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A group of Highlander: The Series fans met in an airport lounge in Newark NJ and flew into Glasgow, Scotland. We were to attend a scifi convention with a strong Highlander track, but the main reason (for me, at least) was to go to a totally new place and meet friends face-to-face that, until then, had only been words on a screen; in a new group, IRC chat, or email.
Though I've lost touch with most of the attendees (Trudy, KylaM, Christy and Neil are just a few of the names that come to mind) I still remain in touch and friends with others. Who can forget the video tape of the trip into the Highlands, with every body of water proclaimed "Loch Ness", or hearing Jette point out the distilleries as they whooshed by on the roads, informing us we weren't going there 'because I'd never get you lot out of there."
The only page I managed to write in my planned-for trip journal reads as follows, from late in the day we arrived:
"Friday, Sept 25 1998, 5:02 PM
Sat in a window of my hotel room, no screen, nothing but ledge. Gordon Street below is closed to traffic, being torn up and redone. Across the street is a wonderful Greek Revival/Victorian (Current note: now that I think about it, was probably more Edwardian than anything. What do I know about architechture?) mansard building in red sandstone. The Standard Buildings, it's called. The sounds of the city are so unfamiliar to my rural ears, yet I am at ease, even if I can't sleep. Met Maroussia and ate real Indian food for the first time; very interesting. She is wonderful, very funny and quick and so easy to get along with. Philippa is funny and animated, blue eyes dancing all the time.
Glasgow is such a mishmash of architechtural styles, mostly Victorian (probably Edwardian in reality;-), but a healthy portion of Greek revival and even an Art Deco place (I was new to the wonder that is Charles Rennie Mackintosh design). Had to come all the way to Scotland to see Gap jeans ads on a bus. Rode my first double decker bus today, but it was too cold to ride up top. Just wish I had someone to share all this with."
The Green Welly (misheard as the Green Willy by some of us riding in the back of the motorcoach (with my smart mouth contributing that I was of the understanding that a good antibiotic would clear such things up in short order)) was our first stop in the Highlands and, like typical tourists, we took pictures of anything that stood still; the building, the sheep, each other. I had such a wonderful time and hoped to repeat the trip someday, but Real Life has attacked with a vengeance. I now have a husband, a mortgage a car payment and debt that would choke an entire herd of horses. But I can look back on my one Big Trip and be happy.
To all of you that I shared this experience with, thank you.
Though I've lost touch with most of the attendees (Trudy, KylaM, Christy and Neil are just a few of the names that come to mind) I still remain in touch and friends with others. Who can forget the video tape of the trip into the Highlands, with every body of water proclaimed "Loch Ness", or hearing Jette point out the distilleries as they whooshed by on the roads, informing us we weren't going there 'because I'd never get you lot out of there."
The only page I managed to write in my planned-for trip journal reads as follows, from late in the day we arrived:
"Friday, Sept 25 1998, 5:02 PM
Sat in a window of my hotel room, no screen, nothing but ledge. Gordon Street below is closed to traffic, being torn up and redone. Across the street is a wonderful Greek Revival/Victorian (Current note: now that I think about it, was probably more Edwardian than anything. What do I know about architechture?) mansard building in red sandstone. The Standard Buildings, it's called. The sounds of the city are so unfamiliar to my rural ears, yet I am at ease, even if I can't sleep. Met Maroussia and ate real Indian food for the first time; very interesting. She is wonderful, very funny and quick and so easy to get along with. Philippa is funny and animated, blue eyes dancing all the time.
Glasgow is such a mishmash of architechtural styles, mostly Victorian (probably Edwardian in reality;-), but a healthy portion of Greek revival and even an Art Deco place (I was new to the wonder that is Charles Rennie Mackintosh design). Had to come all the way to Scotland to see Gap jeans ads on a bus. Rode my first double decker bus today, but it was too cold to ride up top. Just wish I had someone to share all this with."
The Green Welly (misheard as the Green Willy by some of us riding in the back of the motorcoach (with my smart mouth contributing that I was of the understanding that a good antibiotic would clear such things up in short order)) was our first stop in the Highlands and, like typical tourists, we took pictures of anything that stood still; the building, the sheep, each other. I had such a wonderful time and hoped to repeat the trip someday, but Real Life has attacked with a vengeance. I now have a husband, a mortgage a car payment and debt that would choke an entire herd of horses. But I can look back on my one Big Trip and be happy.
To all of you that I shared this experience with, thank you.
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:::Hugs:::
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A young Glasweigan gent came up and said something like (in a pretty thick Glasgow accent):- "I'msorry,theguidehasn'aearrivedyet;she'srunninglate, sheshouldbeheresoon, butifno'we'll transferyetaeanotherbus,whichwillbealonginabootfiveminutes, okay?"
And I had to 'translate' [GGG].
The best bit of the bus tour came when the guide revealed that on trams in the last century gentlemen in traditional Scottish dress were barred from going upstairs on windy days.........[ :-) ].
http://www.philippa.ukme.com/philippa/hland1.htm
[And following...!]
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Paul and I ended up at the Burger King at the same time and he had to translate for me there. y internal translator just couldn't keep up with the Glasgow accent *and* the speed of the words. One or the other I could have puzzled out quicker. SInce I've listened to a lot of Billy Connelley since then, I might stand a better chance ;-)
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I wear that pearl and lapis necklace a lot.
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Lifetime repairs on the necklace in case it ever falls to bits. I'm glad you liked it enough to wear it still.
And you had to retrieve someone from every place we stopped. Libby's boyfriend got lost in Stirling, Joelle buying everything in every gift shop... you were an awesome guide, and shepherd ;-)
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Remember the stone circles and that we got no pictures of, because nobody's cameras would work while we were standing inside the rings of stone?
And . . . singing the Green Acres theme at the tops of our lungs while Tom drove us through the Queen's Acres?
Much much good times and too long past, my friend.
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I have one picture of a circle of stones, but it's a small, low circle. None of the cairns made it into the camera. And I almost didn't get any pictures because y 35mm lost a battery contact the first day. In desperation I broke a piece off of a metal feather on a necklace I had brought. To my absolute amazement, it worked. And I found the contact the next day. I was so surprised that housekeeping hadn't hoovered it up.
I'm glad to still retain the title of pack mule, and to still call you friend.
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