Notes from when I went to Georgia to go to a Scottie dog festival… Driving to Savannah. Savannah! Margaret Mitchell’s “Gently mannered city by the sea!” Hmmm. Where’s the sea? Perhaps behind those heavily fenced liquor stores? Or guarded by that belligerent fiercely tattooed guy over there? Ooh, look! You can buy alcohol with food […]
About ecossaise
A quarter step away from war
Mighty Scotland, the 140th largest country in the world, slumps to 141st place next month when the creation of South Sudan shunts us further down the list of nations. Except, well, we’re not actually on the list of nations. The UN does not recognize Scotland as a country. Neither does America’s train provider Amtrak. Neither […]
First unofficial visit to Poland
I paid my first unofficial visit to Poland yesterday, it being just up the road and all from Berlin. Poland! How exciting! I had never been to Poland before. I saw a lot of very white people, some very impressive buildings and many, many, many shipyards. We discovered on our epic one hour and 54 […]
Snail racing
Yesterday I was editing a section of the book that makes a wee reference to the time I won 50 pounds on a snail race. I have also won money betting on dogs, horses, mice and siblings. I suffered most injuries from betting on siblings and mice. The snail won me the most cash. For […]
Bring Back Assassination
Some buildings opt for fierce stone beasties such as lions or dogs to guard their entrances. When we leave Honolulu’s marine-themed Wyland Hotel we trot past a pair of playful-looking cement dolphins. Other than snout-butting a beach ball at intruders, I’m not sure how effective they would be on hypothetical security detail. Dr. A and […]
First steps
Yep, and we’re still on Hawaii. A pre-dancing breakfast is underway when we eventually clamber up to the Eugene and Harriet Ichinose Dance Palladium. I’m not sure whether Aloha wear was encouraged this morning, but since they’ve got this treasure theme and we spotted two skulls among the floral arrangements on the snacks table last […]
This Ain’t No Disco
Yep, more about Hawaii. I rambled on a fair bit about the place. One of the things I liked best about growing up in Scotland was the fact that, other than a brief six month-interlude when my mother bribed me with Jelly Babies to attend ballet lessons, nobody made me dance in public. Towering above […]
Edinburgh vs Glasgow
Just read Dan Savage’s take on Edinburgh versus Glasgow in an old Travel and Leisure. Seems about right… “For me, the difference between Scotland’s two leading cities can be summed up in two images. I spent one day in Edinburgh, and along the Royal Mile I saw bagpipers on every street corner, turned out in […]
State fish and chips
Hawaiian escapades part the third. This Scottish-Hawaiian evening, billed as a “casual meet and greet social” promised “dancing, conversation and light refreshments” as well as the opportunity to display our aloha wear. We are soon greeted by several dancers, none of whom are Hawaiian. A couple from Brisbane who have flown over specially for this […]
No Aloha
Another wee ramble from the new Hawaii Scottish country dancing debacle. … There’s an eerie silence as we trudge past the battered dumpsters, through the empty car park toward where our treasure map indicates that we might find the Mo’ili’ili Silent Dance Center. We turn the corner, see light streaming out of a quiet, small […]
