Revolution
Section 7

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was here," the man said apologetically. He had a strange accent that Jane couldn't place.

Jane looked at him, suspicious, as he smiled and walked towards her. He was tall, taller than most men Jane knew, perhaps over six feet. Jane's head only came to his shoulders. Those shoulders were broad, and under ill-fitting clothes he looked well muscled, though her older brothers were probably stronger. A mop of long, dark brown hair framed a face that was slightly round with high cheekbones and a strong, but not large, nose.

The hair stopped her for a moment. The style of the times was to have long hair, tied back, but this man's was something closer to what her younger brother, James, wore. Not short like her father's or other older men who were afraid of showing their baldness. No, his hair was scruffy, just long enough to cover his ears, but not enough to reach his shoulders. Jane simply couldn't describe it.

Slowly, she realized she was avoiding looking into the young man's eyes. They were a light gray and sparkled brightly. Jane then realized why she had avoided them. They seemed to pull her in. She was standing, staring, her hands frozen in wiping in her apron, looking up at him as he came closer. He stopped close enough that she had to crane her neck to look up at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. My name is Victor," he said softly.

Jane realized she had stopped breathing.

"I...I wasn't expecting to see anyone there," she stumbled, taking a breath. "My name is Jane."

"Would..." Jane cleared her throat and tried again. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

Victor nodded and they walked to the back door, while Jane wondered at her forward and perhaps even immoral behavior. All the while the birds sang loud and clear.

(Written April 2, 2003)
To Be Continued...

posted by Cassandra 11:42 PM

. . .

Revolution
Section 6

Jane hummed along, watching the food cook. She smiled, suddenly feeling at home among the worn wooden objects of the room, remembering her mother's presence. The song faded as Jane started setting the food to cool. Millie continued to hum as the three older girls finished setting up breakfast. As the last plate and biscket were placed, Sally ran out to the yard, to get James and their father.

The family that sat down to eat was quiet and subdued, though Millie continued to hum. The sun was just coming past the tree tops as the dishes were stacked on the wooden counter. All the children, except Jane, went and collected thier school books. Nodding to their father and Jane as they shuffled out the door on their way to school, they seemed somber, except for Sally's enthusiastic waving. When all the children had gone, their father stood up, patted Jane on the shoulder, and walked out the door, without saying a word. He was off to see to the few acres of farm that they still owned.

The house was silent as she began washing the dishes. Jane hummed to herself to chase away the loneliness, but even the birds were silent. For all the dull light of the sun, it began to feel oppressively dark and Jane felt utterly alone, as if nothing else was alive in the world. She stopped washing and went outside. Everything was still. No wind blew, no birds sang, the sun sat just above the trees, giving little light and less heat. Jane looked around, confused by this odd atmosphere.

Suddenly, a breeze swept her hair back and a bird began chirping on a nearby branch. As she turned to go back inside, Jane noticed a young man standing in the yard, looking at her.

(Written March 31, 2003)
To Be Continued...

posted by Cassandra 11:34 PM

. . .

So, What Have You Been Up To Lately?

Waiting for the bleeding to stop
Rushing to find the right time
Desperate to get done with it all
Remembering the quiet
Hoping the book won't come back out
Working to make it better
Thinking of how it could be, will be, should be
Singing the songs of my heart to deaf ears...namely my own
Speeding towards I don't know what
Worrying about it all
Arguing with all who disagree
Sleeping more than I should
Catching a mental fever
Losing everything I thought I had
Running towards any goal I think I can get to
Grinning and bearing it
Frowning at the hard stuff
Screaming silently at myself
Talking to anyone who can stand to listen
Listening for wisdom
Searching for answers
Eating lots of junk
Reading my dispare
Sitting around doing nothing
Laying around doing too much
Organizing everyone but me
Playing at being me
Creating Something...I think
Moving forward...I hope

(Written April 2, 2003)

posted by Cassandra 11:26 PM

. . .

Here's my Journal from my trip to Scotland this past spring break...in chronological order...Yeah! :) Enjoy.

posted by Cassandra 11:08 PM

. . .

Thoughts From Scotland
Day 1 (or 2 depending on your time zone), March 14/15, 2003
Glasgow

What a long, long day. I slept badly Wednesday night and stayed up so late Thursday that I only got 2 hours of sleep, though that was on purpose. It was a long plane ride (5 hrs then 7 hrs), very cramped, but the food was good. The first flight (LAX to Newark, NJ) I got about 1/2 hour of sleep becuase I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, then the second flight (Newark, NJ to Glasgow, Scotland) I slept perhaps 2 hours. All in all, I'm exhuasted and ready to go to bed, even though I took a two hour nap once we got to the hostel.

As for my observations--Glasgow is a very dirty city, but that fits its odd character. The buildings here are all so amazing, and yet they don't seem to be appreciated. Met up with four crazy/drunks today. It seems as though there is little to do but shop and drink around here. Neither of which seems appealing, though I did have my first bit 'o alcohol today--a sip of A.'s beer at Pizza Hut where we went for dinner--so if a pub is where you can eat and get a beer, then even Pizza Hut is a pub! It's cold and I think I took a chill during my nap--I woke up shuddering and shivering all over the place.

We walked a lot today, once we got out of the airport (by bus) we found our hostel, only to discover checkin was at 3pm--it was 10am--so we wandered all over, just walking, talking, and people watching. My bag is very heavy so I had to sit often. I also think it was because I was so tired. Anyway, for the most part people here are friendly, if you can get anything out of their brough. It's tough, but I've found myself picking up some of the tonation--not intentionally. I bet when we get back we'll all have a slight hing (we won't notice, but others will).

Played a game of pool--odd that--red and yellow balls, all so small and light, the cue was small and light too, and the cue ball was TINY! Made it interesting, but I think we did George proud. Made friends (sort of) the best one can in one night and A. talked with many people. I've got to make myself more approachable too--just too tired to today. So going to try and get some good sleep and enjoy every minute tomorrow. Miss home and school--the things here, hmmm, I really wish I had Mom around to show them to. Money is odd--and tight--but I think we'll be all right. Tomorrow off to Loch Lomond...very exciting!

posted by Cassandra 11:07 PM

. . .

T. From S.
Day 3, March 16, 2003
Loch Lomond

Happy March 16th...didn't get a chance to do Gongyo today, but hopefully sometime tonight we'll be able to. In Loch Lomond now--it's 11:30am and we can't check into the hostel until 3pm. The girls went for food and supplies--my bag is much too heavy to walk the 3 miles back to town--and then back here. I'd probably keel over. So they went and I'm staying with out bags--outside the hostel. It's very pleasant, I don't mind so much...besides they'll walk faster if they don't have to carry their bags.

So back to my observations about Glasgow since I didn't have time to write them all last night. There are a lot of arabs. We walked by the Glasgow Mosque, a very nice garden and beautiful buildings next to the River Clyde. Then in George Square (a place with about 15 monuments and large open spaces and 600 pigeons) there was a rally for Kurdistan. It is very interesting dynamics. Last night we went out for dinner at 7pm only to find that the entire town had shut down! Amazing, Saturday night and no food. Lots of bars, but none serving food--so we ended up eating at Pizza Hut. It was interesting. After talking with the waitress, it appears that everything is closed by 6pm, except on Thursdays when it's 8. Why Thursday?! Well, don't have to worry too much, just have to eat early--hence the girls going into town now.

I had a good sleep last night, though the sun's very first hint of ray woke me up early this morning. Couldn't go back to sleep, neither could the girls, so we ended up leaving early. Glasgow at 9 in the morning on a Sunday is all shuttered and quiet, rather deserted and ghost like. It was kind of frightening. A town so big, so deathly quiet. Though I guess eternal and excessive life is an American thing, insisting that people be up and working at all hours everyday. Perhaps the Glasgow way is better.

I'm being distracted by a small troop of people, dressed up medival like and rehearsing for something. I'm too shy and they look too involved to go over and talk. So, I'm sitting here, writing, occasionally watching, listening to the cars on the road, the birds in the trees, and the spattering of Scottish English that finds its way over to me.

I digress--so we went and got train tickets to Balloch. With excellent timing we got on the train and made it to Balloch by 10:30am. The ride was wonderful, it was a bit like the Long Island Railroad. Watching the aged track housing was interesting. Everything has a little bit more age to it than I'm used to, though then again I live in Aliso Viejo, one of the newest towns in CA--only 2 or 3 years old. Even track housing gains a certain character after 100 years. The views are great, especially once Glasgow faded away. Cows and sheep, fields, trees, and lots of fog. Though we did notice a lot of litter everywhere. It seems to be a chronic problem around here. The countryside is beautiful, though once everything begins to bloom I think it will be even grander.

There are sheep grazing around the hostel, though it's lambing season so we can't go visit them. I can see the loch from here, like a big, long lake.

Once we got into Balloch we trekked around, looking for the bus station (actually just a bus stop with a few maps) and ended up back at the train station to catch a taxi. Although 3 pounds isn't bad, doing it a few more times would kill our budgets.

The sheep have just moved, very close to me, all bahhing and looking at me. Some of them have blue spray painted marks on their backs, for ID I suppose. Several of them are using rocks to scratch their backs and legs--it's kind of funny. They look all kinds of warm and cozy in their wool, I'm rather cold actually! Sheep aren't that strange to me, but I'm very happy to see them for some reason. Reminds me of home, I guess. I'm tempted to take more pictures, but I won't it's only my 2nd day here, don't want to use up all my film. Anyway, enough about the sheep...

So that (3 pounds) and my heavy bag are why I'm hanging out here. I'll write before I sleep tonight with more.

Later

Sleepy and cold. The girls came back all right, about 3 hours after they left. The hostel is gorgeous, old and decently furnished. Right now, sitting in front of a fire getting ready to do a little reading before bed. I'm very sore and my hips and feet and shoulders hurt. I hope I'm able to carry my pack tomorrow! We ate in for lunch (well, I did) and dinner was some snacks they picked up in Balloch. We went to the loch for a bit, walking around and finally sitting and talking. Two swans came over and cleaned themselves about 3 feet away from us, very beautiful...I have a bunch of pictures of animals in Loch Lomond...Hmm, I need to buy and send out postcards. Well, the area and hostel here are beautiful, but after the peopole at Glasgow, it seems dead and boring..quite all right, we'll just enjoy the quiet and the fire. We had some more good talks today. Each time we just sit and talk, I discover something new. That is rewarding.

posted by Cassandra 11:06 PM

. . .

T. From S.
Day 4, March 17, 2003
New Lanark

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Hmm...Well, someone just threw rocks at our window and tried to bang down the door of the hostel...so we're all a little freaked out...this kinda stuff was supposed to happen at Loch Lomond...not here! Of course there was that flashing blue-white light on the 2nd floor of Loch Lomond Youth Hostel...that 'electrical' oddity...anyway, I think I'll cut this short and go to sleep and write tomorrow about today...the girls are ready to go to bed and so am I...off.

(In nearly illegible handwriting...)

We just had a fire alarm go off and now I'm very sleepy...shaking and having a very hard time writing...

(Back to normal handwriting)

okay the adreniline has worn off mostly...we think it was a lockedout person..going to try to sleep now...

posted by Cassandra 11:05 PM

. . .

T. From S.
Day 5, March 18, 2003
New Lanark

So, yesterday. We got up early and hiked the 3 miles to Balloch, A. carried my pack, thank goodness. I'd probably have died! Walking along, we could almost imagine we were pesants, just as the manor made us wonder what it was like so many years ago to come home to that house and all those fields with sheep and horses. We just managed to catch the train to Glasgow. A. went to the store while E. and I waited in Central Station--it's a beautiful place--very open and airy, but still enclosed, kind of like the Venitian in Los Vegas. We talked to an interesting old lady until A. got back and we caught the train to Motherwell and had to change trains to Lanark.

Once here, we had to walk to New Lanark, only about 20 minutes, after asking all kinds of questions--then we had to find how to get to the hostel--all in all there was a lot of talking to Scots with difficult accents. Though school got out just as we were walking and we had to contend with many kids on the road. We eventually got to the hostel...down, down, down a wildly steep and curving/switchbacked walkway--though the road wasn't much better--it was about 2:30pm and we found out the hostel didn't open until 5pm! from the man across the street. He was very kind a let us put up our bags in his car, until we could come back for them.

We wandered, ate some lunch, then checked in. We're alone in our room, it's very nice! Like a hotel, but with five beds. We've got a great view of the River Clyde. We met Ken and Loraine in the kitchen, from Australia. They're a great older couple! We took a taxi into town and went shopping for food supplies. That was interesting, especially since we couldn't make any choices on foreign brands! We got back, made dinner, and joined K. and L. and Dannil in the TV room. We sat around talking (D. is from Bath, England) and talking over the differences and such of life and life. Off to bed and then the craziness happened, rocks, baning, and fire alarm. I was so cold and freaked out, I couldn't write well and today I can barely decipher my scrawl! Okay off to get tea!

Corra Lin
The rushing water of Time
Washes away the sandstone of our lives
Only to pull it along downriver
And form
New falls.

Later

Busy day...went to the falls, very nice walk, and beautiful, inspired the poem above, then had lunch and did the tourist thing in the village, very interesting! Met back up with K. and L. at dinner and new member, Manuel from Berlin, Germany, he reminded me of Uncle Peter, and was very cute...hmm, too bad we're all leaving tomorrow. I'll miss K and L they're a great couple...but they did give us their contact info. Hope we can keep in touch...they're a wonderful couple of people. Nice to have contacts in Australia! Bought postcards today, will need to buy more for more people to mail out and to bring back! Oy. Anyway, tired and an early morning tomorrow, so I think I'm off to bed. New Lanark treated us very well, I'd like to bring Mom here, she'd love it. Lots of travelling tomorrow, back to Glasgow and then to Edinburgh.

posted by Cassandra 11:04 PM

. . .

T. From S.
Day 6, March 19, 2003
Edinburgh

Well, we're in Edinburgh now. Hm. Well, I'm alive. I have clothes and food and money. I need not a lot else, right? Perhaps not.

So, we left early, saying goodbye to M and K and L...that was hard. New Lanark's hostel felt like home, especially compared to where we are now. The trains were fine, if a little confusing, but we didn't have to go back through Glasgow. We hiked out of the station, got hit on by a helpful construction worker--"If you need a number, I'm here everyday"--and meandered our way to the Prince Street gardens where we ate lunch. I was a bit grumpy, I had to bite my tounge a few times. Then we went on a bus tour of the city, on a double decker bus--there are lots around here, but I hadn't been on one until today.

Then the bus was detoured because the schoolkids of Edinburgh had started a protest march after striking from school, calling for no war. It was a great sight to see. I understand why people go to protests now--all of the kids were under 16 so they couldn't be arrested...but they police did try to keep it from turning into a riot. Then our bus driver got into a physical fight...on the road! It was a very entertaining tour. We then made our way over to the hostle...after New Lanark it was quite a disappointment. K and L warned us of the ills of Backpacker Hostels...they were right. It's not bad, I guess. We get sheets and pillows and blankets, running water and a place to keep our bags...but there is of course a lot to complain about...like the window at the foot of my bed that won't close, so it's cold and very noisy. Oh well, "beggars can't be choosers."

We went out shopping, just little stuff, and had dinner (at 4 since everything tends to close early), emailed Pappa, tried to call Mom (2 times actually), and went our way to the movie theater. We saw "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." It was good. Okay...I'm tired and if I allow myself to begin complaining, I won't stop until 3 pages later.

posted by Cassandra 11:03 PM

. . .

T. From S.
Day 7, March 20, 2003
Edinburgh

Well, we stayed out all day, after getting up early. We visited the Royal Scottish Museum's exhibit of Scotland in the morning, we were only able to see just a tiny portion of it, it was huge and we only had a short time. There were a lot of nifty exhibits, I wish we could have stayed longer, but the rest of the city called. We walked up to the castle (after lunch at the museum). That was a long walk, but interesting. Then I heard the students protesting again and I went over and watched them for awhile.

We payed the steep (or 'dear' as K and L would say) price for the tickets into the castle. We looked around the gift shop (which looked more like a liqure store) until we caught a tour. It was very interesting and informative. We then wandered our way back down the castle, stopping in to see the the Scottish Honours (AKA Crown Jewels) and the "Stone of Destiny" (AKA Coronation Sitting Block) as well as a war memorial, broken tower, great hall, artilery, St. Margeret's Chapel (which is the smallest church I've ever seen, the oldest building in the castle, and built in the 1000's). We also visited the prisions and several military museums--apparently the castle is still a military stronghold. It was fun--then we walked back down to the Prince St. mall and had dinner and desert at the same place (it was really good last night) fish and chips and ice cream for dessert.

We looked at the shops, but didn't find anything interestion--we went outside, and met up with a police battalion just setting up to meet the protesters. We walked around Prince St., looking in several shops, and then the march came by.

Later, I called Mom, we talked for 2 minutes (not long enough!) but I feel much better having heard her voice--it's been exactly a week since we last talked and I missed her lots. I'll talk to her more Sunday.

Then we went and watched the protesters until they broke up (around 8pm) and then we went to Pizza Hut. I had my first beer, ugh, nasty stuff, I couldn't finish the bottle. We went to Pizza Hut because we felt more comfortable there than anywhere else, including our hostel...we made up a top ten list...

Reasons why you know you're not in the best hostel
(In no particular order)
1. It's in the middle of the busy city, the window doesn't close, and the heater doesn't work.
2. The light in the hallway gives more light to the room than the light in the room.
3. The only way to get lukwarm water is to turn on the cold tap.
4. The showers closely resemble those in the castle prision. (excluding the glass doors...)
5. You're more comfortable in Pizza Hut.
6. The toliets hate to flush.
7. There is a boy sleeping on top of you and he didn't even ask.
8. There are crushed chips on the floor that don't belong to you.
9. There are people who have been drunk 2 days straight and intend to stay that way.
10. The room's two lights have lampshades and only one has a bulb
(later additions)
11. In the middle of a booming big city, your only entertainment is playing cards in your room.
12. The smell of the local brewery (aside from being disgusting) can permeate the entire city when the winds are right (and flow into the hostel's vent in the bathroom)

So, here we are, back in our rooms, trying to entertain ourselves before we go to bed. I'm enjoying the city of Edinburg, but I'll be happy to get back to Glasgow's hostel. I miss New Lanark! Oh well...future notice..don't go to a backpackers hostel...

Righto, well, all that walking has made me exhausted. So, off for a wee bit of relaxation, then bed...more walking tomorrow.

posted by Cassandra 11:02 PM

. . .

T. From S.
Day 9, March 22, 2003
(About Edinburgh) In Glasgow

I'll write about yesterday now...it was a long day and I was too tired at the end of it to write (plus there were no lights...) Got up early and ate breakfast in the park. We then got directions to Arthur's Seat. We got lunch at the local grocery store and walked over to Holyrood (house) Palace and Park...interesting that, I can't imagine living in a large palace in today's modern world. We made our way towards Arthur's Seat--and realized the steep paths were too much for us...so we sat down on a smaller hill nearby...that was more than enough of a hike for me! It was beautiful though, with a panoramic view of the city and the Firth of Fourth...or whatever it's called. We made our way back to Prince St. and took a bus to the Royal Botanical Gardens...lots of little kids and old people. It'll be beautiful once things start blooming...it was still a little dead when we went.

We came back and had dinner at the same place we've had it since we've been here ('Nother Fish on a Bun, Gorden) ;). We sat around the mall for a while, then made our way to the Cinema...It was 20 to 7 when we got our tickets for the 8:45 showing of "The Life of David Gale" so we sat around again, just sitting, talking, and watching. The movie was really good, interesting message. We got back to the hostel around 11:30pm and got ready for bed.

Really miss home now--Soka and Home...It's been nice, but I'm ready to go back, even if I have to do homework. I miss talking to Mom. And I'm sick of lugging this pack everywhere...I feel like a sweaty old pack mule, barely keeping up and wanting to stop and rest every chance I get. I've enjoyed my time here, but I feel like I've had a very good length vacation. Sleep sounds wonderful now! Except I still have to lug my pack to the train station to get back to Glasgow. Joy...

posted by Cassandra 11:01 PM

. . .

T. From S.
Day 10, March 23, 2003
(About Glasgow) On Plane Home

So, about yesterday...we slept in (a wee bit) and relaxed in the Prince St. Gardens before heading off to the train station. I feel stronger, I can carry my bag for further distances and longer times--though the girls are still always 3 feet ahead and still raring to go when I beg for a stop. Of course it doesn't matter now...I'm on the plane home. Anyway, back to yesterday. We got our tickets and rode the one hour trip to Glasgow.

We came out of the Queen St. Station to find George Square filled with war protestors...and surrounded by Yellowjackets (AKA Police). Looked for 1/2 hour for a place to eat lunch and ended up in KFC. Then the protestors marched down the street just outside...we watched and E. estimated there were about 2,000 protestors. In 4 days we saw 3 protests. I took many pictures and might write an article for the Pearl...we'll see what managing editor W. says. Then we sat in St. Enoch Square, watching people.

At 3 we checked into our hostel and met Collene from Rochester, NY who was in the same room with us. It was very nice, and us being old hands at the whole hostel thing (right...) we got to share some of the tings we've learned. I read for awhile while E. slept and A went for a walk with C. That book...it's good but I won't finish it before it's due...*sigh*, Oh well. Then we went to dinner at Pizza Hut with C. It was nice to have someone new to talk with...not that I don't love A and E, we've just spent a lot of time together. However, I'm glad I've been able to spend some quality time with them...I just wonder if they feel the same way...my manic depressive side has been coming out and it's not very nice.

So we came back to the hostel around 9:30--we had sat and talked for a long time. Then we went to play two short games of pool...not likely! We met up with an Aussie who's name none of us caught and Niles, the 26 yearold Irishman, both were drunk, but Niles was a very nice, intelligent drunk, and attractive...hm--interesting note, we met a few drunk boys, but none were really attractive because they were drunk (eg. if they had been sober it might have been better), but Niles, even though he was drunk had had been for a while and the trend was likely to continue, was still attractive. Interesting contradictions.

Anyway, we got back to our room at 11:30 (right, short pool game...). Pool has been the best way for us to meet boys, I noticed. Thank you Master George! Got up early today and packed everything up. Kind of sad to leave such a beautiful and friendly country, but happy to be going home. As E. said, I appreciated more about home. Got to the airport early after walking through deserted Glasgow. Bought a few duty free items and got searched as I got on the plane. Security in Scotland is different, more strict in some was (more questions) and less in others. I'm a little nervous about customs...we've got a 1 hour layover to get to our next flight and go through customs--and since we're in a war, it'll likely be rough going. I hope we can make it!

The girls and I didn't get seated together--they're in the row in front of me, but we're in exit rows so there's more leg room, which I appreciate. Anyway, P-hat's going to pick us up and we're going to put our film in ASAP...though I've got about 12 more shots on this roll...grrr. Well, time for lunch!

posted by Cassandra 10:59 PM

. . .

Thoughts From Scotland
Returning Home

Going through customs in Newark was hell...though mainly because it seemed so rediculous and ineffective. Why wait in a line for 20 min when the guy at the end hardly glanced at your customs card? Because...Americans like lines. E and I checked our bags, so we had to wait in another line for a while...A went through with no problems since she didn't have a bag to check...but then E and I went to the gate (after having to go through security AGAIN! and I had to take my shoes off AGAIN! and there were soldiers with M-16's looking like they wanted to shoot someone simply because they were bored...AGAIN!) and discovered that A was no where to be found. We paged her and she eventually showed up only minutes before our plane began boarding. That was nerve wracking! We had somehow managed to miss each other. We got back to LAX safe and sound, and waited for P-Hat for what seemed like an eternity, but was closer probably to 20 minutes. When I finally got back to my room, around 8:30pm, I called home and talked for 1 1/2 hours. Then...too exhausted to do much else...I simply collapsed on my bed and went to sleep. I didn't unpack until Monday afternoon. And that, as they say, is history.

New World Views

So, one may ask, how was my first trip to Europe? Well, aside from war breaking out in the middle of it...It was very good. I learned a lot about myself (Yeah...I've got a nasty nature that chanting helps cure) and about the world (not everyone likes America (oh duh!) and sometimes...they're right). I also appreciate America more now, too. I really do love my country. Even though...*fill in many things here* I liked Scotland a lot, and I definately want to go back. There is so much more to see! So many more people to meet! I think we only skimmed the surface. And I'm looking forward to the possibility of more in the future. I definately want to travel all over the world! I want to see so much more...because I know I'll learn so much more.

It was sunny everyday we were there, which was VERY unusual...enough so that everyone we talked to mentioned it. We also had amazing timing. AMAZING! We would walk up to a train platform just moments before the train came. We would go talk to someone to find out that we were just in time for...something. Even though we came early to all of our hostels...it didn't matter that much, because we were able to enjoy the cities (or the country) around them for a while. And everywhere we went, we met extrodinary people. Of course...we never did figure out when or where people worked...it seemed to me like the only people who were working were construction workers and the police. And where or when do the kids go to school? No...we never did figure that one out.

What were the bad things? Well, the facuets that only put out cold or hot water (which was either very cold or very hot) so that you couldn't ever get lukwarm water to wash your hands...you either burned the germs off, froze them off, or splashed around until they were all over. No matter where we went (but especially in Glasgow) everyone was better dressed. We often felt like loud, obnoxious, slob, foriegners...or more accurately, Americans. People smoked EVERYWHERE! We all had a hard time dealing with the excessive smoke when we went out. Lucky for us the New Lanark hostel was smoke free...perhaps that's another reason why all three of us rate it the best. Alcohol was in your face wherever you went. Just because one is of legal age, doesn't mean that one necissarily wants to drink all day, everyday...but maybe that's just an American assumption. The money was different because there is no one 'federal' bank to make the bank notes...which could be confusing. People kept trying to pick fights with us about Bush...until they eventually (it usually took 20 min) figured out we all felt the same about him. There was litter everywhere. The Scottish brough was sometimes really hard to understand...especially if they were drunk, which was fairly often. Half of everything was in metric, and the other half in standard. Now that was confusing for EVERYONE! Scots and foriegners alike. Explain how you can drive 20 miles to buy liters of gas? Yeah, no one else could figure it either. Everything is so expensive...K and L and us couldn't figure how anyone could survive there! Common Law. The pigeions. Corn in everything. Weird sandwich combinations. (come on now people...Tuna and Pinapple? Really, let's get a grip.) All the good souviners are made out of wool (and I'm allergic.) When they said water closets...they meant water CLOSETS. Everything is closed by 6. Even when you've got a cold and need to go to the chemist. GRRRrrrrr. "Girls Night Out...Scotland" Yeah...didn't want to see that.

What were the good things? People are down to earth. The BBC is the best news source even if (or perhaps because) it's owned by the government. Almost every guy we saw between the ages of 14 and 35 were cute. Fish and chips. The clothes were beautiful. Public transport was really good. Everything has age and history. Common Law. I really liked listening to people talk...accents are nifty. Most people in customer service had decent english. Pizza Hut is like a sit down resturant. The people are friendly, even to Americans. When they said water closets...they meant water closets, everything was separate. The little streets with small shops. The sidewalks that are older than the entirity of America. Chasing the pigeons. Being able to switch from unabashed tourist to average park walker. People watching could be a national sport. There are just so many interesting people walking about. British English/Scotch English/Gaelic. The train signs were also in Gaelic. The weather was also in Ferinheit. Anti-war is good. Being off-campus. ;) Sheep...ducks...swans...cows...horses...need I say more? The scenery. The views. The water. The parks. The people. Kilts. Bagpipes. Did I mention fish and chips? Oh yes...I did. Candy. (ack...excuse me...Confectionary) Everything chocolate by Cadbury. :D Street performers. Tourist attractions. (Need I mention Annie MacLeod? Or the Millenium Ride?) Wooly Coos. History. Everywhere is history. Airport Security. It wasn't much of a hassle...and I felt more safe going through Scotland airport security than through American. Soccer (ack...football.) People...from everywhere together. Shoping in a market (AKA Supermarket...in Japan they're called Supers...hmmmmm). Vive La Summerfields. Billboards (aka posters) everywhere. Prawns and mayonaise sandwiches. Tea. Scones. Ice cream. Crisps. (Vive La Walkers) Mercedes-Benez Garbage Trucks. The feeling that I may have touched some of my roots. Not being the only tall person...actually being of average (or a little tall) height.

So, there was a lot. I know I said I was going to write sidenotes to everyday...but you know what? I think I'll just let you ask me to find out more. The memories may fade a little more, but eventually I'll get pictures...and that always helps. :) Yeah...so...That's about it folks!

posted by Cassandra 10:58 PM

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