Edinburgh From Holyrood Park

Here's a video from up on the hill.

Arthur's Seat

No, I'm not talking about the episode of the ever-popular PBS program "Arthur" in which Francine tries to take Arthur's seat. Today, I went out to see Scottish Parliament and ended up walking around Holyrood Park, home of Arthur's Seat. This installment will focus on photographic evidence of my day, as I am not entirely thrilled at the prospect of writing too much.

So... Parliament. It was closed, so I couldn't go inside. The outside was neat, though.

Note: The flags in this photo are conspicuously still. Today was easily the nicest day of the new year in Edinburgh. It must have been easily over 50 degrees (maybe even 60 once the sun came out. yep... the sun). The sun came out once I was about half-way up the hill. More on that later.

So, I hiked up the hill and took lots of photos overlooking Parliament, Calton Hill, the Castle, the Firth, and other various landmarks. When I began, the clouds had begun to peel away across the Firth of Forth and I was very lucky to have found myself at the top just as the sun landed upon the city of Edinburgh. Of all the people I could have asked to take my photo, of course I approached the ONE who spoke very little English. I had been passing loads of Scottish people who were totally viable candidates. Nope. I chose the other guy. He was great, though. A dog jumped up on me. It was a chocolate lab puppy, so it was ok. Probably the best-looking dog I've seen besides Danny-son.

I also took some video, so hopefully I can attach that here:

Girly MAN MAN MAN MAN!

And now for something completely different. If you haven't seen this already, it's well worth it, I'd say. My flatmates and I really get a kick out of it. If you don't think it's funny, I dare you to watch it 5 times through. It gets funnier for me every time.

Ok. This is a clip from a Tollywood film (like Bollywood, but in Telegu language I guess). Somebody has simply taken the sounds from the scene and inserted English subtitles based on those sounds. The words aren't as funny as the dancing, if you ask me. Follow the link and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDKcevMFUCo

Colin

To get an idea of what Colin (see 2 posts down) is like, picture King Theoden from Lord of the Rings (just as he is being exorcised by Gandalf) and then add Treebeard's voice. Colin = #1.

Keys to the Game

The Sharks lost what sounded and looked like a pretty bad game. And I lost my keys. I had just gotten back to Darroch Court from the library when I reached into my pocket only to find that my keys were absent. So, I walked 15 minute back to the library and looked in all the likely places and talked to all the people at all the various desks. But they did not turn up. So, I walked back to my room in defeat. I buzzed the my flat and Sam let me in. While climbing the stairs, I began to wonder if I had even brought my keys with me to class and the library in the first place. Sure enough, my room was unlocked and my keys were on my desk. Phew. That would have cost me a significant chunk of change if I had in fact lost them. So, I had a great day, all things considered.

Here's a bonus photo from the highlands. This is the town of Breadalbane. I took the photo from the first concrete bridge ever built in Scotland... or Europe... or something significant like that. Eh, what the heck. I'll throw in a photo of the bridge, too.
And why not another? Note the motorbike duo.
And last one: you should be able to click on them to enlarge them. That's Ben Lawers across Loch Tay. Can you spot the highland cows?

Firbush Point Field Center

Over Valentine's Day weekend, I went with a group of about thirty American students up to the University's Firbush Point Field Station on Loch Tay. It's about a two hour drive up to the Loch, which is northwest of Edinburgh. We left on Friday evening, and returned on Sunday night. I must say that having spent a month with Scottish students almost exlusively, it was a real shock to be immersed in a pool of Americans again.

Above all, it made me realize two things. First, it made me really appreciate how great my flatmates are. I lucked out to be placed with these guys because a) they're all British and b) they're really good flatmates. I think that most of my fellow American students have found themselves in flats with at least one other American (some with a majority of American flatmates, even). This is not to suggest that I don't like American students, but I think my situation has really forced me to involve myself more fully in what it is like to be a student at a Scottish University.


Second, the notable dearth of top-notch females made me realize that I have been spoiled my whole life by the exceptional quality of the women to whom I have been exposed. Mom, aunts, grandmothers, and mom's closest friends have established a standard that I don't think many girls can stand up to. And this disparity can not be accounted for simply by age differences alone, as I certainly know one college girl in particular who is most excellent... I'll come back to that. The point is, this excursion, which featured about a 4:1 female to male ratio, has made me really thankful that I know such cool gals.

I should note here that I did like quite a few people on the trip, and we got along just fine.

Ahem. So, the trip itself was awesome. The highlands are beautiful and we did some really fun activities. On Saturday, we hiked (or hillwalked, as they say) for the entire day. My group began in Balquhidder, which is home to the grave of Rob Roy (see photo). We did not realize at the time that the name of the town would be so appropriate for the day's events. You'll see why.

We toured the graveyard and the nearby church before departing up the hill. The going was moderate until we hit the proper snowline, then it became moderately challenging, I would say. People were slipping frequently, but our 76-year old guide, Colin Crookshank(s), pushed on undeterred. This man was a true champ, and I admire him very much. We got to the summit only to find that there was basically no way we were going to go down the other side (you see, the two groups had begun at opposite ends of this trail and were going to exchange bus keys at the summit). So, we turned back and went back down to Belquhidder, where we received a quitter's welcome. It was a really fun hike in the snow. We were all wearing gaiters and sturdy boots and everything. Unfortunately, we were enshrouded in infamous Scottish mist almost the whole time, so we missed out on what we were promised were spectacular views of the highlands. Great day nonetheless.

That evening, we partook in a traditional Burns Supper. We were really lucky to have Colin, who addressed the haggis, and an older gentlemen who played the bagpipes for the evening's activities. This man, it turns out, is the president of the Scottish Bagpipes Association, so he was pretty rubbish. Psyche. After the meal, we all took part in a ceilidh in the dining room. It was ultra triumphant. Bob, another instructor of about 55 years, taught us numerous Scottish ceilidh dances and everybody was up for a good time. I was really impressed that nobody held back. Bagpipes were played. Colin delivered a biting poem that he had written about the vegetarian haggis to which many Firbush visitors limit themselves. It was very funny, as Colin is a wonderfully animated story teller (reminds me of Poppo in many ways).

After the dancing was complete, some time was allotted for people to recite poetry or sing songs that they knew. This part didn't go as well, as it was dominated by a pair of students who are studying in Aberdeen. The girl made me particularly unhappy. She thought, for some strange reason, that this would be a good time for her to break out some musical theater. I'm talking tunes from Rent and such. What compels a person to sing musical theater immediately after the president of the Scottish Bagpipes Association pours his heart into the third set of pipes that he brought along? This could have been an SNL sketch, and luckily the girl next to me was similarly amused/dismayed and we did the classic eye contact followed by the "is this really happening?" face multiple times per minute.

This girl's terrible taste coupled with her commitment to the Nasonex School of Song made me really miss Martha and her voice. Sheesh.

So anyway...

The next day we were given the choice of a few activities. Among them were kayaking, mountain biking, orienteering, canoeing, road biking, or an Historical Tour of Loch Tay led by Colin. Obviously I did the historical tour. I figured I can do these other activities elsewhere, but nowhere else can I get a tour of Loch Tay with Colin Crookshank. He had proven his vast knowledge and storytelling abilities the day before, but he really kicked it up a notch for the historical tour.

There is way too much to try to describe in this blog, so I'll have to be selective. We went around the entire Loch, stopping along the way at significant sites and often walking up the hills to see certain things. At one point, Colin decided that we needed to see the MacNab family graveyard which is located on an island in the middle of a river and is only open to the public in the summer. So, he said, "we'll need to climb a sort of wall to get inside, but I'll show you the proper technique." 76. When I get back, remind me to tell you all about the MacNab v. MacNish royal rumble smackdown.

We also saw a 5,000 year old stone circle. Nobody knows for sure, but most scholars agree that the stones were built for the sheep to play hide-and-go-seek. The other widely held belief is that the stones constituted the legs of one of those big trampolines. It was likely disassembled when Smooth John MacNab accidentally knocked his two front teeth out on its rim. One thing is for sure, however, and that is that this stone circle was the architectural inspiration for the Drop Zone ride at "Paramount's Great America" in Santa Clara.

Ok. One more thing from the tour. We went to a cave on the South side of the Loch that was used in a famous comedy film of British origin. Can anybody guess the film? Here's a photo.

I'll Buy You a Kabab

If Nicolson St. is College Ave., then Kabab Mahal is Naan 'n' Curry. In between classes today, I ventured into a small, crowded restaurant in Nicolson Square. The place is called Kabab Mahal, so how could I pass it up? Those of you who know Naan n Curry in Berkeley, be happy for me, for I have just come across its sister eatery in Edinburgh. The places are remarkably similar in style. Unfortunately, KM doesn't feature any hanging paper ornaments or Indian hip-hop.

Because there is limited seating and the place was pretty full, I decided to squeeze into a table at which a middle-aged Scottish couple were already enjoying their curry. You'll have to trust me when I say that this maneuver was not entirely inappropriate given the crowd and the seating arrangement. So, having ordered some chicken dhal and a piece of naan, I cozied up next to the male component of this couple and was prepared to mind my own business. However, to my surprise and enjoyment, the couple was extremely willing to chat and we ended up having a really nice time. They very much reminded me of my parents, and it was a real treat to sit with them. They like Kabab Mahal so much that they drive into Edinburgh from 10 miles away just to have lunch at this place (sound familiar?).

So, I'm really glad that I found a cheap, most excellent, laid-back, friendly, convenient place to get Indian food. One of my top goals for this semester has been fulfilled, and will continue to be fulfilled every Thursday between classes until I am filled full.

In other news... Last night, Jim, Hanif, and I walked up to Jekyll and Hydes (a bar just north of princes st.) and indulged in their "seven deadly sins" cocktails that Tommy and aunt Amy had enjoyed when they were in town in 2004 (right?). I got "pride" and "envy", and my friends each got "wrath" and "sloth". They were ultra good. One fun feature of this bar is its hidden bathroom doors. I guess the toilet is meant to be like the secret hideout, so its doors look like bookshelves (see photo). You actually have to guess which one is for men. It's the one on the right.

jim

You know how it's pretty much accepted that people tend to want things more when they know they can't have them? Well, my flatmate Jim has become a true night owl. He has been getting up around 10 PM most days, and he goes to bed before noon. My other flatmate, Hanif, and I have come to realize that Jim's inaccessibility has made us really want to hang out with him because we know that we can't. Man, Jim is so cool.

cheese blog

What a beautiful day in Edinburgh. The sun is out, the people are out, and it's about 40 degrees out. I had a very enjoyable morning and early afternoon. First, I went to my environmental politics tutorial. This past week, we were asked to observe the ways in which the media shape our understanding of environmental issues. So, I chose a piece from a 2007 New York Times series about China and the environment called "Choking on Growth". My partner, a girl from Evanston, Illinois (who interestingly attends northEASTERN), approved this selection, then promptly forgot about the assignment. I showed up 20 minutes before class to discuss our presentation plans, but she didn't show up until 5 minutes into class. She apologized to the professor, who remarked, "it's ok. you keep getting here earlier and earlier every week!" which is true. So, I gave our brief presentation all by my lonesome. It turned out to be fine. No big deal at all. While other groups were presenting, I wrote down notes about the article so my partner could get up to speed. Anyway, boring story, right? I'll add some details that might improve it. First off, my partner came into the room and promptly tripped over another student. She nearly fell down, but managed to catch herself by sprinting forward until she regained balance. For this maneuver, she needed to use the entire center space of our seminar room like a runway. I hope you can picture this, as it was very funny, then instantly very uncomfortable for the whole class. So, she sat next to me and said something like, "hey. so, i've pretty much screwed you over. i haven't even read the article. i thought today was yesterday." I wonder what she did yesterday.



Last night I made a plan for today so that I would be sure not to waste it. So, after tutorial, I marched up the royal mile and stopped at a cafe called "Always Sunday" (this is the one that I have been meaning to go to). I had a slice of banana bread with cranberries and a cappuccino. The cappuccino was separate from the banana bread. I staked out a window seat and watched people walk up and down the street. There were three red phone booths outside the window, and I enjoyed observing people taking pictures of them. I also recognized those people who clearly wanted to take pictures of them, but who were too concerned about looking touristy. They basically all take the same route. They approach the booth, slow down, look around and make a face as if they are thinking really hard about something, sometimes stop completely, then continue on as if they had figured out what they were thinking about. I know this technique because I invented it.

http://www.alwayssunday.co.uk/

After about 30 minutes in the cafe, I kept going west along high st. until I reached some other street. So, I took a left. Then I turned right onto Victoria and sniffed my way into I J Mellis, Cheesemonger. This was my main goal for the day. The two gentlemen who were working today were very helpful and up for a chat. One was a local in his mid-twenties, and the other was from Mississippi originally, had lived in Portland for seven years, and was probably in his mid-thirties. I was the only person in the shop for most of my twenty minute stay. I read a review about the place that said that the employees insist that you try everything, and when you're the only one there, that's definitely true. So, we talked about SCUBA diving while they gave me the tour of the shop. Right off the bat, I told them that I had 10 pounds to spend on cheese, and I think that took the vendor-consumer tension out of the equation. They set me up with three cheeses. The first is the younger cheesemonger's favorite of all time. It's called Strathdon, and it's a creamy blue from Scotland that I am very excited about. The second is called Clava Brie, and it is also from Scotland. Ben (the cheesemonger) recommended that I wait a few days to let this one mature a little more. Of course. What else would I do? Did he think I was going to eat it now, while it's clearly still so immature? Yeah right. Psh. Uh, and the last one is an Irish cheese from western Cork, I think. It's called Ardrahan, and it's apparently cold smoked. I don't know what that does, but who cares, it was hecka good! It's soft and rich, and the inside is a little bit chalky. I love the texture of this one the best, and I predict that it will be my favorite of the three. So, like we do with the Cheeseboard in Berkeley, I asked Ben to write the names of the cheeses on their wrappers, and I will continue to sample whatever I can while I'm here. Hey family, maybe bring a list of these cheeses to the Cheeseboard and see if they've got any. Who knows, right?