Inter-semester Adventures

I've been travelling a bit this week, so I've posted each location in a new post to make it less confusing. It's been really nice to see more of Scotland! I leave on Sunday for Prague and Salzburg with Bess and Lauren which should be amazing. Enjoy the pictures in these posts and remember you can click them to make them bigger.

Stirling Castle:

Today I went to Stirling with Bess and toured around the castle there. I realized that my knowledge of British history is really lacking, but I learned a lot about Robert the Bruce and the Stuart dynasty and a lot of kings with similar names. And the lighting was stunning (bonus!).

These tapestries are recreations of the originals that hung in the castle. We watched the weavers working on them - so excruciatingly slow. The project is supposed to take 4 years to complete. The painting above the tapestries is original to this building- the palace chapel. 

Bess with Robert the Bruce!

We landed in jail...

Loch Lomond

After Edinburgh, I took a train to Glasgow where my friend Darren drove a few of us to Loch Lomond and Mugdock Park & Castle. Beautiful day. Also, I adore highland cows.

Note that this is an action shot.

Edinburgh

I headed off to Edinburgh this week on a whim, stayed with my Great-Aunt Gert and saw Katie who is on exchange to Edinburgh University. 

Town Centre 

View behind Princes Street

Edinburgh Castle

Tartan shop on the Royal Mile

View from Advocate's Close

Hollyrood Palace - Where the Queen stays when she comes to Scotland

Katie near Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh

View of Edinburgh Castle through Greyfriar's Graveyard

Greyfriar's Bobby - Statue in memory of the dog who sat next to his owner's grave day after day following his death.

Gert

Edinburgh Museum

Snowy Magic.

Somehow everything is more beautiful here. 

(Unless it's raining.)

Happy 2011!

Just when I thought I was writing into a vaccuum of nothingness (is that redundant?), I began getting in trouble over Christmas for not enough blog updates! So here we go...

I'm currently sitting in Pearson waiting to fly back to the UK. My flight was supposed to leave at 5:10. It's now 9:10 and pre-boarding has just begun. Anyways, it's been a lovely visit home other than being ill the whole time and I feel so lucky to have such amazing friends and family on either side of the pond.

When I get back I have 9 or so days to study for two exams, each worth 75% of my marks for those modules. My plan is to give my laptop to a friend for about 6-8 hours each day so that I get some real work done, distraction-free. After I write these exams I have 3 weeks off, so my plan is to visit some family in Scotland, then (ideally) do London and Prague and Berlin, not necessarily in that order. It won't be wonderful weather, but it can't be worse than Scotland at this time of year (knock on wood).


...

Back in St. Andrews now, after a near-sleepless night. My poor body is so confused, so I'm heading to bed pretty soon. Before I go, I'll post some pictures of the time leading up to the Christmas break to make up for my lack of posts.

Happy New Year and lots of love.

xxx

Homemade Christmas dinner & Secret santa gift exchange

We both burned ourselves within the week.

Emily and Me

Darren, Me, Bess, Lauren - Before the Christmas Ball

Trampoline Christmas Social

Trampoline competition in Dundee