Playground - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

As you see, winter has arrived. The abominal snow-toddler in the photos belongs to me. He had some trouble climbing the on the equipment wearing his boots, so we spent most of the time on the swings. You're it Carol!

Metro - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Actually this is is a Toronto paper, but this pic was taken at the Burlington GO Train station, where many a commuter begins their journey into the big city. Being a stay-at-home Mommy, I had to make a special trip to the train station to snap this photo. Imagine how strange I looked! Some pregnant lady comes into the station, with a camera, takes a photo of the newsstand, and leaves without even buying a ticket. I did get a copy of the paper though, so I can do the crossword.

The Metro - Glasgow, Scotland

This little free paper gets me through my journey every morning. I think loads of cities around the globe have their own version of the Metro, but this is mine. Blue metal stands can be seen dotted around every train station in the country and most bus stations too. Very popular with the early morning commuter - I personally love the Nemi cartoon and the reading my horoscope. =) If you're not fast... you miss out! Look, the warning's even on the stand! *lol* You're it Jen!

Autumn Leaves - Glasgow, Scotland

We have a bit of a mucked up Autumn / Winter season here as well. Some trees are in Autumn and others are very much in Winter. Then of course there are some which are still in Spring and Summer *lol* which is just wrong altogether! As you can see form the top photo, some leaves are in the process of turning. I love Autumn. =D

Autumn Leaves -Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Back in the day, there'd be a frost and afterwards all the leaves would change colour at the same time. Now every tree seems to be moving at its own pace. Some are already naked and ready for winter, others are still green. One of those quirks of climate change I guess. How's fall going in Scotland? You're it Carol!

Signs and Signals - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Ah the time-honoured technique of taking photographs from a moving vehicle. Always so sharply focused and well-composed. There's lots of signs to read here. Hot soup and sandwich for $7.99, Townhomes for starting at 200. We're also having a federal election right now so people have put some signs up. The blue ones are advertising the conservative MP and the red one is for Liberal. I haven't notices as many election signs this time around, perhaps because this is our third election in five years and people are getting bored of them.

Signs and Signals - Glasgow, Scotland

I wasn't sure what the tag was for when I took this. At first it was traffic lights... then it was a bollard... then it was signage... so here it is, all of the above! *lol* We have traffic lights, an directional area sign, new housing development, new shopping centre, a traffic bollard and some advertisements. Plus, I like the colour combo. You're it Jen!

Souvenirs - Glasgow, Scotland

Traditional Scottish souvenirs. =) No, not from Poundland (our equivalent of the Dollar Store) 'cos I couldnt find any there, but from James Pringle Weavers. Typically, tourists to Scotland take back caseloads of shortbread, chocolate shaped like scottie dogs and the loch ness monster, whisky, tea towels, oat cakes, fudge, Edinburgh rock... we like our food lol.

Souvenirs - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

I was browsing through the dollar store when I came across this little bit of Canadiana. For those tourists who want to take home a token to toss in their junk drawer, here's quite a collection: socks, hacky sacks, key chains, pens, flags. My personal favourite is that tamborine-like thing with the feathers and the picture of a first-nations man (I think that's the politically correct term, though this thing is hardly PC anyway). If there's something that does a worse job of representing the culture I grew up in, I challenge anyone to find it. You're it, Carol!

Statue- Burlington, Ontario, Canada

This sailor is close to the waterfront, and is part of a World War II Navy Memorial. It has flags and wreaths and a list of names on it and everything. Elsewhere, we have another statue of a soldier which also has a list of names (but I don't have a pic of that one). The names are all of dead people, which is kind of sad, but at least this guy has a nice view.

Statue - Glasgow, Scotland

In front of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall stands this statue of Donald Dewar, the first First Minister of Scotland. After the creation of the Scottish Parliment in 1999, he was the first person to hold the post. This statue, located at the top of Buchanan Street, was unveiled in May 2002 by then Prime Minister Tony Blair. You probably can't make it out from the photo, but in keeping with his famous unkempt appearance, it shows Dewar wearing a slightly crushed jacket.
A little piece of trivia: the statue was later taken down and re-erected on a 6 foot high plinth to protect it - not from malicious vandalism but a Glaswegian cultural trend of putting orange traffic cones on the statues head! Ironically this is considered a gesture of respect by many in the city as most of the cities statues have found themselves wearing the familiar orange cones!

Construction - Glasgow, Scotland

Ok ok ok ok ok... apologies for the delay. :'(
I'm back! We don't have a construction saying here, but there is a noticeable increase in the amount of construction taking place in March every year. Why, I hear you ask? Well, it's the end of the financial year and there is a sudden need to spend any unspent budget. *lol* It's true!
The colour of choice here is usually red, white and blue. The first sign of construction (or road works as we call it here) is the red triangle with the man digging (or as my Mum always says - putting up his umbrella!)

***Update***

A wee update for all you International Tag readers out there...

Petrol in my little corner of Scotland has now reached a staggering 115.9 pence per litre!!! OMG!!! That's an increase of 21p (or 22%) since I posted this image! Jen, that makes it now 2.30 dollars in your currency. :P

Construction - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

There's an old Canadian saying: "We don't have four seasons, we have two: winter and construction." So now that the snow's been all melted for a while, it's time for workers to start digging holes in the middle of the road for no apparent reason (I'm sure they have a reason, it just isn't apparent). Anyway, orange is our colour of choice for construction signs. It prevents people from crashing into roadworkers, and lets everybody know that, yes, you will be caught in traffic today. You're it, Carol!

Traditional Drink - Ontario, Canada

Beer is the best I could come up with. I hate beer, personally, so rather than buying some I just snuck up to the bar while we were at a family gathering and snapped a picture, all covert and spy-like. As you can see, the beer on the left is even called Canadian, Molson Canadian to be exact. For a while they had this highly patriotic ad campaign which consisted of an average-looking Canadian guy going up on stage in a movie theatre and reciting the following:

Hey, I'm not a lumberjack, or a fur trader....I don't live in an igloo or eat blubber, or own a dogsled....and I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really really nice. I have a Prime Minister, not a president. I speak English and French, not American. And I pronounce it 'about', not 'a boot'. I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack. I believe in peace keeping, not policing, diversity, not assimilation, and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal. A toque is a hat, a chesterfield is a couch, and it is pronounced 'zed' not 'zee', 'zed'!!!! Canada is the second largest landmass! The first nation of hockey! and the best part of North America. My name is Joe!! And I am Canadian!!!

There were all kinds of parodies of this. (It's funnier if you're Canadian). In case you're wondering, Molson (makers of Canadian and Molson Ex on the right) is brewed in Montreal, Quebec and Labatt Blue is brewed in London, Ontario. Coors is American, so just pretend it's not there.

Traditional Drink - Glasgow, Scotland

Aside from whisky, the one drink that Scotland is the proud to be the creator of is Irn Bru! Be sure to check out their website!
The formula for Irn-Bru is a closely guarded trade sceret, known only by two of Barr's board members, with a written copy held in a Swiss bank-vault!! How cool is that?!?! Do you think Coca-Cola can boast that? *lol*
It was first produced in 1901, the diet variety was introduced in 1980 and in 2006 an energy drink was born... a true icon of Scottish popular culture.
You're it Jen!

Police Car - Glasgow, Scotland

Here is your typical Scottish police car. You can't miss these when they screech pass you on a busy city street! Typically these cars will have the blue and yellow geometrics emblazened on the wide and the Strathclyde Police logo on the bonnet (the front of the car). This one also has the Crimestoppers number which members of the public are encouraged to call if they suspect foul play and a new moto which reads "Working Together - Building Safer Communities." I'm always amazed at just how clean these vehicles are!!

Police Car - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

I took this picture ages ago, when a whole squadron of police cars randomly parked outside and officers stormed my building, guns blazing, looking for evil doers. At least that's how I'm going to remember it. The details are a bit fuzzy since it was so long ago. Anyway, if you see one of these cruisers by the side of the road, flash your headlights to warn people in the on-coming lanes to slow down and avoid the speed trap. It's the Canadian thing to do. You're it Carol!

Cat - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

As you can see, the cats in Canada are much younger. This was taken at the petstore across the street from my condo. So cute. I'd take him home, but I'm allergic. Plus I've got all the baby and furry I can handle with my son and my guinea pig.

Cat - Glasgow, Scotland

A Scottish cat. This particular bundle of fluff is Jazz, our little monster. The reason he's looking so sad is because he knew we were packing to go away to Amsterdam for a few days and leaving him behind.
I'm sure Canadian cats look the same as Scottish cats, although I'll bet they have a diffenet miaow! *lol*
You're it Jen! :)

Strip Club - Glasgow, Scotland

As soon as Jen posted the photo of Solid Gold, I knew I wouldn't have a problem finding Glasgow's equivalent! *lol* Welcome to Diamond Dolls, Glasgow's No. 1 strip club! Not quite as discreet as Burlington's establishment and right next to a sew shop and bar/cafe. The girl on the doorstep isn't waiting for her shift to begin (I took this at lunchtime!) - I believe she's a staff member at House of Fraser, one of the premier department stores in the country. Their staff smoke out in that street all the time.

Like Jen, I've never been in here, I just knew where it was. ;)

Strip Club - Burlington, Ontario

I have lived in Burlington since I was five, and yet I've never attended this gentlemen's club. (Partly because I am a hetrosexual female, and naked dancing girls don't really interest me). The exterior isn't really that much to write home about, but it really demonstrates our somewhat-prudish Canadian custom of disguising our strip joints as classy establishments. Look, they even gave themselves 5 stars. You're it Carol!

Castle - Hamilton, Ontario

This is what passes for a castle in southern Ontario. As wikipedia so eloquently puts it: "Dundurn Castle is an historic chateau on Dundurn Street North in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This 18,000 square foot mansion took three years to build, ending in 1835, for a cost $175,000.00. This seventy-two room castle featured the latest conveniences of gas lighting and running water." Hey, our house cost more than $175, 000. Maybe I can get someone to build us a castle instead. No? Well at least we got to tour the place using the free coupons that came with our cereal boxes. They even gave us cookies at the end of our tour. (William had 2, shhhhh).

BTW: Anyone recognize those tiny people hanging out by the tree?

Castle - Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow isn't a city built on rocks like Edinburgh (which has thee best castle!) but it has a scattering of small castles. This one is Dumbarton Castle, North of the river. It's cared for by Historic Scotland and seeing as they had a free weekend at all of their sites, we thought we'd g visit! =D You're it Jen!

City Sign - Glasgow, Scotland

We're back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerest apologies for the massively hugenormous delay.....
Glasgow doesn't have a population sign - but we've now officially been announced as the official host city *yay* of the 2014 Commonwealth Games! =D