Two Months!

First time voting via Absentee Ballot!

Today marks TWO MONTHS in Edinburgh!!  School is keeping me very busy, but I’m continuing to enjoy my classes, professors, and classmates. I realized mid-week that I’m starting to settle into a routine, but that with that I have lost the active exploration of a new city.  So I’m rebalancing, allotting less time for academics and more time for Edinburgh, and this began with a visit to the Bongo Club.  Bongo Club is a great pub about a 10 minute walk from my flat that holds weekly ceilidhs- a traditional Scottish dance done in a large group, sets of couples, or with a partner.  It always involves live music, an accordion and fiddle are the bare minimum, and a caller who names the dances and instructs the steps.  I think my choice adjectives for the ceilidh are as follows:  aggressive, chivalrous, high-energy and VERY fun.  I woke up whiplashed from some intense spinning, but it’s a small price I am more than willing to pay.

I’ve been trying to not repeat any restaurants or pubs- because there are so many to try! Nonetheless, Finnegan’s Wake has become a flat favorite pub, with great live music 7 days a week.  This past weekend they had a particularly great band:  Absent Friends.  I've (unsuccessfully) tried to attach a video but I will consult a techy friend on how to do this! My Sunday spot and guilty North American pleasure is called The Peartree, a pub that shows all the NFL games live and has Blue Moon on tap. Now if my team could start playing a little better….



Hillwalking and Storytelling!

Late last night I got back from a weekend in the Highlands with Jackie and Ken, their daughter Catriona and her husband Neil, their 4 children Mia, Alister, Nina, and Talia, and friend Dee and her daughter Katie.  Jackie and Ken were kind enough to invite Caitlin up as well.  We said to each other many times how wonderful it was to be surrounded by a big family and energetic children (18 months to 9 years old). We did some great hill walking to the Linn of Dee on Saturday, and to ‘Airplane Hill’ just behind the cottage on Sunday (so named for the famous airplane tree which is piloted by the grandchildren- see picture).  Neil tells the kids great stories on the walks, the favorite being Lord of the Rings, and at the top they all get a ‘top of hill treat’ (which I really looked forward to..shh!) We watched the Slipper and the Rose (like Cinderella), rode on Papa Ken’s 1949 Grey Ferguson,  spent hours upon hours making friendship bracelets, and tasted Catriona’s famous Sticky Toffee Date Cake with Lemon Butter Icing (I would have died a happy lady if it were my last bite).  It was such a nice weekend and really great to get to meet more members of Jackie and Ken’s family!

Highland Friends!

Catriona and Alister on the 1949 Ferguson

 

Mia, Ali, and Nina on Airplane Tree (worthy of note is the luggage rack)

I leave on Thursday for a week in Italy! My flatmate Giulia is graduating on Friday, and before receiving her diploma she must defend her thesis in front of her advisors, friends and family- talk about pressure! She is super nervous, but I have no doubt that she will pass with flying colors and I cannot wait to celebrate ALL WEEK with her!  Her and Ylena are going to show me all around Tuscany- we talked about day trips to Siena and Pisa.  I’ll be sure to post when I return home!

Scottish Tidbit:  Lots of new words and phrases came up this weekend at the cottage (and I’d forgotten my Scottish dictionary!)   Something that tastes delicious (ie Sticky Toffee Date Cake) is ‘just yum’ or ‘smells yum’.   The word ‘pleat’ is used instead of braid (for hair and friendship bracelets!) The children gave ‘cuddles’ instead of hugs. We were also introduced to Fox’s Bars, biscuits and cream covered in chocolate..just yum J