A wee photo post for you, because I was called upon this week to go to Glenrothes for work. It is not the most photogenic of locations, being one of those ugly new towns that are all shopping centres and roundabouts, but as I had already travelled for over three hours (!) I thought “what’s another hour?” and went for lunch in St Andrews, which is much prettier.
As regular readers will know, I studied at the university in St Andrews, so I sometimes feel awkward about going back, as if I’m trying to recapture my youth, but actually it’s a lovely place for a day trip with or without history there. There are cute cafes, nice restaurants and oodles of tempting little shops selling things I shouldn’t buy.
There’s also a branch of Topping’s Books, new since the last time I was in St Andrews, which was a very enjoyable place to wander round. I didn’t take any photos of it because my hands were too full of the books I was buying.
But I did take pictures of other lovely things, even though it made me feel like a tourist. (I think only of you, my dear readers.) In some ways it seems pointless to take photos of the Cathedral, the Castle, the Pends and the blue, blue sky because they don’t change from one decade to the next – but there’s something reassuring about that, too.
It was also comforting to fit in again. I spend my life in little Central Belt towns where my wool coat and “I’m the main character here” energy cause locals to give me the “you’re not from round here” look. In St Andrews, I blended in so well that I might as well have been camouflaged – which makes sense, because that’s where I originally picked up both the attitude and the taste in coats.
I was followed around St Andrews all day (from getting on the bus at Glenrothes) by two old ladies. But not the same two old ladies. Wherever I went, I encountered another pair of old friends out for a day by the bay. In a few years, that will be me and my friend Susan Main 😂
I had lunch at a nice wee social enterprise place called Zest, although I do object to toppings on a bagel that make it impossible to eat without a knife and fork; they are basically sandwiches after all. Never mind, the stains will come out. Then rather than rush for the next bus, I wandered along the Scores and went for coffee somewhere that overlooked the sea. Despite St Andrews being surrounded by sea, there’s a surprising scarcity of eateries that overlook the water. So I went to the Niblick, where the coffee was fantastically expensive, the service was bad, and despite those factors, the bill had a gratuity automatically added. Fortunately I was in a good mood and could see the funny side.
And then I just went and stared at the sea until it was time to go for the bus, filling up the well in my soul that feels depleted when I don’t see the sea for a long time. I know a video isn’t the same thing, but turn the sound on and try to pretend.
K C Murdarasi 
I enjoyed reading about your excursion and your off-hand humor re: arms too full of books, expensive bad coffee with obligatory gratuity, and the beauty and soul enriching time at the sea. Thank you! Made me experience a refreshed soul from some 3000 miles away!
I’m glad 😊 The internet is crazy, the way distance means nothing!