it was again most horrible day, rainy, grey and windy, so cold that i had to put my winter wools on, and watch all day bridehead revisited. reading your post returned the smile back on my face ~ thank you. yes, glasgow is most dreadful place, like timetravel back to 19th century dickens' novel. ( we spent there our first night in scotland after arriving in manchester two days after my son's 11th birthday like harry potter.) my children fell in love with oxford during the summer 2007 when we were camping around the town for few weeks.( i lived near oxford few months back in 1985) there is certain intellectual light, openmindness in that town, something that i have missed since returning to europe after spending three years living next town to cambridge, in boston, ma. "love is triump of imagination over intelligence", brilliantly said. if you have love in your heart... you go, without asking too many intellectual questions, no doubing like "is that clever thing to do or not". when you look back on this thread you see that many people find it difficult to "meet people", my problem has been otherwise. i have met too many. i love them all, and i love their stories, but i cannot keep them as "friends".(i just hate writing, and talking on a phone, and time changes...) this has been the only summer for five years that i haven't (yet) taken my children for an adventure. usually we buy the cheapest tickets to known destination (france, italy, uk) and just start walking! easy as that. when we get tired of walking we hitch hike, (or people just offer a lift). we have met lots of all kind of people with most inspiring lifestories, or lifelessons to be learned. some has been like friends from past or parallel lives, taking us to places which seemed to hold spiritual significance for us. i wonder is it easier to talk to a completely stranger as there is no judgement, or need further explain oneself ? or is it just me? that i do not take myself too seriously? ~anne