Final Post | #HomeForTheHolidays

Merry Christmas!

I know this post is late in coming. I'm back home in Florida. It's bittersweet. It is amazing home with family and friends (wearing shorts and going barefoot), but I miss my new family in Scotland.

INTERSTELLAR AT THE IMAX

From left to right: Glasgow IMAX Theatre, Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow Tower

M8 Motorway at Kinning Park Station

During my last few weeks in Glasgow, Interstellar (starring McConnaughey and Hathaway) came to theatres. I debated between Glasgow Cineworld, the world's tallest movie theatre, and the Glasgow IMAX, Scotland's biggest screen. 

I went for the IMAX. I didn't regret it. After class, I jumped on the subway at Buchanan Street for Cessnock Station. I was hungry, so I dropped by Tartan Fish And Chips. I ordered a fried pizza and chips. Yeah, fried pizza...it was great.

The movie was fantastic, it instantly became one of my favourites, and the humongous screen (80 feet by 60 feet) made it that much better. After taking some photos of the M8 near Kinning Park Station, I headed home to get ready for choir practice. It was a great day.

TOURING THE LOCHS

One of the highlights of my trip was touring the southwestern lochs with my mentor. We left early on a Wednesday morning, traveling an old, two-lane military road called the A83 (the only road to where we were going). 

Leaving Glasgow

Our first stop was in a beautiful glen. We had a snack and a coffee, and I took a lot of pictures.

Glen along the A83

We continued along A83 through these mountains and munros (UK term for mountains over 3,000 feet) for another hour, passing through small towns. We also drove along the coasts Loch Lomond and Loch Long. 

The Oyster Bar

We dropped in The Oyster Bar along Loch Fyne for a snack. I had a plate of fresh oysters on-the-half-shell. Delicious. Not earthy like the ones from Florida, these were instead sharp and herb-like. We drove all the way to a town called Lochgilphead before we turned back for home. The scenery is breathtaking along the way. It's what I imagined Scotland looked like before I came.

mountain along Loch Lomond

town of Arrochar along Loch Long

tip of Loch Fyne

ST. ANDREWS

My economics lecturer, John, invited me to join him and his wife in Fife for a day before I left. Fife is a Scottish council area (kind of like a county), and it includes the famous golfing and university city of St. Andrews - about an hour train ride from Glasgow. On a beautiful Saturday, I climbed aboard a train at Queen Street station and met John in his hometown

After lunch and conversation, the three of us traveled to St. Andrews. It was a beautiful town, full of history. I saw three different beaches, the place where Price William and Kate met for coffee (they both went to St. Andrews University), the Royal and Ancient (the world home of golf), and much more. 

Afterwards, we headed to Perth for dinner, a nearby town. Before I knew it, it was time to go home. A big thank you to John and family, you were wonderful hosts!

St. Andrews

St. Andrews

BONUS: ICELAND

Iceland's moon-like landscape (lava flows)

So the icing on the cake was taking an IcelandAir back home, from Glasgow to Sanford (Orlando), because I was able to book a one-night stopover in Keflavik, Iceland, just outside the capital of Reykjavik. What an amazing way to end this trip. 

I got to spend the night in the A10 Deluxe B&B, then take a day-trip to The Blue Lagoon. It's one of Nat Geo's 25 Wonders of the World (and one of only two that's man-made). The super-heated, salty water gets an algae that turns it bright blue, and it picks up silica and other minerals as it gets pumped up through the ground. In the end, you get something that looks like this. And I got to swim around in it (and try the saunas, steam baths and heated waterfalls) for four hours.

SAYING GOODBYE

Crown Street in New Gorbals

My mentor asked me, while we were on our trip around the Lochs, "What will you miss the most?" I thought for a moment, but the answer came quickly. I told him "the people." I'm getting emotional just writing this. To all the great friends that I met in my three months - you guys mean the world to me. Because of the kindness, curiosity, and just pure friendliness you all showed me, I felt like I was home. Thank God for you!

View from City of Glasgow College, Townhead Building's Bistro

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

Thank you to Steven, my college mentor, for making this a trip to remember.

Thank you to Principle Little of City of Glasgow College for your time, effort and support.

Thank you to the staff at City of Glasgow College, for making this American feel at home.

Thank you to the staff at Jacksonville University, including Dean Don Capener and my mother, for working tirelessly for eight months to send me on this great adventure.

And to everyone else who helped me along the way, thank you!

Until next time,

God bless you!

Zacchari Gale

signing off

#jutocogc