Japan Day for Scotland? Great Idea

Seems to be a week for great ideas. Just read on the BBC website about plans for a Japan Scotland day to help strengthen links between the two countries.

Sakura Scotland has approached the Japanese Consulate General in Edinburgh about the event which is planned for the autumn, the company hopes to invite fashion students to come up with and then display clothing designs on a Japanese theme.

Now I'm not sure how this is going to be lead and what angle it's going to take but a couple of years ago myself and a colleague found ourselves arriving at the train station in Dusseldorf (if truth be known en route to a Kiss consert in Nijmegen!).

Now with kilts on (no face paint) you may have thought that we would have been subject to some rather strange looks. Nope. It was Japan Day in Dusseldrof and the whole of the city's youth was in Manga Fancy Dress costimes and make up. Made us look entirely normal.

The point however was that Dusseldorf was celebrating the culture of the largest population of Japanese in Europe and it was one helluva party. The banks of the Rhine were given over to Japanese stalls with traditional food and drinks, stages with entertainment and recitals and all in all a tremendous atmosphere of history and cultural respect with an estimated 1.2 million visitors.
One of the highlights of the traditional Japan Day is a fantastic fireworks display after nightfall, conjured up in the sky over the river by Japanese pyrotechnicians.

With the strong air connections between Dusseldorf and Scotland such a cross cultural celebration could actually have tremendous impact on restimulating the Japanese market for Scottish tourism and indeed exports.

Good luck to Sakura Scotland - would love to help if we can.

Winter Golf in Fife?

If you fancy a bit of golf in Fife how about trying out The Winter Open at Burntisland Golf House Club. It's a 4 Ball Better Ball Open and takes place on Sunday 21 March 2010 with a wonderfully affordable £5 entry per person and a 9am shotgun start.
The event is Open to Men, Ladies and Juniors (Mixed Teams accepted) and the closing date for entries 7th March. Contact Graham Turzynski, the Match & Handicap Secretary via info@burntislandgolfhouseclub.co.uk
Find out a bit more about Burntisland Golf Club on First in Fife Golf's website or have a wee look at the Google earth fly through.

Romantic 5 Star Highlands Luxury

With Valentines day weekend a little over 7 days away, most men will not even have begun to organise their thoughts yet, let alone a romantic getaway with their other half.  If this is you, then we  have just the thing to make you change your mind and get something booked NOW!

The simply stunning Loch Ness Lodge have just uploaded their Valentines Package on Scotland's For Me and we know you'll want to check it out.  The luxurious accommodation, the fine dining, the stunning lochside location, the spa, the boat trip on Loch Ness & the Champagne & red rose, what other reasons do you need ?

But don't worry if you are not quick enough to book for the Valentines Weekend, they also have a whole range of romantic breaks available from February - November and these are now available to book on Scotland's For Me, including

• 5 Star Romantic Breaks
• 5 Star Highland Spa Breaks
• 5 Star Midweek Romantic Breaks
• 5 Star Highland Escape

To find out more simply click here, check availability and book online, what other reason do you need?

National Trust Burns Itinerary

Glasgow

Experience Weaver's Cottage on the outskirts of Glasgow. See how the specially designed Burns family tartan bedspread, created to celebrate Burns's 250th birthday, was made on a working 200-year-old loom, the last of 800 handlooms once used in the village.

Ayrshire

A 45-minute drive from Glasgow takes you to the heart of Burns Country and to Burns National Heritage Park in Alloway.

• Visit the newly interpreted thatched cottage where Burns was born.

• Experience our new audio-visual displays and corporate facilities.

• Stroll across the Brig o' Doon and explore Alloway Auld Kirk, immortalised in Tam o' Shanter.

• Climb to the top of Burns Monument and explore the surrounding commemorative gardens.

• Enjoy traditional Scottish dishes in our 80-cover restaurant and visit our Burns-themed gift shop.

Other local attractions with strong Burns connections include the Bachelors' Club, Souter Johnnie's Cottage and Culzean Castle & Country Park.

Edinburgh

Burns made several visits to Edinburgh, to oversee publication of his work and as a guest of the city's brilliant men of letters. Today, you can capture the essence of the city's Old and New Towns with visits to the 17th-century Gladstone's Land on the Royal Mile and the late 18th-century Georgian House in Charlotte Square.

Fife
Dating from 1360 and said to be haunted, Kellie Castle & Garden is steeped in history. The 5th Earl of Kellie's youngest son was a much valued friend of Burns.

Stirling

Bannockburn Heritage Centre near Stirling holds pride of place in Scottish history. Burns visited Bannockburn in 1787 as part of his tour of Stirlingshire and the Highlands. He wrote to a friend,'... two hours ago, I said a fervent prayer for old Caledonia over the hole in a blue whin-stone where Robert de Bruce fixed his royal standard on the banks of Bannockburn.' Today, you can re-live the battle experience with a guided battlefield tour, explore an interactive weapons display and enjoy the gripping, new short film depicting the dramatic events of June 1314

Inverness
Burns visited Drummossie Moor, the site of the battle of Culloden, on 6 September 1787. Today, you can walk the battlefield using groundbreaking multilingual GPS-enabled battlefield guides, just one exciting feature of this multi-award winning 5-Star Visitor Attraction.

Nearby Brodie Castle is where Burns stayed for one night of his Highland tour. He wrote to his brother Gilbert on 17 September 1787, 'I slept at the famous Brodie of Brodie's one night ...'

You can Click here for a copy of the NTS Full seven day itinerary.

Glasgow Jazz Calendar

Jazz Glasgow: At a Glance Been sent through the calendar of events from Jazz Glasgow – click on the links for further information
Sat 6 Feb	Brian Kellock and Julian Argüelles plus Trichotomy	City Halls
Sun 14 Feb	Christine Tobin & Liam Noble: 'Tapestry' Rewoven	City Halls
Sun 21 Feb	Stewart Forbes & David Newton Trio: Back to Back	City Halls
Wed 24 Feb	Rush Hour Jazz	City Halls
Sun 7 Mar	Graeme Stephen Sextet with special guest, Ben Davis	City Halls
Sun 14 Mar	Daryl Sherman Trio with special guest, Todd Gordon	City Halls
Sun 28 Mar	Bobby Wellins & Konrad Wiszniewski meet The David Patrick Trio	City Halls
Sat 17 Apr	Richard Michael	City Halls
Fri 23 Apr	Clare Teal	City Halls
Sun 25 Apr	Ken Mathieson's Classic Jazz Orchestra & Alan Barnes: The Benny Carter Project	City Halls
Fri 7 May	Jamie Cullum	GRCH

2010 Robert Burns Humanitarian Award Winner at Turnberry

The winner of the 2010 Robert Burns Humanitarian Awards was announced last night (January 22nd) as Head of Islamic Relief (Scotland), a member of Disasters Emergency Committee, Habib Malik. Habib took time out from fundraising for the victims of the Haiti earthquake to collect his award and appealed to Scotland to show their support for the Haiti disaster relief project.
Receiving the award last night Habib said: “Firstly, I would just like to say how humbled I am to have been honoured with this Award and must say that I feel somewhat undeserving of having been placed alongside the past distinguished winners of this award. My work with Islamic Relief has never been for my sake, but for the sake of those voiceless millions around the world who scream, but are not heard. Robert Burns himself was born into poverty; and has been described as a poet of the poor, and an advocate for social change. The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award, now in its ninth year, is presented annually to a group or individual who has saved, improved or enriched the lives of others or society as a whole, through personal self-sacrifice, selfless service or 'hands on' charitable work.

Short Breaks in Edinburgh from Oxford

All the very best of luck to a new air route linking Oxford and Edinburgh which is expected to attract 6,500 passengers over its first 12 months.
Flights to the Scottish capital will begin on Monday, March 1, with the journey taking 90 minutes compared to the average rail journey of six hours.
New airline operator Varsity Express hopes to tap into the tourism market of people visiting both historic cities.Prices will start at £49 one way, including taxes and charges.Varsity, which will fly 18-seat British Aerospace Jetstream planes, said it expected to carry 6,500 passengers in the first 12 months.

Commercial director Will Gilligan said: “Oxford is the third most visited English city by international visitors, with 10 million per annum, and Edinburgh is the second most popular destination after London in the UK.

“We have been looking to start a regular shuttle service on this route for some time.We have watched with interest the developments and investment at Oxford airport and believe it is a perfect, untapped market with plenty of potential, offering splendid facilities designed for private jet clients, enabling us to offer our passengers quick check-in times.”
Airport marketing manager James Dillon-Godfray said: “This is the first daily flight from Oxford and very much begins a new era, where we have something of direct benefit to the business community and tourists who can take a trip to Edinburgh and return within a day.
“This is a fundamental leap forward and is the jewel in the crown of all the routes and operations we now have.
Tim Gill, an aviation consultant contracted to Varsity, said: “Edinburgh is the most requested domestic route from Oxford, which by train can take over six hours with at least one change, sometimes three.
“Any day return combination would typically take 13 hours in transit.”
Flights will leave Oxford Monday to Friday at 8am.The return flights leave Edinburgh at 5pm.
For more information and to book flights, go to the website flyvarsity.com