Isle of Skye

Last weekend a group of us from school went to the Isle of Skye. (Since I will likely use their names from hereafter without explanation, those who went are Steffi, who set it all up, Stephen, Katie, and also Katie's brother Nate.)

The roads to get there are very twisty and mostly two lane highways. According to GPS calculations we should have made it in 4-5 hours, but it took at least 6. Unfortunately we arrived well after dark. I got out of the car, knowing the cottage was right on the coast, saying I bet the view was going to be fantastic, but at that moment we really couldn't see anything.

Our wee cottage was adorable. More like a cabin in it's decor of open rafters and pine paneling. It slept six people and even had a little loft space which we dubbed the tea loft.

Nate with his tea in the 'tea loft.'

This is the view from our cottage. It was on the southern most peninsula, called Sleat which is known as 'The Garden of Skye' and our cottage was located in the teeny village of Ord. Ord is only accessible via a windy one lane road populated with sheep. It sits on the west coast of the Sleat Peninsula overlooking Loch Eishort. (Don't be fooled by the name Loch. Loch can be an inland lake or what we would call a salt water bay. This one is a bay.)

On Saturday we went to the Fairy Pools in the foothills of the Cuillins Mountains. These often crop up in lists of beautiful must-see nature from around the world. It was worth the trip.

Hi, Stephen!

It's not a bad hike, a couple miles or so. Some places you have to cross the stream using rocks, but it's not deep in those spots, so it's not scary or anything. 

Katie and Steffi fording the stream. :)

The water streams down out of the mountains and tumbles into various pools which are brilliantly clear blue. 

That's not reflected rock you see; that is rock under the shallow water. The deeper blue color is the deeper water.

'Cause we are a bit crazy, we got in them. 'Cause who doesn't want to touch the Fairy Pools?

Lest you think that water is warm, just look at Steffi's face. Polar plunge.

Katie, Steffi, and Nate completely submerged.

I really didn't have the right attire, so I just got in.

Stephen, our only Scot on the trip, ran away from us and our craziness lest he be tainted by such nonsense. :)

Then it was time to warm up with some whiskey tasting in Carbost at the Talisker Distillery. 

Don't they look so serious? Don't buy it for a minute!

I don't like whiskey. Knew that going in, and this didn't change my opinion. But I did learn a couple things. Like the craze for drinking whiskey neat is nonsense because adding water opens up the flavors. And because you should add water, it is usually cold-filtered so that it does not cloud up when water is added.

After that we went to the Gaelic College (yep, that's a thing) to pick up Steffi's friend Nat (not to be confused with Nate) and then went to Dunscaith Castle, which is now in ruins. It was built in the 13th Century. If you want to believe the colorful legend, it was built for the Celtic goddess Scathach, "the Shadowy One" and completed in one night. Dunscaith means Dun of the Shadow.

It was lovely, and did look like the stuff of legends.

To get to the castle we had to walk across a moor. The part near the coast line looked like this, potted with little pools of water and strewn with rocks:

On Sunday, we drove back to Glasgow, but we had a couple stops along the way.

One last look at our view from the cottage on a misty morning.

First we went to Eilean Donan Castle. It was first fortified in the 13th Century and changed many times over. The Macrae family restored it and has held it in private ownership since the early 1900s. 

Some proper Scottish weather we were having.

We also stopped in Glencoe, which I had visited on my trip to the Highlands last time. It was really cool to see it again after some heavy rains. There's always these streams and waterfalls coming down the mountains, but they were much bigger and faster this time.

It was a very long weekend, but a lot of fun. We saw so much that was just so beautiful. In fact we kept commenting on the awesomeness of the scenery, and realizing the inadequacy of language to express our awe, that it became a joke to just say, "It's not bad." or "It's all right." 

Kilts were involved in the making of this post.

Classes finally began this past week. In some ways it seems very similar to what classes were like in the States; just a very abbreviated, condensed semester. I am still concerned about finding something particularly useful to research while I am over here, but all I can do is keep looking into things and see what happens. My advisor seems interested in helping me sort things out and find resources so that is good.

Just before classes began, I explored a bit of the West End. I went to the Botantic Gardens. Although I didn't expect to find it in all its splendor, I wasn't all that excited about the grounds. It's clearly a popular place to sit and read or chat. Just when I was feeling a little bummed about the place, I went into one of the conservatories. It was beautiful. I was divided into zones such as desert, tropical rainforest, etc. The variety of plants and divisions of climates was really great (if at times oppressively hot!). 

After that conservatory, I went to the Kibble Palace, another conservatory in the garden. This one was more focused on artistic beauty mixing plants with sculpture. Also impressive, but I think I liked the other conservatory better.

The gardens has its own tea room. It was a gorgeous day so I sat on the patio and enjoyed tea and a scone with preserves and clotted cream. I'm a huge fan of clotted cream. :) It's hard to not feel totally civilized while enjoying your own personal pot of tea with accoutrements and a scone in a garden.

Then I window-shopped my way to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. The West End is full of neat little shops, but I wanted to refrain from the temptation to spend money. The gallery is huge. I only went through two galleries. I was a bit worn out from all my walking up to that point, and I saw a Cezanne that just made me feel all tingly. When a painting speaks to me, I sometimes would prefer to just relish that experience and leave rather than try to see everything and in the end remember little because of trying to take in too much. Especially when I know I can go back and see more.

The central gallery. I liked the mix of classic architecture with the modern art installation.

There were quotes painted on the walls throughout the galleries and this one just made me laugh.

My latest adventure was attending a Scottish wedding reception this weekend. A friend of my flatmate who was the one getting married invited me to come along. In many ways it was very similar to an American reception, except that a bunch of the men were in kilts. I guess I should first explain that it is very typically to have the ceremony, then cocktails, then dinner, and then a reception where additional people are often invited. 

Like any wedding reception there was dancing and the bar. In Scotland people buy rounds. So most of my drinks were paid for by others, but of course I bought a round as well. There were six people in my group so that meant we drank a minimum of six drinks each. It is very hard to keep up with Scots! Thankfully they served bacon rolls and cake as well.

And, funny enough, even though about a quarter of the men there were in kilts, I mostly have pictures of them from the waist up. Oops. But here are David and Kirsty, who were surprised how nice and normal I was considering I am an American. :)

And apologies for blurriness.

The tartan comes down through your mother's line. So because David's mother was a Watson, that is the tartan he wears. Sometimes these are actual heirlooms passed through families. However, now, apparently it is just as common to rent a kilt for an event and then you would just pick one to wear. So not every tartan you see truly indicates lineage anymore.

The Loch Lomond song, which I mentioned before, was played and everyone sang and held hands and danced in and out of the circle with the bride and groom in the middle. It was a rousing affair.

And, before I forget, -- I could have sworn I said this to everyone before I left, but it seems to be forgotten -- do not buy me Christmas presents this year. Really. The Royal Mail isn't terribly good at handling mail, it seems. I won't have any room in my luggage to bring anything you would send back home, and it seems really silly to have something sent to our home address and it waits until May when I can open it. So I really don't need presents this year. Also, unless you make arrangements with Matt don't worry about the boys either. They won't be there to accept packages for most of the month.     

By Yon Bonnie Banks

Yesterday was a looooonnnnng day of touring the Highlands - over 300 miles covered in just under 12 hours. I was exhausted, but it was truly a taste of the Highlands.

Now, I have to say my pictures won't do it justice. Pictures you have seen anywhere won't do it justice. It looks like nothing I have ever seen before and is truly worth seeing in person. Our guide kept saying it was bleak with rubbish vegetation. But in the bleakness was beauty. Though one of the funniest moments was our guide saying, "Now imagine this bleakness in the winter. It's just difficult to even survive. Not pleasant at all.... Oh, just over there is a ski resort that does nice business." 

We left Glasgow at 8 am and drove first to Loch Lomond. We had some nice views and the chance to buy a coffee or something and then drove on. We got to hear the folk song about Loch Lomond as well. Our driver said any drunk Scotsman will sing it for us whether we want him to or not. :) 

I took all sort of pictures with my camera, then at the last moment snapped one with my phone to share quickly on facebook. Naturally the best of the lot was the one taken with my phone! sigh.

We stopped occasionally for a stretch and various scenic views of the Highlands. 

My favorite was Glencoe. Glencoe is the site where the Campbells massacred the MacDonalds on orders from the English who wanted to make an example of someone to instill loyalty to the crown after Highland rebellions. The Campbells used Highland Hospitality to gave entrance and then murdered them. It's the use of the code of hospitality that bothered people the most, as warring wasn't uncommon. To this day the Campbells are not welcome in the area and that event happened in 1692.

The history is interesting, but I just found the area to be beautiful. The mountains known as the Three Sisters of Glencoe provided the background scenery to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. The photos don't even begin to capture the unique beauty.

I also realize that it is hard to understand the scale so the following picture shows hikers in the lower left. Those faint little dots of red and blue are people down in the valley that separated our lookout point from the mountains.

We also saw the plain where they built Hagrid's hut for the movies, but when filming was done they tore it down, so it's just and empty field now. From there we traveled on to Fort Augustus which is at the end of Loch Ness. We had lunch. A couple from the tour invited me to join them and then paid for my meal. It was very nice of them! Fort Augustus has locks to link Loch Ness through the river to Loch Oich, which then links on all the way to the sea. It was a lovely little village.

 

I'm standing at the middle of the locks and the water in the background is Loch Ness.

From there we journeyed up the coast of Loch Ness where we joined a boat tour. Well, first we stopped for an up close look at Highland cattle. They are shaggy and rather small.

 

Don't know these people; I used them for scale. :)

This one was clearly interested in talking with us as she stayed at the fence the whole time.

The Loch is huge. I never realized how big it is. Not only is it 23 miles long, it is very deep - several places as much as 750 ft. deep. Our guide said that if you took all the fresh water lochs of England and Wales, you still don't have enough water to fill up Loch Ness. 

Our boat tour, Jacobite Cruises, had indoor and outdoor seating which was nice because the weather was windy and a bit drizzly so I sat inside. We went up to Urqhart Castle, which is best seen from the water.

We then went up through Inverness which was rather quaint even though there really was a blend of old and modern. We didn't really do anything there though.

On our way home we stopped in Pitlochry which was rather quaint but clearly drawing on tourism. There were lots of little shops, but most actually closed by 5 pm. That was strange to me, an American, who can't imagine businesses not staying open when so many tours were coming through. But I bought chips and gravy from the little Fish 'n Chips shop which was good, but not as good as Canadian poutine. :)

We went by Stirling Castle, but as the sun was setting I couldn't get a good picture of it from the road. I plan to do a proper visit there later anyway. We did get to hear all about William Wallace and Robert the Bruce and how Braveheart is so completely inaccurate right down to the name. Braveheart was the nickname of Robert the Bruce not William Wallace.

So, that was my very long whirlwind tour of the highlands. Here's the link to the tour description if you are interested: Rabbie's Tours.     

Cathedral, Necropolis, and Oldest Glasgow House

Today I saw the Glasgow Cathedral.

The Necropolis, which is a very high point in the city and you can see for miles on a clear day.

I wish you tell from the picture just how far you could see and how much detail of the city and the hills was visible.

I also toured St. Mungo's Museum of Religion and Life. It was very interesting that they blended the artwork of many religious traditions in one gallery, separated more by timeline than by place of origin. It gave a sense of what was happening worldwide.

And then there is a little house that is thought to be the oldest house in Glasgow. Very low ceilings. Even I had to watch my head.

The back garden, which was done later, was really quite nice. 

Breakfast of Champions or er, um, Some People

So, I am now a registered student. That's a step in the right direction. I just wish I had a course schedule. It's so weird how I can't just log and do that sort of thing. Different system than the US for sure.

Yesterday I wandered around with Katie (she is also here from CMU). We walked to the West End and back. Saw Kelvingrove Park and a bit of Glasgow University (another major university), and had lunch at Brew Dogs. The 5AM Red Ale was the best beer I've had since arriving. Not that I have had so very much, but it was the best flavor. The draft beer is interesting because they have to pump the taps. It looks like a lot of work for a beer. The food was good, but really I've noticed all the restaurant food is a bit pricey. I think I will have to limit how much I eat out (or at least find the good cheap take out places. :) ).

Had the classic breakfast at the Royal Scotsman. So what I took for a Scottish breakfast, I have since been informed was truly an English breakfast due to the lack of blood pudding or haggis and also lack of a potato scone. Um, it was thick, heavy, and overmuch for me no matter which country wants to claim it. I won't be doing that again. In case it's not understood by the picture, the breakfast included an egg, toast, bacon (but it's more like Canadian bacon), sausage, baked beans, and half a warmed tomato. I don't know. They really like baked beans here. It's strange to me, partly because they don't have the same rich flavor beans have in the states. At least they gave me brewed coffee! Tea reigns supreme here and that is delicious. However, the predominant coffee -- instant coffee -- is not really coffee. :(

Hmm. That sounds as if I'm just complaining. Actually, I'm having a nice time. I think I was always skeptical of the food situation before coming. Different strokes and all that. 
 
  

Bits and Pieces

Duke of Wellington statue to which the Glasgweegians added a traffic cone hat. Outside Museum of Modern Art in Royal Exchange Square.

I read somewhere that when you spend too much time focused on photographing a trip or event you actually inhibit your ability to create memories of it. Matt and I always did have the philosophy to enjoy an experience first, and remember to take pictures second. I suppose that's how I'm operating at the moment because the last few outings I didn't even think to take out my camera.

I'll try to better sharing photos though since I do know it's a great way for you all to share the experience.

I'm a little homesick. It's easier not to be when I am out and seeing new things, but when I'm cooking dinner not in my kitchen or doing laundry or falling asleep alone, these are the moments when it's hardest. But that said, I'm doing okay and enjoying much about my time here.

Over the weekend I met up with my friend Becky who is from the area and she showed me around the city center, and a bit of the west end. She also got me into the library so I could see where the things I would likely need are located. We can't get in without a student ID, so it was kind of awesome that I got that help from her. It was really nice to catch up as well.

Yesterday I went into town on my own and wandered a bit. I was going to check out the Necropolis, but I wanted to find a good map of Glasgow first so I went to George Square and didn't find a map. Oh, well. I wandered over to Royal Exchange Square and went into the Museum of Modern Art or GoMA as it is called. It was a lovely museum. I really enjoyed a couple pieces and plan to go back for another visit soon. I then met up with my roommate who was nearby shopping and helped her in her hunt for shoes. That didn't work out either. I never did make it over to the Necropolis, but that's fine. It will be there another day.

Today I have decided it is a work day. Classes have not begun and I can't even register until Thursday, so it wont' be until next week that I feel settled with a schedule and routine. But I have some writing that I want to get done. So I did a load of laundry and will soon start working.

Matt asked me what sorts of things are hardest to adjust to, so here's a list of a few things:

• Doors need keys. If I lock the house door, I can't get out without using the key. I suppose that helps with not locking yourself out, but let's pray for no fires. However, the windows don't have screens so I guess that's a quick way out. ;)
• Tickets for everything! Single fare on a bus? Take a ticket. Taking the subway? You'll need your ticket not only to get in, but also to get out (have to swipe it both ways. Apparently this is to cut down on litter. I explained our token system, but that didn't make sense to them). Riding the train and about to get off at the next stop? Here's your ticket.
• No hot water. Since there are not water heaters with standing hot water in most places, you turn on the hot water tap and it's just as cold as the cold tap. It will eventually warm up but not in time for hand washing. This is why we have an electric shower. It's sort of like the on-demand systems in the US, but a little different. 

Oh, and I've had a few questions about the election aftermath. The "riot" in George Square was not as big as it's made out to be. It was just some hardcore people on both sides yelling a bit, throwing a few things, lighting a few flares/fireworks, and singing songs at each other. It was over in a few hours. Most people here on either side are completely embarrassed about it and had hoped that everyone would accept the results with grace. The vast majority has accepted the outcome with grace and dignity. Some of the photos shared, in an effort to stir resentments, were actually of the the London riots of a couple years ago. So, be skeptical. I'm perfectly safe here. No worries.