Our train trip to the town of Linlithgow, about 25 minutes from Edinburgh, in video and picture:
FYI, Linlithgow Palace was the residence of the Stewart Dynasty and where Mary, Queen of Scots, was born. As you can see from the photos, the palace is no longer in working order, as the ceiling was burned some years ago in a fire. Nevertheless, it was an interesting place to visit. One has to use one's imagination to see how the place might have looked in its former years.
We walked through the Meadows, a large park to the south of where we live, the other day and took a few photos. It's always nice to see a bit of green in the middle of the city. Enjoy!
Funny and strange things abound in this town. Regarding my last venture into colloquial happenings, Allison informed me that it is actually quite common for pubs to have their patrons sing a couple of songs at closing time. I guess this makes sense. But, interesting nonetheless.
A military note: there is a cannon at Edinburgh Castle that is fired each day, precisely at 1:00 pm (13.00 military time, of course). Why this is done, I am not quite sure. But it does come as a bit of a surprise the first time it occurs.
A more general note: the word "cheers" is used here for almost everything. I have found that, in my transactions in stores, the word is usually uttered at least twice, if not more times. More often than not, however, it comes toward the end of an exchange, as a thank you. But the word is not quite the same as a "thank you." It's more of an acknowledgment of an exchange. I wonder if cheers is used in toasts. I must investigate.
We received a large package in the mail the other day. What awaited us inside was beyond our wildest imaginations...
Kellie and I took the bus to Leith (the waterfront side of Edinburgh) to find her place of business. We took a few pictures:
Part of the fun of being in another country is the strange state of being a foreigner. Sure, sometimes you can blend in and don't feel like a foreigner because everyone here speaks English (more or less), but other times, someone will say something or do something that makes you feel, well, slightly dumbfounded.
Case in point: the noise. I'm not saying that American bars and pubs are not loud, or that I have never heard American erupt into spontaneous song. However, I was not prepared for the sounds that come from the Brass Monkey, a pub that can be seen (and heard) from our window, nearly every weekend, and some weeknights, too. I am a bit of a night owl, as some of you may know. At first I thought it was a random thing, but now I have discovered that it is actually quite normal, that at least this particular pub breaks into song/chanting at least once a night, usually around 2:00 in the morning. I cannot make out what they are singing, or even discern a tune, but it has become a regular, and befuddling, occurrence.
Another example: how to ask someone where they live. In America, if I want to ask someone where they live, I ask, "Where do you live?" Simple enough. The question here, however, is, "Where do you stay?" This can be quite confusing, as it always sounds to me as if the person I am speaking with thinks I am only visiting and am staying in a hotel (because when we Americans talk about vacations, and want to know about someone's accommodations, we ask, "Where are you staying?"). Now, this gets even more confusing with the addition of another Scottish term, 'outwith.' 'Outwith' simply means outside. So, if someone asks you, "Do you stay outwith Edinburgh?" they are asking if you live outside the city. Very confusing.
We took a little trip to the Royal Botanic Garden on Sunday afternoon. It was actually quite a lovely day, sunny, in fact. We had heard that the gardens were quite good, but in reality, they are probably the best botanic gardens I have ever seen. Quite exquisite. You can see for yourself.
Funny story: it's a two mile walk from where we live to the Botanic Garden. Back in Texas, when we had cars and such, we wouldn't even give a thought to walking somewhere two miles away, and in fact, would often drive to places that were right around the corner. After a month of walking everywhere, two miles doesn't seem like a long walk at all. Funny how one's perceptions change.
We posted a video awhile back of feeding the birds in Holyrood Park at St. Margaret's Loch. Here are some pictures from that experience.
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