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..