Pressing forward to the goal, more family information

Wow, has it been a month since my last entry? Time has flown.

We continue to plan our trip to Alba. It looks this time to last almost 3 weeks between the 2010 Feis Ile on Islay, and several days exploring the same sites that I saw during 2009 Hogmanay/New Year. The only thing left "to do" is book the flights and the car hire; we have arranged accomodations in all areas. We look forward, very much, to our return to Scotland.

As for family, I've begun digging a bit more vigorously into the paternal side of my family, where the names MacLea,and MacKay are represented. I will continue to research those clan names, my family and hopefully have the opportunity to take a picture or two of where they lived, much as I did in Coatbridge.

Sorry, no pictures this time.

"Bagging" Scotland

This blog entry has been on my mind for several days, perhaps longer, since "Bagging Scotland" was brought to my attention via Armin Grewe's Islay Blog. A link to his blog entry is here.

So, what exactly is "Bagging Scotland"? Well, rather than try to explain it, I'll quote from the Bagging Scotland website:

"Give your vacations, short breaks or holidays a sense of purpose! Aim high and make it your life’s work to bag Scotland’s 3,000(ish) Castles or why not try to bag ALL of Scotland’s 95 inhabited Islands in a year? By Bagging the 85 Malt Whisky Distilleries in Scotland, you’ll just happen to pass through some of Scotlands best scenery which is full of Castle culture, history and heritage as well. It’s simple, with Bagging Scotland.

At the risk of sounding narrow minded, I honestly don't understand why anyone would desire to "bag" Scotland. "Passing through" scenery on your way to put another notch in your bag-belt is hardly the way to appreciate the country or its people. I freely admit I've not spent a lot of time in Scotland but what time I have spent has been more enjoyable than my wildest dreams would have expected. I attribute the enjoyment to the simple fact that I was not out to see as much as possible in a limited amount of time.

As a matter of fact, in 2009 mo bhean and I spent more than a week on Islay itself and still did not see all that we wanted. I recently spent more than a week traveling between Ghlaschu, Dhun Eideann, and Dumfries and only scratched the surface. How, I ask, can anyone expect to really appreciate Scotland by tramping all over the place in a mad rush to see all the castles, islands, distilleries, or whatever, in 'x' amount of time?

My opinion is that Scotland is like a beautiful woman (or handsome man, if my reader is a woman): she should be savored and appreciated through time spent in her embrace, lingering for a time at each spot and drinking it all in prior to moving on. Then, when you must leave, return again and again, as many times as possible, but don't rush the moment, and certainly don't be in a hurry to rush to the next "baggable" location.

In any case, that's my opinion. I'd appreciate any readers comments whether, or not, you agree with me.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

During our first Scotland visit, to Islay, we were fortunate to be able to have some meals in the Old Kiln Cafe at the Ardbeg Distillery . One of the highlights of the meals was Sticky Toffee Pudding.

The other day, using the Scottish cookbook given to us by Gordon and Margaret Campbell, my wife made some STP. The recipe called for the toffee to be poured over the pudding so the result was different from what we had experienced in the past; a pudding swimming in a sea of sticky toffee, and (ice) cream !!! Still, it was delicious and I've been eating a bit each day since its creation.



Jacqueline has decided that her next batch of STP will be small, individual puddings, rather than one large. Still, as delicious as it is homemade, we look forward to our next visit to the Old Kiln Cafe, or the Criffel Inn in New Abbey, for a wee taste of STP.

Porridge (oatmeal)

During my Hogmanay 2009/New Year 2010 visit to Alba, my friends Gordon and Margaret Campbell gave to me a copy of Scots Cooking, by Sue Lawrence. It's a treasure trove of recipes and their backgrounds, as well as Scottish "folk lore". The book is divided into sections, such as "Breakfast", and so forth. Well, upon arriving back in the USofA, my wife and I were perusing the recipes, and I was shocked, nay dismayed and chagrined to learn that every day, for more than 4 years, I have been cooking and eating my porridge in a manner more fitting a Sassenach than a Scotsman.

My personal recipe (developed over the past 4+ years) calls for equal parts oats, water, and milk, along with raisins to suit, and a diced apple. All ingredients are placed in a sauce pan, heated to boiling, simmered for a few minutes then served with a bit of milk poured over and sweetened to taste with brown sugar, honey, or whatever you like.

Weelll ..... according to the book, the porridge (oatmeal) should be soaked in water (not milk) overnight then cooked for about 15 minutes the next day. And only a Sassenach pours milk over the porridge; the correct manner of eating is porridge in bowl, milk in separate bowl; use horn (spoon) to grab some porridge, dip into milk, eat. This allows the porridge to remain hot, and the milk to remain cool(er for longer).

So, my wife and I have begun soaking the old fashioned slow cook oats overnight, and the difference in post-cooking texture is remarkably different from that of not-soaked, but I must confess I like the added creaminess of milk so we do use milk. With that said, if I was planning to pour the porridge into a kitchen drawer (or kist in NE Alba), to let it cool, then cut it into slices (calders) for frying I'd never use milk ... the milk would spoil and that would be nasty. Next up is to try dipping the porridge into a bowl so it stays warm rather than cooling it off by dousing it with cold milk.

2010 Feis Ile

Booked the ferry passage (Caledonian MacBrayne) from Kennacraig to Port Ellen for 22nd-May. This was done because we plan to take a car with us to the island rather than hire one at the location. Rather dear $$$ to do that though; still, the auto will be useful on the mainland and we are looking forward to site-seeing during the drive from Glasgow to the terminal. We will leave Islay from Port Askaig, so we can see a wee bit of the Sound of Islay, on the 29th May. After we depart Islay on the 29th we hope to spend a few days retracing my footsteps from 2009 Hogmany/2010 New Year. Still, much planning remains to be done for the 2010 Feis Ile journey.

Back in the USofA, Highlights of visit

I've been back in the states for almost one week and wanted to share a wee bit about the return, as well as highlights of the visit.

My friend Gordon conveyed me to Glasgow Intl airport on the 6th where we learned my original flight was cancelled !!! Gordon explained my situation to one of the airport/airline employees and I was placed on a different (earlier) flight, which I believe was the last flight leaving Glasgow for Heathrow. Ironically that earlier flight departed later than my originally scheduled flight, but because my Heathrow flight was not scheduled to leave until almost 6PM, that was no problem. My flight from Heathrow was delayed a bit due to security (or the airline) deciding to check all carryon bags, just prior to boarding, and that can be interesting. Sadly, as with our previous journey, the worst experience was with Border Patrol/Customs upon reentering the USofA. For some reason I/we seem to encounter very bad attitudes on the part of the defenders of our borders. Ultimately though, despite delays and such I arrived safely back in the USofA just about the same time I was originally scheduled !!! PRAISE GOD !!!

Talking to my father a few days later, he asked me what were the highlights of the visit. As cliche as it might sound, the entire visit was a highlight (of my life), but, thinking about it a wee bit there were a few particularly memorable events or aspects:

• Jim Gellatly (the Unknown Scot) googling for various words I used during a conversation, and finding this blog. Here's a link to that blog entry .... http://ooralbablog.blogspot.com/2010/01/mind-yer-heid.html
  
• The overwhelming hospitality of the Scots with whom I spent time, many of whom I met for the first time during the visit.
  
• The realization that not hiring a car was the correct decision. Had I taken the advice to hire a car I would not have been blessed with the conversations that I had while traveling on the trains, buses, and private automobiles. It's also quite likely, had I hired a car, that I would still be lost in Glasgow, or trying to find my way back from Wales, Cape Wrath, or John o'Groats !!!

Hopefully soon I will be posting many of the pics from this visit, and the 2009 Feis Ile, to a photo gallery on Flickr or ... and I'll post to the blog an appropriate link. So, please keep an eye on OorAlbaBlog.

Mar sin leibh (goodbye) ... but I will return

This is the last post of the journey. After this I must prepare for the trip back to the USofA.

Last night my wife suggested I had enough time today to revisit the Central Station area of Glasgow, so this AM that's what I did, but I arrived a bit later than planned. I boarded the Newton to GC train which made it almost to Cambuslang before stopping due to a broken down car ahead on the tracks. Eventually we were transported back to Newton where we all boarded the "high rail(?)" to Glasgow Central Station. I walked aboot a wee bit and had lunch at a pub. A few hours later I boarded the train back to Newton, and here I am with my final words.

I stood on a wee hill near where I am staying and took the attached picture. Several days ago I arrived in Glasgow, alone, knowing noone face-to-face except Gordon and his wife, who picked me up at the airport and conveyed me to where I would stay. Duringthis stay I have used public transportation, or been chauferred (sic?) to various places by Gordon, and others who I met during my stay. In short, I have had to rely on others for assistance and direction, and they have all been more of a blessing that I could have imagined.

Many years ago my grandmother left Scotland for a strange land where, to my knowledge, she knew noone. As I stood on that hill looking out over Glasgow my wish was that I could hear her voice telling me what she felt as she left Scotland for a place she did not know, because right now I am rather sad to leave Scotland, a place I want to know well, and I am eager to return.