Do you know that lovely, sluggish feeling you get after an evening full of food and drink? It’s like that sleepy feeling after lots of turkey and wine at a Thanksgiving dinner. That is how I feel as I write this. And let me tell you - it’s the greatest feeling in the world!
I entered Glasgow from Dublin a complete wreck. I had just spent the last 18 days in hostels, was tired from a 10-day tour of Ireland and was sick with a wicked cold. I was definitely ready for a change in pace. My friend Joyce picked me up from the airport - which in itself was amazing as I did not have to arrange for any public transportation. Seeing her smiling face after 2 years was wonderful in itself - and she gave me the best 5 days in Glasgow that any person could ask for.
First, let me give you some background. I met Joyce on a Green Tortoise National Parks tour I did in the states two years ago. If you have never heard of Green Tortoise tours you should definitely google it and do it. Best tour of my life! But anyways, staying with Joyce was grand. I had my own room!! After sharing bunk beds with strangers for almost 3 weeks I couldn’t be happier. And her shower had amazing pressure and water that was just the right temperature! I was in heaven, let me tell you. She lives in the cutest flat not too far from the city center.
Joyce is an amazing cook. Every morning she made a lovely breakfast for me usually consisting of eggs, which was great from my usual toast-and-cereal free hostel breakfast. The dinners that she cooked at night were also great - soup and mackerel! Yum! I ate like a king while I was in Glasgow.
What I really enjoyed though was getting to see Glasgow and it’s surrounding areas through Joyce’s eyes. She took me on all these walking trips on the western coast. I saw amazing sights of grand hills and mountains that touched the sky. I saw beautiful, clear lakes that reflected the amazing country side in the distance. I drove through areas with such purple, vibrant heather that truly radiated off of the green grass. The purple really popped against all of the green land. I saw gorgeous thistle and soft, lush green moss as well. She took me to places that I never would have seen on my own. We also went up to an island and got to walk along the shore.
Another great thing about Joyce was that she allowed me to get into all of the things that she liked. I learned a lot about dancing and she even encouraged me to go to a Charleston class. I was soooo nervous about this in the beginning as I have two left feet and am an extreme klutz. But when I started to follow the moves and get into it I found the class to be exhilarating! And to think that I finally learned how to dance properly in Scotland!
I also go to meet a bunch of Joyce’s friends who were just so nice to me. That’s the sort of thing you miss when you are on the touristy route. I loved just going to the pub and having drinks with people that lived in the area. I will admit though that I had no idea what they were saying half the time because of their Scottish accents! And then I learned later that some of Joyce’s friends were talking slower for me once they learned that I was from the states! How embarrassing - although I must admit that I was grateful!
I will miss Joyce and all of her quirks. I will miss listening to her Big Brother episodes in the background as I surfed the net. I will miss hearing her talk wistfully about her dance partners and how she will miss dancing in the summer as her classes end. I will miss joking with her about all of the different words between Scottish and Americans, and I will also miss her hilarious attempt at an American accent. Joyce also got me to appreciate the art of using the self-timer on a camera. She showed me an amazing time and I wish that there was something that I could do to repay all of her hospitality…and her amazing cooking. I left Glasgow feeling 100 times better than when I entered. That visit was an excellent way for me to charge my batteries.
After I left Glasgow I went to Dundee to visit distant relatives of mine named Billy and Eileen. Many people I talked to were a bit hesitant when I told them I was going to Dundee. Apparently it is not known for being one of the nicest cities in Scotland. I must say though that hey live in a very lovely part of the city, right on the water. They are the sweetest couple and their kindness to me has been superb. Once again, I had my own room! (I am going to be so spoiled once I leave this place!) Breakfast with them has been great and I had the most amazing fish and chips that I have ever had in my life! I got to see pictures of my great, great grandparents from Scotland which was an eerie experience to partake in.
But what I have really loved from being here is seeing the two of them interact. They have such a sweet story. Eileen told me that her and Billy used to date when they were sixteen, then went their separate ways and married other people. Supposedly neither of them were particularly happy with their partners and secretly pined for each other over the years. Eileen tells me that she used to look at the moon and wish every night at midnight that she would be reunited with her Billy. When they got to their 60’s and had ended things with their spouses they did get back together and have been happy ever since. I seriously admire their story and hope to find happiness like that for my own someday. No, Dundee is not what I would call a tourist attraction, but it is Scotland and sometimes traveling is all about getting off of the beaten track and seeing what life is truly like outside the main cities.
I still have another week to go in Scotland doing the touristy thing. I do a tour in the highlands and then meet my friend Andrew from New Jersey to spend time in Edinburgh with. I will always look back happily on my time with friends in Scotland. They have taken care of me in my weary traveling and nursed me back to health. I hope to someday be able to repay the favor and welcome them into my home. Thanks for a great week in Scotland!
