Flashback: And then Seanan went to GLASGOW.: seanan

Flashback: And then Seanan went to GLASGOW.

When last we left our intrepid heroine (me), I was on a plane to Scotland, to visit Amal and Stuart for a week. Basically exactly a week, which was simultaneously a long, long time to go stay with someone I had never stayed with before, and nowhere near long enough to stay with a dear friend in a city I had never visited.

My flight was smooth and uneventful, and landed in Glasgow a little early, which was good, since it had been marred by navigation issues which caused the cabin crew to say "all electronics must be off, yes, even your Pokemon machine, yes, even your iPod." It was a sad, sad situation for a Seanan. When I landed, it became even sadder, as my phone had run out of minutes while I was in Ireland, and I thus could not call Amal to let her know I was there. I mooched back and forth in the airport for a while, sadly, until she materialized, all smiles and hugs and help with my luggage, and got me out of there.

When we arrived at the apartment, everything smelled like home. There was a chicken roasting in the oven and a pot of stock simmering on the stove, and I promptly decided that this was the best of all possible worlds. I was set up in the guest room, added to the wireless, and introduced to the two fabulous resident magpie cats. Amal quickly discovered that she could thrust things at me, and that I would then read them. This became a popular party game over the next few days.

Oh, the places we went! Oh, the things that we did! We visited the two biggest cheese shops in Glasgow, and assembled two glorious cheeseboards, including Bonnet (goat), Isle of Mull Cheddar (yellow), VJ Cabrales (DEATH BLUE), Old Lochnagar (cheddar-ish), and Dunsyre Blue, all from I. J. Mellis, and Isle of Mull Cheddar (white), Killeen (goat-gouda), Basajo (white-wine blue with grapes!), and Coulommiers (Brie), all from George Mewes. There was not a bad bit of cheese in the bunch.

I must, however, take a moment to focus on the Cabrales. This cheese was given in response to my request for an aggressive blue. "Aggressive" does not begin to cover it. This cheese was the Ghost Rider of cheeses, judging your sins and refusing to forgive them. It was so strong it was physically painful to eat more than a sliver at a time. I am in love. I want twenty pounds of it.

Amal and I walked Glasgow, enjoyed cake at Once Upon A Tart, and bought heather gems. She saw me have my first Victoria tart and my first rose lemonade, both of which engendered bliss face. We watched Doctor Who and made plans for the future and chatted about anything and everything, and it was lovely. I cooked her and Stuart goat. I snuggled their cats.

On Friday, we drove two and a half hours to Amal and I could hike off into the fields of Carterha and touch Tam Lin's well. This will be a post all of its own, and soon.

On Saturday, we went to the Scottish Owl Centre, which was perfect and sublime and like nothing I had ever done before. I want to go back.

Sunday we shopped, rested, ate, and made our farewells, and Monday morning, I got on a train bound for Swindon. It was nowhere near long enough. It was the perfect length of time. Scotland was beautiful, and its people even more so.

I want to go back.

belegwen

September 21 2014, 12:31:56 UTC 2 years ago

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Carterha is a real place?!?!?

This fact makes my entire universe a better place to live in.

seanan_mcguire

September 21 2014, 12:33:51 UTC 2 years ago

It IS and you can GO there and THE WELL IS REAL OKAY WE WENT TO THE WELL AND WALKED THROUGH A BALLAD AND HOLY CRAP.

sorchasilver

September 21 2014, 12:39:22 UTC 2 years ago

I am very glad that my country was good to you. And I hope you get to come back.

I went to the Scottish Owl Centre a few months ago with a couple of friends and it was amazing. We lay on the ground on our backs while an owl flew right over us - so close we felt the wing-tips brush us - in the flying display, then went for a walk in the woods on our own and found a fledgling owl sitting on a tree stump overlooking the river. We thought it was a fake planted by the centre until we got up close!

November 10 2014, 16:37:00 UTC 2 years ago

Hee!

tithenai

September 21 2014, 12:39:58 UTC 2 years ago

My face is a sunbeam. Yes to all of this yes yes yes. Oh for more visitings! Next time you visit me I'll likely be in OTTAWA and can show you DIFFERENT THINGS but oh man how badly do I want to visit you in your home and meet your mighty floofbeasts!

You are the queen of <3 <3 <3.

Also.

Amal quickly discovered that she could thrust things at me, and that I would then read them. This became a popular party game over the next few days.

IF ONLY YOU KNEW HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO ME OMG. It was like this fantasy come to life, because I am CONSTANTLY thrusting things at people to read and DESPAIRING of their inability to just OSMOSE them. BUT YOU DO IT. YOU ARE MAGIC.

Oh man speaking of magic YOU AND THE COWS AHHHHH

November 10 2014, 16:37:31 UTC 2 years ago

Cows love me, what can I say?

Also beware because when you come to my home OH THE THRUSTING OF THINGS.

witchchild

September 21 2014, 13:31:52 UTC 2 years ago

Did they really call it a Pokemon machine though?

oh cheese, cheese and food cooking. Best things in the world.

November 10 2014, 16:37:44 UTC 2 years ago

No. But that's its name.

lysystratae

September 21 2014, 13:59:10 UTC 2 years ago

I want to try the death blue; I adore blue cheese, and that sounds amazing. The white wine & grapes one sounds intriguing, as well. One more reason to want to go to Scotland :)

November 10 2014, 16:51:07 UTC 2 years ago

Seriously, the cheese is worth the trip.

Deleted comment

November 10 2014, 16:51:45 UTC 2 years ago

I am a picky enough eater that I tend to avoid vegan places, I'm afraid. They're too interested in preserving flavor, and everything is undercooked for me.

sparrowpunk

September 21 2014, 23:37:27 UTC 2 years ago

I need to get the DEATH BLUE for my boyfriend, though he may have to eat it in splendid isolation. He had a blue cheese sweet cheesecake for dessert tonight, with candied celery, frozen grapes and some sort of walnut thing that made me think of this entry :)

November 10 2014, 16:52:27 UTC 2 years ago

It's illegal in the US, I'm afraid. :(

controuble

September 22 2014, 01:16:25 UTC 2 years ago

The Cabrales sounds marvelous. Must try some if I can ever get back over there.

November 10 2014, 17:13:37 UTC 2 years ago

So nice.

desperance

September 22 2014, 06:20:30 UTC 2 years ago

Hmm. Now I want to confront you with an actual Stilton from actual there, and see how it works upon you. (There are blue cheeses, and there are BLUE CHEESES THAT ARE ALL ABOUT THE BLUE, and then there is actual Stilton...)

And in other news, I am delighted that you were so delighted by my other country, and I hope you get to go back soonest. *chivvies*

November 10 2014, 17:14:00 UTC 2 years ago

Stilton does not please me as much as some of the French and Italian blues, I'm afraid.

November 10 2014, 17:14:14 UTC 2 years ago

It's relatively new, but yes, you need to go back!

vettecat

September 22 2014, 18:14:52 UTC 2 years ago

So glad you had fun! Rose lemonade sounds lovely. (Though I want to know what a heather gem is.)

November 10 2014, 17:14:35 UTC 2 years ago

Heather that has been stone-pressed until it became a rock.

liddle_oldman

September 22 2014, 20:27:27 UTC 2 years ago

Cracking cheese, Grommit!

Sounds like an absolutely lovely time.

November 10 2014, 17:14:44 UTC 2 years ago

It was splendid.

November 10 2014, 17:14:54 UTC 2 years ago

Yay!

lots42

October 9 2014, 13:55:51 UTC 2 years ago

The Thursday Next series of books has a sub-plot where she smuggles cheese. Most of them are like what you described.

Some of the cheeses could melt a car.

November 10 2014, 17:15:03 UTC 2 years ago

Indeed.

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Flashback: And then Seanan went to GLASGOW.

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