Scotland The Brave

Hey Everyone,

Sorry that I haven’t written since I left Scotland, but I am now home…sadly. I had the time of my life in Scotland and sometimes I wish I never left. I’ve never been to a place where I’ve fit in so well. Everything about the country was wonderful and I cannot wait to return.

The trip home was fairly an easy one…I spent the last day in Glasgow with Steven and we went to see the Dark Knight…well…everything but the end. Our train was on it’s way and we had to leave before the end of the movie. I’m just going to assume that everything ended happily ever after!!!

I would like to thank Steven and his family in Aberdeen for letting me stay while I was in the area. It was really nice to get to learn how to actually live in Scotland, from true Scots. They have also got me addicted to putting milk and sugar in my tea!!!

Coming back was hard…the time change especially. About every other morning I will wake up at about 4:30am!!!...this is really getting to me!!! Everything in the US seems much bigger now as well…I was in Wal-Mart the other day and about had a panic attack!!!...LOL…I’ve also noticed that I can’t find any good pre-made pasta like I could in Scotland…if anybody knows where I can get some good tortellini please let me know!

Well…I’ll be starting school back in a few weeks and my schedule looks pretty full until then. This quarter looks to be a busy one as well. I’ll be working on a few projects and keeping you updated as they become finished.

~Alex

And I walked 500 miles....the other way!

Seriously????.....I thought they had either died or disappeared. I was wrong. They are now touring Scotland and I've seen this sign just about everywhere. 

Help!

Da Da Duh Da! (Da Da Duh Da).....Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Duh Dee Duh Dummm!

And the rains cometh!

Yet another train ride to Aberdeen. I thought I had said my final goodbyes last to week to my adoptive Aberdeen family, but due to my procrastination, I’ve had to scrap my plans for Skye. Pretty much every reasonable B&B was booked for tourist season. I am sad that I won’t get to see it, but I’ll just have to come back…darn….

I’ve re-arranged my plans to get to the area surrounding Aberdeen. Stonehaven looks promising and I may try to go to Crovie again. I can’t thank my friends family enough, though for putting up with me. They have, after all, been teaching me the tips and tricks for survival in this country. One thing in particular that everyone keeps making fun of me for is the juice….yes….I know you all thought  I was going to say plastic parakeet….but when I did my first day of shopping I bought some grapefruit juice. When I poured my first glass, I thought it looked a little thick…and yes….the taste was very strong. After about 3 days of choking down the awful liquid, I just decided to start adding water.

When I first went to Aberdeen I noticed that they had some of the same juice. I exclaimed, “that stuff is awful!!!” My friend Steven just looked at me…I went on to tell him my story…as he stood there with a look of horror. He then yelled at me and told me that I had to dilute it!....NOW….they don’t tell you this on the bottle, so I don’t feel at fault. I, however, have narrowly escaped diabetes I think!

Right now on the train, the rain and clouds have separated to give us a bit of a light show…wow…that is so great seeming my camera is in it’s bag and tucked away under several others!

I barely made it out of Waverly today. When I first arrived at the station, I knew there was a problem. There were thousands of people standing around and many of them were American…OH NO….thousands of people and most of them don’t understand the rail systems that well….I know how I felt when I first came into the station….so I can only imagine what they all were thinking. Due to the rain, there had been some flooding north and south of the Waverly tracks…well….there’s only North and South ways to get out!!!

I thought my plans would have been scrapped, but I managed to get a train that was delightfully late. I now have a good seat…and am starving…I forgot to eat!...Looks like I’m heading to the CHIPPER!!!

Also, they willingly offer you vinegar for your fish-n-chips…I have come to the conclusion that I love this place!!!!

Apparently...I'm allergic to Heather!

OK....I am loving Aberdeen and the area around it. I was fortunate enough to have my friends family drive me around yesterday and see some of the sites. We started out the day by going to a local park where there was a massive rose garden and an animal park. The animal park, had seen better days, but it was really neat to see something like that in a "city" park. 

This is where I had a tourist moment. I was looking in on a cage of parakeets and saw two out of the corner of my eye...one of which was calm and not moving...I sneaked up and took a few frames just as one of the birds flew. I got some pictures of the remaining bird...WOW....it's still not moving....I pulled the camera back and just frowned. The bird was PLASTIC!!!...everyone had a good laugh at the American. 

The next stop later in the evening was to a historical park. We went towards the closing hours and got in for free.  It was neat to see an area that was similar to an Ohio Historical Site. 

We then went on to Suie Hill and then onto the Don River. We climbed the hill..which was more than less a mountain...and got out of the car. I ran down the hillside to get knee-deep into the heather and to just to soak in the scenery. I got some great pictures, but realized that my eyes were burning and watering...yep...allergies. Being a nature photographer is killing me...literally!....It was well worth it though. The river was really nice as well....cold though!

There had to be one!

OK…It was bound to happen, but today was not the best day of my trip. We started off in the early morn to head to Stirling. We got there, somewhat early, so I decided to put minutes on my cell phone. During this time I lost sight of the group. I knew our train was coming soon, so I went to the platform, an below and behold, there was the train. I ran to get on and sat down…no one else was there.! About 20 minutes into the the ride, someone called me and told me I was on the earlier train…this wasn’t the bad part and actually worked out well. I now had time to put my luggage in a locker so that I could leave from Stirling to go to Aberdeen again.

Well…did all of that and met up with everyone. We took a group picture, and then were off on our own. We all were having problems finding good subjects to shoot, so we did a little walking….eating…and visited Holy Rude church where King James I was crowned as an infant. The church was wonderful and so was the nearby cemetery.

Long story short I found my photo subject for the day and was wrapping up my shoot…only to notice my battery was soon to die….THEN….Like a ton of bricks….I realized my charger was in my Flat back in Edinburgh. I went to the camera shop to see if they could help out, but they were unhelpful and kind of rude. My only option was to head back to Edin and then off to Aberdeen…not a big problem….just a half hour off schedule.

Got into Edin fine and then got on the train to the College. Due to a door malfunction. I did not get off on the train in enough time. Therefore I had to get off down the road in the middle of nowhere. I called a cab and waited. The cab picked me up and like all cabbies, was not very nice and didn’t understand my need to get back soon…I’m sure I could have been nicer to him, but wasn’t too happy at this point. After paying the driver…I ran to my room, got the charger…and ran….and YES….I ran….to the train stop along with many others. The train to Aberdeen was in less than 30 minutes and I had no time to spare. Suddenly, a voice from somewhere said…The train will be on a 10 minute delay…It took all I had not to jump on the tracks…although….I would have had to wait 10 minutes for anything to hit me!!!

The train arrived….I got on….I  ran through the crowd and jumped on the Aberdeen train….which is where I’m typing this from now…So far all is better…I have my charger and am looking forward to stopping at the Fish-N-Chips place again. Hopefully tomorrow I will get some good images and do it a lot easier…looks like I have a pretty busy weekend and a busy next week.

Stirling, however, was beautiful and the Castle and Wallace Monument were very neat to see. Grandma Wik, you would have loved it!!! 

A stroll in the Garden

When we think of gardens in America, we think of small little beds of flowers and maybe a few vegetables. The Scots are notorious for gardening and they do it like no-other!!!

I was looking for something to do yesterday and decided to make my way to the Royal Botanical Gardens...expecting a small park or something....Well, not only did I get a full blown park, but this area was completely staffed and included several glass houses! I was blown away...and it was FREE!

I wish we had something nice like this closer to home. 

I also got my 12mm lens the other day (Thanks Lori!). So now I can shoot really wide shots. The shot of the building is my college (Queen Margaret University) at sunset. It looks a little stark during the day, but the facility is new and needs for the trees and such to grow in around it. While photographing a swimming pond near the Uni, i discovered what a Midgie was....a mosquito...with an attitude! Within minutes, they swarmed all around me and let me know it!

Then just few short minutes after that a flash of lightening went across the sky...apparently...Scotland gets a lot of rain but not lightening and thunder...I was unaffected, but the locals were quite shaken. What was on my mind was that I was walking in a lightening storm with a tripod...and a camera...in a relatively flat area. (Exciting!) 

Episode 2: Out of the Shower!

Just got out of the shower and figured I'd give you all a video!...LOL

Will be posting more pics soon!

Week 2!

I'm now on my second week here in the Scot-world!

I'm really enjoying myself and getting to see a lot. Adjusting was very easy, and now I can get around fairly easily.

On Monday we went off on a 4 hour train ride to experience Inverness, the metropolis of the Highlands...(if there is such a thing!) The train ride was very nice, getting to see large mountains covered in sheep and Highland Coos (Cow!). The mountains were in full bloom with heather which would have made for some excellent photographs...I'm definitly going back.

Now I am planning my long term documentary and just can't decide on what doing. It's going to take some time, but I should be okay. I want to incorporate traveling the country as part of it, which should be the easy part. There are just too many places to see and too little time. I do know that I want to make my way over the Isle of Skye so hopefully that will be do-able.

Tomorrow is Dunbar once again for an assigment. It's our first of this kind, so we are a little shaky....I do know that I will be able to go back to the bakery and tea shop!!! YAY!!!

Tomorrow night I should be in Aberdeen, if I get the trains sorted well enough. I will be there most of the weekend and hopefully to St. Andrews on Sunday. No golfing though on Sundays!

The pics are mainly from Edinburgh...check out Borat! That was a gentlemen who was part of a "Stag" party...which is the Scottish Bachelor party...That is tame compared to the "Hen" parties I've seen!

Episode 1: Week 1

My first Video Blog!...Eat your heart out Kelly!!!

Becoming a Scot: Step 1 -Eating Haggis

OOOK....I did it. For the long months leading up to my trip almost everyone would ask me, in a poor scottish accent, "are yooo goin' to eat some haggis???"

Well....yes....and I did. Went to "The Last Drop" pub again where the service is good and they have a really nice student rate...and a great Latte. I went by myself the day prior but today I brough along the two Sams and Rachel. They all go a pasta dish and I had my eye set on the inevitable...HAGGIS....with tatties (mashed potatoes) and Neeps (mashed turnips). 

I'm still not all certain what was in it, but to much my surprise, it was REALLY good. I actually think you could market it in the US and just not call it Haggis...The looks are bad as well, but a fork full of the spicy stuff mixed with a little neeps...YUM!!!

We also started the day in Dunbar at the town's Harbor Festival. Like many Ohio festivals, there was an Elvis impersonator and the smell of fried everything. Unlike Ohio, however, the festival came with a nice view of the North Sea. 

On the way into Edinburgh, while we were running to catch the train...a Rainbow popped up, like they normally do here, and landed on my future country estate outside of Musselburgh....please feel free to donate to this charitable cause. 

Coffee!!!

This is what amazes me...simple pub....great coffee. It is now my goal to drink a cup wherever I got...LOL....big surprise!

Finally Online: The Journey Begins!

Well to all my fans I apologize...I landed 4 days ago and was unable to post until this afternoon. Scotland is amazing, but getting internet at the college was a large task. Even if we did have it prior to today, I still would not have been able to post anything...I've been busy....to say the very least. 

We began in Musselburgh where Queen Margaret University is located (where I live)...It's just up the road from Edinburgh and a short bus ride has been taking us there often. Edinburgh is such a wonderful city...everything I imagined and more. The people are friendly and although it is about the size of Columbus, it is much easier to navigate and the public transportation couldn't be better. 

There has been some culture shocks of course...I think I blew out the electricity...not sure though...and the bathroom belongs in an airplane (VERY SMALL). My flat altogether though is comfortable and I am enjoying it when I sleep. 

Yesterday we went to New Berwick (Bar-rick). It's somewhat of an upscale harbor town that had a lot to do...A sealife center is there and they give tours to a large island called Bass. Here you find puffins, gannets and many other water birds. So why not go on a tour?...OH...Because I was talked into climbing a mountain! And I did...very willingly. It was rainy and steep but the view was well worth it. We can now saw we climbed "the Law."

Tomorrow is another day of travel...today was somewhat leisurely and much appreciated. I ate at a nice pub outside of the old gallows and enjoyed yet another cup of coffee. By the way...the coffee here is wonderful, no matter where you go...I think I have found my new home!

Until next time!

PS...Video Blog Coming soon!

On the Road Again!...Ehh....Not so Much

I'M OFF!....Not really.....Made it to Columbus airport though!

We're all checked in and ready to go, however, the weather...somewhere in between here and Jersey.....does not like us. 

We still should be meeting our 10pm flight in time, however, that is if we leave by 7:45pm. Pray we make it!!!

This is Blog number 1 of my trip! Not the first one I hoped for, but something I'll laugh about soon enough!

They did something right?...

WOW....I think the Feds actually felt a little bad for charging me so much in taxes because I got my passport today!!.....woot woot!

Yes, my picture inside looks awful, and that is what each country that greets me will get to see!...FUN....but I was surprised because I got it relatively quick....which....NEVER HAPPENS with the Gov. 

So, I guess I have to thank them....I was hoping they would slide a refund check in the booklet though but I'll just consider it an expediting fee!

Scotland here I come!!!