I have forgotten how incredibly lucky/ blessed/ fortunate I am to be living in Scotland. I hate to endorse a cliche, but I have taken Edinburgh and what has become day-to-day life for granted.
Anna's mom and dad-- possibly the two sweetest Rock Thrill Southerners you will ever meet-- came in to town for several days last week. My family, Kate's family, and Anna's brothers came for the Christmas holidays, and of course we wowed them with our independence/ knowledge/ bravery, but Mr. and Mrs. Wilson reminded us of how (please forgive the "French"...it is needed for emphasis) bad-ass we are. The timing was perfect: with only a month left in the country, sensible parents reminded us of how invaluable our experience has been and will be.
I would say I'm done tooting my how-blessed-I-am horn... but did I mention we had friends come to visit??? One of Kate's friends from high school, Kacie, is studying for her masters in Anglo-Irish literature at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Kacie and her friend Colleen flew into town on 19 February and stayed for a long weekend, leaving in the wee morning hours on the 23rd with barely enough time for Kacie to catch her Monday morning class. It's funny how quickly travelers bond. Vagabonds always find things in common to talk about...
I'm still not done. We had MORE visitors at the same time as Kacie and Colleen! The lovely Lindsey Williams Bauler came to visit!!!! Lindsey and Anna went to high school together, and Anna was a bridesmaid in her wedding this summer; Lindsey and I worked on summer staff in Montreat in 2007. Lindsey brought along with her Halli, whom we affectionately call "H" in honor of CSI Miami (and she motions to take off her aviator sunglasses whilst giving witty one-liners). She's freaking awesome! Yet again, vagabonds bond instantly! Their stories: Lindsey (College of Charleston grad) and Tim (Citadel grad) married in June and immediately moved to Germany, where Tim was stationed in the army. Halli and Cameron are from Oregon, and they married in September and moved to Germany as well. The boys left for Iraq in November (keep the two couples in your prayers), so the girls treated themselves to a mini-break to the UK. Halli and Lindsey flew into London, rented a car, and arrived in Edinburgh on 19 February. With seven girls, three beds, 2 couches, and one bathroom, 26 Gardner's Crescent turned into a (very fab) hostel; I wouldn't change it for the world. What good is having a flat in Edinburgh if our friends can't reap the benefits?!?
I've had such a blast revisiting the tourist attractions with the girls. I took the walking tour again, frolicked around Calton Hill Cemetery, climbed up Calton Hill, and popped in and out of vintage shops. We also took a GHOST TOUR!!!
I enjoy this kind of stuff, so bare with me while I tell this tale. The "ghost and torture tour" started above ground with a glimpse of what streets in old Edinburgh would have looked like and a brief explanation (and reenactment) of the witch trials. From there, we crammed into the torture museum, where we saw original thumb screws, jaw breakers, chastity belts, flesh hooks, and ball-breakers (no explanation needed there). We then descended to explore the Niddry Street Vaults, vaults that were built to be storage space but were quickly abandoned. (The vaults were built with volcanic rock, which is very porous; a few hours after it rains in Edinburgh, it rains in the vaults!) Edinburgh has been dubbed by paranormal experts as the most haunted city in the world, and these vaults have been dubbed the most haunted spot in the most haunted city. If you have seen the TV show "Most Haunted," they spent the night in the Niddry Vaults whilst in Edinburgh. In fact, they were attacked, but I'll get to that later.
There are 3 levels of paranormal activity, and all three are represented in the Niddry Vaults. Level 1, the "watchman" ghost, is like a program on repeat. The guard casually strolls up and down the corridor, like he would have done during his lifetime. People occasionally see him and hear his footsteps, but he is unaware we exist. Level 2 is a poltergeist, translated as "noisy ghost." The room with a level 2 is where the Most Haunted paranormal team was attacked (you can watch it on YouTube). The room was converted into a Wiccan Temple in the 90s, and the circle in the middle of the room, used in Wicca to prevent evil spirits from entering, now contains all it once warded off. The priest, however, made a mistake; he bought a used mirror that used to hang inside a wardrobe. The mirror acted as a door, luring spirits into the room but giving them no way to escape. As a result, the temple moved several vaults down, and the circle was deactivated, leaving the aggressive spirits trapped inside. Bad things are said to happen to anyone who enters the circle; I could think of no logical reason to test this theory. A level 3 is a poltergeist that is bent on causing harm. The Niddry Vault's level 3 was a misogynist while he was alive and is said to be a misogynist even after death. After the vaults were abandoned, the rooms were used in all kinds of creative ways, and this particular vault-- the largest vault-- was used as a brothel (more room for beds??). This man enjoyed torturing and killing his prostitutes. When we visited the chamber, our guide split the sexes, instructing the men to go to the left and the women to the right. She said couples were more vulnerable to attack and that most reported attacks were on women on the left side of the room... hence the particular arrangement. Interesting, hmm??? Another story about this vault... In one of the city's great fires (there have been a few), hundreds of people fled underground to the vaults to escape the flames. What they were not expecting, however, was for the structure of rocks to heat up like an oven. After the fires subsided, the the largest vault was full of victims who had literally been cooked to death. As our guide described it, their meat and flesh were falling off their bones just like a roasted chicken. Ok I'm done with the gruesome now.
Today is Lindsey and Halli's last day in the city. Anna and I will be staying with them for several days towards the end of our excursion. They have a Taco Bell on the base, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't already looking forward to a nacho supreme and cinnamon twists.
This is my last week at work, but the good news is the three previously sacked good guys have come back to St. R's and the two bad guys who did the sacking are now suspended. Yay!
Anna and I are going to the Isle of Skye on Monday for 3 days.
All for now.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
An Ode to Brass Monkey
On this the early morning of my 5 month anniversary in Edinburgh, I have decided to write about one of my favorite places in the city: Brass Monkey.
Brass Monkey is located on Drummond Street just off of South Bridge, a stone’s throw from the National Museum and the Royal High School. It looks like it is just a normal Edinburgh pub: a dark wooden bar as you walk inside, tall stools, and a few tables at the back. You might think it’s a bit quirky if you visit the uni-sex toilets, but the real reason Brass Monkey is a special place is because of its cinema room. The side room has a 2-foot raised platform that is- I would guess- 10 x 15 feet, and it is covered in futon mattresses. The edges are lined with pillows, turning the room into a giant bed. Every day at 3:00pm, they play a “cult movie” on the projector. The movie is chosen by the viewers, so if you are lucky enough to get there first, you can have a say in which movie gets played that day.
I frequent Brass Monkey on the weekends. Kate and I went today and were surrounded by snuggling couples, and the movie to celebrate Valentine’s Day was True Romance: a shoot-em-up Christian Slater movie. I loved it.
Other movies played there: Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting, The Professional, Seven, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, A Clockwork Orange, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Amelie, etc. Love it.
Since today does mark five months in Edinburgh, it simultaneously marks only one month remaining. Am currently in the process of planning European excursions. Will post an itinerary… when Anna and I finally decide what exactly we are doing.
I have 10 days left at work. Yes, I am counting. Yes, it is that bad. I won’t post on it now because people who speak honestly about the horrid situations going on at St. Raphael’s Care Home are mysteriously disappearing, not in a mafia disappearance act, but in a sacked and escorted off the premises kind of way. Not kidding. Here’s an article written about it.
Another update to come soon.
Peace, love, and Edinburgh.
Brass Monkey is located on Drummond Street just off of South Bridge, a stone’s throw from the National Museum and the Royal High School. It looks like it is just a normal Edinburgh pub: a dark wooden bar as you walk inside, tall stools, and a few tables at the back. You might think it’s a bit quirky if you visit the uni-sex toilets, but the real reason Brass Monkey is a special place is because of its cinema room. The side room has a 2-foot raised platform that is- I would guess- 10 x 15 feet, and it is covered in futon mattresses. The edges are lined with pillows, turning the room into a giant bed. Every day at 3:00pm, they play a “cult movie” on the projector. The movie is chosen by the viewers, so if you are lucky enough to get there first, you can have a say in which movie gets played that day.
I frequent Brass Monkey on the weekends. Kate and I went today and were surrounded by snuggling couples, and the movie to celebrate Valentine’s Day was True Romance: a shoot-em-up Christian Slater movie. I loved it.
Other movies played there: Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting, The Professional, Seven, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, A Clockwork Orange, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Amelie, etc. Love it.
Since today does mark five months in Edinburgh, it simultaneously marks only one month remaining. Am currently in the process of planning European excursions. Will post an itinerary… when Anna and I finally decide what exactly we are doing.
I have 10 days left at work. Yes, I am counting. Yes, it is that bad. I won’t post on it now because people who speak honestly about the horrid situations going on at St. Raphael’s Care Home are mysteriously disappearing, not in a mafia disappearance act, but in a sacked and escorted off the premises kind of way. Not kidding. Here’s an article written about it.
Another update to come soon.
Peace, love, and Edinburgh.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Winds, Fairies, and Sheep
I went to Ireland. Have I mentioned that? I did. Pictures. More pictures. The lovely Anna and I flew into Dublin on 14 January, and we arrived back “home” in Edinburgh on the 18th.
I’ll just tell the highlights; a detailed description of our 5 days in Ireland would be quite lengthy.
The weather was horrific. Terrible. No matter how descriptive my language is when recalling the weather, it will not do it justice. Our tour guide Danny, a life-long Dubliner, said he had never seen weather like this. Rain, hail, and sleet were a constant. The winds got up to 105mph one night. You know how crazy news anchors will stand in the middle of a hurricane? They can stand still. When we got off the bus, we literally had to hold on to each other. Despite the weather, the trip was great! It couldn’t have been better!!
We spent the first 2 nights in Dublin in Abigail’s Hostel… very nice accommodation for anyone who is looking into Ireland. We walked around the city for hours on end until finally our weary legs took us to an open-top tour bus. The Guiness Store House was one bus stop, so that was our “splurge” of the day. I do love me some Guiness. The museum takes you through the history of the Guiness family, growing the hops, the specific water, fermentation, the wooden barrels, and advertising. Finally, you get to enjoy a pint on the top floor with a panoramic view. Anna even got a lesson on how to pull the perfect pint: the carbon dioxide, the nitrogen, and the 119.5 seconds it takes for the gases to settle. She even has a certificate to prove her accreditation.
Our Shamrocker Southern Rocker tour left on Friday morning. The 19 of us included our Irish tour guide, our Slovakian bus drive, 15 Aussies, and the token 2 Americans. We stopped briefly at the Rock of Cashel (our first of many castles) and then explored the Mitchelstown Caves with a tour guide who lived her life for stalactites and stalagmites. The best part of Friday was our trip to Blarney Castle. The grounds are gorgeous: green grass, tall trees, and a meandering stream. The castle was dates back to the 13th century, but what it is really know for is the BLARNEY STONE. The Stone of Destiny was cut in two, one half going to Scotland and 1 half being built into the structure of Blarney Castle. Now known as the Blarney Stone, kissing it will give you the “gift of the gab.” Kissing it, however, is no easy task. The floor of the 2nd story has a hole about 1 foot from the wall and 2 feet long. You have to lay on your back with your head positioned over the hole. Two iron rods have been installed for you to grab while you lower your upper body, head first and upside down, towards the ground to reach the Blarney Stone. If you are limber enough to clear it with your chin, you give it a kiss and pull yourself back up. An old man sits next to the hole, day in and day out, whose job is to support your back and help you earn the gift of the gab. He has one joke: don’t use tongue. He either 1) thought I was a precious American, 2) thought I desperately needed eloquent speech, or 3) felt bad for the girl shaking from her fear of heights because he let me kiss the stone TWICE. Anyone who is anyone kisses the stone, included Brad, Angelina, and Bill Clinton. I’m in their ranks now.
We spent Friday night in Killarney, my favorite town we visited. The streets are narrow cobblestone, and they’re lined with pubs and small businesses. We (the Irish tour guide, 15 Aussies, and token 2 Americans) heard an Irish story teller at one of the pubs. I was rolling on the floor laughing. He told stories of pub regulars (the policeman, the bum, the man who died with a glass of Bush Mills in his hand, and the nun) as if he owned the bar.
On Saturday, we headed towards the Dingle Peninsula. Danny said normally it would take 3 hours to drive the route, stopping every few miles for 30-minutes or so; however, this was the day the winds started to pick up. Our stops were less often, and our time off the buss was very time-efficient. If it looks like I’m in pain in my pictures, it’s because I was. The tour would have been even shorter, but we were stuck behind a herd of sheep for a good 30 minutes. No joke. The farmer and his 2 dogs moved the herd of sheep from one pasture to another. We had lunch in a local pub before the winds took out all the power. We stayed in the very Irish town of Doolin on Saturday night. The town only has one hostel, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear if their only business was from the Shamrocker tours. Saturday night was when the winds blew over 100mph. The hostel wasn’t well-heated, so we all crammed around the fire in the living room with our books and journals. In such a quaint Irish town, delivery is not an option. As one of the Aussie girls put it, when in Doolin, do as the Dooliners do. We bundled up and braved the hail and high speed winds. Note: running a quarter of a mile with high winds and hail is not a good combination. On top of all this, the bridge that runs over the river is supposed to have a resident fairy. Irish fairies are not Tinkerbells, but rather are nasty creatures capable of serious harm. If this fairy catches you, it will hoist you over its should and carry you away, never to be seen again.
First thing Sunday morning, we visited the Cliffs of Moher. If you are a Princess Bride fan, which I am not, you would recognize the landscape as the “Cliffs of Insanity.” If you have been there before, you will know that the winds and the waves create a constant mist rising up from the ocean 400 feet below. With the abnormally strong winds, the top observation plateau looked like an upside-down waterfall. The Cliffs ended up being yet another time-efficient photo opportunity. Next we went to the Burren plateau. The plateau is a limestone landscape, like it’s straight out of Wuthering Heights. The weather miraculously cleared up enough for us to enjoy an old monastery. Clonmacnoise is right on the shore. The masonry work in its Celtic crosses is world-famous. Modern-day stone masons have tried to replicate the crosses but have failed. The chapel, various stone buildings, and the graves of all of Ireland’s 70-something saints stand in your line-of-sight while looking out to the water. Beautiful.
Then we went back to Dublin and then back to Edinburgh.
The 3 most popular sites in Ireland: The Guiness Store House (check), the Blarney Castle (check), and the Cliffs of Moher (check). A successful holiday.
I’ll just tell the highlights; a detailed description of our 5 days in Ireland would be quite lengthy.
The weather was horrific. Terrible. No matter how descriptive my language is when recalling the weather, it will not do it justice. Our tour guide Danny, a life-long Dubliner, said he had never seen weather like this. Rain, hail, and sleet were a constant. The winds got up to 105mph one night. You know how crazy news anchors will stand in the middle of a hurricane? They can stand still. When we got off the bus, we literally had to hold on to each other. Despite the weather, the trip was great! It couldn’t have been better!!
We spent the first 2 nights in Dublin in Abigail’s Hostel… very nice accommodation for anyone who is looking into Ireland. We walked around the city for hours on end until finally our weary legs took us to an open-top tour bus. The Guiness Store House was one bus stop, so that was our “splurge” of the day. I do love me some Guiness. The museum takes you through the history of the Guiness family, growing the hops, the specific water, fermentation, the wooden barrels, and advertising. Finally, you get to enjoy a pint on the top floor with a panoramic view. Anna even got a lesson on how to pull the perfect pint: the carbon dioxide, the nitrogen, and the 119.5 seconds it takes for the gases to settle. She even has a certificate to prove her accreditation.
Our Shamrocker Southern Rocker tour left on Friday morning. The 19 of us included our Irish tour guide, our Slovakian bus drive, 15 Aussies, and the token 2 Americans. We stopped briefly at the Rock of Cashel (our first of many castles) and then explored the Mitchelstown Caves with a tour guide who lived her life for stalactites and stalagmites. The best part of Friday was our trip to Blarney Castle. The grounds are gorgeous: green grass, tall trees, and a meandering stream. The castle was dates back to the 13th century, but what it is really know for is the BLARNEY STONE. The Stone of Destiny was cut in two, one half going to Scotland and 1 half being built into the structure of Blarney Castle. Now known as the Blarney Stone, kissing it will give you the “gift of the gab.” Kissing it, however, is no easy task. The floor of the 2nd story has a hole about 1 foot from the wall and 2 feet long. You have to lay on your back with your head positioned over the hole. Two iron rods have been installed for you to grab while you lower your upper body, head first and upside down, towards the ground to reach the Blarney Stone. If you are limber enough to clear it with your chin, you give it a kiss and pull yourself back up. An old man sits next to the hole, day in and day out, whose job is to support your back and help you earn the gift of the gab. He has one joke: don’t use tongue. He either 1) thought I was a precious American, 2) thought I desperately needed eloquent speech, or 3) felt bad for the girl shaking from her fear of heights because he let me kiss the stone TWICE. Anyone who is anyone kisses the stone, included Brad, Angelina, and Bill Clinton. I’m in their ranks now.
We spent Friday night in Killarney, my favorite town we visited. The streets are narrow cobblestone, and they’re lined with pubs and small businesses. We (the Irish tour guide, 15 Aussies, and token 2 Americans) heard an Irish story teller at one of the pubs. I was rolling on the floor laughing. He told stories of pub regulars (the policeman, the bum, the man who died with a glass of Bush Mills in his hand, and the nun) as if he owned the bar.
On Saturday, we headed towards the Dingle Peninsula. Danny said normally it would take 3 hours to drive the route, stopping every few miles for 30-minutes or so; however, this was the day the winds started to pick up. Our stops were less often, and our time off the buss was very time-efficient. If it looks like I’m in pain in my pictures, it’s because I was. The tour would have been even shorter, but we were stuck behind a herd of sheep for a good 30 minutes. No joke. The farmer and his 2 dogs moved the herd of sheep from one pasture to another. We had lunch in a local pub before the winds took out all the power. We stayed in the very Irish town of Doolin on Saturday night. The town only has one hostel, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear if their only business was from the Shamrocker tours. Saturday night was when the winds blew over 100mph. The hostel wasn’t well-heated, so we all crammed around the fire in the living room with our books and journals. In such a quaint Irish town, delivery is not an option. As one of the Aussie girls put it, when in Doolin, do as the Dooliners do. We bundled up and braved the hail and high speed winds. Note: running a quarter of a mile with high winds and hail is not a good combination. On top of all this, the bridge that runs over the river is supposed to have a resident fairy. Irish fairies are not Tinkerbells, but rather are nasty creatures capable of serious harm. If this fairy catches you, it will hoist you over its should and carry you away, never to be seen again.
First thing Sunday morning, we visited the Cliffs of Moher. If you are a Princess Bride fan, which I am not, you would recognize the landscape as the “Cliffs of Insanity.” If you have been there before, you will know that the winds and the waves create a constant mist rising up from the ocean 400 feet below. With the abnormally strong winds, the top observation plateau looked like an upside-down waterfall. The Cliffs ended up being yet another time-efficient photo opportunity. Next we went to the Burren plateau. The plateau is a limestone landscape, like it’s straight out of Wuthering Heights. The weather miraculously cleared up enough for us to enjoy an old monastery. Clonmacnoise is right on the shore. The masonry work in its Celtic crosses is world-famous. Modern-day stone masons have tried to replicate the crosses but have failed. The chapel, various stone buildings, and the graves of all of Ireland’s 70-something saints stand in your line-of-sight while looking out to the water. Beautiful.
Then we went back to Dublin and then back to Edinburgh.
The 3 most popular sites in Ireland: The Guiness Store House (check), the Blarney Castle (check), and the Cliffs of Moher (check). A successful holiday.
Monday, January 19, 2009
New Years Served up Hogmanay Style
Here is my 20-day overdue New Years account.
Hogmanay is Edinburgh's New Years celebration. The city's population during the holiday triples… or something ridiculous like that. The celebration starts 29 December and lasts through New Years Day.
Monday 29 December 2008
The Torch Procession: the coolest thing I’ve done in Edinburgh. I had a bit of trouble pushing through the crowds to get to my friends, but thanks to my persuasive skills, a security officer let me cut through City Chambers. I caught up with everyone in front of St. Giles Cathedral right as the crowd started moving. If you’ve been to Old Town, picture High Street’s sidewalks and road packed shoulder to shoulder from the City Chambers all the way down to the John Knox House. Now picture a lit torch in everyone’s hand. For fear of sounding like a 12-year-old, it was so cool. We walked west on the Royal Mile, north on The Mound, and turned right to walk east on Princes Street. This is the only time of the year thousands of people could get away with lolly-gagging down the usually traffic-packed Princes Street. We caught up with the bagpipers right about Calton Hill Cemetery and followed them up Calton Hill, where we were greeted by a 20-foot bonfire. Then the fireworks. My family can tell you that I’ve never been one to be amused by fireworks. One display looks like the next, and you’ve seen it all after the first 30 seconds. Maybe it was the view of Old and New Towns behind me, the Shame to my left, Nelson’s Monument to my right, and my friends all around me… but these were hands down the best fireworks I’ve seen. The show went for nearly 20 minutes, and I loved every second of it.
Tuesday 30 December 2008
Dance Festival. Grassmarket was closed from Victoria Street down to Kings Stables Road to make room for two stages. Simultaneously on each stage were a variety of dance performers. We saw tap dancers, break dancers, Scottish folk dancers, swing dancers, salsa dancers, Chinese dragon dancers, and show girls. My favorite was the country western dance troop. All claiming to be siblings (and yet they look nothing alike and are all about the same age) and to be from Texas (with a Hollywood-heavy fake accents), they broke down and taught a line dance to the couple thousand in the crowd. I ate it up. It took me back to my Scuffle Town days of high school. Sigh…
Wednesday 31 December 2008- Thursday 1 January 2009
New Years night was fun, but my favorite parts were the two days leading up. We met our friends at Angela’s flat in the Grassmarket. We then leisurely wandered back up to the top of Calton Hill to watch the firework displays. Yes, plural. Fireworks shot from Calton Hill, the castle, and another location too far away to tell. This was the first year in several years that I wasn’t in Montreat with my beloved summer staff friends, so I must admit I missed the crowded living room in Glen Rock. We saw no ball drop, so there was no count-down. There was no collective, “Happy New Year.” The suckers who paid for the street party tickets collectively sang “Auld Lang Syne” (it is Scotland…), but the economically wary kids on the hill missed out on such. But it was still a great way to bring in the New Year. We moved on then to Scott’s flat and stayed awake until it hurt to hold our eyes open.
So that is how I spent my New Years. With new friends in a foreign land. Couldn't have been better!
Hogmanay is Edinburgh's New Years celebration. The city's population during the holiday triples… or something ridiculous like that. The celebration starts 29 December and lasts through New Years Day.
Monday 29 December 2008
The Torch Procession: the coolest thing I’ve done in Edinburgh. I had a bit of trouble pushing through the crowds to get to my friends, but thanks to my persuasive skills, a security officer let me cut through City Chambers. I caught up with everyone in front of St. Giles Cathedral right as the crowd started moving. If you’ve been to Old Town, picture High Street’s sidewalks and road packed shoulder to shoulder from the City Chambers all the way down to the John Knox House. Now picture a lit torch in everyone’s hand. For fear of sounding like a 12-year-old, it was so cool. We walked west on the Royal Mile, north on The Mound, and turned right to walk east on Princes Street. This is the only time of the year thousands of people could get away with lolly-gagging down the usually traffic-packed Princes Street. We caught up with the bagpipers right about Calton Hill Cemetery and followed them up Calton Hill, where we were greeted by a 20-foot bonfire. Then the fireworks. My family can tell you that I’ve never been one to be amused by fireworks. One display looks like the next, and you’ve seen it all after the first 30 seconds. Maybe it was the view of Old and New Towns behind me, the Shame to my left, Nelson’s Monument to my right, and my friends all around me… but these were hands down the best fireworks I’ve seen. The show went for nearly 20 minutes, and I loved every second of it.
Tuesday 30 December 2008
Dance Festival. Grassmarket was closed from Victoria Street down to Kings Stables Road to make room for two stages. Simultaneously on each stage were a variety of dance performers. We saw tap dancers, break dancers, Scottish folk dancers, swing dancers, salsa dancers, Chinese dragon dancers, and show girls. My favorite was the country western dance troop. All claiming to be siblings (and yet they look nothing alike and are all about the same age) and to be from Texas (with a Hollywood-heavy fake accents), they broke down and taught a line dance to the couple thousand in the crowd. I ate it up. It took me back to my Scuffle Town days of high school. Sigh…
Wednesday 31 December 2008- Thursday 1 January 2009
New Years night was fun, but my favorite parts were the two days leading up. We met our friends at Angela’s flat in the Grassmarket. We then leisurely wandered back up to the top of Calton Hill to watch the firework displays. Yes, plural. Fireworks shot from Calton Hill, the castle, and another location too far away to tell. This was the first year in several years that I wasn’t in Montreat with my beloved summer staff friends, so I must admit I missed the crowded living room in Glen Rock. We saw no ball drop, so there was no count-down. There was no collective, “Happy New Year.” The suckers who paid for the street party tickets collectively sang “Auld Lang Syne” (it is Scotland…), but the economically wary kids on the hill missed out on such. But it was still a great way to bring in the New Year. We moved on then to Scott’s flat and stayed awake until it hurt to hold our eyes open.
So that is how I spent my New Years. With new friends in a foreign land. Couldn't have been better!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
If Only In My Dreams
I wasn't physically at home for Christmas, but… my family came to Edinburgh instead. Even better, perhaps? It never quite felt like Christmas. Mom and I didn't bake. Anna and Dad didn't climb on the roof to hang decorations. A Christmas Story didn't play on BBC. Anna and I didn't quarrel over whose turn it was to put the top on the tree. We didn't go to my Aunt Janelle's to see Dad's side of the family. We didn't have Mom's side of the family over on Christmas Eve. It was weird. Different. But still great!
I went to bed last Friday night fearful that the fam's delayed flight from Charlotte to JFK would interfere with their flight from JFK to Edinburgh. I woke up Saturday morning with the disappointing confirmation that that was the case. I won't go into the details (I'll leave that to Mom, Dad, and Anna), but four suitcases lighter and 28 hours later than scheduled, my beloved family arrived in "my city" (as my mom calls it). I cried; I won't deny it. Mom was sans caffeine for days, Dad—against all odds—was extremely chipper, and Anna had a 2-day-old stain on her sweater. My family had arrived!!!
Sunday- The first matter of business after checking into our hotel was to buy something for my travel-worn family to wear since the luggage was MIA. Later, I showed off my flat, and we ate dinner at The Tron. We went on a tour of Mary King's Close-- an old close that is now underground and serves as the foundation for the City Chambers (see my "Drink the Beer, Not the Water" post).
Monday- I worked in the morning. I took the fam to Glenhas, our favorite deli, for lunch. That afternoon (after sunset... so like 4:00??), we rode on the Edinburgh Wheel... a ferris wheel in the middle of Princes Street Gardens. Anna is terrified of ferris wheels (and rollar coasters and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and It's a Small World), but I convinced her the ride was worth the panoramic view. Was I right, Anna? We had dinner at the Last Drop pub (yummmmmm) with Anna and the Brothers.
Tuesday- Day trip to Dunfermline, Culross, Stirling, and Roslyn Chapel. Dunfermline = chapel that the saintly Queen Margaret had built when she came to Scotland. Culross = 16th century sea town that escaped the Industrial Revolution. Stirling = William Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle. Roslyn Chapel = the most magnificent building I have ever been in!!!! Our tour guide grew up in the Edinburgh suburb, and he remembers the building being abandoned and covered with moss when he was in high school. A great deal of restoration work has taken place and is still taking place to preserve the chapel. Roslyn Chapel Read up on it.
Wednesday (Christmas Eve)- I worked in the morning. Anna and Mom explored the Edinburgh Castle in the afternoon while Dad and I took a double-decker bus tour of the city. My family, Kate's family (mom, granny, and brother), and Anna and the Brothers Wilson had dinner reservations at our favorite Italian restaurant before attending the midnight Christmas Eve service at St. Giles. Wow. The choir is beyond talented. Add it to the cathedral's acoustics and the setting of perhaps the most important church in Presbyterian history, and that makes one heck of a Christmas Eve service.
Thursday (Christmas day!)- I spent the night at the hotel. We ate breakfast and opened our presents (laid out perfectly beneath our Christmas tree—Anna's green pashmina taped to the wall with various odds and ends taped up as ornaments). We alternated between watching My Fair Lady and taking a Christmas nap. In the afternoon, we headed over to my flat to cook a pork roast and some veggies for our Christmas meal at Kate's family's rented flat.
Friday (Boxing Day)- I worked again in the morning. Mom, Anna, and I had lunch on George IV and explored the National Museum of Scotland (against Anna's will) while Dad rested a bit. We had traditional fish and chips AND haggis, neeps, and tatties for dinner that night before going to the movies to see Australia. Good movie!! Who knew a movie about herding cattle could be exciting? I opened my bday presents before going to bed that night… I got a backpacking pack! Wooo!!!!!
Saturday (my birthday)- My Christmas present to the family was a day tour up to Loch Ness. Sadly, we didn't see Nessie; however, we did see the thickest of Scotland fog, a bit of snow on the mountains, Glen Coe ("weeping valley"), and several castles. We took a boat tour out on the loch; it had to have been 10 degrees Fahrenheit. And then add a wind chill. Soooo collldddd!!!!! We had dinner at The Tass and went back to the hotel to pack.
Sunday- A taxi picked us up at the hotel and dropped me off at my flat before shuttling the rest of the family to the airport. The end of a great Christmas!
It was so much fun having my family here. Coming to Scotland was something I did very much on my own, so I love that I got the chance to introduce my family into this. I also loved knowing that I had a better sense of direction in the city than my dad!!!! (The sun is only out for 7 hours a day, and even then the sky is overcast-- cannot rely on the sun in Edinburgh, Dad!)
pictures for your entertainment
Christmas is over. :-( Birthday is over. :-( Now it's time for Hogmanay!!!!
Cheers.
I went to bed last Friday night fearful that the fam's delayed flight from Charlotte to JFK would interfere with their flight from JFK to Edinburgh. I woke up Saturday morning with the disappointing confirmation that that was the case. I won't go into the details (I'll leave that to Mom, Dad, and Anna), but four suitcases lighter and 28 hours later than scheduled, my beloved family arrived in "my city" (as my mom calls it). I cried; I won't deny it. Mom was sans caffeine for days, Dad—against all odds—was extremely chipper, and Anna had a 2-day-old stain on her sweater. My family had arrived!!!
Sunday- The first matter of business after checking into our hotel was to buy something for my travel-worn family to wear since the luggage was MIA. Later, I showed off my flat, and we ate dinner at The Tron. We went on a tour of Mary King's Close-- an old close that is now underground and serves as the foundation for the City Chambers (see my "Drink the Beer, Not the Water" post).
Monday- I worked in the morning. I took the fam to Glenhas, our favorite deli, for lunch. That afternoon (after sunset... so like 4:00??), we rode on the Edinburgh Wheel... a ferris wheel in the middle of Princes Street Gardens. Anna is terrified of ferris wheels (and rollar coasters and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and It's a Small World), but I convinced her the ride was worth the panoramic view. Was I right, Anna? We had dinner at the Last Drop pub (yummmmmm) with Anna and the Brothers.
Tuesday- Day trip to Dunfermline, Culross, Stirling, and Roslyn Chapel. Dunfermline = chapel that the saintly Queen Margaret had built when she came to Scotland. Culross = 16th century sea town that escaped the Industrial Revolution. Stirling = William Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle. Roslyn Chapel = the most magnificent building I have ever been in!!!! Our tour guide grew up in the Edinburgh suburb, and he remembers the building being abandoned and covered with moss when he was in high school. A great deal of restoration work has taken place and is still taking place to preserve the chapel. Roslyn Chapel Read up on it.
Wednesday (Christmas Eve)- I worked in the morning. Anna and Mom explored the Edinburgh Castle in the afternoon while Dad and I took a double-decker bus tour of the city. My family, Kate's family (mom, granny, and brother), and Anna and the Brothers Wilson had dinner reservations at our favorite Italian restaurant before attending the midnight Christmas Eve service at St. Giles. Wow. The choir is beyond talented. Add it to the cathedral's acoustics and the setting of perhaps the most important church in Presbyterian history, and that makes one heck of a Christmas Eve service.
Thursday (Christmas day!)- I spent the night at the hotel. We ate breakfast and opened our presents (laid out perfectly beneath our Christmas tree—Anna's green pashmina taped to the wall with various odds and ends taped up as ornaments). We alternated between watching My Fair Lady and taking a Christmas nap. In the afternoon, we headed over to my flat to cook a pork roast and some veggies for our Christmas meal at Kate's family's rented flat.
Friday (Boxing Day)- I worked again in the morning. Mom, Anna, and I had lunch on George IV and explored the National Museum of Scotland (against Anna's will) while Dad rested a bit. We had traditional fish and chips AND haggis, neeps, and tatties for dinner that night before going to the movies to see Australia. Good movie!! Who knew a movie about herding cattle could be exciting? I opened my bday presents before going to bed that night… I got a backpacking pack! Wooo!!!!!
Saturday (my birthday)- My Christmas present to the family was a day tour up to Loch Ness. Sadly, we didn't see Nessie; however, we did see the thickest of Scotland fog, a bit of snow on the mountains, Glen Coe ("weeping valley"), and several castles. We took a boat tour out on the loch; it had to have been 10 degrees Fahrenheit. And then add a wind chill. Soooo collldddd!!!!! We had dinner at The Tass and went back to the hotel to pack.
Sunday- A taxi picked us up at the hotel and dropped me off at my flat before shuttling the rest of the family to the airport. The end of a great Christmas!
It was so much fun having my family here. Coming to Scotland was something I did very much on my own, so I love that I got the chance to introduce my family into this. I also loved knowing that I had a better sense of direction in the city than my dad!!!! (The sun is only out for 7 hours a day, and even then the sky is overcast-- cannot rely on the sun in Edinburgh, Dad!)
pictures for your entertainment
Christmas is over. :-( Birthday is over. :-( Now it's time for Hogmanay!!!!
Cheers.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Baby It's Cold Outside
In only two days time, my family will be in EDINBURGH!!!! In T -46 hours, I will be able to give my mom, dad, and sister big hugs! The first in over three months! I cannot wait for them to get here! EEEEEEE!!!!!!
My new job. Oh my new job. I’m not sure how much I am supposed to reveal about the history of St. Raphael’s (especially over the internet for all to see), but I’ll summarize it as briefly and politically as I can. Things had not been the best at St. R’s, and the Care Commission (the DHEC of care homes) gave them six weeks to shape up or ship out. To do so, a new manager (Mary) and a new team leader nurse (Ronnie) were hired. Over half a dozen staff have been “sacked” and another 10 or so have been hired. With four weeks under my belt, I have a bit of seniority here…odd as that may sound. The Care Commission came for the first review on Monday and Wednesday of this week and left us with tasks to be completed for our next review in six weeks.
If I were a permanent member of staff instead of a long-term temp, I would be contracted at 35 hours per week and be paid salary with no overtime. I work a full 35 hours half-way through Thursday. What I’ve been thrown into is three month’s worth of tasks that simply have not been attended to. Slowly but surely, I am digging my way out of the hole and things are beginning to run more smoothly. Oh, did I mention that three offices were swapped around the week before I came? My big task for next week will be to unpack all the boxes of files, try to make sense of them, and try to organize them. Luckily, Kate Howard—the Queen of Organization herself—works here, so I may steal her for a few afternoons.
Messy working conditions and hectic schedule aside, I do enjoy it here. I am getting to know many of the residents and some of their families, and I absolutely love Mary and Ronnie. I won’t hide that the idea of leaving for a less time-consuming and less stressful position has crossed my mind many times, but here I am still working at St. R’s. After I’ve finished digging myself out of the admin assistant grave, we will need to have a conversation about allowing me time to travel.
So when I’m not working 9-10 hour days, I spend a great deal of time with a good niche of friends we’ve made. We are regulars at Belushi’s on Monday nights for trivia (we’ve won 3 out of 4 nights), but our group has gotten too large to be one team. Most of the gang are Canadians, so they bustle about the city in hoodies while the southern American girls wear wool coats, scarves, gloves, and hats. And long johns on occasion.
Princes Street Garden is transformed into Winter Wonderland for the month of December. The bottom of the gardens (remember it was a moat…) is an ice skating rink, and the benches along the walking path provide a perfect place to perch and watch people fall. The west end is a “traditional German market” (read: sinfully good food). Hot dogs. Crepes. Sausages. Steak sandwiches. Doughnuts. Chips. Waffles with all kinds of toppings. Mulled wine. “Fire punch.” Candied almonds and cashews. Cotton candy. Absolutely brilliant. The flat mates and I ate our way through the market last week. NO regrets. We explored the rides on the east end of the gardens last night with our Canadian buddies Ross and Mark. Adorning the Scott Monument on either side are swings, slides, a merry-go-round, and… the EDINBURGH WHEEL. The ferris wheel offers the same view you would get by climbing to the top of the monument for a mere £.50 more and without the physical exertion. I am slightly terrified of heights, and Ross had a bit too much fun spinning our car, but again… NO regrets! Anna and I then rode the merry-go-round. We were the ONLY people on ride. Sweet. Mark, Ross, Kate, and Anna opted to ride the swings that sling you in the air (and look as if you WILL hit the monument); I decided to keep my dinner in my stomach, so I took pictures.
Our flat will be packity-pack-packed this week. My darling baby sister Anna will be staying with my while the fam is in town. In addition, Anna Wilson’s friend from camp will be with us until Monday or Tuesday; incidentally, her name is Claire, leaving us with two Anna’s and two Claire’s in one flat. Ross is sleep on one (or possibly both?) of our couches over the holidays to keep from paying his hostel’s increased holiday rates. (We are sympathetic towards weary and broke travellers.) Now add the aforementioned congestion to an additional 7 family members in town—my mom and dad, Kate’s mom, granny, and brother, and Anna’s two brothers. I love it. Can’t wait!!!!!
It already looks like Christmas, but now it’s beginning to feel like it too…
My new job. Oh my new job. I’m not sure how much I am supposed to reveal about the history of St. Raphael’s (especially over the internet for all to see), but I’ll summarize it as briefly and politically as I can. Things had not been the best at St. R’s, and the Care Commission (the DHEC of care homes) gave them six weeks to shape up or ship out. To do so, a new manager (Mary) and a new team leader nurse (Ronnie) were hired. Over half a dozen staff have been “sacked” and another 10 or so have been hired. With four weeks under my belt, I have a bit of seniority here…odd as that may sound. The Care Commission came for the first review on Monday and Wednesday of this week and left us with tasks to be completed for our next review in six weeks.
If I were a permanent member of staff instead of a long-term temp, I would be contracted at 35 hours per week and be paid salary with no overtime. I work a full 35 hours half-way through Thursday. What I’ve been thrown into is three month’s worth of tasks that simply have not been attended to. Slowly but surely, I am digging my way out of the hole and things are beginning to run more smoothly. Oh, did I mention that three offices were swapped around the week before I came? My big task for next week will be to unpack all the boxes of files, try to make sense of them, and try to organize them. Luckily, Kate Howard—the Queen of Organization herself—works here, so I may steal her for a few afternoons.
Messy working conditions and hectic schedule aside, I do enjoy it here. I am getting to know many of the residents and some of their families, and I absolutely love Mary and Ronnie. I won’t hide that the idea of leaving for a less time-consuming and less stressful position has crossed my mind many times, but here I am still working at St. R’s. After I’ve finished digging myself out of the admin assistant grave, we will need to have a conversation about allowing me time to travel.
So when I’m not working 9-10 hour days, I spend a great deal of time with a good niche of friends we’ve made. We are regulars at Belushi’s on Monday nights for trivia (we’ve won 3 out of 4 nights), but our group has gotten too large to be one team. Most of the gang are Canadians, so they bustle about the city in hoodies while the southern American girls wear wool coats, scarves, gloves, and hats. And long johns on occasion.
Princes Street Garden is transformed into Winter Wonderland for the month of December. The bottom of the gardens (remember it was a moat…) is an ice skating rink, and the benches along the walking path provide a perfect place to perch and watch people fall. The west end is a “traditional German market” (read: sinfully good food). Hot dogs. Crepes. Sausages. Steak sandwiches. Doughnuts. Chips. Waffles with all kinds of toppings. Mulled wine. “Fire punch.” Candied almonds and cashews. Cotton candy. Absolutely brilliant. The flat mates and I ate our way through the market last week. NO regrets. We explored the rides on the east end of the gardens last night with our Canadian buddies Ross and Mark. Adorning the Scott Monument on either side are swings, slides, a merry-go-round, and… the EDINBURGH WHEEL. The ferris wheel offers the same view you would get by climbing to the top of the monument for a mere £.50 more and without the physical exertion. I am slightly terrified of heights, and Ross had a bit too much fun spinning our car, but again… NO regrets! Anna and I then rode the merry-go-round. We were the ONLY people on ride. Sweet. Mark, Ross, Kate, and Anna opted to ride the swings that sling you in the air (and look as if you WILL hit the monument); I decided to keep my dinner in my stomach, so I took pictures.
Our flat will be packity-pack-packed this week. My darling baby sister Anna will be staying with my while the fam is in town. In addition, Anna Wilson’s friend from camp will be with us until Monday or Tuesday; incidentally, her name is Claire, leaving us with two Anna’s and two Claire’s in one flat. Ross is sleep on one (or possibly both?) of our couches over the holidays to keep from paying his hostel’s increased holiday rates. (We are sympathetic towards weary and broke travellers.) Now add the aforementioned congestion to an additional 7 family members in town—my mom and dad, Kate’s mom, granny, and brother, and Anna’s two brothers. I love it. Can’t wait!!!!!
It already looks like Christmas, but now it’s beginning to feel like it too…
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Turkey for You and Turkey for Me
Thanksgiving was last week. It was strange to be away from my family and my home, but to add to the quintessential Full House sentimentality, it made me even more thankful that I have a family and a home to love and miss. Kate made a scrumptious pot roast for Thanksgiving day, but our feast was on Saturday.
We passed the message by word of mouth and Kate posted a sign in the BUNAC office that the girls of 26/1 Gardner’s Crescent were throwing an American style Thanksgiving feast for anyone and everyone who wanted to join. I was, needless to say, very nervous about preparing my very first Thanksgiving meal sans my mother’s knowledge and guidance. One of my favorite parts of my experience here has been experimenting with cooking, but experimenting with T-giving when numerous hungry mouths are expecting to be fed is a completely different ball park. Expecting that 12 people would be in attendance and wanting to be prepared for a few unannounced, we cooked a chicken and a 7.2 kilo turkey. Yes, kilo. Remember…I’m in Europe.
Our schedule for the big day was as follows:
9am- Wake up. Kate and Anna go to the market on King Stables Road for fresh vegetables. Claire finishes cleaning the flat.
11am- Chicken goes in the oven.
1:30pm- Turkey goes in the oven
5:30pm- Dressing goes in the oven
6:30-6:45pm- Cook vegetables and make gravy
Our first guests arrived around 6pm, and our last guest walked out the door around 1am. I believe the official head count was 12 guests plus Kate, Anna, and me. Out of the guests, we had two Americans, one New Zealander, and nine Canadians. Have no fear; we taught the Canadians what dressing is and how to have a proper Pilgrim/Original American meal. (Further note: Out of the nine Canadians, eight speak French. I wish very strongly that I could speak another language. Maybe when I have time on my hands, I will take Spanish lessons.) We got nothing but sincere thanks for having people over and for cooking the food. It was, if I might say so, a successful Thanksgiving feast! The turkey could have used a bit more salt and the gravy could have used more of the turkey broth, but I am still damn proud of the outcome.
We are meeting more and more people every day, and our social calendars are becoming more and more booked. Last night, we all visited our friend Scott while he was bartending at T G I Fridays. (Yes, I know that’s an awfully American restaurant to visit whilst in Scotland, but we are loyal friends.) We got to benefit from two order mistakes, and I got a free milkshake. It’s great to have connections where it really counts.
Work is very incredibly totally busy. At all times. I get to work thirty minutes early, usually stay a bit late, and take the shortest lunch break the Scottish government permits, and I still can’t seem to keep up with my growing to-do list. I am really enjoying myself. I love the people I work with, and thanks to my sting-pulling, Kate will so be joining our ranks. I love seeing Thelma’s face light up when her husband comes for his daily afternoon visit and watching her wave goodbye until his car is completely out of sight. Whenever I need a five minute break, I know Peggy will always be willing to take a hand-holding stroll down the hall. I don’t think I have to admit that work isn’t always smooth sailing; the constant busyness and overload of tasks and a certain unfriendly employee can start to get to me by 5pm, but an evening with our new friends gives me the energy for another day.
My family gets here in 16 days!!!
We passed the message by word of mouth and Kate posted a sign in the BUNAC office that the girls of 26/1 Gardner’s Crescent were throwing an American style Thanksgiving feast for anyone and everyone who wanted to join. I was, needless to say, very nervous about preparing my very first Thanksgiving meal sans my mother’s knowledge and guidance. One of my favorite parts of my experience here has been experimenting with cooking, but experimenting with T-giving when numerous hungry mouths are expecting to be fed is a completely different ball park. Expecting that 12 people would be in attendance and wanting to be prepared for a few unannounced, we cooked a chicken and a 7.2 kilo turkey. Yes, kilo. Remember…I’m in Europe.
Our schedule for the big day was as follows:
9am- Wake up. Kate and Anna go to the market on King Stables Road for fresh vegetables. Claire finishes cleaning the flat.
11am- Chicken goes in the oven.
1:30pm- Turkey goes in the oven
5:30pm- Dressing goes in the oven
6:30-6:45pm- Cook vegetables and make gravy
Our first guests arrived around 6pm, and our last guest walked out the door around 1am. I believe the official head count was 12 guests plus Kate, Anna, and me. Out of the guests, we had two Americans, one New Zealander, and nine Canadians. Have no fear; we taught the Canadians what dressing is and how to have a proper Pilgrim/Original American meal. (Further note: Out of the nine Canadians, eight speak French. I wish very strongly that I could speak another language. Maybe when I have time on my hands, I will take Spanish lessons.) We got nothing but sincere thanks for having people over and for cooking the food. It was, if I might say so, a successful Thanksgiving feast! The turkey could have used a bit more salt and the gravy could have used more of the turkey broth, but I am still damn proud of the outcome.
We are meeting more and more people every day, and our social calendars are becoming more and more booked. Last night, we all visited our friend Scott while he was bartending at T G I Fridays. (Yes, I know that’s an awfully American restaurant to visit whilst in Scotland, but we are loyal friends.) We got to benefit from two order mistakes, and I got a free milkshake. It’s great to have connections where it really counts.
Work is very incredibly totally busy. At all times. I get to work thirty minutes early, usually stay a bit late, and take the shortest lunch break the Scottish government permits, and I still can’t seem to keep up with my growing to-do list. I am really enjoying myself. I love the people I work with, and thanks to my sting-pulling, Kate will so be joining our ranks. I love seeing Thelma’s face light up when her husband comes for his daily afternoon visit and watching her wave goodbye until his car is completely out of sight. Whenever I need a five minute break, I know Peggy will always be willing to take a hand-holding stroll down the hall. I don’t think I have to admit that work isn’t always smooth sailing; the constant busyness and overload of tasks and a certain unfriendly employee can start to get to me by 5pm, but an evening with our new friends gives me the energy for another day.
My family gets here in 16 days!!!
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