Scotland 2

We cashed in some Marriott Points (didn't even know I had them) for one 5-star hotel in Edinburgh and one 4-star hotel in Glasgow. The trip up to Edinburgh was relatively easy, although it involved a 25-minute walk to the Greenock train station, a 1-hour ride to Glasgow, a 20-minute walk to another train station, another 1-hour ride to Edinburgh, and a walk down a hill to the hotel. Worth it! Edinburgh is the jewel in the crown of Scotland (many of you have been there), gorgeous from every angle. The golden and brown stone buildings radiate former power and elegance, and the people couldn't be more friendly. Janna thought it was excessive for me to have my (cool) sneakers polished at the hotel, but the results are in and I'm thrilled.

We walked and walked, up to the castle, down to Holyrood Palace, through backstreets and along the main thoroughfares.

The highlight, though, had to be dinner at Atelier (put it on your list). Gorgeous modern food, friendly setting, casual and efficient service. Short descriptions: Beetroot with goat cheese cake, chutney puree, orange gel and balsamic caviar; Sea bass fillet, crispy prawns, smoked paprika puree, pak choi, basil mash and a light bisque:

Lunch was at the Dome, a converted Bank of Scotland building. Take a peek:

Then, we trained back over to Glasgow, where we took in the new Zaha Hadid Riverside Transportation Museum, the Tall Ship, and the Govan (medieval) stones.

Dinner at a typical Scottish restaurant (recommended by a friend), and more wandering this morning before we came back to the ship. Tonight, BBQ, several meetings, and we sail off toward Dublin. Totally weird event: we are leaving the MV Explorer and docked next door (next slip?) is a large container ship painted turquoise. I casually said to Janna, "Hey, there's your ship -- they painted it for you!" Here's the random kicker: when we looked closer, we saw what it was actually named. Rod Serling, anyone?

Scotland 1

Four straight days of class on the ship (above, the view from my office). Students came back from Spain tired but elated. We are attempting to keep them focused and up on their classwork. That's not an easy task with all of the distractions, but this is a terrific group that seems to be taking the academics seriously. We have noted a steady improvement in the students' attitudes toward the academic part of the voyage since UVa got involved (first UVa voyage, summer 2007); from that perspective it's rather sad that UVa has pulled the plug on its academic sponsorship.

We have an Interport Lecturer from Glasgow on board (Christine Reid, winner of the European Librarian of the Year Award in 2000) who gave a terrific talk on Scottish history and the upcoming referendum on Scottish independence (September 18).

On the first day we did a ship trip from the Greenock port to the Luss Highland Games, a once-a-year event that pits athletes in events like running or cycling, but also caber tossing (when the woman told me what it was in her sweet Scottish accent, I thought she said "caper tossing," which, of course, impressed me not one whit), rock throwing, boulder lifting, and bagpipe competitions.

The entire event takes place on the large estate of Sir Malcolm Rory, on the edge of Loch Loman.

Tomorrow, Glasgow and Edinburgh.Stay tuned.

Spain

Everyone loved Lisbon. It's so much fun to hear their excited stories, to listen to the wide array of experiences they had, and to see the students gain confidence as travelers. All of the Field Labs (faculty-driven in-country experiences tied to the course they are teaching) got high marks from everyone. In the intense two days between Lisbon and Bilbao I gave four presentations ("Spain: It's Going to Surprise You," "Tale of Two Titans: Franco and Juan Carlos," "Drop Your Trousers Here and Have a Good Time: Language Learning in a Global World," and "Bilbao and Beyond") and did one class (The Anthropology of Tourism). Quite a lot! But I enjoy preparing students and faculty for Spain, so it's ok.We are ported in Gexto, a lovely town on the north coast up river from Bilbao (about 20 mintues by shuttle bus).

Janna and I rented a car —quite a drill to get to the rental place, which included a 30-minute walk to the metro, a 20-minute ride to Bilbao, and a 15-minute walk to the agency— and took off with Julian Connolly and Monica Markelz to San Sebastián, about 90 minutes to the east of Bilbao.

San Sebastián is, to put it simply, dazzling and unique. It has one of the most gorgeous beaches in Europe (the Concha), which swings around in a wide semi-circle from the Old Town to the newer quarter. Chillida's "Peine del viento" (The Wind's Comb) sticks to the mountains as the surf pounds in on it.

San Sebastián is also justifiably famous for its food, the stars of the show being "pintxos" (the Basque version of tapas). We stayed in a modern hotel up the hill, then taxied down several times to walk the streets of the Old Town and munch away.On Saturday morning we went up to the top Monte Igeldo, from where one has a breathtaking view of the whole city. Then, on to Hondarribia on the French border, then we sneaked over the border to Hendaye, in France, for a pastry and cup of coffee. We came back along the coast road, a windy two-lane road that moves from the water up into the mountains, curling in and out of small towns.

We serendipitously found a local restaurant on the very crest of one of the hills (Pikua), and dug in to steak, duck, merluza, salad, wine, and puff pastry with cream as we gazed out over the Bay of Biscaye. From there, we headed toward Gernika, the town that was strafed in 1937 by the German air force and became immortalized in Picasso's famous "Guernica." A tree that was bombed remains as a reminder of that brutal act.

Sunday took us back into Bilbao to the glorious, disorienting, shimmering Guggenheim Museum.

Hopping back into the rental car, we headed north to Bermeo and Gaztelugatxe, both perched on a coastline that reminds one of Western Ireland. The Sunday crowds were clumped at the restaurant, and we found out why: not only the views, but the lunch of roast chicken, salad, fried calamari and wine were memorable.

Tomorrow we leave for Scotland.

Portugal

We finally got to disembark in Lisbon on Saturday, June 21. Lisbon is a gorgeous city, perched on steep hills dotted with old homes and shops, a mixture of medieval, Moorish, and more contemporary architecture. The central square area was redesigned by the Marquis of Pombal following the devastating earthquake of 1755 (so powerful that it was felt in Madrid and beyond). Before we left, Professor Betsy Chunko (US Military Academy at West Point) gave a terrific talk on what we were about to see and experience.

I presented a powerpoint called "4 Things I Know About Portugal" (announced over the PA system as "4 Things Dean David Knows," which raised the level of expectation that was inevitably squashed!). Our first outing took us to the Ceramic Museum, situated in a restored convent about twenty minutes from the ship.

Then, lunch at a VERY local place, a real find: four people, lamb chops, feijoada (the traditional dish of beans and pig parts, delicious), salad, grilled beef, and grilled swordfish, french fries, wine, water, and orange soda. Total bill, 4 people: $31.00.

Dinner was the polar opposite. A Travessa is a fabulous, upscale Michelin-ready restaurant located in a converted 17th-century convent. We went with our friends from UVa, Dan Burke and Emilie Rissman (both biologists) and we reveled in the exquisite food, great service, historical surroundings, and memorable Portuguese wines.

Janna and I chose to take a "ship trip" to Alter do Chão, Portoalegre, and Marvão, with lunch at the Pousada do Crato (google it). After visiting the Flor da Rosa Monastery we ended up at the Pousada de Marvão for dinner (google it, too!). Overnight at a lovely hotel, and then on to Castelo de Vide, the Tapestry Museum, and back to the glorious ship. There were just 19 of us on the trip, with a very knowledgeable guide and amazing castles along the way. It was intense, but very worthwhile.