tourist checklist

Go to Edinburgh Castle...check
Try whiskey...check
Go on a ghost tour...check
Take a picture of a man in a kilt...check
Find Chocolate Soup...check
Literary Museum...why not?

A lot has been accomplished to day to say the least. I am not going to give a detailed story of all I have done, if you want to know feel free to look at my facebook...if you are my friend (which I am assuming you are). However, I just wanted to recount some of the more interesting aspects of the day.

First off, I decided that today was my day to be a tourist. It is hard to be the weird mix of tourist/student here. I don't want to be that person; the camera carrying, guidebook reading, try to fit everything into one day, type of person is just not my style. I like to have a plan, but I like to do it in my own time. Keeping this in mind, I went to the castle today and I will admit that I did have my camera but no guidebook. The castle was interesting, mainly because it was a castle and it is interesting to think that people so long ago were able to build something like that. However, it wasn't a castle like Americans tend to think of them. It was more like a small walled town that today has been into small museums. My favorite part was probably the view. There were neat historic aspects, but I just like seeing out all across the city (and actually recognizing things!). The scottish crown jewels were also housed there behind a massive door. It was amazing to think how many times they have been worn and what they represent. I think my favorite piece was the ruby ring with a cross carved into. It's age was obvious because of the crudeness of the cut, but still beautiful in it's simplicity. Also at the castle I tried whiskey for the first time. I know I have been here a couple of weeks already, but I am an old woman and have to take things slowly. The first taste I had was some exclusive to the castle, fancy huh? Needless to say I wasn't sure what to expect. I tasted it and I really liked it until it went down my throat and burned my insides. I guess I need more practice. The second was a little sweeter and a little smoother-no inside burning this time. That is about all there is to say on the castle subject.

I had expected to spend a bit more time at the castle, but it only took about two hours. After exiting, there was a man standing outside posing as Braveheart. He was quite entertaining and those of us lucky enough to be there at the time got a lovely view of his bum with a cross tattoo. How kind. My friend Leesha and I weren't sure what to do with this extra time on our hands so we just wandered down the royal mile. We went into St. Giles Cathedral, which was absolutely beautiful (although it costs two pounds to take pictures inside). Cathedrals are probably one of my favorite places to visit. The atmosphere is calming and even though I am not religious I can see how inspiring it is. The prayer candles flicker, light streams in through painted glass windows, and there is a low hum as people wander in and out. Everything seems so much simpler in the small alcoves. We also managed to find our way to the Literary Museum which was somewhat hidden behind a close. It was interesting to see things from the lives of Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Sir Walter Scott, but nothing outstanding. Oddly enough, the museums had locks of hair from each of them.

After St. Giles, it was determined that we should get something hot to drink to boost our stamina for the ghost tour. Leesha had mentioned this place called Chocolate Soup which was supposed to be amazing, but of course neither of us really knew where it was. Apparently, after our devout appreciation at St. Giles, the gods/God smiled upon us. I really thought Leesha had just seen a famous person when we turned a corner and saw Chocolate Soup; that was how intense her reaction of utter delight was. I ordered a hot chocolate and it (not to sound like my Grandfather) was the best I have ever had. Ironic right?

The adventure on Royal Street continued until it was time for the Paranormal tour of the underground vaults. I think Leesha and I did a better job scaring ourselves than the tour guide did. We got our very own EMF detector and were given free rein for ten minutes to explore. Ghosts must have like us, because that thing was going crazy (just kidding...maybe). You can look for Leesha and I on tv at some point because we will be pros.

To round the day off we finished with traditional pub food at Deacon Brodies and wandered back to our dorms (as everyone else was heading back). Fun and busy day, but tomorrow it is time for homework.

Peace

“Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.”-Anthony Bourdain

 Today I finally did it. I made the long hike up to Arthur's Seat among tornado-like gusts of wind and slick slopes, but it was totally worth every minute. The gusts of wind were somewhat frightening as they pushed me over and into the rocks or helped me slide down a particularly slick spot. There are really no words to describe what it was like looking over the city. It was better than I ever even dreamed in all the years I have spent thinking about being here. For this reason, I am going to abide by the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Admittedly, I don't think the pictures even do it justice, but here are a few:

After climbing Arthur's Seat our group headed towards Duddingston, which is a really old town hidden in Edinburgh itself. We went to a garden there that reminded me somewhat of home. It did not look like home (not at all actually) but it was comforting and soothing. The greenery and benches gave it a calming atmosphere that made me wish I could just sit there all day and simply watch the birds and water. It was absolutely gorgeous and looked out onto a small loch. There was also an old church from the twelfth century as well, though it had been rebuilt several times. I would like to make my mother and father proud now and mention that I got two history/random fact  questions right. There was a small staircase right outside the gate to the church that didn't lead to anything, admittedly it took me a minute, but I realized it was an old mounting block. The second question was why there was a need for a watchtower- it was a place to catch grave robbers. Oh the perks of having teachers as parents. In the town was also a pub that claimed to be one of the oldest if not the oldest in Scotland called the Sheep Heid Inn. I didn't really care about the claim to fame, but the hot port with honey and lemon was very welcome after the blistering wind outside. Oddly enough, the pub had an old bowling alley in the back. 

With the heady rush that climbing Arthur's Seat gave us, my friend Leesha and I decided to make our way to The Mermaid, a chip shop in Leith. The Mermaid was shown on the London/Edinburgh episode of Anthony Bourdain-No reservations, so of course I had to go. The directions looked simple enough, but it was rather a long way away (5 miles round trip). We were very close to it when we got lost. I had written take a left instead of a right, but we still managed to find our way. In our struggles to find our way we came across a British woman who was a big fan of his as well. She said she would definitely try it out if Bourdain recommended the place. It was somewhat frightening when we got there because it looked closed and we thought we had walked all of that way for nothing, but thankfully it opened in 10 minutes. I wasn't as adventurous as Bourdain and instead got a meat pie and fish-no chips. The food was incredibly heavy on the stomach, but I am glad I got past my distaste for fried food to follow in my hero's footsteps. They do this thing to their fried food where they put on brown sauce and salt which is probably meant to assist in clogging arteries. One of the guys working there was also quite friendly and asked what we were doing in Edinburgh etc and waved us on our way. I suppose Americans aren't as common in Leith as it is further away from all of the touristy stuff. Needless to say, neither Leesha nor I finished the food. We had a long trip back in the dark and being sick would go somewhat against our purpose of making it back alive. 

I feel as if I have written some sort of travelogue going "I did this, and this, then this, and this..."and I hate that, but I am still processing it all. I will add more as it comes to me, but for now all I can say is ...

-Peace 

“So this is America. They must be out of their minds." Ringo Starr

Everyone knows I love the Beatles, therefore who better to echo what I am feeling? Admittedly, the sentiment is slightly reversed, but still very much what I am feeling. After one week of classes I am learning that there are many differences in how things are done over here. Now before you say to yourselves, "Oh it can't be that hard, they speak English" or "She must be scared out of her mind" I want to point out that neither of these are correct. I am nervous, but then again I am always nervous and I just have to pick up my stride over here. I realized today that I am not british and should not be so concerned with blending in, but just be me. Therefore, with this revelation in my mind I put my earphones in, cranked Vampire Weekend, and walked along my merry way smiling at almost everyone I saw. I am realizing that despite the fact that I don't have an accent I am from the south. We smile and say hi to people. We open doors and let others pass before us; I would just like to mention now that I have done that multiple times over here out of habit and have received strange looks every time.

Classes are good, but very overwhelming. I am not really used to being lectured to without breaks for questions or comments. I am definitely not used to the huge reading lists I am meant to prepare for weekly. Even more frightening is the fact that I am not used to the Middle Scot language. For those of you who have read Middle English imagine that on crack. Here is an example: "Slayne with pusoune, rycht to the ded: /And quhen he saw thair was na rede, /Hys eyn with his hand closit he, /For to dey with mar honeste." I will let you, dear readers, figure that out. My professor said to read it aloud, but I think that only works if you have an accent.

I can't remember if I have written about this before, but Scottish culture is very much a pub culture. The stores close at around 6 and after that people start going out. Living in this dorm somewhat reminds me of Georgetown on Friday night, but every night. Shockingly, last night the fire alarm went off around 3 in the morning and it appeared that almost everyone had been fast asleep. I guess I should be doubly prepared for tonight. I did have my first pub experience last night, but didn't get anything. Drinks here are ridiculously expensive. Personally, I am trying to save that money for travel.

There really isn't a lot more for me to say at this point. Tomorrow I hope to climb Arthurs seat - a dormant volcano that lies right behind my dorm. Sorry about the light pole right there in the middle.

To end I would like to state that it is warmer here than in Kentucky, by like ten degrees. Before I left people kept commenting on how cold it would be and to that I would just like to say "Hah!". 

-Peace

a note about kentucky

I am in the library here and looking out onto the square, watching the cars travel past. I keep thinking about what Scotland is known for and what Edinburgh is known for. My mind began to wonder and I began to think about what Kentucky is known for and then from there I questioned what we have "accomplished" in the state this year. We had the World Equestrian Games, which is of course a major step for us. However, in this same year, Kentucky has elected Rand Paul and decided to build aNoah's Ark theme park.

Skipping Rand Paul, because I follow along with the "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all" on these public forums. However, what is this "Ark" concept? In my mind, the concept is cheap and selling sacred beliefs short. Building a theme park in this context takes away from the actual history and belief in my mind. I am not a Christain, something I don't really talk about. I say my piece and I am done, however I have a deep respect for all religions. I feel that building a theme park based a bible story merely commercializes it rather than appreciating the value. How can people equate the deep traditions of religion, such as those found in the Catholic Church, with a theme park. Kids are going to puke all over the rides and there will be the theme park classics we all know about. I am talking to you mullet man with tattoo sleeves and a beer belly (maybe not beer belly, but something). I don't know what it is about our society that causes it to make everything commercialized, but this theme park is ridiculous. I suppose I am done with my rant now...I don't want to bore anybody with more of this. However, the final question will be, will the Harry Potter theme park be more popular than Noah? I think we all know the answer.

On the upside and possible downside, classes start today. Fun times.

-Peace

aMAZEment

Before starting this, I would like to preface it with the fact that Georgetown College and the surrounding area have a very simple layout. They don't have winding roads that crisscross each other and every block they assume a new name...Edinburgh does. I understand and recognize the major streets, but other than that I could be walking in the total opposite direction and not even know. This is where my worry comes in. As everyone knows, I like to get to things early. If I don't get to class with plenty of time to spare I feel disordered and unprepared for the entire class (even if we didn't have any work due). Tomorrow is the first day of class when we get our syllabi and are introduced to the basics and for precisely this reason I am quite nervous about making it to my classes right now. Although, technically I only have one because I am not registered for the other two. I have to register for them tomorrow as well. Luckily they are mostly lower level because as they progress in their majors here the classes become more specific whereas in the US this can happen, but normally not to the point of studying say Leon Batista and his one main work for the entire class. Those sorts do not transfer well. This has been a basic summary of my worries for this coming week.

Right this instant I feel like I am on vacation. It hasn't hit me that tomorrow I am going to class and beginning the whole reason for this adventure. The whole thing is a huge leap into the unknown...everything is different and so intimidating, but exciting. It reminds me of how I have always imagined the descent of a mountain. Not the ascent, because at that point you have a goal in sight. On the descent there is the goal of reaching the bottom, but you no longer have that high that comes from reaching the top. At the same time, you don't know what awaits you on your journey down or even at the bottom.

It is necessary to state that every time I step outside in this city I am amazed. Everything is so utterly beautiful and with that fact it is hard to see that anyone could be unhappy. The weather (temperature wise) is like Kentucky right now...some of the people came from California so it is a struggle for them, but I don't mind (I knew I wasn't going to the Mediterranean).

For those people who would like a little glimpse into my day, I spent the day in orientation then doing some shopping along Princes St. I had to buy a new coat because mine ripped while I was walking back to my dorm last night after a late night coffee. There was scaffolding and a nail sticking out that happened to pull at the perfect spot...go figure. After that I had my first cafeteria experience with my friend emily. Same sort of thing as Georgetown except there were even less options and the food was more bland. Oh well...it is cheaper and easier than doing it myself.

Weird fact: French fries are apparently a breakfast food.

-Peace

thus far...

So I am probably not going to update everyday, but I kind of wanted to share this. It is absolutely stunning here. Not like hawaii or paradise, but rather something that is more human. Walking down the street or looking out over the city itself you feel connected to something deeper, ancient. I have always idealized this place in my head, so maybe I am adding something to it, I don't know. I like exploring the city with people and interacting. It is somewhat like home in terms of attitude; everyone is very friendly and willing to help-maybe they have northern hospitality? :) The architecture is split up between the Medieval and the Georgian. (they even have part of a square designed by Robert Adams) It is an interesting blend, but still gorgeous.

Besides the architecture something else stands out here...there are not that many trees. At first you might imagine it as dull and brown, but everything is still green. The colors coming from the surrounding hills and the general landscape allow the viewer to see for miles. Winds feel stronger and send my hair in seventeen directions while I walk, but I don't mind. Light is different as well being so far north. The way it plays off of building and the landscapes is just different and beautiful; it is almost surreal.

I plan to explore more as time goes on, but right now I couldn't be happier to be here.

-Paix


Oh one last thing. I found out that my family visit is in the lake district which, for anyone who loves Jane Austen, is the home of Mr. Darcy.

From planes and trains to boats and cars...

I have been overseas since the 29th of December, but it still hasn't really hit me that I am here. My dad came over with me because we were hoping to have a chance to see family, however with the weather and holiday season we weren't able to. I won't bore you with details of that and instead relate some of the more interesting stories. On the plane ride over I sat next to a French women who I tried to converse with, I decided from then on I was just going to stick to the present tense as much as possible so there wouldn't be as many awkward pauses. She was quite friendly and gave us a few tips about Paris. When we finally arrived in Paris we got horribly lost on the Metro. All I can say is thank god for taxis. A vietnamese guy tried to show us how to get to our station, but being dumb Americans we couldn't figure it out. Paris was interesting, but rather drab this time of year. Everyone wore black and other dark colors, even the children. The best thing that happened was probably the meal we had at a little neighborhood cafe. The men who owned it only spoke french, but were extremely nice and smiled constantly. It is amazing what a little smile can do to improve the mood. Of course my dad and I went to the Louvre and such-I couldn't find the painting I was looking for by Artemisia Gentileschi.

We crossed the channel on a boat between Rotterdam and Hull. I made an attempt to get on wifi because I hadn't been connected since I arrived. It ended up involving a guy from the Netherlands and three very confused crew members. Needless to say, I did not achieve full internet access despite the five pounds I paid for the card.

Upon arrival in England we had to retrieve the car and begin the five hour drive to Edinburgh. It gets dark remarkably early this far north. The sun rises around eight and sets about four-thirty; it really messed with me the first night. My dad and I got lost trying to find our hotel and after driving around and asking for directions from people on the street as well as frequent calls to our hotel. Eventually someone from the hotel came and found us.

There is not much else to say yet. My dad and I wondered around the Royal Mile yesterday then came back to the Hotel. He left this morning which was of course sad, but I am not homesick. For now I am just waiting for it all to begin.