Day in Glasgow

Think I'm crazy? On Monday the 12th, I picked up my poor ailing dog from the Munich university vet clinic, drove back another two hours to my house in Nuernberg, packed a bag, drove two more hours to Frankfurt, deposited my girl at Arnaud's house (along with a detailed medicine list and emergency numbers), and then drove another hour and straight to the short term parking of Hahn airport. I wasn't as lucky this time as I was on our trip to Sardinia - there were no check-in signs and the monitors no longer registered a check-in station. With only luck and tenacity on my side, they gave me a boarding pass at the airline office and told me I had to take my luggage on board. Whew! After rushing through security, I sat down, sweating with anxiety and stress. I had cancelled this trip once before and couldn't miss it this time.

I had a peaceful, no frills flight and, for the first time ever, didn't have to wait for luggage at the carousel. I walked straight out into the late night Scottish air and into a waiting taxi. What I had failed yet to discover, however, is that I had flown into Glasgow-Prestwick airport and NOT Glasgow International... After 15 minutes driving through the countryside and no city lights in sight, the cabbie finally pointed out Prestwick airport was 50 miles from Glasgow as opposed to Glasgow International which was 5 minutes from my hotel. I asked him if he took credit cards...

Being both famished and exhausted, I checked into my hotel and ordered the cheapest item on their room service menu - a baked potato. Tack on a beer, tray charge, tip, exchange rate and that little spud with the limp lettuce garnish cost over $28! Ouch! That should have prepared me for the breakfast buffet to come, but I'm a slow learner.

After a midmorning meeting, I found myself having to check out of my hotel, yet my return flight didn't depart until 9:00 pm in the evening. So I did what all good tourists do - I headed downtown for some last minute Christmas shopping and to catch the double decker tour bus. I joined the throngs of young people on the streats shopping, found an authentic German Christmas Market (yes, there were even people from Nuernberg there!), and generally enjoyed the sites. It is a lovely place, full of history and collegiate vitality. As every tourist must, I made a small purchase at Pringle's Weavers shop filled of wool tartans. In the quest for Europe's best cheeseburger I had lunch at - no, not the local pub, not the fish and chips joint - TGI Friday's! The American cocktails and their accompanying explanations on the menu were well worth the read!

Soon it was dark, and I gladly made my way through the throng of shoppers and to the Central Train Station where I purchased a direct ticket to Prestwick airport for -- 2.70 pounds (an $85 savings)!!! The late night flight and drive put me back into Frankfurt and in bed by roughly 1:30 a.m. before my 8:00 a.m. passport appointment at the US consulate. Zzzzz...

Wish you had been there!

- Tiffany