Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Last Post for the moment, I got some fires to fight, & I have the 5 hour Live Show tonight as well, so I'd better scamper.

So, for now.....

The road approach to the Isle of Skye - via the amazingly well-designed & beautiful Skye Bridge (in fact, it is TWO bridges, but worry not, Posts & photos will follow....) is via the wonderfully-named village "Kyle of Lochalsh". It really is not as beautiful as it sounds though, being a collection of Bed & Brekkies, old style Hotels, a Co-Op, & the poshest & most clean Public Convenience (admission 20p) you could ever imagine, in which the walls are adorned with photos of local beauty spots.  

Kyle of Lockalsh sits at the head of Lock Alsh, which itself is the sort of seaward extension of Loch Duish.

There is a Railway Station, too - a little 2 track terminal, no less - (yup, photo & story to follow), & the trains never over-run the buffers, as to do so would mean they plunge headlong into the Harbour.

And it's the little Harbour which most fascinates, for here sits something which surely defines the word incongrous.

For there, with it's own little jetty, sits (berths?) a collection of odd looking ships, or sea vessels, all of which have black hulls & orange superstructure, there were 5 or 6 moored there most days.

WTF?

Investigations were clearly needed, but entrance was blocked by barriers, accompanied by signage "BUTEC - KEEP OUT, MOD".

BUTEC?

Well it turned out to be quite something, see,....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BUTEC

Or, even better.....

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/BritishUnderwaterTestAndEvaluationCentre?from=Secrets.BUTEC

(The map at the foot of the 2nd link better explains the location).

And therein lies all sorts of controversy with the locals, especially the fishermen & conservationists, & regular reports in the local news of large numbers of dolphins, porpoises, seals & whales (all of which frequent the area in large & visible numbers) being killed by the "underwater testing" which BUTEC carry out regularly. BUTEC is, apparently, now "contracted out" to something called "QinetiQ" (who, what?).

The West Highland Press carries daily bulletins of BUTEC activity, including this one I saw whilst up there.....

("BUTEC" = British Underwater Testing & Evaluation Centre, & "RONA" = not sure - an Island, some way off, I think).

BUTEC AND RONA RANGE PROGRAMME

The BUTEC and RONA Ranges, covering the Inner Sound extended to (latitude & longitude), will be active on.....

SUBMARINE ACTIVITY - Friday 23rd December till Friday 6th January

SURFACE ACTIVITY - NIL

Ooh, how exciting!

Who'd have thought that such a tiny part of a beautiful area could be used for such a thing, but it sems they have been based there for donkeys years, going about their work quietly. Or not so quietly.....

Click to see full-size image.

[Claw75]

trip sounds idyllic.  enjoy it hard-man

And don't you forget it, girlie.

Hannah excited, I bet?

If I may ask, how much do you spend on Xmas pressies for her, & do you sort of set a limit?

Yes, she's super-excited.  It's her 9th birthday on the 28th too.

Pressies - don't really set a limit.  She's not a greedy kid, and her Christmas/birthday list is usually a bunch of modest stuff (mainly craft/designery type things) which myself, her dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles just divide up between us.  My mum usually gets her a 'big' present.  This year it's a wii which I'm pretty happy about myself   We're off to see Matilda the musical in the west end the night before her birthday which I paid for last time I had a poker bink (thank goodness these things go on sale well in advance, eh?), and that's easily been my biggest expenditure.

How was "Matilda"? Trip report, please.

It was excellent.

I'll probably post the trip report on Tom's diary, what with the theatre being all cultured and that.

[AndrewT]

Rugby Union not Rugby League

Quins v Saracens

82,000 a pretty amazing achievement really, and I am at a loss to explain it. Both are reasonably supported, but no more. Certainly not Northampton, Gloucester, leicester, Bath supported

Quins hire out Twickenham every year for their Christmas game, and you can get in for a tenner or so. They'll also have some pre-match entertainment as well (this year it was a couple of X-Factor people) so it becomes a family day out for people in London who are interested in rugby, but not necessarily Quins.

A couple of years ago they got over 75,000 for the game against Wasps so the big crowds aren't a new thing. This year, however, there was the added attraction of Quins and Saracans being the runaway leaders at the top of the table.

[RED-DOG]

trip sounds idyllic.  enjoy it hard-man

And don't you forget it, girlie.

Hannah excited, I bet?

If I may ask, how much do you spend on Xmas pressies for her, & do you sort of set a limit?

Yes, she's super-excited.  It's her 9th birthday on the 28th too.

Pressies - don't really set a limit.  She's not a greedy kid, and her Christmas/birthday list is usually a bunch of modest stuff (mainly craft/designery type things) which myself, her dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles just divide up between us.  My mum usually gets her a 'big' present.  This year it's a wii which I'm pretty happy about myself   We're off to see Matilda the musical in the west end the night before her birthday which I paid for last time I had a poker bink (thank goodness these things go on sale well in advance, eh?), and that's easily been my biggest expenditure.

How was "Matilda"? Trip report, please.

It was excellent.

I'll probably post the trip report on Tom's diary, what with the theatre being all cultured and that.

Terrific idea. It wouldn't be appreciated here.

[tikay]

trip sounds idyllic.  enjoy it hard-man

And don't you forget it, girlie.

Hannah excited, I bet?

If I may ask, how much do you spend on Xmas pressies for her, & do you sort of set a limit?

Yes, she's super-excited.  It's her 9th birthday on the 28th too.

Pressies - don't really set a limit.  She's not a greedy kid, and her Christmas/birthday list is usually a bunch of modest stuff (mainly craft/designery type things) which myself, her dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles just divide up between us.  My mum usually gets her a 'big' present.  This year it's a wii which I'm pretty happy about myself  We're off to see Matilda the musical in the west end the night before her birthday which I paid for last time I had a poker bink (thank goodness these things go on sale well in advance, eh?), and that's easily been my biggest expenditure.

How was "Matilda"? Trip report, please.

It was excellent.

I'll probably post the trip report on Tom's diary, what with the theatre being all cultured and that.

No, don't do it, you'll feel violated over there. Today's highlight on that Diary? A picture of a bonfire. A dead bonfire. I mean, really, there are limits.  Whereas here, you will be mixing with clandestine reports of secret MOD installations & that sort of properly interesting stuff.

PS - Here's a proper bonfire.

[RED-DOG]

Define 'secret'

[tikay]

Define 'secret'

I googled "Secret Sign" & google images came up with this. (Attracting a different class of reader now, see?).

[RED-DOG]

See now while you're leering at that picture, I'm appreciating it's artistic qualities.

[Big_D]

Define 'secret'

I googled "Secret Sign" & google images came up with this. (Attracting a different class of reader now, see?).

I am beginning to like your diary again.

[tikay]

Define 'secret'

I googled "Secret Sign" & google images came up with this. (Attracting a different class of reader now, see?).

I am beginning to like your diary again.

Marv, my first pervy photo, & all the reprobates return. Greeky will be along soon too, trust me.

You any better big man? - knew you've been unwell.

PS - Well done on taking down the UKOPS biggie last night. 

[RED-DOG]

You could change the title of this thread to  

Your Soaraway Vegas Diary

Phew! What a scorcher.

[Big_D]

I am beginning to like your diary again.
[/quote]

Marv, my first pervy photo, & all the reprobates return. Greeky will be along soon too, trust me.

You any better big man? - knew you've been unwell.

PS - Well done on taking down the UKOPS biggie last night. 
[/quote]

Much better thanks.

lol, thanks for the that, think I finished 209th, felt like a win when I saw you finished 214th 

Have a great show tonight Gramps

[RED-DOG]

Define 'secret'

I googled "Secret Sign" & google images came up with this. (Attracting a different class of reader now, see?).

I think the artist is trying to draw our attention to the subtle juxtaposition created by the suggested vulgarity of the hand-signal and the delicate, almost coquettish puckering of the material over the right buttock.

[the sicilian]

Define 'secret'

I googled "Secret Sign" & google images came up with this. (Attracting a different class of reader now, see?).

I think the artist is trying to draw our attention to the subtle juxtaposition created by the suggested vulgarity of the hand-signal and the delicate, almost coquettish puckering of the material over the right buttock.

Nope...just a nice tanned tight arse in a bikini...

[vegaslover]

Rugby Union not Rugby League

Quins v Saracens

82,000 a pretty amazing achievement really, and I am at a loss to explain it. Both are reasonably supported, but no more. Certainly not Northampton, Gloucester, leicester, Bath supported

Quins hire out Twickenham every year for their Christmas game, and you can get in for a tenner or so. They'll also have some pre-match entertainment as well (this year it was a couple of X-Factor people) so it becomes a family day out for people in London who are interested in rugby, but not necessarily Quins.

A couple of years ago they got over 75,000 for the game against Wasps so the big crowds aren't a new thing. This year, however, there was the added attraction of Quins and Saracans being the runaway leaders at the top of the table.

As Andrew says
Just a shame they can't get more organised on the parking. Couple of friends went and they let one of them drive into the car park but not the other, saying it was full when it clearly wasnt. They had to park 20 mins away and missed most of first half.

I get to hear a lot about the Quins as I work with Joe Marler's dad, Joe being the prop for the Quins