we were totally in the mood to play dress up. And so, we had to console ourselves with merely trying on the foot ware - the famed Dutch wooden clogs which I'll add are the devil to walk around in!

It wasn't all fun and games though. When taking a peep in at the old time schoolroom we realised that we could actually go in an experience a class as they were conducted in early 1900s. It was too good an opportunity to pass up and so Barbie and I found ourselves squeezed into old time fashioned school desks and taking part in a writing class. It was quite a lot of fun to figure out the intricacies of old fashioned cursive handwriting and judge for yourself as to how well I did!

Of course one place that we absolutely had to visit was the cheese factory in the village. Rows and rows of golden Dutch goodness met us within. The shopkeeper was nice enough to let us wander around the tightly stacked shelves and sample some of the products and even took our photos and of course, we had to yell out the mandatory CHEESE!

For more information on the museum's timings, ticket prices and how to get there see here for details: http://www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl
***Quick tip, buying your tickets online will save you 2 Euros right off the bat!

A Little Slice of Heaven

2010-06-08T17:51:00.003+01:00

For those of you wondering about the recent jaunt to the Netherlands, hang in there. There will be updates online pretty soon. For now though, I'll share some of the 100s of pics I took of the beautiful tulip fields. Mac and I were lucky enough to catch literally the last of this year's tulip crop. The day after we took these pics, the fields were all cleared of the flowers and ploughed over for crops.

And in case you're wondering about the last photograph, its the name tag for one of the species of tulips! We saw other funny ones such as a Rupert Murdoch (complete with the little trademark logo), Exotic Emperor, Flaming Kiss and even an Ice Cream Sundae variety! It was heaven!

Mystery Meat?

2010-05-29T19:15:00.000+01:00

When travelling to new countries Pixy always makes sure that she tries at least one or two local food dishes. This time around, Barbie is making sure that we are exposed to all things Dutch in the culinary field. Starting with today's dinner that was waiting for us when we got home after a day of being touristy. Barbie's mum had prepared a Dutch specialty; Rookworst served with zuurkool and boerekool. Rookworst (sausage) and zuurkool (cabbage) we had heard of before. But our hosts came up short when trying to explain boerekool. Pixy first thought it was spinach and then brocoli and even brussles sprouts, but all those were met with definitive nays.

Some after dinner investigation showed us that boerekool was a leafy vegetable that was native to Holland and pretty much unavailable in most other places. Whatever it may be, the meal was ultra delicious and judging by the groans that Pixy let out as she left the table, the little pig had over eaten. Still, its not every day that one gets a well made Dutch meal served up for them. This time, I'll give her a free pass.

Already, I can hear Barbie and her mum discussing what to serve for tomorrow's dinner. If this keeps up, Pixy's going to have to call the airline and ask for an extra wide seat on the return flight.

Lowered Expections

2010-05-28T19:05:00.004+01:00

As a bonified travel junkie I find myself on an airplane an average of once every two to three months. Sometimes, it is a long haul flight 13 hours across the Pacific and crossing not only multiple time zones but also the International Date Line. More often if not though it tends to be a short-hop type of flight from one city to another and especially now that I'm Europe based.

Today's flight from Glasgow to Amsterdam on the KLM Cityhopper was just over an hour. As the aircraft reached its cruising altitude and the fasten seat belt signs were switched off, it was with one accord that folks reached down, dug around in their bags and each brought out their pre stashed baggie of travel food. All around, there was the crinkling of bags of crisps being torn open and sandwich boxes ripped apart. And yet when air travel began some 70 odd years ago it was supposed to be the pinnacle in luxury travel. All of the splendor of a cruise liner crossing in a fraction of the time.

Of course the picture is something of an extreme. Although first class travel is still rather luxurious, it is the economy travel that seems to have gone from being classy travel to more akin to cattle travel. I looked down at my tray table and sadly wondered; How did we let it get to this?

A Walk with the Dead - Nightly Ghost Tours in Edinburgh

2010-05-25T09:04:00.001+01:00

Being a tour guide is no walk in the park. And even more so when you lead a 3.5 hr walking tour through the old town of Edinburgh. Never mind that yes, you do finish off in Princes Street Gardens which for all practical purposes IS a park! No, being a tour guide is long hours and hard work. And loads and loads of research.

Part of this research into being a guide with SANDEMANs New Edinburgh Tours requires that I familiarise myself with all of the tours we offer. Accordingly, on Monday night I stayed back after my regular tour to tag along with my fellow guide Ronnie as he led a group on the nightly Ghost Tour.

Starting at the famous Tron Kirk (church) on the Royal Mile, Ronnie led us over the haunted North Bridge into Edinburgh's New Town. The first stop was the very spooky and very haunted Carton Hill cemetery after which we made our way to the top of the hill passing spots of murder, mystery and downright eerie tales of ghosties and ghoulies, vampires and ogres. Ronnie pointed out the area said to be the gateway to the mysterious realm of the faeries and over the 1.5 hrs of the tour chilled us to bone with his spooky stories.

There are literally 100s of companies that run ghost tours in Edinburgh. But SANDEMANs is the only one that will take you off the beaten path and show you parts of the city that you would otherwise not venture into. We also give you our solemn promise that no one will jump out and yell BOO at you mid-tour. That's just silly and frightens no one. Usually done when the guide doesn't have much to say.

What we will do however, other than giving you a great tour experience is take you to a pub at the end where the drinks are ON US! After all, we really don't like to send off traumatised tourists into the dark dark Edinburgh night. Makes for the worst reviews the next day! ;)

If a Ghost Tour is something that interests you, check us out the next time you're visiting Edinburgh. Tours run every night at 9:30pm starting at the Starbucks on the Royal Mile. Tickets are £10 or £8 if you have student ID. The pint at the end is FREE!

Hope to see you in Spooky Town!

Golden Goodness

2010-05-10T17:56:00.002+01:00

VBF's parents arrived into the G Town the same afternoon that college pal S departed. They brought with them warm memories of growing up in Bombay, the comfort of having family around and..... 4 Alphonso mangoes as the ultimate present!

I have been enjoying the mangoes over the past few days and a few minutes ago I ate the last one, taking small bites and savouring every single moment of their golden goodness.

A Check for the Bucket List

2010-05-09T23:45:00.004+01:00

My visiting friend Stafford had picked a good day to check out the Scottish capital city. It was also the day I was scheduled to run a 3pm tour. My very first!

We got into Edinburgh early enough headed right for the castle where we wandered around for a few hours. I was both excited and nervous about the tour; I knew my script and had rehearsed it well. Whether or not I succeeded would depend on so many factors that were totally out of my control. Heck, at around 2:50 pm I was wondering if I would even get to run the tour since no one had showed up to the starting point.

Thankfully, there were a bunch of last minute shows and my first tour ran with a decent 14 tourists who thankfully were a nice and happy lot. My knees were knocking together so loudly during the introduction and I was so sure that everyone around could hear them as well! Still, the knees and my thumping heart both settled down soon enough to allow me to continue on with the tour with (hardly) any incident!
There was a nice round of applause at the end which led me to believe that they had enjoyed being on the tour just as much as I had enjoyed running it. The healthy tips that were thrust into my hands as I bid them farewell cemented the fact that tour #1 had indeed been a roaring success.

Time to check off another of the boxes on my bucket list!

If anyone out in blog-land is looking to explore the old city of Edinburgh, tours in the company of some simply amazing guides, check out SANDEMANs NEW Edinburgh Tours for details.

FREE tours run every day 365 days a year regardless of the weather at 11am, 1pm and from May - September also at 3pm.

A Very Welcome Visitor

2010-05-08T19:23:00.000+01:00

Some time ago one of my college pals contacted me to let me know that he may be making a business trip to London, and he was planning to extend his stay and visit Scotland. Of course, I was ultra delighted and voila, just like that I was welcoming my very first visitor to Casa del Pixy!!

Over the 4 days that S was in Scotland, we managed to pack a lot in - tourist wise. Day 1 was all about G Town where I showed him around my newly adoptive city. It was a carefully constructed tour wherein I pointed out famous landmarks, important historical buildings and other random bits and bobs around the city. The tour included several stops at various local pubs and bars all carefully selected to make sure that the walk was broken up into smaller segments and (more importantly) S was having every opportunity to sample the local brews. Which we did. Abundantly!

Wanting S to see as much of Scotland as possible, I arranged for him to go on 2 day trips that covered some of the most popular destinations - Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands, Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond and a tour to a Whisky Distillery.

Finally, we rounded things off with a day trip to Scotland's capital city Edinburgh where S discovered that the castle holds some weapons that require some pretty awesome ammunition!

Inside one of the castle's main buildings, he tried his hand at wielding ancient weapons and found out a lot about medieval weaponry in a mere 5 minutes! The sword in the photograph below would have been just the right size for a warrior his height. It took a great deal of effort just to lift it a few inches off the ground so I cannot even imagine having to charge into battle and effectively defend myself with something that heavy and that cumbersome!

Of course all of this marching around ramparts and exploring dungeons and swinging battle axes makes one very hungry indeed. What better way to wind up a Scottish adventure than with a taste of the national dish - a hot and steaming bowl of haggis, neeps and tatties!

His visit ended all too soon, but I do hope that word of my legendary hospitality will spread (hint hint) and that very soon more visitors will follow. The welcome mat has been well and truly dusted and laid out and awaits your arrival!

Glasgow Museum of Transport

2010-04-22T10:55:00.006+01:00

One of the things I like best about living in Glasgow is the variety of art and culture that the city has on offer. All (and I repeat, ALL) of the city run art galleries and museums are free to visit making it so easy for folks to learn more about the locals and their culture and history.

Since moving here last year, I have been making the rounds of the museums of the city. I'm lucky enough to live within a stone's throw from two of them. And as always happens, you never find time to explore what's in your own backyard. So, when I realised that the Museum of Transport was temporarily shutting its doors as it made preparations to move to a swanky new home, I knew that it was now or never.
The Museum of Transport was founded in 1964 and originally located in a former tram depot on the south side of Glasgow. In 1988 it reopened at its Kelvin Hall location where it has been quite a favourite with generations of Glasgow children and their parents.

The museum houses Glasgow's collection of vehicles and models of local, national and some international importance and tell the story of the developments in land and sea travel that has been well influenced by this city. The exhibits tell the stories not only of development in the field of transportation, but also of the lives that contributed to these developments and how they themselves were affected by the changes.

As always, a visit to a museum is a learning experience. Did you know that the Glasgow Underground is one of the very oldest in the world? First opened in 1896 as a cable railway it was later electrified.

In many ways, the underground system hasn't changed all that much! Today's underground still uses the same gague tracks as the original line and still stops at all of the original stations, though a couple more have since been added on. I remember being really tickled by the wee trains on their little tracks. And I'm not just being sweet. The trains really are wee as you can see from the photograph below.

And although I do think that the subway hours of operation are rather limited, I do find it a convinient way in to the city centre. So, if you do happen to swing by Glasgow on your travels, don't forget to buy a ticket and take a little ride on the Clockwork Orange!

Consolation Prize

2010-04-20T11:56:00.000+01:00

The vacation plans were a bust, and I still don't know whether or not I'm going to be able to reschedule for another time. Instead of sitting around and moping about what could have been, I decided instead to remember what was.

Accordingly, I went back to look at photographs from past vacations and picking a few, I printed them out and hung them up around my flat. Now you're more than welcome to drop by and have a look for yourself, but just in case you have prior plans for this weekend, here's what now adorns the walls of my living room.

From Top to Bottom:
1. Close up of Celtic knot - Glasgow River Festival. 2. Hemeiji Castle, Japan. 3. Glasgow Botanic Gardens 4. Sunset at Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia 5. Serpentine Gorge, Australia 6. Scott Monument, Edinburgh 7. Sulphur Lakes, Tongarario Crossing, New Zealand 8. Boomerang, Alice Springs Australia 9. Fern, New Zealand 10. Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow

Try, Try, Trying Again

2010-04-17T11:03:00.000+01:00

It is just a bit unbelievable that this is the third post about a holiday that isn't even happening! But there you have it; apparently a non vacation has more to write about than an actual one.

For the third straight day, airports around the UK are closed. There was a brief open window yesterday evening when a few flights were given the all clear, but with more eruptions in Iceland, changing winds and still swirling evil ash in the air, that window was very quickly slammed shut again.

And so, I my travel wings are temporarily clipped. But we all know that's not going to keep down for a long time. KLM has offered to have tickets changed for later travel dates. Already, Barbie and I have been talking about potential new travel dates at the end of May.

Hopefully, some time in the very near future there will be another post about the Netherlands and this time, Mac and I will actually be there!!

There's a New Villain in Town

2010-04-16T12:03:00.001+01:00

Airports in the UK are still closed. There are rumours of some flights getting out at 1900 hrs today. But I'm not holding my breath about that. Its more than likely I'm stuck right here for the weekend. The ONE weekend I actually had plans. Good plans. GREAT plans!

Somewhere up there in the skies way above me, there is a menacing cloud of volcanic ash swirling away looking down on me and laughing in an evil Bond-villainish kind of way.

*muhahahahahaha*

The Best Laid Plans

2010-04-15T15:12:00.000+01:00

If everything had gone as planned, here is where I should have been at at this very moment:

And perhaps, I would have been faced with long fields and fields of at this beautiful sight
Instead, thanks to a freak volcanic erruption in Iceland and the resulting volcanic ash that has made its way over the Atlantic, ALL airports in the UK are closed. Apparently, volcanic dust is really dangerous to aircrafts as it contains tiny shards of rocks that can get into the engines and destroy them. As one friend said, Best to stay away from that kind of dust, and I fully intend to do so!

The KLM phonelines here were all jammed, but thanks to some quick thinking by Barbie, we were able to reschedule my flight for tomorrow evening. There's no guarantee that I'll be on that flight or that the airport will even be open. But, I have to hope that the trip will work out and that I WILL see those beautiful tulip fields!

The Usual Suspect

2010-04-13T12:33:00.000+01:00

Over the past few weeks, I have been training for a potential job in Edinburgh. There's a lot of research involved and accordingly, I took myself to the library to get the required reading. Part of the research is on Scotland's Stone of Destiny and its role in the country's military and political past. Specifically, how it was "borrowed" back in the 50s by four students from Glasgow University.

I presented my list of books to the library assistant. She looked it over. Frowning slightly, she peered up at me through her very librarian-like spectacles. Interesting list you have here young lady. Are you planning another heist?

I didn't know it at that time, but it turns out that when planning the heist, the students had checked out an almost identical list of books from the very same library! I wonder there are most wanted lists in the Glasgow library system. If so, my card number is probably at the very top of the list. I'd better behave myself over the next few weeks, and make damn sure I return the books on time, or I might have half the Strathclyde Police force out on my doorstep!

Linlithgow - Pleasure Palace of the Stewarts

2010-03-25T19:21:00.000Z

Trying to make the most of the unusually sunny skies over Scotland, Gingersnap and I decided to take a drive into the countryside and check out the elegant palace that was the welcome stopping place for the Scottish royalty on the busy road that linking Edinburgh and Stirling Castle. Situated in the very centre of the town of Linlithgow, the royal palace of the Stewarts commands beautiful views of the surrounding park and loch. The 15th century St. Michael's Kirk (church) lies just to the east of the palace entrance.

Walking around the palace is an amazing experience. For a palace that is roofless and in ruin, it still has the capacity to inspire awe. The magnificent great hall still has the power to impress, even without a roof and the winding staircases in the four corners of the palace lead you to a maze of rooms from the kitchens and guard houses to the royal bed chambers of King James IV and Queen Margaret.
In the very centre of the courtyard, is the fountain that was first commissioned by James V in 1537 and recently resorted. The fountain is still in use during the summer months.

If you're looking for a few hours of an easy and pleasurable history lesson, and the opportunity to explore a royal residence from top to bottom without the nuisance of "no entry" signs, then Linlithgow Palace is the perfect place for you.

Mac's Top 10 Paris Experiences

2010-03-17T10:48:00.000Z

Over 5 days, Pixy and I saw and did as much as possibly could be squeezed into a mini vacation. There is too much to talk about, so I've picked our favourites moments and experiences.

1. THE HANDY-DANDY MUSEUM PASS
Available for sale right at the airport itself, this little museum pass was the best for a total museum junkie like Ms. Pixy. If there was ever someone to get the most use out of it, it would be her. For starters, she spent a combined total of 9 hours just at the Louvre! Its perfect if you're looking to go to the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles and at least 2 other museums. The "line cutting" aspect was equally cool as in many cases we were able to sail right past the long lineups and gain entry right away. Made me feel like a VIP all right!

2. THE EQUALLY HANDY-DANDY PARIS VISITE PASS The city of Paris really loves its tourists! With that in mind, they have designed a Metro pass that can be used on the subway, the RER trains and the buses in and around the city. It certainly makes it easier when you can hop on and off transit at will without having to scramble around in your purse for loose change. The pass is also valid for the trip to and from the airport as well as the journey out to Versailles.

3. THE GARGOYLES OF NOTRE DAME
The experience at the very top of the Notre Dame bell towers is something that will remain with you for a while. And I'm not just talking about the ache in your calves and thighs after the agonising climb up the 473 steps! Pixy wasn't very comfortable being that high up and in a very open environment, but you'd got to give that girl credit; in spite of being deathly afraid of heights, she still goes and checks things out like the view from the top of famous landmarks!

In fairness, the view from up here is just one of the perks of the long hike up. It gives you the chance to look at the amazing carvings up close and truly understand the magnitude of constructing such a building. Though not the tallest point in Paris by far, it is still pretty awe inspiring being up there; especially when you think about how very long ago the cathedral was built (1160) and the marvels of medieval architecture. We even crawled up through the (shaky) wooden staircase to take a look at the great bourden (lowest toned/bass) bell nicknamed Emanuel which is now only rung on special occasions and feast day services. It would be wise to keep track of the ticking clock while up there as the bells from the north tower ring every quarter hour and if you're not ready, it can quite literally knock you off your feet!

And when talking about Notre Dame and the bell tower, how can we forget those famous guardians of the realm, the most misunderstood of creatures the gargoyles. They certainly are spectacular and immediately made me want to pick up a copy of Victor Hugo's classic.
4. THE PARISIAN METRO SYSTEM
It may seem weird to put down a metro system on this list of tops, but honestly, the Parisian metro is something else altogether. The funky cool and brightly coloured bucket seats at the stations, to the larger than life advertisements on the (weirdly) curved walls and the really cool musicians that don't just resign themselves to the stations and interlinking corridors, rather, they get right on board and belt out their tunes. Now that's some entertainment! And oh yeah, the system itself is very handy. But that was assumed.

5. THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES
Technically not in Paris, but worthy of the list nonetheless. The Palace and the grounds are simply breathtaking. Pixy (the history freak that she is) did have a wee grouch with the audio guides (free with price of admission) as she insisted that there wasn't enough information on there. Scant at best, was her annoyed assessment. Still, it didn't stop us from having a spectacular afternoon poking around the former summer palaces of the Kings and Queens of France. It is the one place I would say is best viewed in the Spring/Summer months as the world famous gardens were a tad bare. We had to put our overactive imaginations to use to visualize the splendour which deterred from the whole experience a wee bit.
6. THE LOUVRE
Seeing as how Pixy spent a combined total of NINE HOURS there, how can we not include it on the list? (And for those who are wondering, it was nine hours over three days; which doesn't make it less dorky, but hey....) The museum has a simply amazing audio guide (€6) - one that Pixy approved off - which made it easy to deconstruct all of the immeasurable beauty around. Paintings, carvings, statues, frescoes... all manners of loveliness! We did both agree that the Mona Lisa was grossly overrated, however, the one piece that really fascinated and captivated was The Winged Victory of Samothrace (shown below) of the Greek goddess Nike. It is a testimony to the artist that a piece that isn't whole - it doesn't even have a head for crying out loud - can still evoke such a strong response. The detailing is just incredible as cold marble was turned into fluid fabric rippling in the strong sea breeze. Pixy must have taken about 50 shots of just this one piece, and I don't blame her. Breathtaking!
7. FREE WALKING TOUR
Let's face it, free is always good! And when Pixy discovered this walking tour around the city, it seemed perfect! Barbie was scheduled to leave on the Sunday afternoon which meant that we had all of Sunday afternoon to ourselves. Perfect for jaunting around the city finding out strange and obscure facts about its famous people and landmarks.

8. THE EIFFEL TOWER
Ok, did you really think that I would do a top ten list and not include this one? The tower is a beautiful structure with intricate detailing in the etching and decorations, all done with a welding gun! It truly is a modern take on the carvings and frescoes of the Louvre and Versailles and the likes. We didn't bother with the elevator ride to the top; firstly because we'd already spent about an hour at the top of the Notre Dame looking out onto Paris and figured it was pretty much the same view from a different angle and secondly, my visitor pass didn't cover this and I didn't feel like shelling out another €6 for a rather expensive elevator ride. Of course, we could have saved on the elevator fare by booking a meal at the restaurant at the top. It would have cost us a *mere* €350 odd. Per head!
9. BAGUETTES (AND THE REST OF THE FOOD)
The glorious smell of freshly baked bread wafts around to meet you at almost every street corner. It is virtually impossible to go a couple of blocks without coming face to face with a Boulangerie. (That's Bakery for the Francophonely challenged). Pixy and Barbie made very good use of these Parisian products as they figured that buying supplies at the local grocery store coupled with some fresh baguettes would make a far better and more importantly cheaper midday meal. And judging by their happy faces as they munched into the sandwiches, it was a great deal! Who says you cannot have good food on a low budget?

10. CATCHING UP WITH OLD FRIENDS
Exploring new places is always exciting. Being able to catch up with old friends in the process is even more of a treat. Both Pixy and I were absolutely delighted that Barbie was able to join us on this little holiday. We had so enjoyed her company in the outback and she's such a fun travelling companion. Course, she is now at the very top of my "travel friends" list as she was thoughtful enough to bring me and Pixy little Dutchie prezzies!
Pixy was also especially happy to be able to catch up with a friend she hadn't seen in over 6 years who she knew from her uni days at York. T was nice enough to have Pixy and I stay over at his place the first night and took us out to dinner with some of his friends which gave Pix the chance to put all of her high school and college French to good use. And since she ended up having quite a few little conversations at dinner, I'll say she did quite well indeed.

And there you have it. The wrapup on another chapter in our travelogue. I'm sure it will come as no surprise to find out that Barbie and Pixy have already started talking about another meet up and I think it is a fine idea. After all, isn't Spring the best time for tulip sighting in Holland? ;)

When Penguins went to the Rugby Game

2010-03-14T12:17:00.002Z

My friend the Energizer Bunny knew that I was back to job hunting since my part time work had fizzled out some weeks ago. Accordingly, she had passed on my details to a friend of her who ran an agency here in G Town. Last week, unexpected, I got a call from the agency asking if I was free for a one day assignment on Saturday. It was for hostessing duties at Murrayfield, the rugby stadium in Edinburgh.

Eager to earn a few handy pennies, I confirmed attendance right away. It wasn't until I had put down the phone that I realised that the game in question was the England v Scotland match, possibly one of the biggest games in all of the 6 Nations Rugby Tournament. Tickets for this game had been sold out about 5 minutes after they went on sale last summer. And I was actually going to be there. AND get paid in the process! How cool was THAT?

The agency was busing the G Town based girls over and as I made my way across the parking lot of the meeting point, I couldn't help giggle. There were about 15 girls all walking towards the bus all dressed in black suits, white tops and black heeled shoes. Together, we looked like attendees at a penguin convention!

On the way over to Edinburgh, I chatted with some of the other girls trying to get an idea of what exactly we were going to be doing during the day. I also made sure that I had done ok with my makeup application as per the job requirements. It had taken me 3 tries and about 4 stabs in the eye but I had finally managed to follow the carefully written make up application instructions my friend gave me. The other girls assured me I looked just fine.

At the stadium, I was assigned to a suite of 350 guests with two other hostesses. It wasn't particularly hard work, but as with all VIPs, there were some cranky ones and we were kept busy trying to appease those few squeaky wheels. Still, the day was set up so that we had to look after the guests before the game during the luncheon and then after. During the actual game, we were free to take our break.

Most of the other girls weren't interested in the match; half of them didn't even know who was playing! Not me! There was no way I could otherwise afford to be at such an event. I wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by. Grabbing a hold of the only other hostess who was interested, the two of us made our way around the stadium until we found a chink in the armour - otherwise known as the air tight stadium security - and weaseled our way into a corner of the stadium where we were able to watch almost all of the match without (much) interruption. Handy things, those little staff passes!

And what an exciting game it was! A tight scoring game with both teams scoring tries one after the other. The final result was a draw, 15 all. Not the win that Scotland wanted, but then again, not the loss that England was so determined to deliver at the same time!

Finally, a good 13 hours after we first met up at the parking lot, a troop of tired penguins shuffled off to waiting cars, most of them holding on to their high heels. It had been a fun day, but now, all we cared about was getting home and soaking our aching and blistered feet.

It was time to take off the super-hostess garb and return to being mere mortal women again.

A Brush with Fashion

2010-02-24T20:33:00.000Z

Its way-too-early o'clock, and I'm sitting at the gate area of my flight to Paris. I had packed and unpacked my bags a hundred times; damn the high fashion expectations of the city!! Still, looking around the waiting area, I was conscious of the very chic clothing all around me. This was a budget airline too. Wonder what the dress code was like on regular flights; Off the runway pieces no doubt.

Our flight was announced, everyone lined up at the door.

A commotion ahead. The airline staff was trying to explain to a French lady that she was only allowed one piece of carry on luggage. Either her expensive looking Dior bag or her more expensive looking Prada handbag had to go. Madame was enraged. But, 'ow can I leeve one? Zees is my purse!! Staff lady was not to be budged. She politely, but firmly asked Madame to step to the side and let boarding proceed.

Madame fumed, but then started to panic. The boarding line was growing shorter. She appealed to the staff once more. The girl thawed. If you can combine your bags, I can let you on board was her advice. But it was obvious that Madame either didn't understand her or she did know what to do. That's when I sprung into action.

Approaching her, I asked if she needed help. A volley of French about the stupidty of airline rules was my response. I cut her off. We had little time. Using my best high school French I explained what she had to do. Take as much out of your handbag and stuff it into your coat pockets. Then, fold your hangbag and push it into your carry on. Its only until you get on board, after that you can put everything back.

Madame looked absolutely horrified at my suggestions. I think she would have rather missed the flight than defiled her coat and purse in the ways that I was suggesting. I shrugged and moved on. I'd told her how, now it was up to her.

On the plane, I watched the remaining passengers get on board. No sign of Madame anywhere. And then, I saw her. Looking twice as big in her winter coat with various items conspiciously buldging out of the pockets. Scanning the cabin, she made eye contact with me. Her face broke into a wide smile and she gave me the "OK" sign.

Fqshion 0. Pixy 1.

The New Destination

2010-02-21T22:11:00.000Z

There are some places in the world that are universally accepted as "must see" destinations. Among them are Rome, New York, Machu Pichu and.... Paris.

City of Lights. City of Love. City of Dreams.

I used to have very specific ideas about visiting Paris. It was never a destination I wanted to conquer alone; I was going to visit either with the love of my life or an old friend. Either way, with someone who I truly loved and who loved me in return.

Most people want to visit Europe in the summer. Not me. I always dreamed of a winter's vacation to Paris. Walking down a snowy street along the Seine. Watching the lights twinkle on the Eiffel Tower in the crisp winter air and drinking hot chocolate while looking out onto a busy Parisian street. Most of all, blowing out the candles on my birthday cake while a trio of waiters sang Bon Anniversaire a toi......

Life doesn't always mirror our carefully manicured dreams. I find myself perched on the eve of my much anticipated Paris trip. My travel companion is not my one true love; I am far, very far from that right now. Neither is it an old and true friend. She is in fact someone I have known for just about a year. We met in Australia and spent 5 days exploring the outback together. We are such opposites, but yet we seem to click.

And I am glad to be sharing this experience with her. Life has dealt us both some harsh blows lately and being in each other's company I hope will help us both to learn from each other, and to help each other with the healing process.

The rules and the players have changed, but the destination remains. One way or another, Paris is going to be a memorable experience.

Happy to Me!

2010-02-17T12:45:00.000Z

Things had been so very hectic in the run up to the fundraising event that I had been thinking of nothing else other than volunteer lists, prizes for the silent auction and all manner of other prep points that I quite neglected the fact that a momentous occasion was almost upon us.... my birthday!

When I finally set aside the notes and invoices from the ball, and began to think about the birthday, I knew one thing was for sure; no way was I going to spend the day cooped up at the office... or even at home. That would be just too sad, even for someone who has sunk as low as I have!

A quick internet scan told me that Stirling Castle was having a bunch of special exhibitions and my handy-dandy yearly subscription to the Scottish Historic Society was not only going to get me into the castle for free, but also into all of the exhibitions at no extra cost! With that sweet a deal on the table, how could I not go???

And off I went. And what a glorious day for a trip to a medieval castle. Not because it was a clear and sunny wintry morning, but rather a cold and clammy day with the mists swirling low down on the hills and all around the castle; perfect for a visit into history.
Things warmed up a great deal later that evening when I met Beans, VBF and her husband for dinner at a Brazilian restaurant in the city centre. Glorious food, great laughs and the company of good friends; all ingredients for a very special birthday celebration.

Another Day, Another (Few Thousands) of Pounds!!

2010-02-14T14:10:00.000Z

The last fundraising event back in November had been a huge success. But C and I were certainly not going to rest on our laurels and stop there! Planning for the next fundraiser began pretty much the day after, and the culmination was the event last Friday night at the Radisson in Glagow's city centre.

As with the last event, I had a terrific team of volunteers without whom the night would not have been the grand success that it was! Thank you to everyone who helped out; the hosts and hostesses, the team of accountants from Hymans Robertson that loaned us their services for the night, Cammy and Davy who are ALWAYS first in line to help out and everyone else who assisted in any way, shape or form!

At the last event, I was in a flap for something to wear and was about to go with boring black trousers and a nice top when I remembered about a black dress that my aunt had loaned me. A shiny black bolero and my old faithful strappy heels, and voila I had a snazzy ensemble! This time, determined not to let the same un-fashion fate befall me, I had picked up a black chiffon sari when I was in India. Perfect for a night out at a charity fundraiser, don't you think?

There is an awful lot of work still to be done before we can announce the evening's totals, but judging by the amounts that I deposited into the hotel's safe that night coupled with the totals from the ticket sales and other miscellaneous donations, it is bound to be a good haul.

Another night and another few thousand of pounds closer to our target! That b*stard disease will NOT win. Not as long as I can help stand in the way!

x

Getting Wiggy with It!

2010-01-27T16:17:00.000Z

The jet lag from my trip back from Bombay was hardly past when already, I was packing my bags for another journey. This time, I was heading down to London for the weekend to help good friend DQ celebrate his big 30th birthday! Already, the little red trolley bag I'd bought in Bombay was coming in handy!

DQ and his partner Daddy Long Legs (DLL) live in one of the most beautiful suburbs of London, in a gorgeous maisonette type house. After they picked me up from the train station we headed over to their place and settled down to chit chat over champagne while we waited for midnight and the birthday celebrations to "officially" begin! And what better way to kick start a big birthday celebration by cutting into a delicious cake? But the real party was the next night. DLL had planned it all and the best part was the DQ had no idea what was to happen. I should mention that he's almost as much of a control freak as I am about these things and of course, the suspense was driving him nuts!

Of course, he ended up have a terrific time at both the restaurant where we had dinner with a few close friends and then later on at the piano bar where more friends joined the festivities. At the birthday boy's request, all of the guests were decked out in wigs of all colours and styles that certainly made our party very interesting and the envy of everyone else at the bar! I do have to confess that I didn't actually have a wig being extemly ill prepared as well as really really broke. Not wanting to be a party pooper, I decided to improvise and taking one pink feather boa, one netted hat and lots of attitude, voila, I had myslef a home made funky hairdo!

As always, the holiday was over way too soon. It was suddenly Sunday afternoon and time for me to say goodbye to my lovely hosts and make my way back to London Euston to catch my train back to G Town. Of course, me being me, nothing is ever simple about what should have been a simple train ride back! Somewhere between Kings Cross and Euston the subway decided to stop. And we waited, and waited and then some more. The minutes ticked by and the passengers started to get jumpy. When we finally got to Euston there was a mad dash through the station and I managed to catch the train with a whopping 30 seconds to spare.

And that was the end of my weekend. Relaxing, no?

Rabbie Woulda've Bin Praoude O Mae

2010-01-25T09:52:00.000Z

Today is Rabbie Burns day. For those of you out there who do not speak Scottish, that's meant to be Robbie or Robert Burns, widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland; the very same laddie who penned the lyrics to memorable ditties such as Auld Lang Syne which at some point we have all tried to drunkenly sing on new year's eve and A Red Red Rose which we've listened to at some wedding and wondered which sod wrote those sappy lines. Well, now you know!

Anyway, January 25th is his birthday and as such, a day to celebrate all things Scottish. And nothing gets more Scottish than a traditional dinner of haggis (sheep belly stuffed with unmentionables), tatties (mashed potatoes) and neeps (steamed and mashed turnips). They really do go for quality ingredients for their cuisine don't they??

Sadly, my first Burns day in Scotland was spectacularly uneventful; unless you count frozen pizza and watching Glee on TV as such. However, in honour of Mr. Burns and Scotland in general this is a post about haggis. And my first taste of it back in 2006 when VBF and her friends organised a dinner for just that very purpose. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best as the restaurant was somehow "out" of mashed potatoes and could only give me fries and the haggis itself was a little overcooked and so a tad on the dry side. Still, it was an interesting meal. Note my expression as I'm trying to figure out whether or not I like the concoction!

My next experience with haggis was actually just last weekend when I found out that Tescos and other grocery stores actually sell ready made haggis-in-a-can that (shock) is supposed to be really very yummy.

In an attempt to suspend disbelief I tried some. The results were very unexpected - delicious indeed! And, so very easy to prepare. Open tin, mash up contents in bowl, pop bowl into microwave for 5-7 minutes, serve hot. The sides actually took way longer.

So, that dear reader is my contribution to Rabbie's day. A bit paltry I know, but will try my best to up the ante and do better next year.

School Days: Past and Present!

2010-01-20T10:46:00.000Z

One of the definite highlights of my Bombay stay was a visit back to my high school. For 10 long years, Apostolic Carmel High School (and Primary School) was my home. All sorts of wonderful things happened here; I met VBF along with a host of other lovely ladies I'm proud to call friends, I played, laughed, grew and learned many life lessons. Oh, there was studying too sometimes. Precious few times!

The school, is run by the Carmelite nuns and in spite of the fact that we had pretty strict rules to follow about dress code (horrid uniforms) and discipline and the likes, looking back I wouldn't have had it any other way. The uniforms, however lacking in appeal made it possible for all of us to look the same. A very important feature when we all came from different socio-economic backgrounds and many of us would have been unable to keep up with the pressures of changing fashion trends. This was probably a blessing in more ways than one as we went to school for most of the late 80s and through the 90s which fashion wise, wasn't the best decade. High school is hard enough without having to look back and have those "OMG what was I thinking?" moments!

It is gratifying to know that the school has benefited from many upgrades to both facilities and teaching aids like a dedicated arts and craft room where the kids have room to indulge in their creativity and notably a band spanking new computer and IT centre that was donated by a local MP in memory of her mother, noted film actress and Bollywood legend Nargis Dutt. The only troubling factor about my visit back was learning that most of the present day teachers are younger than I am! Talk about kids teaching kids!

Jo and I were shown around the entire school - primary, pre primary and secondary - by 3 very enthusiastic students who just thrilled at being selected to be our guides. When thanked for their services, they assured us that it was their pleasure to show us all the changes. Riiiiiigh. More like their pleasure at having a legitimate reason to be out of class for most of the morning! You don't have to explain girls, after all I invented 99% of the excuses for a get-out-of-class free card!

As we were looking around the primary school, I felt a little tugging at my skirt and looking down I saw the very excited (abit, little confused) daughter of my friend who demanded to know what we were doing in HER school! Of course, it would have been very rude not to visit her classroom and say hello to her teacher and all her little friends.

And speaking of friends, I dug deep into the annals of my hard drive to find a picture of myself and my school friends; a comparative analysis so to speak! Here we are standing at the foot of the giant tree in the school yard. A tree that I (unsuccessfully) tried to climb on several occasions during my school years in spite of repeated warnings from teachers. I finally gave up after I fell out of it for the third time and badly sprained my wrist. The teachers where shockingly unforgiving of me not having completed my homework because I couldn't grasp a pen. Anyway, the photograph was taken on one of the last days of school in Grade 10, hence the leeway with the foot ware! VBF is to my left. We were young, carefree and had our whole lives in front of us.

High Flyers

2010-01-15T22:24:00.000Z

All good things at some point have to come to an end. But when it can end in a spectacular way with an upgrade to Business class on the journey home, then hey, that IS the way to bid farewell and celebrate the end of the vacation.

Thanks to one of Pixy's friends who works with the airline, Pixy and I went home in style (and with no worries about our *slightly* over weight bags) and for once, a 9 hour and 50 minute flight felt as relaxed as an hour at the spa.

If only every travel experience was as heavenly. Then again, without all of the other crazy adventures we wouldn't have anything to write about on the blog. So, we chalk this up as a super cool experience and send out a "Thanks" to White who made it all happen.

Heading for the Hills

2010-01-06T15:25:00.001Z

Blog buddy, woman of the world, fellow passionate traveller and good friend Jo had been jaunting around India for most of December. We actually arrived into India on the same day; I into Bombay and she into Delhi and then moved on to Chennai, Pondicherry, Ooty and other such southern stops. We'd made tentative plans to meet up and do a bit of travelling together and accordingly, she arrived into Bombay on the 31st.

Post New Year's eve and the ginormous almost-as-big-as-christmas-day New Year's day family lunch, the two of us got onto a train at the a**-crack of dawn and went off to Matheran. Located high up in the Sayadhari mountains this little hill station is quite a unique place. All motorised vehicles have been banned from the town and with the result there are no modern concrete or tarred roads; just dirt tracks everywhere. It allows you the illusion that you've been transported back a couple hundred years - that is, if you can ignore the people walking around with cell phones and digital cameras!

Getting there is an experience on its own! We took a train from Bombay out to Neral which is on the Central Railway line. From Neral, you can take the toy train up into Matheran. With only 4 trains of its kind in India, this century old railway journey is definitely something not to be missed! When we arrived into Neral, the line up for the train was appallingly long, so instead we took a shared taxi up to the designated drop off point and then trekked up to the town from there. We took the train on the way back down and the pictures speak for themselves.

To get around Matheran, one can walk, ride a bicycle or, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, take a horse ride. Though in the interest of animal rights, I would recommend staying away from the horse option. Those poor beasties are none too healthy as there are scant laws to govern their care and well being. As for retirement, there is none. They literally are made to work until they drop. And that's very evident given some of the poor wee tired beasties that we saw.

But that is about the only not-so-great part about this place. Everything else makes it totally worth while and a beautiful and different get away experience.

Lazy hiking tails that require very little hiking. More like a gentle meandering through shaded forest paths that lead to lookout points with spectacular views of the surrounding hills. Khandala point, Monkey point, Echo point, Sunset point - pick any and you won't be disappointed!

A word of caution. There are at times more monkeys than people in Matheran. And bloody cheeky ones too! Can't blame them though; instead, I blame the stupid people who think that its "cute" to feed them all sorts of human food. Then of course they've learned that people = a free meal! For the record, I HATE these monkeys. With a passion. Bad experience from years ago and I just hate the blasted flea bags. You'd do best to just ignore them as you walk along and to be on the safe side don't carry in food or water bottles in your hands. That guarantees an instant fan following! And like many fans, they don't know their limits.

In general, Matheran is perfect for a low key, no hassles get away from the mad bad chaotic city and a great place to relax and rejuvenate whether you're looking for a quite time with a friend, or a fun family vacation or a high fun party trip with the gang. There's something here for everyone!

Happy 2010

2010-01-01T14:30:00.000Z

Mac and I would like to wish you all a very happy 2010! This is the second year in a row that we've celebrated New Years while on vacation and we hope that the tradition can continue for many more years to come.

It wasn't a terribly fancy celebration; just a "few" (read - 30ish) friends meeting up at one of the Bandra houses, loads of ice cold beer in a bucket and even more yum yums in the form of tandoori chicken, kebabs and what I christened pathrani chicken, lots of laughter and a generally good time all around.

We hope that you have enjoyed reading about our adventures and will continue to visit the blog as 2010 is sure to bring in many more travel destinations.

One Night Only

2009-12-27T12:37:00.000Z

For 5 wonderful years, I sang with the St. Anne's Youth Choir at the 6pm Sunday evening mass. The choir was largely responsible for bringing together our group of friends. There were changes as many of us left - for further studies abroad or like me, when our families moved out of the parish. But the choir kept going for as long as Maestro Charles was around and finally disbanded only when he left to pursue an MBA in the US of A.

On this trip back, Maestro realised that almost all of the original choir members were back in town. A few calls later, voila - he had arranged a reunion. A "One Night Only" where we'd sing as a group once more. Sadly, the 6pm Sunday spot wasn't available. But thanks to the generosity of another choir leader, we were able to "borrow" his choir's usual time slot at the Saturday evening mass.

There were some that were skeptical. My cousin Button who tagged along with me that evening questioned me on the way to the church. So, you guys haven't even MET in about 8 years, let along sang together. The mass is at 7pm and its already 6:30. How in the world are you guys going to pull this off??

But we weren't worried. A quick run though was all we needed. We were older now and very far from being "youth" as many of us had wee ones of our own; but our voices still blended well and we sang our hearts out that evening.

Said the same doubting Thomas cousin to her Mom that night, They hadn't even MET each other in over 8 years and they needed less than a half hour of practice and they sounded AMAZING!

Its gratifying to know that we still have the wow factor!

22 Hours, 40 pictures, 1 Helluva Interesting Story!

2009-12-24T03:27:00.001Z

In spite of the fact that I was in Goa for a mere 22 hours, looking back at my holiday pics I realised that I still managed to get almost 40 shots of the place. It would seem a shame not to share them with you, dear reader, so accordingly, here is a quite (very quick) rundown on the Goa "holiday".

Given that I walked into a chaotic house with Poopie Patel and his antics taking centre stage, somehow in that confusion all thoughts of lunch went right out the window. Suffice to say, by that evening I was ready to chew on my own right arm. Poopie was in a hazy state of sleep and so dinner was proposed. My uncle wanted to drive us there, but the rest of us insisted on taking a cab. Precious minutes were wasted with us arguing over this arrangement and uncle refusing to hand over the phone number of the cabbie. The hunger was driving me a little insane and I swear that had he kept that up even a little longer I would have left and started walking to the restaurant! We got there in due course and thankfully were not disappointed by the fare. Cousin Scribbler and I shared chicken cafreal and of course we just HAD to have the Xitt Codi (fish curry - a Goan staple). Too bad I was in too much of a hurry to get the food IN me or else I'd have some great pics of the same to share! We did how ever take a post meal pic in front of the restaurant, so here's that one:

Even though it was pretty much our only real meal in Goa, I'll have to say that we picked well and made it a good one! O'Coqueiro (meaning coconut tree in Portuguese) was famous for its authentic Goan and Portuguese food even before notorious gangster Charles Sobraj was captured here - while dining on a particularly fine stuffed pomfret, we are told! Its only too bad that my aunt couldn't join us; someone had to stay behind with the Prince of Poop and administer to His Lordship. An honourable mention goes out to the singer at the restaurant who did his damndist to keep us entertained during our meal. The imps that we all are, we were more entertained by his quaint stage presence and funny pronunciation of words that lead to gales of merriment at our table when he decided to sing a song with the chorus that goes I'm your Venus, I'm your goddess, Your desire..... Except that he couldn't quite pronounce the V in Venus and it ended up sounding more like I'm your Weenus, your desire! It would have been wrong NOT to laugh!

Earlier that day, the three girlie cousins had travelled to south Goa to visit some of the rellies who live there. Along the way, they stopped at Colva beach while Sargent Major (cousin #1) was off visiting an old school principal at the nearby convent. Scribbs and Button wandered carefree along the beach for about an hour taking in the sights and sounds around them. My fav pic is the one of Button jumping up in glee. Scribbs told me that it took about 5 frames to get this "perfect" shot. Love the way her hair explodes all around her, very apt as she is quite often referred to as Cousin It (from the Adam's family).

Poopie seemed to be better the next morning, but the wee man had had enough and just wanted to go back home to Bombay... and to Mommy! And so, we packed our bags and headed off to the airport. We did however stop along the way in Santacruz, the ancestral home of our maternal grandparents and popped in for a quick visit with our mum's cousin and his family. They live in a beautiful old styled village home that is just so quaint and twee.

The stop proved providential as Poopie needed to use the facilities anyway. While he was off doing his thing, the rest of us sat around in the ancient living room chatting with cousin C. His daughter also made an appearance at some point. Turns out, she is an accomplished musician - the violin being her speciality. Apparently in Goa, being in your late teens does not deter parents from demanding on-the-spot performances from their offspring and she was about to grace us with one when Poops bolted out of the room, into the car waiting outside and insisted we head off to the airport that very instant. We said goodbye to Cousin C and his family and Sarge who was staying behind and taking the night back back to Bombay and departed shortly thereafter. Some of us made a mental note to thank Poops at a later stage for a handy save from what would possibly have been an awkward family situation!

The rest of the journey to the airport was thankfully uneventful, and once there, Scribbs and I got down to the task of booking us all tickets; Poops and I on the first flight out followed by Scribbs and Button on a later (and cheaper) one! When checking in, I inadvertently caused a great deal of merriment amongst the Jet Airways staff when I requested seats towards the rear of the aircraft that I knew would be closer to the washrooms. Too much sorpotel, poor boy I whispered conspiratorially to the guy at the check in counter. Bobby (as per his name tag) nearly turned purple trying not to laugh and as we walked away, we heard a great deal of laughing and not-so-subtle pointing in our general direction. Ah well, at least it meant that we were on board and good to go.

A while later, our flight took off and our very short, but OH-SO-EVENTFUL time in Goa was at an end.

Pictures 2,3 and 5 courtesy of Cousin Scribbler

The Shortest Holiday Ever Taken

2009-12-21T15:11:00.000Z

I took the 5:45am train from Bombay to Goa on the 19th and arrived into Mapusa at around 2:15 that afternoon. The next day, I left Goa at 2:20pm making it a grand total of 25 hours "on vacation".

In between, there was a large amount of running around and general chaos thanks to my little cousin having fallen ill with the stomach flu. Add in the complications of a door that would not lock thus forcing us to find alternate accommodation, a very anxious and easily alarmed pair of rellies and a cousin who persisted in treating me like a child causing me to have a meltdown of my own ... well, let's just say that those 25 hours were highly stress inducing.

Not the kind of vacation I would recommend!

Flying Away Home

2009-12-13T14:06:00.000Z

The bags are packed and waiting in the hallway.

The apartment has been given the once over and it is clean and tidy (ish)

I've made a list - and checked it twice. I think I've got all I need.

My passport and ticket printouts are ready. Visa has been double checked! Health forms have been filled out. (New Indian regulations)

Now, I'm waiting impatiently for my ride to the airport. Let the travelling begin!

Night of Stars and Dreams and Celebrations!

2009-12-10T22:16:00.000Z

Last night, I went along to the annual Christmas party hosted by Cancer Support Scotland. Staff, executive committee members, staff, volunteers and patrons all gathered to look back on the year that was and celebrate a number of amazing successes.

I knew there was going to be an award ceremony; the program had mentioned an award for Volunteer of the Year and Fundraiser of the Year. What I did NOT expect was to be the recipient of a special award myself! I was sitting at my table, clapping away with the rest when Bill, the Chief Exec started to talk about the next award recipient. And before I knew it, it was MY name being called and everyone turning around to take a look. Too bad I was in the middle of sipping from my wine glass and had to swallow in a hurry and gingerly put down the glass!

The past 2 months had been crazy busy as I was putting in umpteen hours working on the event and trying to juggle filling out all sorts of job apps. But every single minute of it was totally worth the effort when we found out that we'd totally blown past last year's fundraising target. The sense of accomplishment on that alone had been enough to make me feel spectacularly great about my participation.

Being presented with this award was totally unexpected and quite over-whelming really. I'll have to admit that I do like the look of the framed certificate now proudly displayed on my living room shelf.

Even better was my look of boundless happiness that someone captured right after I received the award. I guess this is the definition of a radiant smile!

Warm Wishes from Irn Bru

2009-12-05T17:15:00.000Z

Just in time for the season of loving and caring and very importantly, SHARING - a new add from Irn Brew.

Happy Holidays people of Scotland!

Belles of the Ball

2009-11-28T20:40:00.000Z

Two months of hectic preparations all came to a head last night at the Crowne Plaza hotel here in G Town. 360 guests gathered in the Argyll Suite for a champagne reception that was followed by a scrumptious 3 course meal. There were lavish auctions prizes, a car to be won as part of the main raffle event, an amazing line up the silent auction tables and a host of fun prezzies.

I had worked on this event since September, C even before that. It had meant long hours, sleepless nights and piles of anxious meetings over whether we would meet our targets for the night.

Even with a few hiccups, the evening was a raging success and although the totals are still being counted, early estimates show that 3 well deserving charities in Glasgow are going to have a great start to the festive season!

No wonder then, that although we were almost shattered with exhaustion by the end of the night, C and I just had to pose for the cameras and share one gigantic hug as we rejoiced in our shared success.

Friendship On My Mantlepiece

2009-11-12T22:51:00.001Z

The advent of modern communication like the Internet and email, skype and online chats have made it easier for people around the world to connect and keep in touch with each other. While I am the first to rejoice at being able to chat with my family and friends around the world for little or (in most cases) nothing, this new found communication freedom has also ushered in the near demise of snail mail. There is literally nothing to look forward to in each day's postal delivery other than bills and flyers. Over the past few months, for me the mail has also come to include a long (long) list of rejected letters sent in response to job applications.

Little wonder then, that it is almost a celebration when I receive something other than the afore mentioned!

Cousin Scribbler spending time in the north of India, VBF and hubby travelling in Germany, Gingersnap and Colossus who (ironically) also went to Germany and VBF again, this time from the quaintly named town of John O'Groates which sits at the very very top of mainland Britain; they all have taken time out of their holiday to send me a little something that doesn't cost a whole lot but was so delightful to receive - a postcard!

For someone who spends most of her days hoed up at home scouring the interwebulator for job openings and then follows that up with hours and hours of filling out applications, the cheery words on the back of the bright illustrations of picture perfect landscapes or famous landmarks mean so much more than This place is awesome or Here's what we did today. I'd like to believe it is more of a Thinking about you, and wanting to share in our happiness. Which is really a lovely sentiment to receive!

And just as I sat typing up this post, I heard the mailman at the door. On investigation I found a card from Trippy filled with warm words of encouragement and an envelope full of photographs of some of my favourite-est people in the world, all smiling up at me causing me to remember the good times that were.

To everyone who has taken the time to send me a little piece of their travel happiness, thank you. Your kind thought will continue to make me smile long after the bags have been unpacked and the vacation is over.

A Sort of Peace of Mind

2009-11-07T13:19:00.000Z

Lying curled up in my bed this morning, I was willing my pleasant dreams to continue so that I didn't have to wake up to the harsh reality of the pouring rain outside my window and the fact that it was the weekend, and I had nary a plan in sight.

A heavy knocking on my door got me jumping out of my revelry and out of my warm bed.

At least, it was worth it. At the door was a delivery guy with a most precious possession - my passport!

Turns out, the Indian government saw fit to give me a visa at last; of course only after they had managed to squeeze as much money as possible out of me.

For the record, I am still waiting on the "surrender certificate" that they are to issue me after I handed over my old Indian passport. For the £90 that I had to pay for it, it had better be a worthwhile document.

But right now, I will sigh with relief and start to look forward to a long awaited vacation.

Big Bang Theory

2009-11-06T11:49:00.000Z

As the popular saying goes, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. For new inductees to a city and culture such as moi, this really helps in the trying-to-figure-the-locals out category. When VBF texted me about "going to the fireworks" I had not the foggiest what she meant, but I sent back an affirmitave response. I just figured she was getting a head start on planning for New Year's!

Turns out, she meant Guy Fawkes Night and the annual fireworks display at Glasgow Green.

And so, we headed over last night - along with about 40,000 other firework enthusiasts who were all thanking their personal lucky stars for the unexpected lull in the rain that had otherwise poured down constantly over the past few days.

I did ponder the absurdity of cememorating an event where in someone (Fawkes and the conspirators) failed to blow up something (Parliament) by now blowing up and setting fire to a large number of objects!

Ah well, there's the British sense of humour for you!

One Voice Amongst Millions

2009-10-30T12:33:00.000Z

There are many things that happen in life that make us feel insignificant and powerless. Most often, it is a policy or practise put in effect by a large corporation which leaves little recourse for a single person to challenge or question that policy should he or she feel like it is unfair or discriminatory in any way.

The Issue
The Indian Government is apparently asking former citizens to pay large sums of money to give up their old Indian passports. Passports that have already been cancelled due to the person acquiring another citizenship. Passports that are no longer valid as ID and cannot, under any circumstance be use for travel. Passports that no longer accord the holder any rights or privileges. Passports that are in effect worthless. Mere booklets at this stage.

Potential Reasons
Are they angry with ex patriots because they chose to leave India? Is this then, a government's equivalent of a punishment? They left, so now they must pay. Literally.

More likely, it is just another money minting racket thought up by some crafty minister in the office of external affairs. If they want to come back to visit, they must pay. Literally.

The Price of an Identity
I was told it would cost me £90 to obtain a "Surrender Certificate" from the consulate. This would mean that they would re possess my cancelled (and already invalid) passport and in return, I would get a piece of paper stating that I am not an Indian citizen. They want to charge me £90 to ratify something that has already been legally established.

I question how they calculated the price of citizenship.

I'd imagine that if one were to add up all of the comforts, rights, privileges that I enjoyed for 20 years as an Indian citizen and then minus from that the hardships I also had to endure thanks to an out-of-control population, spiraling inflation, crumbling infrastructure (and more) all brought on by one corrupt government after another, it would probably mean that the Indian government owed ME £90. Perhaps much more.

Inconsistencies
Unwilling to merely hand over the money without a proper explanation, I called my family in Toronto and asked that they check up with the local consulate there about this new policy. And surprisingly, they had never heard of anything like this. My brother made a trip to the consulate to find out more information and was forcibly ejected from the consulate - all because he was asking questions.

On further inquiry, I found out that more inconsistencies exist. For example, a Canadian citizen applying for a 6 month tourist visa pays $62. But if you are "visiting relatives and friends" then you pay $123. Of course, this would more than likely affect people who used to live in India and have relatives there. So basically, again, ex patriots are being discriminated against. And there wasn't a damn thing anyone could do about it.

I know I do not have a choice where paying this fee is concerned. If I want to visit India, I will have to do anything and everything that the Consulate demands; it matter little that I find their policies unfair and their practice downright unjust.

This whole hoop-la began when my grandmother passed away a month ago. There wasn't enough time for me to get to the funeral and so, I decided to make a trip later so that I could spend some time with my grandfather and my family.

The charming folk at the Consulate must be so happy as they wreck havoc with lives and prey on emotions. In my case at least, they've hit the jackpot.

The Bonny Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond

2009-10-19T21:21:00.000+01:00

Starring out my window on Sunday, I had the sudden urge to just get out of the city and drive far far away. Calling Gingersnap, I found out that she felt the same way too! And so, VBF, Gingersnap and myself set off for a mini weekend afternoon adventure.

The drive to Loch Lomond isn't long. Along the way, there was plenty of evidence of the changing season. Autumn colours at its finest. It wasn't the greatest day for ~~lake~~ loch vistas, but we made do.

Walking around the village of Luss, we decided that the day called for playing in the leaves and generally being silly. Which wasn't the best mood to be visiting the local church and graveyard, but hey, when you're being touristy you find that you can get away with just about anything!

Back at the loch, Gingersnap decided that she wanted to feed the ducks. Which was ok until they all started swooping in on us attracting the seagulls as well and suddenly, we had a regular little feeding frenzy. It was a little too Hitchcock for us, and we left in a hurry!

Now, I do realise these are not the best shots of a place that I'm putting on the "Travel Picks" list. But it really is so beautiful. Even with the overcast skies and cool winds, Luss and Loch Lomond is a tranquil and charming spot for a weekend away from the city or even a quick afternoon out. And to prove my point, I've included some shots that I took back in December of 2006 on a rare sunny winter's day, on the bonny banks of Loch Lomond.

The Art of Illusion - Sunny Skies in Edinburgh!

2009-09-27T12:12:00.000+01:00

While whiling away time on Facebook some time ago, I discovered that a girl I'd met through the international department at York University had recently relocated to Edinburgh to do her Masters. We happened to be chatting on Friday night and she told me that Edinburgh was having its Doors Open event over the weekend. What this meant was that for one weekend only, most of the historic sites and landmarks in the city would have free entry and usually free guided tours as well. It seemed to me that Providence itself was calling out to Mac and myself!

Accordingly, we set off the next morning. There is an excellent bus and train connection between the two cities and its just about an hour twix the two. The train station and bus depot is right off Princes Street, one of the main streets of the city and from there it is an easy walk to the Royal Mile.

I started off with a visit to the National Library that I heard was displaying a rare artifact - the last letter written by Mary, Queen of Scots just before her execution. As a history junkie, this was a must see! The library also had a small exhibition on immigration, trying to understand the age old question of what makes an individual or a family pick up and move to a new home in a new land leaving behind friends, family and everything that is familiar. As part of the exhibit, visitors were asked to write down the names and experiences of people they knew who had made an epic immigration at some time. I spent ages reading their stories. Everyday, ordinary people just like me who had at one time summed up the courage to embark down a new (and often) uncharted road. The reasons were varied and fell into generally two categories; better job/better life opportunities or for family. My favourite, a little card that bore just this one line: To Follow My Heart.

Wandering up the street after the National Library I stumbled upon the wee little statue of Greyfriars Bobby. This little Skye Terrier became famous in Edinburgh after he showed a remarkable sense of loyalty to his master by standing vigil by his master's grave for 14 long years, endearing himself to the collective hearts and minds of the entire city. Upon his own death, he was burried just inside the gates of the same cemetary and his grave stone is possibly the most visited one there.

Wanting to make the most of the beautiful weather, I took a gander up the Royal Mile. At the very top just before the castle esplanade is the the simple and nondescipt tower that houses a true marvel of science - Camera Obscura. A simple enough concept using the refraction of light and some stratigically placed mirrors and lenses, this is a highly fasinating way to see the city and its major attractions. Even if science and the art of illusion isn't your thing, just the view from the top of the tower alone is worth the admission fee.

The last place on my must see list was the house of John Knox; leader of the Reformation and founder of the modern Church of Scotland. I was however just too late and my exploration into the beginnings of Protestantism would have to wait for another visit.

Instead, I turned my thoughts to something more worldly and this century and head off to meet up with E for dinner and drinks at the Last Drop Pub in the Grassmarket district. This is in reference to the hangings that used to take place in the nearby square and where (apparently) the poor souls were allowed one last drink before the sentence was carried out. I'm not sure if all of that is true, but I do know that they have a fairly decent selection on tap and some bartenders that are nice and friendly and not to mention easy on the eyes! I do believe I will be paying them a visit sometime again in the near future. After all, history awaits!

The Reality of Myths

2009-09-21T10:20:00.000+01:00

Although Israel had been an absolute blast, Mac and I were very conscious that we didn't really know a lot about our new home. With castles, historic home and ancient sites peppered all over the countryside, there was a lot to pick from and more than enough to keep us exploring for the next two years. And so, as dedicated travel junkies, we had a formidable task at hand!

Operation Explore Scotland began yesterday with a visit to one of Scotland's most famous destinations - Stirling Castle. With frequent bus and train services from both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Stirling Castle and it's surroundings make for a very easy and enjoyable day trip.
On getting to the castle, we were told that it was a special weekend where the castle was hosting a series of workshops and interactive events on life in yester years. We listened to a executioner tell us about life in the torture lane and watched as pretty ladies dressed in their finest court ensembles parade about bestowing us (the gawking peasants) with smiles and curtsies; something that would never have happened in reality, but when the peasants are now paying customers, we'll get all the curtsies and bows that we could ever want.

There was even an improve skit featuring the film William Wallace battle it out with Sir. Andrew Moray, who many believe was the real hero of the battle of Stirling Bridge. The actors were obviously there to have a good time, and the crowd was well entertained!

It is hard to be at Stirling Castle, or for that matter even just in the town of Stirling without running into a couple (hundred) Wallace references. It is easy enough to get caught up in the Hollywood version of the story, and indeed most people will believe that is the actual version. In reality, Wallace the Man is a big mystery since most of what is written about him covers a mere decade of his entire life. The rest, is hearsay based on poems, books and one very well watch blockbuster!

Still, a legend he will remain in the hearts and minds of the Scots and hundreds, nay thousands journey from afar to pay homage to the man (and the myth). An impressive monument to his memory sits high on a hill near Stirling with a commanding view of the countryside that he ;lived for, and died defending.

As part of the weekend's festivities, the nearby Argyll House was also open to us at no extra cost which was a real treat to see an intricately refurbished 15th century house. Hard to imagine that the house had over the years been used first as a military hospital during the Napoleonic era and even a youth hostel as recently as 20 years ago!

With all of the distractions from the events and the side trip to the Argyll House, we barely had enough time to get around and see the actual castle! It didn't really matter a whole lot since I had actually bought a year's membership to the Scottish Historic Trust, which meant unlimited access to any of the locations. Mac and I will be returning soon to get the full impact of that glorious building.

No Cakes, But Still a Whole Lotta Fun

2009-09-05T20:59:00.000+01:00

The travelling trio had been having so many adventures that we hardly realised that it was almost time for our vacation to end. Our last destination was Jaffa, one of the oldest ports in the world. After the oppressive heat of the desert, it was nice to be back by the Mediterranean which felt almost chilly in comparison!

We didn't have a lot of time in Jaffa, but we did manage to see a fair bit of the old town and port region that still had a fleet of fishing boats haul in a daily catch and then walked through what is left of the port region.

We were supposed to meet up with Shutterbug's friends for dinner - the ones we had stayed with on the first night of the trip, but they had a last minute change of plan. So Beans and I wandered over to the beach area where beautiful vistas and a long and peaceful boardwalk awaited us followed by a lovely dinner at one of the restaurants by the beach. Although the food was amazing and the wine delectable, what stood out the most about that dinner was the fact that we had to go through a security check - metal detectors and all - to get into the restaurant. After 10 days in Israel, we'd gotten used to the high levels of security everywhere but this seemed a little extreme. The kicker was when we got the bill there was a 5 shekel charge on there that we couldn't figure out. When we asked the waitress about it she said it was for the security check which apparently we could have refused. So basically, we paid to have ourselves frisked! Now THAT's a new one!
Beans woke up feeling not-so-very good which sorta put the kibosh on any more exploring. I made sure he was comfy back in the hostel and wandered around the bazaars and flea markets near the hostel. VBF had told me about little biscuits called Jaffa Cakes that she totally loved, so I looked everywhere for a little cake to take back for her - an actual Jaffa cake! No such luck, so I went with baklava and other sweeties instead. What I did find instead were Jaffa's most famous export - loads and loads of it!

All too soon it was time to leave for the airport. We did have one last adventure getting there that involved a wrong train and a journey to the far flung suburbs of Tel Aviv, but we did finally make it to the airport and after about a hundred questions from the hawk like security personnel - which included a quizzing on our relationship - we were at the gate, almost at the end of the travels. I say almost because we still had a night's stay in London before catching a train back to Glasgow the next afternoon.

I'll end these notes about our Israel journey with a few shots of some unique signs - found only in Israel. The MNCs are really making an effort!

Shalom.

Review - Ein Gedi Youth Hostel

2009-09-01T09:22:00.000+01:00

A very convenient and reasonably priced hostel that also has private rooms. The rooms are plain, but immaculately clean and well maintained. The staff are quite helpful as well. Breakfast is included in the cost of the room and you can book lunch and dinner for an extra charge. The hostel is just a 15 minute walk away from one of the bathing spots at the Dead Sea - though if you're walking there in the afternoon it can feel more like an hour!
It is easily enough to get to the hostel by bus as most routes from the big cities (both directions) stop just outside the hostel. The buses aren't very frequent, so plan your day carefully.

Keep in mind that if you do not have access to your own transport, it is impossible to do the sunrise Massada walk from this location. The first bus isn't until 8am and unless you want to take a very expensive taxi ride to the start of the hike.

The nature sanctuary is however very convenient. There are several trails that range in difficulty from novice to advanced. The shortest trail is to the David Falls that are sacred falls, so no bathing allowed there. However, there are several other little pools along the way where you can have a nice dip to cool off from the hike.

Contact information:
Beit Sarah, Ein Gedi, Mobile Post
Dead Sea 86980
Israel
Tel. 972-8-658-4165
Fax. 972-8-658-4445
mailto:eingedy@iyha.org.il

Review - Port Inn, Haifa

2009-08-31T17:00:00.000+01:00

After the hellish experience with the hostel in Jerusalem, we figured that any room with finished walls and a toilet that flushed properly would be a vast step up for us. Instead we hit the hostel jackpot finding the Port Inn.

Located just steps from the train station Haifa Merkaz-Ha-Shmona that connects to Tel Aviv and Akko and easily accessible by bus as well. The hostel is a family run establishment and they all make every effort to ensure that their guests have an enjoyable stay. They are always ready to help with answering a question or giving a suggestion about things to do and places to visit.

The hostel itself was absolutely delightful and really well maintained. The dorm rooms were large and airy and we didn't have to pay extra for AC. (They also have a few privates btw). They have free tea and coffee in the shared kitchen and a beautiful garden out back where you can sit down and enjoy your fresh brew.

The hostel is a great location and walking distance from the famous German district with many great restaurants and pubs just staps away.

The only thing that I would say wasn't the best was the internet access we found a wee bit pricey. Other than that, we had an amazing experience there and I would highly recommended the place to anyone going to Haifa.

Contact Information:
Port Inn Guest House
34 Jaffa Road, 33261 Haifa, Israel
Tel: ++972-4-852-4401
Fax: ++972-4-852-1003
Email: port_inn@yahoo.com

A quick shout out to our new German friends Lydia from Bielefeld and Damaris from Neubrandeuburg who we met at the Port Inn. Thanks for the great times that we shared together and I do hope that we will have the opportunity to meet again soon!

The Low Point of the Vacation

2009-08-30T22:11:00.001+01:00

Leaving the rather cushy life in Haifa, Beans and Pixy headed back west. Their destination - the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea. Beans had been looking forward to this the entire trip. Pixy was so-so. Then again, for her it was a been there, done that kinda thing. Still, she was excited to be going on to another destination.

It took almost 4 hours and a bus change to get to Ein Gedi a little town on the shores of the Dead Sea. By the time we got there, it was the hottest part of the day and the heat around us was like nothing I've felt before. Even the Australian outback was polar in comparison. Not wanting to waste any time, they hurried down to the sea, though hurrying was almost impossible in the oppressive heat. Pixy wasn't looking so good, and I was a wee bit worried about her.

Down by the sea, Beans wasted no time jumping in. Though it was more of a careful easing in. The last thing anyone would want to do is splash around and accidentally get any of that nasty salty water in your eyes. Pixy decided to stay firmly on shore and she was relegated to official picture-taker-outer.

And she got some fine shots too! Have a look!
If you think I'm exaggerating about the heat, we checked the temperature board on the way out. It was 5:30 in the evening and the temperature (in the shade) was over 40 degrees C. Pixy looked like she was about to pass out but she did manage a watery smile for the camera.

It wasn't until after dinner when we returned to the room were finally able to get some half decent shots of the Dead Sea. We took these shots from our balcony. That' s Jordan on the other side!
The next morning, we set off to explore the nature reserve which was conveniently located right around the corner from the hostel. We didn't have a whole heap of time, but it was enough to take a little walk up to the waterfalls and bathe in the cool cool loveliness of the natural pools there. Pixy would have probably liked to stay there all afternoon (and for the good part of the night too) but we finally managed to drag her out of the pools as we had a bus to catch taking us out to Jaffa. On the way back down we did see that lone ranger mountain man and an unusually friendly herd of antelope looking animals. There was also a rare sighting of the almost never seen Mooseintree. The other tourists were just spellbound; and no wonder. Magnificient, noble creatures those Mooseintrees.

That's the best part about the wandering life. One just never knows what you'll find around the next corner. Or in this case... up a tree!

Day Trip to Cesarea

2009-08-30T17:28:00.000+01:00

Although Pixy has been doing a terrific job with the updates on our recent trip to Israel, I do feel that I would be most remiss in my role as blog co-author if I didn't step up with some posts of my own. I know that Pixy had really been hoping that we'd get to spend some more time with them, but what with the wedding and all of their family obligations, it was bound to be difficult. Which is why it was amazing that they were not only able to meet up with us, but also take the afternoon to drive us around to visit some places that we might not have otherwise gotten to see.

Our first stop was Zachron Ya'akov which was a beautiful little place just filled with rows and rows of quaint little roadside cafes and restaurants. Lunch was very enjoyable out in the sunshine and after we stopped to try a local speciality. Cactus fruit! Pixy found it a little too sweet but I think Beans enjoyed it quite a bit. That boy really has a big sweet tooth!

When everyone had bellies that were suitably full, we drove along the coast line to Cesarea. Once the hub of trade and commerce in the Mediterranean, it is now a privately owned locality. Which would make sense since all of Israel's rich and famous own property all around the actual heritage site!

It was simply amazing to walk around the site that included not only remnants of the actual port, but also an amphitheatre that is still in use for concerts (they were setting up for one during our visit) AND a hippodrome that Beans insisted was also still in use. The rest of us were not so sure about that. And in case you're wondering just WHAT he's trying in the picture below, it was a fascinating game of find Colum in the columns. In fairness, it was Pixy's daft idea. T'was obvious that she had spent way too much time in the sun.

Sun, Sea and Sand - Haifa in a Nutshell!

2009-08-29T19:53:00.000+01:00

Arriving into Haifa from Jerusalem was like stepping into a whole new world and time frame! After the narrow winding pathways of the old city, Haifa and its wide palm lined roads parallel to the Mediterranean was definitely the Malibu of the country. Which was great, because it was just the place we needed to sit back and relax. And a lot of that sitting back was done at the beach which was a convenient train ride away from our hostel.

While travelling abroad, Mac and I are always on the lookout for opportunities to try out the local fare. And in this case, a local brew with a very familiar name!

Another local favourite is St. Peter's fish name after the region's second favourite son. (Apparently Jehovah fish was considered too blasphemy) As you can see from the pictures, it was good. Very good. (And then I rested)

And speaking of resting, this is what Beans considers bliss on the beach. A deck chair and plenty of rays.
On the other hand, I am often the person most covered up at the beach desperately looking for a scrap of shade. My friends often tease me that I put ON more clothes than I take off when at the beach or by the pool. Me, I'm just trying to make sure that the folks around me are not subjected to flabby girl parts! My idea of beach bliss is a deck chair in the shade and the company of a good book.

And in case you're thinking that this post is entirely too much about the beach and all the time we spent there, take a look at the next picture and you'll see just why it was such a favourite spot. Really, can you blame us for being addicted to these kinds of vistas?

Being in Haifa over Shabbat was a bit of an adventure in itself. It is a very Jewish city and that means everything - simply EVERYTHING - shuts down from around 4ish on the Friday evening to after sundown on the Saturday. The public transit is included in that grouping of everything which means that without a car one is quite helpless! Still, we did manage to do a wee bit of sightseeing as well to the non Jewish places that were open on Shabbat.

The Ba'hai gardens are a big attraction in the city. Made up of a staircase of 19 terraces built into the slopes of Mt. Carmel the gardens are a blend of the symmetry and geometric shapes found in the gardens of France and England blended with Eastern trends of running water and streams. The golden-domed Shrine of the Báb, the resting place of the Prophet of the Bahá’í Faith, stands on the central terrace, looking across the bay towards Akko where he was imprisoned for several years. The gardens are tended by a team of dedicated volunteers - members of the Ba'hai faith who come here to serve a portion of their lifetime as a pilgrimage.

Our guide told us an interesting anecdote about the religion. After the gardens were built, they became a major tourist attraction drawing large numbers to the city and helping to boost the local economy. The city's leaders grateful to the Ba'hai wanted to present the religion with a donation. But the religion forbids outsiders from making donations, so instead they asked the city for one little favour. A tiny thing really.

They asked for the main road directly at the foot of the gardens to be moved 192 cms to the east so that it would align perfectly with the main path through the gardens thereby creating a perfect line out across the bay towards Akko. That's right, the city MOVED THE ROAD and voila, here is the result.

Post gardens, we took a wander up to the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a special location for me since I had spent all of my school years in India at a Carmelite institution. In a burst of sentimentality I lit a candle at the grotto for all of the Carmelites past, present and future.
Done with all the sightseeing, it was back to the beach for a little more of that relaxing around that we just couldn't get enough of. Really, wasn't that what vacationing is all about?

No Room at the Inn(s)

2009-08-28T17:24:00.000+01:00

Thanks to the less than stellar service at the New Palm hostel combined with the tour day from hell, our time in Jerusalem had been a wee bit more than what we'd bargained for. We needed to move on to the next destination. So when we got back at the despicable establishment (otherwise known as our hostel) after the Galilee trip (otherwise known as the debacle), we got online and began looking.

We knew that visiting the Dead Sea was an absolute must, but getting a booking anywhere near there was just impossible. We tried Ein Gedi, Ein Bokek, Massada; all were full. We even tried Eilat in the very south of the country, but the only hotels available there were far far far out of our budget. Finally, we landed a break and managed to get a room at the Youth Hostel in Ein Gedi for the Sunday night. But everything in the vicinity was full up for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

In desperation, I suggested Haifa. Not on our intended visit list at all and totally out of the way and the in the opposite direction from where we wanted to be headed! An online search gave us the name of the Port Inn hostel but we couldn't book online. So Beans ran downstairs to a payphone and Alleluia.... there was room for two weary travellers!

We had a destination and a new page in the adventure book was opened.