50 thoughts on “WHERE IS HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, THE EMPEROR OF ANTARCTICA?”

  1. The Emperor isn’t in The Kingdom…
    It’s not in Fife, but you might think it was.
    Munguin’s obviously ordered a fine day for it.

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      1. It’s absolutely lovely. I’ve never been before.

        The journey was a bit hellish, but we came back by the back roads across the Erskine Bridge… in the hopes that His Majesty might meet with that great aristocrat Dame Lady Baillie of Dumb Arton.

        He also wished to open the Erskine Bridge. That being the kind of thing emperors do.

        He was much disappointed to find that some junior princess had already done it in 1971… However, unabashed, he opened it again… this time properly and with dignity.

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      1. Aye, I was cryptically alluding to Wemyss of course, Tris.
        In this case Wemyss Bay, rather than Wemyss in Fife.
        The station is very distinctive and famous.

        There’s long been speculation as to the origin of the name here on the banks of the Clyde and the connection, if any, with Fife.
        Weymss itself is from the Gaelic uaimh, for cave, and is how the Fife villages and parish got their name as there are a number of caves in the vicinity, but none are to be found around Wemyss Bay.
        Some claim that a member of the Clan Weymss settled in the area in the middle ages and named the bay after the clan.
        It’s all speculation however and no definite origin has been widely accepted.

        Devonian Old Red Sandstone much in abundance here and runs in a broad bed from Stonehaven south-westwards right through Arran and Kintyre beyond.
        Lovely building material.

        Good of his Imperial Majesty to grace us with his presence on the West Coast, accompanied by Oor Ain Laird, the Most Noble Munguin.
        Sorry I missed them but hopefully we’ll see them back in this demesne e’er long?

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        1. We are sorry to have missed you too… and PP and Andi… and other West Coasters.

          It was a decision made at 9 am… and underway by 10 so no chance to forewarn anyone.

          The three Wemyss in Fife are pretty too, but I think the West Coast one takes the prize. My favourite was the one I thought I should like least… Coaltown of Wemyss.

          There are indeed some great caves around there.

          Thanks for the info on the derivation of the name. I note that uaimh is pronounced ‘oo-av’. Go figure!

          The red sandstone is beautiful. Arbroath and Kirriemuir come to mind.

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        1. If Wemyss Bay comes up in any conversation the image of the station comes to mind. I cannot picture the village at all. Probably this is because mostly, I have arrived at the station, gone down the slope to the ferry and headed over to Rothesay.

          Two years ago, I cycled round Kent and one of the stops was at Folkestone. I had been in Folkestone several times in the past but it was always – arrive by train, walk across to the ferry and go to France or arrive from France, get off the ferry, walk across to the train and scoot off northwards.

          Two years ago, because I was on my bike and also on foot, I actually experienced Folkestone! It is a really pleasant town, much larger than I expected and a place worth spending time in.

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          1. It’s strange, some of the things we miss.

            It is a pleasant village. Obviously well heeled (Thank you PP). Some of the houses ae amazing an beautiful, especially those down on the front.

            Next time we go we’ll set off early, and maybe take the train and go over the water.

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            1. “Obviopusly well healed”

              Didn’t know they’d been unwell! Mind them homophones I’ve been telling you about soul/sole; heal/heel 🙂

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    2. Bang on, NIMN.

      The Emperor Penguin wanted to go farther afield this week… and so we headed west.

      Lovely place. Fabulous houses. Marvellous station and ferry port. Nice people too.

      We had parked outside the station (where you are allowed only 1 hour parking) and we were heading over the road to the station/port and a kind lady pointed out that we couldn’t park there all day. (Just in case we were intending to take a ferry)

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  4. It looks very beautiful so it must be Scotland. 😁 Spare a thought for those of us in the city, especially in Edinburgh where it’s going to be hell at the weekend when Taylor Swift concerts take place for three nights.
    Have a good week Tris, Munguin and best friend, so cute. 😻

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  6. I see Munguin has visited the nicest railway station in the country for his sojourn in the glorious west! Also nice to see the sun was out on the firth.

    I hope he enjoyed the trip Doon the watter 👍😃

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  7. I thought it looked like Wemyss Bay railway station too as it is rather famous but I’d ruled out him being in the West. Unless… Munguin doesn’t want to pony up on the missing Czecks? TBF he must owe me and Andi a fortune and how could even a mega media mogul have afforded the ferry fare for himself and guest if he paid his debts. Though the factotum could have gone in steerage. So did he go to Rothesay?

    Seriously, looked like a lovely day for it wherever they all were.

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    1. Aye, PP, it does seem that the emperor and his factotum graced the West with their presence, travelling from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay or to put it in the traditional manner, they “went down the watter”.

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      1. Wish we’d gone to Rothsay, Andi.

        But we drove to Wemyss Bay, took the photos and headed back to Dundee.

        Over 200 miles, and all for you guys.

        What a treasure Munguin is! 🙂

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        1. I can’t remember the last time I was in Wemyss Bay and it’s a lot closer than 200 miles. Though you could probably drive there from Dundee quicker than public transport from mine! I’m just gutted to have missed the chance to meet his Majesty and Munguin. The people of Wemyss Bay don’t realise how lucky they were!

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          1. Well, I reckon the 200 miles was there and back… maybe just over.

            Munguin and His Imperial Majesty (HIM) would have been delighted to receive you in audience.

            The people of Wemyss Bay were indeed only too delighted to see such luminaries and treated them accordingly!

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        2. Bute’s a lovely place, well worth exploring. On holiday there in my teens I used to hire a bike and cycle round the whole island. I fear that would probably kill me these days.

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          1. It looks tremendous, Nebulous.

            I just read this amazing thing!

            “Attractions include Rothesay Castle, the stately home at nearby Mount Stuart, and some of the country’s best toilets.”

            https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/bute-p245011#:~:text=Attractions%20include%20Rothesay%20Castle%2C%20the,has%20some%20extraordinarily%20varied%20landscapes.

            That’s pretty amazing as attractions go!

            35 minutes on the ferry sounds fun.

            I not there is another crossing from Colintraive to Rhubodach.

            That’s only 5 minutes on the boat.

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            1. The toilets they mean will be the ones near the pier – https://www.visitbute.com/victorian-toilets/ They’re a wee cut above your average loos.

              The ferry from Wemyss Bay would be a lot easier for you coming over from the east of the country. The Rhubodach ferry is a quick crossing but it would be a long journey for you to get to Colintraive, even allowing for Rest and Be Thankful being open which it all too often isn’t. Lovely drive through Cowal though that way.

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              1. Fascinating, Nebulous. The toilets are amazing.

                I wonder if that is where the colloquialism “steaming” comes from.

                Yes, we’ll certainly do the Wemyss Bay route.

                30 minutes on the ferry sounds fine to me…. not enough time to get steaming though 🙂

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                1. Only the men’s loos are fancy though. We women have to make do with boring ordinary ones.

                  Hadn’t thought of steaming being related to travelling by ferry. Certainly I remember some of the holidaymakers being very merry all those years ago. Can’t recall if they sold booze on board but where there’s a will…

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                  1. Yes, they didn’t bother with the women’s toilets because the women didn’t get so drunk and didn’t need to relieve themselves. Reflection on men’s behaviour!

                    It does seem a little unfair. Still 1899… a different time, different world.

                    “Why were there originally only male toilets?
                    The answer begins in 1853, when a law was passed banning the sale of alcohol in Scotland on Sundays. However, paddle steamers were exempt from this ban. The result ought to have been predictable; Scots intent on a drink took to ‘steaming’, which became popular slang for getting drunk.

                    “Men drank heavily on board the steamers, yet there were few toilets on board. The result was long queues and a pressing need for toilets onshore. Presumably, women didn’t drink so heavily on board ship, for no provision was made for them ashore!”

                    https://www.visitbute.com/victorian-toilets/

                    I didn’t notice it at first glance but it seems it IS where the slang word “steaming” originates.

                    Another school day.

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                    1. I’d have known that, Tris, if I’d bothered to pay proper attention to the article I sent the you link to. I hang my head in shame. Munguin will be giving me lines for being lazy.

                      😦

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                    2. He’s tutting and shaking his head and asking what are things coming to…

                      But, don’t let it bother you. He’s like that most days. And about most things 🙂 🙂

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                2. “I wonder if that is where the colloquialism “steaming” comes from.”

                  Indeed it is. Back in the day you couldn’t sell alcohol after 10pm or on a Sunday unless you were a hotel or serving to “bona fide travellers” ie folk on journeys. Folk cottoned onto the fact that being on a ferry was travelling and thus the original booze cruise was invented. Men (and it was men) came home drunk as skunks and long suffering wives desperate to feed their weans complained that their menfolk were steaming.

                  This loophole was ended in 1882 with the introduction of tight on board alcohol sales but the term steaming remained. Where’s HIM has now morphed into AOY!

                  Aileen McHarg @AileenMcHarg@mastodon.scot on X: “I did not know this. https://t.co/jfqEv6m6GG” / X

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    2. Debts, PP?

      Owing?

      Munguin is shaking his head and tutting.

      We drove there, through Glasgow on the way there and (because of all the road works) via the back roads on the way back.

      Any missing Czechs should be referred to the Royal Mail, which is owned by them. And I wish you luck with that.

      It was a lovely day out.

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