Pictures!

My brain is not functioning at its finest right now.  So, here are some pictures of the snow!!! Yes, that is the most exciting thing going on here right now...

 

I wore a jacket this time. But no makeup. Sigh. Can't have it all.

I AM MAKING A SNOW ANGEL!!!

it's like I have been practicing my entire life!

This is at the St. Andrews Day festival.  It just started snowing and I was so excited, I forgot to put on my other glove.

These are my flatmates Tori and Lena.  They are great! They woke me up at midnight so that we could go out and play in the snow. SO worth it!

This is the next morning.  This is stage one of my walk into town.  These buildings are all dorms.

You see this on the way.  The little pond there had frozen over.

After you go down a really windy road, you turn right and see this.  Except today it had snow all over it!

You go down a large hill and then up a large hill (over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go...) and then you come to this little park.  On the left there is the museum, but it is a really old castle thing.

And then this is the Medieval Castle that is right next to Castle Sands and across the street from the English Department.  There is also a very angry North Sea in the background there.

It's been awhile

Sorry, but there is not a whole lot to report from Scotland.  I can't sleep, again, because the prospect of a mattress where you can literally feel every spring and know it's direct attachment to the box is just not appealing. So, I am writing this instead!

It has been cold here, which really should not come as a surprise, but it did to me.  It hailed yesterday and for a brief moment I thought I was about to be standing in the middle of my first snowfall (hence my heart skipped a beat and I looked toward heaven in awe with a gaping smile), until the little ice pellets from hell started flying into my face and I ended up with a few small bruises.  But! I have hope that maybe someday snow will fall and it will feel like Christmas -- because let's be honest that is whas I am really excited about.

Speaking of Christmas, THE HOLIDAY CUPS ARE OUT AT STARBUCKS! The only thing that might make me happier about them is if there were a Coo etched into the side of the cup with a Christmas wreath around its neck... and possibly some holiday lights to boot (and if the coffee was free, but let's not get too crazy here). 

It is reading week so I have had a little bit more free time this week.  Brianna and I went to the St. Andrews Botanical Gardens which were pretty dead, but we got to see the rock garden, so that was a plus.  And there was a "tropical" green house which had some cactus in it and a couple of stray hibiscus flowers, so those were interesting little bonuses.

Other than that I have been spending the majority of my time in the library (aka lib, when I am too lazy to spell it out) because appppppppparently I am supposed to be doing school work here.  Let me tell you, it is really getting in the way of my socializing.  But, I am still having some fun.

Starbucks Holiday Cups are here!!!!

St. Andrews Botanical Gardens. haha

this one is a kinda nice picture of the greenery though, right?

I made dinner! Yeah I did! Pasta and I actually cooked beef! huzzah!

friendssssss

On the Search for Nessie and to the Highlands!

So, this past weekend (instead of actually dealing with that mountain of reading I was supposed to be tackling) I went with 40 other strangers on a five hour bus ride up to Loch Ness and through the Highlands.  IT WAS AWESOME!

Our bus driver's name was Tony and he wore a kilt (enough said!) However, he is originally from Italy -- don't let the accent fool you.  He was so funny... I mean he took his Mercedes company car (yes, the 41 seater bus) on roads that were windy and barely big enough to fit a Smart car.  It was terrible. But he was insistent that everyone always wear their seat belt just in case they were caught up by the DSL.  What is DSL? Well, apparently it is Deep Scottish Love and if you can feel it, then it will whisk you up and, hence, the need for seat belts.  But he also said that DSL can stand for Deep Sheep Love. Yikes! Do you know why Scottish men wear kilts? ...

We left each morning at 8 and got back around 8 at night.  They were definitely long days, but I got to see so much! INCLUDING, and probably most importantly 2 different pastures filled with the highland coo!!!! Hooray!! It was a great moment in my life.  And a few documentaries about the highlanders. It was a wonderful diversion of a weekend.  I hope the pics make up for my lack of story -telling.  You must understand I am a grandmother and I need to be getting to bed now.

 This is the River Tay.  I'm not really sure if it is something important, but it was really pretty- though they encouraged you not to swim in it's waters.

So picturesque! This is not one of the windy-er roads, but the view was great! I mean I am used to seeing gray all the time - and then we went around a corner and there was SUN!!!!!

I thought this was funny. Boot means trunk.

I don't know if this is important either, but this is Drunkfeld Cathedral  They still do church in the part of the building that does not belong to the Scottish Historical Society.

This is the part that is owned by the historical society.  The graves there were so old!

And the doors were so small! All I wanted was for Jake to be there so I could ask him to stand next to the door!

Bahhhhhhh. Other creatures besides the Highland Coo live here, but let's be honest the Coo is the ..... ready for it?? COOOOOOO-LEST! Get it?!

I mean, I am not interested in veggies for the most part.  But aren't these so cute!

This is a waterfall/pond/lake-ish thing where Queen Victoria swam.  And it is in her honor that I am actually sitting on a mossy/moldy rock thing. Yucky.

STAG CROSSING!

"Who wants to dress up like the Highlander???"

This is how you know you are in Loch Ness. Loch actually is German for (not Lake) but cavity.  Interesting factoid for you right there.

I think this is what the Scottish would call an Inverness (or entrance, but don't quote me on it) to the Loch.

 There is the Loch!!!

and there is me... on the loch! Proof!

I mean I stood out in the wind for like 10 minutes.  Naturally I needed a drink. The guy on the left is Tony (the tour guide), then Sam and Kate.

Not just any beer.... read that label on the left carefully...

OMG!!! NESSIE SPOTTING!!!

nom nom nom nom nom

one cooooooooo!

2 coooooo!

mom and baby coo!

this boat was stuck on the rocks. Clearly I pointed and laughed; then took a picture.

On day two we went to The Famous Grouse whiskey distillery.  It is the oldest legal distillery in Scotland. 

Drinking whiskey at 11AM? Normal.

haha.

Their ads were very funny.  Here, the grouse is having a bad hair day.

These are the Falls of Dochart.  SO pretty.

Our driver didn't even have the decency to stop!! But those are the tracks that the HOGWARTS EXPRESS is filmed traveling on in HARRY POTTER!

This is Helen.  Helen is Hamish's (the famous Coo below, duh) partner.  However, there is a bit of drama around their otherwise picture perfect love affair.  Helen is pregnant and not by Hamish.  DRAMA.

The blighted lover, Hamish.

And finally, this is the monument memorial to William Wallace.  Braveheart, anyone?

From Chariots of Fire to Harry Potter Rocks

Gas or no gas?
Chip or Swipe?
Here or Take-away?

It has been, I don't know, almost 2 weeks and I might get the lingo down by the end of the year here.  That is if I can get my mind around the accent here.  I think I am somewhere in the middle of adapting to the Scottish time frame type of mind.  That means that although I have been really busy here I couldn't tell you what I have been doing with my days.  I got everywhere really quickly (American), but I seem to do everything really slowly and in a very drawn out manner (Scottish).  I read, I go to the gym, I go to Tesco (that's like a Superrrrr 7-11 if there was one) and I spend a lot of time walking to and from the center of town (it is about 2 miles each way).  Either way, one of these competing mind frames needs to take over because this middle ground is making me insane and my writing (and conversational skills) impossible to follow.

So! Prepare yourself for a very scattered and overdue post! St. Andrews is really nice, even if the classes are sucking out every bit of energy I have. Normally I would come home and veg in front of some bad TV, but the TV here, well, let's just say my options are Cops with Cameras or The Hills.  It's worse than bad TV.  It would turn what is left of my brain into mushy peas (which is the question they often ask at The Tailend, one of my favorite places to eat since I still can't cook, [I made the kitchen very smokey and the chicken very black in the attempt to make chicken] if I would prefer garden or mushy peas.  Mushy peas are the mashed potatoes of the pea world. They. Are. AWESOME! Garden are just normal, boring peas which I dislike. Speaking of, gas or no gas means sparkling or still/tap water; chip is a weird type of debit card where you stick the end of the card (and therefore the chip) into a card machine they bring to your table and swipe is a normal credit card.  And here or take-away is the option for Costa Coffee [and a lot of other places] but with your items if you get them for here they charge more, but they heat it up (if it is food) or put it in a real cup/plate.  Kinda nice, but when your pounds and pence are limited... no thanks.

Food here is an interesting experience in general.  I still haven't wrapped my head around it, but there are some real winners as far as desserts are concerned.  There is Millionaire Shortbread (a biscuit [cookie] with a layer of caramel and then a layer of chocolate... kinda like a twix, but handmade and therefore a million times [ba dum ching!] better).  There is Banoffee, a cookie like tart with a layer of banana, smothered in toffee sauce, and them heaped with some kind of delicious custard thing and powdered sugar.  The doughnuts here are not doughnuts; don't be fooled and do not get excited.  Neither is the apple pie... the crust is very cookie-like and there is a lot of powdered sugar going on.  And there is an ice cream place called Jannetta's or something like that and there are 52 flavors, best believe I am going to try them all.  I started with sticky toffee pudding ... and it was great! Dessert has been a good experience thus far.

They filmed Chariots of Fire here and I went with 2 lovely girls there where we took awkward pictures and ran on the beach just like in the movie.  The weather was supposed to be "warm" which naturally means below 60.  Never get your hopes up about the weather.  If it says sunny, assume rain.  If it says windy, assume rain flying in your face.  And don't even bother with an umbrella because the wind will just go and flip the umbrella inside out, rip the brolly out of your wet hands, and then scuttle down the road in front of you, not only taunting you, but making you look like a complete ass in the meantime (RIP brolly).  Just bring a scarf and wear a hood.  I make no promises that the hood will continue to cover your head, but it is better than chasing your flipped out umbrella down the street.  And a random rant: it would be nice if people could  a). pick a side of the road to walk on [do I stay to the left? or the right?] b). not walk 4 wide on a 2-way street made for 4 people max c). cars would refrain from driving up on the curbs MADE FOR PEDESTRIANS! and d). not carry their spear-tipped umbrellas horizontally under their arms (instead of perpendicularly) like they are preparing for a joust whilst coming  around the corner at warp speed.  That would be great.

On a happier note, J.K. ROWLING, author of the Harry Potter series, GOT A D.LITT FROM ST. ANDREWS!!!! And, not only that, but she based the idea for Hogwarts from SPENDING TIME AT ST. ANDREWS!!!! And, the postgrad scarf is the same colors as Gryffindor! OMG OMG OMG screaming ensues! When did I find this out?  While I was greatly intoxicated at a "mixer" for the English Department.  That's right, the first time I met my peers in the post graduate program I was not only tipsy, but I was the girl telling everyone about JK Rowling.  See blurry pictures below.    (I would like to say that it was not entirely my fault that I was intoxicated.  The English Secretary got angry that my cup was empty and kept coming by with free wine ["Because it is not often that the department gives wine away!"] and filling my glass.... not all my fault).

Other words for thought:
Spots=acne
plasters= band aides
wonkered= really drunk
towels= women's sanitary pads
napkins or nappies= diapers
and I know there are a lot more, but off the top of my head I can't think of anything.


Well this is getting a little long, I am going to wrap it up.  I am going to the Highlands (where they actually play bagpipes and wear kilts for fun, and HOPEFULLY where I will see another Highland Coo) and Loch Ness (yes, home of the Loch Ness Monster) this weekend! That is my adventure!

 Friends! We are at the Chariots of Fire Beach.  There is a bar there called Chariots of Fire, so clearly it is legit.  It was cold... hence the parkas, hats and scarves.  Who thought it would be a good idea to try and "acclimate"?? This girl.  Stupid decision.

 Reenacting the Titanic (I know, wrong movie) "I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD" moment, with the wind.  Really wish I had been wearing a parka right about then...

 Chariots of Fire running.  That is St. Andrews in the background.  I think that high tower is the old church that some martyr was burned in front of (clearly, my knowledge of history and interest level is vast) and those blocky things at the end are the remnants of the medieval cathedral.

These two are from the medieval cathedral.  It's really awesome (I can hear mom saying "Can you IMAAAAGINE?? Living here when this was a bustling center?!?).   

 

Also from the cathedral graveyard.... yikes.

 OH. MY. GAWDDDDDD. JK ROWLING! In a frame, in the English Department!

 This was gorgeous sunset and part of the 2 mile walk (am I mentioning that a lot? because it is starting to get to me...) back to my apartment.  It's right behind where I live.  Amazing.

 BANOFFEE PIE. AHHHHHHHHHMAZING.

 Sticky Toffee Pudding from B. Jannetta. Flavor 1: Sticky Toffee Pudding. Wonderful!

 We went to a Farmer's Market (it is the first Saturday of every month) and it was here that I discovered that the Highland Coo is, actually, NOT a protected species.  The myth was shattered and I was miffed for quite a bit.  Letter writing to Mr. Scotland for the nationwide protection of the Highland Coo to ensue shortly.

 This is along the walk called the East Sands.  It is a nice stretch of beach. Brianna and I went with the hopes of seeing a seal.  We were misinformed.  HOWEVER, on the walk we saw these rocks.  What did I think of?  Obviously the scene from Harry Potter where Harry and Dumbledore traverse the rocky cliffs along the beach to get to the Horocrux (where Dumbledore drinks from the cup... ahhhh!).  Obviously. This had to be where she got her inspiration from SINCE SHE GOT HER D. LITT FROM ST. ANDREWS!!

And this is at the top of the hill-ish/mountain thing we climbed after we saw the East Sands and the Harry Potter rocks.  That is St. Andrews in the background.