Scotland - Day 1

Well, I am in Scotland, ancestral homeland that it is, delving into the wonderful trip that I shall have.

Plane ride was not bad, the couple I was sitting next to, moved and I ended up with a whole row to myself. Don't know what I would have done, otherwise, who sits in these seats? Twiggy? I mean, I know I'm no small man, but my shoulders aren't fat. Shouldn't they be able to fit into the seat? Instead I start off like some Aero-Luge athlete with my hands and arms at their side...can a brother get an arm rest?

So I spent the flight sleeping and watching the Bourne Supremecy, which I'd brought with me.....and thank God for that! I mean the movie on the flight was Planes, Trains and Automobiles....what is that like 20 years ago...what about something at least from the 90s? Then they moved int0 television with reruns of Fraiser and som sitcom about a female vicar....what's humorous about that????

So we land, I collect my luggage. Head through customs, get my bags, and just about to leave the airport (going through the "nothing to declare" line) when I get profiled by the transit agents. Now, I'm the only black guy on the flight and I'm in a suit, so I can only assume that either they thought I was a terrorist or an American (many are really pissed off at our country believe it or not). Given my demeanor, I'd have to go with the latter. Thanks a lot W!

So he asks me the standards of where I'm coming from, how long I'm going to be in the country, etc. Yada Yada, but then he starts getting more and more detailed....where was I staying, why was I staying at different hotels, who made the reservations, would I be open to new experiences in a foreign land with man in authority.....okay I made the last one up, but he was thinking it! You should have seen the way that he was checking me out!

Then I had a tremendous amount of fun time trying to get to the hotel, discerning the streets over here, they don't have signs on the corner, but rather on buildings that are on corners....sporadically! And sometimes they just change names, right in a block, similar to LaSalle/Blaisdell, but at least we have big signs announcing the change, not just "oh I'm an innocent foreigner driving along...huh, what the hell happen to the street???? It just changed na--it just did it again!!!" Spent an hour and a half driving around the same square mile trying to find things. I am convinced it's a plot by the Scottish Government to get back at me for W!

Well, that's it for now. I'll sign back in tomorrow with details of tonights excursions.