Bonus Day in Edinburgh.

This is our exasperated traveler look. We are frowning at the Iceland volcano...
Since Tucker and I did not get to head for home today due to the volcano spewing its guts in Iceland, we made the most of our extra day in Edinburgh. We mostly just wandered leisurely around the city exploring new streets. We walked from our hotel to the Royal Mile just in time for lunch. We dined at a yummy Mexican restaurant that I ate at with Christina, Lauren, and Esther on our way back from Paris.

After lunch we meandered toward Bobby's Bar to find the kirkyard where Greyfriar's Bobby and his master are buried (refer to a previous post or just google Greyfriar's Bobby if you have no idea what I'm talking about...). With little effort we found for what we were looking. Right at the the entrance to the kirkyard, there is Bobby's grave. It is cute that people put sticks on it and various dog toys.

The grave of Greyfriar's Bobby.

We followed the sidewalks around the cemetery looking at all the elaborate grave stones and shrines (not joking, some of them are massive). Eventually we came across two smaller, more modest stones and saw that they were markers for Bobby's master and another for James Brown who was a dear friend of Bobby.

Graves of Bobby's master, Auld Jock, and his dear friend, James Brown.

We continued our wandering and found a cool pedestrian path around a park. After sufficient wandering we relaxed in Starbucks for a good while discussing what our next move should be. We came to the conclusion that we should get cultured. So, Tucker and I made our way to the art museum. We spent a good while pretending to be artsy and closely examined a few paintings. It is quite a nice art gallery.

Whilst wandering I decided that I want my next car to be a Fiat. They are super cute and tiny!

We are now spending the evening in our hotel room watching tv and keeping our fingers crossed that we can get on with our journey tomorrow.

Cheers!

I Shake my Fist at You, Grimvotn.

I guess I kind of lied to you yesterday when I said it was my final day in Scotland. Apparently the Grimvotn volcano in Iceland thought Tucker and I should stay an extra day in Edinburgh. When we left Dundee yesterday I saw something about the volcano erupting, but I didn't really think much of it. Then last night as Tucker and I were relaxing in our nice hotel we saw on the news that some flights to and from Scotland were starting to be canceled due to the volcanic ash. Needless to say I was a bit distraught when I heard that our airline was one of the main ones canceling flights.

I managed to get on the hotel internet and began to figure out what was going on. I first looked at the Delta website, but according to it everything was fine. I then checked the KLM website (our first flight from Edinburgh to Amsterdam was operated by KLM) and much to my dismay I saw that our flight had already been canceled. I frantically texted my mom and we began to sort out this mess.

We couldn't do a whole lot about it last night, but early this morning I got back on facebook to chat with my mom (I feel bad because it was midnight at home...). Luckily she was able to get through to the nice people at Delta and got Tucker and I scheduled for a flight tomorrow morning. Hopefully the ash will stay enough away (or clear up enough) so Tucker and I can try this all again tomorrow. We are now flying home through Paris instead of Amsterdam. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this path is clear for aircraft.

Luckily Tucker and I were able to book another night at our lovely hotel. We were only able to do so after there was a cancellation...at least something is going in our direction. I think we will spend the day walking around Edinburgh, finding food, and enjoying the rain. Supposedly the ash cloud is supposed to cover much of Scotland by noon today.

Too bad I didn't have connections to Obama because they are currently in the UK and they could just give us a lift in Airforce One back to the U.S. Anyway, I am hoping that we will be on our way back to the United States tomorrow, and by 9 pm central time we will be in the loving arms of our parents at the Moline airport.

The adventure continues.

Cheers!

All Good Things Must Come to an End.

Just like the old saying goes, “all good things must come to an end.” I am trying to come to terms with this in regards to my semester abroad in Scotland. I knew that my time here would fly by and it would feel just like yesterday that I was leaving home and embarking on my adventure back in January.

Tucker and I returned from Dublin Saturday night. I spent yesterday in a rather overwhelmed state as I began packing. By 2 pm I had all my clothes laid out on my bed, folded and sorted into neat piles. By 4 pm I had all of my clothes packed neatly into my two suitcases…with room to spare!

Around 4 yesterday afternoon Tucker and I went on a much-needed break from all the packing. There was one more major thing I decided Tucker must do while in Dundee…hike up the Law. We set off on our adventure and hiked up and up until we reached the summit. Luckily for us the weather had cleared up so it was very good viewing conditions, we only had to battle the wind.

As Tucker explored the top of the Law, I gazed out over the city that I called my home for the past four months. It was in this moment I realized that I was leaving Dundee in less than 24 hours. I looked across the Tay and took in the beauty of the hills of Fife and the mountains in the distance. I realized that you could almost see St. Andrews from atop the Law. I saw Broughty Ferry and remembered when Lauren, Esther and I walked there…all 5 miles!

Tucker and I returned to my flat and I continued packing. Around 7:30 my friends Katie, Charlotte, and Caitlin joined Minna, Tucker and I in our flat. We talked about all the good times we had this semester and shared lots of laughs. The time went rather quickly and before I knew it I had to say goodbye to the friends I had made in Dundee. I decided that it was not goodbye, but rather “see you later” as I know one day I will be back and I will keep in contact with most of the friends I have made….ahhh the powers of the internet!

Tucker and I relaxed last night by watching some TV via the internet. We read for a while and I finished the book Esther gave me so I could donate it instead of carrying it home. I then closed my eyes and enjoyed my final night’s sleep in my bed in Belmont Flats.

This morning Tucker and I woke up at 8:00 so I could finish packing, clean, and get my keys turned in before our train left at 2:15. (The other week we decided that since our flight was rather early tomorrow morning, we would take the train the Edinburgh today and spend the night in a hotel.) We were very efficient and I successfully got everything put in its proper place. I am happy to say that my suitcases are not overweight (according to my portable scale) and they are easily zipped closed. Tucker and I enjoyed an odd lunch of the food I had left in my cupboard and fridge, then we went and had a pint at my favorite pub.

Before I knew it I had to say goodbye to Minna and Greg. They were so welcoming to Christina, Lauren, Esther and me and I am so thankful for that. I know that I will see them again in the future…either back in Scotland or in the United States. It was a hard goodbye, but I will be in contact with them, which makes me feel good.

Tucker and I headed to the train station in a taxi since we had a lot of luggage and it was rainy and really windy. We loaded up onto the train with little trouble and sat down for our last train ride in Scotland. So many thoughts were flying through my mind during the journey, each stop along the way reminding me of my semester.

Dundee.

As we sat in the station, waiting for the conductor to arrive I thought about the first time I was in the Dundee station. I was with Christina, Esther and Lauren and we had just returned from Paris. Ah Paris! How excited we were and what a great time we had! As the train pulled out of the station, I looked out my window for one final glance up the hill toward the University of Dundee. I spotted the Tower building where I had history class every Monday. As we crossed the Tay I thought about our walk to Broughty Ferry, when Esther and I walked across the Tay Bridge, and the many trips to St. Andrews.

Luechars.

Ah Luechars. The stop right before reaching Dundee on the way home from Edinburgh. The stop that is nearest to St. Andrews. The stop I always remember because we have stopped at it on almost all of the train rides I went on.

Cupar.

I began thinking about all of the little adventures I went on this semester. Even the smallest of ones: hiking the Law, frolicking in the park, walking to the observatory, walking to the grocery store with Christina.

Ladybank.

This reminded me of Esther and Lauren because we always laughed at this name. We had so many great times together. I am very happy we had weekly “heart-warming family potlucks” and I am even happier at how close we grew.

Markinch. Kirkcaldy.

We passed lots of fields of sheep. Ah how I will miss seeing all the sheep! It was so wonderful when we went to Inverness because lambing season was just starting and there were tons of tiny lambs dotting the lovely Scottish hills. We also passed lots of yellow fields of rape, how they are such a vibrant color, a signature of Scotland.

Kinghorn. Burntisland. Aberdour. Dalgety Bay.

The train was creeping along the coast and I gazed out my window and looked at the sea. The waves were beating angrily on the rocks because it was super windy…either it is trying to push me out of the country or angry that I am leaving. I am able to see Edinburgh. So many adventures were had in the great city. I can see the outline of the castle and Arthur’s Seat. Oh how we hiked up that mountain!

Inverkeithing.

This is a slightly larger station and it reminded me of all the big adventures on which I embarked. Paris. Inverness. Barcelona. Liverpool. Dublin. All were amazing and I have wonderful memories from each.

North Queensferry. Dalmeny.

These are the first stops across the Firth of the Forth. As we eked our way across the bridge I was a little scared. The wind was beating so hard against the train causing it to rock back and forth. This feeling of unease reminded me of how I felt in January before leaving home to come to Dundee: nervous, excited, scared, yet knowing everything will be ok.

Haymarket.

This is our stop. Tucker and I gathered all four of our suitcases and alighted from the train. This was our final mini adventure before returning to the U.S. We found our hotel, ditched our luggage and then headed off to see Murrayfield Stadium, home of Scotland Rugby. We both purchased jerseys and headed back to our hotel.

This brings me to now. I am sitting on my bed, listening to the wind howl and the TV in the background. Before long Tucker and I are going to go find some dinner. We have to get up early tomorrow morning and head to the airport. Our flight leaves at 9:40 and we will then be on our way back to Iowa via Amsterdam, Detroit, and Moline.

I guess this is it for my updates from across the pond. Thank you for reading all about my adventures and bearing with me through this post as I realize it might have gotten a bit sentimental, but hey, I’m leaving tomorrow and had to say goodbye to lots of people so I have a right to get sappy.

Next time you hear from me I will be in the comfort of my own home!

Cheers!

Dabbling in Dublin

Last Wednesday Tucker and I embarked on an adventure...we were headed off to Dublin to visit my friend Natalie (who I met here in Dundee through Minna). We started the day by walking the familiar route to the train station, where we hopped on a train to Edinburgh. Despite the fact that our flight was not until 6:25 pm we took an early train to Edinburgh so that we could have a little time to wander around Edinburgh. In retrospect, we could have taken a later train and gone straight to the airport since we spent an entire day in Edinburgh the previous Saturday...oh well.

Once in Edinburgh we were pelted with rain. This made walking around not so much fun. We stopped at Starbucks and sipped some delicious frappuccinos and waited for the rain to lift. We then made our way to the Scottish Parliament building since we didn't get that far when we were in Edinburgh before. We then decided to head to the airport.

At the airport everything went smoothly...that is until we began to board at about 5:45ish. We were waiting in line to start getting on the plane when one of the workers came and said that due to mechanical issues our flight was being delayed until 10 pm!! Tucker and I shared and exasperated look and I texted Natalie telling her what was going on. She said we were very fortunate that RyanAir was getting another plane to take us because normally they just cancel the flight and then make us sort it out...I'm very glad that did not happen!

For the next four hours Tucker and I wandered the Edinburgh airport. We killed time in the bookstore. We killed time staring out the window. We killed time reading. We even killed time people watching. Finally it was time to board our flight. The rest of our travel to Dublin went off without a hitch.

Once we landed Natalie came to pick us up at the airport. It was a little hectic because there had been a big football (soccer) match that day in Dublin, and as many of you are aware, the Queen was visiting. Luckily we arrived at Natalie's house in good time and finally got a chance to relax. We ate some food and then went to bed. We were worn out!

Thursday morning we got up, got ready and headed into the city with Natalie on the bus. Natalie had to teach a class during the morning so Tucker and I got to explore on our own for most of the day. Our first stop was the Old Jameson Distillery. We had to wait a little while for the tour to start but it was well worth it! We got to learn all about the whiskey making process and what makes Jameson whiskey different from the other leading brands. The end of the tour was the best part because we got free drinks! Tucker enjoyed his whiskey straight up on the rocks while I had mine with cranberry juice. I would highly recommend the tour to anyone going to Dublin!

Enjoying my whiskey!
Tucker enjoying his whiskey.
Tucker and I outside of the Old Jameson Distillery.


After visiting the gift shop and consulting our map, we decided that our next stop should be the Guinness Storehouse. We wandered the streets of Dublin and found the storehouse with no problem (we are expert navigators and map readers!). We then explored the museum (it is a self-led tour so you can spend as much or as little time as desired) and learned all about how beer is made. It was kind of funny doing this right after the whiskey tour because apparently the first few steps are exactly the same. Anyway, after learning all we could, we made our way to the top of the storehouse, where there is the bar. Like the distillery, the best part comes at the end when you get a free pint of Guinness! It was really cool because the bartender made a shamrock on top of my pint! It was pretty wonderful! We sipped our drinks and enjoyed the view out over the city!

Being silly in the Guinness Storehouse.
The cool clover on top of my pint!
Enjoying my Guinness...

After visiting another gift shop and looking at our map once more, we decided that we needed to find food and make our way to where we were meeting Natalie. We walked around the city, found a little sandwich shop, and ate our lunch on the steps of Trinity College. We then headed back to meet Natalie at the spire (a giant needle looking thing in downtown Dublin). We walked around and signed up to go on a tour on Friday to the Wicklow Mountains and the town of Kilkenny.

Tucker on a bridge.
Trinity College

The giant needle looking thing in the middle is the Spire.
St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Once reunited with Natalie, we grabbed the bus to our next destination. Natalie works for a tour company called Viking Splash, these are the tours that are in DUKWs, you know the big trucks that drive on the road and then turn into boats and can go in the water. Natalie was able to get us on a tour that afternoon while she had to go to a meeting at the office. Tucker and I had a lot of fun riding around the city on a giant yellow boat truck wearing viking helmets and seeing the sights.

On the Viking Splash tour.
U2's recording studio.

After the tour, we rode all the way back to the garage where we found Natalie once again. Then we headed back to Natalie's house via bus where her mom had a delicious dinner waiting for us. That evening we were exhausted and we had to get up super early to get into the city to catch the bus for our tour and Natalie had to work all day Friday. Natalie and I played a game of Life while Tucker turned in early.

Friday was a wonderful day! We got up super early and headed into the city. Tucker and I got on our tour bus around 8:45 and Natalie headed off to work. I was a little skeptical of the tour at first, but as soon as we stepped on the bus all my worries went away. Our tour guide was wonderful and it looked like we were going to have a great time.

The first stop on our tour was the Dunmore Cave just outside of the down of Kilkenny. We went on a tour of the cave and it was really interesting. Apparently lots of bones and artifacts of vikings and Irish people have been found throughout the years in the cave.

Inside of Dunmore Cave. This is called the buffalo.

Walking up so many stairs on the way out of the cave!

After leaving the cave we made our way to the town of Kilkenny. Tucker and I had just enough time to walk around a little, find a nice pub for lunch and then check out the Kilkenny Castle. The pub was really fun and we enjoyed pints of the local Kilkenny Brewery beer (apparently this is the oldest brewery in Ireland).

The pub where we ate lunch.
Kilkenny Castle


After Kilkenny, we went on a scenic drive through the Wicklow Mountains. We stopped at the top of one of them and were able to get out and take pictures. We then got back on the bus and headed to Glendalough where there is an old monastic settlement from the 6th century. By this time the sun was shining and we were able to enjoy a hike up to the two lakes near the settlement as well as a nice wander around the settlement. We enjoyed some ice cream and took lots of wonderful pictures. Before we knew it we had to get back on the bus to return to Dublin.

Atop the Wicklow Mountains.

At the lake in Glendalough.



The tower in the monastic settlement in Glendalough.

The cemetery at the monastic settlement.


Once back we met Natalie and headed for home. Her mom made another delicious meal and we shared our experiences of the tour. After dinner Natalie took Tucker and I around her neighborhood and we got to enjoy some gorgeous views out across Dublin. We went to the pier and walked along it as the sun was beginning to set. It was beautiful! That evening Natalie and I convinced Tucker to play a game of Life with us and we had a great time...Tucker won...he lucked out and got a good career and just happened to land on the "find buried treasure" space.

Tucker and I atop a cliff in scenic Ireland!
Ireland is beautiful!
Natalie and me being silly.

Natalie pointing to her boat...it is one of those.

Enjoying a sunset in the harbor.



Saturday morning we slept in and ate a leisurely breakfast. We then gathered our things and went into the city for lunch. We ate at Natalie's favorite little restaurant before we had to say our goodbyes and part ways...Natalie to work and Tucker and I to catch the bus to the airport.

The return trip went more smoothly than the getting to Dublin because our flight was more or less on time. However, the Dublin airport was a zoo! It was the longest I have ever had to wait to check in and go through security! Not fun!

We arrived safely back in Dundee around 10 pm and were worn out from a marvelous time! I am so glad that Tucker and I had the opportunity to go visit Natalie and see another beautiful country!

It was my last big adventure before I head home...TOMORROW!

Cheers!

Tucker comes to Scotland!!

If you read my last post you know that I went to Liverpool to get my brother, Tucker, from the airport. Well, since Thursday when we arrived in Dundee, we have been having all kinds of Scottish adventures! I thought I would fill you in on what fun things we have been doing together...

Thursday we arrived back in Dundee around noon. We were both exhausted from the rather long train ride and Tucker was still rather jet lagged. We spent the afternoon watching TV online and then went on an adventure of procuring groceries. That evening I went to Zumba class and Tucker took a nap. Since I was still tired from the trip, I did not feel like cooking, so Christina, Tucker and I went out to my favorite Dundee restaurant, Ketchup for dinner. It was really fun and our bellies were filled with delicious burgers. After dinner we went for a stroll around city center so Tucker could see more of Dundee.

Friday morning we slept in rather late. After I went to the gym and got ready for the day I made lunch of fried egg sandwiches. Tucker is getting experience first hand my love-hate relationship with cooking. We then went on a walk to the observatory. It was fun and I'm glad I remembered how to get there. I'm glad Tucker got to see the beautiful view out over the Tay from the observation deck at the observatory.

After our adventure to the observatory, Tucker and I met up with Lauren at the Union for some celebratory cocktails in honor of her finishing her last exam!! It was a well earned treat on her part. We were also celebrating the fact that we are now seniors in college...AHHHH!!!

Friday evening I cooked us a dinner of ravioli with chicken and pesto sauce. We then watched a movie about Greyfriar's Bobby, a dog in Edinburgh (google it, the story is quite fascinating), in order to prepare for Saturday's trip to Edinburgh. Whilst watching the movie with Greg, Lauren and Tucker, I made Aunt Karen's Chocolate Chip Cookies since Tucker brought a package of chocolate chips to me from home.

Saturday a whole gang of us gathered bright and early at the train station to head on our adventure to Edinburgh for the day. Minna, Greg, Tucker, Lauren, Christina, Katie and I piled on the train and were excited for a day of sightseeing and fun! When we arrived in Edinburgh (after a really full train!) we headed straight for pub dedicated to Greyfriar's Bobby (the dog from the movie we watched the night before...seriously google it!). Sadly it was not open quite yet so we went across the street to the National Museum of Scotland. This was a good decision because the seven of us had a great time glancing at the various exhibits and exploring the museum. One of the highlights was trying on children's costumes from various centuries. We also had quite a good time in the sciencey part of the museum that had all kinds of hands-on activities...again geared for kids half our age.

Lauren, Katie, and me trying on children's costumes at the National Museum of Scotland.

Minna and Greg rocking some lovely new outfits.

Lifting ourselves in the museum.

After the museum we headed back to Bobby's Bar for lunch. I am proud to say that Tucker tried haggis, neeps, and tatties, and survived to tell the tale. In fact he said they were, and I quote, "delicious!" He was not the only one who had haggis as Lauren, Greg, Christina, and I did as well. I have to get my fill before I leave this country and can't have haggis anymore!

A statue of Bobby outside of Greyfriar Bobby's Bar.

While sitting in Bobby's Bar we realized that it was almost 1 o'clock! Now this is a big deal because everyday at 1 pm a cannon is fired at the castle. We tried to make our way to the castle in time for the firing, but alas we heard it en route. Anyway, we made it up to the castle and Tucker, Lauren and I decided to pay the fee and go in. I am really glad we did because it was amazing! The amount of stuff inside the castle was amazing. I thought it would just be one building, but in reality the castle is like a walled in village. We walked through a majority of the buildings and saw some really cool exhibits in the portions of it that have been turned into museums.

Lauren at the castle!!

Tucker and me at the castle.




Once we had seen all there was to see at the castle we met back up with the rest of our group. We then went in search of a rugby jersey at a sports store in a mall. However, they were all sold our the the Scotland rugby kits, so we wandered around the mall for a wee bit. Then we all decided we were exhausted and needed to sit down for a while. Along with the desire to sit down, we decided we needed something else to eat and drink. Greg led us to a pub that was built inside an old bank. We spent a couple of hours there conversing, eating, drinking, and laughing quite a bit.

After eating we went and wandered around a park. It was lovely because the sun was getting lower in the sky and the lighting was just perfect. The park was in a valley near the train station and if you looked up you could see the castle looming overhead. It was gorgeous!!

Tucker in Edinburgh with the castle in the background.

All the girls! (Christina, Katie, Minna, me, and Lauren)

A lovely view of Edinburgh Castle

This statue was a gift from the United States to Scotland. We reenacted it. Lauren and I were the United States and Katie was Scotland...Christina is just being herself.

Another shot of the castle, this time with a cool fountain in the foreground!

Before we knew it, it was time to head to the station to catch our train back to Dundee. It was a really fun day of exploring Edinburgh! On the train we enjoyed playing various games and sharing quite a few more laughs!

Sibling love!

The whole group, minus me because I took the picture...Lauren, Greg, Christina, Katie, Minna, and Tucker.


Sunday Tucker and I spent the day relaxing. After sleeping in Christina, Lauren, Tucker and I took a cab to the sports center here in Dundee to watch Minna and Greg play in a basketball tournament. It was a blitz tournament so games were really short and had slightly different rules. It was really fun and got us out of our flat and away from online television for a change. After the tournament was finished we returned home and Lauren came over and cooked pasta for Tucker and me. She had a bunch left over and was trying to get rid of it since she was going back to the U.S. the next day.

Yesterday (Monday) I woke up bright and early and to say goodbye to Lauren. I helped her lug her belongings to the train station and then said "see you later". It was rather sad, but I know how excited she was to go home (I know I will be feeling the same way in a week when I head back to the states) and I know that I will see her again in the near future.

Yesterday afternoon Tucker and I went on an adventure to St. Andrews. We had a great time walking around the town and I showed him all the sights. Since it was my fourth time to St. A I knew all the highlights and was able to be a rather good tour guide if I do say so myself (Tucker might say otherwise...). We saw the cathedral, the harbor, the outside of the castle, the Old Course, the university and the university museum. We also got delicious ice cream that was recommended by Greg. We cut the day a little short because it was beginning to rain and get super windy. Such is Scotland.

Tucker admiring the view of the sea from the end of the pier in St. Andrews.

Last night I cooked us dinner of stir-fry and rice while we watched "Braveheart" with Christina and Greg. They had been appalled that I had not seen the movie even though I was here in Scotland. It turns out that it wasn't too bad, despite some historical inaccuracies and some terrible Scottish accents.

Today Tucker and I ventured to Broughty Ferry, which is the castle that is just outside of Dundee. Instead of making the five mile walk like I did with Esther and Lauren a few weeks ago, we took the bus. Once there we enjoyed exploring the museum and learning about Broughty. We took a leisurely stroll along the beach and then caught the bus back into Dundee.

Looking out through the drawbridge entrance of the Broughty Ferry Castle.
Broughty Ferry Castle.

Tucker enjoying a stroll along the Scottish coastline.

The beach!!


This evening we went out to dinner with Christina, Katie, and Charlotte. It is the last time I will have dinner with Christina because she is heading home on Friday while Tucker and I are still in Ireland.

Tucker and I have had some pretty great adventures since he arrived in the UK last Wednesday. Our adventures continue tomorrow when we fly to Dublin to stay with my friend Natalie until Saturday. I will be sure to take lots of pictures and do many fun things so that I can share them with you!

Tucker and I are ready for our next adventure!!


Cheers!