Lets get connected

Oh my goodness what a weekend. 20 000 people in wee old Inveraray all here for the same thing, with the exception of a few, the first ever Connect Festival. What a huge weekend!! We were originally only going to go to one day of the festival but as it turns out we ended up getting three day passes and as it worked out with a fantastic roster (thanks Kris and Matt). On Thursday morning we prepared the hotel for the worst changing over to plastic glasses and taking away anything that could get stolen or broken, but the crowds all seemed to be fairly good with no real problems at all, but we were extremely busy for the most of the weekend. The hotel also obtained a late license for all three nights until 2 in the morning. Eva went up for a little while on Friday night to see what was happening and watch a few bands, as Adam was working until late into the night (morning). It was an amazing set up although it was very ill lit. The festival was set up around the castle and the surrounding grounds, quite an amazing sight and it was hard to believe that just a week ago the paddocks were being used for highland cattle. The ground did not hold up too well though as typically here in Scotland (as we may have mentioned) it rains almost all the time and the ground became quite muddy, so muddy in fact that about 99% of the crowds were wearing wellies. The mud was so bad that in places it was almost a foot deep but this all added to the feel and uniqueness of the festival. On Saturday we both worked in the morning and headed up later on with a whole bunch of people from The George and had an amazing time, we saw some brilliant live performances by Modest Mouse who where fantastic and Primal Scream who were great as well, just to name a few, we then danced the night away in a few of the dance tents. One of those tents being called the Unknown Pleasures tent which was quite an eye opener as it was staging a burlesque type club with tassel twirling twins, a black Elvis, and a hermaphrodite with an angle grinder, quite an interesting spectacle especially with everyone dancing with their rubber boots on. On Sunday we awoke very slowly and sore and headed on down in the early afternoon just chilling out for a few hours drinking the local ale made especially for the festival and having a bite to eat. All weekend the weather was fairly good only a few drizzly showers thank goodness otherwise it would have been an even bigger mud fest. We then poked around watching a few acts here and there. We watched an absolutely amazing set by M.I.A. she was totally amazing! We have seen her before at the Big Day Out back home but this time it was even better. Her set ended though when she called everyone up on to the stage and much to the security's dismay the stage got stormed by fans and the power blacked out, not a bad way to end a set.. We then wandered around waiting for Bjork's set to start, we were quite excited to see her as we have never seen her before. Her set was absolutely mind blowing better than we had imagined, she knows how to perform with lasers, lights and ticker tape, a brass band and amazing sound. What a show!! we tried to catch a part with our camera but it doesn't anywhere near catch the atmosphere. What a performance. We then caught the start of LED Sound System and Hot Chip who were not too bad but we decided to go catch a with a few friends in the dance tents. We ended up catching up with half the town in the Enchanted Forest which was a dance floor set up amongst old trees, quite an amazing experience. What a huge weekend..it was so amazing to be here in Inveraray for this festival. Tickets go on sale today for next year and our hotel is already fully booked.... I think it was a success.

We are now in the process of finalising everything for our departure from the George in 7 more days, it has been an amazing opportunity to be here over the last 10 months, it will be sad to leave all the people we have met behind.

We are of on a ferry to the Netherlands next Tuesday for our next adventure driving around throughout Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France. Can nee wait...

Happy Birthday Nicole!!!!!!

Photos:Bjork on the Oyster stage, Dun Na Cuaiche above the Oyster stage, MIA creating a riot-she's on the right with her legs apart, These boots were made for slurping, Inveraray castle an island in the mud, Bjork's finale