Caffe Nero

I keep thinking about Scotland.  I’m not really sure why, but it keeps coming to mind.  I like Scotland a lot.  The people are super nice and they have the best accent in the world!  I have a little trouble understanding what they are saying at times, but I always enjoy hearing them speak.

I have been to Glasgow several times, and find the town to be quite beautiful and one that offers a lot of great photo opportunities, even in the rain!  (Yes, it seems to rain there a bit.)  I hope to return to Glasgow, and I also hope to make it over to Edinburgh at some point.  I hear great things about that town, and the pictures I have seen are awesome too.  I will make it some day!

This is Caffe Nero, which is a coffee shop in one of the plazas in Glasgow’s central downtown area.  It’s really close to the train station, which is a great place to shoot as well.  I spent that morning in the train station - actually avoiding some rain, and getting some cool shots - and then wandered over here and just loved the awesome architecture of Caffe Nero.  It’s a coffee shop, but looks like a miniature castle!  Maybe they consider themselves the “King of Coffee”?  haha

You can find all of my Glasgow, Scotland shots here: http://www.nomadicpursuits.com/blog/category/glasgow

Winter at Loch Lomond

I grabbed this HDR while wandering the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland.  It’s an incredible place, and it seemed like I had it all to myself.  It had been a rainy morning, but the rain stopped long enough for me to shoot for an hour or so around the banks of this secluded Loch.  I kept hoping for Nessie to raise up out of the depths, but of course that’s a different Loch so I struck out there.  Despite missing out on a mythical monster, I had a monster time firing shots in this gorgeous place.  If you ever get a chance to visit - take it and go, you will love seeing this for yourself...monster or not.

Sunrise at Mar Hall

Mar Hall is a luxury resort situated on a wooded estate, just outside of Glasgow, Scotland.  I was there at the end of January this year for a customer event and formal dinner, which included me wearing a kilt.  It was pretty awesome actually. Despite my fears that the whole "Scottish national dress" event was a joke played on an unsuspecting American - and therefore being the only guy to show up in a skirt - it turned out that nearly all the attendees were "kilted".  So I fit right in.  Whew!

Anyways, the following morning I got up to explore the grounds at the crack of dawn, hoping for a few shots.  I was treated to this incredible sunrise, while I mushed around in the damp grass and trampled their lovely golf course greens.  But, it was in the name of art so I felt justified.

And if you are like me, then your obvious question is: where’s the pic of Jim in the kilt?  Well, here it is.  Goofy, huh?  (taken with my iPhone)

Platform 12 at Glasgow Central Station

I love train stations, as I have stated here (many times) before.  I feel like I am a broken record at times, but the fact is that I am in train stations on my European travels a bit, and always try and shoot them.  They're just cool.  You with me on that? :)

This is Central Station in Glasgow, Scotland.  It's not a big station by any means but I really like the place.  I particularly liked it on this morning because it was a Sunday morning and I had it all to myself.  I had the full run of the place.  Even the Police that were there let me wander freely - it was surreal, because I half expected them to throw me out.  But I guess they were regular police and not tripod police LOL!

Seeking shelter in Glasgow

Glasgow, Scotland is an incredible town.  I love history and architecture, and I found quite a bit of both while wandering the grounds of the University of Glasgow one morning.

I had read about this place and seen several photos online, so I decided to get out and explore the area.  Honestly, I felt like I was stumbling around at Hogwarts most of that morning.  The University is not that large, but it has so many interesting spots to shoot, and the architecture is fabulous. 

Luckily, it started raining on me.  I say "luckily" because that drove me to seek shelter, and this was the first place I found.  Once I walked into this area, it was all over - I was in HDR heaven!