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My company teaches English face-to-face or over Skype.

Saturday 16 August 2014

311: Iceland, land of ice and fire

I'm back in Cambridgeshire after having spent 3 days in Iceland. Impressions? Beautiful country, prices as expensive as Moscow or perhaps even more so, and (mostly) friendly and generous people, with an unusual sense of humour. Would I go back? Yes, but I'd need to save up again first! The dream ticket, after I win the lottery, would include a flight around the island in a helicopter,  whale and puffin watching and sea fishing, and horse riding across the lava fields.



fish and chips in a bucket. KFC eat your heart out.

Free wrapping paper in the shopping centre

How about this for a comfortable relax in the mall

Look how open the banks are

Just some old geyser

365 days a year for millenia!



The view at 03.45, taking whilst waiting for the marshrutka!

Sunday 10 August 2014

310: Gaelic, Golspie and Glasgow

Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels", including language and culture. As a noun, it may refer to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Different "flavours" of Gaelic are spoken in parts of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man. In most of Wales, and parts of Scotland, signs are in English and Gaelic. As you can see, Gaelic is a very different language from English
I've been staying in the village of Golspie for the last week or so. This afternoon I'm heading off to Glasgow and tomorrow to Iceland. 

Icelandair have a very cunning auction to allow folks to bid for an upgrade to the cabin class. Remind me to tell you about it one day. 
To finish, here is a song sung in Gaelic by the Scottish group Runrig. Subtitles in Gaelic and English.

Sunday 3 August 2014

308: The Jacobites

I'm relaxing in the Highlands of Scotland. Last night and tonight in a hotel in Spean Bridge and today travelling on the Jacobite steam train from Fort William to Mallaig (and back).
The name Jacobite is well-known in this region, and throughout Scotland, as the generic name given to a series of rebellions against the English - in 1689, 1715 and 1745. For more information on these uprisings click here.
Here are a few of the photos I took during the day today, showing not only the train but also some of the magnificent scenery and the Commando memorial here at Spean Bridge.












My video clip is entitled "ye Jacobites by name" and is by the Scottish folk group The Corries.