I'm on my way
You remember The Proclaimers, don't you? And I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more... And more recently, their song 'I'm on My Way' was used in Shrek. Anyway, I'm quite enamored with them - to me, they're like Scottish Everly Brothers, updated.

Before leaving for Scotland, I happened to visit The Proclaimers website, seeking some discography information. Big banner on the front page announcing their 5 Island Tour, with dates falling within our travel dates. Yeeha! I told Keith about it, and he picked up some tickets for the first stop on the tour: the Isle of Bute.

The Isle of Bute was a fair drive from our home base, involving two ferry rides, even. More spectacular scenery. Most of the roads run along the coastline, so you're constantly seeing water and mountains and green hills. The main town on Bute is Rothesay, and that's where we stayed - the last ferry was well before the concert would be over, so we had to stay overnight.

Upon arriving in Rothesay, we drove through town looking for the hotel. Keith is driving slower and slower as we head past town, clearly thinking we've missed it. I ask if we've gone 3/4 of a mile past the pier yet, like his directions indicated. "I don't know." Roll eyes. No matter, there it is - just ahead. He parked in front of the hotel, next to a van. As we're getting out of the car, we look up and who is coming out of the hotel and into the van but Craig and Charlie themselves. I was stunned. I smiled. He (Craig) smiled back. Still stunned, we went into the hotel.

So not only are we seeing The Proclaimers (swoon), in Scotland (double swoon), but Keith has managed to book us into their hotel. Does it get any better than this?!

We did a little sightseeing that afternoon, having been told to check out the Victorian Toilets near the pier. The boy’s side was very cool, with a tiled fountain-style urinal in the middle of the room. The girl’s side was a bathroom. Yawn.

Supper at a pub (cheese salad sandwich and half pint of Guinness), a drink at another and then off to the concert. It was in a hall which looked like it was designed for the tea dances of yore. I don't know if there was any tea available, but there was cider. Apple juice with a punch. Good stuff. There were chairs and tables around the edge, but the main floor was left for standees.

The opener was okay: a girl with a guitar whose accent was thick enough that we couldn't really understand her lyrics. After a bunch of recorded music, including the Bay City Rollers, The Proclaimers eventually did come onstage. They were absolutely great. The crowd clearly adored them and everyone sang along with everything. Lots of people dancing, lots of different age groups, everyone friendly and having a good time.

At one point, after a number of ciders, they did 'Sunshine on Leith' - a sappy love song which is one of my favorites. Keith and I, who were standing at the back of the hall, were sort of swaying together, side by side, when a woman came up from behind and threw her arms around us both, swaying along with us. She was a riot, singing along and introducing us to her friends, who ended up pinching Keith's bum. It was all very funny and while it occurred to our inner cynics later that she was probably a pickpocket, I prefer to believe that it was just a couple inebriated friendly Scots having a laugh with a couple inebriated foreign tourists.

After the show, we stopped by the pub in town again and then walked the rest of the way home. Well, there was a stop at a chip shop with a cheeky chip guy who teased me a bit about American fries. We decided to duck into the hotel 'pub' (a comfy room with a bar staffed by the hotel owner) before bed and there were The Proclaimers again, gathered around a table with their crew. We drank scotch and enjoyed the brush with celebrity.

They were at breakfast in the morning, too, and checked out at just the same time we did. I had my camera out to take a pic of the hotel, and Keith insisted that I simply had to ask them if I could have a picture. No no no no no. Way too shy. Way way way too shy. So Mr. Impertinent asked for me. It's here. They were very nice, although I was way too stunned and freaked out to think of getting a pic of them with Keith too. (Sorry, baby.) I'm still kinda stunned, to be honest.