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The Cal Mac Ferry
The Good Old Callie Mack! Scotland - Back to the Motherland … Literally!
This blog will be more interesting to my bros than to some of you, but I wanted to share.
For the few of you who don’t know, my mother was a Scottish citizen, and my family spent many years their growing up. We hopped around the country a bit, but spent most of the time in a little town (wee toon) called Dunoon. This was another 3-day weekend in London, so on Friday night I hopped on a train to Glasgow to visit my old home. I didn’t plan ahead of time, and had no hotel rooms lined up. So at midnight, I was walking the streets of Glasgow looking for a hotel … and occasionally popping into a chip-shop for a pie and chips. I found a dive after an hour of walking, but the staff was very nice. The next morning I had to catch a train to Gourock, then a ferry to Dunoon. It was absolutely gorgeous weather, only a few light clouds in the sky. On a day like this Scotland is as beautiful as anywhere in the world. As I got on the ferry, my
Dunoon
By and large it looks identical to when I lived here 22 years ago mind was awash with memories from my childhood. Names I haven’t thought about for over two decades were as clear in my mind as the day I left.
It’s a short walk from the ferry dock to the Argyll hotel where I planned to stay. During this 3-5 minute walk I passed the Bombay restaurant where my brother Alan is banned for life, passed the amusement arcade (amusies) where as a 13 year old I lost many pounds gambling on the slot machines. I’m older and wiser now, so I popped in for the memories and lost ₤5 for old time’s sake :-) The place was full of 13 year old kids also gambling away their allowance. Down the street I can see the building that used to be the YMCA when the US Navy was still here; this was where I tried my first “Diet Coke,” and used to check out records like Styx Cornerstone and jam away in one of the private booths. It will be a challenge to keep this blog short, because I have so many stories that I could share from this town … but they wouldn’t mean as much to you so I’ll
Looking Down High Street
This is where the pipers march for the Cowal Games. "March of the 1000 Pipers" is way cool! .... we have a piper doon! share some of the more interesting things I did that day. I checked into a tiny room at the Argyll, left my stuff in the room, grabbed my camera and went for a
LONG stroll down memory lane. During this four-hour walk I passed:
- The old Navy Exchange (now a co-op)
- Church Street chip shop (had to have a mince pie)
- Walked up the high road to Sandbank to visit my Mom’s gravesite
- The old Navy base (Ardnadam Pier)
- Walked the front road back to town (2.5 miles or so)
- Dunoon Grammar School (where a uniform clad James went to school)
- Walked down to Kirn Primary School (my first school)
- Stared down the evil stone hill that scarred my chin for life
- “Hazelside” (the first house in Scotland I lived, 2nd for my bros)
- Down to the waterfront to “Thorn-lay” (the last place we lived)
- Back into town and up Ferry Brea (nasty hill)
- Into Anselmos chippie for a much needed pie and chips
- Down Wellington Street to Kilbride Ave to vist “Elm Grove (2nd house)”
By this time it was 6:30 and I saw
Holy Loch
My whole young life there was a large Navy ship and a submarine drydock out in the water a lady about my age and her husband working in the yard at my old house. I walked in the gate and said hi, I explain that my family used to own this house, and we get to chatting. Her name is Kirstie McDonald, and while we don’t remember each other we were in the same class at Dunoon Grammar. We throw names back and forth and I ask her about some of my friendsl she seems to know where all of them are. She draws me a map to “David Forbes” house, who was once a good friend of mine, and off I go. At first I wasn’t sure if I’d stop in, but why not?! There is a small group folks in the front yard, so I walk in and they point me to the back yard. It took us a few moments of staring for the familiarity to sink in, but then there was a “holy crap” moment, we hugged and from about 7:30 until midnight, I spent drinking beer with an old friend I hadn’t seen in 25 years, his brother and their wives. We told stories about growing up there and getting bullied by One
Still a Few Ghosts
Dunoon is looking very good these days, having survived an economic downturn when the Navy left. However, there are still some signs of days past. Eyed Willie Gillhegny, Charlie King and Andy Dominick. Dave reminded me that the only time he and Eliot Forsythe (another old friend) were targeted was when they got tired of picking on me. He still had copies of albums that I had bought him from the Navy Exchange (there was always a good black market for US goods). Good times!
The next morning I got up and made my way to Edinburgh for lunch, but the conductor told me there were big rail problems on the way to London and recommended I take the earliest train possible, so I never left the station and got home last night.
Oh yeah, in case I forgot to mention, I’ve always wanted a good real Scottish kilt. And Bell’s of Dunoon is a purveyor of top quality Scottish attire. So I bought one in my old home town, and the shoes, socks, sporran, sgian dubh (sock knife), kilt pin, and a semi-formal jacket. The guy verified for me that there really is no Kinnaird Tartan, but that most Scottish names don’t have an authentic Tartan (the guy at the Texas State Fair, tried to sell me one though? The family name
Dunoon Grammar School
Like a beacon, calling the young of Argyll to come gain knowledge ... what a major shit hole!!! It looked just like tihs when we were there. is from Perthshire which has an ugly purple and green pattern. My mother was a McDonald, so I purchased one of their hunting tartans (Blue Green, really cool). Expensive purchase, but it will sit with pride next to my Tuxedo that I bought last year. I really have always wanted to have a good setup … now I do.
Donna’s coming to visit me this week from Dallas and I’ve heard a rumor that Kristie is coming to town. Anytime there’s a Templeman around things have a habit of getting fun and interesting ;-) Then on Sunday, I’m flying back to Dallas for a week.
Have a great week everyone!
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Dominique
non-member comment
Where is the picture of you in the kilt!?