Greetings from Deutschland

Success!!! I have finally been able to upload my photos from this holiday season. You'll notice that the new photos I've posted are from Facebook. It's easier for me to upload them this way, and you'll still be able to view them the same as before. There are lots of photos, ranging from Christmas dinner to my latest travels to Wiesbaden, Germany where I'm staying with my cousin for a couple of weeks.

Since I arrived on Boxing Day - the 26th of December-- I've been really enjoying the time I get to spend with Niccole, Mike, and baby Madyson. She definitly has picked up some Harrison habits. And that's not counting the ears I'm sure pick up radar. The weather here in Germany also gives Scotland some competition cold-wise. Just today, around noon, the temperature peaked at around 25 degrees. I'm glad I packed with lots of layers.

Well, not a lot of time for a long posting today--I'm sure Courtney hates that :)--but there are lots of photos to make up for that. One thing I wanted to note, though, because I know how much mum is going to love this. While I was staying with Amy's aunt and uncle, the Dysons, for the Christmas Holiday, I came across a picture hanging on one of their walls. It was almost too good to be true. I'm posting it here, because I doubt that any other words are necessary. I was telling Dad about it on the phone and I couldn't wait to share it with everyone else. I think we can all agree: Mum really does have a big bite :) Love you masha.

Hugs and Kisses from Germany,

xxoo

Up, Up and Away

Goodness Gracious, Christmas is almost upon us and I realize how late this posting is. I've been so caught up in the last couple weeks of constant activity and travelling, that it was difficult to find some time to sit down and write a new post. I'm residing in England as I compose this newest message, and today was the day that Amy was dropped off at the airport. It was a sad day indeed and so much has happened the last week, that I'm going to split up the posts once more. For now, I'll regale you with the activities of last week--the week in which Amy and I soaked up as much time together as we could manage.

On Monday the 15th, (feels like so long ago) I travelled down to meet Amy in Edinburgh when she arrived via Wilmslow. Upon first seeing her get off the train, it took some willpower to hold back the tears. Nonetheless, we did stand blocking the crowd as we held onto each other. It was the type of hug that I didn't realize how much I'd missed until I was holding her. Once we got ourselves under control--more like trying to come to terms with the fact that she was REALLY in Scotland with me--we left the train station so I could show her around Edinburgh a bit. The Royal MacGregor Pub was our first stop to play catch up and eat some food. We didn't stay too long in Edinburgh, though, mostly because it got dark so fast, but I did get to show her the Princes Street Garden, a view of the castle, the Royal Mile, and we even walked through the Christmas fair they have going on down on Market Street. I've uploaded (and will continue to add too) the photos we took in the city. That night, Amy accompanied me, Lisa, Alan, Justine, and Sam to Nicky Tam's Bar and Bothy. It was Lisa's last night in Stirling before she left for home for Christmas so it was a bittersweet night. I'm really glad Amy got to meet her, though. It was even more fun due to the fact that they had a Wii competition going on at the pub--a game involving maracas. Yes, some of us did get up and shake it....although at times it felt more like flailing.

I have to say one of the funniest parts of that night had to be Amy getting into the taxi we took home from the pub. All six of us piled into the van, three of us sitting in the bench seat, and the other three of us sitting on the seats that flip down. Unfortunately for Amy, she was unaware these said seats flipped down and proceeded to climb into the van, sit on the floor, and stare in confusion when we all burst out laughing. I'm still not sure whether her confusion was due to the alcohol or if she really thought that a taxi that size didn't have enough seats for all of us. My only regret is that I didn't get a picture of the moment. Something I'm sure she's grateful for.

On Tuesday, Sam, Alan, and I took Amy up to the castle. I know I've said it before, but going up there never gets old. Especially when I have Amy in tow and she's in awe over the architecture. It's a really good reminder of what country I happen to be residing in at the moment. After we explored the castle, we decided to "chai it up" and headed down to BeanScene (the Scottish version of Starbucks) where I introduced Amy to the magical chai they have there. On the bus ride home, all four of us ended up breaking into song. It turns out that "The 12 Days of Christmas" can be really confusing. We couldn't remember what lyric corresponded with each day and we could feel how hard people were ignoring us on the bus. I'm happy to say it only encouraged us to sing even louder. On Wednesday morning, after climbing out of the twin bed Amy and I are sharing while she is here, we took the bus into the city centre to do some exploring and Stirling shopping. At the end of the day, we picked up a film and pizza and wound down the day by hiding from the cold in my room. I got a great picture of Amy huddled in layers of clothing and blankets, desperate to get rid of the chill. I might have forgotten to tell her that doesn't happen in Scotland.

On Thursday, we were lucky enough to have some sunshine in Stirling and departed on the train for Glasgow, where the real shopping happens here in Scotland. I've only been to the city once myself, so it was fun to share the experience the city with Amy at my side. After a day of shopping and breaking for lunch at a pub, we headed back up to Stirling once more. On Friday, the weather took a turn for the worse and it rained incessantly. This wasn't just a nice, soft rain that Scotland is renowned for. No, no, no. This was the type of rain that soaked through your clothes and hit you in the face, courtesy of the prickling wind. Unfortunately, this weather made it impossible for me to take Amy to see the William Wallace monument, so we went into town once more for a last look around. It's only now, sitting in a warm house, that I can look back and laugh at how we must have looked--soaked through and still browsing the shops. When in Scotland, I suppose. Later that evening, though, the rain FINALLY died down and myself, Amy, Alan, Justine, Sam, Alicia, Joe, and Carys all went out to Whistlebinkies pub for one last night together. It was the last time where I would be seeing Sam and Justine in Scotland, making the goodbyes later that evening quite difficult. I still cannot believe they won't be there when I return for classes in February. It won't be the same, that's for sure. Nevertheless, that night together will be forever etched in my memory. I've only known them since September, yet the friendships we've created with each other are sure to last a lifetime. I'm really going to miss them.

Saturday morning, Amy and I departed for Cheshire Wilmslow, which is near Manchester in England. It's where her aunt, uncle, and cousins reside, and where I am spending Christmas this year. They are lovely, lovely people and after about five hours on the train we made it down here successfully. We were lucky to have made the time we did. Amy and I accidentally slept in a little later than planned and were almost late missing our train that morning. Thank goodness fate decided to be on our side. Once we arrived in Cheshire, we had some down time to relax and soak up Amy's Aunt Gretchen's hospitality. I can't tell you how nice it was to not be in the chalets and in an actual home. With Christmas decorations, music, food, and drink galore!! Later that evening, we took part in the annual Dyson Family Christmas Party where I got to meet a bunch of new people. There was even a gentleman I met that makes the puppets for Tim Burton's films. What a small world it really is!!!! It was amazing talking to him and finding out that not only has he met Tim Burton (and Johnny Depp) but that Tim Burton comes to him personally to make the puppets for his films like Mars Attacks and The Corpse Bride. As luck would have it, he later phoned Gretchen and invited us to come to his workshop and see the puppets that he has created. Tomorrow afternoon, we'll be heading down there to see them. It still feels a bit surreal having the opportunity to take part in this.

On another note, I've had yet ANOTHER fascinating experience while in England. One of the ladies I met at the party happended to tell Amy and I that the BBC film version of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth was filmed partly in a place called Lyme Park, which isn't too far away from where we are. Of course, we were ecstatic and I believe my jaw might have hit the floor in all my excitement. It doesn't take but a mention of anything relating to Jane Austen to get me going. So of course Gretchen had to take us there yesterday. We were able to walk out to the pond that Colin Firth (aka Mr. Darcy) dives into in the film. I took lots of pictures and even some video which will be posted shortly. Let me just say, that while we were walking, it wasn't hard to imagine Mr. Darcy, with his rugged handsomeness, riding a stallion across the open field to swoop Amy and I up and carry us away into what can only be called destiny. This country is truly magical I tell you. Unrealistic fantasy or not :)

Unfortunately, today was a rather bittersweet day for me. I can't believe how fast my time with Amy went. It feels like she just arrived yesterday, yet this morning we put her on a plane home. I know I am lucky to even have had the time with her that I did, so I can't complain. No matter how much time we spend together, though, it never feels like long enough. I thought I would be able to hold it together, but as soon I hugged her goodbye, the tears wouldn't be stopped. It's a good thing we left the airport right after. Goodbyes have never really been my thing. I'm only grateful I was at least able to see her. We've talked about being together in the UK for years, and it was amazing sharing time with her here. I'm already anticipating the reunion with her and my family come this May. Someone pull out the tissues!!

Gretchen probably knew I was going to be in a state of 'Amy-missing' and sweet dear that she is, decided to take me on a day trip to Chester, a fantastic town near Manchester. According to Gretchen, one must always see York and Chester on a visit to the UK. Lucky for me, I've already been to York, so going to Chester was quite the experience. It reminded me so much of York--old buildings packed together, so many of them dating back as far as the 1200's and 1300's. I was able to see the 1000 year-old cathedral, the River Dee, the old Roman monuments (some as old as 74 A.D. if you can believe it!!), the Roman Gardens, the city centre, and she even took me to a place called 'Katie's Tea Room's' which was a tea house that was set up in a building dating back to 1300. It was such an old city, and walking along the cobblestone streets and seeing the buildings that leaned with uneven roofing really took my breath away. There was so much charm to the place, I have sore cheekbones from all the smiling and 'ahhhhing' that I did. I took lots of photos of this town as well, and will upload them as soon as possible.

Anyhow, I'll end here for now, before I drive anyone cross-eyed from the amount of text in this posting. I won't have the photos and videos up for awhile yet, but once I do, make sure to take a look at them. They don't nearly compare to seeing all these things in person, but they give a pretty good idea. If I don't post again until after Christmas, you'll have to excuse me. I've got a lot coming up. The day right after Christmas I'm flying to Germany to see my cousin, Niccole, so I'll try to keep everyone updated once I arrive there. Until then, I hope everyone has a fabulous Christmas and an even greater New Year. And if Santa decides to leave you a lump of coal, well....there's always next year.

Hugs and Kisses

xxoo

P.S. I am aware that the date of this posting says 19 December, when in actuality I didn't post it until today (22nd December). Looks like this one took a little longer to complete :)

Smells like Christmas Spirit

I have officially decided that I AM Christmas Spirit. Someone in our chalet had to take on the responsibility and.........well, I think it's a genetic trait I can't help but embody. It's actually working out quite nicely. Ever since I've started listening to Christmas music and making everyone smell "the Christmas" in my room (due to some nicely scented holiday fragrances), our chalet has become something of an anti-Scrooge environment. I've started to hear Christmas tunes coming from Alan's room and he also has a tendency to sing them at the drop of a hat. I love how the Christmas season can affect people. Even Stuart---who I have termed our 'live-in Scrooge'--can't help but fall under the spell a little.

On that note, today turned out to be somewhat of a shopping expedition for me. I went down into town with Alicia, and we spent a lovely day browsing shops and wallowing in winter cheer. I was even able to purchase a new camera. As it turns out, the one that I ........'broke'........can't be fixed (It would be MUCH too expensive to do so anyway) so I purchased a replacement. The nicest thing about it, was that I bought the same exact camera, except it was much cheaper than the first time I purchased it in the states. The irony is palpable.

In other good news, this last week has made me love my chalet-mates even more. As I mentioned before, I am Christmas Spirit (undisputed of course), so I've been really keen on having "flatmate nights", which basically entails hanging out in the common room together, and watching DVDs on my laptop. To spice things up a little, we incorporated some mulled wine and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream one night. Even though I'm desperate for Eggnog, mulled wine is quickly turning into one of my favourite holiday beverages. All the spices and flavours in the heated wine make a person's taste buds go crazy! We were even lucky enough to have Alan make mulled wine from scratch a couple of days ago. The only thing about the beverage, though, is that it really needs to be enjoyed while hot. Once it has cooled off, the scent becomes sour and ........unpleasant. I'd suggest not learning this the hard way. Alan also has a nice collection of movies, so we were able to watch classics like The Santa Clause to get everyone in the spirit of things. It's been an enjoyable week to say the least. To top it off, A Muppet Christmas Carol will be on t.v. this evening and Lisa, Alan, and I will be glued to the screen. Classics are classic for good reason.

As far as upcoming travels go, everything is just about booked. As I sit writing this, I'm already counting down the days until Amy gets here. As far as I know, she should be on her way to San Francisco Airport about now. Only a couple of more days before I go a little crazy!! It's going to be so good to see a familiar face. It feels like her coming here will be like she's bringing a piece of home. I couldn't ask for a more treasured Christmas gift. With the exception of Eggnog of course :)

Finally, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, today happens to be a very special occasion in the Harrison Family. My baby (I'm not even sure this applies to her considering she can beat me up) sister turns 14 today. I'm sad to miss it, but she knows I'll be thinking about her. The reason I point out Ms. Cassie Sue's birthday occasion, is for a reason she knows all about. You see, Cassie had an interesting entrance into this world. She knows the story well, but perhaps some of you reading this do not. Unlike most babies, Cassie was born from a dinosaur egg. Mum happened upon the egg, fourteen years ago to the day, swallowed it, and who should be born from it but Cassie Sue herself. And you thought you were unique. Pookie outweighs us all in that department. Cass, if you're reading this, I understand how much you're loving this. I truly, truly do :) So here is a big Happy 14th Birthday to Cassie Sue!! May you celebrate this occasion in true Dinosaur Baby fashion!! Love you and miss you baby girl.

Sending warm wishes and kisses,
xxoo

P.S. As a side note for the easily impressionable, the dinosaur story is (unfortunately) a work of fiction. Even if we continue to tell Cassie otherwise to this day. It's not everyday you can be 14 and 'prehistoric' at the same time.

Arctic's Mint Smoothie

The title of this post might make you wonder. It might not. Depends on who you are I suppose. Honestly, I couldn't come up with something to name it and resorted to the lip balm I'm currently using. Not only is it minty fresh, but it has a polar bear in snowshoes and a scarf on the side of it. Now even my lips smell like Christmas. I love Lip Smackers. And arctic polar bears.

In other news, I am now finished with classes until February. I had my one and only exam today as well as my last English stories being due. This last weekend was filled with lots of studying and trying to study. I wasn't as frazzled as I thought I'd be, although last night there was plenty of talking to myself and staring hard at the computer screen. Sometimes one has to force the words to show. Fortunately, my characters told me what to do and I finished the stories and I was able to squeeze in a bit more studying for my sociology exam.

When I got to the hall where the exam was being held, and we all filed in --if 400 people can 'file'--I was happy to see that all my revising had paid off. The essay questions were relatively simple, which I was really happy to see. This exam counts for 50% of my grade in the class, and while I pulled off a B on the paper (the other 40% of the class) I still really wanted to do well. It was my first time taking a sociology class like this, and overall I think it went pretty well. I guess when I get my final marks back, we'll see for sure what "pretty well" really means.

Now that I don't have to worry about any more tests, it becoming a test of sheer willpower to hold back my excitement over the arrival of Lady Amy!!! I know its been only about three months since we last saw each other at the airport, but I think the distance makes it feel even longer. She is due to arrive in the UK, though, this upcoming Saturday or Sunday and I'm so anxious to see her. It feels like the beginning to the story What Do You Get When You Give Two Anglophiles Access to the UK? If that story hasn't been written, it ought to be. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie made it to the publishers, this one stands a good chance.

Once Amy arrives via Manchester, I'm going to meet up with her in Edinburgh. From there we'll head back up to Stirling together to stay for a few days. Just thinking about it gives me tingles. And not just from the cold weather. There's already enough of that. After our stay in Scotland, we will once again head down the island back to Manchester. Amy's Aunt Gretchen is throwing a bit of get-together and we're going to make sure and be in attendance. Amy is due to head back to the states the 21st or 22nd I believe (sad, sad day...), where upon her absence I have the privilege of staying with her aunt and uncle and cousins for the holiday. They're always a pleasure to see in the summer back at home, and I'm looking forward to spending time with them. After Christmas, the travel plans will really begin to set in.

The 26th of December I am set to fly from Manchester to Germany to see cousin Niccole. It's been around nine months since I've last seen her, which means this journey is WAY overdue. I'll be there through the New Year and up until the 8th of January. After that I'm flying back to Scotland to hopefully see Tim--one of my good friends from home. He's taking his winter vacation abroad this year, so it will be good to see him as well. Around the 11th or 12th, Lisa is set to return to Scotland as well (she's flying home for the first part of break). Once she gets to Stirling, we will be leaving for Paris, France!! I've already started browsing her guidebook to see what adventures await us. The Notre Dame Cathedral is at the top of my list. Maybe I'll find Quasimodo and give him a hug. The guy needs one.

After spending around five days in France, Lisa and I will then be flying for Italy. First on the list is Milan, where we will spend a few days, before heading for Venice, Florence, Pisa, and finally Rome. By that point, it will be the end of January and Lisa and I will be flying back to Scotland. Sam tells me I'm not going to want to come back to Scotland after being in Italy. I think I'll be able to make it work okay, but what do I know. I haven't been there yet. I do know, though, that I'm going to remember this trip for years to come. It's not everyday you get to spread your footprints throughout the European Continent. It's sort of like the Bubonic Plague, but with much, much better consequences and minus the whole death thing.

That about fills up my plate for the next couple of months. I've got my knife, fork, and spoon and I'm ready to go. Just have to find a napkin first and things will be in place. I'll be posting as much as I can throughout the travels, so keep your online eye ready! Unfortunately, I found out that my camera is going to have to stay......sort-of broken......so we'll see how the pictures go. I'm going to be bringing along my video camera, so not all is lost. As long as I keep it away from my back pocket and rocks, my video camera may just keep liking me. We'll see how it goes.

Lots of Arctic Mint Smoothie kisses and love~~
xxoo

Santa Clause is Comin' to Town

December has officially arrived -- well it did a few days ago -- and with it has come a craving for the holiday season. Just this evening Lisa and I watched the Michael Keaton film "Jack Frost" and then I watched "Elf". It's got me all gung-ho about wallowing in Christmas Spirit. Which is interesting, because Christmas this year is going to be quite different.

There won't be any coming home to see the family, as unfortunate as that is. The way flight prices are these days, it's become far too expensive to fly back and forth across the pond. The big homecoming will have to be saved until May. It makes me nostalgic to think that I won't be home to smell Mum's new holiday candles (which Dad isn't supposed to know about), or drink lots and lots of fattening egg nog. Can't forget about staying up late, wrapping presents to help Santa out, and eating pumpkin cheesecake either. Goodness, it makes me miss home so much just thinking about it. I realize this might come out sounding cliche, but forgive me, I'm feeling emotional and hormonal all in one. Not a good combination. Must be all the Christmas movies too.

Being so far away from home has made me realize a lot of things. Around this season, which celebrates being together with family, and connecting with the ones you love, I've come to see how easy it is to take for granted the everyday things. I used to think I already appreciated the simple pleasures of life, but it's only now -- being an ocean away from everything I've known and seeing things from a different perspective (literally) -- how naive I am about so many things. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, though. It's helping me to learn new things about myself and others everyday. It's those thoughts that make it easier knowing Mum can't be here in an hour and pick me up. I'm not sure I'd let her leave here anyhow--she'd probably bring Slinky and Izzy and then Dad would never see us again! I'm sure Nana would have something to say about that as well...

So to all my friends and family - wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing (let us hope it's at least semi-respectable)-- I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. Don't worry about counting the calories in every Christmas cookie. Those kinds of resolutions are better saved for the New Year. Wishing you all a memorable and loving December!!!

Lots of love from Scotland, as always
xxoo

It's a Sign...

A quick update. It snowed again last night -- which means Jack Frost is definitely in high spirits. I'm hoping that will hold true for the rest of the day. Why? I'm off to town pretty soon to get my camera looked at. Here's hoping I can get the screen fixed without having to buy a new camera.

Also, something else that occurred to me. If no one has yet seen the new cover of Vanity Fair magazine this month......it's so worth the look. Hugh Jackman. Scruffy. Need I say more? I've been looking at it and can't seem to stop. I'm going to now though! Just thought I'd share the drool-worthy news.

Cheers!

A Feast for the Senses

A new week has begun, and as I sit here bundled up in a turtleneck and fleece blanket, I can't think of a better place to be. I mean, if you have to be cold, how cool is it to be able to say "I'm cold in Scotland". It takes freezing your bum off to new levels. On the other hand, the sheer amount of feasting the last few days has certainly made a difference in keeping warm. It started last Thursday when Thanksgiving rolled around. Although the Scots don't necessarily celebrate the occasion, myself and my American friends decided to throw a small get-together.

First of all, there were a few significant differences. The most obvious being that we didn't have a turkey. When Justine and I went down to the shop to collect supplies, and stared at a turkey for awhile--contemplating whether we'd be able to cook it or not--we decided it was safest just to stick to chicken. Lisa is also a vegetarian so she wouldn't mind, and the rest of us were more than fine with chicken. I don't think I'm quite ready to give up the tradition of dad cooking the turkey. It doesn't feel right yet. Despite the lack of turkey, we were able to get all the other accompaniments: cranberry sauce, gravy, bread rolls, biscuits, stuffing, mashed potatoes and the makings for a green bean casserole. That last dish still makes me......sigh.

That evening as Lisa and I went about putting everything together before Sam, Justine, and Alicia arrived, everything was running smoothly. The chicken was cooking on time, the potatoes were just smooth enough and I was getting ready to transfer my masterpiece green bean casserole to the oven for a quick warm up. It was the first time I'd made this dish all by myself and it looked ever so delectable. The green beans, mushroom soup, onions and garlic salt were making me salivate. I only wish I hadn't decided to rush putting it into the oven the way I did. As I was lifting the pan with the pot-holder, while trying to keep the oven door open with my foot (stupid thing never stays open), the casserole slipped out of my hands and went crashing to the floor. The glass dish it was in had cracked in the fall and glass was now interspersed with my perfectly sliced green beans. It was so tempting to just stare at the mess on the floor for the rest of the night, but our guests were due soon. Lisa leaned over my shoulder, letting me know it would be okay to cry. I appreciated her condolences over the loss. As it was, we just cleaned it up off the floor, tossing the dish into the garbage bin. Luckily, we had some left over green beans and mushrooms (no, they weren't leftovers from the floor), so we quickly sautéed them instead. I'll have to make the casserole another time, without breaking the pan, just so everyone can taste it.

The rest of the dinner went great, and there was much laughter and toasts shared. We even got Alan and Stuart to join in on the festivities. I've learned that if you don't make eye contact while toasting with another person, you'll have seven years of bad sex. I can't remember who told me that, but I bet you'll be looking into that other person's eyes the next time you raise a glass. Can never be too careful. Once dinner was finished, we dished up the apple crumble I'd made with a side of vanilla ice cream. Alan decided to torture us with more calories by pulling out his golden syrup to add to the treat. Needless to say, our tongues were all shouting in ecstasy once the feast came to an end. The friendship between all of us and appreciation of the food made for a new and great Thanksgiving.

On Friday, Alan turned twenty. Instead of making it a night of drunken carousing and debauchery (for the most part), we all went out bowling to the local bowling alley. It was the first time I've been to it, and I'm already looking forward to going back. And not because they hand out champagne like water there. No, more because of the overall atmosphere. They even had an arcade where later that night, Alan and Lisa decided to take a turn on the Dance Revolution machine. That was something I won't soon forget. By that point, Alan had quite a bit of alcohol in his system and Lisa was trying to keep up with his antics. I think I had the most fun just observing the interaction. It also turned out to be a relatively early night for some of us. Justine, Sam, Alicia, and I were all heading down to St. Andrews the next day, so after three games of bowling, we headed home.

Saturday morning dawned with a chill, and even lying in bed, I could see my breath puffing in front of my face. I'm really starting to hate this having our heating on a timer thing. I really am. I knew we were going to be outside for most of the day, so I layered up from my head to my toes. Hat? Check. Scarf? Check. Two undershirts, a sweater, and peacoat? Check. Leggings, two pairs of socks, jeans, boots, gloves? Check. I was not going to freeze. Once we all met up, we departed on the train for Edinburgh. From there we took another train into a town called Leuchars. There isn't a direct route by train into St. Andrews so from Leuchars we took a bus into the center of town. Overall, it was a little under two hours to complete the journey. After seeing the town, I had to start reminding myself that I'd chosen to go to school in Stirling, not St. Andrews, and that there was good reason for that. It took quite a bit of reminding before I believed myself. Walking down the cobblestone streets, you can feel the age of the place. The wider streets are intersected by narrow, winding streets and all sorts of shops were open for business. Like in many places I've seen, there is also a great number of different accents you can hear in St. Andrews. Walking along the streets, the multitude of sounds plays like music to the ears. I'm hoping I didn't caught staring at any point throughout the day.

Although it's a smaller town, St. Andrews has a lot to offer site-wise. We never did make it to the main part of the University campus or golf course, but did get to see the cathedral and castle. They are both in ruins, and what's left of the buildings sits right on the edge of the North Sea. Looking out across the water, the blue stretches for miles upon miles. It's a heady feeling imagining what it must have been like in past centuries, when people would have stood in the same spot I was in, staring at the same body of water. The history in this country never fails to capture my imagination. There was even a spot between the cathedral and castle where you could walk down to the beach. After almost slipping on the ice, we made it down there. I've posted a photo here of Sam and I posing on the rocks. It was one of my favourites of the day. In the photo he was pretending (or perhaps not) to be Mr. Darcy rescuing his heroine from the sea. I think it comes off rather nicely as the next romance novel cover of my life. With the castle in the background, the ocean in front of it, and me draped across Sam's arm, I think it just might work. It's certainly that first step towards finding a proper highlander.

After exploring the beach a bit more, as well as the castle, and climbing the tower in the cathedral, we checked out the town a bit more before getting ready to head back. Like I mentioned before, there isn't a lot of daylight going on right now. It's one of the reasons I'm going to have to go back to St. Andrews to see more sights. And maybe be rescued again from the sea. You never know.

On Sunday, it was St. Andrew's Day. St. Andrews is the patron saint of Scotland and to celebrate the occasion, Alan decided to put together a proper Scottish dinner. I've never seen a boy slave away as much as he did in the kitchen that day. At one point he had three pots of soup cooking, was baking haggis, and had me help him peel and chop potatoes. It looked like a disaster area but felt like organized chaos. Alan also proceeded to tell me that I wasn't allowed to take out or put dishes in the oven. I guess he hadn't forgotten about that casserole incident. For the first course, he put together a vegetable soup, followed by Haggis, neeps and tatties for the main course. Neeps are also known as turnips and tatties are the potatoes. For dessert, he made something I still cannot pronounce. It was composed of strawberries, whiskey, a clotted cream, and oatmeal. Are you drooling yet? Whoever said the UK had bland food must've had dysfunctional taste buds. Before we actually ate the haggis, Alan decided to read the "Address to Haggis". The way he acted it out definitely required filming, so I've posted it alongside with the other video links. It's more than worth watching, especially if you want to hear that thick Scottish accent. The Address is written in Scots and sounds quite........nice. It's most enjoyable. After he finished his speech, we all did a shot of whiskey, as to follow tradition. It was the first time I had the stuff, and not something I care to repeat. The thought of it still gives me shudders.

After so much feasting, I am now in the process of digesting. It's going to take awhile I think. In the mean time, I'm getting ready for my upcoming exam. I had the last of my classes today, so the rest of this week will be devoted to finalizing travel plans and prepping for the exam. After next Tuesday, I'll be getting ready for even more adventures abroad. Amy will be here soon and I'm so anxious to see her. It's going to be a Christmas break full of blog-worthy accounts. I'll keep as up to date as I can. As a last note, here is a look at what it looked like out my front door yesterday. This was at around 2:30 in the afternoon. Jack Frost payed us a visit and decided to stick around all day. I didn't get a glance of him, but if the Scottish Jack Frost looks anything like a highlander--well, let's just say he's more than welcome to stay indefinitely.

Hugs and Kisses!!!!!
xxxxxxoooooooo

This is the Cold That Never Ends...

Quite suddenly, it occurred to me how neglectful I'd become of my blog. I was so caught up in the ongoings over here that I didn't take some time to share my adventures with friends and family. And if I know my mother and father correctly, that simply won't due. Because there is so much to tell, I'm going to split up the posts so as not to overwhelm anyone. Courtney has already described to me the pangs of large amounts of reading. Pity for her, I say; maybe this will help her literary skills.

To begin, most of last week saw me typing away on my computer in order to complete some essays for my modules. I am SOO happy to say that all those essays are now completed and I only have one more project and one exam to look forward to. After that, the European Continent best brace itself. A Harrison is about to be set loose upon it. Anyhow, once I finished my school work (mostly at least) my old roommate from my last two years at Chico, Grace, arrived on Saturday the 22nd to stay with me for a few days. Like me, she is also studying abroad for the year. She is going to University in England, though, at a school called the University of Hull. From what she's described to me, it sounds a bit more metropolis than Stirling. Still, it was nice to share Scotland with her and I think she really enjoyed herself.

The day she arrived, Scotland decided to pull its best stunt by turning freezing cold when a person least expects it. Meeting Grace at the train station was a lot of fun, though; we hadn't seen each other in quite awhile and there was a lot to catch up on. After listening to her describe her trials in getting here we headed back to my chalets to drop off her stuff. Initially, the plan was to then head back down to the castle, but she'd arrived later then planned so we decided to save the occasion for Sunday. Instead, we had a late lunch/early dinner at a place called "Cape" which, like many places in Stirling, had good food for cheap prices. I'm loving how this dollar exchange rate just keeps getting better.

Of course, because we are in Scotland, I had to introduce Grace to the good pubs around town. At least, the pubs I've so far discovered to be good. The year is still young. A few hours, a pint, and a couple of Sex on the Beaches later, Grace and I met up with everyone else (that being Lisa, Sam, Justine and Carys) at a place called "Whistlebinkies". It just recently re-opened in Stirling and was the perfect cozy niche for the evening. Dad, I know how much you're loving this pub-crawling thing. Honestly, I do. I'm thinking you're ire may have reached me that night, considering what happened next.

We were all leaving the pub, walking back down into town and trying to keep warm, when what happens? Snow starts falling. The first of the winter season, and my first sight of it in Scotland so far. It only made sense then, that when we wanted to get a taxi (they're usually lined up around the street on the weekends) we had to wait in a queue to get one while Lisa mentioned that she might die of hypothermia. Typical, Scottish night I like to think now. Soon enough, we all made it back to campus and settled in for the night. By settling in, that meant me having to share a bed with Lisa (a twin size bed) because we didn't have enough blankets or a mattress for the floor. The next few nights that Grace stayed consisted of us finding positions in which we could sleep in the same bed without kicking or hitting each other. We worked it out in the end, for the most part.

The next day, I took Grace up to Stirling Castle so that she could check it out. Despite the rain and cold wind, it was still as breathtaking as ever. Although, part of that might be due to the before mentioned wind. Once we'd walked around and absorbed the views, we made our way back down into town to take part in some retail therapy. I don't care what anyone has to say, I wallow in materialistic pleasures like new clothing. Sometimes too much, but hey--the places we went were part of "the sites". To top off the day, we ordered Indian food that night. I don't know why I haven't really gotten into it before now. Like with haggis, I can't seem to get enough of the stuff.

As Monday rolled around, Grace was able to have some relaxation and exploration time because I had class all day. While I was listening to a lecture on deviance and sociology (still hurts my head...), she was sleeping in and later purchasing a new sweatshirt. It would've been so easy to do the same, but I have exams coming up and didn't want to risk it. It worked out for both of us, though, because after calling it an early night (mostly so I could finish my last essay) we got up early Wednesday to travel down to Edinburgh. It would be Grace's first time seeing the city and Lisa and Justine also planned to come along.

Walking down the streets of Edinburgh never gets old. I can't say it enough. Grace's "oooohhs" and "wow's" were exactly what the rest of us were feeling. There's just so much to see, one pair of eyes can barely handle it all. Our first stop was of course the castle. Compared to the last time we were up there (think non-stop rain, overcast skies, and no coffee), this visit couldn't have been better planned by fate. The skies were clear of any clouds, and while it was still chilly, the painfully blue sky made complaining something of a sin. After the castle, we made our way down into the "New Town" to a place called The Georgian House, a site which I'd discovered in my guide book. I'm so glad we ended up going there. If I were ever to go back in time, it would most definitely be to this place. The house itself is a historical site which a middle-class Edinburgh family inhabited during Georgian times. Almost classically Jane Austen in style (Yes, I'm calling Jane Austen a type of style) there's a self-guided tour of the house that provides background for what it would've been like in the past. The smell of ivy and soft music were so reminiscent of Christmas, it made leaving the house quite difficult.

Anxious to get some food, we went about searching for another place listed in my guidebook called Clarinda's Tearoom. I've been trying to explore as many Scottish tearooms as I can, just to get a feel for the differences. What I've found, is that they are quite distinct from Victorian or Georgian style tea houses. It's a refreshing change all the same, though. As a true tea-lover, one must always keep an open mind. Clarinda's was no different. It had a homey atmosphere and a cake trolley that I couldn't keep my eyes off of. The brie and cranberry toasty I had was also something to be admired. Nicely complemented by a cup of Lady Grey Tea, I might add. While we were eating, we were looking into traveling further down the street to investigate the Church of Holyrood, but unfortunately it closed soon so we had to save it for another time. With the time change and weather patterns, it's starting to get dark sooner here. Around four o'clock the sun has already dipped low in the sky and shadows have overtaken the light. It makes for much shorter days and even longer nights. I suppose if you really enjoy sleeping, though (my male flatmates would know something about this), then Scotland is the right country for you.

Finally, to end our adventures for the day, we travelled back up to Stirling and decided to take Grace out to one of the clubs. It ended up being Justine, Grace, and myself that went out and we danced the night away at a club called "Dusk". Yes, mother you heard me. I danced. A lot. It was the first time I've been there until the club closed. By the time we left, my feet were screaming profanities at me. Maybe if I hadn't been half-deaf from the overly loud music still ringing in my ears, I might have heard. If there is one thing I've learned from going out to clubs, it's that tea houses still take first place in my book. I'm sorry, but no amount of gyrating bodies and glittering outfits can ever take the place of a good loose-leaf tea.

Alas, the middle of the week ended by me taking Grace to the train station the next day to make sure she departed for Hull once more. We had definitely made up for lost time, and it was fun being able to share my experiences with someone from home. I'll be able to visit her in her neck of the woods in a few weeks, so I'm looking forward to that as well. I do have much more to tell, but I'll save the rest for after tomorrow, which is St. Andrews day. Alan is making all of us a feast for the occasion so I'll be back to describe the decadence and to make your taste buds envious. Just try not to think about where the haggis comes from and you'll do just fine. That's not a promise, but it's worth the try. Your palette may even thank you.

Hugs and Kisses!!
xxoo

P.S. more pictures and video will come soon! My camera is still.....broken...but we're making it work. That's a story for another time..

As Light as a Feather

The weekend is once again upon us. Instead of doing more travelling--saving the money for my upcoming winter break trips--Lisa and I decided to take on Dumyat once more. Saturday morning dawned bright and not-so-overcast and we were looking forward to getting a nice walk/hike in. If only things work out the way you plan them.

It all started nice enough, of course. Most good intentions do. What a different world it would be if we all knew beforehand that the "best intentions pave the way to hell." I have no idea from whom I'm stealing (actually borrowing) that quote but I think it'll be okay. That isn't my prime concern anyhow. I'm actually more reflective on how Dumyat doesn't seem to want me to have a normal experience with it. It strikes me as a love/hate relationship: I love that I don't hate loving it, but it can't seem to love me back. That is a problem. One day we'll come to terms with each other. Until then, things will continue in the direction like they did this morning.

I already received the questions from Mom about "why wouldn't you have left earlier" after our first experience with Dumyat (see "Weekend Extravaganza" post) so Lisa and I were smarter this time and left around 10 am for the hike. At first, as we were walking along the path (the PROPER PATH...no wrong turns this time!) the clouds looked like they might open up and let forth a gallon of rain. You never know in this country. One minute it's sunny, the next Zeus is angry and spilling his wrath upon unwitting victims in the form of rainfall. Lucky for us, though, the sky began to clear as we started our climb.

The climb itself was refreshing and invigorating. The higher we got, the more the views took my breath away. And not just because I was exercising. It also happened to be windy, something which should have struck my attention then, and I was glad to have my sweatshirt on. From our vantage point halfway along the climb, Lisa and I saw the monument we had missed on our last hike on one of the peaks. Thus, that was our destination. We wanted to climb up to it and take in the view for awhile.

By the time we reached the near top, the wind was becoming more than temperamental. Sure, it was nice to have it pushing at my back, helping me up the hill, but by the time we reached the final rock climb, I was starting to reconsider my appreciation. The cold gusts were beginning to penetrate my clothing, blowing my sweatshirt up from my back and whipping me forward so I had to brace myself by holding on to the rocks. I won't even begin to describe what it was like when I opened my mouth. But now you're probably wondering, so I'll give a short description. Let's just say that every time I opened my mouth to yell a profanity each time I slipped, or try and say something to Lisa, the spit was literally ripped from my mouth. I ended up plugging my nose with my gloved fingers so the same thing wouldn't happen with...well I think you get the picture. I've posted some pictures I got of Lisa holding on to the rocks so you can see what we were dealing with.

After reaching the top, sitting on the rocks as close as we could, and becoming more worried that if we let go we might just float away (Mary Poppins, Peter Pan....you make it look FAR to easy) Lisa yelled at me to get some quick photos so that we could climb back down. It was a little hard to hear her because the wind was piercing to the ears, but I quickly took a few shots so we could begin our descent. Then I made my mistake. I put my camera back in my pocket. My rear pocket to be exact. Then, I probably should've seen this coming but was concentrating to hard on that holding my nose plugged thing AND climbing down to see it, but the wind knocked me backwards. And onto my bottom I landed. With my camera in between said rock and bottom. Once we safely descended from our perch and I pulled it out again to get a video of the view, the damage became clear. When I turned the camera on, the whole screen showed evidence of being cracked. Luckily it still worked, but my LCD screen has gone to the grave. I didn't even get to bury it for goodness sake. I guess it's not everyday you get to say you died from being sat on by Tiffany's rear end. I'm still in mourning over it's demise. Sometime this week, I'm going to take it into town and see if it can be fixed. I really don't want to buy another camera. This one is still relatively new!!! To cool the heat of this disappointment, Lisa and I went into town for some much needed tea at the Darnley Coffee House (which I've mentioned in a past post). It was quite good, but I still glance with pity at my neglected camera. Poor thing.

Alas, Dumyat and I have yet to reach equal ground in our relationship. I think counselling might be the next step if we can't work things out for ourselves. I hear an outside opinion is good for tumultuous relationships. If I've learned anything from my experience of today, though, it would be to check the weather channel. Especially on days when they say wind gusts will be exceeding twenty five miles per hour. Duly noted, weatherman. Duly noted. Remind me to call Peter Pan in for backup next time. At least I'd know he'd be there to catch me.

Kisses and Hugs
xxooo

Shall We A-York?

I fell in love. Again. Wrapped up in it's intimate embrace, York succeeded in stealing my heart. Not that it's really that hard to accomplish when it comes to European cities. Yes, you heard me right. I've fallen in love [AGAIN] with yet another city over here across the pond. Some days, it doesn't get much better then that.

Even though we--that being Lisa and I--returned on Sunday, I'm still nostalgic over the tiny city of York, England. Let me start at the beginning shall I? There is simply too much that cannot be forgotten!

Friday afternoon happened to be quite a windy occasion when I was hurrying back to the chalet to meet up with Lisa. She was waiting for me to get back from class so that we could leave as early as possible. The night before we had been huddled around my computer, traversing through search engines to find accommodation in York for the weekend. Because the hostels we found didn't look that...appetizing...we instead decided on a bed and breakfast instead. It was only a few pounds more expensive then what we've paid for a hostel, so of course we booked the one we liked called The Foss Bank Guest House. Fortunately for us, it was only a short ten minute walk from the city centre. So, after throwing our bags together (by the way, if you can believe it mother, I was able to keep everything to a minimum and only brought what would fit in my shoulder bag!) we hopped on a train in Stirling that took us to Edinburgh Waverley station where we hopped on another train that would take us into York.

It didn't come to my attention at the time, but the train that Lisa and I got on at Edinburgh happened to be at five o'clock. On a Friday evening. Are you starting to get the picture? I should've known by the number of people standing on the platform beforehand that there was going to be a problem. And as we boarded the train, finally finding a place to sit on the floor of one of the available corners near the constantly used bathroom--I finally figured out that taking a train at five on a Friday hadn't been the smartest route. Nonetheless, Lisa and I sat for two and a half hours by that bathroom, which happened to cause many people trouble. Not that we were in the way. No, it was the bathroom itself causing a stir. No one could figure out how to open and close the sliding door and after watching who knows how many people struggle with it, Lisa and I felt like public-transportation-washroom-experts. "Push that button behind you" had become a commonly used phrase on that train. Finally, though, we arrived in York.

It was full dark by this point, so Lisa and I grabbed a taxi that took us to our bed and breakfast. Along the way, I got my first look at York Minster, and what a sight it was. Illuminated by a golden glow of lights, the Minster dominated the surrounding architecture. Here is one of my first pictures of it, although it certainly wasn't the last:

It's a powerful feeling, standing near bits of history like this. Not only does it make a person feel insignificantly small, but it also takes your breath away at the ingenuity of humanity. I stared at this building for I don't know how long, and I'm still in awe.

When we made it to our B&B, I was so glad we had gone this route. Not only was it SOO much nicer than a hostel, but our room was adorable and the inn keeper was very accommodating. After freshening up there, we departed once more to make our way into town where we were meeting up with some of Lisa's friends. It turns out that the walk into the centre of the city was much shorter than we thought it would be, mainly because the city itself is so small. It took no longer then ten minutes, something we were grateful for later that night when the wind had picked up. Once we made it into town, and I was able to drag myself away from the beauty of the Minster at night, we stopped for dinner and drinks at a place called "Ye Olde Starre Inne". There we met a bunch of new people, many of whom worked there, I discovered later. The range of accents made it a fascinating experience. Not only was the British accent distinguishable, but I also met a few guys from Ireland, another from Wales, yet another from New Zealand, and even one from Australia. It was definitely a feast for the ears. Later that night, we made our way to another place called "1331" which was a cafe-bar type of establishment where we spent a few hours before calling it a night (or early-morning I suppose I should say) and heading back to the B&B.

Saturday morning, Lisa and I crawled out of bed bright and early (well not too bright--it was foggy and a bit rainy out) and enjoyed a complimentary breakfast before hitting the streets. The first thing on our list was York Minster of course. We paid the full student price of eight pounds to not only see the Minster, but also the Undercroft (where the foundations go back to the age of the Romans and crypts can be seen) as well as the tower. Unfortunately, we never did climb those 257 something steps to get a view from the top. Something I both regret and yet don't mind. Well, my rear end doesn't mind I should say. After taking part in a tour that gave great bits of information of the Minster, Lisa and I left a couple of hours later to see other things. I'm still amazed at how many people were clogging the streets when we started walking down them. We found out that York happens to be a very touristy place on the weekends. As we manoeuvred through the throngs of people, my senses were fully engaged. There were tea shops on every other corner (what ecstasy I tell you!), a Crabtree and Evelyn shop (how hard it was not to purchase anything there...) and the beat of music coming from a shopping square. Boutiques lined every inch of space available, interspersed with pubs, cafes, and historical sites. I was even lucky enough to pass a Jorvick Viking Centre, but didn't find a Viking to take home. Another interesting fact about York - there are 365 pub establishments just in the city. One for every day of the year I'm told. No, father, I didn't try my hand at this.

Upon leaving the Minster, Lisa and I followed the streets and signs to the York Castle Museum, which was situated only about ten minutes away. We didn't actually go inside the Museum, mainly because we didn't want to pay the entrance fee, but checked out Clifford's Tower instead. Built of stone in a round, circular fashion, the tower was built by William the Conqueror and stood atop a grassy knoll. We were lucky enough that the sun had come out by this point and even though the tower was quite miniature, it was still remarkable how long it had stood there for, the sun creating a halo of light behind it.

After a bit more exploring, Lisa and I met up with Laura and Fraggle (new friends I've made through Lisa) at the City Art Gallery. From there, we made our way to the City Walls to walk part of them. I've seen part of the city walls that are left in Stirling, but York happens to still be surrounded almost completely by the walls. Pedestrians are allowed to walk along them for free throughout the daytime, and the views from them are superb. Lisa and I also stopped for a photo and this is one we had taken of us. Of course we happened to be blinded by the sun at the moment, but it was still quite fun. Finally, our walking led us to an exit from the city walls and we decided to go back to the B&B for some freshening up and relaxing before we headed out again for the evening. Along the way, Lisa and I split up so that she could head back to the B&B. I still wanted to wander a bit more, not quite done with the sights of York. As I walked, taking in the smells and sounds, I came across an arts and crafts fair which I walked through for a bit. From there, I found a tea shop where I succeeded in purchasing some fine, loose-leaf tea and seeing one of the guys I had met the night before. Of course he was quite lovely and just happened to like tea. York just kept getting better and better.

It was starting to get later, so I started heading back, stopping for awhile in the park I found near the Minster. The sun was starting to go down and the wind picking up, making it the perfect time of day to simply sit and absorb the atmosphere. It was only when I realized I was going to need to head back or my fingers were going to freeze, that I unglued myself from the bench I'd found.

For our last evening in York, Lisa, Laura, and I went to a place called "La Tasca" which is a Spanish-style restaurant that is big on "tapas". I was able to enjoy my first experience with Sangria (an amazing combination of wine, soda, and fruit) and I'm thinking I'll need the recipe for it. It was amazingly good. From La Tasca, the three of us decided to head back to the Olde Starre Inne for a few more "beverages" ( I think that's a safe word choice) but it wasn't long before we were ready to call it a night. We'd been out really late the night before, gotten up early on Saturday, and now all we wanted was sleep. Of course, once we started walking back to the B&B the weather decided to show us who was boss, by opening up with a downpour of rain and wind. Lovely, just lovely. At least I know why it stays so green in this country.

After checking out the next morning and saying our adieus to our B&B, Lisa and I made one last stop before heading back to Stirling. The place was called Betty's Tea Room and Cafe. We'd seen it the day before, but the line (I guess I should say "Q" because I'm in Britain) had been stretched clear around the building. Luckily for us, though, we got there early enough that we only had to wait in a very short Que before being seated. It was one of my favourite tea houses I've been to so far over here. There was live piano music being played, the tea and scones were delicious (of which you can see pictures), and there was also a two minute silence held for remembrance day. It's no wonder it's starting too feel so much like a second home over here. All too soon, though, we were leaving the tea house and making our way back to the train station. It was sad to leave, yet it also makes me look forward to exploring even more cities and sites. There is so much history here, it's mind-boggling to even think about seeing everything. I think I'll settle for what my eyes can handle. That should do to start with.

And so, once more I'm back in Stirling. It's no hardship saying "I have to go home to Scotland" I'll tell you that much. With so much adventure to be had, I'm glad to have Stirling as a home base. Besides, when you have Highlanders on your side, is there really room to complain? Nope. I don't think so either.

Sending my love
xxoo

P.S. In addition to uploading new photographs, I was also able to add some video. The links are located underneath the photo links, and like the photos, if you right click on the link and say "open in new window" or "new tab", it will open the pictures or video in a new window, instead of taking you away from the blog site

Rain, Rain, Come Again

It started raining again today. I was walking back from the atrium, coffee in hand with a lid that wouldn't fit, and all of a sudden a light misting started falling. By the time I made it to the chalets, it had opened up a bit more and my mocha was sloshing all over the place. Not to fear, though. It was actually quite a lovely bit of rain. Considering this is rain country, one would think it would've been raining more often. It's been quite the opposite the last few days. Although the wind has certainly picked up and made wearing a scarf a necessity, the weather has been gorgeous. The sky has been so blue, it almost hurts too look at it. The bed of leaves on the ground is so thick these days, I can't imagine how they keep on falling. Scotland in the fall is quite simply one of a kind. Even if it doesn't do wonders for my hair.

Update! So it turns out that Lisa and I will be travelling down to York tomorrow. We will be staying until Saturday or Sunday, I'm not sure which. I'm quite excited for the adventure. I was so bogged down last week with essays and readings that I wasn't able to do any travelling. It's an interesting situation being both a student and tourist. It makes for remembering where my priorities lie somewhat of a conundrum. There are days where I would much rather take off for places unknown rather than sit in a classroom, but I hate missing class too much to do that. I am learning a lot from my professors here, though, so I can't complain. There are worse things to do then learn about William Wallace and Mary Queen of Scots. Yes, I do believe there are.

As I'm sure you are all aware, the election was a couple of days ago. If you are currently unaware of that, I'd say you have bigger issues to resolve. Unfortunately for me (I'm still reminiscing in my regret over this) my absentee ballot never arrived at my address here. Thus, I wasn't able to cast my vote in one of the most historic presidential races. It saddens me, but I was still able to keep up with things via the Internet. Watching Obama's speech in Chicago, even online, was indescribable. Truly, a new day in American History has been reached. Even more interesting, was observing the election from across the pond. I am aware that the decision of the American people has ripple effects across the globe, but never would I have thought that so many people could take an interest in our political affairs. The first thing my flatmate said to me when I got up the next morning was, "Do you know who won?" It was definitely something new to see the differences in perspective, and how far our decisions reach.

Last night also showcased another British holiday. November 5th happens to be "Guy Fawkes" day. From what I've learned in talking to people, the holiday celebrates the anniversary of when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament back in the 16th century. The film 'V for Vendetta' now makes more sense to me. Not that I didn't enjoy it before, but the mask worn by V in the movie perplexed me until now. To celebrate the occasion, fireworks are let off. Lisa and I were in the chalet and we could hear the booms coming from Bridge of Allan but couldn't see any of the fireworks. I was told by my flatmate Alan that they also hold a huge bonfire in Bridge of Alan as well. I have no idea if this occasion is widely celebrated throughout the UK, but it made me laugh anyhow. Who knew I'd get to observe the celebration of a terrorist, some 600 years after his death. When in Rome, I suppose. Or in this case, Scotland.

Kisses and Hugs
xxooxxoo

P.S. Here is one of my latest photos. This is one of Sam, Alicia, and I up at Stirling Castle for Sam's birthday. I know I haven't uploaded any in awhile, but should have some soon. I'll let you know!

A Scottish Halloween

The celebration on October 31st this year turned out to be quite different then any other I've experienced so far. Our plans for Edinburgh ended up being cancelled. The festival we wanted to go to didn't start until really late that night and we'd only be able to stay a couple of hours before we would've had to catch the train back. That or pull an all-nighter waiting for the next 5 a.m. train. So Stirling it was! It occurred to me throughout the day Saturday, that it didn't feel too much different than any other day (with the exception being that it was Sam's birthday of course). I hadn't been able to stop by any supermarkets and pick up some pumpkins or decorations, which was just as well because that would have required spending money I'm sure I spent elsewhere.

On the whole, the day was actually a very good one. I got up early to go up to Stirling Castle with Sam and Alicia--it was my second time going but it was Alicia's first and Sam just wanted to explore the grounds. It being his birthday (this is the birthday rule you know) we did what he wanted to do. It was nice wandering up the streets to the castle again, though. I love seeing the little shops that pop out of nowhere and there aren't ever too many people up at the castle, and I love the quiet one can find there. On the way up, Sam also showed me a coffee/tea shop that I hadn't noticed before called "Darnley's Coffee House." I went inside to grab a quick coffee but it turns out that its more of a sit-down place, so Lisa and I are going to go in for breakfast and tea tomorrow. I can't wait. I can never get enough of tea rooms, and from what I saw of the interior entrance, it's sure to be lovely. The place itself is named after Lord Darnley--Mary Queen of Scots second husband. The coffee house is said to built on the site of Darnley's lodgings in 1565. Too bad for him that he ended up being strangled to death, but the coffee house is certainly nice :)

After we were done at the castle, we stopped for lunch at a place called "City Walls." It's a really nice restaurant with really cheap food that comes in huge portions. I ended up having more haggis. I'm telling you, it's amazing and I'm addicted. Poor sheep. Following that we met up with Lisa to go see the new James Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace". For those of you back home, where the film hasn't yet come out, I definitely recommend it. It's a great follow up to the first film. Daniel Craig is, as ever, delicious eye candy. I'm also looking forward to 'Brideshead Revisited' coming to the on-campus theater. I really wanted to see it back home, but unfortunately missed it. That allowed me to read the novel while I was here, though, so now the movie will be even more enhanced.

After we finished up at the movie, we took the bus back up the chalets and met up with Justine and Carys (their other roommate) who had planned a surprise party for Sam. We were all able to sneak in and yell happy birthday to him and I think he enjoyed it :). Carys also had brought (kudos to her mum's cooking!) some delicious desserts including marshmallows in chocolate and a raspberry cream cake. My stomach still appreciates all the deliciousness of that evening. Of course, after the desserts came the drinking games. I won't go into too much detail, I'm sure you can picture things for yourself, but I will say that Sam won't be complaining anytime soon about the success of his 21st birthday. To top off the evening we even attempted some scary stories, but by that point of the night they didn't get very developed before we were distracted by other ongoings :)

So as you can see, not quite Halloween-ish, but still good times with good friends. That's what makes the most of any occasion anyhow. Speaking of friends, Grace will soon be visiting me up here at school. We were finally able to work out some dates and I shall be expecting her at the end of this month. It's good to know I've got company over here in the UK and I'm looking forward to showing her around. There's always something to see and do when you're a foreigner. For Fasha and Nasha's benefit I will say that we'll try to stay out of too much trouble. I'm emphasizing the try there. No promises, which I think Masha appreciates.

On a last note, I must say that as the season begins to change to a much colder one, and Christmas decorations are starting to take over the shops, I've grown quite nostalgic about home. I can't help it. I love being here, but I do miss my family and friends. I miss Slinky growling at Dad and Izzy breaking the screen door. Yes, I even miss Cassie's drama and the twins' escapades. Nasha's "look" is also something I think often about (don't worry Nana, I haven't been that bad. Yet....)It's only now, when I'm not near to see and take part in all the ongoings, that I realize how lucky I am to have a family I'm so close to. No, that's a lie. I did realize it before. It's just now coming into finer focus though. Even if they don't know it, I thank my parents, friends, and teachers everyday for giving me the opportunity to not only travel this far, but also for helping to realize how lucky I am to have you all. Let me just take this moment to dedicate my next pint of cider to everyone reading this!! It's legal here of course.... Father, stop looking at me like that :)

Until next time, here's a big Scottish kiss from me!!
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Great Scot! It's Autumn!

It has just occurred to me, via a conversation with my mother, that I need to mention Amber in my blog :) I know she'll probably be reading this and I want her to know....everything here is everything we've imagined and I'm glad to be the lucky recipient of her living vicariously through my adventures. Although, I'll have to keep you (Amber) updated about meeting the Highlander. That has yet to happen, and I'm having too much fun exploring the country (and the pubs of course) to worry about it just yet. The year is young, though :)

As for other ongoings, my mid-semester break started yesterday and unfortunately I haven't made any plans to travel to new places. It turns out that it was a better decision for me to stay in and get my essays done. I've got a lot of stuff due next week, so it was a perfect opportunity to get things out of the way. Just wait for Christmas break though. I'm only going to have one exam which will fall on December 8th and then I'm done with classes until they start again in February. That means I'm going to have a full TWO MONTHS to get some of this"itchy feet" out of my system by travelling to unknown places and discovering new sights :) I've already begun looking up Loreena McKennitt, Joshua Bell, and Alasdair Fraser concerts--they're quite prone to tour over here. I'm also looking forward to travelling to Italy at some point. Lisa and I are thinking about going there for my birthday in January. To be able to see the old cities of Rome, Venice, and everything in between would be an incredible gift. Hopefully, I'll get it all planned and worked out.

In other news, I was able to travel to Glasgow last weekend for a shopping expedition with my friends. My flatmate Alan is from near there and he came along, acting as tour guide to the good shopping areas. As the day progressed, though, the 'shop-a-holic' atmosphere seemed to diminish in our group (excluding myself...I think I get that from Mom....or maybe it's Nana :) and it was no sooner that we found ourselves at a place called "Waxy O'Connor's" which was a really neat restaurant that reminded me of something Hobbits would inhabit. Finding a seat in the place required walking around and around the staircases, in which tables would suddenly pop out of hidden niches. Looking down from the floor we were on, I was half expecting the wooden staircases to start moving like they would in a Harry Potter film. A really neat place, to say the least.

After doing a bit more shopping (I finally found a Borders!!) we settled down for the rest of the evening at a place called "The Counting House" which was a huge pub/bar. A high domed ceiling dominated the centre the pub, with goddess-like statues surrounding the border of it, looking down on all of us at the watering hole :) It was amazing--I don't know how many times I found myself tilting my head back to try and get my fill of the glass. Here's a picture of one of the carvings that was found on the outside:

As far as pictures of Glasgow go, I didn't get much. The main reason for that being we stayed in the shopping district--aka, shopping malls. We are planning on going back, though, to do sight-seeing instead of shopping, so I'll be sure to get more pictures then. I know the pictures I put up don't tell half the story of what's actually like seeing these things in person, but with a little imagination, I'm sure anyone can manage.

On a positive note, the homework and essays I was assuming would take most of this week to complete is just about finished. I gave myself the last couple of days to just sit down and crank them out, and it was highly successful. For that reason, I do believe Lisa, myself, and more of our friends will be going down to Edinburgh this Friday to celebrate Halloween in UK style. There is a huge parade/festival that takes place that night on the Royal Mile (a main street in Edinburgh that leads up to the castle) as well as several ghost and witch tours that we are looking into. From what I've been reading, the festival claims to be one of the biggest Halloween events in the UK. I'm not a huge fan of scary tours/stories/anything in between, but some of the tours look mildly tame and I think I can manage. I have also yet to decide what I am going to dress up as, but hopefully inspiration will strike in the next couple of days.

The weather here in Stirling is also starting to subtly change. Although Autumn is still in full swing, the winds are definitely getting colder and I'm glad to have brought my scarves. Leaves of all different colours are falling from the trees, and most days, the sky can't seem to decide if it wants to rain or stay sunny. Today happened to be gorgeous, though, and the clear blue of the sky complemented the oranges, golds, and reds I could see from the living room window. While I do miss the changes that Fall brings at home, I am also falling in love with the change in season here. I am desperately hoping, though, that once the winter season arrives, Scotland has eggnog on the supermarket shelves. A winter just won't be winter without some nog. [Masha, that's your cue if I can't find any]. For now, I'll settle for some Lady Grey tea.

Until next time, I hope everyone has a great Halloween (try not to scare too many young children Masha!!) and I'll be back with more soon. Hugs and Kisses from Scotland!!!!

Cheers xxoo

Weekend Extravaganza

As I compose this newest post, it has occurred to me that this past weekend's adventures eclipsed anything I might have had in mind. Let me start at the beginning :).

Saturday morning dawned with the sunshine I had been hoping for, after the rain of the past week, and Lisa and I decided that it was a perfect day for a hike. We had been looking forward to exploring a nearby hill called "Dumyat" which is a popular walking/hiking area for tourists in Stirling. It was only when 4:00 p.m. rolled around though, that the four of us (Lisa, Justine, Alicia, and myself) were actually ready to leave. We set off, dressed for the mud we were sure we would encounter......it's only now looking at the pants I wore that I'm thankful for that forethought.

Like many of my adventures in Scotland so far, finding a suitable path to climb up Dumyat (pronounced like "dumb-aye-et") required lots of walking. We found ourselves at a crossroads at the start of the walk--should we head uphill towards what we could already see of the hill or go downhill to the road and find a path from there? We were sure we could find an easier path going downhill and so proceeded in that direction. Thus, began the walking and the walking. The road stretched before us, Dumyat still beyond our reach, and the cars speeding alongside the road--far too close for comfort. There is something definitely to be said about the driving on the left side of the road here; that is, one really wishes the sidewalks were wider.

Anyhow, after turning up a couple of roads and turning around again once we reached dead ends (AKA people's fences we didn't want to climb over, in case they might see us) we eventually found a parking area with a trail that appeared to lead up to the hill. Finally! We followed along it, climbing a bit now and then, but nothing too strenuous. Yet Dumyat still towered alongside us and we were anxious to actually get up the hill. As we wound along the path, we came to the point where we decided to just start climbing the hill itself--no actual path had been noticed. So we climbed and climbed and climbed. Avoiding the numerous rabbit holes, sheep droppings, and curious, somewhat threatening stares of the surrounding sheep proved mildly hazardous. We were determined, though and climbed until we reached a crest in the hill. The view took my breath away. The sun was beginning to set, creating shadows of orange, pink, and purple upon the horizon. The William Wallace Monument sat like a silent sentinel miles away, and windmills sat turning far off in the distance. It was as if someone had tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me where I was again. As I reached for my camera to TRY and capture the moment, I realized that I hadn't put my memory card back in--which meant no pictures for Tiffany. Luckily, Alicia, Lisa, and Justine all took photos and I was able to retrieve some from them. The photo I've posted here is from Alicia and gives a good idea of what the view felt like. Just add some gusting wind and you've got it. Even with the photo, though, it's still hard to properly describe the amount of awe I felt.

After taking in as much of the sight as we could, we decided we had better get a move on getting back, because we were losing daylight fast and still had a ways to go. None of us had thought ahead and imagined that we'd be out for so long. We'd originally believed our walk would take about an hour to an hour and a half. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, it turned out be to a lot longer then that :) We continued in the direction we were heading, following a path that had been created by tire tracks--we were hoping it would lead us back around Dumyat to the Uni. We were lucky enough to run into another hiker and her daughter and they told us that if we kept following the trail, it would take us back. Her directions also included crossing a fence, small stream, and finally going through the forest. At the time, we didn't stop to think how each of these MIGHT be a problem. Especially in the dark, with no flashlights to speak of.

Our pace certainly picked up as the air got colder. It was getting harder to see and still we climbed up and down the path, certain that sooner or later we'd see the Uni. We finally came to the fence and small trickle of a stream. On the other side of the fence it looked quite marshy, but cross it we did. I decided to just charge through it--there was no way of getting around it. All went fine (sinking only a little in the shoes) until I reached a spot that my foot sunk through clear up to my ankle. Screaming and laughing, I pulled myself free and met Justine on the other side. I only wish all of us had been as lucky. Alicia was the last to cross what he had termed as the "Swamp" and we yelled encouragement at her. She also ran across it, but went a way that the rest of us hadn't. This became apparent when all of a sudden, Alicia jumped into a spot where she proceeded to sink knee-deep in the mud. To top it off, she then pitched forward (stuck as she was), getting mud on her upper half as well. I'm sorry to say (well, not that sorry :) that Justine, Lisa, and I stood there for a moment before breaking down laughing, holding our stomachs so we wouldn't wet our pants. It was ironic that Alicia was the one to fall because she'd been the most miserable of all of us on the climb. I think the mud-bath helped to cheer her up a bit in the end :) She wasn't the last one to fall, though, and after helping Justine up from one of her tumbles (more of a slip-and-slide) all of us were covered from head to toe in mud. Some more than others.

The forest ended up being our last obstacle. It occurred to me once we started trekking through it that it was a good thing there are no bears or large carnivorous cats here--because we would have been in deep doo-doo. Only Justine had brought her mobile phone which luckily had a light on it (thank goodness!!) and that ended up being the only thing that prevented us from tripping on tree roots and climbing down slippery rocks. We wandered through the woods for a bit, with Lisa leading (and sounding ever so confident that we were going the right way; which was a good thing because it kept us from panicking) and even though we were starting to get nervous, no one broke down in hysterics. Although, there did come a point where I told Alicia that if she kept saying this was like "The Blair Witch Project" that we were going to have a problem.

We hit a few dead ends when we got down to the stream that ran through the forest, which was when my nervousness started to escalate. Thank the Goddess that Justine made the decision to cross the stream and see where it led. Once we crossed it, we found the road we'd been searching for. We wasted no time running down it and wonder of wonders, we found ourselves EXACTLY where we had started earlier in the day. The moment called for a group hug and cheers of "Now, let's go to the pub and recover!!!"

After spending the rest of Saturday night at Number 2 Baker Street--a local pub in Stirling--with the girls and Sam and Stuart, Sunday was a nice day of rest. It also happened to be Thanksgiving in Canada on Monday, so we celebrated Sunday night with a dinner prepared by Lisa and myself. It was a great end to a somewhat action-packed weekend and I couldn't have asked for better people to share it with. This next weekend will probably see us taking a day-trip down to Glasgow, so we'll see what happens there. Until then, here's three cheers to not being eaten by mountain lions in the forest!! Some people might not understand that, but what the heck, go ahead and cheer anyway :)

P.S. New pictures have been posted in the link on the right hand side

Follow the Yellow Brick Road....to Edinburgh

Four weeks. The fact that that is almost how long I've been here doesn't seem possible. Yet the truth remains--I'm three weeks and three days in and there is still so much to do and see. With that thought constantly at the back of my mind, I was finally able to make my first trip down to Edinburgh this past weekend. It was a weekend filled with every kind of experience.

To start things off, before we left--we being myself, my flatmate Lisa, and our American friends Justine, Sam, and Alicia--decided to book a reservation for a hostel. It was the cheapest route to go and luckily for us, we were able to find one that was near the center of town called the Belford Hostel. Saturday morning, we roused ourselves as early as we thought decent (9 a.m.) and made for the train station in the Stirling City Centre. We wanted to get into Edinburgh as early as we could so that we could start checking out the sights. Of course we were in Scotland, and as such, the weather never fails here--- thus, it was raining even before we walked out the door.

Once on the train, it took about an hour to get into Edinburgh to Waverly Station, which was located smack dab in the middle of the city. It was still raining as we made our way up towards the street, but already I was struck by the sights and sounds of Edinburgh city. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. There were of course people milling on the streets, each going their own separate ways--this I'd seen in other cities--but unlike my experiences before, the architecture of the buildings in Edinburgh spoke of a long and rich history. Perhaps this photo I took will a do a better job of explaining what I mean:
It's a photo of Edinburgh Castle, and seeing it up close and personal was like taking a step back into the pages of history. It's not something you see everyday and I admit I may have gotten a bit high pitched in my squeaking. Being a tourist, though, I think I was entitled.

After we made our way out into the street our first order of the day was to find food. Justine and I had neglected to eat breakfast beforehand and were desperate for sustenance. Luckily for us, we came across this pub called "The Royal Mcgregor" which was located on the Royal Mile--a street that leads directly up to the castle.

Once we finished eating, we decided to find our hostel and drop off a few things before we started exploring. Now, I have to mention, when I was making the reservation for this hostel it had APPEARED to be quite close to the city centre. Once we actually started looking for it, though, there happened to be more walking involved then originally thought. Luckily, the directions I had written down beforehand were accurate and we only had to stop once to examine a map in order to make sure we weren't lost. After walking, walking and walking, we at last came to the end of a quiet, mostly residential street where a red-bricked church sat. A pair of large red doors with "Belford Hostel" came as a relief to all of us and we made our way inside. I had never been in a hostel before now, and it was interesting to see one up close. It wasn't ANYTHING like the movie, mind you. I don't think I would've made it past the front doors if it had been :). The church itself had been converted into a dorm-like setting. The rooms were divided by walls and there were no ceilings (besides that of the church) so there was very little privacy. We didn't plan on staying long, though, so we didn't mind. It was actually really neat to be able to see all the stained-glass windows lying in bed that night and look up at the high arched ceilings.

Our first exploration that day was of course the castle. Talk about a fortress. The climb alone made me glad I'd been hiking this summer. It's amazing to think that in the 16th-17th centuries, the climb would've been even higher, because the city streets sat lower then. There was also so much to see once we got inside the castle gates. Even though it was still raining and very windy, we weren't hindered. From the canons to the great hall, to the war museum and monuments to fallen soldiers, Edinburgh castle has certainly withstood the test of time. I think my favorite site of all, though, were the crown jewels. They had such a history and story behind them, and it was neat to learn about them. No photos or video were allowed inside the Crown Jewels room, so I wasn't able to to photograph the crown, scepter, or sword and scabbard. Nonetheless, I was in awe of their condition and the fact that they had survived intact for so long. It's the little things like that in this country, that make a person feel the true power of humanity.

We wandered for most of that day, but because it was so cold and windy, it wasn't long before we were ready to cozy up in a pub somewhere. First we ate dinner at a place called the "Filling Station"--it's an American style restaurant and reminds me a bit of the Hard Rock cafe. Without the rock. From there we investigated a few pubs before settling on one called "The Brass Monkey"(No, Mother I didn't find the monkey :) We spent quite a few hours there, sipping away at drinks, getting to know each other better by playing "Ten Fingers", and sharing more then a few laughs. We even met a couple of Russians who wanted us to come out with them and party, but we were all quite tired by this point and instead caught a taxi back to our hostel.

Apparently (I don't recall this because I was sleeping---AKA dead to the world) the other person who was sharing the room with us (and who I was sleeping above, because they were bunk beds) had some kind of cursing seizure around five in the morning. I found this out from Lisa and Sam after they told us the next morning. Supposedly, the guy jumped out of bed in his little underwear, started cursing loudly, then stormed out of the room. I have no idea when he came back, but Sam followed him in case the front desk needed to be alerted. I'm thinking it's a good thing I didn't know any of this at the time. I have no idea how I would've made it back to sleep (above the crazy guy no less!!) and felt safe. I suppose, for all its good points, there HAD to be something off with the hostel. Who knew it would come in the form that it did :)

The next day (it was actually sunny!!), we checked out of the hostel by 10 a.m. and picked up some much needed caffeine in the form of coffee. As luck would have it, because I'd been trying not to bring much, I'd forgotten pajamas for the trip (and ended up sleeping in my jeans), so the caffeine boost that morning helped me to overlook the fact that I was wearing the same clothes two days (and one night) in a row. For the first time, I definitely felt like a traveling college student :) Our first stops after coffee were a couple of cemeteries. Besides seeing the ones at Stirling Castle, these were the first ones I'd really explored. The first one--called "Old Calton Cemetery"--was filled with tombs of all shapes and sizes. Not to mention a very phallic-like headstone that shot high into the air from the center of the cemetery. Of course it belonged to a man :) What struck me the hardest about this cemetery though, besides the age of it, were the number of headstones with inscriptions to young children. I cannot count how many I saw. It makes sense, considering that most of them died in the 18th and 19th centuries (conditions were obviously much different then) but it still struck a chord to see them.

The second cemetery we saw--called "Crey Friars"-- was also gorgeous. It was a very peaceful place, with lots of greenery and a quiet atmosphere. Being who I am, though, I couldn't help but comment when I saw some of the headstones broken or crumbling that dead people were trying to get out of their graves again. I told them to stay where they were put :)

Our last major stop of the day was a place called "Mary King's Close". Hidden underground beneath the Royal Mile, it is a warren of "closes" where actual people lived, worked, and died around the 16th and 17th centuries. They take you on a tour of what is left of the closes, and it was fascinating to see how it had been built on top of. I'm still trying to figure out how one builds on top of streets like that--raising the level of the city itself. They have documented history of people who lived in the "closes" and the tour guide took us throughout the rooms and old streets that still remain down there. If that's not a step back in time, I don't know what is. Unfortunately, it was far too dark to take pictures (we were underground mind you), but it was still lots of fun (and for only 9 pounds).

Finally, we sat down for lunch in the Princes Street Garden, taking in one last look of the surrounding sights. We are already making plans to come back for a day trip---still have to do shopping of course!! We were only there for two days, yet it felt so much longer. It's crazy what being in a new city does to a person. I can only hope to continue experiencing that feeling the longer I am here. So what's next on the agenda? Inverness-the capital of the highlands? Glasgow? Skye? With any luck, I'll be able to see them all. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do they say.....

Cheers.

P.S. The link for all the photos I've taken is right alongside this posting. I also put up the pictures of my adventure at Stirling Castle from last week. Enjoy both albums! :)