Highlands Day 2 - Thursday

I'm not sure why these are posted as a link, but anyway. This day started much later than it should have, but we were on holiday. Something I might say that you work very hard for in the States that is more or less just handed to you here. A full time employee gets 5 weeks paid holiday right off the bat.

So we swung back by La Sandwicherie for some more rolls and typed in Inverness on the GPS (called a Sat Nav here) and we were off. Took us about 3 hours to get from Glasgow to Inverness. Truth be told we actually drove through Inverness and onto Loch Ness. Here is the picture tour because words aren't good enough.






The photos to the left here are of my father and I at the famous Loch Ness. If you look in the background you can clearly see Nessie in the water. I actually saw her twice. I don't understand why people think she's so scarce. I think the bigger secret than Nessie's existance is really that she's here all the time, and it's how can they keep so many people quiet. So that is for what it's worth. I don't get it though.

We hoped back in the car and took another 3 hour journey up to John O'Groats, the most Northern point of Scotland. I actually got to drive for about an hour when we got near the place. There is absolutely nothing there except the end of the world. The place had some toilets and a chippie (fish and chips shop) all of which was closed down by the time we got there. We arrived just in time to watch the last bit of the sun go down. The entire next blog will be devoted to pictures of John O'Groats. I want to do it without words to create a silence similar to what is was like there. There was NOTHING there. The neat thing about going into the highlands (which aren't really that high, it's more like what "the bush" is to Africa. You really go back in time. You can see farmers tending sheep and farmland. and little light burning in houses made completely of stone. so now, an Ode to St. John O'Groats.

But before I do that let me finish our trip. John O'Groats was the highlight, but from there we drove back down to Inverness and spent the night at Premier Inn, which was anything but. We took the next day to drive around the west coast of the island and swing down through Dundee and Fife and St. Andrews where we stopped to see the Old Course. We continued on past Edinburgh to Glasgow again where we saw another football match and got to see some family. I'm really tired after this whole trip, but it's been super great.

The Highlands Day 1 - Wednesday Part 2

I'm back from the Sea. David and I take the dogs out most nights to the River Almond (pronounced Amman) to let them stretch their legs since they are rather large dogs.

Now were off to Celtic Park, or Parkhead. Scotland hosts a number of football clubs, but two of them stand above the rest. Celtic and Rangers. They come in first and second every year in the league since it began. They are both based in Glasgow, Scotland and Celtic is a Catholic team and Rangers is the protestant team. Dad and I are Celtic fans because that's how he grew up. We got to tour the park and see the locker room and the pitch (or the field). The tour was great and it was very neat seeing all of this stuff in real life. We were almost a part of an international scandal as my Dad puts it because while we were in the locker room someone had taken a jersey from one of the players named Nakamura. Turned out it was just a photographer.

During this journey to Parkhead, we got to see where my Granny grew up and lived. it was very surreal being in such as place. I never knew where my Granny had grown up before. We took pictures in front of the house, which I don't have for you now.

Afterwards we left off for the hotel and got ready for the match. The line-up was Scotland vs. Croatia. It was a neat experience with all of the fans, but the game was nothing special to me and the fans had nothing on the Old Firm Match (Celtic vs. Rangers) that I saw on Saturday, but we'll get to that. There is a thing called the Hampden Roar. It is said to have been heard from MILES away. Flower of Scotland is the anthem of Scotland. anyway, that was the game. and after that was sleep. I felt so Scottish.

Onward. So sorry you are receiving these in reverse, but it builds character.

Highlands Day 1 - Wednesday

Now you'll have to forgive me, but I will attempt to write about all that My father and I did during our 4 day trip around Scotland. I will try and put up pictures. Like this one:See. Arthur Conan Doyle. He's a writer. Short sentence.

Wednesday started early with a trip to the passport office in Glasgow. Map. I am enclosing a link to this map so you can follow our travels. Right click it and open it in a new window so you can switch between the map and the blog. Continuing. We were in and out of the passport office for Dad's passport renewal even before our appointed time. It was incredibly fast. Where are told to come back 4 hours later to pick it up. Imagine that.....a passport in 4 hours. We also recieved news that we would need my parents marriage certificate to get mine. That will take the normal 4-6 weeks and may require an interview. I breathe a sigh of relief as normalcy was achieved.

I have gained a new affection for a breakfast that rivals America's biscuits. (but not your's, Mom.) The Bacon Egg Roll. It's basically a piece of bacon, which is closer to country ham than our bacon and an egg. (thats a real egg too. they make it to order.) basically on a roll. Its delicious. I had my share during this trip. A true Scottish delicacy. I really like the food over here. There is nothing like a good pie (unless you serve it with Bovril, but that comes later.)

From La Sandwicherie, we went over to the Glasgow city centre where I got a new battery for my mac, which I am very excited about. My battery power went from 1.25 hours to 4 hours. anywho, that's not that interesting. Father and I had lunch at the Filling Station, an American restaurant. We were not impressed.

After that we were headed to Parkhead, Home of my Granny and the greatest football (soccer) team in all of Scotland. But first I must walk the dogs.

See ya soon.

CLIFFHANGER............................