TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

UK, Scotland, Inverness, Mythical Glencoe This article was originally published in this blog in October 2017. This relatively short article was a reminisce of my first and only trip to Glencoe in 2011. ****************** The A82 is a major road that runs between the cities of Glasgow and Inverness in Scotland, UK. Famous landmarks that are located within close proximity to the A82 include Loch Lomond, Glencoe (a.k.a. Glen Coe) and Loch Ness.  Considered one of the most beautiful places in Scotland, Glencoe is surrounded by mountains in the east from the A82. The village of Glencoe is located at the foot of the valley. In Scotland, Glen usually refers to a long and deep valley with a watercourse running through it. Glencoe is named after the River Coe which runs through it. Scottish Highlands, Glencoe, Scotland, UK (2011) Passing by Glencoe on the A82 while travelling to Loch Ness from Glasgow, I listened attentively as my friendly Scottish guide shared the history of this part of the H

Murals, when artistically and correctly placed, could add much character and colour to a location.  I have always appreciate well-designed and tastefully-coloured murals in all the cities I have visited. And this mural of a brightly-coloured and fiery tiger on a wall along the River Clyde was amazing. It brightened up an otherwise dull neighbourhood and somewhat added character and finesse to the locale. Tiger mural, River Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (2011)

United Kingdom, Scotland, Loch Ness Nessie, also known as the Loch Ness Monster is the legendary (or should it be mythical) creature that has fascinated me since I was a 9-year old when I first read about it in a magazine in my primary school library. From then on, I had believed in the truth and existence of Nessie. Well, I still do now. Just that, I also know that the myth of the creature is unlikely to be proven. Neither is it going away either. Thus, when I visited Scotland for the first time in 2011, my priority was to find a way to visit Loch Ness. Driving was not a very viable option as I was travelling alone. Thus, I decided on the easy way out by joining a day tour to Loch Ness from Glasgow. Reaching the famous Loch, I was extremely excited and fascinated as all those landmarks such as Urguhart Castle which I had seen countless times on books, magazines and the internet, materialised right in front of my very eyes. Finally, I had arrived at Loch Ness, home of Nessie

After a day trip to Loch Ness, our small tour bus turned into the vicinity of beautiful Perthshire. While most members of my travelling party were more keened on a late lunch after spending the better part of the day visiting Glencoe and Loch Ness, my attention was more focused on the beautiful countryside. Lunch had to wait. As the group settled down for a hearty lunch, I opted for a quick sandwich and soon ventured off with my cameras to capture the beautiful moments of the surrounding picturesque fields. Wide open fields with bales of hay being prepared for the coming of winter, Perthshire, Scotland, UK (2011) Wide open rolling hills in the countryside never fail to enthral me. Growing up and living in a compact city of bricks and mortar, I have always love the countryside, with its wide open fields, trees,  wild birds, farm animals and such. On the day that I was in Perthshire, there were no singing birds and grazing farm animals to be seen. Probably because a he

Inspiration from Travel Programmes....... For most travellers, their typical travel itineraries will be planned around famous landmarks or icons. Some intrepid travellers will go further to explore the lesser known places, to experience things that the typical travellers will not get to enjoy. If we were to stay away from the famous landmarks and icons and instead ventured to explore the back alleys of the cities we had visited, what will be the kind of travel experiences that we will have encountered? Taking cues from some travel programmes which featured unexplored areas or back alleys of popular tourist destination cities, I had explored the suburban and back alleys of some of the cities I had visited. These included Nakano Ward of Tokyo which is just minutes away from crowded Shinjuku but seems like a world away when it comes down to ambience and crowd. A small shrine along the road, Nakano, Tokyo, Japan (2017) I had also travelled away from the city centre of G

While traveling to Loch Ness, I had the chance to briefly explore the Scottish Highlands. The highlands is a mountainous region north-east of Scotland. Bed and Breakfast Inn, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK (2011) My trip was too brief for me to even scratch the surface of the immense culture and history of this region. Even so, what I experienced during this brief sojourn through the highlands on my way to Loch Ness gave me an insight into the rich cultural and historical significance of the region. I shall plan and return on a longer trip  to explore the region. Until that entry in my travel bucket list is fulfilled, I will always look back at some of the photographs I took during my maiden trip through the highlands and  marvel at the magic that he region has to offer. The mountainous landscape that defines the Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK (2011) Rolling meadows on the outskirts of Inverness, Scotland, UK (2011) Local inn, Scottish Highlands, Sc

Loch Ness is the largest lake in Scotland by volume. Reaching depths at up to 230 metres (about 750 ft) in some areas, it is not surprising that Loch Ness comes with legends of its own. Chief amongst the legends associated with this large Scottish Loch is the Loch Ness Monster (a.k.a. Nessie). Loch Ness, Scotland, UK (2011) I first read about Loch Ness and the Loch Ness Monster when I was a school librarian at the age of 9 years old! Since then, the legend of the Loch Ness Monster has continued to fascinate me. As I grew older, my perception of the possibilities of the existence of the Loch Ness Monster changes but somehow, I still choose to nostalgically believe in the legend! Thus, when I finally visited the famous and legendary Loch in September 2011, it was one item off my bucket list! Travelling north from Glasgow into the Scottish Highlands and passing by famous landmarks such as Glen Coe and the city of Inverness, I finally reached Loch Ness after several hours. A

Glasgow..... The name of this famous city in Scotland seems to evoke an almost magical nostalgia in me. Why is this so? I don't know actually because I have only visited Glasgow once in September 2011 despite being a fairly frequent visitor to the UK. Glasgow has many beautiful buildings with their awesome architectural designs. This is a relatively large city with a population of more than 3 million but yet it seems uncrowded and romantic, unlike many other large cities. During my trip to Glasgow, I had the time to take leisurely strolls around this wonderful city. This afford me the luxury to simply walk and explore the city at my own pace, without any agenda or timeline to adhere to. Basically, I had the time to enjoy the city for what it is! Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (2011) Stone sculpture of a Lion at George Square, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (2011) George Square, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (2011) Sights of Glasgow, walkin