Wow, so my time in London is drawing to a close. I leave this city in T-minus 7 hours. Yup yup, after much frustration and running around yesterday I got my Eurostar chunnel ticket (cheaper than at home, too. that’s a first) and a reservation for my train from Brussels to Mayen. So, what’s happened in the last few days:
Edinburgh is amazing. I really had no preconcieved notions about what the city would be like, I guess I just figured that it would be like most every other big european city I’d been to. Wow, was I wrong. I knew that there was a castle, but the rest of the city is spectacular. The ‘new city’ is several hundred years old…and the old city is much older than that. Apparently, a good portion of the city is protected and can’t be altered/destroyed-and-rebuilt.
I spent most of my time walking around and doing the museum thing. Museums are free here, you just have to pay for special exhibits. They were ok, nothing fabulous…but it was nice. I went to the Scotch Whiskey Heritage Centre and took the ‘tour’…it was fun. We got a scotch glass, some scotch and a ride that rivals The Pirates of the Carribbean in cheesiness. The Sir Walter Scott monument (the “fuck you” as it was so delicately called by the guy who checked me in at my hostel) was pretty cool too, it’s a giant steeple without a church and a lot of stairs.
The place I stayed was cool; very cozy and I met some great people. One guy working there has been travelling for 10 years, another guy just returned home to the UK after 13 years of travelling Europe. Crazy, I don’t think I could handle quite that much moving around. I met some girls that were from Maryland, but studying in Dublin- and got free Sunday dinner at the hostel prepared by a guy who used to be a chef. Not too shabby.
London is…London. Walked around a lot, walked in circles more than I care to detail. Did the Brittish Museum, and the Tate Modern. Tate Modern is by far the best museum I’ve been to in a long time. I’m glad I went, it was amazing. I’m planning to get to the Theatre Museum before I leave today, too.
Met Dan for dinner and dancing last night. We had yummy Belgian food and drinks for surprisingly affordable prices, nearly impossible in this city. Dancing was fun, it was really hot in there though. Welcome summer! I suppose I should get used to it. I got mildly sunburned on my first day here, and it has yet to rain. Although, now that I’ve said that it’ll probably be pouring on my way out.
I’m excited, and a wee bit nervous, to be moving on to Mayen. It’s going to be interesting, lets just hope I come out of this much more comfortable with German than I am going in.
I still have only gotten one or two addresses; if you want postcards…send ’em to me. I don’t have an address book with me…so I’m completely at your mercy.
Cheers, Vanessa