Teutonic visitation

I had written a long entry only for it to disappear forever for no reason, my patience is running thin with this thing, as this has happened before. In a nutshell: Have been told I'm being made redundant by our most admirable director, have had German visitors - Oliver and Joe - and have been up the highlands to Glencoe and Kinlochleven with them. Did a lot of walking! Here a few photos of the last few weeks..one shows Oliver lost in his own thoughts as he walks the sands of Fife, then another of him under the Forth rail bridge after successfully buying the round. The other photos show BP walking the same stretch a week or so before while tide was in, also a view of Loch Leven in the highlands by Kinlochleven.

Bye bye July

Have been off work these last couple of days- ironically getting fever and man flu just as the weather turned gorgeous. Even now, as I write this, the sun is beating down, surely it cannot last! Last weekend I ended up in St Andrews, perhaps the most famous town in my glorious kingdom of Fife - no sign of William and Kate this time though.

Two of my nephews had birthdays recently, a couple of days ago I was invaded by three of them, they proceeded to delve into every nook and cranny of my most stunning dwelling - one of them shrieking "Uncle Alan is a Nazi!" after finding a book about the Gestapo in my wide-ranging library of English and German literature. I'm just glad he didn't find my "Virgins of Sherwood" DVD (..that Tavis lent me..), never has there been such an inappropriately named film. I mean there weren't any..

Here a couple of St Andrews photos, and one of the nephews.

Greyfriars spaceman

Went by train to Edinburgh this weekend, weather seemed nice so why not I thought. Unfortunately the heavens opened when I got there, but I sought refuge in the National Museum of Scotland, a huge place that would take days to fully look around, there I posed as an astronaut, quite realistic eh..?

Also looked around Greyfriars churchyard, the story of Greyfriars Bobby is internationally known, a story of loyalty even after death. The wee doggie even has his own gravestone where once he stood guard at his master's grave, there's even a statue outside of a pub named in his honour.

Have today, Monday, off. Am just chilling at home but will head off along the coast in a short while, July is my favourite month but unfortunately I have no more holidays until end of August when my old Heidelberg pal Oliver arrives for a week or so. Best start hiding my best malt whiskies because otherwise they won't last long!

A wee trip up north

I decided to take a few days off from the rat race, so where better to go than the highlands? Went up to Newtonmore, spent night visiting the local pubs. Today I visited the Highland Wildlife Park, a quite excellent place, afterward a visit to the Dalwhinnie distillery and a drive south was undertaken. My bloody car has decided to almost give up on me, any uphill stretch was almost impossible for my old rust bucket. I guess an expensive future awaits. Here a couple of photos.

Factor 50

Hello again! It was nice to have a couple of weeks off so that I could travel to Europe to soak up the sun and drink lots of continental beer - and I certainly did that! Luckily I remembered to slap on the factor 50 suncream because I go lobster red, not brown. There is always a place I miss though, this time my ears, so they were bright red for a couple of days. I tended to keep mostly in the shade though, in a beer tent for example.

Back in the swing of things now though and have given my liver a holiday these last few days too! Friday tomorrow and a trip to Scotlands' Monte Carlo (Kirkcaldy) beckons, so the liver holiday looks like drawing to a close..

Here a few photos from my adventures: Me in typical pose, one of the scariest roads I've ever driven, a massive big wheel and the stunning remains of a Roman theatre built 2000 years ago (can't remember the name of the place exactly), very thought-provoking...something that is way older than me..

Treedog pie

Past the middle of April already, not long now until, at last, I have a few days off - and another trip to Europe. Something to do with a Spring Festival I hear you ask? Beer tents, lederhosen and steins of teutonic ale? Oh, you know me so well! Maybe even a bit of sunshine too, though I have to say the last few days have been quite nice here in the glorious Kingdom of Fife.

Have been trying to make the most of weekends though I haven't done any really massive walks in recent times - even though I have invested in a new waterproof jacket (a gorgeous red one) and walking boots and shoes. Now the weather is better I'll be trying to make more use of them, must prepare in case of another highland adventure later in the year.

Here are a few photos, one shows a most delicious steak pie that I ate in the Inchview Hotel in Burntisland (a place I spent a lot of time in when younger!), the other is of the stunning tree that those of long memory might remember me blogging about, a cowboy builder still attempting to ruin the area.

Oh, and I must not forget my facebook buddy Dexter, we went walkies along to Aberdour a couple of weeks back and the daft thing liked nothing better than going swimming at Silver Sands, almost not making it back to shore at one point. Maybe he thought I'd jump in to save him....well, of course.. :-)

Bridge junkie?

I seem to spend a lot of my time taking pictures either 1. in pubs, with me or my victims grinning inanely 2. Of the coast or 3. Of the Forth bridges. Surely my wonderful life has more to offer but alas I often forget my trusty camera, and believe me, there are some photos you really don't want to see!

I can complain about this or that of course but the events in Japan remind me that in reality I've not a lot to complain about, I guess you shouldn't put off to tomorrow what you could do today, after-all who knows what is round the corner?

Booked a flight to Germany for May, so I'll be away at the spring festival down Stuttgart/Heidelberg way, maintaining a tradition of many years. It's always nice to have something to look forward to in these late winter weeks...not even seen a daffodil yet!

Here are couple of photos of coast, of bridge, and of a most stunning seal! I apologise for the lack of embarrassing pub photos this time! I'll make it up to you..

Apartheid lite

February, well it's been better than January, not that I've been stripping down to my speedos and going surfing down the beach. Had a nice birthday meal with the family in the Ship in Kinghorn, one of my better ideas. Apart from chronic constipation, which meant I saved money on toilet paper, things have been just fine and dandy.

Went to Belfast last week, weather was great, walked the streets of west, south and central Belfast in glorious conditions. Part of the scenery of Belfast, especially in working class areas, are the political murals, fascinating to visitors who can barely imagine neighbourhoods divided on religious lines, they nonetheless signify a clear cultural division in society. Perhaps sending children of all faiths to the same schools? It Would save money too! Enough politics, here are a couple of recent photos, one from the republican Falls Road, the other from the loyalist Sandy Row area, the other is of Queens University in South Belfast.

Haggis night?

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

As this is Robert Burns' night in the wonderful fairytale land of the Scots, I should be tucking into Haggis, neeps and tatties right now, but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I like the minced up inner organs of a sheep, served in a sheep's stomach, as much as the next man, it's just not on the menu tonight.

Well this month is never my favourite, just been going to work and chilling at weekends, no massive long walks have been undertaken and nothing much of note has happened - unless you count the ongoing war between my seagull-obsessed neighbours and myself. It's a bloody joke that the old age mafia leave mountains of food out on a table when there are rats about, but , hey, I'm an easy going guy and am extremely patient....

No new photos taken recently my blog friends, I promise to do better from now on, here a couple from the archive.. a nice one of Seafield Tower just along the coast from me, and the cutest Maltese cat ever.

My birthday on Saturday, please don't spend too much on presents, see you all in the Auld Hoose?

Happy New Year!

I know it's traditional for me to say the year went quick, it did. In fact every year recently has seemed quick, isn't it funny how your perception of time and age change as the years go by? I can clearly remember thinking a friend of mine was ancient because he was about to turn 29! Don't think I'd think that now! Anyway, enough of my obsession with staying youthful, hope you've had a nice Xmas.

Talking of youthful, had an Australian relative visitor at Christmas and things went well, I remember her mum visiting a few years ago -well 1986 actually- here I go again!

Here a couple of photos, one shows my home town Burntisland covered in snow, the other of our down under damsel.

Winter wonderland

The snow has been here for a few days now, haven't made it in to work since Monday. The trains seem not to be running and even the Forth Road Bridge was closed. So much for global warming eh?

Here are a couple of photos I took yesterday.

 What better to warm up with than an Austrian Samichlaus beer? Brewed only on 6 December each year, it packs a powerful 14% punch! Prost!

Stalingrad

Getting to work today was like the advance to Stalingrad, I tried with the car, but the roads hadn't been gritted and a disaster was sure to happen, so back I came to Kinghorn, and just in time for the 6.30am train to South Gyle. The walk in from there took longer than usual due to the amount of snow but I arrived at my glorious workplace with only  a sore back to complain about (this has been playing up since Saturday).  A completely non-eventful day ensued that you don't want to hear about..

Amazing that it's already about 4 weeks since my West Highland Way adventure, the first 3 days were in sunshine! The later 4 were in almost constant rain, apart from a diversion for the last 5 miles, everything went very well, that's now 3 times I've completed it and that tells it's own story. Will have to buy boots, waterproof trousers, and a totally waterproof jacket before attempting other adventures however, have had my fill of almost freezing to death on the hills.  

Here are a couple of photos. My next trip is, of course, to the xmas markets in Heidelberg and Stuttgart, can only hope that the snow goes away because the airport has been closed for most of today! 

Trees and walk

Having heard the good news that the appeal of the evil builder to kill the tree I grew up opposite was thrown out, I got on a plane and flew over to Stuttgart. Over there the people were on the streets, and in the parks, protesting against Stuttgart 21, a scheme to create a quite unnecessary underground main station, obliterating the beautiful park and killing loads of ancient trees in the process. Hmmm seems a theme is developing..

Here are a few photos of the park and trees, all of which may be gone when I return there - already a large number have been felled, protesters held back by police water cannon. 

Now I've been back a couple of weeks, this is Thursday, and on Saturday I'm off again on the West Highland Way - I have never been so unprepared! Also, was ill for two days this week and now seem to have injured my back! Oh well, so be it, I'm off to start the walk from Glasgow to Fort William in any case, am sure a few drams or two of highland malt will dull the pain.

Will let you know later how I got on! The other photo is in a beer tent at the Volksfest, I don't think any of those pictured remembers it being taken..

Stunning cygnets

So that's almost September over, a month that has dragged a bit as I was feeling less than 100% for some of it - cue the violins - but now there is just a week to go until my trip to the Stuttgart Volksfest. Will be heading to the beer tents for beer, food, music, beer, schnapps, oh and a bit more beer! I might have the courage to go on a roller coaster or two as well after a stein or two of the local brew.

Walked down the Union Canal to Edinburgh city centre on Friday, a nice wee walk with a variety of ducks and swans to see. Yesterday I took a drive to the Hermitage forest and waterfall up in Perthshire, was a nice day. Even had a couple of nice pub meals so the weekend went well. Sunday blues have started to kick in now though, another 5am alarm call tomorrow! Plans for the West Highland Way are taking shape , the first 3 nights accommodation booked, come on October lets be having you.

Here are a couple of recent photos.

   

Lovely day

August has gone predictably quickly, already my thoughts are on October and another West Highland Way adventure. Yes people, I'm doing it again! Not had any work-free weekdays since last update so any adventures were limited to weekends. Went walking a few times, including a Crail to St Andrews extravaganza that was blessed by good weather, nothing compared to today though which has been brilliant, sun has been shining all day and I, because I treated myself to a holiday today, walked out to Black Rock and on to Aberdour. Had to make the most of it because there will be constant rain and wind before long.  Here are photos of the gorgeous beach and Arthur's Seat over in Edinburgh.    

Totally stiff

Hello again! I've always liked July, there's Wimbledon, the British Open golf and, this year, the World Cup. But now that's all history and it's time to get off the sofa and stop being lazy!

In the last couple of weeks I've embarked on a couple of long walks, first one from here to Hillend (there just happens to be a nice pub there) and yesterday, a monster trek from here to Dalmeny, with brief stops in local watering holes in Aberdour, Inverkeithing, North Queensferry and South Queensferry along the way. Then it was on to Edinburgh by train for an hour or two -attending a colleague's leaving do-before returning back here.

I guess Tavis and I must have covered about 20 miles in total and my legs feel it today!!Taking it easy today, not leaving the flat, not for anything.. will have to raise my fitness levels for my autumn walking extravaganza in the highlands. Plans are yet to be finalized but I'll keep you updated. Fancy coming along??

Here are a couple of random photos from the archive, unfortunately I forgot to take camera with me yesterday!  One is a rare one of me with the cast on the broken arm, taken in Stuttgart, the other from a Portugese beach, oh how I'd like to be there now..though the hat is fashion suicide!

Schönes Flugzeug

Well it's almost the end of another month and summer seems well under way, surely this good weather can't last though can it? 

Have been over in Germany since the last update - flew to Leipzig (the city of my relative youth) and spent time in Landsberg near Halle at a birthday celebration. Also found time to go to Berlin for the air show at Schönefeld airport. Have to admit that the planes there were impressive-both old and new- and it was a surprise to see a Messerschmitt 262, the first operational jet fighter, still flying.

Since my return I've been glued to the TV watching the world cup and Wimbledon, well it's a summer tradition isn't it? Plus it gives one a good excuse to crack open the beers early doors - am enjoying a Westmalle trappist ale as I write this, having ordered it in via an excellent beer website.

Some things never change though - the English media saying England are really great, that the world cup is theirs for the taking, and then disaster...so predictable. Still, us Scottish never revel in the misfortune of our friends down south, though my English neighbours next door did not take kindly to me flying a German flag from my window. Of course, I was just showing my support for my favourite foreign football team, and was not a personal attack on my lovely pigeon-feeding sassenach neighbours homeland :-p. 

Photo shows an Me 262, the Kaps family boozers, and me after a refreshment or two during the trip.