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The People You Meet February 28, 2010

Posted by tiffany in : Edinburgh , add a comment

One of the best things about traveling is the social aspect. Where you stay and what you do determine what kind and quantity of people you’ll meet.

Cool guys we met on the mountain

I was pretty weary of the hostel we stayed at last night, but we were there for more than just to drop the larger bags off and we had a blast! We met perhaps 6 other travelers about our age and played ShitHead (a British card game ) for two hours. The night before we stayed at a less populated hostel and met a nice young man from Philly who was taking a break from his philosophy major to tour the UK and Europe. While I wouldn’t leave my valuables at the hostel, the last two nights were excellent in the way of being social without much effort.

Another great aspect of the travel is the people you meet doing activities. We climbed to the peak of the  mountain today( gorgeous by the way) and met a man and his mountain climbing companion. He was a nice fellow who climbs mountains for fun.We joked around and he told us about how he aborted a climb because of the frigged temperatures and he ran into a group of young men going to climb the mountain in flip flops and t-shirts. A good laugh had by all.

On the way up and down the mountain we met quite a few people with dogs.  There was a man who owns a Great Dane puppy that we had to stop and marvel at. The dog was flying up and down the steep side of the path running after rocks the owner was throwing. He looked more like a mountain goat from a distance. A teenager with a blue (Chris thinks it’s gray) Greyhound crossed our path on the way down and talked to him for a bit( Robbie, if your reading this, it was an Irish Greyhound ).

All the people we have met thus far have been irreplaceable elements in our adventure.

Edinburgh: A World-Class View February 27, 2010

Posted by tiffany in : Edinburgh , 2comments

We conquered half of the mountain today.  It was, at first, brutal with wind coming from all directions and a steep climb. Thankfully that was only thirty minutes of the hike and it was not raining.

The top of Edinburgh

The path evened out and the view was spectacular! We could see clear out to the ocean and to the mountains toward the main land. There was snow on the ground there(barely) but it was warm  enough without the wind to take the hood, beanie, and gloves off.

Snow in the Mountain

I saw what looked like either deer or sheep droppings and kept my eye out but alas, we only saw gulls.

We saw what looks to be ruins of a castle or watchtower but it was beginning to get dark and our stomachs were yodeling with all the emptiness it had to work with.

We are planning to go back tomorrow to have a picnic by a shallow creek in the valley and then explore the ruins nearby.

The Real Mary King’s Close February 26, 2010

Posted by tiffany in : Edinburgh , 3comments

So, as it turns out that deciding to take a short cut up never ending stairs in an ally, called a “Close” (don’t worry mom, it’s not dark or deserted), was very beneficial. We ran into a historic attraction called The Real Mary King’s Close, which takes groups down, under the city to what was once Edinburgh.

It turns out that the city was basically used as pre-made foundation for new government buildings.As you walk through the original roads of Edinburgh, you discover the treatment of the plague, myths, ghost stories, and other nifty tid-bits of what life was like in the 1600′s.

The tour was more than we expected and all of the employees were very welcoming. The tour guide acted the part of a 1600′s lady and her spiel was very entertaining. We had a great time.

By the way,  All people with the surname of ‘King ‘ get free admission if you show them your ID.

P.S. Burgess, Katherine, tell your mom, means free to vote. Edinburgh was one of the first places that allowed women this right.

European Travel: Things to Remember February 26, 2010

Posted by Chris in : Travel Tips , add a comment

While traveling anywhere, there are a few general suggestions that you should remember.

Day 3:Edinburgh February 26, 2010

Posted by tiffany in : Edinburgh , 2comments

So our second stop is much more expensive than Glasgow for things even so simple as sleeping quarters or food, cooked or otherwise.

The Edinborgh Castle, as gorgeous as it is, is 22 pounds for the both of us to enter(with a tour guide). There is a great view of the city from the castle even if you choose not to pay for admittance.

Also, a nifty place to see(from the entry way and gift shop, I cannot promise a good show past there) is the Camera Obscura And World of Illusions. The gift shop is like a show all by itself with everything novelty from ice cube trays to  optical illusion puzzles and books.

Food runs approximately 4.50 pounds each. An up side to this price increase is the pub-tenders are much more outgoing(possibly because they’re used to tourists and understand that we may be clueless to how to order or what things are on the menu). I still don’t know what a Frog In a Hole is but I now know how to order food(after 30 minutes of Chris and I wondering if the waitress was purposely avoiding us and then going to the pub-tender to purchase the dinner in Glasgow ). The lunch we ate today went off without a hitch and the pub-tender came over,mid-meal, to see if we were doing OK. Talk about a sweet heart.

Beds are anywhere from 109.99 pounds a room-12ppn (pounds per person per night) in a hostel.  You can bet the option we went with. A life saver we ran into is the work for boarding at the Brody’s Hostels on High Street/ The Royal Mile. They want a mere 2-3 hours of our lives cleaning the hostel and making beds to save us 24pounds a night. Sounds like a winner! Hopefully we don’t pull the short straw and get bathroom duty(I not sure if that’s an option).

For tomorrow, I have my eye set on a small mountain in a public park that, according to a cab driver, has a great view of the city. The best part- it’s free!

Glasgow:The Perfect Start February 25, 2010

Posted by tiffany in : Glasgow , add a comment

Glasgow seems to be a run of the mill UK city, but as it turns out, it is the perfect place to begin a trip.

The people are very friendly and helpful- a plus since we don’t really know the city or what to do.The receptionist at our hostel is happy to give us directions and suggestions( along with a smile).

The food is comparatively cheap. We ate lunch for nearly 2 pound each and dinner for 2.50 pound each. And the hostel we’re in provides free a traditional, hot scottish breakfast.

The museums are usually free and open to the public all day. which is perfect for a traveler on a budget when its sleeting. The two we went to are the Transportation museum and the Kelvingrove art gallery and museum. They are actually very nifty and interesting for free atteractions. Also, a cab driver tipped us off to the Macintosh school giving free tours  if you tell them you’re visiting.

First Day in Scotland! February 25, 2010

Posted by Chris in : Glasgow , add a comment

So we arrived yesterday and didn’t get around to uploading pictures until this morning (the 25th) so now you can check them out on the Photo Album page.

The place we’re staying, McLays, is a quite nice place, 90+ rooms, good breakfast, really quiet despite the 24 hour front desk.

This post is short because we’re about to go to the Glasgow Transportation Museum, hopefully they let us take pictures for you guys!