The Package

We received a large package in the mail the other day. What awaited us inside was beyond our wildest imaginations...

Leith Docks

Kellie and I took the bus to Leith (the waterfront side of Edinburgh) to find her place of business. We took a few pictures:

Edinburgh Zoo

Quirks, Colloquialisms, and Other Funny Things, part one

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.

Tour of New College

Royal Botanic Garden

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.

St. Margaret's Loch

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.