The Man-Cation Begins

Very behind on my blogging, so hoping to catch up without sacrificing content.  After getting back from my London layover with my friend Bruce, I turned right around and headed back to the UK as a passenger.  I snagged a comfortable coach seat (not) on our late late service to Heathrow and then connected up to Glasgow on British Midland.  It was the beginning of what we dubbed, "The Man-cation", where we would sightsee and drink our way across Scotland.

Bruce told me he was staying at the Hilton, so I found a great bus service from the airport that stops right by the Hilton and it only cost 4 pounds.  What I neglected to realize was that there are two hotels under the Hilton Brand and I had taken the bus to the other property.  After waiting for a half hour, and wondering where Bruce was, I inquired at the front desk and learned he was at the Grosvenor Hilton, on the other side of town.

I caught a cab and made my way to the correct hotel and had my happy reunion with Bruce.  His mega diamond status was all for naught as his upgraded suite featured only one bed, so he opted for a standard room (which ironically had two double beds pushed right up to each other.... thankfully there were separate sheets to keep him from randomly rolling onto my side (no planes, trains and automobiles scenes for us)).  It was OK, but Bruce has gotten used to the finer things in life so he was bit disappointed in the quality of the room.... (it actually was kind of a pit).

I had met a gentleman on the plane the month before while flying home from London who was the Sound Technician for the rock band UB40.  He had given me a list of bars that he thought we would want to visit.  What a coincidence that the one he thought was the best was actually just down from our hotel.  The establishment was named Oran More, and it features over 100 different labels of Single Malt Scotch!  Equally as neat was the fact that the bar is housed inside an old church.

Of course it was a month ago so I cannot remember the different brands that we tried, but after a several samplings, we were sufficiently "warm" and began our search for vittles!  We happened to find a great little Italian place down Byres Rd and enjoyed some hearty food and beer.

On our way back to the hotel we stopped at a convenience store and I got some water and Irn-Bru for hangover recovery.  Irn-Bru is a tasty little Scottish soda.  It's flavor is almost cotton candy-like.  It's great for rebounding after a night of drinking!