https://www.stevedrice.net/ 2026-05-15T09:29:45+00:00 https://www.stevedrice.net/ https://www.stevedrice.net/_media/wiki/dokuwiki.svg text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:53+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/introduction Scotland Journal 3 [Shetland Coastline] Edinburgh, Glasgow, Skye and Shetland (oh my) Introduction Another trip to Scotland. This time the reasons for the visit were quite good: To visit friends and go to the World Science Fiction Convention to be held in Glasgow. I had first visited the UK to visit the SF Convention in 1995, 10 years ago, also held in Glasgow so this was a bit of nostalgia for me as well. text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:53+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part1 Saturday, July 30th, 2005 - Cambridge The options to get to Scotland are actually quite varied but in this case I took the relatively easy option of the train. This allowed me to catch the train directly from Cambridge then a simple transfer in Peterburough to get onto the train that would take me directly to Edinburgh (Waverley, the main station in Edinburgh). text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:54+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part2 Sunday, July 31st, 2005 - Edinburgh Jillian and I spent the morning walking around Edinburgh a bit. I had never seen the new Scottish Parliament at the bottom of the Royal Mile (furthest end from the castle) so that is where we went. It is a very modern building with abstract shapes seemingly stapled to the outside of a rather geometricly shaped building itself. The interior is very impressive and the speaking chamber is beautifully fitted with natural wood and is very light with tremendous … text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:54+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part3 Monday, August 1st, 2005 - Glasgow This was a rather busy day. I had a lot I had to do. First thing was to get into Glasgow to pick up my rental car from right near the River Clyde. I grabbed a cab after catching a train into Glasgow Central since I did not want to have to walk half-way across the centre of Glasgow to pick it up. text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:54+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part4 Tuesday, August 2nd, 2005 - Plockton I spent the day basically driving around the Isle of Skye. I would stop on many occasions to take pictures as well using the lay-bys as often as I could. The weather was not terribly good though... I crossed across to the island by the (now free) bridge at Kyle of Lokalsh then passed through an area full of evergreen trees which reminded me a lot of some of the landscape in my native Canada. The roads are quite windy but quite well maintained all the way… text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:54+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part5 Wednesday, August 3rd, 2005 - Drumbuie A rather busy and hectic day but everything turned out, thankfully, very well. Breakfast was given by the friendly lady I stayed with as I sat at a small table looking out of her front window (her house is on the main road so I was looking out across the road and into the wonderful surrounding countryside: text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:55+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part6 Thursday, August 4th, 2005 - Glasgow This was the first day of the convention but it started quite relaxed with my first panel being at 12:30. This meant I could sleep in a bit before heading over to the SECC (and grabbing a bite to eat along the way). text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:55+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part7 Friday, August 5th, 2005 - Glasgow I headed over to the convention alone grabbing something to eat from the local sandwich shop. Very good. Convention Items Attended Time Description Comment 10:00 Blake's 7 A discussion about the continuing appeal of the UK SF series Blakes 7 the panel discussed why it is so appealing and any possible future of the series (not any really, well, the DVDs, I suppose). text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:55+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part8 Saturday, August 6th, 2005 - Glasgow Convention Items Attended Time Description Comment 12:00 Science Denial This discussion was about the recent development whereby the findings of science are being questioned in (for example) schools in the US where they are being taught creationism in addition to natural selection. Most of the panellists were quite alarmed at this prospect and discussed what can be done to address the issue. A couple of interesting comments from the panel: text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:56+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part9 Sunday, August 7th, 2005 - Glasgow Convention Items Attended Time Description Comment 10:00 Is the American Empire on the Verge of Collapse? A particularly lively panel about the US beginning with the agreement that the US truly is an “empire text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:56+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part10 Monday, August 8th, 2005 - Glasgow Convention Items Attended Time Description Comment 10:00 The End of the Space Age? This panel was talking about the cut-backs in space exploration (particularly by NASA) and the future of private companies (such as SpaceShipOne). I think it was agreed that it was NOT the end of the space age, but rather, perhaps, the beginning of a new age in space exploration. text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:56+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part11 Tuesday, August 9th, 2005 - Glasgow I slept in this day and took the train into Edinburgh to attend a few of the fringe events. A bit easier today since I did not have to worry about my luggage as I did yesterday. The train is quite quick though I have to transfer from a local train to the city train one station along the tracks. The weather has been good and it is surprising to see the number of people on the trains during the day (I would guess tourists). text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:57+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part12 Wednesday, August 10th, 2005 - Glasgow Once again another trip across to Edinburgh. I feel a bit guilty about not doing too much in Glasgow but the fact the Fringe is on is too good to pass up and even though it is busy I am having a great time at the festival and in Edinburgh text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:57+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part13 Thursday, August 11th, 2005 - Glasgow Another travel day for me. I was up reasonably early so that I could get everything together for my trip to Edinburgh. I essentially got to Edinburgh then picked up a bus to the airport immediately. My flight to Shetland was at 5:50 (pm) but I like to be early and eventually got there at about 2:00 which gave me a bit of time to sit around and read, browsing through the shops. The bus was very good and fast. About 25 minutes from Waverley station in the… text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:57+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part14 Friday, August 12th, 2005 - Lerwick, Shetland An interesting day. Quite relaxing actually despite running around a bit. It did not really start off relaxing though. Chris had indicated that she had to visit a client so would I mind tagging along and amusing myself elsewhere while she talked with the client? Of course, this sounded interesting to me. text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:58+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part15 Saturday, August 13th, 2005 - Lerwick, Shetland Much more relaxing today (though yesterday, other than the walk, was not too taxing either). Began the day with a walk over the hill between Chris' house and the far side of town. The ground is very boggy with lots of moss and wet mud in between. The view from the top was very nice with our being able to clearly look out over the harbour area and seeing the islands of Whalsay and, more distantly, Out Skerries. Just on the other side of the har… text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:58+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part16 Sunday, August 14th, 2005 - Lerwick, Shetland A busy travel day, again. Chris and I were determined to see as much more of the island as we could before I caught my plane returning to Edinburgh at 3 pm. We headed out quite early to stop at “Clickimin Broch text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:58+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/part17 Monday, August 15th, 2005 - Edinburgh Breakfast was taken as early as they would let me (8 am) and it was very good. I was the first one there so had a good table looking out onto the street. Even though the B & B is very close to the centre of the city there is a nice park just opposite and the street is very quiet. I think it is generally just B & Bs here. text/html 2015-10-02T20:12:59+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.stevedrice.net/travel/europe/uk/scotland/journal3/sidebar * Scotland Journal 3 * Saturday, July 30th, 2005 - Cambridge * Sunday, July 31st, 2005 - Edinburgh * Monday, August 1st, 2005 - Glasgow * Tuesday, August 2nd, 2005 - Plockton * Wednesday, August 3rd, 2005 - Drumbuie * Thursday, August 4th, 2005 - Glasgow * Friday, August 5th, 2005 - Glasgow * Saturday, August 6th, 2005 - Glasgow * Sunday, August 7th, 2005 - Glasgow * Monday, August 8th, 2005 - Glasgow * Tuesday, August 9th, 2005 - Glasgow * Wednesday, August 10th, 2005 …