Scotland

The first place we visited was Scotland. We flew from London into Glasgow and we were able to stay in Glasgow for about an hour. I quickly visited the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and then went to grab coffee. This was my first ever interaction with a Scottish person and it was almost difficult to understand what she was asking at first. Then the coffee shop played Keep Driving and Daylight by Harry Styles which made the whole experience even better. 

After that we’re headed to our hotel in Edinburgh. I have never seen buildings like the ones in Scotland. I love the Georgian architecture and houses. Seeing the buildings in Edinburgh gave me the realization that we were actually in Scotland, not the United States. After getting to the hotel we then got dinner together as a group. We had chicken, mashed potatoes, and haggis. I tried the haggis as a rite of passage while visiting Scotland. The flavor of the haggis was delicious, but I was not a fan of the texture. Either way I was proud to try it during the trip. Then we retired to the hotel and stayed in for the rest of the night. 

The next day we did a walking tour of the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile was INCREDIBLY beautiful. At one end of the Mile is the Holyrood Palace, and at the other end is Edinburgh Castle. We were able to learn the history of Edinburgh and see sites like Adam Smith’s grave, Canongate Kirk, St. Giles Cathedral. After the walking tour we explored the Edinburgh Castle and got to see the Scottish Crown Jewels. We also did a lot of shopping and I got a Harris Tweed purse. Then, we saw Victoria Street which is said to have been JK Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley. Later that night we went to a piano bar and a night club!

The last day in Scotland I got breakfast at a nearby café. I ordered a breakfast roll with sausage and egg but they gave me sausage and bacon and it ended up being really dry. Then we walked back around Edinburgh and got lost down some streets. After that we saw Greyfriars Kirkyard and rubbed the nose of Greyfriars Bobby. Then we walked around and explored more of Edinburgh. 

Overall I absolutely loved Scotland. It felt like a somewhat smaller city while still being quite a large city. I specifically loved the architecture in Scotland. I love medieval buildings and Scotland had plenty. Additionally, it was also extremely fun.  







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mrs. Dalloway #1

Image
      Virginia Woolf was an extremely influential English writer. One of the most popular features of Virginia Woolf's writing was her use of the stream of consciousness. Using a stream of consciousness in a text includes writing the entirety of the normal, extended thought process of a person or character. The use of a stream of consciousness by an author allows the reader to feel more connected to the narrator's thoughts and character. Readers can feel more connected to the narrator of a story because a stream of consciousness reflects the more natural thought process of a person.      Virginia Woolf's use of a stream of consciousness in her works was a technique not frequently seen in early 20th-century literature. Because of this, Woolf is considered one of the "pioneers" of using a stream of consciousness in writing. Woolf's writing throughout the story of Mrs. Dalloway  showcases her use of a stream of consciousness. Because most books are n...
Read more

The First Day in London

Image
As I have previously stated in other blogs, I have been waiting to visit London my entire life. The first day in London was partially a travel day. Once we had taken the train from Edinburgh to Kings Cross I waited in line with some friends to get a photo with the Platform 9 3/4 area, however we did not have enough time before the bus came which was upsetting. Then we went to the hotel, and then to Trafalgar Square.   In Trafalgar Square you can see many different monuments, and if you look out tou can even see Big Ben. When I saw Big Ben it all started to hit me. I had literally dreamed of seeing the phone booths, Big Ben, the Eye, the Tower Bridge, and everything else that screams London since I was young. Because of this, seeing Big Ben was an incredibly surreal moment that brought me to tears. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so many different emotions at one time in my life. It was an extreme mix of happiness and confusion, and accomplishment while all feeling completely unreal th...
Read more

Waverley Blog #1

Image
The Battle of Culloden (1746)      The story of Edward Waverley takes place during a time of division. The Jacobite Rising of 1745 was an attempt by the Jacobites to overthrow the Hanovers and regain the English throne for the Stuart line. Many people in England and Scotland disagreed on who had the right to the throne which eventually led to the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The main character, Edward Waverley, is an Englishman who travels to Scotland after joining the army in support of the Hanovers. As an Englishman in Scotland during this time, Waverley has to determine what side he is truly on as he discovers more of Scotland and the Scots.      Throughout this text, Sir Walter Scott utilizes various characters, actions, and pieces of dialogue to emphasize the rift between England and Scotland. However, Scott also uses these techniques to show the internal conflict Waverley faces regarding what side he is on (Hanoverian or Jacobite). Before readers are even...
Read more