They’ll stone ya when you’re at the breakfast table

They’ll stone ya when you are young and able

They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to make a buck

They’ll stone ya and then they’ll say, “good luck"

¬Bob Dylan

7/12/10

Woke up, had breakfast and went on a three hour free walking tour recommended by the hostel. The tour guide was incredible, had a lot of charisma, and best of all picked me up at the hostel. Our first stop was the City Chambers built on a very steep slope (in fact most of the building is not visible from the main entrance). We learned about the history of the four tribes who inhabited Scotland (Vikings, Celts, Scots, Britons) and how they were united under William Wallace to overthrow English rule. We wandered down the Royal Mile and saw the merkat building, St Giles cathedral and the heart of hibernia all while learning there place in Scottish history along the way. Next we saw the Writer's Museum where we learned about Scotland's 3 most famous writers: Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island), and Robert Burns (Auld Lang Syne). I really looked out with an incredible tour guide he knew so much about the city's often gruesome history. Next we saw Edinburgh Castle which rests atop a volcanic cliff, we learned of the few successful sieges and how the castle houses the second oldest crown jewels in the world and the stone of destiny (more later).

Later we ended up in Grassmarket (where I saw the world cup last night) famous for being the historic selling point of hay and crops but also more interestingly as a den of sin in the heart of the city. Some of the more interesting stories included the one on Burke and Hare and Maggie Dickinson. We stopped for a break and I tried an Irn Bru-the most popular Scottish soft drink which outsells coke and pepsi in Scotland and is an orange creamsicle-like soda alleged to have the ability to cure hangovers. Next we strolled through Greyfriar's Cemetery home of many famous graves as well as massive pits for victims of the plague. The Cemetery was located right behind the Greyfriars Cathedral where the National Covenant declaring independence from England was drafted in 1638 and happens to be one of the first churches ever to have an organ (the place really did have amazing acoustics). The history lesson on Edinburgh's gruesome past continued as I heard tales of grave-robbers selling bodies to the anatomy department of Edinburgh University (a huge problem), some graves even had cast iron locks completely covering them that were hundreds of years old. Otherwise if you couldn't afford such a lock you had to take turns watching the grave all night-which is where the term graveyard shift comes from. Eventually gaverobbing became obsolete when a law was passed that said if you could not afford a burial your body was donated to the school. From the graveyard you can also see the George Harriot school which served as the inspiration for Hogwarts and is visible from the Elephant Room which is where JK Rowling penned the first two Harry Potter books. Some other famous graves included the original editor of Encyclopedia Britanica, many of the Covenanters who declared independence from England, and Auld Jock (who the pie shop from last night was named after) a very famous nightwatchman who kept out many graverobbers, and the only grave for an animal-that of greyfriars bobby Auld Jock's dog who sat by his masters grave for 14 years protecting it from potential robbers. There's even a pub named after the dog and a statue for him at the cemetery's entrance.

We headed towards Nor Loch a former sewage pit that today has been converted to the city's largest park along the way passing the home of Deacon Brodie (who served as the inspiration for the protagonist in Jekyll and hide). After we strolled through the park we finally sat down and were told the story of the Stone of Destiny (which I highly suggest you read) and the tour was over. Really an absolutely incredible tour I couldn't believe it was free and was more than happy to tip.

I decided to go visit some of the free museums that we had passed earlier on the tour. First, I went to the National Scottish Gallery which boasted many great works from different eras and painters(Boticelli, Raphael, Degas) that you would expect in any European museum. But what I'll remember it most for is its bathroom. By far the greatest one I've used throughout Europe and worth the visit to the Scottish gallery by itself alone, but the nice paintings along the way were a great bonus. The gallery was great too and has the largest collection of Scottish art in the world (naturally). Afterwards, I head to the Elephant Room where I have a small pot of Assam Tea. I can see how someone could right a book here. I had to rush because my next stop was closing soon but the place is well decorated with hundred of elephant tchotchkes. Next I headed to the National museum of Scotland where among other things I saw a great exhibit on the history of means of communication (from horseback and morse code to satellite phones), an awesome exhibit on all the ways recorded music has been played over time, and best of all the oldest complete chess set in the world. From the museum I picked up my bags at the hostel and headed to platform 11 at Waverly train station in Edinburgh to catch the train to King's Cross in London.

Our incredile tourguide-Nathan

The Hub-A former church that is no a TKTS-type ticket retailer, cafe, and great example of Scottish architechture among other things

That's Edinburgh Castle in the Background

Iron lock on a grave in Greyfriars

Scottish National Gallery

I lit up in a fusion of flash...

Between my lighter and a neon sign,

Yellow and blurred i wanna believe what i heard

Wasn't created in my mind.

¬Midnight Brigade

7/11/10

Woke up and had breakfast at the Columba hotel overlooking the waterfront, checked out, put our bags in the car, and began walking around Oban where the rain was outrageous. Which wouldn't be so bad except that the strong ocean currents kept blowing sideways giving the rain a particular bite and making staying dry became an exercise in futility. Gotta love Scotland in the summertime. Eventually after we had a cup of tea and dry off (somewhat) we head to the tour of the Oban distillery where I wish they would've allowed pictures. The Oban distillery is from 1794 and one of the smallest ones in Scotland many spirits were only available at the distillery itself, though the tour focused on the process of making the 14 year single malt. The only ingredients used are water malted barley and yeast, and there are four key distinct flavors that make Oban scotch unique-a smokiness created by adding peat in the malting process, fresh sea salt here from Oban, orange peel and honey. The tour took us through every step of the process: malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation, and maturing. At the end of the tour we try a few Scotches (one which was pulled straight from a cask), later do some food pairing (ginger particularly brought out the flavors in the 14 yr old single malt), and end with a traditional Scottish toast (Slachie Va!). Then I had some fresh haddock chowder at Ee-Usk overlooking the Oban waterfront before leaving Oban for Glasgow.

After a windy (and slightly nauseating) ride back from the highlands I was dropped off at Glasgow city centre because Will and Latha were driving back to London and I was going to spend a day in Edinburgh. As I find my way to the train station I look around and find it hard to believe that i was just here about 36 hours ago. I board the train and settle in for the fifty minute ride to Edinburgh and as soon as the captain finished making the announcements you could hear Amazing Grace being played on the bagpipes over the speakers. So nice. When I arrived I checked into St Christopher's which was right across the street from the train station (how convenient is that?) and then make my way down the windy streets of Edinburgh. I ended up at the grassmarket area and had dinner at Auld Jock's Pie Shop where (you guessed it) they serve pies. I had a haggis pie and then went to Biddy Mulligan's to watch the World Cup. The place was packed to the brim but the excitement is palpable. So I get as comfortable as I can order a Budweiser (cuz I'm startin' to feel a wee bit homesick). No team really played that well in my opinion but Spain was playing like they wanted it more and I guess deserved to win. QUE VIVA ESPANA!!!!

Oban's North Pier when we arrived

View from my hotel room window in Oban

Oban Distillery

Train from Glasgow to Edinburgh

My hostel in Edinburgh

If you go down in the streets today, baby, you better...

You better open your eyes.

Folk down there really don't care, really don't care, don't care , really don't , which, which way the pressure lies,

So I've decided what I'm gonna do now.

So I'm packing my bags for the Misty Mountains.

¬Led Zeppelin

7/10/10

After breakfast and a crazy morning of getting the car to "national tyres", I made my way to the gondola that takes you to the top of Aonach Mor. On the way I noticed that this is far enough away from the major cities that all the signs have to be in English and Gaelic. The brief (10 minute) gondola ride to the was terrifying. The whole time you were dangling and rocking. By the time my ears popped we were barely half way there. Aonach Mor is 4006 feet of lush green moss-like grass with streams and waterfalls that seem to come out of nowhere and is in the same mountain range as Ben Nevis the tallest mountain in the UK. 'Tis a wee bit chilly though. Except for a brief pause the gondola made it to the top with no trouble at all.

Side note: I failed to mention earlier that yesterday I had originally planned on leaving Will and Latha and making my own journey to the Isle of Skye and Inverness while they did Ben Nevis and Iona but it turned out that the train from Glagow to Skye would have gotten me there at a time that would be too late to check in so I stuck with them and am glad i did. But I was just thinking how different this trip could've been were I allowed to check in at Skye.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Having arrived at the top of Aonach Mor I am at a loss on how to describe this place. First thing I noticed was how soft and spongey the grass feels. From the drop off point I followed the footpath to Meall Beag for the views of Loch Linnhe and Loch Eli. As I head down the path I noticed all the misty opaque clouds that make it near impossible to see the mountaintops. Along the way you can see streams and waterfalls just coming out of the grass, there was constant trickling water heading downhill. Meall Beag viewpoint was unbelievable. It reminded me of just how high up I was. After taking in the vistas I turned around and went back to where I started from and take the other footpath to Sgurr Finnisg Aig. This hike was much steeper by comparison though well worth the view.

From there I turned around and headed back down the gondola to the bottom of the mountain, wondering what this place must look like in the winter. From there I went to pick up the car and had dinner at the Ben Nevis Inn where I had a delicious burger with fresh Scottish goat cheese. After supper we drove to the Columba hotel in Oban (thanks mom) where along the way I saw my first ever a highland cow a strange animal that looks like a yak with large antler-like horns. The hotel was in a great location right on the North Pier of Oban though it was quite dreary when we arrived. I put my things down and tuned into the Uruguay-Germany match which was a very exciting and entertaining game to watch up until the last second, but a German win was almost inevitable. Regardless, the tournament must go on and so must my trip, looking forward to spending time tomorrow in Oban-where the highlands meet the islands.

Noo I've heard men complain of the jobs they are dain...

When they're hawking the coal, or diggin the drain.

But whatever they are, there is none that compare

Wi manyura, manyura, manyura manyah!

The streets of the toon were all kivvered aroon

Wi' stuff that was colourful, gowden and broon,

It was put there, of course, by a big Clydesdale horse!

And they called it manyura, manyura manyah!

I followed its track wi a shovel and sack,

And as often as no wi a pain in me back.

It was all for the rent, and the beautiful scent

Of manyura, manyura, manyura manyah!

But I'm feelin fu sore for my job's taken o'er

And everything noo is mechanical power

And theres naething for me but the sweet memory

Of manyura, manyura, manyura manyah!

¬Matt McGinn

7/9/10

Within twenty minutes one of those forewarned rocks had jutted out just enough into the road and with such subtlety that will ran it over without seeing it, though Latha saw it there wasn't enough time to react. I was in the backseat and couldn't see anything but I heard that unmistakable, POP! So we pull into the first place we see ("the world famous Drover's Inn) and it turns out our front left tire was as flat as a pancake. We go to change the tire, pop the trunk, and sure enough like some Hitchcock film (or perhaps it was more like Harold and Kumar) the spare tire is nowhere to be found. We call the Scottish equivalent of the AAA (provided by the rental car company) and they tell us that, they can have a guy out here in two hours. He won't be able to fix it tonight, but he'll be able to tow us to our final destination (Ben Nevis hotel (named after the tallest mountain in the UK) in Fort Williams).where the car can be fixed in the morning. All the while, I am off in the distance taking pictures of the gorgeous gorges of the Scottish Highlands which I am able to finally capture now that we have stopped.

As I came back from taking pictures i notice a group of Scottish men wearing traditional clothes (kilts and such). So we go in and discover a 300 year old cottage/pub/hotel from 1705. This place is as authentic as it gets (best I can tell). There is sawdust on the floor, people are here with there dogs, all the furniture is made of faded wood, the walls are a patchwork of different stones, the place is heated by fireplace, lit by candles in old jars of scotch and a folk band is playing tonight.

SERIOUSLY IF YOU ARE EVER GO TO SCOTLAND TRY TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE DROVER'S INN.

I cozy up to a pint of McEwans, a creamy Scottish ale that reminds me of an Irish carbomb (and just might be my favorite beer of the trip). For dinner I had Haggis (sheep's heart, liver, and lungs minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours) with Neeps (mashed turnips) and Tatties (mashed potatoes) on the side. It was absolutely delicious. So much better than I expected and its ingredients would suggest, I encourage you all to try it next chance you get. The neeps and tatties were simply delicious as well. So after dinner with nothing but time to kill and a tow-truck as our designated driver we began to sample some of this nation's eponymous spirit, scotch. First we tried Knockando a single malt scotch whiskey aged 12 years, oh yeah.

The band began to play and it was just great folk music (but to be honest listening to anything would've been perfect just then). Check out Whiterose if you can. Next we tried Tobermory a single malt scotch whiskey aged ten years from the Isle of Mull. Delicious. Made even better by Whiterose playing in the background. They sang folk songs about Caledonia, Andy McCloud (some soccer player), House of Mcdonald, Ballad of the Highlandman and more. Really good stuff. Everyone is stomping their feet, clapping their hands, the dogs are barking, really a site to be seen.

It was around that time that our tow truck arrived. Fortunately, he let us go in and enjoy the show a little longer while he readied the car for towing (he was a superb driver I don't know how he managed to maneuver those roads while sharing stories of the Glasgow-Edinburgh rivalry)Inside we had our last scotch of the evening-Laphroaig, a single malt scotch whiskey aged ten years from the isle of Islay which is famous for the high levels of peet they use in the distilling process which gives their scotch a very smokey flavor (a little too smokey if you ask me). By the way, scotch is so cheap here. I estimate this would cost up to 6 times as much back home. By 10:33 we begrudgingly left the Drover's Inn and ride off into the orange-purple-highland-sunset in a tow truck the size of a tank, admiring every inch of the way.

Final note about the car: No need to worry, Will and Latha had the foresight to purchase the window and tire insurance. All was good.

The moment when we realized we had no spare

The World Famous Drover's Inn

Me

Whiterose

I still don't know how our tow truck driver managed to drive this along the narrow highland roads

I come down from the misty mountain...

I got lost on the human highway

Take my head refreshing fountain

Take my eyes from what they've seen

¬Neil Young

7/9/10

Got a better night sleep than expected, woke up and began to see Glasgow. Looking for breakfast we wandered around the plazas of Sauchiehall and Buchanan streets (also known as the style mile) until we found the Willow Tea Room. And what a good find it was. The Willow Tea Room is a member of the UK's prestigious tea guild and winner of the tea guild's award of excellence in recognition of achieving the very highest standards in the service of tea and complimentary foods. I ordered a pot of the Willow Tea Room blend and a toasted tea cake and later had a pot of Scottish Breakfast blend tea. We walked outside and it was overcast and pouring (but we didn't mind we wanted to see Scotland for what it really is). In fact it seemed that anytime we entered any store or restaurant by the time we left the weather would inevitably change. From there we headed to GOMA (Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art). Many interesting works, not as overwhelming as the Tate but filled with great pieces and especially worth checking out for its works by Scottish artists. When we left GOMA it was no longer overcast but still raining. The weather here seems to change like the time.

Passing city hall we made our way to the Glasgow Necropolis a very peaceful hill/cemetery filled with thousand year old graves and mausoleums that rises to reveal stunning views of the city. Afterwards we headed down the hill to the Glasgow Cathedral (a church built in 1560 famous for its architecture and stained glass). The Glasgow Cathedral is also the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the reformation virtually complete. We decide to have lunch at the most famous of all Scottish restaurants McDonald's (just kidding). We head back to the car stopping for pizza along the way.

When we get to the car i took the first shift and drove from Glasgow to Ardvorlich driving along Loch Lomond (again the signage was just awful). The drive was so nice. As soon as you got passed the Glasgow airport you could see the scenery instantly change and it only got better from there. There was a bit of a delay due to the Scottish Open but after that it was smooth sailing (for now at least). The drive was so beautiful that it was a constant struggle to keep my eyes on the road. Crossing the Erskine bridge was particularly breathtaking because after that it was all Highlands. The roads became windier and narrower, with stop lights and roundabouts that seemed to come out of nowhere, not to mention the constant signs warning against falling rocks. After I had my fill I pulled over and Will took over the driving duties.

Turns out those signs weren't kidding...

The Willow Tea Room

GOMA-Not sure if the traffic cone on the statue is vandalism or modern art

View of Glasgow Cathedral from the bottom of the Necropolis

Gloom atop of the Necropolis hill

The Glasgow cathedral at the bottom of the Necropolis hill (and the difference 5-7 minutes can make in Scottish weather)

Climb, climb, rattle on the front seat...

Spree I spraddle on the backseat;

Turn my key, step on my starter,

Take you riding in my car.

¬Woody Guthrie

7/8/10

Woke up. Packed. Class. In between classes I finished booking hostels and train tickets and printed confirmations for Scotland. Very excited to drive on the other side of the road. After class I head with Laitha and Will to Thrifty rent a car in Kilburn Park. There were some initial delays in getting the car. First Thrifty didn't have automatic (which Latha confirmed he was renting a week ago), then we were trying to see if one of us could drive stick (which has to be done with the left hand over here and as only Latha could he would have to do it both ways all the way), we called other places none of which had automatics available, so Latha finally decides he's up for it and 3 minutes later someone returned an automatic so we were able to get one after all.

By the time we got our car it was 4:30. It took us nearly two hours to wind our way through the labyrinth that are the cities of Westminster and London to get to the M1. The problem was that they were doing construction on the highway entrance we planned on taking and hadn't considered that possibility in advance but soon enough we maneuvered through the detours and made it to the M1. Finally! Very nice drive (once you get out of the city), although our car a Ford Fiesta-Titanium had an engine built for a scooter. After an hour on the highway I took the next shift as driver.

I drove along the M6 from Northampton to Charnock Richard (in the lake district which is beautiful and worth its own trip if you ever get the chance). It was a very enjoyable and leisurely drive, glad I didn't have to deal with the hustles, hastes, and hastles of the city though there was a little learning period at first. As soon as I sat in I instinctively reached for my seat belt with my left hand and tried to put it in reverse with my right (little things). Also, I initially didn't realize that the fast lane is on the right here (got a few honks about that one) and I always thought they used Kilometres for speed limits but turns out they are measured in miles. The hardest thing to get used to though, was making a right turn and ending up in the left lane, but really its not that hard you just have to follow the cars in front of you.

North of Newcastle when we stopped for gas I saw my first Scottish pound and knew we were close. We finally entered Scotland and made our way to Glasgow where atrocious signage (seriously just awful, you could completely miss exit signs if you don't know where to look) led us on various late night detours but we finally made it to our hotel.

The Ford Fiesta (Titanium Edition)

Plenty of trunk space

That's me

Our hotel in Glasgow for the night

I'm gonna start a revolution from my bed...

'cos you said the brains i had went to my head
Step outside 'cos summertime's in bloom
Stand up beside the fireplace
Take that look from off your face
'cos you ain't ever gonna burn my heart out
¬Oasis (Who I like to think of as my generation's British band)


7/7/10

Overslept but made it to class on time. Today there was a guest speaker in International Entertainment Law who specializes in Trademark at Sheridans. Later that evening the Professor for International Entertainment Law invited the whole class over to the flat he rented for the summer to meet his family and for some wine and cheese. Prof. Biederman is an incredibly kind and generous guy (of course i would be to if I was a partner at Manatt). It was at that dinner that I overheard Latha and Will (a couple of the people who I hung out with in Amsterdam) mention that they were going to Scotland this weekend, a trip that i was planning on making the weekend after them. But after they mentioned that they were renting a car and that they were going to Glasgow tomorrow, I decided to go with them. Although we had different trips in mind I knew I would enjoy the flexibility of riding in a car instead of a train and would relish the opportunity to drive on the other side of the road. So I went home that evening and planned my weekend in Scotland.