I was fortunate to receive a ticket for the bus trip to Edinburgh on Friday and was greeted by a huge group of fellow international exchange/study abroad students. I found a window seat and prepared to see the country side of Scotland.
I met my travel buddy, Elise, on the bus ride who is from Vancouver, studying in North Carolina and in Glasgow for the term. We commented on the landscape and the herds of sheep gathered on the hillsides. It was picturesque and difficult to take your eyes off in hopes that you wouldn't miss anything.
It took just under an hour to arrive in Edinburgh where we met our friendly tour guide. We were shown around the city and told some of the tales and history. After the tour we were set off to see the city!
Elise and I chose to get lunch at the Elephant Café, where you might recognize as the writing place of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I can understand the mindset of Rowling and why she chose this cafe after I steeped foot inside. The quaint café, located in the new city, was scattered with elephant figurines and had a great view of the castle.
The next stop was the National Museum of Scotland where we spent a few hours seeing the history of Scotland and the rich cultural heritage. The history went all the way back to the beginning...the geology. This was perfect! I was shocked to see the history going this far back, including the ice age, but was glad to see their knowledge and understanding of the land they live on.
Many displays were intriguing as well as the building its self. This included the tools of hunter-gathers and swords of soldiers to the skeleton of a whale and Dolly the first cloned sheep. Other attractions include fossils, geodes, animal displays, ancient art, and artifacts from many world cultures.
Our day ended as we walked the city and climbed onto Calton Hill where we had the perfect view of Arthurs Seat and the city of Edinburgh. This hill is home to the Nelson Monument dedicated to the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Arthurs seat is the result of a volcano and is quite a hike...possibly for another day. The view of Edinburgh was perfected by the lights that appeared as the sun set and the night sky appeared.
The day didn't end there as we headed back to campus, being entertained by song and dance of many cultures. I enjoyed supper that night with a new friend in residence then headed off to catch up on much needed sleep.
