Wow, where do I even begin? Talk about an amazing Spring Break. I arrived in Edinburgh (Scotland's capital) late Tuesday night and Andrew picked me up from the airport. He is studying at the University of Edinburgh this semester. We were really happy to see each other of course. On Wednesday, Andrew, his mother who was finishing up her visit, and I went to the famous castle which sits atop a dormant volcano overlooking the city. As normal for Scotland weather, it was cold, windy, and damp, pretty much most of the trip, except the last two days there we enjoyed beautiful sunny days. The rest of the week we did some more of the touristy things of the city, like seeing landmarks, taking in the history and architecture of the city, and visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens. The trip was more about hanging out with Andrew, but we really managed to see a ton of the city, and I liked being able to see places I've heard Andrew speak about for the past 5 months. While walking through the city shopping one day we stopped at the Festival Theatre to look inside. We got lucky and got to see the last performance of "Le Grande Cirque," a circus much like Cirque du Soleil. It was a great way to spend the afternoon and we had a fun time. One afternoon we went to his campus's library so I could finish up a paper and send it to my professor. The campus is beautiful and the lounge of the library is on the top floor of the building, looking out onto a verdant park. We hung out for a bit in the park watching people play football (that's soccer here) and taking in the first rays of sunshine I'd seen since I arrived. My last day there, we visited Andrew's family friends (a woman from Laurel who married a Scot) that live on an Earl's estate on the North Sea. We had tea before taking a gorgeous walk along the beach and then having lunch at a small outdoor cafe in the little village of Tyninghame. It was a lovely way to end my trip, especially since the weather warmed up by the end of my visit. We ate some really good food throughout the week. First, we ate at a place called Oink which has a huge hog in the window, being devoured by customers who order pulled pork sandwiches. We also ate at Gourmet Burger Kitchen which had a fabulous burger, something I've really come to respect after living in a place where burgers aren't the norm. We also ate at a delicious Mexican restaurant and drank margaritas, which is another thing about America I miss. We had some pretty good Indian food, as the UK is famous for Indian food after Britain's rule of India in the early 1900s. For a quick meal we grabbed a delicious Turkish kebab dish. I've found that Turkish kebab places are all over the places I've visited in Europe, like this continent's version of fast food. It's different than a gyro in that the meat is sliced thinner and served in a flat bread not a pita, and is accompanied by several sauces. Lastly, we had fish and chips (fried haddock and french fries), another dish made popular in the UK. As for the nightlife in Edinburgh, there are a slew of bars all over the city. We went to two bars that Andrew and his friends (he happens to be in school with 5 other Ole Miss students our same age) often visit. They were fun, and one night I got to see Jill, who was in town also for her spring break while doing an Ireland-Scotland trip. Jill and I will be together again May 6, when we go to London together. The day I return, May 10, is the same day that all of the Ole Miss students who will be taking Spanish language summer school arrive here in Pamplona with one of my professors. I don't yet know who is coming or if I will know anyone, but I am excited to see people from Ole Miss, nonetheless. Overall, Scotland was a great adventure made better by being with Andrew. I'm looking forward to the trips I have planned for the rest of my time here, and to be finished with school. Only 1 1/2 more months of class!
