Category: Just Visiting

This isn’t Kansas–08 November 2017

Posted on by Zogman

P1030486Woke after a noisy night to sunshine. 

The noise was just normal traffic noise and also a bin lorry reversing into the hotel at 3.30am!  I was annoyed, but think of the poor driver of the bin lorry who was probably halfway through is shift by 3.30am.  Almost as bad as the drivers who were running nose to tail into Embra at 7.30am yesterday morning.  We should be thankful for small mercies.

Today was a much, much more relaxed sort of day.  After breakfast we went to investigate the top floor, ie roof of the hotel.  That is where the sunbathing area is.  There’s also a nudist part, carefully screened off from the punters so as not to frighten the horses, or those of a nervous disposition.  We didn’t go in, just in case you’re wondering.  No, we spent our morning simply soaking up the scenery and the sun from floor 5.  That’s where today’s PoD came from.  When we felt we had made the most of that, we went for a walk along the front in the opposite direction to yesterday.  Walking right instead of left took us in the direction of the really, and I mean REALLY posh hotels.  Brought back memories of a great lunch followed by an expensive G&T the last time we were here.  

Later  we went for lunch in our own hotel.  It was meant to be a fairly light lunch, so I started with cold meat and salad.  However, Scamp’s half a roast chicken was too much of a temptation, so I went for that as my main course with brussel sprouts.  Yes, I realise that’s a Christmas thing, but there is a Christmas tree up in Reception, so it’s fair.  We rested for a while before going for a swim in the heated pool.  I don’t know how ‘heated’ it is, but it’s much more comfortable than the cold plunge pools up on level 5.

When the sun went down behind the apartment blocks that surround the pool, we headed back up the level 5 to grab some more sun to help us dry off.  Snoozed for a while there and then it was time to get ready for dinner.  It really is a merry-go-round of eating in these hotels!  On the way back to the room we found two lost ladies.  Russian? Polish? Danish? Dutch?  We didn’t find out, but I took them to reception, because that was where they wanted to go.  This hotel is a bit of a maze. 

After dinner, which for me WAS a light dinner, just a salad and a lovely vegetarian stew, we went for a walk down to the esplanade.  After that we listened for a while to  a truly awful singer and then gave up and went to watch the Alma Show which turned out to be the best show we’ve seen in ages.  It was part drag show and part dance show.  All done in the best possible taste.  Really excellent entertainment. 

Now I’m sitting on the balcony writing this blog in total darkness!  So goodnight!

Tuesday Morning 4am – 7 November 2017

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P1030480That’s the time we set on the alarm and that’s the time we got up.

It was a bit of a shock getting up and out this early, but we had just handed the keys in when the bus arrived to take us to the airport.  It only took about ten minutes for the journey then we dropped the bags and got through security.  We had our overpriced breakfast at All Bar One.  Scamp’s was cold and the girl took it away and brought it back on a hot plate.  Eggs and toast were the same, still cold, but the plate was hot.

The flight left on time and just as we were climbing over the M8 we could see the long queue of cars heading in to Embra.  Probably the beginning of  a long day for some unlucky people, and the prospect of the same queues going home.  We, however, were off to sunny climes.

Because we were almost first in the queue for the bag drop at the airport, we were in the last lot to get our cases from the carousel.  It’s always the way at airports.  First on, last off.  However, the taxi was waiting for us and we were soon at the hotel.  Room wouldn’t be ready until between 2pm and 4pm, but that’s normal.  No big deal, we left the big cases at reception and went and had lunch, then went for a quick walk around the hotel.  When we went back the room was ready and they were putting up the Christmas decorations!  This one of my pet hates.  Christmas decorations in November.

Room looked fine.  Only on the first floor, but that’s ok by me.  It was a bit noisy because we are right next to the road, but again, that’s fine.  Had a Hotel Beer and everything was sorted. We went for a walk around the town to see what had changed (not much) and make sure some of the cafes and restaurants we wanted to go to were still there (they were).   Today’s PoD came from the walk.  Away to the south near the strangely named Port Colon (hopefully means something better in Spanish).  Cows on castors, what a strange idea!

Dinner was a low key affair, no posh dressing up here.  After dinner we sat at the front of the hotel in the covered area listening to a bloke singing.  One couple got up and danced a very strange, almost balletic dance.  Then the woman danced in the same style, but solo.  Another couple fumbled their way through Ceroc to a tune and finally an old couple (even older than us) got up and danced a swing routine.  I could see Scamp champing at the bit to dance some salsa.  Finally our chance came and we danced along with the old couple to a Spanish tune.

That was it.  Too many beers, too many G&Ts, not enough sleep last night and not enough energy tonight.  Tomorrow is another day.

Out West – 3 November 2017

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Not Troon and not Ayr, two of our favourite west coast places. No, it was the one between. The Cinderella of the west coast, Prestwick. That was our destination today.

Coincidentally, Prestwick was one of the favourite destinations for Sunday School trips. It had sea, sand and usually rain, so it fitted the bill perfectly. Today however, we were going for lunch. Scamp had an Itison booking for Elliots and we were going on the bus so I could have a glass of wine with my lunch. What could make it better? It was raining.

Out early, which is any time before 10am and this was just about 10am. We got the bus in to Glasgow and then the X77 to Prestwick. That’s when it started raining. We walked along Prestwick main street which didn’t take very long because, apart from some coffee shops there was very little to see. Lunch was really quite good. That may sound like faint praise, but apart from an over-sweet starter and Scamp’s chicken tempura instead of the vegetable she ordered, it was excellent. The aforementioned starter shortcomings reduced Excellent to Quite Good.

After lunch we caught the bus into Ayr. Ayr was almost like Muirkirk yesterday. Not closed, but closed up. There were an amazing number of ‘For Lease’ signs all over the town. It looked like there were much more boarded up signs than the last time we were there. We didn’t even go down the beach this time, just wandered round the shops and that is where I saw today’s PoD.

As darkness began to fall and the light faded we boarded the bus for Glasgow and then the bus home. Not before we froze for a while in the bus station in Ayr where there is no waiting room, no toilets, not even an overpriced newsagents. What they do have is a row of cold aluminium seats and that’s where we sat for almost half an hour. For those tourists flying in to Prestwick then going to Ayr before travelling on, Welcome To Scotland.

Thankfully both bus journeys home were quick, comfortable and with good connections. They weren’t First Bus, of course, they were Stagecoach. You could tell as soon as you sat down on the seats. First Bus have seats made of plywood and cloth. Stagecoach insert a layer of foam plastic between those two strata. That’s one difference. Also, Stagecoach buses have heaters that heat. That’s another difference.

Tomorrow? Maybe Glasgow, maybe Stirling. Probably driving.

Cross Country – 16 September 2017

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A day driving east, then west, then back east again. Don’t say we don’t get around.

Started out driving Sim and JIC to Chris’s for them to be taken to Embra for the, as yet, undisclosed ‘Birthday Surprise. We knew what it was, but were sworn to secrecy. With the rest of the day ahead of us and no particular place to go, we headed, not for the Kokomo 1, but in a generally western direction. I thought we would go to Gourock or Helensburgh to sit and watch the sea … in the rain. Yes, it was raining, just as the weather fairies had predicted.

All was going well until we reached the Royal Infirmary section of the M8, then things started to clog up. However, our many drives through this part of the motorway meant I had the answer in my head. Never get stuck in the inside lane where all the dimwits ahead of you allow poachers to cut in in front of them. Get into the middle lane and if that clogs up, move over to the outside lane. Using this technique, the Kingston Bridge was a dawdle. Drove on past the airport and out into the country. That’s when traffic jam number 2 started. At first, after two police cars passed at a fair lick, we assumed it was an accident, then it became clear that only the inside lane was clogged. Managed to ease my way into the outside lane by choosing a decent space in front of a fairly new car. (Drivers of new cars will let you in. They don’t want to damage their shiny new car by rear-ending a dirty old car!!) Soon it became clear that the problem wasn’t an accident, well, not that we could see, but it was roadworks on the Erskine Bridge that would have taken us over to Helensburgh. So, we could confidently wipe Helensburger off today’s chalkboard. On to Gourock.

There was a cruise ship docked at Port Glasgow, the Caribbean Princess. I think she was far from the Caribbean. Perhaps she had been blown off course by the recent hurricanes. We did see some bemused looking travellers seeming to come from the ship and wonder why on earth they had been given this wet and miserable place to berth. We both knew exactly how they felt after our admittedly warmer trip to Igoumenitsa or as it will always be known to me,  ‘The Ig Place’ in Greece.

By the time we go to Gourock it was really miserable. The rain was thumping down and the Lomond hills were just smudges on the horizon. We continued to Cardwell Garden Centre near the Cloch lighthouse. It used to be a wee garden centre with a cafe. Now it’s a gigantic place with a children’s zoo, an indoor amusement arcade, a whole host of shops as well as a fairly extensive plants sections. It also sells coffee and scones. Decent enough coffee, but really, really excellent scones. Best I’ve tasted in a long time. We weren’t tempted to buy any plants and just started back the way we had come.

On the way home the weather started improving with the rain finally going to annoy someone else and the sun coming out. We stopped just outside Port Glasgow because the light was getting good and I reckoned I could get some photos. I did, but they needed some work. That’s the PoD above.

From there it was a straight run home in the dry. In fact it was under a clear blue sky.

Tomorrow is to be a better day. Don’t know where we’re going yet.

  1. No Particular Place To Go – Chuck Berry. Google the lyrics. ↩

Following my nose – 15 August 2017

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The forecast for today was good, so we headed off this morning to South Queensferry.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Western world had also decided that today was the perfect day to go to South Queensferry, and they’d got there and parked before us. No room at the inn. Not to worry, we could just carry on along the road and go to Cramond. Almost as good, and it has a good ice cream van that does Mr Whippy style ice cream.

Then we got stuck behind an old ‘diddy’ who seemed determined to wear out his brakes. Ten miles an hour everywhere. I’m sure he was getting the clutch and brake mixed up, either that or he had enormous feet and was covering both pedals. The road down the hill is very narrow and there sometimes isn’t room for two cars to pass. This diddy just kept driving and forcing others to reverse out of his way. Only once did he give way. Anyway, eventually he got to the bottom of the hill and the parking place. He went one way round, I went the other. The parking place was full. Who did we meet at the other end of the carpark? The diddy. He just stopped and indicated that I should reverse. Sorry, I don’t take instructions from diddies, so I just sat and waited with my arms folded. The standard I’m not going anywhere signal. He gave up and reversed out of my way! Result! He’s probably writing a blog at this minute ranting about the ignorant man who thought he owned the road and the carpark! He’d be right too. Hope his brakes cooled quicker than his temper.

So, no room at the inn number 2. We knew there was a big wide road that we’d seen cars parked on and it ran parallel to the esplanade at Cramond, but we’d never found it. Today we needed it. By following my nose, I found it. It was a dual carriageway that apparently was just a big carpark. It was nearly empty and we got to choose our parking space. We walked along for a while, but then turned back because Scamp had spotted an ice cream van. We both had 99s. It’s ages since I’ve had a 99. So glad we found this parking place. Now all we had to do was get back out of it and onto the road home again.

That was more difficult and we had to drive almost into Embra before I could find the road back, but I did, by following my nose again. Just to be cantankerous, I didn’t take the motorway or the Forth Road Bridge (the new crossing isn’t open yet), but headed for Bo’ness instead. Stopped at a garden centre that appeared on our right and had coffee ’n’ a scone. Scamp had been looking for a pair of proper secateurs for ages and the garden centre provided them for a price she was willing to pay.

From there it was an easy drive home.

Today’s PoD was taken from the ‘new’ carpark and is entitled “Are we having fun yet?”

Today was a lovely day, but tomorrow is to be not so nice, so I may be doing some painting. Not oils this time, but acrylic and not on a canvas either, it’ll be on the inside window sills which really need another layer of varnish.

Paisley Pattern and Siri – 5 August 2017

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We were intending to go to Salsa in Paisley on Sunday and, as we hadn’t ever driven there, we planned a recce today.

Getting there was simple, even if Google Maps on my iPhone insisted on showing the route upside down. Just off the motorway we found the restaurant that hosts the Paisley Sunday Social. There were some parking areas around it, but nothing substantial and, as the social attracts a fair number of dancers, we decided to find a bigger car park. That’s when the trouble began. Paisley, it seems, has an even more complicated one-way system than is really necessary. After travelling round and round, we eventually found the exit and after a couple of wrong turnings, got parked. I’d just pushed the button for 2 hours parking when I noticed that you only need to pay on weekdays! No problem, at least we were parked.

Paisley is like most Central Scotland towns. It’s in a state of decline with frantic attempts by the council to make it look new and vibrant. It wasn’t working. Too many ‘pound shop’ variants and charity shops in the main street. A new shopping mall with only half the shops occupied. Cumbernauld without the concrete.

We wandered round the Abbey and surroundings, but didn’t even stay long enough to have a coffee. That shows how bad it was. I found some interesting buildings that I may go back and sketch and today’s PoD is one of them. It’s a former Territorial Army drill hall, now on the steep slope to Beyond Economic Repair. It was also falling into a big bucket of Photoshop tonight and that’s where the Haunted House look came from.

When we went back to pick up the car, I thought I remembered the street it was parked in. It’s the same street I drove a box van up to JIC and Andy’s new student flat! It’s a small world, Paisley.

After negotiating most of the one-way system, I foolishly followed Apple Maps which took me the wrong way down a one-way street! Never again Apple. Google maps may be upside down, but at least they are reasonably accurate. Eventually found the road back to Glasgow and late lunch at Milano. While there, I noticed that Apple Maps was still active on my phone, despite me having switched the phone off half an hour before. I switched it off – again. Meal was good as usual in Milano and when we got home I again noticed that the phone had switched itself on and was sitting on the lock screen. I got so mad at it I long-pressed the button, summoning the useless Siri. When it appeared, I shouted at it “Switch the fuckin’ phone off”. It switched off!!!

I wasn’t expecting that. Then I noticed, just as the display disappeared that power was down to 2%. That’s why it switched off, nothing to do with stupid Siri. Just coincidence.

No plans for Sunday, apart from Paisley.

Perf – 4 August 2017

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Perf (or Perth). A great place for coffee, tea and lunch in any order you like.

Today I drove, although we could have gone on the bus or the train. I didn’t mind, it’s usually an interesting drive. Today, although it was fairly dry when we left, it rained for most of the journey. We listened to a Radio Scotland program while we travelled about a couple who have been to almost all the Edinburgh Festivals from 1947 to the present. They were German Jews who had come to Britain in the Kindertransport just prior to WW2. Really fascinating. Pity it was presented by Stephen Jardine. We outran the rain just before Perf.

Lunch was in Cafe Tabou which has restricted its menu a bit, but my Lamb Gigot was absolutely faultless. Scamp’s Sea Bream seemed to satisfy her too and left her with just enough space to have a Rhubarb Martini instead of a coffee to complete the meal. Choice a bit more restrictive, but quality not compromised.

Bought my coffee and much needed tea and then headed back to the car … in the rain, because the clouds had traced us to Perf and dumped some of the wet stuff on us.

Today’s PoD is of a strange architectural detail on the roof of a shop in Perf. It would make a very nice roof garden.

Tomorrow? Don’t know.

1,371 miles apart, Dubrovnik to Cumbernauld – 27 July 2017

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Time to go home.

Up early and out for breakfast before grabbing the bags and checking out, one last time. Pretty sure we’ll never go anywhere on this ship again.

You don’t really want to know the details of the day, do you? You’ve all done this end of the holiday stuff. Half of you wants to stay, but half of you wants your own bed and your own chairs and to be able to listen to your own music without having to break every 30 minutes for some infantile ‘game show’. Yes, I’m glad to be home.

Today’s final sketch of the cruise was done while sitting on the deck waiting for the minutes to tick away until we leave the ship for the last time.  Watching all the folk looking incongruous in their long trousers and jackets, milling around doing the same as us.  Just waiting for the minutes to tick away …..

Went out for a walk to St Mo’s just to make sure it was still there. Only out for 15 mins and got bitten by a cleg. It won’t bite anyone else, I made sure of that.

The cruise is now officially over for another year.

Submarines, Scenery and Showers – Kotor – 26 July 2017

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Today we were sailing into Kotor. It’s a sail in not to be missed.

We were up just around 7am to watch the scenery slide by with the beautiful slow-motion you only get from a ship. It is such a relaxing view and unfortunately, unless you’ve done it, it’s impossible to describe. This year, I was on the lookout for the camouflaged submarine pens on the side of the fjord (I missed them two years ago). Yes, it is a fjord and yes, there are submarine pens. Some were built by the Germans in WW2 and some by Yugoslavia in the late 20th century. Allegedly they are no longer used. That’s one top left. Google Kotor Submarine Pens for some amazing accounts.

Further in to the fjord there are more picturesque views of little islands, churches and waterside villages. It’s remarkable scenery which looks very like the west coast of Scotland. I often wonder what it would be like to take a leisurely cruise up the west coast. A couple of hours later we reached Kotor.

We’d been there two years ago and knew it was a maze inside the walls. What we weren’t prepared for was the way it had expanded internally with cafés taking over spaces in squares and piazzas that created bottle necks with so many visitors crowding in trying to get the best angle for photos or the ubiquitous selfie. Ok, I’ll admit it, I’ve taken a few selfie shots of us this holiday, but when you see people making idiot faces with ‘surprised’ looks on their faces as they search for the shutter button on the phone, you begin to wonder about the future of the human race. Thankfully a lot of them are americans and not really part of the race, more simply onlookers.

We wandered the shops and found junk, tat and also a few interesting articles or quality artwork too. I liked the sign middle bottom. We had a coffee under cover in one of the squares and were about to leave when there was a cloudburst and the rain came thumping down. It had tried to rain earlier, but it was only a half-hearted attempt, this was the real thing. We decided to leave it for a few minutes more.

When the shower passed and the sun came out, we headed out through the walls and found the pond where the blue dragonflies circle almost endlessly and spent a fruitless quarter of an hour trying to snap one. We both came close a couple of times, but no cigar.

Further down there was a market. The outside stalls were full of fruit and the ones under cover were for fish. The fruit especially looked amazing. Not at all like the sanitised articles our supermarkets have.

I got one sketch done of a clock tower while Scamp went for a walk, trying to find the Christmas shop.  After we met up again we went for lunch in another wee cafe with canvas umbrellas giving protection from the sun this time, not the rain.  When we were fed and watered, we went to find the Christmas shop and got two Christmas decorations and another salt ‘n’ pepper set.

Too soon it was time to go back the the ship for a last dinner. Didn’t even get to dance tonight, because some eejit was doing the worst dad-dancing I’ve ever seen. The bloke last week was funny and interesting. This one was just stupid. He was english.

Back to the cabin to complete the packing and then put the cases out to be taken away ready for tomorrow.

Move along please, nothing to see here, Igoumenitsa – 25 July 2017

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Today we were in Igoumenitsa. You become a bit disillusioned when you read on the daily bulletin that there is nothing to do or see in this port. So, why are Thomson taking us there? I suppose the answer must be so they can sell more excursions. The rest of us could go to hell, or go to Igoumenitsa. I don’t think there would be much difference.

We had intended to get a taxi into town, but nobody wanted to take us the short run into town. There was only one taxi and he seemed more interested in getting us to go on a longer trip. We gave up eventually and walked into the ‘town’. Along the way we passed a few ’grey hairs’ who were walking back. None of them had actually made it to the town. Surely it wasn’t all that difficult, or that far. It wasn’t. After about 15 minutes walking we reached the outposts of the main town, with some uninviting cafés and bars and a supermarket.

The town when we found it was nothing special and the bulletin was correct, there was very little to see. Certainly no antiquities or scenic views, just a wee Greek town trying to get by when the country is bankrupt. I found a shop selling ground coffee by the usual method of following my nose. It smelled enticing so I bought 250g of what the bloke said was the favourite blend of 50/50 dark and light grind.

We went for a cup of coffee and then walked back to the ship. On the way we stopped to get some ‘messages’ at the supermarket. We always try to bring back something useful from our travels and this year it was cinnamon sticks, coriander and sweet paprika. We also got a bottle of tonic to mix with the gin I bought on Monday.

We were late sailing away from Igoumenitsa (isn’t cut ’n’ paste wonderful!) because one of the coach parties was an hour late getting back. When we were watching the stragglers plodding across from the customs house the bloke standing at the rail next to me was incandescent! He was jumping around, making rude signs at them and shouting. Worse still, he was Scottish! Then I remembered where I’d seen him before. He had been on our cruise with Royal Caribbean when the aircraft broke down at Palma and we were taken to Magaluf to an 18 – 30 hotel to rest overnight while the spare part was brought from the UK and the mechanics fitted it. He was demanding that they fitted it that night. I remember him shouting “I’ve just been on a cruise with ROYAL CARIBBEAN and you expect me to stay here!!!” As if that would make any difference. I know I fly off the handle at times, but this guy was flying out of orbit! Nutter. He’s the kind that gives morons a bad name.

We finally sailed away from Igoumenitsa and on to Kotor tomorrow. Tonight we were having posh dinner for the second time this cruise and looking forward to it after a boring day.

I liked the sign top right. The midges must be really bad here. They shoot them with shotguns!