Random, but this is the tiny little plane I rode from Dublin to Edinburgh.
I'm visiting another friend who is studying in Edinburgh this semester and interning with Scottish Parliament, so I have most of the day to myself to explore while she's at work. It's actually been kind of fun to be on my own for a bit! I got here pretty late the first night, so I just checked in to my hostel (Ellen's apartment won't let me stay with her) and took it easy for the night, but Tuesday I got up pretty early to start exploring Edinburgh. The first thing I did was find some breakfast... Not ashamed to admit I went to the Starbucks around the corner because I really, really miss being able to have a cup of coffee this size in the morning! Ellen told me that Starbucks isn't that popular here and people don't like it as a business, but I was happy with my coffee that wasn't quite American but was more American than an Italian espresso.
After breakfast, I walked down the Royal Mile, or High Street, to Edinburgh Castle. Nobody lives there anymore, but you can tour it, and it's where the Honours of Scotland, or the Crown Jewels, are kept. I forgot to take pictures on my phone, so I can't post any until I get back, but I had a great view of the rest of Edinburgh from the castle, which is kind of up on a rocky hill above the rest of the city.
I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering up and down the Royal Mile, which has Edinburgh Castle at one end and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the other. On the way, I stopped at St. Giles Cathedral and of course popped in and out of the various wool shops that line High Street. For lunch, I stopped at a pub and had the traditional steak and ale pie, which was delicious! I'm starting to become a big fan of pub food... It's usually pretty inexpensive and delicious!
Eventually, I made my way down the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which is where the Queen stays when she visits Scotland (which is apparently about once a year).
I wasn't allowed to take any pictures inside, so I bought postcards and took pictures of those... That's what this next picture is! The tour took us through Mary Queen of Scots private apartment and ended at the ruins of an abbey. The Queen's gardens are closed in the winter, but if you go to the Palace in the summer, you can visit those too.
After I finished up at the Palace, I went back to my hostel to meet Ellen for dinner at a pub. She took me to one of her favorite neighborhoods here and I had the most delicious burger and chips.
She gave me a brief tour of the city, including some of the campus of The University of Edinburgh! That's where she took classes here before her internship started. We hung out at her apartment for a bit, which is less than a block from my hostel, and then I went back for the night because I had a busy day planned for yesterday!
Today, I decided to take the train from Edinburgh to Leuchars, where I then got on a bus to St. Andrews. Obviously it's a little early in the year for golf, but I know that my grandpa loves St. Andrews, so I knew I should try to get out there if I was going to be in Edinburgh. It was pretty easy to get there and to find the Old Course, which is right on the beach, basically. I walked up and down the course for a bit, and then I stopped for lunch in the restaurant of a hotel right off of the course that had pictures of the owner with famous golfers all over the place. That's where I took this picture:
St. Andrews, where they use golf bags as umbrella holders. I guess when you call yourself the home of golf you get a little leeway there.
I explored some ruins they have there of a castle and a cathedral, both of which overlook the beach. It was gray and wet, but it almost made it more mysterious and beautiful. I also walked around the University of St. Andrews campus. Finally, I made my way back to the bus station (not hard... St. Andrews is not that big and it was easy to find my way around) and got on the bus to go back to Leuchars where I could get the train to Edinburgh.
Ellen and her friend Nicole introduced me to Edinburgh pub life last night, which I loved! It's a completely different atmosphere than the bars and clubs in Rome. There was live music and everybody was singing along and dancing. I was really sad when we had to leave, which was ridiculously early by Rome standards... The pub closed at 1! In Rome, that's about the time when things would be getting started in a club.
I'm getting ready to check out of my hostel and then find something to eat for breakfast before I head to the airport. Scotland and Ireland have been great, and it has been wonderful to be with familiar faces (thanks Hannah and Ellen!), but I am unbelievably excited to go to London today! I'll be there until I head back to Rome on Sunday.
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