Back in saddle

I’ve got my marimba packed and ready to go! This is a pretty close approximation to how I feel this afternoon. A little goofy, a little giddy, and totally thrilled to be travelling to Croatia tomorrow. I’m beside myself with excitement to meet my friend Karen, who is travelling from the States to attend a museum conference in Zagreb this week. After we spend a few days in the capital together we’ll celebrate her birthday in style by flying to Split and explore the islands of the Dalmatian coast by catamaran. Stay tuned for a full update.

As if this isn’t enough, I have other news to be excited about. We have guests! Mike’s family will be arriving in a little over a week to spend two fun-filled weeks with us. And next month, our friends Kelly and Imogen will be our guests over a long holiday weekend. Hooray!

Thank goodness for good friends

While I’m not going write a comprehensive update on everything that’s happened in the last two months, I did want to make a point to say how fantastic it was to see my friend Ludivine while visiting Paris in April. The two of us met last year while working at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. and we’ve remained in touch despite the recent twists and turns our lives have taken. Ludi, it was terrific to see you and I hope that you’re able to visit us in Glasgow sometime quite soon!

Studies in procrastination and delay

It’s been nearly two months since I’ve posted here, and, at last and long overdue, I’m back. Although there was much activity in my little corner of Glasgow this spring,  not much of it inspired diligent writing–or rather, diligent writing that I was compelled to share here. I’ve been hit hard much all of the usual “trailing spouse” symptoms–homesickness, missing family and friends, the seemingly unending quest for employment–while I question what to do and be in my new home.

One thing that was particularly difficult was that my dog Gus passed away back in the States. He meant a lot to me and made me realize just how much dogs take care of their owners as we take of them. I try to take some comfort in knowing that I gave him a good life, and, perhaps, that some small part of his spirit is now able to be with me here in Scotland.

Yes, my relocation to Scotland is proving to be much more challenging that I had initially thought, but I aim to find a better way to communicate the jist of those feelings without delving too deeply into personal details.

Until next time.

King Cotton meets utopian socialism

Founded by David Dale in 1786, the New Lanark mills along the River Clyde processed cotton from the Americas, and, at its peak, employed over 2,500 people including approximately 500 children. The complex was bought out by Dale’s son-in-law, Robert Owen, a philanthropist with an interest in social reform. Under his oversight, the progressive social and welfare programs that were implemented in New Lanark paved the way for many of the labor laws and institutions that we take for granted today. Owen instituted early restrictions on child labor and financed the construction of the first infants’ school in Britain. He also established  a village store within the complex that was an influential model for the development of the consumers’ co-operative market. Also, from 1898, all residents had free electric light in their flats powered by hydroelectricity. Contrary to popular thinking at the time, Owen demonstrated that it was not necessary for industrial enterprise to treat its workers badly in order to be profitable.Most of the original mill buildings and residences survive and have been restored, and  Mike and I spent a sunny Sunday afternoon wandering amongst them along the Falls of the Clyde exploring the complex. One couldn’t help thinking about how the lives of the Scottish people that lived and worked here were intricately connected to so many narrative threads that I used to perceive as being more or less American, in particular, how the their livelihood was utterly dependant on the use of slave labor in the American south.

And the Merseybeat goes on . . .

Liverpool, with its famous waterfront on the River Mersey, is a historically great shipping port, industrial powerhouse, and center of maritime trade. The city grew in prominence in the 18th century through sugar, spice, tobacco, and slave trade with the Americas and quickly became Britain’s most important and powerful seaport. By the start of the 19th century, 40% of the world’s trade is reputed to have passed through the port of Liverpool and the cultural and architectural achievements of the city reflect this wealth. Mike and I spent three days of our Easter holiday here where the Fab Four began, checking out the sights. Liverpool will celebrate its 800th anniversary in 2008, and there is ample evidence that the city is sprucing itself up for the big event. We passed several big construction projects along the historic waterfront, including the site of a new local history museum, and there are big infrastructure improvements planned as well, such as the renovations at the main train station and the construction of a new bus terminal hub.

A major draw for us was the chance to see the architectural model of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (R.C.), which was on view at the splendid Walker Art Gallery. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1930 but only partially realized due to financial constraints, the cathedral would have dominated the Liverpool skyline and been the second-largest church in the world if it had been completed. Over 500 feet high, just the dome itself would have been taller than St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. A smaller modern structure by Sir Frederick Gibberd was eventually built upon the massive foundations and crypt, the only portions of Lutyen’s plan to have been actualized. Dazzling to explore, the architecture mixes a muscular classicism with brutally Modern and Byzantine elements. If you ever find yourself in Liverpool, it is definitely worth a look. If that wasn’t enough, as an added nostalgic bonus, Mike and I saw members of the local Polish community filing into the main crypt chapel while we were there to get their Easter baskets blessed by the bishop–just like my family used to do when I was young!

The river is central to Liverpool history, with the highlight being the Albert Dock, the largest dock and warehouse complex in the world when it was built in 1846. Today, the Dock houses the Merseyside Maritime Museum, an outpost of the Tate Britain, and various restaurants and shops.

Along Liverpool’s Pier Head are some of the city’s most impressive landmarks, recognizable from both land and sea. Most famous of these are the “The Graces,” a spectacular suite of buildings that served as the headquarters for Liverpool’s major maritime concerns: The Royal Liver Society, the Cunard Company, and the Port of Liverpool Authority. The Royal Liver Building is crowned by a pair of mythical Liver birds; popular legend has it that while one giant bird looks out over the city to protect its people, the other bird looks out to sea at the new sailors coming in to port. Nearby are the majestic Art Deco Georges Dock ventilator tower and the White Star Line building, the headquarters for the prominent shipping company that owned the ill-fated liners Titanic and Britannic.

Some of my most favorite parts of the trip were spent just wandering the streets and experiencing some of the local culture–wandering into shops, eating in cafes, discovering Liverpool’s pristine Georgian neighborhoods, and poking about the city’s Chinatown. One night we had dinner at the Philharmonic Dining Rooms, a terrific pub with a stunning art nouveau interior with intricate carved woodwork, repoussé copper panels, and great decorative tilework and stained glass. Mike was even inspired enough to have a pint, shocking!

Be sure to check out more photos from the trip on Mike’s Flickr page.