My Very First Authentic Castle: South Queensferry, Scotland

I’ve been so lazy. I haven’t done anything productive because I’ve been trying to catch up on much needed sleep. So I finally decided to sign up for a tour while in South Queensferry, Scotland. Of all places, I signed up for the “Stirling Castle and Braveheart Country Tour”.

For what I did see, it was interesting…too bad I fell asleep through much of the lectures while learning about the history of the great William Wallace, the hero on which the movie, Braveheart is based on. I can tell you that he died a horrible death while leading Scotland to freedom from the English rule. I don’t know what happens prior to that though.

But I have pretty pictures from the Stirling Castle! Yea!

This is me being silly in the wax museum in the Stirling Castle. I didn’t know how to pose, so why not look like an idiot while doing it.

Andrea J: I know you’ll appreciate this random picture of a Scot Guard. I know you like people dressed in their heritage outfit. You’re oppressive that way! Hahha Just kidding!

Tim: This dude’s last name is McGregor…like the brand of your underwear! Maybe your underwear’s ancestry is from this dude?! Who knows, thought you’d appreciate knowing that.

Well, off to Paris, France! Thanks for checking my random thoughts!

Ciao for now,

Belle

"I have flatulence" in Kirkwall, Scotland

So I’m back in Scotland again. This time, it’s actually lovely…rolling hills, green pastures and little villages surrounding beautiful brick roads.

I also picked up a few slangs I would like to share with y’all…




Thought I’d like to share my random thoughts of the day.

Oh yea, I also went to a castle, had fish and chips, and a cup of really good coffee.







But learning those slangs were definitely the highlight of my day. And it’s applicable to everyday life too!

Ciao for now,
Belle

Random Pictures from Holyhead, Wales

Andrea J. I know you’ll appreciate this picture! I bumped into a few “Vikings” as you would like to put it in Holyhead Wales.


Look at this massive wok! The biggest I’ve ever seen…and the guy using it isn’t even Asian!

I swear this train station in Wales looks like the one in Harry Potter!

Belfast, Northern Ireland

I love Ireland! It’s a rocking place! Sailed back to Ireland and was so glad to get out of the “ghetto”.

Although, I’m getting really tired of the different currency we’re encountering. I totally forgot that Northern Ireland is part of the UK and they take Pounds, and not Euros. Grrr…forgot to bring the proper money out… Luckily, I have friends who “take care of me”…

On ships, “take care of me” means, “I’m gonna take you out and hopefully get into your pants.” Yup, that basically sums it up. The boys on ships get so desperate and lonely that they hit on everything that walks…hoping they have a slight chance of getting “lucky”… So far, I've received two big bouquets of arranged flowers, two take out Chinese food from port, my door decorated for me with balloons, a CD as a gift for the "DJ", and sea salt body rub for freakin' £40! Yikes! And it's only been one week on this ship! I have to be here for three more months!

Enough of that BS…sorry Tim, had to vent.

Well, didn’t do very much here. I should start signing up for tours. That way, my blogs aren’t so dry and boring.

Oh, Andrea J. and Alexis, this picture is for you. I took it in a camera/cell phone store. And it’s a cell phone case…except it’s a sock! See, remember a few years back when I put my camera into a sock and everyone laughed at me because my “invention” would never take off? They’re freakin’ selling a sock for £10 ($20.00 USD)!!!!!!

I would be rich by now if I had patent my invention! Hehehehe

Ok, ciao for now!

Belle

Greenook, Scotland (Ghetto Scotland)

Ok, what do you picture when you think of Scotland? Beautiful rolling hills, pastures and little sheeps running around with fluffy wool? Nope! Greenook, Scotland was so ghetto! It was really run down, and scary to walk around alone because it was desolated, eerie, and exceptionally quiet for a Saturday afternoon. Everything was vandalized with graffiti, all the stores were closed with gated locks on the doors and windows, and a lot of the places were abandoned or had closed due to lack of business.

I spent two hours walking around town and I had about enough of “sightseeing” nothing. Where were the 2100 passengers that just got off the ship?

It was so strangely quiet that it felt like a ghost town. All was left were a bunch of street kids bored out of their mind, rummaging through the streets desperately trying to entertain themselves.

Not very eventful really. Glad I didn’t have to pay for this vacation.

Caution: Leprechaun Crossing

Beautiful Dublin, Ireland! So much life, so much vitality and such a great place to go shopping! Haha figures, right? Bought something I couldn’t afford today, but it was totally worth it because it was one thing I really wanted to buy in Europe because it isn’t available in Canada. So it’s the third day into my cruise, and I’m already poor!

So I didn’t run over any leprechauns today. Although I did bump into a “little person” because I couldn’t see him…oops!

After, I went to a traditional Irish pub with my buddy Pedro. And saw this awesome sign...

And then, I waited for my stupid shuttle bus for over an hour and a half, and was stuck in traffic for another half an hour. I was late for my port of call and almost had my lamenex pass taken away! If they had taken away my lamenex, I wouldn’t be able to go out on shore for 7 daysL Whew, thank goodness for my “guest entertainer” status that makes me special and have privileges other crew members don’t have Shhh! Don’t tell!


Ciao for now,

Belle

Holyhead, Wales

Prynhawn da! Diolch yn fawr for reading this. Holyhead Wales is very da and croesoing. I like to have a paned o de with llefrith and siwgr while writing this.

My Welsh is not perfect but at least I’m trying. The gwin is very nice as well but not as lovely as a paned a Tim Hortons goffi right now…mmm…

Now I’m just inserting jibberish right now to make myself sound more edumacated. Haha!

Well, have a nos da, and os gwelwch yn dda come back and read more about my random jibberish.


Ciao for now!

Belle

P.S. I like bara.

DJ Name

So I'm lame and I don't have an offical DJ name yet... until now!

Those cheeky English guys gave me a saavy one!

How does "DJ Missy B" Sound? Sassy right? Yea! Cuz' that's my new name!!! I'm not just boring

DJ Belinda anymore!

Ciao for now,

DJ Missy B

At Frankfurt Airport

- I didn’t leave the airport, yet to catch my connecting flight, I have to go through security again. But you can’t go through security until it’s closer to your boarding time.

- So outside of the security area, there aren’t many seats you can sit in to wait for your boarding time. Instead, they have lots and lots of fabulous expensive shops to make you spend money you don’t have while you wait for your flight.

- Of course, I had to go “check it out”. I went to the perfume store…and just to prove that it’s not my day, I broke a damn expensive perfume bottle while “testing” it out.

- The lady didn’t seem impressed. I even offered to pay for it or to help clean it up.

- I think she just wanted me to leave.

- …well, at least I smell good.

Lufthansa Flight 493

Noticeable differences between German Flights and Canadian Flights:

1) Get extra cup holder space separate from your food tray.

Pro: Can leave tray up and have a place for you drink.
Con: The jerk in front of you can’t get comfortable so he keeps knocking the chair and making your drink spill. Grrrrr…

2) Your chair declines a lot further than Canadian economic plane seats.

Pro: More comfort for those long 9 hours ride.
Con: Less comfort if your neighbour in front of you also discovers how far back it goes. It’ll be a long uncomfortable 9 hours flightL

3) Free booze!

Pro: They keep topping off your drink with free wine!
Con: Makes you have to pee every 10 minutes! Sucks for the guy sitting in the aisle seat that has to get up and let me pee! Haha

4) Cool Bathrooms.

Pro: Lots of bathrooms located downstairs of the aircraft.
Con: More bathrooms = Bigger Flight = More People on the Plane = Long line ups for bathrooms.

5) Food

Pro: Was actually decent food!
Con: Makes you want more of it but you can’t have any! Boooo….


But hey, free booze!!!!! I’m such a lush, I need half a glass of wine to get drunk!

Leaving! On a jet plane! I don't know when I'll be back again!

Well, actually...in November, but I always like to sing that song when I get on a plane:)


So it's pissing rain in Vancouver...
and apparently, it's pissing rain in England. So it's not like I'm leaving to a better place right now. I packed my umbrella because it'll probably be raining all over the UK right now. So you can actually feel sorry for me:)


Well, I'm super excited I get to travel to these amazing places...all for "work" and it's all paid for! I always find the most random jobs...including the dental assistant one! Don't you have to be certified to be a dental assistant!? Well, I found a loop hole! hahahahhaha shhh! Don't tell on me!


I'd like to leave Vancouver with some of my random thoughts...

1) Triangular sandwiches taste better than square ones.

2) At the end of every party there is always a girl crying.

3) One of the most awkward things that can happen in a pub is when your pint-to-toilet cycle gets synchronised with a complete stranger.

4) You've never quite sure whether it's ok to eat green chips.

5) Everyone who grew up in the 80's has entered these digits into a calculator: 55378008

6) Reading when you're drunk is horrible.

7) You're never quite sure whether it's against the law or not to have a fire in your back yard.

8) You never know where to look when eating a banana.

9) It's impossible to describe the smell of a wet cat.

10) Why is it called Alcoholics Anonymous when the first thing you do is stand up and say, 'My name is Bob, and I am an alcoholic'?

11) Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp no one would eat?

12) Rummaging in an overgrow garden will always turn up a bouncy ball.

13) You always feel a bit scared when stroking horses.

14) Everyone always remembers the day a dog ran into your school.

15) Why is it that when someone tells you that there are over a billion stars in the universe, you believe them, but if they tell you there is wet paint somewhere, you have to touch it to make sure?

16) The smaller the monkey the more it looks like it would kill you at the first given opportunity.

17) Some days you see lots of people on crutches.

18) Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out of the window?

19) Old women with mobile phones look wrong.

20) Its impossible to look cool whilst picking up a Frisbee.

21) Driving through a tunnel makes you feel excited.

22) You never ever run out of salt.

23) Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink whatever comes out'?

24) You can't respect a man who carries a dog.

25) There's no panic like the panic you momentarily feel when you've got your hand or head stuck in something.

26) No one knows the origins of their metal coat hangers.

27) Why is a person that handles your money called a 'Broker'?

28) People who don't drive slam car doors too hard.

29) Bricks are horrible to carry.

30) Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.



Thanks for reading my random thoughts of the day. Keep checking for my randomness!


Ciao for now....

Belle

I'm going away again!

After being home for only a month from travelling to the Caribbean, I've decided to travel for a bit again. However, I've justified that this will be the most perfect time to travel because...

1) I don't have a full time job right now

2) I don't have kids, a husband or a mortgage/student loan to pay

3) I get to work while travelling so I'll be making money!

4) It's a free trip!

So here we go, I'll be gone from August 19 to November 24 2007.

I'll be going to the following places:
-Southhampton, England

-Guernsey, England

-Holyhead, Wales

-Dublin, Ireland

-Glasgow, Scotland

-Belfast, Northern Ireland

-Kirkwall, Scotland

-Inverness/Loch Ness, Scotland

-Edinburgh, Scotland

-Paris/Normandy, France

-Bergen, Norway

-Hellesyit, Norway

-Geiranger, Norway

-Faroe Islands, Denmark

-Akureyri, Iceland

-Reykjavik, Iceland

-Prins Christian Sund, Greenland

-Qaqortoq, Greenland

-St. Johns, Newfoundland

-New York City, New York

-Newport, Rhode Island

-Boston, Massachusetts

-Bar Harbor, Maine

-Saint John, New Brunswick

-Halifax, Nova Scotia

-Sydney, Nova Scotia

-Charlottetown, PEI

-Quebec City, Quebec

-Corner Brook, Newfoundland

-Norfold, Virginia

-Baltimore, Maryland

-Charleston, South Carolina

-Fort Lauderdale, Florida

-Ocho Rios, Jamaica

-Grand Cayman Island

-Cozumel, Mexico

-Princess Cays, Bahamas

I'll be working, of course *wink**wink* on the cruise ship so it's all work and no play. *ahem*
I'll be updating my blog frequently so please come back and check out the pics and my encounters!