Living London: "Say Whiskey" SCOTLAND :)

Hello Everyone,

One week has elapsed since I blogged last but I promise I will make up for it.

I will recap last week quickly because you all want to hear about SCOTLAND! or maybe you don't, but please humor me and pretend like you do as you read this :).

Monday: After returning home from Birkbeck; Marisa, Jake and I had afternoon tea together. I called the Irish Center to inquire about dance lessons but the number was no longer in service - disheartening. Oh well, we'll try other places. The rest of Monday night I spent doing homework and relaxing.

Tuesday: Got up early and headed to Birkbeck. Read a little for my class before meeting Marisa for lunch. Went to class a little early as we had to all meet up before heading on our first walking tour. Our professor, named Jeremy Worman, took us all around "Dicken's London" as we are still reading Oliver Twist. We walked all through out the limits of the actual City of London (center city so to speak) and ended our day at the Charles Dicken's Museum. It was really neat to walk around the former home of such a great writer who's works are still cherished.
After class I headed home and got ready to go to dinner and a movie with a friend. We went to see Corilianous. Though it was a good movie and Ralph Fiennes was spectacular as usual the movie was spoken in old English and was very difficult to understand - oh well.
After the movie I went home and hung out with my room mates before going to bed.

Wednesday: My theater class was cancelled so Beth, Marisa, Kyle, and I decided to head to Harrod's to window shop and wish we were rich. Harrod's is so grand and glorious it was very overwhelming to realize I was there at first. I was the best window shopper ever taking mental notes of everything I will purchase after my first book sells over 1 million copies (dare to dream right?!). What I found most impressive was the candy shop (Marisa said if she was told she had 24 hours to live and could spend her time in one room it would be that one), the furniture section (like IKEA on steroids), and, of course, the new Harry Potter store. In one part of the Harry Potter store they had movies 1 and 7 part 2 playing next to each other --- so crazy.
After walking around Harrod's for a couple hours Beth decided to head back while Marisa, Kyle, and I went to tea of High Street Kensington. After a delightful time we return to good old Pembridge Gardens. Wednesday night was very relaxed with almost everyone staying home, drinking some wine, and enjoying each other's company....some went out for Luke's birthday and had a nice time.

Thursday: Thursday I had both my classes on campus. My first class was spent discussing how London came to be defined as a city in ever sense of the word and how we can compare London's start to other world cities. After class we went to the market (I have included a picture at the end of this post). After lunch we all headed to British Society since 1945. We talked about the political parties of Parliament and watched another section of Andrew Marr's documentary on Britain since 1945; I find the documentary to be very well done.
After class we all headed home and had dinner. I took it easy and got to bed early knowing I would need to be up bright and early for SCOTLAND!

Friday: 7 AM Friday morning started my Scotland adventure weekend. Marisa, Phil, Jake, Kyle, Laura, and I left Notting Hill Gate on the tube bound for King's Cross Station. After easily getting our tickets we boarded the train (an even easier process than getting our tickets) and before we knew it we were headed to Edinburgh Waverly Station. I broke up the time of the 4 and 1/2 hour train ride by reading, listening to music, sleeping, and talking to everyone. I find train rides to very peaceful yet energizing at the same time. Through the ride it was mostly sunny and we got to see the beautiful English countryside. Before we knew it we were in Edinburgh. After climbing a hill a stairs (literally a steep hill made of stairs) we turned a corner down High Street and found our hostel right away. Though a little tight the hostel was very nice and not that expensive (well done Jake)! After settling in we set out to explore. We walked up and down the Royal Mile (aka High Street aka the distance between Edinburgh Castle to Holyroodhouse Palace).
We walked all around and got great pictures of the GORGEOUS city of Edinburgh. We booked our highlands trip for Sunday and got a helpful tip on where to get dinner on a student's budget. This advice led us to "The Tron" a local student pub where we all (expect Kyle) got fish and chips and for a great deal! After dinner we headed to a pub called "Whistle Binkies" where there is live music every night! The bands were good and had our first "men dressed in traditional Scottish kilts" sighting :).
After figuring out our plans for Saturday we went to bed exhausted.

Saturday: The boys got up before the sun and walked down the Royal Mile and into the national park (and up the mountain side) and watched the sunrise. I was just to tired to go (plus the idea of having to climb a mountain just didn't seem possible first thing in the morning or a good idea for my asthma since it would have been time sensitive - so to speak). They came back with a great story and great pictures -- that they have yet to show us --- I look forward to seeing them)! We all went to breakfast at the Royal Mile Pub next door to our hostel. We all got a traditional Scottish breakfast (Laura and I shared) complete with Haggis, though I was not a huge fan of the haggis.
Saturday turned into "Boys day/Girls day." Phil, Kyle and Jake headed on free tour of Edinburgh and learn some great facts and saw awesome places. Marisa, Laura, and I decided to check out the Scottish Parliament and Holyroodhouse Palace - the official residence of the Queen when she is in Scotland). Though the tour of the palace cost a small fee it was worth it! The interior was beautiful and the outside was ever more spectacular. As part of the paid self-guided tour we got to see the reunions of the Abbey that still stand on the site.
After touring the Palace we went on a free tour of the Scottish Parliament. We had some free time before the tour officially started so we walked around the exhibit that was presented in the main lobby called "Democracy and Design." The exhibit featured students projects from art schools around Scotland and Great Britain. These projects tackled the question of how to propel democracy forward through different mediums of art (examples included fashion clothes designs, photos, and other various mediums). It was a very thought provoking exhibit and I thought many of the ideas could actually work in reality...I hope to see these ideas take flight and say I got to see them way back when....
The Parliament was very informative. With the current "Scottish Independence" question being tackled with in Westminster it was very educational to see how the Scottish Parliament worked (in it's current existence since 1999 out of the Scotland Act of 1998 and in it's current building since 2004). I walked away very happy I got to go on the tour because I must admit I didn't fully understand how the Scottish Parliament worked before Saturday and what I did know I was confused about - all my confusion was erased and now I can say I at least have the basic knowledge.
After Parliament Laura, Marisa, and I went to tea (of course) and it was delicious. We then ventured to the "The Elephant House" the cafe where JK Rowling started writing the first Harry Potter novel. Every time I see something related to Harry Potter it makes me more and more excited for the Studio tour in April :) After another Harry Potter related stop in the UK we met up with the boys and relaxed at the hostel for a little while before heading out for dinner and then dessert at this Italian restaurant called "Vittoria's". I had Bailey's cheese cake - SO GOOD! We spent Saturday night relaxing at the hostel.

Sunday: Up at 7 AM with some Starbucks to help we met at the location our bus tour to St. Andrews and part of the Highlands was to depart from. There were only 4 other people (two couples from Southern Italy) including the six of us on this tour. Our tour guide, Steve, was great and we could tell he loved his job! The main highlight of the day was stopping at St. Andrews - where we spent a total of three hours. We got to see the remains of the Cathedral and the Castle. We went around to little charity shops and got some much needed hot chocolate and took wayyy to many pictures. We departed for St. Andrews with our destination being Anstruther. During this part of the ride we were given the history of the Scottish flag (the oldest, continuous national flag in the world).

*** Starbucks is now closing and I've used all my Internet until tomorrow - will be sure to continue tomorrow morning.

***

Hello Again from Birkbeck. I will not continue my Scotland adventure story....

Sunday (cont'd): We got back on the tour bus headed from Anstruther where Steve told us a fish and chips place existed that had the best fish and chips in Britain. Anstruther (called Ansel by the locals) is a beautiful little harbor town. The sun was preparing decent to setting when we got there around 3 pm. This made for some amazing pictures. It reminded me greatly of being down the shore, near the bay, and in went my family and I went to Kinsale in Ireland. After some quick photos we went into the fish and chips shop, waited in the long line to be seated, realized we would not have enough time (we were only given a half hour), and then got in - the longer - take out line. The long lines and PACKED place signaled to us that perhaps Steve was right that this place does have the best fish and chips. I guess the best fish and chips deserve a quality preparation because we waited 20 minutes before all of us got our food which forced us to have to eat in on the bus. But we didn't care because the rumors were true BEST fish and chips I have so far in Britain...most fish and best chips! As we left Anstruther Steve told us the locals don't even go there because of how packed it is all year round -- they go to the fish and chips shop down the street - go figure.
Anstruther was suppose to be our last stop before heading to Edinburgh so I feel asleep for a little while. I woke up to Steve stopping and allowing us to take pictures on the coast as the sun set - GORGEOUS!
We were making time so Steve stopped at a some church where buried treasure is rumored to be and allowed us a more pictures. An hour or so later we were back in Edinburgh and made our final stop over looking the Fourths Bridge and another bridge out across the river and bay. We took some FINAL pictures with the last traces on sun in the sky - absolutely perfect end to the tour.
I am so happy we went on the tour. Our tour guide Steve was wonderful and said he very much enjoyed our company. He said his company valued giving tours with as much historical information as possible while going to places that could appeal to everyone. Being a history major and listening to Steve talk for 5 hours straight - literally - I can definitely say I know quite a bit of the basis of Scottish history and culture and origins of catch phrases like "nook and cranny." (Ask me about it sometime).
After a WONDERFUL day we did a little souvenir shopping then returned to the hostel tired but happy. We rested a little before getting dinner at the Royal Mile. Laura and I split a chicken sandwich - it was very good. Laura, Marisa, and I decided we wanted dessert so we went to a local Italian Restaurant and took advantage of their student discount (it's amazing how many places in the UK offer student discounts - and great ones at that - gonna miss them when I go home). I got a delicious chocolate cake - yummy!
We met up with the boys and went to Whistle Binkie's (one of the places we went the first night) to listen to some live music and celebrate our last night in Scotland. I braved it and had a shot of whiskey with the boys -- when in Scotland! Satisfied with our Scottish adventure we headed home and went to bed a little happy and a little sad we were heading back early to London.

Monday: Yesterday we got up at 6 AM and hit up Starbucks (of course) before heading for the train to King's Cross. Overall my first hostel experience was a success - a little cramped and a little humid in "the fridge" room but I've heard the horror stories so I was expecting worse. First Scotland experience is one I will always remember. Scotland is BEAUTIFUL and the people are so warm and friendly. Our first trip went off without a hitch (they didn't tell us the origin of that one - darn) and - by an act of God - it did not rain AT ALL while we were there. Seriously we are lucking out SO well on weather I'm waiting for rain or snow or anything.
During the course of the train ride I read, listened to music, and slept. The ride was smooth and seemed quick. Before we knew it we were back at King's Cross and Marisa and I headed home while everyone else headed to City (their school). Upon arriving I received a package from my family full of peanut butter, popcorn, and coffee creamer. I was so excited (had some creamer with my coffee this morning -- delicious -- thanks mom)! Marisa and I unpacked and then packed for the laundry mat. We got lunch from Itsu (a Japanese place near home) so we sat and ate while our clothes were being watched - quite a sight. I read some more of my book and soon enough the my clothes were all washed and dry and I got to go home and take a nap.
As evident from the start of this post last night I went to Starbucks after my nap for the free wi-fi. While I was there Marisa showed up and so did another one of our house mates and sadly he got his Iphone stolen. The suspects were caught on security cameras so we're hoping something good will come of it but it appears it's gone forever :(. With this I realized I was really back in London and got extra paranoid again.
Last night Marisa, Laura and I relaxed and did homework. I finished my book and essay.
I went to bed last night feeling very accomplished.

Tuesday: Today I woke up and got more Internet time and ate breakfast before heading to school. Made some last minute edits to my essay and printed it out before returning to blogging because I knew you were all waiting with bated breath (or would be if this wasn't posted by the time you woke up or shortly after you woke up but it will be - since it's just about 7 am in Horsham)!
Tonight Marisa, Laura, and I are going to see "The Descendants" and I'm so pumped!!!

Thank you to everyone for your continued support and reading this blog. It means a lot.

Now - picture time :).....