Scotland!!!!

Well it’s been a week since I’ve written. So I will willingly admit that this is going to be a long post. So if you’re hungry, go make yourself some dinner, bring it to the computer, and settle in for an adventure!

Last week started off as any other. I gave my theatre review with my partner Jamie, and our professor loved it. She said we covered everything and there wasn’t anything for her to do. Tuesday brought all-day class with an interesting movie at the BFI about Hitler (Note: in this case, interesting is a euphemism for really boring. I fell asleep and missed the years between 1933 and 1939). Wednesday meant history class and we also watched a movie about the Spanish war and revolution during the 1940s called Pan’s Labyrinth. For a movie that was in Spanish and had subtitles which I constantly had to read, I actually enjoyed it. It was truly interesting. Thursday was Professor Pacey’s class (Note: His name is in fact not Pacey. He just looks exactly like Pacey Witter from Dawson’s Creek. I do not actually know his real name since I only call him Professor Pacey, just not to his face). He took us to a really cool gallery where we looked at how advertising and labels have changed throughout the 20th century. It was cool to see the different products from the different eras. There was even a whole display of Pepsi cans (cough, mommy, cough).

After class on Thursday, I decided to head out and do some exploration on my own. I wanted to see if I could find the place where my family had stayed at before when we came to London. After a tube ride and a short walk I was able to find the Pax Lodge Girl Scout Centre. I took a tour of the place and saw the floor we stayed on. It was great returning back to the place I had stayed and the place that had launched my career & love of history. That night we went to see a play for theatre class called “War Horse.” This was possibly the BEST play we have seen so far. It was a great tale about a horse during World War One. I laughed, I cried, and I left with a smile on my face. If you get an opportunity to see this play, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Me in front of Pax Lodge

On Friday I had to wake up early and lead the whole group of us to King’s Cross station. There we boarded a train for Scotland. The train ride was 4.5 hours and sitting right behind us was a bachelor party. They started drinking the minute they got on the train and never stopped. If that wasn’t bad enough about 4 stops into the ride another bachelor party got on and sat right in front of us. We were officially on the party car. The bachelors all started talking to us and having singing wars against each bachelor party. After hours of this we finally arrived in Scotland where we proceeded to the hotel, only to find out that 3 of the guys from the first bachelor party were staying at the same hotel! We then went on a bus tour of Edinburgh. It’s a really small city, but very beautiful. Afterwards we were free to do what we wanted so we wandered around High Street and looked around. Some people went on a Ghost Tour, but they sold out of tickets so half of us, me included, did not go. We instead wandered some more and explored the city. We then went and sat at the pub to wait for the rest of them. We met a friendly Irish guy and listened to a live band do covers. The others joined us after their tour and we had a grand old time. It was truly a European pub experience.

Hannah and I on the train to Edinburgh

On Saturday, we woke up early and headed out to Edinburgh Castle. I have decided that I want to move into the Castle because it sits on a high hill and has some of the best views in the world. I then decided that I couldn’t live there because though beautiful, Scotland is cold as a freezer and more windy then Chicago. I’m telling you, in 10 minutes the wind destroyed my beautiful, nicely curled hair. It was crazy windy.

Me in Edinburgh Castle looking out on the city

Jamie, Christine, & I at the Castle

Edinburgh, THE Windy City of the U.K.

Me being slightly inappropriate to the statue of a bagpiper

We then walked the Royal Mile (aka High Street) down to the Scottish Parliament. We then had a tour of Parliament. It’s kind of crazy shaped, but very cool. Afterwards was nap time. We were all kind of dragging since we had been up the night before. After a 2 hour nap, I then hit up the mall right next to our hotel as many others still slept. Once everyone was awake, Jamie, Hannah, Christine, and I decided to do a real European pub crawl (Please note that due to not feeling well, I did NOT drink). We started off on Rose Street where we ran into 2 other girls from our group and the boys. We all joined up and took cabs over to a pub that had real live Scottish music. Here we met a nice Canadian man who told us all about whisky and how to drink it. The girls decided to try real Scottish Whisky, so they could tell fathers, uncles, and guy friends at home how they have now drink real whisky. I observed! We then went looking for another pub on our crawl. We got turned away from 2 places, before we found a club. The club was awesome. They had great music, including some Jackson 5 songs. We danced and had a ball. A couple of us headed home after the club, including me, while the others hit up another club. It was a very fun and successful night, and great to watch the others go crazy on this authentic pub crawl.

Sunday was another free day. I was very thankful that I had abstained from drinking because the 7 of us girls decided to go hiking (I know what you all are thinking… Kendra, hike?? She’s her mother’s daughter. She doesn’t hike, camp, or do any type of wilderness). Well, I did! We decided to hike up Arthur’s Seat, which is a very famous mountain in Edinburgh and has something or another to do with King Arthur. This was a hilly and very long hike. We were basically climbing up rocks. We started off with 7, kept losing people steadily, and by the time we made it to the top we had 4. I somehow refused to quit and made it to the top! It was worth the constant climbing, the being out of breath, and the wind and cold. The view from the top was AWESOME!!! There are no real words to describe it. I tried to take some pictures since they say “A pictures worth a thousand words,” but even the picture couldn’t capture the feeling and sheer joy of the moment. I was amazed by the view. You could see everything. You could see the Edinburgh Castle and for miles. I loved every moment.

Arthur's Seat aka the mountain I hiked up

Whitney, Me, Megan, Christine, Nora, and Hannah

View from midpoint

Taking a rest 3/4 the way up

Top of 2nd highest peak

Sitting on the compass at the top of Arthur's Seat

Group Picture on top of Arthur's Seat

Me, Nora, Jamie, & Christine

Me sitting on Arthur's Seat

After we made our way back down, we had to eat. It was our first priority. We found a nice café and had great food. We then did some shopping on High Street and bought trinkets and such for family and friends. Soon it was time to meet at the hotel and depart for the train station. Once on the train we were all pretty exhausted, so we settled in for a sleepy 4.5 hour train ride. Unfortunately we were all born under unlucky stars. A bachelorette party got on and sat in front of us. They were all very loud and obnoxious and none of us were happy. Luckily they got off after 3 or so stops. We arrived in London around 9:45, I was home by 10:10, in the shower by 10:20, and in bed before midnight.

Well that was my amazing week. It’s hard to believe that this is my life now. I shall write again soon! Look for more hopefully on Thursday!

Much love,
KP