Haggis

Sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Best served with neeps and tatties. See some recipes here. Sounds delicious, ehm? I've actually tried it and it tastes only of spices.

This is traditionally eaten on Burns night, in January, when Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, is commemorated.

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan 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.

Robert Burns, Address Tae a Haggis

The whole poem and its translation can be found here. And here is an example of an address:

Wild Haggis

Here's some thoroughly researched facts about the wild haggis. Different sizes of legs nonwithstanding (I had never heard of it, anyway), it must be related to the portuguese gambozino.

Hunt For The Wild Haggis:

If you can't go on a real hunt, or you just don't want to kill the wee beasties, try this haggis hunt and maybe a game of haggis drop or Farquar's revenge 3D.

Here's some news on American believers - BBC news and The Guardian.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has been refurbished recently, at the cost of many millions of pounds:

The organ:


Wild Haggis:


Sir Roger, the Elephant:


The Famous Grouse:

Day 11

Plan:
Maybe a day trip?
Possibilities: Blair Drummond Safari Park, Falkirk Wheel, Kelburn Country Centre, Loch Katrine cruises on the Sir Walter Scott, Glasgow Science Centre.

What happened:
Met Ken and Irene at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum for coffee. Wondered round the museum a bit (knights in shiny armours, Sir Roger the Elephant, wild haggis, etc).
Went to Sno!zone for a bit of tobogganing - absolutely great!

I went to the shops at city centre, as it was late shopping day (dia de comprar leite...).
Very nice dinner at Carol's. Jacqui and the famous Billy popped round for coffee.

Auntie Jojo

Auntie JoJo starts today at the Free Edinburgh Fringe:
shaker (re-stirred),
laughing cows,
secret midnight gig,
all at Espionage.

Here's a wee video from 2006:

2 min stand up

Postbox

Our favourite postbox.

Squirrel

Let Glasgow Flourish

Here is the Bird that never flew
Here is the Tree that never grew
Here is the Bell that never rang
Here is the Fish that never swam

The story of Glasgow's coat of arms can be found in Rampant Scotland, for example.

'Via, Veritas, Vita' - 'the Way, the Truth, the Life'

The University's coat of arms is explained here.

Day 10

Plan:

Nothing definite.

Maybe visit the old haunts of Glasgow Uni (Alma Mater Studiorum), Kelvingrove Park, the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, etc.

Meet friends.

What happened:

Neil not well, so had a quiet day.

I went to Kelvingrove Park, with the kids, and we rolled in the grass, chased squirrels, played in the playground, saw the tower of Glasgow Uni.

Met Paulo in the evening.

The Prodigy

My five year ald son
said mum

"If ye were fallin doon
a big cliff
whit would ye hiv
at the bottom,
water or rocks".

Ah said "water"
convinced,
that's the only wy
ah could save mysel.
But he replied

"ah'd prefer rocks
cause
ah cannae swim".

And his grin wis
indestructible.

Sewn up, by Lesley Benzie

Speed

The Ritz

Fancy cinema in Thirsk!

Day 9

Plan:
Departure for Glasgow, via Thirsk and the World of James Herriot.
Arrive in Glasgow 5ish.
Dinner with David, Liz, Najimee, Lesley, Margaret.

What happened:

As planned, we visited the World of James Herriot, which was great.

Arrived at Carols's, in Glasgow, at 6.

Went for dinner with David, Liz, Najimee, Margaret, at Paperino's. Lesley was missed!

Tartan up

On the way to Scotland, it's time to tartan up! Here is our bonnie tartan:

and the less bonnie motto:

All Things Dull and Ugly

And Now for Something Completely Different... by Monty Python:

All things dull and ugly,
All creatures short and squat,
All things rude and nasty,
The Lord God made the lot.

Each little snake that poisons,
Each little wasp that stings,
He made their brutish venom.
He made their horrid wings.

All things sick and cancerous,
All evil great and small,
All things foul and dangerous,
The Lord God made them all.

Each nasty little hornet,
Each beastly little squid--
Who made the spikey urchin?
Who made the sharks? He did!

All things scabbed and ulcerous,
All pox both great and small,
Putrid, foul and gangrenous,
The Lord God made them all.

AMEN

All Things Bright and Beautiful

All things bright and beautiful
All creatures great and small
All things wise and wonderful
The Lord God made them all.

All things bright and beautiful, by Cecil F. Alexander

All Creatures Great and Small

I lay face down on the cobbled floor in a pool of nameless muck, my arm deep inside the straining cow, my feet scrabbling for a wee hold between the stones. I was stripped to the waist and the snow mingled with the dirt and the dried blood on my body. I could see nothing outside the circle of flickering light thrown by the smoky oil lamp which the farmer held over me.

If Only They Could Talk, by James Herriot (pen name of Alf Wight)

As I saw the TV series long before reading the books, for me the face of James Herriot is that of Christopher Timothy:

Susana used to say that I smiled at the TV while watching this... It was my favourite series in the early eighties.

Today: village of Thirsk (Darrowby in the books), in the Yorkshire Dales, and the World of James Herriot.

Christopher Timothy's tribute to James Herriot, part I:

Christopher Timothy's tribute to James Herriot, part II:

More on James Herriot:
JamesHerriot.org
Herriot Country

The Devil

I had read in our guide that there was a devil in Stonegate, in York, on the way to the Minster. So, when Robert and I arrived at the Minster without having spotted it, we thought of asking there Where the devil is the devil?. But maybe it was not the most appropriate place to ask... We did find it, eventually, next to some scaffolding. And it was not wearing Prada!

Day 8

Plan:
Day trip to York.

What happened:

Went up the Clifford's Tower.

Had lunch at an organic cafe.

Robert and I wondered round the streets and went to the Minster, while the other 3 boys slept.

Heard the choir rehearsal at the Minster - very nice.

Met the boys at the bouncy castle.

Went to the Museum Gardens, next to St Mary's Abbey.

Slough

Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough!
It isn't fit for humans now,
There isn't grass to graze a cow.
Swarm over, Death!

Come, bombs and blow to smithereens
Those air -conditioned, bright canteens,
Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans,
Tinned minds, tinned breath.

Mess up the mess they call a town-
A house for ninety-seven down
And once a week a half a crown
For twenty years.

And get that man with double chin
Who'll always cheat and always win,
Who washes his repulsive skin
In women's tears:

And smash his desk of polished oak
And smash his hands so used to stroke
And stop his boring dirty joke
And make him yell.

But spare the bald young clerks who add
The profits of the stinking cad;
It's not their fault that they are mad,
They've tasted Hell.

It's not their fault they do not know
The birdsong from the radio,
It's not their fault they often go
To Maidenhead

And talk of sport and makes of cars
In various bogus-Tudor bars
And daren't look up and see the stars
But belch instead.

In labour-saving homes, with care
Their wives frizz out peroxide hair
And dry it in synthetic air
And paint their nails.

Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough
To get it ready for the plough.
The cabbages are coming now;
The earth exhales.

John Betjeman, 1937

Having seen Slough sign-posted on 3 consecutive days (it's very near Legoland and there were signs for it leaving London on the way to High Wycombe and Leeds), couldn't resist a post about it (as Robert says: the Slough of Despond...). And I had to mention The Office, of course.

See also Ricky Gervais site and wikipedia.

Lennox House

On the way up North, we didn't manage to see Lennox House, the farm house where Neil was born and that gave him his middle name. We could have done the same to our kids and they would be called Mark Victor and Luke Cordon (we lived in Rua Victor Cordon when they were born).

This is a T-shirt given to Neil by this friend and this friend.

Day 7

Plan:
Early departure for Leeds.
Arrival at Robert's.
Meet Raquel.

What happened:
As planned.
Went to Chapel Allerton recreation ground with Robert.
Very nice dinner at Robert's with Raquel and Chris.

Weather in London

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 gorgeous days in London!

Weighing the Mayor

Weighing the Mayor in High Wycombe, from wikipedia:
A traditional ceremony of the town since the medieval period is the weighing of the mayor, where at the beginning and end of the mayor's serving year, they are weighed in full view of the public to see whether or not they have gained weight at the taxpayers' expense. This custom is still in use, and the same weighing apparatus is used as in the 19th century. The Town Crier announces "And no more!" if the Mayor has not put weight on or "And some more!" if they have.

Mayor of High Wycombe - official site

Green with envy 3

Looking for...


... the cat!


Plotting...


How can we catch it?!

Day 6

Plan:
Lunch at George and Joelle's.

What happened:
As planned, went to George and Joelle's for lunch, in High Wycombe:

Very nice lunch followed by a walk in the woods and fields.

Moo!

Hula Hoops

Hula Hoops are the best potato crisps! It's always one of the first things I eat when I arive in Britain. And now the kids like it too.

Here is the Hula Hoops official site, where you can pile Hula Hoops...

1991 UK Advert:

If you eat too many, you can always exercise:

Green with envy 2

Day 5

Plan:

Natural History Museum?

Next time!

What happened:
Decided on a quiet day. Went to Carol and Philip's for a nice lunch in their wonderful house and garden. We also went to a park in Highgate.

Uncle Charlie's works

All these photos have been stolen from Uncle Charlie.

Carol and Philip's house in London:

Adam's shack in the Lake District (under construction):

Neil helped with the computer generation of this milllennium glass tower (never built):

And did the software for the Met Office's Daycaster in Exeter:

Here's the soon to be built Chengdu City Museum (China):

Day 4

Plan:
Legoland Windsor.

What happened:
Legoland!
L-Drivers - kids got their driving licenses.
Dino Safari - too short and tame.
Jungle Coaster - kids too short (luckily).
Pirate Falls - scary!
Digger Challenge - too short to have time to learn and enjoy.
Orient Expedition - nice and calm.
Chopper Squadron - simple but great.
Sky Rider - very nice.

Miniland - absolutely wonderful!

Legoland

Today: Legoland Windsor

Legoland Windsor by Theme Park Review:

More on Lego:
Lego's official site
Lego at wikipedia

Green with envy 1

Spot the squirrel:


and enjoy the garden:



Bubbles galore:

Day 3

Plan:
See the changing of the guard (11h30).
Lunch at the Orangery with John and Adele, Cynthia and Alex (13h00).
Play at the Diana Memorial Playground.
Visit the parks: Hyde Park, St James's Park, The Green Park, Kensington Gardens.

What happened:
Skipped the changing of the guard, as we walked too much yesterday, the kids were tired and Luke was not very well.

London 1938, including the changing of the guard

Did lunch at the Orangery, with everybody minus Alex - very good.
The Diana Playground was great - the kids really enjoyed the ship, running around and playing with water.
Came home early.