Wander Life

Stouts in Scotland!

So, this happened in June:

That's right - terrifyingly amazing adventures in Scotland with my brother and sister-in-law!  

We explored city life...

(Edinburgh)

...and island life.

(Isle of Canna)

We found some very cool castles...

(Castle Stalker)

...and some very cool hikes.

(Glenbrittle Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye)

(Old Man at Storr, Isle of Skye)

(Isle of Skye)

We explored by land...

(Isle of Canna)

(Isle of Skye)

...and by sea.

(off the southern coast of Isle of Skye)

We headed into the mountains...

(Glencoe)

...had a few close calls...

(Isle of Canna)

(Loch Ness)

And, of course, just enjoyed hanging out together, over coffee...

(Portree cafe, Isle of Skye)

...over meals...

(oyster bar at Loch Fyne)

...and, best of all, over Scottish adventures!

(off to see the puffins!)

So, Ty and Sarah, thanks for coming!  It was more fun than I could shake a stick at!

Summer Holidays

I seem to be go, go, going these days, and thus have somehow missed posting during the last two months.  But I can sum up April pretty easily: reading and writing.  I had a big deadline due for school, so I was mostly writing for that.  But then May arrived!  And May, June, July and August are all good months.  Because they involve two of my favorite things: family/friends and travel (with writing in the mix :)).  To kick it off in May, I met up with my mom, Aunt Jane, Uncle Ron and Aunt Dee in Prague and Budapest and spent two weeks seeing the sights and just enjoying being together.  I loved every minute of it.  

I have a full album of the pictures from the trip on my Facebook page, but here's a glimpse of the fun...

Prague with the crew:

  
(southern Czech Republic)

Budapest:

(Hungarian wine country)

(wine tasters)

Of course, I could go on and on about how incredible this trip was and how much I loved spending time with this gang, but...you get the gist.  It was awesome.

And when I got back, I ran the Edinburgh Marathon.

A very fun day, indeed.  My first marathon.  My knee did better than expected, and, a week later, I can almost walk normally again!  That's not too bad, I figure.  ...I hope to do more in the future (my knees already hate me, anyway), so we'll see what might be next.  Edinburgh was certainly a great route to start with - yup, I can still hear the Scottish cheers now.  Not totally sure what they said, but you know, it was encouraging all the same.  :) 

And that's just the start of the summer holidays!  Next up (in just a matter of days, in fact), my older bro and sis-in-law will be arriving for a week and a half visit.  I am, of course, very excited for this.  We'll be driving up the west coast of Scotland to the Isle of Skye.  Plus, I'll be showing them my Glasgow stomping grounds and other cool Scottishy sights.  So, highlights of that will be coming next, I'm sure.  ...And after that, my friend Carolyn is visiting for a few days.  Excellent, excellent.  I think we'll be heading to unexplored territory (unexplored by me, anyway): southeast Scotland/northeast England.  I hear Hogwarts is over there (Alnwick Castle), plus a bunch of other cool sites.  So, we'll check it out, anyway, and report back after - that'll be July's expedition.  ...And August will have me home in the Pacific NW for four weeks.  Which will be wonderful for several reasons: my family, summer weather, Mexican food.  Gonna be great.

So, alrighty, that's the summer plan.  Of course, I still need to keep up with my reading and writing in the inbetween times, but...I've always found that the road makes a pretty good office for a Creative Writing student.  :)

Until next post, happy summer vacation!  

Wandering On

Well, time keeps marching on, doesn't it?  I had started this post last night in order to get it in before the month of March expired, but alas...time would not stand still.  Another day, another month, and, for me, the start of another year.  Yup, I turned 34 (34?!) since my last post.  I've never been a huge birthday person (I neither love nor hate them - I just kind of forget about them, I think), but this year, I decided maybe I should do something.  I think mostly because it had been a while (summer, really) since I had done any proper traveling, and I was getting a bit stir crazy with all the books and writing and such.  So, I looked at one of the European budget airlines, did a quick search for a place that was cheap and fast to get to from Glasgow and found: Amsterdam.  Well, then I figured since I was going to be flying to Amsterdam, I might as well hop a train to explore a little south, too.  A friend from my program was also up for it (the advantage of being in a writing program filled with free spirits :)), and, viola, a five-day exploration of The Netherlands and Belgium was born.

Amsterdam: City of Canals

I really had no plan or agenda.  Someone had recommended the Anne Frank house in Amersterdam, and I knew I liked Belgian beer, so that was enough to give some direction to start with.  But mostly, I just wandered around to see what I could see.

Dutch Cheese  

There's a lot of things I like in life.  Books and writing, of course.  Sports and traveling.  And wandering.  Just walking around, looking at stuff...'cause you never know what you'll see.

Maybe a windmill:

(in the Dutch town of Haarlem)

Maybe a snow storm:

(Ghent, Belgium)

Maybe some chocolate:

Or waffles:

Or various refreshments:

And, of course, the occasional rooftop view:

(Bruges, Belgium)

Yup, I think it's fair to say I enjoy it all.  

So, that's probably the plan for my year of 34: another year of PhDing, living in Glasgow and continuing to wander around.  Sure, the conditions aren't always ideal...

(wandering bike ride in Glasgow turns snowy)

But more often than not, I figure it pays off pretty well...

(Scotland's West Highland Way)

So, here's to another year, another spring, another day - wherever this one finds you.  Wander on, friends!

(Another year in Scotland.  No complaints. :))

 

Springing Into Action

Yesterday, I was doing some post-run stretching in a nearby park when a kid, around 4 years old, came flying down a hill on his bike and completely wiped out in front of me.  He didn't cry, but his foot was kind of caught up in the bike, so I figured I should try to help untangle him.  This was easily done, but in the process, his shoe came off.  When I asked if he was okay, he just said, "Whoa.  I lost my shoe."  I then tried to help him put the shoe back on but couldn't figure out all the space-suit-like straps and buckles; thankfully, he seemed able to sort it out himself.  

It's not an exceptional story, I'll admit, but I think it sums up my last two months pretty nicely.  That is to say, most days go like this: I write; I go for a run; I do some work at the university; and I have some small daily encounter that distinguishes each day from the next.  So, I may not have any big adventures to report, but here are a few samples of said random little things that keep life interesting:

I cat-sat for some friends.  This is where I sit most the time, working on my writing.  I'm not a huge cat-person, but it was kind of fun having company for a bit.  She shared my enjoyment of staring out the window, so we got along fine.  (I did think I lost her for a little while when she pushed her way through the particleboard that surrounds my tub--something I did not know was possible--but I'm glad to report, no real mishaps occurred.)

I got a bike.  The university started up a new bike-lending program, and, of the 400 applicants, somehow I was one of the 20 chosen.  So, now I'm doing my part in trying to promote bike culture in Glasgow.  Washington, Oregon, California and Colorado (all states where I've formerly lived) are all pretty famously bike-friendly places, and, of course, China (another past place of residence), too, is pretty big into biking.  So, it kind of surprised me to find that Glasgow isn't particularly.  It's a university town, after all.  ...Anyway, I'll do what I can.  Which means, I'll strap on a helmet and ride this bike around.  

This is the trail on which I go for my daily runs.  My marathon training is going alright, except that my knees and achilles are starting to feel the increase in mileage a bit.  Still, I enjoy it - if nothing else, the fresh air helps keep me sane.

And now that the sun is starting to come out a bit more, I enjoy it all the more.  Three cheers for Vitamin D!

Glasgow, of course, can be pretty tempermental (here's the view from my window less than two weeks ago)...

But, like I said, I kind of like that there's something a little different each day - keeps me on my toes.

And that's probably what the next couple months hold, too - me writing, working, getting out and about, playing some frisbee and enjoying whatever bits of randomness come my way.  Hope as we enter into spring, all of you out there get a chance for some play time, too!

  

Winter's Quiet

December's been quiet.  Not just on my blog but around Glasgow, as well. Students and friends have left for the holidays, the shops are closing their doors a little earlier, and the dark and chill have rolled in.  In other words: perfect conditions for a graduate student in creative writing.  Sure, I've gotten in a number of Christmas parties, a couple of frisbee tournaments and a short day expedition here and there, but really, the last couple months have mostly seen me bundled up inside, typing, reading and drinking lots of tea.  It's not a bad way to spend a winter, if one can't be with family and friends back home.  It's maybe a bit like hibernating...but with books.  

(Glasgow's Kelvin River after our first snowfall of the winter)

(Kelvin Park with its frozen pond and the university spire in the background)

I am now about half way through my PhD...if all goes according to plan, I'll be finished two years from now.  Whether filled with happenings or a bit lower-key, the months continue to fly by.  And already, there are several study breaks I'm looking forward to in the term ahead.

(Indoor frisbee tournament here in Glasgow)

(Christmas frisbee tournament)

First of all, some sporting news: I've registered for the Edinburgh Marathon in late May.  So, that should provide some motivation to keep me running through the winter.  I'm not planning to smash any records, but it should be a scenic run and, as my first marathon (I've done a few halfs but no full-lengths), memorable.  ...And, other than the running, I've still got ultimate frisbee, which always keep me plenty active (if not slightly injured).

(The Burrell Collection: a museum just south of Glasgow)

I'm also looking forward to some visits and travels that 2013 will bring.  In May, two aunts, an uncle and my mom will be visiting the Czech Republic and Hungary, so I'm planning to pop down and spend a couple weeks visiting with them.  I enjoyed both Prague and Budapest when I visited a couple years ago, and exploring them with family will be all the more of an adventure!  ...Then, hopefully, some other visitors will come in June and July (you know who you are...make it happen! :)).

So, certainly plenty to keep me turning the calendar and eager for all that 2013 will bring.  Until then, I hope you're enjoying the winter, whether quiet or chaotic.  And, because it's better late than never, happy holidays from Glasgow!

(A quiet December day at Glasgow Uni) 

Walk-abouts

October kind of went like this:

But, even so, I had the occasional opportunity to get my head out of the books and go to a few more places than this:

Indeed, I even made it down into England one weekend for a quick trip to Manchester.

'Cause it's there (and for a concert).  :)

[Manchester art gallery]

And, since we actually had quite a few nice days here in Glasgow, I got out and about for some nice walks around here, as well.

[My neighborhood]

[Glasgow City Chambers]

[Glasgow's Riverside Museum of Transport]

[A nearby park]

[One of Glasgow's many nice walking paths]

[A walk along one of Glasgow's main rivers, The Clyde]

And then, branching out a bit from Glasgow, took a trip to the coast - about an hour and a half to the west by train - for a sea-and-hill hike.  To me, this is some of Scotland at its finest:

So, another month has come and gone, and now we'll see what November brings.  A US election, Thanksgiving, cooler weather, darker days, good soup, good reads and wherever else we find ourselves.  

 

Stay in School

Last spring, I decided to stay in school.  I had just finished the courses to complete my MFA in Creative Writing when, suddenly, two more years of school sounded like a good idea.  And so, I applied to the PhD program, was accepted, and now, fall finds me once again here, wandering amongst the cloisters of the University of Glasgow.

I'm three weeks back into classes, and so far so good.  Most of my time is spent writing and reading, but I do have class on Mondays and then there are various optional seminars, trainings and guest lecturers I can attend during the rest of the week if I need inspiration or, you know, just to get out of the flat.  I'll also have a few study breaks this year by participating once again on the ultimate frisbee team.  Because school and sport just go together in my mind....

So, that's my third September in Glasgow.  It's actually kind of historic for me 'cause it's the first time I've stayed longer than two years in the same city since my college days.  I lived four years in Salem, Oregon, and then, during the next 11 years, proceeded to move to 7 different places: 3 cities in China, Florida, California, Colorado and then here to Scotland.

(A Glasgow park in fall)

(Downtown Glasgow)

So, yeah...this is new for me.  This whole not-moving-after-this-long-in-one-place thing.  I'm sure I'll get antsy (I already kind of am - yikes!), BUT I think it'll be good, too.  For one thing, all that energy I'm saving on apartment-hunting or finding the best grocery store or figuring out where the post office is can now be spent on weekend day trips outside the city.  It turns out, there really is still lots to see around here!  :)

(A train ride to the historic village of New Lanark - an hour SE of Glasgow)

(Countryside en route to New Lanark) 

(A walking trail around New Lanark)

(The Falls of Clyde - near New Lanark)

(A roadtrip to Wigtown - two hours down the coast from Glasgow)

(The owls of Wigtown...including this awesome little pygmy owl)

(Nature!  In Galoway National Forest - south of Glasgow)

So, here's to whatever newness and oldness Year 3 in Glasgow brings.  Any year that starts with pygmy owls looks pretty promising.  :) 

Summer Here; Summer There

July and August are in the books.  Or "in the photo albums," as the case may be.  They were a) a great break from Scottish weather [I like you, Glasgow, I really do...but I gotta admit: I need sun in the summer], b) a great study break, while still being educational [win win!], and c) a great time to see some new things, as well as some things I've been missing [like my family!].  

Per usual, the full albums are on Facebook, but to recap here, I present: la highlights.

Macedonia:

Albania:

Greece:

Greek island of Chios:

Turkey:

Bulgaria:

UK Olympics:

And a trip back to the USA (Pacific Northwest, of course) to visit my homies:

And finally:

So, that was the summer.  'Twas a good one.  And now, it's September, and I'm back in Glasgow for more of this schoolin' business.  Should be another good academic year, with lots of reading and writing, I suspect.  But also, some fun new adventures, I'm sure.  So, alrighty.  Bring on the fall.    

The raaaaaaain in Spaaaaaain falls maaaaain...

Well, actually, it was quite sunny, but, you know, that's just not quite as much fun to sing.  :)

It was, however, VERY MUCH fun to experience.  The sun, the sights, the culture - all great.  And you probably thought I'd miss a post for June (I thought that, anyway), but here I am with a buzzer shot.  It might not be very graceful - just be a bit of a recap, per usual, 'cause the full albums are up on Facebook [and if we're not Facebook friends...who are you?  :)] - but I think it'll get the job done.  So, here we go - it's up and out of my hands....

So, I met up once again with friend, Rebekah, whom I taught with in China long, long ago.  She travels some for work, and since anywhere in Europe is currently closer for me than anywhere in the US, we decided to meet up and do some traveling again.  This time, it was Spain & Paris.

First stop was Segovia - about an hour north of Madrid.

And I loved it.  Had some great historic sights but also some natural beauty and was the perfect size to wander and explore for several days.

So, thumbs up to Segovia.

Then we moved south to Cordoba.

Which was also great.

Lots of history to take in, cool things to look at and fun streets to wander.

We also took a day trip a couple hours southeast of Cordoba to check out the famed Alhambra in Granada.

Graaaaaanada, I'm falling under your spellllllll.

Everybody now!  Graaaaaanada...  It still can be found in the hills all around, indeed.  :) 

So, that was fun (both the singing and the seeing).  Then it was on to the southern city of Seville.  It might not have a song about it, but it, too, was lovely.

And after Seville, it was time to trade our Spanish adventures for a voyage to la France.

Who doesn't love Paris in the summer?  When it drizzles, when it sizzles, every moment of the year?  (Wow, two Franky songs in one post.  Too bad he didn't sing anything about Glasgow...  But while we're on the subject of songs, here's another fitting one.)

And, really, that about sums it up.  Just fun to see the sights...

have some great food...

meet some great people...

...and just have a great time with a great travel buddy.  Thanks, R - can't wait till next time!  :)

 

And next up, more summer travels.  In a few days, I'm taking off for a few weeks in Eastern Europe and then back to Glasgow for a week and then to the Pacific Northwest for the month of August before returning to Glasgow and to school life.  ...Man, I love summer.  :)  

And hope all of you have a great July.  Fire up the barbees, pump up the pools, light those fuses (then get away! :)) and enjoy!      

 

April, May and Beyond!

Well, I missed posting in April.  But just barely!  And I have some really good excuses.  Including:

A visit from my sister and brother-in-law.  It was, to use a British term, totally brilliant.  Loved having 'em here and loved exploring Scotland with 'em.

And explore we did.

Edinburgh:

St. Andrews:

Snack breaks:

Then back to exploring.

Stirling:

View from atop the Wallace Monument:

Checking out the castle:

And the town:

Then it was time to move on to Perthshire:

What's that you see, Steph?

Ah ha, Beatrix Potter Garden!  So lovely.

Moving west across Scotland, we came to Glencoe:

Passed Ft. William to the Glennfinnan Viaduct (aka the railline to Hogwarts):

Which had a lovely view all around:

Next, it was ferry time to check out a couple of Scotland's famed Hebride Islands:

The Isle of Iona.

Where we saw a cool old abbey.

And the Isle of Mull:

Where we saw a cool cow.

Yes, indeed, it was a great week of Scottish adventures.  With plenty of castles:

Duart Castle on Mull.

Inveraray Castle.

And, of course, a little time in Glasgow:

And the best part of all?  Getting to spend time with my sister and brother-in-law, of course.  They're pretty cool, don't ya know.

A definite thumbs up!

And as if that weren't enough to call April good, there were a few other happenings, as well.

Like my friends Paul & Tracie's wedding.  

It was a lovely affair with some great people.  

Fun friends, fun dancing,

fun cake.

And I know I'm really flying through the month here, but you know, there's a lot to get in.

Like some more ultimate frisbee tournaments:

This one was on a beach in Aberdeen (NE Scotland).

The Glasgow squad.  ...Someone told us to pose like models for this picture, and this is the result.  Clearly, none of us knows what that means.

And now you're pretty well caught up.  And it's May.  Wow.  My plans for the summer and beyond?

Well, I've just been accepted into the University of Glasgow's PhD in Creative Writing program, so it looks like Scotland won't be getting rid of me for another couple more years, at least.  Which is nice.  I like it here.  

The Lake District, a few hours south of Glasgow.

I haven't lived longer than two years in one place in quite some time.  Like, in the past decade.  So, that'll be different for me.  But, also good.  It's a good place.  With good people around. 

Hiking with university pals around Loch Lomond, just north of Glasgow.

So, I'm looking forward to the summer and the next couple of years.

BBQing outside my flat.

I've got some work to do this month, writing and more writing, and next month, I've got a couple weeks in Spain (then Paris) lined up, teaming up again with my old China-teaching-days friend Rebekah, whom I traveled Berlin and Denmark with last year.  Pretty excited for that.  ...Then maybe Bulgaria, Turkey and some places in between in July.  Backpacker-style, of course.  I can do hostel life for a couple weeks a year.  ...End of July, I've got tickets to support the US Women's Olympic soccer team when they play France in Glasgow.  The Olympics are officially hosted by London this year, but Glasgow gets to help out.  Should be fun.  ...And, last but not least, I'm going to try to get back to the ol' US of A for a few weeks in August.  There's still a niece I haven't met, yet, plus all the other nieces, nephew and rest o' the Family Farm to catch up with.  It'll be, what, 17 months or so, come August, since I've seen those rascals, and that really is pretty long.  

So, yeah, that's what's up and what's coming up.  I'll try to post again in May before heading off for warmer weather, but if I don't get a chance to, you can at least have Spainishy pictures to look forward to next time.  

And I hope summer's gearing up well for all of you, as well.  Three cheers for the sun!  Hip hip...