Off to Ireland for the weekend. Leaving Falkirk in the early hours of Friday morning 20th April we headed off in Billy's empty pre-tour coach driving south-west to Cairnryan to board the car ferry across to Larne in Northern Ireland.
Billy's coach waiting to board the ferry at Cairnryan to Larne in Northern Ireland.
The ferry.
Lobby
Billy
Me
Here we are...arriving in Larne and heading to Belfast City.
We visited the brand new 'Titanic Experience' which opened in Belfast on 31st March 2012. You need the whole day to get through it all. The weather in Belfast was bright and sunny - a lovely 15C.
Following on from Belfast, the coach headed down to Dublin - a 2 and a half hour drive.
Crossing the River Boyne.
Dinner on Friday night was here at Milano, an Italian restaurant about a 3 minute walk from the hotel.
Back of restaurant along the canal.
Jaunty ride at Stephen's Green Park.
Stephen's Green Shopping Centre
Grafton Street, Dublin - early Saturday morning.
Florist selling garden plants.
Temple Bar district.
Ha'penny Bridge over the River Liffey.
Woman selling her strawberries.
Strawberries and bananas.
Farmers market.
Guinness Brewery.
Guinness Storehouse.
Where we stayed - the Mespil Hotel and canal.
I left Billy in Dublin to start his tour. Aircoach to Dublin Airport flying with Ryanair to Edinburgh - a flight time of 40 minutes.
We headed off by train to Glasgow on Thursday evening (16th February) to see Billy's friend Brian Sinclair and his band 'Ten Gallon Bratz' playing at King Tut's. Brian plays the drums.
We stopped off for a bite to eat beforehand. I had always wanted to try a Jamie Oliver restaurant and about a 10 minute walk from Glasgow Queen Street railway station in George Square is Jamie's Italian. I ordered Wild Black Truffle Risotto (real truffles) and lemon tart for dessert - it was absolutely delicious. Billy had seafood - his favourite.
Jamie's Italian Restaurant, Glasgow
Restaurant front entrance
Building - ground floor.
King Tut's is a widely known venue and despite its size has been voted 'best small venue in the UK'. Many bands have been discovered here - one in particular - 'Oasis'.
Others who have played gigs at King Tut's early in their careers include Biffy Clyro, Coldplay, Beck, Blur, Crowded House, The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand and Travis, who played the live music venue regularly under their original name of Glass Onion.
Ten Gallon Bratz on stage. Unfortunately I was way too close to a large speaker and the camera mic has distorted the sound...Grrrr.
Irn-Bru is a Scottish carbonated soft drink, for long advertised as "Scotland's other national drink".
Irn-Bru was first produced in 1901, in the town of Falkirk, under the name Strachan's Brew. In 1946, a change in laws required that the word brew be removed from the name, as the drink is not brewed.
It has long been the most popular soft drink in Scotland, with Coca-Cola second, but recent competition between the two brands has brought their sales to roughly equal levels.
The 'official' Irn-Bru Christmas advert - Snowman flying with a boy through Scotland.
Our close group of neighbours at Gairloch Crescent were invited to Michael and Sharon's house on Friday evening, 3rd February. Michael and Sharon are off to live in France. Sharon is an artist and the painting of the dog (above Michael's head) in the photo below is one she has done.
Billy with Michael in the background.
Some of Sharon's paintings are in the King's Court Gallery in Falkirk
A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, sometimes also known as Robert Burns Day or Burns Night (Burns Nicht).
Here we are with our close neighbours at Helen McNee's house having a Burns supper on Friday, 28 January. Helen is our next-door neighbour on the left at Number 24.
Helen, another neighbour, with her husband Johnny [seated], reciting Burns 'Ode To A Haggis'.
Haggis, neeps (turnips) and tatties.
The two Helens.
Helen's dogs - Bayley and Barney.
The wee dogs enjoying Billy playing his accordian.
Ken, Helen and Billy. Helen's wearing a 'See You Jimmy' hat.
Raspberry Cranachan - traditional Scottish dessert.
I forgot about these ones. Here I am at Manchester United last year (4th October). Billy had to deliver a coach back to the supplier in Manchester and we trained it back home.
Heading to Old Trafford Stadium, the home of Manchester United Football Club.
