Here's an account of what me and Riikka were up to for the last three days she was here (last Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Heaps of pics, I know. Too lazy to write it all down. A pic is worth a thousand words.
FRIDAY 18.5.
The forecast had predicted rain for the whole weekend, but luckily enough, the forecasters got it wrong, again. The sun was shining until late afternoon. Then the showers came, but fortunately we were done with our wee sightseeing already by then.
First, like with all my guests, we walked through Kelvingrove Park to wonder at my Harry Potter University. It really is one of the coolest ones in Britain! I've seen those in Cambridge, none looked as cool, and I've seen Anna-Riitta's pics of some lame buildings in Oxford... naaeh. Not one of them looks as cool as Glasgow ;)
Riikka getting lost in University Main Building.
We also checked out the Charles Rennie Macintosh house, a replica of the house where the famous Glaswegian architect once lived. We were not allowed to take pictures. It was cool anyway. Not awe-inspiring or breathtaking or nothing like that, but let's say that you can't live in Glasgow for 5 months and not check out the Macintosh House which is Right in the Middle of Campus!
After that, a wee stroll to Ashton Lane to get a cup of hot chololate at The Lane.
Ashton Lane in full colour.
Don't we look nice eh?
We continued the tour of West End in Botanical Gardens. I dare mention this was my second visit there *blush* ...Such a nice place so near the Uni, why haven't I spent more time there? Maybe because Kelvingrove Park is even nearer... Anyway, the Gardens were full of blossoming flowers, soooo beautiful! :) See for yourself:
Entering the Botanical Gardens.
Got any nuts?
Lovely!
Whoever happens to know the name of this funky tree, please make us all a bit wiser and tell it.
Inside the greenhouses. Riikka is wondering at the size a palm tree can take. Huge!
The greenhouse was abounding with amazing flowers. I wonder how nature can create such things as this bluey thing or the red ones below, for example?
After the Botanical Gardens the sky started to pour nice wee drops of rain on us, so on a bus and off to the city centre to check bus timetables to Loch Lomond for the weekend, to nourish our bodies at Friday's, and to buy groceries at Sainsbury's. Nothing special happened - by the end of the day we were just too weary to do anything particular. Had to go to sleep early, because there was an early bus to catch on Saturday morning. Yes, we were going hiking, baby!
SATURDAY 19.5.
The forecast had predicted really, REALLY awful weather for both Saturday and Sunday, so we had decided on Friday evening to set the alarm clock for 7:30am, look out of the window, and then decide whether to go hiking or to sleep 3 more hours. Well, we woke up, looked out of the window, realised that the weather wasn't of the nicest kind for any outdoor activities, but mad as we are, we still decided to get up and hurry for Buchanan Bus Station to catch a bus to Arrochar. Which turned out to be the best decision after all.
Arrochar is situated by Loch Long, west of Loch Lomond, near a peak called 'The Cobbler' which we were planning to conquer. PLANNING to. Up there the winds were so high and the terrain so slippery that we left the top of the mountain for another visit. And not just that, but Riikka was wearing sneakers and jeans, definitely not the kind of equipment for tackling mountain tops. We got quite near, though, and the views were fantastic anyhow, so worth the 2-hour ascent!
The Cobbler is behind that mountain top. Getting to the place where the track uphill starts.
A waterfall on our way up.
SLUGGITY SLUG! 'Onko huomenna pouta?'
Getting higher. Notice my new hiking boots! It was good to break them in on this hike before the summer.
Aragorn aproaching...
More views on the way up.
And this is how near the top we got! Quite well done eh?
A virtual kiss to the lucky one managing to spot me in this pic!
A happy wanderer.
On the way down we saw some amazing scenery...
...and these blue flowers called 'kissankello' (a cat's bell) in Finnish... what is this called in English? Anyone?
I had to take this pic to preach a bit. That morning there were still two tents on this site, but by the time we got down the tents were gone. What was left was this appalling pile of shit. Please people, clean up after you when camping in nature! Thank you!
So, made it back to the village of Arrochar just in time to have some light lunch and run for the bus (which we almost missed: ran on side of the street waiving like maniacs - and thank god the bus stopped and waited for us, because it would've been a 4-hour wait for the next one!).
In the evening there was a farewell party at Sam & Harry's place to one of my friends, Eva, who left back for Norway on Monday :( It was meant to be just our group of friends, but like all parties do here, also this one expanded because word spread, and there were people I had never even seen. Good for Riikka, she was as new to some people as I was :P
G and Antoine. Smile!
Maija, Petra, G and me (note my awful double chin, the result of Thorntons chocolaterie).
Sam had decided to give Eva the T-shirt of his brother's band, which we all signed, making her happier than ever *sob*
There was a pic of Riikka as well, but I forgot to edit that one in Photoshop, so I'll add it here later.
SUNDAY 20.5.
Shopping all day in the city centre. The usual: I got like four sacks of clothes and books, and Riikka got none. But what can a hopeless travel freak do if there's this amazing offer at Borders that you buy one guide book, and get another one half price?! Olen parantumaton. Got Lonely Planet Vienna and Stockholm (yay! waiting for the reunion meet!). And two for Yorkshire Dales. And loads of cheap jewellery and bric-a-bracs. And a pair of cool Primark's 'quality' trousers that will probably break apart in 2 months. Riikka even had to carry one of my bags back home:
In the evening, Indian food at the Wee Curry Shop. Nice, again, even though there was a slight confusion in the air when Riikka's raita turned out to be riata, which was, instead of a small yoghurt-based dip, a huge lettu (pancake). Oh, well. Not so familiar with Indian stuff yet. Luckily they didn't charge us for that.
At the Wee Curry Shop. Got that headband at Primark for £1. Like it.
Ok, that was our wee holiday, in brief. It was nice to have Riikka here, once again I got to see the touristic side of my home town and Edinburgh as well. Anyway, too tired to keep on blathering or to write anything wise now. Gotta get some sleep - 'cos tomorrow, I have to STUDY, BIG TIME!
1 comment:
Heey! Nice blog you have here my lovely finn! I liked the picture with my awesome t-shirt - i have the greatest friends in Glasgow :) Hope you're doing ok, and wish you the best of luck on your exams!! Miss you like hell... :( Big hugs from Eva!
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