The Scottish Motorcycle Show falls within the week of our Wedding Anniversary each year, so I usually work to combine both by going to the show during the day then going out for a family meal in the evening.

Being as it is our tenth this year, I booked a few days away for myself and Mrs AlistairL. Believe it or not we honeymooned all those years ago in Glasgow, so we returned again, albeit to a different hotel. I booked up a Junior Suite at a hotel about 50 yards from Sauchiehall Street and had a great few days. We popped out to see Ghost Rider at the cinema across the road on Wednesday night, using the 2 for 1 Orange Wednesday promotion. That was a cool film.

Thursday was out on the Underground and up to Byres Road, the Botanic Gardens and headed down to have a nice lunch at the Kelvingrove Cafe. The KG Cafe is an interesting blend of restaurant and cafe, and comes recommended from me. Afterwards I popped upstairs and checked to see where my name was on the donor wall – you can see my name up there with the rest of the restoration donors! I even persuaded Mrs AlistairL to let me look around the transport museum and look at the old bikes. It is just across the road from Kelvingrove, and was on the way back to the Underground station. We headed back and went to see Epic Movie, which was rubbish – I reckon I’m too old for that stuff.

Friday was a good wander down Buchanan Street, popping in to Borders, Frasers and a wee look up and down Argyll Street. We had a show booked up for the evening at the Royal Concert Hall. Two folks called Jacqui Dankworth and Todd Gordon were doing a wee tour featuring Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra songs. At pains to point out it wasn’t a tribute show, they just sang and they had a three piece band with them and some good jazz was played. This time I felt a bit young, looking around at the mean age of the audience. It was good to dress up, and I switched from black jeans, T-shirt, and North Face Jacket to… Black suit, Black Tie, Black 3/4 length coat. I lightened up during the interval for the show and removed my tie. The show has been touring on and off for a while, was at the Edinburgh festival, and round a few smaller venues in Scotland.

We headed back home to check that the kids and the cat were still alive, and they were! And there was even some pizza still left. We all went out for an Italian meal at our traditional venue, chilled out, and enjoyed our company.

Sunday was off to the bike show at Ingliston again, which is still much the same as it has been since MCN took over many years ago. I was a bit disappointed that Honda wasn’t present, and the big manufacturer stands were a bit tame compared to yesteryear. As befits a current BMW owner, I poured over the BMW stand and there was a really nice R1200S in black. As I’ve mentioned in previous years, the format of the show is beginning to go stale for me and I could spend the ticket and food money on a nicer day out, or add a few quid more and do a run with my local rospa diploma advanced riding trainer. That would be a better spend. I even noticed that Joe from LMTS had passed up having a stand this year, though I spotted him at the show. I popped over to take a look at the IAM stand, but didn’t know anyone there.