Last minute plans

Taking the opportunity of a last minute cancellation to spend the weekend in the Highlands is one of the joys of living here. Here is how it unfolded...

Saturday morning-
06:45...wake up
07:19...catch the train
08:20...catch the next train
11:20...step off the train at Corrour and to this...

Winter blues that make me happy

The light. It is hard to beat the light in Scotland. 

A Saturday in February, I found my way to Rannoch train station. It is fairly remote in the winter. There is a road into the station but there are just a handful of homes. The train station buildings are closed in winter. The weather forecast was cold, unstable, and moderate winds. It is a 3 hour train journey from Glasgow. My choices were to stay for 7 hours or 1.5 hours (based on the train schedule). With a fairly good chance that I would only stay 1.5 hours, I hopped on the train because I knew that even 1.5 hours would make it worthwhile. It did.

Back in a wee minute

Life just keeps racing along and just like that, a month has passed since my last entry. My blogging dwindled towards the end of last year and I attribute it to two factors. For some reason, it is harder to find the brain time when employed..which is the reason it took me awhile to realize the second factor. The second factor is that I have been spending much of my free time doing activities that are not unique to living here. Nothing seemed particularly noteworthy. While there is nothing wrong with that, I want to take full advantage of this opportunity and enjoy why this place is so special to me. Noted and action taken:)

Rome wanderings

Recently I spent a long weekend in Rome. My first time in this magnificent city. So much amazing history, art, style, and food. What stood out the most to me? How well the city blends youthful energy while living amongst structures that carry so much history.

And a concern for Italian pedestrians in Glasgow. Glasgow drivers give very little respect to pedestrians. I don't dare step off the curb onto a crosswalk if a car is in sight. In Rome, I would still be standing on the curb trying to cross the Via del Teatro di Marcello if I followed the same behaviour. Pedestrians in Rome step onto the road with a nonchalant confidence that gives the air they feel they have equal right to be on the road as a car does.

Creating traditions

I have a tradition in October of spending a weekend walking in Corrour. This is my second year in a row. Long enough to make it a tradition in my books. As long as I am able to, I plan to continue this tradition. Last year I stayed in the youth hostel and was introduced to the station house. This time I treated myself to a stay at the Corrour Station House and dined in their restaurant. It is one of the best places I have ever stayed on holiday.