There's something in the water....

From the last post:

Here's a picture that didn't upload for some reason: Me and my two new friends doing a classic jumping photo in front of Doune Castle - the castle from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail!"



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Ay Laddies, it's time to set out to Loch Ness! I boarded a huge bus to Loch Ness, the Highlands, and Glencoe. Our driver, with a wonderfully thick Scottish accent, gave us all "A Scottish Breakfast" (his words): a small bottle of whisky. I guess he wanted to start us all off in style. Much of what he said was interesting at the time - great facts about the region and all- and I wrote some of them down - but I really can't remember them right now. So here's some pictures.

CHECK IT OUT: Click on the pictures to see the large versions! The ones of the lochs are so beautiful.

A Scottish Loch (there are over 10,000). This one is not Loch Ness.




This one is. That's a castle right there - the third oldest in Scotland.




Allow me to tell you a bit about this castle...




What does the Loch Ness monster look like?




The water on the Loch is so still. It's some of the darkest water in the world. It's basically black - due to "peet"- a mineral that gives it such a dark color. My guide told me they used to charge over $100 to tourists to take a small submarine ride into the Loch. "You'd have a better chance of seeing Nessie if you went into a darkened room and pulled the curtains" he said. "And it would save you 70 quid (their word for 'bucks').



The Loch Ness Monster - caught on tape!




This is a typical road sign in Scotland. It's so genial, I think. "Twenty's Plenty!" Sounds like an organization of grandmothers got together and rewrote all of the country's motor signage.





Unfortunately, I'm not going to Belfast. Poor planning on my part, basically. I assumed that I could just catch a cheap ferry boat to Ireland from Scotland. Not so. It's sort of easy, but it ain't cheap, and it's over 50 miles from Glasgow. To catch a plane and then a taxi to Belfast would be pointless - I'd only have a day or so.So I'm staying another day or so in Glasgow and then flying straight to Dublin on Thursday night.

Here's my Glasgow host, Denny. Denny has cooked three meals so far for the both of us. Pretty good cook, actually. Normally you'd expect a guy living in student housing to be all over frozen and fast food. And I'm totally fine with that. But I've had more hot meals in this dorm than in any other city so far.

We were kinda bored here. Nothing better when that happens than to take a picture wearing something pink. Ladies, the queue starts over there.





We visited this small bookshop on the way to a coffeeshop. Now this is making the most of your real estate.




This coffeeshop was sort of a vegan hippee place. The long-haired owner greeted us on the way in as he sat Indian style on the porch smoking hookah. Denny said "You're place here is great". The guy responded "It's alright". Ha.

Here's a cove in the back that had all these bongo and rainstick type of musical instruments sitting around. We drank "Dragon Eye" tea and at hummus and cucumber sandwiches. At the beginning of the day I was kind of bummed that I was missing Belfast. And I still am sort of. But this is another way to experience a city - just going to a local hippy coffee shop and reading in the corner. Glasgow aint so bad today.



Later on we're going to go meet up with some people for a pint a some live music. I fully expect Denny to talk to an average of 6.2 girls per hour. And that's a low estimate.