Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Monday April 9 Day 0


Posted by singingweaver at 03:51 am on April 9th, 2007.
Glasgow airport makes it so easy, clear, and inexpensive to get from the airport to one of the downtown bus or train stations. I wish all city public transit authorities had this figured out for airport travelers. Just walk outside the small terminal building and signs direct you for the city bus stop. For just 3.50 pounds, your single ticket gets you to the heart of the city where you can take a train, bus, taxi or walk to your lodging location.

Tonight I'll meet my 15 travelers in Glasgow for trip orientation. Folks asked how the group came together. Listing the trip on my web site http://www.singingweaver.com/ was the best advertisement. Word of mouth, and handing out trip brochures when I gave presentations at weaving guilds were my other effective methods. Although I did advertise in the weaving magazines, I can't say if this was effective. Today with websites and blogs, direct communcation gets easier every day.

Why am I leading this tour? I first visited Scotland in 1997 and concieved this idea. I kept meeting such interesting fiber artists and musicians and thought it would be great fun to share this wonderful country and my special interests of fiber and music with others who want to visit. Coming back 3 times to teach weaving in recent years added further contacts. So now, 10 years after the birth of the idea, Threads, Ruins, And Tunes is about to commence. It should be slightly less complicated than leading backpackers through the wilderness as was my guide job in a previous life. But my hiking books are still on my feet, preparing me for the rugged urban terrain of Glasgow!

Day 0 Monday April 9 addendum: The 15 travellers gathered in Glasgow from California, Washington and New Hampshire. Glynn Donnelly and her mother Nancy treated us to song and dessert at our trip kick-off meeting. That is Glynn in the photograph. I met these women the first time I came to Scotland 10 years ago. Kind and generous people like them are a big reason I keep coming back. We learned that the Clootie in Clootie Dumpling, simply means “cloth”. The dumping is cooked for a long time wrapped inside a cloth. Served warm with thick cream you’ve got a comforting treat.
Scottish shortbread and Nancy’s heavenly Apple Tart also graced our palettes.

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