03/06/2022
My mate TIm suggested I visit the Kelpies on this journey , so I drove down through the beautiful evening from Stirling yesterday and slept in the car close to where they stand .
The Kelpies are 30-metre-high (98 ft) horse-head sculptures depicting kelpies (shape-shifting water spirits), located between Falkirk and Grangemouth..and they are breathtaking. I almost felt a reverence near them and was sure that aliens would have to check in with them first if they wanted to come to earth .
I was feeling a bit crimpled and crumpled after a night in the motor and so grabbed a coffee and a seat near to the sculptures . There was a bit of green grass close by and so down went the jumpers .
Within 10 minutes I’d been joined by Ivan, Bertan, Moses, Kevin, Elden, Ayan, Naveen, Neil and Dominic …a real cultural mix of people from Rwanda, the Philippines and India . They were all members of the Seventh- day Adventist Church in Harlow, Essex. Naveen told me they learn from all religious traditions and are united in love for each other. They also believe in the second coming of Jesus..and in having a great game of footy !
I joined Moses, Ayan, Bertan and cool little Neil in his sunglasses to play the rest . This turned out to be a superb game in the shadow of the Kelpies . Ivan was doing some shape shifting of his own , wriggling in and out of tackles and chipping his side into the lead . The forceful Ayan struck back for us and it stayed 1-1 for a while, with young Kevin safe as houses in their nets .
All the while, little Neil was cracking me up . This tiny chap wearing his American Police sunglasses was patrolling the whole pitch like a pac man , eating up the grass and determined to score . After a 5 minute stalemate came a flurry of goals 2-1, 2-2, 3-2, 3-3 and all the way to 4-4 . Next goals the winner ! Kevin strode out from his nets and banged one in low to my right to win it for them . Brilliant competitive game with some lovely folk. One of the Kelpies looked on with interest, the other looked away . Can’t please everyone , not even shape-shifters. Unity is Strength ! One love X