The End of Reading Week (Week 6)

Wednesday and Thursday (Feb 13 & 14) were pretty uneventful. I was a bit of a hermit recovering from my Highland adventures and trying to work on my project. Also skyping with Andrew, friends and family.

Friday Feb 15

Bangers and Mash Dinner

I emerged from my room to go over to Rebecca and Lorna's for a meal of bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes). I had never eaten sausage before but the whole meal was very tasty and filling. It was a small crowd, just Rebecca, Lorna, Anna, Kennedy, Adrienne and I. I also got to meet Tim, Rebecca's boyfriend who was visiting. Lorna eventually left to pick up her grandparents at the airport, they were visiting for the weekend. They're all so lucky to be close enough to visit so easily! It was a nice night. We spent the night in just talking and hanging out. Rebecca and Tim also broke out a cheese platter and grapes. So classy! 

Saturday Feb 16 

A Beach and a Castle!

Today, Adrienne, Kennedy and I went to Ayr, a small town south of Glasgow. It's a coastal town and we heard of a castle nearby. So we took a 10:00am train from Glasgow Central and about an hour later we were in Ayr. Along the way we had passed the Glasgow Preswick airport and many green rolling hills dotted with sheep :) Ayr was an adorable historical town. We walked around a bit not knowing where to go first. We stumbled across the Tourist Information Center and decided to just accept we were out of our element! We really wanted to see the castle and we found out it was about a 45 minute bus ride out of Ayr. So there would be no walking there! So we grabbed a bus schedule as reference and decided to catch a glimpse of the ocean.

 

Along the way we took some pictures of some things of interest. We got really funny looks by all the passersby. Apparently they don't get a whole lot of tourist/art students with big bulky cameras. Ayr definitely seems like a small town where everyone knows everyone else. Ultimately, Adrienne and her iPhone saved the day once again! Fortunately, with her role as navigator we made it to the shoreline. We were all giddy, the ocean! I think we all could be happily referred to as beach bums. We took our time walking down the beach, just reveling in the sea air and the sound of the waves. We walked in the direction of some lovely cliffs we wanted to explore but we realized it was just too far to walk. Instead we decided to focus our immediate efforts in getting to Culzean Castle.

With Google Maps leading the way we made our 20 minute walk to the nearest bus stop on the appropriate route. It was a bit of a walk (after our one around town and the beach) but we also knew we'd be sitting on the bus for awhile so there would be time to rest. We found our stop and we waited for the bus. 15 minutes after it's due time it decided to show up (reminds me of Philly buses!). Glasgow buses cost £1.85 for a flat-rate anywhere in the city. So we expected it to be under £2, I personally though it would be like £1.50 figuring it was a small town, not big city Glasgow. Instead we get on the bus and are told it's £3.40 to our stop! Very unexpected, so we found ourselves scrambling for change. We got it worked out and made our way to some seats.

We got dropped off at our stop and it was a 15 minute walk up the castle grounds itself. Lots of walking! But it would prove worth it! We were in awe at the first part we saw which turned out to only be the visitor center! It looked like an old mission building of some sort. After admiring the view of the ocean, and appreciating how much ground we covered on the bus we walked to the castle itself. It was beautiful. There was a castle, a clock tower, garden and greenhouse. Unfortunately we weren't allowed inside the castle but there was plenty to see from the outside. There was also a sign for a swan lake and the Eisenhower Apartments which we never quite found. Apparently, the Eisenhower Apartment was given to Dwight D. Eisenhower in recognition of his role of Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during WWII. Very cool! After taking our leisurely walk around the castle grounds we started to make our way back to Ayr via bus. Next, we needed to find some food!

The Visitor Center

The Castle

View from the Castle Wall 

(we were looking at the same peninsula from the beach in Ayr....the other side. It would have been a LONG walk!)

The Clocktower

The Gardens

For dinner we chose this nice historical tavern in Ayr called, "Tam O'Shanter". It's actually the restaurant of an inn that was established in 1749. A nice little place, though they warned us they were out of a couple things on the menu. So Adrienne ordered the Haggis & Chicken Pie and Kennedy ordered a Shrimp & Mushroom Pasta. I ordered the Lasagna, but when they told me they were out I chose my more adventurous choice, the Cajun Chicken Crepe. Adrienne & Kennedy got tomato soup to start and generously shared the accompanying bread with me, we were all so hungry! We hadn't gotten lunch and we'd been walking all day. I don't even like tomato soup but after trying a sip of Adrienne's I could agree with them both that it was the best tomato soup any of us had ever tasted. Our food came and it was all so delicious! My crepe was fantastic, though I had to get used to the spiciness. Throughout our meal, the elderly man at the next table would talk to us occasionally. He realized we weren't Scottish and asked where we were from. He was very difficult to understand due to his accent, but we had also seen him have a few drinks. It was a bit awkward. A waiter helped him out of the restaurant, I believe partly because of his age and also his current drunken state. It was certainly an experience encountering him!

After an overall enjoyable meal, we sat talking as Adrienne and Kennedy sipped their beers. Around us, employees of the restaurant were putting the chairs on tables and cleaning the place up for the night. It couldn't have been later than 6pm but we could take a hint. It's always a bit tricky figuring out how to pay here so we made our way to the front of the restaurant. The bill was already printed so there would be no paying separately by card. Since I just got water to drink I didn't meet the £10 minimum for paying by card. So after a bit of fumbling, we all managed to pay with cash for our items on the bill. Our waitress had been pleasant all night but now she had an attitude. We're not sure if she was frustrated with our fumbling to pay the bill or the fact we were the last ones to leave the restaurant. Oh well! Can't worry about it now, but it was a shame to end of a foul note after such a great experience there.

We made our way back to the train station, our train was at the platform about 15 minutes early so we just got on and made ourselves comfortable. We had the train car to ourselves and we were ready to get some sleep. After a glorious 5 mins of silence, a group of 20/30 year-olds came on the train with bottles and bottles of booze. Very bizarre, nothing like that happens at home or is "allowed" to happen at home. But they didn't even hide it when the guy came to check tickets. I guess that's allowed here? I think we all managed to doze despite the noise, we were THAT tired. 

Walking home on Sauchiehall Street, we heard something I found really encouraging. I could hear a man speaking on a mic and I was worried about what he could be saying. We walked closer and I saw a sign that read something like "Jesus Christ is Lord", sadly this, even as a Christian, sparked fear in me. Too often these "street preachers" stand on their soapboxes and preach only fire and brimstone and all the audience burning in hell as sinners. That kind of preaching gives Christians a bad name. That's what I expected so I braced myself. However this guy was preaching grace that he himself needed and received and was explaining how that forgiveness he received was due to Christ's sacrifice. It was encouraging that someone was telling the true story, hell is in the scripture but it certainly isn't the focus of the scripture. I'm so grateful for this man and I walked home with a smile on my face. 

Highlands: Day 1 (Inverlochy to Inverness)

NOTE: These tour posts were originally written in a notebook as everything was happening. So they'll seem kind of random, jumping from one thing to another. There was a lot of information and places to cover! Thank goodness I did because I never would have remembered it all! Since it was two very busy days I think I'll break them into 4 posts to make them a little more manageable!

So this is Day 1, Part 2! (missed Part 1?)
Monday, Feb 11 (Continued)

Inverlochy Castle

Next Inverlochy, where the ruins of Inverlochy Castle remain after the Battle of Inverlochy. We've been very fortunate to have such a clear day. While we can't see the top of Ben Nevis, we see more than most tours are able to. We made a pit stop at Speanbridge Mill. Next we saw the Commando Memorial for the special forces that train in the area. This entire area is known as the Great Glen. Loch Lochy is the first loch of Great Glen. We left Cameron country and entered MacDonnell country. A small weak clan, they joined the MacDonalds as a sect of their clan. 

The Commando Memorial overlooking the Great Glen

We stopped at the Seven Heads monument. Seven Councilmen tried to betray their clan and their headless bodies were thrown down the well. An excavation in the 1800s proved the fact in the legend. It was situated beside Loch Oich. Further along we entered the town of Fort Augustus and came upon Loch Ness. We got off the bus by the water and took some pictures. No monsters but we have a 26 miles drive along the banks of the Loch so plenty of time to catch a peek! As we drove along, our guide put on Led Zepplin. Apparently Jimmy Page had lived on Loch Ness for a time. Earlier he had put on Paolo Nutini for Glasgow and Gaelic music for the rest of our drive. The next stop will be Urquhart Castle or the ruins of it because it was burnt down in a fire. It was closed so we just got some pictures of it from the parking lot above. We drove through Drumnadrochit with their Nessieland. We pulled in the Loch Ness Visitor Centre and got some pictures with "Nessie". It's the same one that my family got pictures with 15 years ago!

Seven Heads Monument

Loch Ness (AKA The most boring loch we've seen on the tour)

Urquhart Castle

Me and Nessie - 2013
(unfortunately handing off fancy cameras to others gets you unfocused...)

It was getting a bit dusky and we're hoping to make it up to Inverness before nightfall. We ended up driving around Inverness in low light. It looks like a nice city. We even saw a Chinese New Year celebration. Dave said the Chinese population here is very small so these folks are probably from Glasgow. He dropped me and a women named Terri (from Sydney, Australia) at the hostel and told us they'd pick us up at 9am the next day. The couple from Manitoba, the couple from Hong Kong, and Dave, our guide were staying at at B&B.

Drive-by of Inverness and Chinese New Year Celeberations

After settling in at the hostel, Terri and I decided to go out exploring. It was dark but Dave had said there was a path across the Ness Islands (here in the River Ness), which was all lit up nice. He said it was actually a better walk at night so off we went. I wasn't terribly impressed with the "lights" but the walk was quite nice. We made our way back & went to the Castle Tavern. It was a pub right next to our hostel and recommended by Dave. I got a veggie burger (cheapest meal on the menu). The patty was literally a breaded, fried exterior filled with peas, carrots, and corn all in mash potatoes (!!?!?). Tasty but unexpected. 

Some of the nicer lights along our walk

The Castle Tavern

We came back to the hostel after some nice conversations over dinner. I had a quick FaceTime with my family to check-in but then it was time to get ready for bed. I also had to delete some photos. I only had 150 left for tomorrow because I've been taking RAW format too. I also would like to walk around with Terri tomorrow before we leave at 9 and explore Inverness.

Highlands: Day 1 (Glasgow to Glen Nevis)

NOTE: These tour posts were originally written in a notebook as everything was happening. So they'll seem kind of random, jumping from one thing to another. There was a lot of information and places to cover! Thank goodness I did because I never would have remembered it all! Since it was two very busy days I think I'll break them into 4 posts to make them a little more manageable!

So this is Day 1, Part 1!
Monday, Feb 11

I managed to get to George Square early & sighted the bus, so I took a few pictures of the square. Then I made my way to the bus. They were waiting for me actually. Apparently I was the only one departing from Glasgow. Our light-hearted tour guide, Dave introduced himself and gave me my miniature of whiskey that was included in the tour (despite already getting one from another passenger). Our first destination is Loch Lomond & the town of Luss. Along the motorway, we saw the stadiums of the 2 Glasgow football teams (soccer), the Celtic and the Rangers. We also passed Paisley, the origin of the pattern. Dave recommended the Abbey there but laughed about the "Lagoon Centre" advertised on the sign. Apparently it's just a disappointing wave pool. We then passed Dumbarton which has a large volcanic rock and castle. Dumbarton is the capital of the Clyde , the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Mary, Queen of Scots was kept there before being raised in France to keep the monarchy Catholic. The Highland clearances  changed the landscape of Scotland forever. The landlords raised the rent on tenant farmers because it was more profitable to raise sheep. The farmers moved to the New World and Scottish cities. In a sad case of irony, most sheep are actually raised in the south of Scotland now. 

Loch Lomond was the first Scottish national park, primarily because so many tourists were already visiting it. Luss is a slate town where the slate was excavated for roof shingles. Luss was a town in ruins that was actually reconstructed and now most of the buildings are private residences (particularly holiday homes). We also passed the statue known as "Wee Peter", a Peter Pan figure on a pedestal in the water of the loch. We got off the bus and walked around the quaint town a bit. I walked to the dock, it was all so lovely but so cold!

The excursion in Luss

Next was Ben Lomond, the mountain from which the Loch gets its name ("Ben" is the English version of a Gaelic word for hill/mountain). After passing Ben Lomond, we enter the Highlands, passing the fault line.  Rob Roy MacGregor causes a lot of tourism in the area. The MacGregors were a violent clan & were outlawed by James VI. If you killed a MacGregor, you got their land. They were known as "Children of the Mist" and "the Clan with No Name". Rob Roy took the name Campbell, the children of the MacGregors took the clan names of their mothers. Glen Falloch has some waterfalls & a cute little historical inn from the 1700s, the Drovers Inn. Our guide is actually staying there in a few weeks. We passed Ben Moore ("Big Hill") and Crianlarich. Here the signs are in Gaelic THEN English! Dalrigh is where the MacDougalls defeated Robert the Bruce. 

Glimpses from the bus window

We stopped at The Green Welly for lunch. It's this nice little rest stop with a restaurant-cafeteria and gift shops in Tyndrum. Our next sightseeing stop was Glen Coe, beautiful but with the macabre history of being where the Campbells massacred the MacDonalds. The scenery is beautiful, it's hard to imagine a gorgeous place could be the scene of such violence. We utilized a pull-off overlooking the Black Mount Estate. The ground everywhere here is brown with heather, not turning purple until April or so. We see the start of Glen Coe Mountains around Rannoch Moor. 

Near Black Mount Estate and Rannoch Moor

We got out to walk around once we reached Glen Coe. After the quick and beautiful hike, we passed through the village of Glen Coe. Apparently a sign outside the pub in town says, "Absolutely no hill walking shoes. No Campbells allowed on the premise." Haha I guess you can forgive but it's in your best interest never to forget! Dave pointed out the local youth hostel which he says is quite nice. Oh and our hike through Glen Coe wasn't particularly peaceful, a guy with a power tool was working on the stone barricade of the parking lot. So the pictures are actually a lot more serene than the actual experience! 

Views from the brief hike around Glen Coe

We passed Loch Leven and the small island within it Eilean Munde. The island is also known as "the Isle of the Dead" and is where the victims of the massacre are buried. We also passed a standing stone circa 500 which marks where St. Colombo crossed into the mainland. Dave also mentioned Iona, the island where the Scottish kings are buried. I'm feeling sick from the winding roads and have lost my lens cap. :(  Our major destination is Fort William. Fort William was originally known as Inverlochy & Gordon's Town. We passed Ben Nevis, the highest summit in Britain. The Jacobite Express, which was used as the Hogwarts Express is here, so lots of Harry Potter fans come up to this area. 1/4 of the population speaks Gaelic here and a lot of these are folks who came from the Isle of Skye to find work. 

Marker for the landing of St. Colombo

We made a detour in Glen Nevis where a bit of Braveheart was filmed. We found some grassy knolls to climb for a better view of the glen but it was terrifyingly windy!  First time in my life I actually feared the wind would knock me off my feet! (I should have learned from history that grassy knolls tend to be dangerous.) So needless to say I didn't appreciate the view as much as I would have liked. The Wishing Stone is off the side of road as we make our way back to our charted course. Legend is that it levitated and rotates 360 degrees before it settles back down. If you see it you get a wish that comes true.

The grassy knoll

The view from atop the grassy knoll

The Wishing Stone
(not an artsy photo, literally the best I got from the bus window)

Feb 11 to be continued in Part 2 (Inverlochy to Inverness) !

Week 5 in Review

Monday, Feb 4

Travel Distractions

Today I got literally nothing done for my schoolwork. I'm trying to plan where I'm traveling during my Easter break before my family comes to visit. After seeing how much trouble I had with the budget airlines I began to get a bit worried for my end of the school year plans. So I spent much of the day researching flights and communicating with my travel companions. Researching flights and making travel plans is so stressful, I have such a headache! Definitely turning in for the night early. Hopefully I can stay focused on school tomorrow and actually get something done!

Tuesday, Feb 5

Oversleeping & Snow

Tried to wake up early and get into the studio but after I hit the snooze button, the alarm never went off again : /. So instead of 8, I got up at 9:30. Oh well I hurried to get great ready and make the 10:00 shuttle to studio. Outside I found myself faced with snow. Not the good sticky kind but rather the large wet flakes that turns to rain as soon as they hit the ground. Quite a mess.

Wednesday, Feb 6

Studio Frustrations

Today I had a frustrating day in studio. I don't really ever know what's going on in regards to our projects and deadlines. I thought my project was going to be due this Friday but then I heard we could work on it next week during our Reading Week. I had no idea what was going on and it was stressing me out. Finally I talked with my tutor and had most of my important questions cleared up (aka DEADLINES). I still don't know where I'm going to get my project printed, but at least I know what kind of time frame I'm working with. I walked back to my room, beyond frustrated. I figured I'd treat myself to a movie.

Movie & Curry Night

I logged on Facebook and saw some friends were getting together for a movie night and ordering curry. This was exactly what I needed! I went over to Kennedy's flat and Anna had handpicked several different types of curry. Both Kennedy and I aren't overly familiar with curry so we were eager to try them all (though mild versions!). We ended up getting like 6 types of curry then some rice and naan. It was all so good! The lids of the containers were labelled, identifying the type of curry. We took the lids off and got them out of the way so even though I tried lots of types, I'm not exactly sure what the names are of the ones I preferred! After dinner, we all settled on the couches to watch a movie. After the movie finished, the party slowly began to break up. It was a good night though. Exactly what I needed after a rough day :)

Thursday, Feb 7

FoCI

FoCI was in a different theater today because the GFT was busy. The first lecture was pretty good but the second was painful and went into overtime. 

Artist Talk

This week, bible study was cancelled because it was Events week. Events week is when all the Christian Unions (CUs) from the various Glasgow university campuses put on events all week to reach out to their fellow students. This evening was an artist talk put on by GSA's own CU, in the Student Union. I had been invited by my friend Cat so I went down and figured maybe I'd bump into her there. I was very punctual so they're weren't many people there. I grabbed a table and waited for the talk to begin. I thought I heard some familiar voices behind me and sure enough it was Kennedy, Adrienne and Lilli! It was an awesome surprise! They moved my table and we talked a bit before the actual talk began. The speaker was Stuart Duffin of Glasgow Print Studio. He showed a lot of his own work and talked about some of the symbolism that occurs in his work, particularly his series "Reason or Revelation". It was pretty interesting and I think we all enjoyed it. Much MUCH better than FoCI!

Booking Spring Break Tickets

Tonight I also met up with Kennedy & Adrienne to book our flights to and from Italy for Spring Break! We will be flying out of London to Bologna. The key cities we plan to visit are Florence and Venice, so we're focusing on Northern Italy, specifically Tuscany. Then we are flying out of Pisa to Edinburgh. I had been a little worried about the prices going up as we talked about it the past couple weeks but ultimately it is MUCH cheaper to travel here! We got some good deals and we are beyond excited!