More liveblogging of trip
Jun. 18th, 2022 08:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luzulaImpressions of London:
OMG, this heat is unreasonable. /o\ More bearable when one is on the river bus, though. I'm glad there's an old British lady acting as tour guide to her (presumably) tourist friends pointing out all the buildings and features so I can listen in. She seems to be a Harry Potter fan.
I went to Greenwich, which was nice. Climbing the rigging of the Cutty Sark was fun, though expensive, and it would have improved the experience if the climbing guides had been able to answer more questions about how the rigging worked. Oh well. National Maritime Museum: interesting and also blessedly air-conditioned. I never got to the Observatory before closing time; I suppose there is a reason that the meridian is not painted on the pavement outside, namely to make people pay money to go in and photograph themselves on it.
First impressions of the Highlands:
I never realised the extent to which two invasive and introduced species have spread here! And I really resent how that obscures and changes the historical landscape. There are so many ugly spruce plantations and clearcuts here. /o\ Worse than in Sweden, because they're not even native here. And then there's the rhododendron: the hillsides are purple with that, instead of heather (well, the heather's there too, but not blooming yet). Not surprised it thrives; the climate is much like the Pacific Northwest.
In a way, I suppose one could see the spruce plantations as the culmination of what some of those improving 18th century estate owners were doing: they were so proud of their larch plantations and whatnot. But aesthetically and biologically I detest them. (A note here that I love the Norway spruce in its proper environment in the boreal forest!)
We passed through Fort William and looked at the site of the fort, of which there is sadly nothing left but bits of a wall. Now we are in a hostel in Invergarry. We took a walk and twenty meters from the house, I found heaps of the oceanic lichens Lobaria pulmonaria, Lobaria virescens and Degelia plumbea just growing there on a goat willow! OMG, AND WHAT IS THAT, IS THAT A STICTA LICHEN?? *dies of excitement* Those are extinct in Sweden!! Er. I'm sureregshoe was laughing at me.
We looked at the ruins of Invergarry castle, and imagined Keith Windham limping past it on the shore below, nervously looking to see whether anyone would come out. He probably could not care less about the Sticta lichen; if anything, he was disgusted by the water dripping down from it onto his head. <3
OMG, this heat is unreasonable. /o\ More bearable when one is on the river bus, though. I'm glad there's an old British lady acting as tour guide to her (presumably) tourist friends pointing out all the buildings and features so I can listen in. She seems to be a Harry Potter fan.
I went to Greenwich, which was nice. Climbing the rigging of the Cutty Sark was fun, though expensive, and it would have improved the experience if the climbing guides had been able to answer more questions about how the rigging worked. Oh well. National Maritime Museum: interesting and also blessedly air-conditioned. I never got to the Observatory before closing time; I suppose there is a reason that the meridian is not painted on the pavement outside, namely to make people pay money to go in and photograph themselves on it.
First impressions of the Highlands:
I never realised the extent to which two invasive and introduced species have spread here! And I really resent how that obscures and changes the historical landscape. There are so many ugly spruce plantations and clearcuts here. /o\ Worse than in Sweden, because they're not even native here. And then there's the rhododendron: the hillsides are purple with that, instead of heather (well, the heather's there too, but not blooming yet). Not surprised it thrives; the climate is much like the Pacific Northwest.
In a way, I suppose one could see the spruce plantations as the culmination of what some of those improving 18th century estate owners were doing: they were so proud of their larch plantations and whatnot. But aesthetically and biologically I detest them. (A note here that I love the Norway spruce in its proper environment in the boreal forest!)
We passed through Fort William and looked at the site of the fort, of which there is sadly nothing left but bits of a wall. Now we are in a hostel in Invergarry. We took a walk and twenty meters from the house, I found heaps of the oceanic lichens Lobaria pulmonaria, Lobaria virescens and Degelia plumbea just growing there on a goat willow! OMG, AND WHAT IS THAT, IS THAT A STICTA LICHEN?? *dies of excitement* Those are extinct in Sweden!! Er. I'm sure
regshoe was laughing at me. We looked at the ruins of Invergarry castle, and imagined Keith Windham limping past it on the shore below, nervously looking to see whether anyone would come out. He probably could not care less about the Sticta lichen; if anything, he was disgusted by the water dripping down from it onto his head. <3
(no subject)
Date: 2022-06-18 08:32 pm (UTC)But surely it's not the Pacific rhododendron that's invasive there? That's pink, not purple, and also I would have suspected a Eurasian rhododendron anyway. (*pokes around the internet*) Ah, it's an Iberian rhododendron that's invasive in Scotland.
But yes about the two climates being similar: I've said elsewhere, I think, that my brain took "maritime mid-latitudes wet low mountains" and kept imagining them rainforested like the Olympics. It was quite a shock when I first realised most of those hills were/are naked. (Or what looks like naked to a PNW girl, anyway, I know they're really not.)
And your Cutty Sark climbing guide couldn't answer nerdish rigging questions? I am very disappointed in them!
(no subject)
Date: 2022-06-19 07:56 pm (UTC)Thanks for looking up the rhododendron! Huh, Spain and Scotland don't really have similar climates, it seems strange that it would thrive here.
I lived for two years in Seattle as a kid, and have been back to visit as an adult, so I have seen the Olympics! No, not much like Scotland. : )
And your Cutty Sark climbing guide couldn't answer nerdish rigging questions? I am very disappointed in them!
Me too! Well, I now have a good idea of how shrouds and ratlines work, at least. And it was quite interesting to go out on the yard, the rope you stand on was quite well-balanced and there was a good handle on the yard.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-06-19 08:55 pm (UTC)I didn't realize you lived in Seattle for a while! I grew up on the western side of the Sound, a few hours from Seattle by bridge or ferry.
Glad to know the footrope felt secure! Someday I mean to do a stint on our local tall ship, and I would like to go up in the rigging at least once (because how could I not??), even though I'm a bit sketchy with heights.