Warning: This is a pretty long post! Sorry!
This is just a list of info that I learned in my 5 days in Edinburgh. It's a long post, but I top it off with some photos at the end to make it worth your while. Enjoy!
1. MEN ACTUALLY WEAR KILTS! It's adorable, and I love it. Kilts and colors usually represent Scottish clans and such, but you'll see people wear them just about everywhere. I believe that it's sometimes worn to show the tourists (such as in restaurants or in shops), but there are times that men are just walking down the dress rocking the kilt. It's great.
2. Bars here close at 3am on weekends, which is pretty awesome. The latest we've been out is 2am, but that may change for August 30 (BIRTHDAY TIME!)
3. HAGGIS is actually quite lovely. What is haggis, you may ask? Well, haggis is actually a large spherical sausage made of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep, all chopped and mixed with beef or mutton suet and oatmeal and seasoned with onion, cayenne pepper, and other spices. The mixture is packed into a sheep’s stomach and boiled. Yup. I ate that. It's usually served nowadays as "Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties" (haggis, turnips, and potatos). It actually taste really good. Kind of like meatloaf!
4. Whiskey is still disgusting. I am definitely not a whiskey girl. God love the Scots for being able to down that stuff.
5. The weather in Scotland is definitely as unpredicable as they say. Every morning, I've woken up to beautiful sunshine and a relatively warm day. But come afternoon, the wind begins to pick up, and the rain stalks behind clouds. Thank goodness I brought my Northface, hat and gloves! (You were right, Mother! hehe) It does get quite chilly here.
(Now here's where my history geek shines)
6. People believe that "Braveheart" was William Wallace, who led the Scottish rebellion against Edward I and is remembered as a patriot and national hero (think Mel Gibson movie). But the title of "Braveheart"actually goes to King Robert the Bruce, who secured Scotland's independence from England. It's a long story as to how he received the nickname, but after his death, Robert's heart was actually brought into battle. The Scots hoped that he would lead the way in spirit.
7. The OFFICIAL Scottish flag is a white X-shaped cross on a blue backdrop. The story goes that St. Andrew (the Patron Saint of Scotland) was crucified on an X-shaped cross. About 700 years later, King Angus says he had a dream that St. Andrew had promised triumph in battle against the English. The next morning, he saw a white cross in the bright blue sky, which led the Scots to victory.
8. The Scots have some fun stories from Maggie Dickson, Willian "Deacon" Brodie (the inspiration for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), tavern legends, and Harry Potter! J.K. Rowling sat in the Elephant House Cafe and wrote the first two Harry Potter books while also getting names (such as Thomas Riddell) from Greyfriar's Graveyard directly across the street. But my favorite story is of Greyfriars Bobby.
In 1850, John Gray became the groundskeeper for the Greyfriars Graveyard and took on Bobby, a Skye Terrier, as his watchdog. 8 years later, tuberculosis took John Gray, who was buried in Greyfriars. Ever the loyal sidekick and watchdog, Bobby refused to leave his master's grave, even in the worst weather conditions. The story goes that for fourteen years the faithful dog kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872.
There are so many other little tidbits that I've learned about Scotland, and that's only a fraction of the magnificent stories that make this country lovely. I hope to one day come back and explore the Highlands, the shorelines, the lochs, each cross (alleyway), and try a pint from every pub (a near impossible task).
I learned something important in Edinburgh that will forever be with me as a way of life. "Vivendo Discimus." By living, we learn. I love this, and will carry this phrase and idea with me forever. In a way, I'm living by this at the moment. My year of travel and enlightenment (as I like to think of it) has been and will continue to be a daily lesson for me. Only time will tell what I do with the knowledge and experience.
We've left Scotland to visit another part of the UK: Stratford-upon-Avon. This town is the birthplace of one of the greatest playwrights in history, William Shakespeare. I think train rides are going to be one of the most enjoyable parts of my experience in Europe. They give me a chance to sleep without feeling guilty about not getting out of bed. Plus, I get to admire some of the countryside and the sights I won't be able to see while I'm in the cities. So for the first half of the trip to Stratford, I did sleep and it was glorious. But once I opened my eyes, I saw green. Pure emerald green outside the window, with the occasional spotting of sheep or cows. Large trees, tall and skinny trees, willow-like trees, and short, stubby shrubs all scattered about the countryside, creating a terrains of various levels. Finally, the adorable houses that were lined up, all in colored bricks or single-color plaster. Each house had it's own charm about it, a homeliness about them that was quite romantic.
I guess that's one thing I'm not exactly a fan of with this trip already. When I travel, I like to travel for long periods of time and explore, not just stay in one city. I would've loved to explore the natural beauty of Scotland and seen some of the lochs, the highlands, and some of the islands. I want to see the bustle of the cities as well as the serene and quietness of the countryside. I know that city-hopping is exactly what I had signed up for, but there's always so much more to see, do, and experience. That's why I'll enjoy these train rides. Sleep time, yes. But the trains will help me gain more of a snapshot of the countries I'm visiting.
Edinburgh was full of mysterious crosses (alleyways), wonderful pointed buildings, a luscious park in the city, and a magnificent castle in the center of the city. I did the tour myself since Corinne had already done it with her family. It was nice to explore the ins and outs of the Scottish royal party. In the center of the castle is the National War Memorial, which honored all the Scots who have lost their lives. Their names are still being written in the books to this day. For some reason, I felt the most pride and respect in that chapel. It's always an honor to visit war memorials in other countries, and it always will be. I also was able to see the crowned jewels of Scotland. No pictures were allowed in there, but they were gorgeous. Unfortunately, it is a huge tourist trap in there. Everyone believes they have the right to step on people's toes to see something we've all waited in line to see. Relax, breathe, and be patient, fellow tourists. We're all going to see it. Jeez.
Corinne and I are staying in Stratford-upon-Avon tonight and leaving for London in the morning. Just one more place to see in Stratford, then off to see the Queen! Tally-ho!
This is just a list of info that I learned in my 5 days in Edinburgh. It's a long post, but I top it off with some photos at the end to make it worth your while. Enjoy!
1. MEN ACTUALLY WEAR KILTS! It's adorable, and I love it. Kilts and colors usually represent Scottish clans and such, but you'll see people wear them just about everywhere. I believe that it's sometimes worn to show the tourists (such as in restaurants or in shops), but there are times that men are just walking down the dress rocking the kilt. It's great.
2. Bars here close at 3am on weekends, which is pretty awesome. The latest we've been out is 2am, but that may change for August 30 (BIRTHDAY TIME!)
3. HAGGIS is actually quite lovely. What is haggis, you may ask? Well, haggis is actually a large spherical sausage made of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep, all chopped and mixed with beef or mutton suet and oatmeal and seasoned with onion, cayenne pepper, and other spices. The mixture is packed into a sheep’s stomach and boiled. Yup. I ate that. It's usually served nowadays as "Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties" (haggis, turnips, and potatos). It actually taste really good. Kind of like meatloaf!
4. Whiskey is still disgusting. I am definitely not a whiskey girl. God love the Scots for being able to down that stuff.
5. The weather in Scotland is definitely as unpredicable as they say. Every morning, I've woken up to beautiful sunshine and a relatively warm day. But come afternoon, the wind begins to pick up, and the rain stalks behind clouds. Thank goodness I brought my Northface, hat and gloves! (You were right, Mother! hehe) It does get quite chilly here.
(Now here's where my history geek shines)
6. People believe that "Braveheart" was William Wallace, who led the Scottish rebellion against Edward I and is remembered as a patriot and national hero (think Mel Gibson movie). But the title of "Braveheart"actually goes to King Robert the Bruce, who secured Scotland's independence from England. It's a long story as to how he received the nickname, but after his death, Robert's heart was actually brought into battle. The Scots hoped that he would lead the way in spirit.
7. The OFFICIAL Scottish flag is a white X-shaped cross on a blue backdrop. The story goes that St. Andrew (the Patron Saint of Scotland) was crucified on an X-shaped cross. About 700 years later, King Angus says he had a dream that St. Andrew had promised triumph in battle against the English. The next morning, he saw a white cross in the bright blue sky, which led the Scots to victory.
8. The Scots have some fun stories from Maggie Dickson, Willian "Deacon" Brodie (the inspiration for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), tavern legends, and Harry Potter! J.K. Rowling sat in the Elephant House Cafe and wrote the first two Harry Potter books while also getting names (such as Thomas Riddell) from Greyfriar's Graveyard directly across the street. But my favorite story is of Greyfriars Bobby.
In 1850, John Gray became the groundskeeper for the Greyfriars Graveyard and took on Bobby, a Skye Terrier, as his watchdog. 8 years later, tuberculosis took John Gray, who was buried in Greyfriars. Ever the loyal sidekick and watchdog, Bobby refused to leave his master's grave, even in the worst weather conditions. The story goes that for fourteen years the faithful dog kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872.
There are so many other little tidbits that I've learned about Scotland, and that's only a fraction of the magnificent stories that make this country lovely. I hope to one day come back and explore the Highlands, the shorelines, the lochs, each cross (alleyway), and try a pint from every pub (a near impossible task).
I learned something important in Edinburgh that will forever be with me as a way of life. "Vivendo Discimus." By living, we learn. I love this, and will carry this phrase and idea with me forever. In a way, I'm living by this at the moment. My year of travel and enlightenment (as I like to think of it) has been and will continue to be a daily lesson for me. Only time will tell what I do with the knowledge and experience.
We've left Scotland to visit another part of the UK: Stratford-upon-Avon. This town is the birthplace of one of the greatest playwrights in history, William Shakespeare. I think train rides are going to be one of the most enjoyable parts of my experience in Europe. They give me a chance to sleep without feeling guilty about not getting out of bed. Plus, I get to admire some of the countryside and the sights I won't be able to see while I'm in the cities. So for the first half of the trip to Stratford, I did sleep and it was glorious. But once I opened my eyes, I saw green. Pure emerald green outside the window, with the occasional spotting of sheep or cows. Large trees, tall and skinny trees, willow-like trees, and short, stubby shrubs all scattered about the countryside, creating a terrains of various levels. Finally, the adorable houses that were lined up, all in colored bricks or single-color plaster. Each house had it's own charm about it, a homeliness about them that was quite romantic.
I guess that's one thing I'm not exactly a fan of with this trip already. When I travel, I like to travel for long periods of time and explore, not just stay in one city. I would've loved to explore the natural beauty of Scotland and seen some of the lochs, the highlands, and some of the islands. I want to see the bustle of the cities as well as the serene and quietness of the countryside. I know that city-hopping is exactly what I had signed up for, but there's always so much more to see, do, and experience. That's why I'll enjoy these train rides. Sleep time, yes. But the trains will help me gain more of a snapshot of the countries I'm visiting.
Edinburgh was full of mysterious crosses (alleyways), wonderful pointed buildings, a luscious park in the city, and a magnificent castle in the center of the city. I did the tour myself since Corinne had already done it with her family. It was nice to explore the ins and outs of the Scottish royal party. In the center of the castle is the National War Memorial, which honored all the Scots who have lost their lives. Their names are still being written in the books to this day. For some reason, I felt the most pride and respect in that chapel. It's always an honor to visit war memorials in other countries, and it always will be. I also was able to see the crowned jewels of Scotland. No pictures were allowed in there, but they were gorgeous. Unfortunately, it is a huge tourist trap in there. Everyone believes they have the right to step on people's toes to see something we've all waited in line to see. Relax, breathe, and be patient, fellow tourists. We're all going to see it. Jeez.
Corinne and I are staying in Stratford-upon-Avon tonight and leaving for London in the morning. Just one more place to see in Stratford, then off to see the Queen! Tally-ho!