An Ache For The Distance

Arrochar, Scotland

2019-03-20T22:31:00.002+01:00

View this post on Instagram

#arrochar #scotland #schottland #ecosse #scozia #escocia #шотландия

A post shared by Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) on Mar 17, 2019 at 6:59am PDT

A Flowery Pub - Deal, Kent, England

2017-08-08T21:23:00.000+02:00

#thekingshead #pub #Deal #Kent #england

A post shared by Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) on Aug 8, 2017 at 10:34am PDT

Tea for Two in Tropical England - Deal, Kent

2017-08-06T22:03:00.000+02:00

Sunflower Sunset - Osimo, Italy

2017-08-04T21:48:00.001+02:00

Kraków & Auschwitz, Poland - March 2016

2016-04-05T16:35:00.000+02:00

#krakow #poland #citytrip #lonelyplanet #zywiec #beer

Ein von Stuart Mathieson 🇬🇧 (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 26. Mär 2016 um 15:24 Uhr

#poland #polska #krakow #cracow #hotel #polishflag

Ein von Stuart Mathieson 🇬🇧 (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 28. Mär 2016 um 13:11 Uhr

#krakow #poland #bazylikamariacka

Ein von Stuart Mathieson 🇬🇧 (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 22. Mär 2016 um 9:52 Uhr

#Auschwitz #maingate #nazi #deathcamp #memorial #arbeitmachtfrei

Ein von Stuart Mathieson 🇬🇧 (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 26. Mär 2016 um 0:50 Uhr

#auschwitz #birkenau #holocaust #memorial #nazi #deathcamp #secondworldwar

Ein von Stuart Mathieson 🇬🇧 (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 23. Mär 2016 um 13:00 Uhr

#Auschwitz #birkenau #auschwitzbirkenau #holocaust #memorial #nazi #deathcamp #secondworldwar #lestweforget

Ein von Stuart Mathieson 🇬🇧 (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 26. Mär 2016 um 0:47 Uhr

Groß Schwansee Beach - Baltic Sea, Germany

2016-02-29T17:35:00.001+01:00

Mischa enjoying a run at the beach #schaeferhund #pastoretedesco #beachlife #gsdofinstagram #gsdsofigworld #gsd #germanshepherd #balticsea #ostsee #grossschwansee

Ein von Stuart Mathieson 🇬🇧 (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 27. Feb 2016 um 5:33 Uhr

Glenfinnan - Scotland

2016-02-01T14:51:00.000+01:00

#glenfinnanmonument #glenfinnan #highlands #scotland

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 3. Dez 2015 um 3:49 Uhr

Staatsoper Hamburg - Germany

2016-01-20T09:20:00.000+01:00

The Hamburg State Opera has nailed that "half a 70's escalator" look...

Watching #latraviata in half a 70's escalator #hamburg #staatsoperhamburg #escalatorarchitecture #keepinitclassy

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 17. Jan 2016 um 13:55 Uhr

Lübeck at Night - Germany

2016-01-04T09:17:00.000+01:00

#koberg #lübeck #germany #deutschland #pimpmytree #hl_love

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 19. Dez 2015 um 12:31 Uhr

Looking good from the top of the #christmasmarkets carousel... #lübeck #germany #hl_love

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 19. Dez 2015 um 10:41 Uhr

#christmasmarkets #weihnachtsmarkt #lübeck #germany #orangeisthenewbratwurst

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 19. Dez 2015 um 6:58 Uhr

Mecklenburg Vorpommern in Winter - Germany

2015-12-25T17:44:00.001+01:00

#winterlake #germanshepherd #schaeferhund #mecklenburgvorpommern #germany #deutschland #winter

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 24. Dez 2015 um 7:55 Uhr

Falls of Dochart, Killin, Scotland

2015-12-23T13:08:00.002+01:00

#whitewater #sunset #fallsofdochart #killin #scotland #highlands

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 2. Dez 2015 um 12:46 Uhr

Glencoe, Scotland

2015-12-22T10:59:00.002+01:00

#glencoe #highlands #scotland

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 4. Dez 2015 um 4:51 Uhr

#landrover #glencoe #highlands #scotland

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 6. Dez 2015 um 13:05 Uhr

#ontheroad #skyfall #jamesbond #dalness #glencoe #scotland #highlands #scottishhighlands

Ein von Stuart Mathieson (@swmathieson) gepostetes Foto am 15. Dez 2015 um 10:49 Uhr

A Change of Direction - Mathieson Family +1

2015-03-03T13:38:00.000+01:00

Once upon a time I used to post about palm-lined beaches, now it's brown-lined pampers...

Not as exotic and a very different feeling if you end up with brown skin but still good blog material :)

Check out my blog dedicated to the new egg-head addition to the family.

www.alexmathieson.weebly.com

The Evolution of the Furry Fish

2014-12-23T16:15:00.001+01:00

As monsoon season replaces the antiquated term "winter" in Western Europe, Mischa seems to be evolving in the direction of a furry fish...

Side, Turkey

2014-09-01T13:15:00.000+02:00

My best lunch-time view of Summer 2014, The End Restaurant in Side, Turkey.

A Flying Visit to Tuscany - Pisa, Florence, Chianti & Lucca

2014-06-06T12:17:00.000+02:00

Duomo - Florence

Secret Italian Missile Launcher - Pisa

David above the tourists - Florence

The Good Stuff

Street Art - Florence

Street Scene - Florence

Chianti

Lucca

The Life of Pi (mild version)

2014-03-12T09:52:00.001+01:00

Loch Earn, Scotland

2014-03-10T16:09:00.000+01:00

Best Buddies - Doberman Sam & German Shepherd Mischa

2014-02-27T13:36:00.001+01:00

My Rajasthan Top Ten

2014-02-26T21:15:00.000+01:00

"From the cackle of its colour-charged cities to the luminous splendour of its sun-kissed desert, Rajasthan is romantic India wrapped in gaudy royal robes... Compiling a must-see list in Rajasthan can cripple the fussy traveller..." - Lonely Planet

Deciding what to see in Rajasthan can be tough so here's my top ten sights/activities to give you a helping hand on your way...

MONKEY TEMPLE in Jaipur (Galtaji)

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

" The temple complex of Ramgopalji temple is colloquially known as Monkey temple (Galwar Bagh) in travel literature, due to the large tribe of monkeys who live here. These rhesus macaques were featured in National Geographic Channel's Rebel Monkeys series and "Thar Desert - Sacred sand" episode of Wildest India Series. "

THE EGG MAN in Jodphur

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/rajasthan/jodhpur/restaurants/indian/omelette-shop

"Just through the gate (by the inner arch – surrounded by imitators) on the northern side of the square, the Omelette Shop claims to go through several thousand eggs a day – the egg man has been doing his thing for over 30 years. Two tasty, spicy boiled eggs cost Rs10, and an oily two-egg omelette with chilli, coriander and four pieces of bread Rs15." - Lonely Planet

COLOURFUL ELEPHANTS Amer Fort in Jaipur

http://delhimagic.blogspot.de/2010/04/controversial-elephant-ride-at-amer.html

This is actually a controversial one because the elephants are simply used as novel taxis for the tourists (we walked up to the fort), but for a balanced Indian perspective on the elephant situation at Amer Fort have a look at the link above.

"The elephants at Amer are merely joyrides... So it is quite clear to me that they must be stopped. However, I am not willing to see the elephants at Amber starve to death simply because there is no employment for them forcing their owners to abandon them.

The solution is obvious and two-pronged, but I will state it anyway. We need the following:

a) The creation of a government or private sponsored facility to "retire" the elephants and look after them until they die

b) A program to re-skill and provide gainful employment the mahouts so that their families don't starve."

CHILLING HOLY BABAS in Pushkar

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/A-trip-to-Pushkar-the-holy-abode/articleshow/8920052.cms?referral=PM

"...the destination is an apt sobriquet of composite culture, where people of all faith and culture — Muslims to Naga babas', 'bagwa' or the 'jatau' sages soak in the ethos of the town."

SHOPPING WITH THE COWS in Pushkar

http://saharanscot.blogspot.de/2010/10/pushkar-india.html

"Central Pushkar is a walking heaven compared to other Indian towns. For Indian town planners, the concept of a pavement is as abstract as the smell of unicorn shit. Pushkar however has a small centre where pedestrians have equal rights with the cows, motorbikes and scooters."

Central Pushkar is a walking heaven compared to other Indian towns. For Indian town planners, the concept of a pavement is as abstract as the smell of unicorn shit. Pushkar however has a small centre where pedestrians have equal rights with the cows, motorbikes and scooters. - See more at: http://saharanscot.blogspot.de/2010/10/pushkar-india.html#sthash.PeNwIzTv.dpuf

CITY PALACE in Udaipur

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Palace,_Udaipur

"The City Palace in Udaipur was built in a flamboyant style and is considered the largest of its type in Rajasthan, a fusion of the Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles, and was built on a hill top that gives a panoramic view of the city and its surrounding..."

A NIGHT IN THE THAR DESERT in Jaisalmer

http://www.tucantravel.com/thar-desert-travel-guide

"Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is the quintessential subtropical, arid wasteland that comes to the imagination from books and movies; parched, sun scorched sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see, only disturbed by the wind exhaling across the quiet barren plains of Rajasthan."

RAT TEMPLE in Bikaner

http://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/09/karni-mata-rat-temple-at-deshnoke-india.html

"The Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke, 30 km from Bikaner, India, is one of the strangest temples in the world. The temple is home to over 20,000 rats, that not only live and dine within the temple premises but are actually worshipped by devotes who throng the temple in great numbers. These holy animals are called “kabbas”, and many people travel long distances to pay their respects."

BLUE JODHPUR from the Fort

http://www.kuriositas.com/2011/01/jodhpur-indias-blue-city.html

"Travellers journeying through the desolate landscape of the unforgiving Thar desert in the Indian state of Rajasthan would know when they had reached their destination. The sky would fall to the ground and everything would become a single color – blue. Jodhpur would lie before them, opening up like a blue treasure in the desert."

TAJ MAHAL

(ok, technically just over the border in Uttar Pradesh but always on the Rajasthan tour schedule!)

Crashing Out, Husky Style

2014-02-26T12:12:00.000+01:00

There's definitely a theme developing here...

Super-Shepherd at the Beach

2014-02-25T12:31:00.001+01:00

Mischa on holiday, Summer 2013 - Italy

The Sadness of Sexual Rejection

2014-02-19T14:12:00.000+01:00

I got an email a couple of weeks ago asking about Sam's balls... Is it better to have a pup with dangly bits or say arrividerci to the plums?

Sam has all of his tackle in tact, firstly out of respect for the man-code (never cut off another fellow's balls) and secondly because many Dobermans, Sam included, suffer from Von Willebrand disease which means he could actually bleed to death if you took a knife to his sack (Potential Doberman owners beware!)

The downside to this for Sam is of course the rejection from his ladies when his nuts are sending him into sexual overdrive. He's been trying to get laid for a couple of weeks now but both the Husky and the German Shepherd have sent him packing.

This shot was taken seconds after another toothy rejection from Taia (lying, sex-free, on the floor behind him.)

Swimming Techniques When You've Got Four Legs

2014-01-11T08:54:00.001+01:00

Husky Driftwood at Lago di Fiastra

Last summer we took the puppies swimming at Lago di Fiastra in Italy and discovered that doggy paddles differ. Taia the husky took to the water like a fish, in fact we didn't even hear a splash when she went in, I simply turned round and some husky-sized, white, fluffy driftwood floated by. Mischa however was a different story. With every stick thrown into the lake, there was a scene reminiscent of a fully clothed Eskimo drowning. OK, she was moving forward in the water but there were definitely no points for style. I tried giving her some tips but just got this look!

Mischa's reaction to swimming tips.

Mischa, Taia & Sam on Facebook

TWELVE HAIRY LEGS

DoberBat in Bed

2013-12-30T11:44:00.000+01:00

How to caption this one... "Sleeping Beauty"? "Sleeping Doberbeauty"? "Sleeping Doberbat"? Or simply "Doberbat in Bed"?