Glasgow Green

We're having the best weather I've seen yet in Glasgow.  Sunny all day today and nice and hot.  Christian is in bed with a sinus infection, but I took myself out to the Glasgow Green to do a little sun tanning.  It's the first time my white white legs have seen the sun.  I walked through the park and also popped into the People's Palace and the lovely tropical Winter Gardens.  One day I'll build a greenhouse like this off the back of my home.... do I ever miss growing things.  There are some more pictures from the day on our Flickr site. And see a little article I wrote about the day here.

A Weekend in Stockholm

We visited Sweden on the weekend for a reunion of Christian's friends from his Stockholm exchange. All were quite nostalgic, but I was able to tag along and experience a bit of the old days while also creating new memories.  All in all, I had an amazing time, and I'd say that of all the places I dream about living in, Stockholm is very near the top... a really nice mixture of nature and culture, and I felt at home right away.  There are loads more pictures if you like, here.

We took an hour or so train from Glasgow to Ayr in order to get on our Ryanair flight from Prestwick International Airport.  We were too scared to take pictures, but the airport security at this tiny little hole-in-the-wall walk around with massive automatic weapons at the ready. 

Just outside Prestwick Airport in Ayr.

Ayr from the Air.

Our cell-block at the Langholmen Hotel.  All four prisoners slept here very comfortably.

Christian and I got the murphy beds. 

This is the gang at Stockholm University.

This is Lappis, where Christian lived. 

Picnic lunch at Lappis beach.  

It felt a little like Muskoka to me.  

This is quite a famous spot.  After 3am when the place closed we walked home in the sunshine.

This is just a picture on the wall, but the interiors look the same. 

They had the most expensive cover charge I've ever paid in my life and pricey drinks too, but it was well worth it... we had lots of fun. 

From a bridge on our walk from the hotel to T-Centralen.

We walked through this really nice park, but unfortunately didn't wake up early enough for a picnic with the others. 

Following Kate through that same park.

Making fun of the Swedish language.

Christian and I on a bridge.

My Desk

Just about time I wrote something eh? Well despite sarcastic quips on my part, and party pictures, I am indeed working here during the summer. I'm studying with the Strathclyde Planning Group on great and wonderful things that will never see the light of a blog post until after publication ;).

One thing I can show, however, is where I reside from 9-5. The computer science faculty / department is located in the Livingstone Tower on Strathclyde campus:


View Larger Map

The group I'm with is on the 11th floor, and the view is quite spectacular if you've got a window desk:

Most of the students (masters, PhD, post-doc) sit in a large room with windows on two of the walls:

The visiting students have a nice little room off to the side:

...but as most computer scientists would agree, the most important part of any office is the caffeine situation. They have a decent machine capable of a good cup, and an alright espresso (of course all beans are supplied by the department for free ;)):

Finally, the cup I was presented with upon arrival (actually it was just collecting dust on a shelf and I claimed it) suits me quite well:

The Penguin of Death
Things you Need to Know
1. He is strangely attractive because of his enigmatic smile.
2. He can kill you in any 1 of 412 different ways.

All in all its been great so far, and I only expect things to get better as the summer goes on. Hopefully I'll find more time to keep posting ;). Cheers.

Christian's Birthday Weekend in Pictures

On Friday night we went to a number of pubs around town and we even took the teeny tiny little subway to the West end at the end of the night.  This is one of the earlier pubs which was like a tree house inside.  This shot is from our table in the upper branches.  Here I learned that Murphys is an excellent beer. 

These are Christian's pals from school who took us around.  Giuseppi and Pete. Many good chats. 

Christian had a wee bit too much whiskey in him.

The next day.  Just finished raiding the tourist pamphlets at the

Gallery of Modern Art. 

Through the window looking down on the city from The Lighthouse - an excellent museum of Scotland's architecture and design.  It also just happends to be free on Saturdays. 

Christian at The Lighthouse with his new birthday jacket on. 

Christian lounging at the very top of The Lighthouse.

The view from the top floor of The Lighthouse.

Christian's favourite coffee shop, Tinderbox.  Just around the corner from us. 

Too cool for this picture, with a clover-made coffee in his hand. 

Coffee in a gigantic tea cup.

The foyer at the City Halls music venue.  

Inside the recital hall.  Beautiful lighting and a very intimate atmosphere. 

The lighting again.

Nigel Hitchcock and Paul Towndrow at City Halls.