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Scotland 7: Day 13

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Leaving Oban

03.14.19 | Tobermory, Scotland | 23:07

Getting to Tobermory is fairly simple- you board a ferry in Oban, sail west/ northwest, and about 45 minutes later you’re at Craignure, on the Isle of Mull. Side note- Craignure is near Torosay Castle and Torosay is one of the places my ancestors came from! Talk about a full circle- gives me chills just being here!

Waiting for the Ferry
Boarding the Ferry
Getting Ready to Sail
Oban Bay
Goodbye Oban
Leaving Oban Bay

Once you land in Craignure, there is a bus that will take you the rest of the way to Tobermory. I first discovered this town last year, when I came for just a day trip [see post]. What a great little town this is! I had time to get some lunch, and then some dessert in a tea room.

Panoramic View of Tobermory Waterfront

I had an early dinner, while I was waiting to check in to the Airbnb. I went to a pub/restaurant called Mishnish and ordered. I sat with two guys who are here on vacation from France. I found out their names are Ferman and Teebo (I’m 97% certain those names are spelled incorrectly, but when I got their names, I didn’t ask for the correct spelling. They ate fast, because they were in a hurry to catch a ferry to some other island). They were a couple of nice guys!

Scotland 7: Day 12

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03.13.18 | Oban Hostel | 21:01

I was hoping that the rainclouds were on their way out. This morning I woke up to a partly cloudy sky and thought it would be turn out to be perfect conditions to record some videos of the surrounding area. After a few minutes, however, the clouds came back in and the rain started. I don’t know if it even let up all day.

After breakfast, I went to the Oban War and Peace Museum. This was fascinating- free, of course, but they do ask you for a donation on your way out. What fascinated me the most was the old pictures of the Oban area from way back in the 1850s. I learned that there are quite a few caves aroudn the Oban area and in one of these they found the human remains of up to 20 different people. When they dated the remains, they leaned that it was from a people that lived here about 6000 years ago!

Instead of lunch, I got some treats at the Oban Chocolate Company, on the shoreline. I drank some bitter hot chocolate and had a little piece of cheesecake. I guess I need to restart my diet again tomorrow- we’ll see how long this lasts. I’m guessing it won’t be very long until I cheat again. I tell myself it’s ok since I’m on vacation, but I tell myself that the rest of the year as well.

I went to another fish restaurant for dinner. This one was a bit more expensive but had a nicer menu, and I was also paying for a more classic dining experience. Plus the servers were incredible. I don’t see that a whole lot in the U.K. because most of them think you don’t want to be bothered. Many servers over here won’t even check on you until you flag them down. I guess that’s a good thing if you want to eat in peace.


Scotland 7: Day 11

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03.12.19 | Oban Hostel | 20:54

Traditional Scottish Breakfast (minus the black pudding) in Glasgow

Earlier today, I had to say goodbye to Glasgow. It wasn’t too sad, however, because I’ll be back next week, at least for a few days. I’m looking forward to getting more into Glasgow, as I won’t be attending C2C every day. By the way, C2C 2020 tickets go on presale tomorrow, I do believe. Should I?

The train ride heading out of Glasgow was amazing! So beautiful and picturesque! On the way, I tried to shoot a few short videos, just so I could share the countryside. How awesome would it be to call this land “home”?

[I will upload some videos as soon as I have a faster connection]

Oban

Dinner was at a little fish restaurant. For my first course, I had some brie cheese, and the main meal was a haddock and chips. This is my second fish and chips of this vacation, and I’m pretty sure it won’t be my last. Dessert was banoffee pudding- it was a small portion, so I don’t feel bad.

Scotland 7: Day 10

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03.11.19 | Glasgow, Scotland | 21:45

Today was a great day! Since C2C is over, I got to see a little bit of Glasgow, finally. I grabbed a late lunch with one of my hostel mates- a guy named Paul. We ventured out and ended up at a little Russian restaurant. It was quite delicious! I had the borscht for an appetizer and then my main course was a roasted rabbit. I can’t remember the last time I ate a rabbit- tastes like chicken, only more gamey.

This evening was pretty low-key. It started raining, so I decided that I’d go see a movie. I accidentally bought tickets to the wrong cinema, so I had to grab an Uber in order to get there on time. I saw Captain Marvel. Pretty good film, most of it was easy to follow. Sometimes I struggle because there is so much going on with those Marvel storylines. I’m sure my nephew Sam can keep it all straight since that’s more of his world.

Scotland 7: Day 7

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03.08.19 | Glasgow, Scotland | 15:46

This morning I had to wave goodbye to Edinburgh… well, it’s never goodbye: I’ll be back before the end of this trip, and am planning on many, many more visits. I finally had a clear, rain-free morning, Yes, the temperature was down in the 40s, but it wasn’t raining. I blew a kiss goodbye and boarded the train to Glasgow. When I arrived, it was raining.

It’s great to be back! I checked in to the Euro Hostels, where I have stayed more times than I can count on one hand, and went to find some lunch and a travel soap holder.

It needs to be said that Imperial Leather is the most awesome soap and smelling it reminds me of Scotland. This is because I have always bought it while I was in Scotland (the first time was probably because it was cheap). I believe the fish time was back in 2011 when dinosaurs roamed the earth [see my post from 2011]. Now this smell, just like the taste of Irn-Bru, always acts as a reminder. Has anyone seen this brand in the states?

I found lunch at a Wetherspoon, which is a restaurant/pub chain I’ve seen around Scotland. I ate my first proper fish. & chips of this adventure. This one was especially amazing because I smothered it in salt and vinegar. It came with a side of mushy peas, which made the meal even more spectacular.

Tonight is the first night of Country to County, which is the event that I have planned this entire adventure around [see site]. Literally- last year, I bought tickets to this three-night concert and so I knew I’d needed to be in Glasgow at least today, tomorrow, and Sunday. The rest of this adventure only exists because I bought this non-refundable tickets to this! Truth be told- I’m not entirely sure if the ticket were non-refundable, I never really looked into it. I just pretended they are- so I can justify coming back to Scotland.

I tried napping, but I’m just too excited for the concert tonight! As tired as I was, I just couldn’t sleep. If you love country music, you’ll understand why: Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett, Ashley McBryde, Drake White & The Big Fire, Keith Urban, Brett Eldredge, Cam, Chase Rice, Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, Dustin Lynch, and Carly Pearce… that’s why. These are the artist who will entertain me over the next three nights.

It’s time to grab my umbrella and head out. The S.S.E. Hydro, where the event is being held, is about half an hour walk from the hostel. I hope I can get some awesome pictures and videos!

23:36

This first night was pretty amazing! I loved most everyone who performed, but I have to say I was most impressed with Ashley McBryde and of course, Chris Stapleton. I knew Chris would be good because I heard him perform at this very concert two years ago [link]. The man is flawless. I’ve heard Ashley McBryde’s album, but there were some really great songs that I connected with. I’ll have to go listen to her some more.

I took a few short videos and some pictures throughout the 6 1/2 hour festival.

Drake White and the Big Fire – Periscope

Ashley McBryde – Periscope

Lyle Lovett – Periscope

Chris Stapleton – Periscope

I’m really looking forward to two more nights of this! Tonight was an amazing night!

Scotland 7: Day 9

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03.10.19 | Euro Hostels, Glasgow, Scotland | 12:19

Glasgow got a little bit of snow this morning, just before it was replaced by the rain. I just got back from an early lunch- I found one of those sushi places where the entrees come by on a conveyor. You stack up the empty plates and then they count them up to figure out your grand total. I wasn’t paying attention and went a little crazy, to the tune of £34. It looks as if I’ll be going over my budget today.

Tonight was the third and final night of Country to Country 2019. It was an incredible evening. The first performer was Carly Pearce. She was really good. I’m not too familiar with her music though. My only complaint was that most of her set, her mic was too low and so her band pretty much drowned her out. If I was more familiar with her music, this wouldn’t have mattered as much.

Dustin Lynch was the next act. He is very talented and I like his vibe, but I’m not always in the “Bro-Country” mood, and that’s pretty much how I would describe most of his songs. He too, however, is very talented.

Hunter Hayes was next. There were parts of his performance where it sounded like he was a bit pitchy. He did admit to everyone that he’s been trying to kick a cold for the past two weeks- sadly it showed. I need to familiarize myself with more of his songs- I recognized probably about four of them.

The headliner and final act of the night was Lady Antebellum. The best way to describe their whole set was- AMAZING! They had the perfect balance with the band, so there was never a struggle to hear any of their lyrics. Country music is all you the story, and it doesn’t make sense when I can’t hear the words being sung.

So now that C2C2019 is over, I will sum it up… the absolute best acts for the Glasgow shows were Ashley McBryde, Chris Stapleton, Cam, Keith Urban, and Lady Antebellum. My absolute favorite artist (if I have to pick one) was Cam. I just love Cam’s voice and writing style, I guess. Three very fun nights!

Scotland 7: Day 8

/ Dav / 4 Comments

03.09.19 | Euro Hostels, Glasgow, Scotland | 14:34

On my walk this morning, I saw an old woman feeding the birds. How can I not sing “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins? Yes, I sang it to myself, but life is so good when it reminds you to sing.

I wandered back to the Brunswick Hotel, where I’d first had a meal back in 2011 [see post]. When I found it, I noticed that the name of the restaurant has been changed to The Amsterdam. I ordered the burger- this was a really great burger, but it was so messy that I could only hold it for the first two bites. I then had to eat it with a fork, because I wanted to drip down my shirt. I didn’t want to look like a mess in front of my servers: Angus, who is from Australia, and Shona, who is a local girl. They were very kind and enthusiastic when I told them a little about my adventures.

Hopefully, the large burger means I won’t get hungry tonight at Country 2 Country. I’m so looking forward to tonight’s lineup, especially Keith Urban and Cam. I am so into their music. It’s time to take a shower and get ready to leave here in an hour.

23:36

Night number two was amazing! For me, the highlights were hearing Cam and Keith Urban perform live (both are on the bucket list, and I’m blessed to check them both off at the same time.) There are only two things I would change from last night- the first is that I would have Cam perform her song, “Cold In California”, and the second is that I wish she would have performed longer. When she was onstage at the end, singing “Burning House”, and everyone’s lights were lit, I got a little emotional. Chasing dreams is an emotional past time.

One of the coolest parts of the night-I got to meet up with my friends John and Gayle. They are the couple who I happened to sit next to at last year’s C2C [see post]. After the show, we walked over to a nearby hotel, and once again, John bought me an Irn Bru. I love John and Gayle! I look forward to many more meeting is the future!

^Double-chins are sexy!

Scotland 7: Day 6

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03.07.18 | Edinburgh, Scotland | 22:49

After the daily morning rain stopped, I found myself back at The Apple Store, getting my phone fixed. I’ve been having some problems with my microphones. The technician took my phone to the back room and used a specialized brush to clean it all out. This is probably my fault because I refuse to buy a protective case for my phone. The thing is already big enough, without adding that protection.

Tonight I went to dinner at Mum’s, another one of my favorite restaurants in the city. This is the place to go if you want comfort food. I had three different sausages, a mustard mash, all topped with a caramelized onion gravy. So tasty!

Ion-Bru Float!

Scotland 7: Day 5

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03.06.18 | Edinburgh, Scotland | 22:27

This was another rainy morning in Edinburgh. This is not me complaining, this is me telling you that I used this reason to do some laundry, instead of running out. One of wonderful things abou this flat is that it has a washing machine. One of the bad things about this flat is that it doesn’t have a dryer. That means that I will either have to walk my wet clothes to a nearby laundromat, or just hang everything out to air dry.

Rather than eat a full breakfast or lunch, I’m munching on some cookies and drinking lots of herbal tea. I’m saving my appetite for tonight. I have made reservations (once again) at The Witchery. I’ve talked about this place in year past (link: my visits to The Witchery). All these wonderful dining experiences wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for my friend/coworker Gwen.

I decided to take a walk through Prince’s Street Gardens, which is just down from the castle and is pretty much the dividing line between Old Town and New Town. There is an amazing cemetery, right near, that I have explored in years past. I didn’t take the time to visit it this time, but will hopefully find the time before the end of this adventure.

Throughout my travels, I have heard stories where Americans have been looked down upon, for just being Americans. I remember before James and I went to France and Germany, back in 2000, I was warned by a friend that I should tell everyone I was from Canada or they’d be rude to me, especially on Paris.

I ignored this advice and had nothing but kind and caring interactions with all those who I had met. I was never ashamed of where I was from and if someone has a problem, that’s their problem and not mine. I’ve never felt this cold shoulder that I’d been warned about.

That is, until today: I’m standing in line at the Starbuck’s, waiting to order a hot chocolate. I notice the girl in line behind me has wet pants. I make no assumptions as to why her crotch is wet, she probably sat in something by mistake. I hear her American, or possibly Canadian accent so I ask her where she’s from. She tells me Ontario, Canada.

I smile and say, “Oh, we’re neighbors! I’m from the states!”

She rolls her eyes, chooses a condescending tone, and responds, “I would hate for anyone to find out I live next to America! How embarrassing!”

I respond, my tone just as cold as hers had been, “Looks like you pissed your pants! How embarrassing!”

One tradition that I was able to follow through with was going to get my dinner at The Witchery. If you’d stalked me for long, you’ll know that this is the most amazing place to eat in the city. A bit pricy, yes, but well worth it to have a fancy night out!

Scotland 7: Day 4

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03.05.19 | Edinburgh, Scotland | 16:16

My plans to head to the firth of forth were temporarily thwarted. When I woke up this morning, Edinburgh was having a very strong downpour. I don’t hate this weather, I just know I would have tracked mud all up and down the back side of my pants. Perhaps I’ll brave the elements tomorrow, whatever those elements may be. You’ll have to check back and find out if I did. Instead, I walked back to Princes Street, stopped in at the Apple Store, headed up to Calton Cemetery, and eventually walked up to Calton Hill.

I managed to take a live video on my Periscope account… just warning you there are some audio issues with my microphone but will have that looked at tomorrow at the Apple Store. I hope they are able to fix it- I hope it’s nothing more than a software reinstallment.

I had dinner at an Italian/Scottish restaurant called Papavero. It was a really great meal! I’ve probably been spending too much on food lately, but I justify this by telling myself that I’m on vacation and that I have budgeted for this.

Pesto Bruschetta
Lamb Shank
Banoffee Pie

About the time I was finishing up my dessert, as luck would have it, I lost part of a tooth. I bit into something crunchy and I thought, at first, that it was a piece of eggshell. Then upon further examination, I realized that part of one of my bottom-front teeth was gone. I should probably go get it looked at, but I doubt there is anybody in Scotland who would honor my dental plan. I guess I’m going to have to be careful and have it fixed when I get back to the states.