Post-Portugal: Scotland has snow!

Hello!

I'm just home from my first trampoline competition, which was really fun! But I realize that I haven't updated this blog since my first real traveling experience.

Portugal was really nice. It wasn't quite the weather we were hoping for but it was still infinitely warmer than here. Overall it went without major problems, apart from some unwelcome rain. How to sum up a week...

Faro. We flew here because we were flying RyanAir (which went without a hitch). Don't go to Faro unless you have to, and if you have to don't plan to stay there any longer than you must. The old town is nice, but there are much much nicer places to spend your time.

Lagos. Lagos is on the Algarve, the coast between Faro and Lisbon. It's a cute tourist-friendly town with a palm-lined main walk and beaches with "grottoes". The weather was fairly uncooperative, but we managed  to avoid the rain long enough to put our toes in the ocean. We stayed in a wonderful and cheap hostel/guesthouse here, basically like a nice apartment with kitchen, bathroom, balcony, comfy beds. We got 11 hours of sleep that night...

Lisbon. At the urging of our Portuguese friend, Francisca, we hopped a [four hour] train to Lisbon and spent most of the rest of our trip exploring this vibrant and diverse city. We did a range of things from sight-seeing to a dinner party to an all-nighter to a road trip around the surrounding towns to eating the best pastries in the world. It was really nice.

Now scotland... has a lot of snow. And ice. Not up to Canada's standard version of a snowstorm, but it's sent everyone here into a bit of a tizzy. And I didn't really bring snowstorm gear, so I'm parka-less and proper snowboot-less. I have two essays and a writing assignment due next week so I'm taking every opportunity to procrastinate! Thus, this overdue blog entry. Okay, picture time. Enjoy (and sorry for the random order)!

Santa Luzia, Lisbon

Faro

Lisbon area

Lagos 

Church in Lisbon

Sintra

Tram 28, Lisbon

Monastery in Bélem

Santa Luzia, Lisbon

Bélem

Rossio Square, Lisbon

Rossio Square, Lisbon

Alfama, Lisbon

Commercial Square, Lisbon

With Francisca, our Portuguese friend and amazing tourguide!

Pre-Portugal

Hiya friends.

This will be my last update before I head to Portugal with Bess tomorrow! Flights are booked, boarding passes printed, 4 out of 7 nights accommodation booked in nice looking hostels / guesthouses for under 20 pounds per night per person. Yay! We're flying into Faro then working our way up the Algarve for 2 days then staying a few nights in Lisbon, hopefully meeting up with a Portuguese friend who can show us the sights. Unfortunately my Nikon will not be making the journey with me... it has sand in the lens and although it still works, I've been told I shouldn't use it until it gets cleaned out. But I'll have a new compact digital in tow (my parents said r.i.p to mine on their Europe trip), so I'll still be able to adequately document. Also, I made a big purchase of an osprey backpack with wheels. So it's not exactly a trekking bag, but I don't have to wheel it on hikes or on cobbled roads. Hopefully it works well! (It's been a big-spending week).

In other news...
Halloween was fun! I was a witch one night and a ballerina the next. I'll post some pictures at the end of this blurb. I've been reading quite a bit so I'm not behind when I get back. I've also been getting more into trampolining (I can do unassisted front flips now), and my only injury so far has been a twisted ankle (knock on wood).

Last night I went to a rape awareness week event which had readings, acoustic sets, some skits and some poetry. It was nice. Check out the scottish campaign: /http://www.thisisnotaninvitationtorapeme.co.uk/

When I get back I'll be starting testing participants for the study that I'm a research assistant for. It's testing memory for categories as well as perception of a face looking right at you. That was vague. Anyways, it's time to cram more clothing into my backpack and do some last minute research.

Love to you all,

Kat xo

My academic family (they have nothing to do with academics..)  Mommy (Emily), Sisters (Lauren and Bess), Brother (Max-standing), Dad (Collie-sitting). We like cupcakes.

Emily! She went on exchange to Western last year and we were in a play together. Fate.

Bess & Lauren. Bess won best costume!

My pumpkins. 

Andrew, Cristina, Estefy, Darren, Me, Adam (Adam was wall-e and his costume had lights and robot noises! He won best costume too).

Me and Hannah (Lara Croft)

Cima and I.

Castles and Rainbows. And Work...

Hello!

This update is going to be a little to the point, as I'm currently swamped. But I figure it's better than nothing.

This past weekend I went to Stonehaven to meet another of my dad's cousins, Elma, her husband Walter, and their daughter Gillian and her family (husband Gordon and son Jamie, age 12). It was really nice! They are all lovely and so is home-cooked food. (What a relief to find that rice really can taste like rice and not miniature dried out sea sponges!) On Saturday we went to Dunottor Castle, which is in their town (lucky them), and sits on the edge of the types of cliffs that grace the background of this blog. Amazing. That afternoon I headed to Aberdeen on the train and romped around for a bit in the harbour area, visited a Maritime Museum that talked about many facets of the North Sea, and admired the stone architecture. I don't feel like I really saw the city, but I got a taste at least.

This week is a bit nuts so far, with an essay and a presentation due on friday, volunteering today, research assisting tomorrow, trampolining, selling candygrams for the hall charity campaign nightly, dinner with my academic family... etc. But it's alright, soon enough halloween will be here, and with it will come wonderous black lipstick and purple nail polish and teased hair. And candy, of course.

Love to you all. Wish you could come visit. Please send me mail.

Kathleen

Walter, Jamie, Gordon, Gillian and Elma in Stonehaven

Elma at Dunnottar Castle

Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Aberdeen Harbour (view from Maritime Museum)

One month later, and some pictures to prove it.

Hi out there,

It's been a month since I arrived in St. Andrews. Things have definitely settled into a routine, and it feels like I've been here forever. Unfortunately I haven't been able to shake my cough, so I'm heading to the doctor on Tuesday to see what's up. This weekend I mostly spent resting (this afternoon I was still asleep at 12:36 when the fire alarm went off and I had to stagger outside). Tomorrow night is the New Hall Ceilidh, which will be fun as I haven't had the chance to go to one yet. Tuesday and/or wednesday I have trampolining, which is fun although we have to wait a long time between bounces because it's so popular this year!

This weekend I'm hoping to head on my first trip. The plan is to go to Stonehaven to see another of my Dad's cousins, and also to see the supposedly spectacular Dunnottar Castle. Then on to Aberdeen to see the  town my Dad was born in and tour around, then on the Inverness and more importantly, Loch Ness (don't worry, if I see Nessie I'll be sure to take a picture!).

My friend Bess has decided to come to Portugal with me this reading week, and I'm so excited! I'm just on the verge of booking the tickets and I've got a lot of planning to do, but it will be worth it to feel sunshine (we haven't had a sunny day here in a week and a half).

I'm posting some pictures of various things from other people's cameras, as well as a couple from a photoshoot I did with Lauren and Bess!


Enjoy. Love,
Kat xo


1. Beach Fun: we found some sinking sand the hard way.

Note: Lauren is five foot nine. I am not, to say the least.

2. More masquerade party...

3. Canadian Thanksgiving and my feast!

4. Photoshoot from back when the sun used to shine. 

An International Thanksgiving

It's half past midnight and I just got back from a wonderful meal with some wonderful people. I decided that since I knew I would be homesick and turkey-sick this weekend, that I would throw a big Canadian Thanksgiving dinner. When I told my mom I was cooking for fourteen, I think she shrieked. Due to conflicting schedules, we ate at about 10pm (which, conveniently, is 5pm Ontario time and so a perfect hour to carve a bird). Around the table we had a lot of Scots, but also representatives from Romania, Sweden, Germany and the States. One friend brought his Ukulele and played Oh Canada and everyone sang along. I had cooked for 4 hours, making two chickens (couldn't get a turkey on short notice), mashed patatoes, sweet patatoes, caramelized apples, peas, stuffing and cranberry. And lemon meringue pie (apparnently canned pumpking isn't popular here...) for desert. My friend Bess diligently helped me do all the cooking but everyone contributed to the amazing spirit of the night. I made a slightly sappy speech thanking everyone for the past few weeks and to asking them to be thankful to whatever they believed in for the food and the people around them. It really was such a nice night.

Anyways, now that that gushing is over with, other news:

Last night was a friend's birthday and he rented out the town aquarium that hosts parties in the off-season. We all dressed up and were given masked and there was a chocolate fountain. Fun.

To the golf/celebrity watchers: A few days ago en route to a beach run I saw Samuel L. Jackson golfing the 18th hole of the old course.

I've gone to my first trampoline session and it was fun! I'm going to start volunteering with a psych prof here doing research in his lab which will be good experience. I'm still volunteering at the charity bookstore, and I'm also now the charity rep for my residence so I'll be running things like open mic nights and candygram sales to raise money for charity on behalf of the school. (Any ideas for other fun money raisers would be appreciated!)

I think that's all for now.. I'll add a few photos at the end of this post.

I hope your turkeys are sitting nicely in your bellies and that you are drifting off into that lovely post
face-stuffing slumber. I hope that the trees are still red and haven't dropped all their leaves yet. I miss you all.

Love,
Kat

In the lobby of New Hall, about to go out for the night.

My girls: Cima, Lauren and Bess. We're very serious about life.

Ahmed's 18th birthday - masquerade party

I'm small. Lauren can you help me take a picture through the keyhole?

Take a deep breath...

Beach Frisbee with Bess.

This street is called Butt's Wynd.. you may choose to pronounce it how you see fit.

St. Salvatore's Quad

St. Salvatore's Quad

Castle Sands

Castle sands and the castle ruins

Shadows at the castle sands (this calm part of water is actually the remnants of a "swimming pool" built into the sea that would fill up at high tide and create a safe spot to swim - safe, but not warm).

Abbey ruins - the location of St. Rule's Tower. St. Rule's remains were brought to St. Andrews and the Abbey was erected.

Lauren, Darren, Cima and Bess in the Abbey Ruins

Me at the Abbey Ruins (you can see St. Rule's tower behind me).

The view from the top of the pier. Every Sunday there is a pier walk where students walk out here in their red gowns.

The mandatory touristy phone booth shot. Note Darren in the reflection.

I know my blog makes it look like it is always sunny here. It's not. But when it is, it's just stunning...