I’ve got one word for Scotland…well, wait, actually, I’ve got a couple: green, lush, beautiful, wild…I could go on… I think the word that really sums it up though is…

Fantasmagorical! This country seems impossibly beautiful, it’s simply amazing.
Between the crisp, clear light of sunny afternoons in Glasgow, to the rolling layers of grey clouds on highland evenings…this country is other-worldly.

Unfortunately, at the moment, internet access has become a real issue…never mind USB hookups or wireless connections! Internet cafes of any sort are few and far between in the areas around the Hebidries Islands. I found one place in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull…it was a restaurant, it charges 1.5 for 15 minutes and it closed at 8!
Since I’ve been blessed with more sunshine then Scotland has seen…um, apparently, ever, I’ve been out and about in the GREAT outdoors, shirking the responsibility of blog updating. I don’t have the patience for internet cafe hunting.
So a little sketch of what I’ve been up to, for now, and I’ll fill it in with more details later.

View of the River Clyde from my hostel

Glasgow was too much fun! It was my baptism by fire back into the world of alcohol…after a month in Morocco and sickness when I got back to Spain, I hadn’t had a drink in over a month! Well that changed…quickly. I made friends my first night in Glasgow with some hostel bar regulars and the manager. From then on it was TOO late nights of silliness, meeting people from everywhere you can imagine…Burundi for example…or closer to home Becky from Portland, my kick ass roommate.

Lee -the manager of the hostel bar -and I…still sober

I also got to town just in time for the Glasgow Jazz Fest…a week long event with tons of shows, including free ones in George Square each afternoon. Great stuff too! Salsa, jazz, swing…I really enjoyed the afternoon of Salsa.

The Mariachi Band

There also happened to be a thing called an Orange Walk…bit of religious and political trouble with this one, but not knowing the whole story of the Protestant/Catholic undertones I just enjoyed the marching bands and men in fancy hats.

I finally escaped Glasgow to head north to Oban, the main jump off point to most of the lower Hebidries islands. It’s the largest town in the region of Argyle and it’s got a population of around 8000. (But wait, it gets better)

Running to catch the bus, are ya?

I caught the ferry to the Isle of Mull, a gorgeous little green rock blessed with more beauty then I thought possible. I headed to the town of Tobermory, the largest on the island (population about 700!). It was absolutely astoundingly amazing in it’s perfect quaintness. I must have taken 50 pictures of it’s Main Street, a row of candy colored houses facing the bay. I found a beautiful trail that lead up the closest hill and took a lovely walk. I spent one peacuful night there before catching a ferry back to the mainland. The Isle of Skye was calling.
Tobermory’s Main Street

Boats at the Pier

Lobster pots fishing pier

A walk in the woods

On the ferry back to the mainland…some of those spectacular clouds

My propossed itinerary for yesterday was a bus to a boat to a bus to a train to a ferry to a bus. Well, due to bad timing, and regaining my sanity, I bailed out a bit early. I caught the bus to the ferry to the bus and stopped in Fort William, a main jump off point for hikers and outdoor types, near Ben Nevis the highest mountain in the U.K. (around 4700 meters, if I remember correctly).
I wanted to take the train on to Mallaig and then onto Skye…but the train is supposed to be one of the most beautiful in the entire world, and the only one I could catch would get me there in semi darkness…so I decided to wait.
Speaking of…semi-darkness…the sun doesn’t set here till, oh, almost 11…but the sky doesn’t get truly night-time dark till around half twelve…and then starts raising at 4ish. So, darkness as I know it is not happening. I was looking forward to the stary skies of wilderness, but alas, no luck.
So today I’m off on the train to Mallaig, where I can catch the ferry to the Isle of Skye…wow, just the name…it’s sounds wonderful!

Okay…so that’s it for Scotland for now…pictures and actual stories to follow when I can.
I do want to say a word about Live8. I hope you all got a chance to watch because it was ridiculous! It’s about the biggest thing ever here with people talking about it constantly in the past couple weeks. I got all excited and tuned in myself and thouroughly enjoyed the show. I have to say the highlight for me was seeing Pink Floyd play together!!! After 24 years!!! My favorite songs!!! Okay, calm.
But also, it’s an interesting project…and without saying too much about politics in the last 2 minutes I have on the internet…I will say I hope you guys all check out the Live8 web site and www.makepovertyhistroy.org
The more I hear, the more blessed I feel…