Oct 22 2006
ring ring....ring ring...
"Hey Baxter"
"The Pogues are playing in Europe"
"Europe? Really...that would be cool...we should go"
"To Europe?"
"Yeah, why the hell not"
Little did I know that innocent phone call in the summer of 2004 would lead to so much. Two weeks in Scotland, spending some fabulous times with Baxter and his extended family in Glasgow, discovering that the Scots have their own special version of Tabasco, tooling around the Trossachs region of Scotland, a dog, multiple hangovers, almost getting our arses kicked in a small Scottish ocean resort, and meeting a wonderful girl who somehow cajoled her way on to the trip.
"Hey Sean, I think I might have done something I shouldn't."
"What?"
"I was drinking and I think I invited someone along on the trip, but I think you'd like her."
"Who is this person?"
"I don't really know, a cousin of Ron's (she wasn't) I think"
When you think about it, sometimes it's amazing how innocent little twists and turns of life go off in random directions. Who would have thought that 2 years later I'd be sitting here with a dog licking my foot while I type (he's not actually, he's moping because I wouldn't take him for a car ride this morning) all because someone else spent way too much time on a Pogues message board. Who would have thought that an innocent phone call led to me getting more serious about photography...because a trip to Europe requires purchasing a new fancy digital camera because you are tired of spending $400 to get film developed every time you return from a trip.
So many photos to choose from, but I figure this is as good a start as any. Taken from the top of the Wallace Monument in Stirling. The Monument affords 360 degree views of the surrounding landscape, including these snow capped mountains in the distance.
There should be lots of updates this week, hell, y'all might be sick of Scotland by the time this week is over.
December 2004
Stirling, Scotland