A Scottish Weekend

The Palace of Holyrood (The Queens official residence in Scotland)

me with a random street performer person

our side of our hostel room!

Me and Alie (friend from Onalaska) with the Tower of Edinburgh behind us

View of the old town from Calton Hill with the castle in the background

Captains Log: Its currently 6:14 PM and am sitting in my room again after dinner...Having hopes to get a few more things done before we celebrate Bank Holiday tonight!

WOW. What a weekend it was. I had started to plan out what time I was going to jump in the shower on Friday morning by telling people that I was going to get in at 6, and they had to plan accordingly around me. I woke up at about 5 30 to people screaming and running through the hallways...I soon found out why they were screaming. Our hot water in the showers had dissapeared and everyone who wanted to take a shower before we left for Scotland was extremely dissapointed.

We left the castle in Alniwck around 7AM and arrived in Edinburgh around 9:30 ish. We first hiked up Calton Hill; where we were able to get a 360 degree view of the magnificent city of Edinburgh. We then trekked back down the hill and got back on the bus for a tour through new town and then was dropped off at the Edinburgh castle (the start of the Royale Mile). We had about an hour and a half to make our way down the Royal Mile and meet at the New Scottish Parliment building. The Royale Mile reminded me a lot of State Street in Madison.

We were able to see the Palace of Holyrood (The Queens offical residence in Scotland)...but we couldnt go in because it was closed for some religous event being held there. We toured the New Scottish Parliment building. It was one of the most modern buildings in the city, and the architecture was very visually appealing. There is a lot of history in this part of the world and many exchanges of territory and deaths of kings and such.

After the Scottish Parliment we got back on the bus and headed back up to the castle. The castle was immense! Significantly a lot more stunning than the one I can call home for 2 months. It was perched high on the hill (bluff) and was definitely a castle used for defense. We were able to walk around and see the castle for about 2 hours. I saw the Crown Jewels of Scotland, and many more unique things historical in Scotland.

Then our day started to get interesting. ... We walked from the castle to our hostel. It was a solid 15 minute walk and we had a map so it wasnt bad. None of us knew what to expect out of our hostel, but the pictures online seemed to portray a reassuring feeling that it was an alright place to stay. There were 3 different groups of us students who stayed in 3 different hostels. Ours was the furthest away, but was only 15pounds for one night. We were worried because we booked 9 beds in an 18 bed room...and when we checked in the front desk man said it was a busy night. We ended up only having two other roommates in our room for the evening (2 brothers our age from New Zealand). After having a couple drinks with them at the bar in the lobby of our hostel, we took a cab to the Grass Market to begin the night. We went to about 4 or 5 different pubs and had a great experience talking with the people of Edinburgh and seeing what the nightlife there was like. I tried a Scottish beer, and probably will never have it again...it was a creamy beer, and was not appealing to me.

We then got up early...what we thought was early to leave the hostel at 11AM. We proceeded to walk towards Princes Street, where all the main shopping was. I was able to meet my friend from Onalaska who had been studying in Steerlings, Scotland for a semester (she was leaving next week). She took us around Edinburgh and showed us the Elephant House Cafe (the birthplace of Harry Potter). Alie and I also grabbed a snack at a small cafe called Chocolate Soup. We then hit us H&M where a bunch of us picked up some pretty sweet deals.

We sat around outside a lot yesterday just enjoying the sunny day, and then I went with Alie to go last minute Souviniour (sp?) shopping. There was one alley way that had 129 steps up it, to get to the Royal Mile, and I had walked them 3 times....I must say if I dont have rockin calf muscules by the end of this trip I might go crazy.

Today my other friend from high school, who was a year ahead of me and actually goes to St. Cloud as well and had been on the same program I am on now, got back into town with her family. She is on a two week European trip with her family and stopped in Alnwick. She is going out with a bunch of us to celebrate Bank Holiday.

Overall my first trip to Scotland was very tiring but we took it all in and I took a ton of pictures.

Around Alnwick

a look down a street in a residential area of Alnwick

Club Soccer game taking place

Another residential area

Me in an archway to an alley in town.

Local Ice Cream Truck!

Some houses we passed on our walk.

Alnwick Police Station

Cool vines we passed on our walk

Captains Log: Its currently 11:50, I am currently sitting in my room waiting for lectures to download.

Today I was actually able to sleep in! It felt so good, even though our beds suck and I can feel every spring.

Yesterday was a terribly long day...along with every Wednesday to come. I have our British History class from 10-12:15. then my Information Systems class from 1:30-5:30. (we got two breaks but it is still a very long time to sit)**not to mention in that classroom we dont even have desks or tables to sit at, everyone has a chair and holds their notebook in their lap and takes notes....one would think that a castle of this sort, or anysort would have an adequate classroom.

After dinner last night Bri and I decided to walk around town. We wanted to go further than what our Bus Tour did and our small walking tours the first couple of days. We were both intreigued about the housing here. We started to go in one direction and ended up walking about 3-4 miles. I had a blast. I was able to take some pictures along the way too. The housing here is so different. almost no one has a yard, and if they do its maybe 5' x 5' square in front of their house or a little bit bigger backyard.

We walked past a park where several people had their dogs out...the dogs here are so well behaved. We walked past the Dukes Middle School, and found an Ice Cream Truck on our way towards the local Futball Club. (we would have watched a game, but there was a small fee to get in so we passed)

On our way back into town and to the castle, we decided to stop and have a drink at a local pub called Penny Black. (seemingly the only one that we had not been to yet) We started talking with the bartender, an older gentleman, and a couple local men at the bar. We were anticipating to only have one beer and then head out....maybe a 30 min ordeal. We started talking it up and an hour and a 40 minutes later we finally left. The locals are extremely welcoming and are very friendly and are happy to talk with us. They are used to having students there all the time. They started asking us about US History and Politcal things that happened before we were born so we probably gave way to the stereotype that most of the world has of us "stupid american"

It seems like everyone in different parts of the world knows exactly what is going on all over the world. We tend to only know what is happening in our country and tend to not care about the rest of the world because we are so focused on ourselves. It was interesting to hear how much they actually knew. They talked about Obama and Hillarys biographys, The Nixon scandal, and the Kennedys.

Every pub and local place that has a television keeps advertising about the World Cup. I cant wait to go out and watch a game with people who are hardcore soccer fans. The food is hit or miss at the castle, but there are many local delicious spots to hit. Everyone has found the pizza joint and i think about 4 different groups of people have ordered pizza in the last two nights.

Today we have our orientation for our first field trip to Edinburgh, Scotland this weekend and then we have our Contemporary Britain class after dinner this evening. Almost everyone is staying the night in Edinburgh and many of us are on the same bus back to Alnwick Saturday evening. One of my friends from Onalaska is about 40 mins from Edinburgh right now and she said she might make it into town this weekend, so I might meet her while we are there.

Travel break plans are still up in the air right now. Im tentatively thinking Prague for a couple days, then Mykonos (a Greek island) and then possibly Egypt! Many people want to go to Spain and such. But we have 90% of our Ireland weekend planned out for the weekend of July 16th.

Lunch Time...hope its good, if not...im going to get a panini. Next post will probably be once I return from Edinburgh.

The castle from afar! (made the effect to be black and white with just the green to stick out)

looking out into the courtyard from the wall of the castle. (the main part of the castle shown is the living quarters of the Duke and Duchess and family)

The Dukes Private Tennis Courts.

Back of the castle (window to my room is the third from the first black gutter in the middle row.)

place of my first legal drink! (Skittles)

inside the castle walls. looking out onto the grounds right outside our SCSU designated area.

** having issues saving and pulling pics back up onto my computer more to come

Starting Class

Captains Log: Its currently 1:20 and Im sitting in Calssroom B waiting for my first session of MGMT 301 with Jim Weber.

Yesterday we went on a coach tour of the city. It was cold and sprinkled a little bit. We sat on the top of a double decker bus. I took lots of pictures of the town. Its very quaint and the housing is remarkably close to one another.

We had our first meeting with our contemporary british teacher. He is very nice and I can tell it is going to be a good time. He is able to relate the material to us well, and he is easy to understand.

This morning Bri and I got up and attemped to run through the pasture. It was interesting and the hill back up to the castle is quite intense. We left the castle at a time when the local high school (The Duchesses High School) was just about to start.

I had my first local treat (A sausage roll: a biscuit type pastery with a sausage middle). It was good. We then went to the local radio station (Lionheart Radio) to set up our community service hours. We potentially have our own little radio show. There are six of us who are going to be volunteering there.

Class is about to start and I need to get going. Pictures are up on facebook, but i will try to send a file with them to whoever would like to view.

First Couple Days

Captains Log: Its currently 5:10PM and am utilizing free time in my room before dinner.

After a long day of traveling we finally arrived in Glasgow. We exchanged some currency and hopped onto the bus for a seemingly an extremely long two and a half hour bus ride to Alnwick. We unloaded our stuff into our rooms and went straight to dinner. Dinner wasnt good. Chili and rice. The best part was the brownie =^]. After dinner we went on a short tour around the town. It literally starts from right outside the castle. We have been constantly reminded to make sure we look left first before crossing the road (due to the fact they drive on the opposite side of the road then the states). After a long time of being talked to back at the castle we were let go for the rest of the evening. Most people went to bed, but several of us were itching to see what a Saturday night was like in Alnwick. We went to the Hairy Lemon, Oscars, and The Squash Club. We tried to ask the locals what was good, and it was recommended that we try a 'skittles'...so that was ou first drink. It was delicious. We then proceeded to try an Alnwick Bull (Anlwick rum and Redbull)...it was decent. We left one place and headed to a "younger crowd bar". We tried some fruity drink that wasnt good, and the place seemed a little dead so we followed some people we met on the streets to the Squash Club. I then tried a Stongbrew....and to my surprise it was really good. (its like a cider beer kind of) Met some local gals and learned a couple words such as "minging" "muckle" and "barry"

We were up early for breakfast and then had a tour of the town again by some older gentlemen. The town is setup like how you feel england would look. very homey, rustic, and full of character. We have had a lot of talking to with our orientation stuff. Many visitors were at the castle today and there were several childrens activities such as dressing up like a princess or a knight, archery, and a falconing show. we have been in and outside all day. and mostly just getting last minute info about classes, the castle, and other sorts. We have dinner in a couple minutes and Im hoping its a lot better than lunch today and dinner last night. (we had lamb stew and potatoes for lunch...lamb stew tasted like chili...more so lamb chunks in the same sauce as the chili was which equals...NOT GOOD!) Tonight more students want to experience night life, and then tomorrow is more orientation stuff with the town and going to get last minute things we may need. Im Trying to write every day to every two days. Plenty of pictures to come!