Exploring Edinburgh

Well, I made it to Edinburgh and have spent the last few days exploring the city and doing orientation activities with Arcadia.  Edinburgh is a really pretty city, and I have really enjoyed wandering around and seeing all that it has to offer.  I love all the little pubs and shops that line the streets.  It's so different from what you encounter in America.  I have been surprised at how long it takes for the sun to come up in the mornings and how early it gets dark in the evenings.  By the end of this semester, the sun will come up really early and set really late, so I am looking forward to that.

The Walter Scott Memorial

Sir Walter Scott

Yesterday was probably the most eventful day here so far.  There are about 14 Arcadia students going to St. Andrews, so it is nice to have a small, intimate group to explore the city with.  We were sent on a scavenger hunt for a few hours which also gave us the opportunity to buy all of the necessities that we still need before going to St. Andrews.  We ended up spending more time shopping than doing the scavenger hunt which was unfortunate, because I would have liked to see more of the city and the historical places that we were supposed to find.  It was still nice to find our way around the city and figure out how to get around.  I intend to go back to Edinburgh and explore the city with more time.

Last night, I went with a group of friends to a pub where I had my first Scottish beer!  It was at a little place on The Royal Mile (which is the street between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, but it's actually a little longer than a mile) called The Royal McGregor.  The pub was pretty quiet being a Tuesday night, but it was still fun to hang out with some friends and relax after such a busy day.

This pub had quotes from Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns on the walls.

I am now in St. Andrews, and I hope to get some good pictures during the tour of the town during orientation tomorrow.  From what I have seen so far, it seems like a nice little town, and I look forward to seeing all that it has to offer and starting classes next week.