Throwback Thursday

Thinking of all the Scots tonight on this historic day.  I usually spend most of my time wishing I was in the UK, but today more than ever, I wish I was there in Edinburgh seeing the sites and hearing the discussion.  87% of Scottish citizens showed up to vote in the independence referendum.  How awesome is that?  When was the last time that 87% of Americans did anything?  Whether they vote yes or know, it's surely (as one Brit said today on Twitter), a dazzling display of democracy!

PS: As of this moment, only one district's votes are in and the vote was No.  Of course, there are so many more to go.  Is it wrong, that I'm watching this more closely than the last presidential election? : )

Vote Yes...or No

I have to say that I'm not an expert, by any means, on the Scottish Independence referendum.  I'm not from Scotland.  I'm not from England.  I'm an American citizen and am purely an observer in the biggest vote in British history.  But I'm still fascinated by it.  I'm not sure what it is about the whole situation, but I'm constantly reading about it.  That's what I find so odd.  Even after reading so much, I'm still not sure whether I'd vote yes or no.  I can't quite figure out the best choice.

On one hand, I'd say that staying part of England, has worked for so long - why change it now?  Everything including money, empire, land and government has run fairly smoothly; changing that would just throw them into chaos.  Even with a yes, they're destined to stay under the rule of the monarchy so what's really the difference?

But on the other hand, I'd say vote yes.  Be your own country and be your own people.  I like to think about it in terms of the US and Canada.  Scotland is being ruled by England, for proximity's sake.  Basically, it would be like the US being ruled by Canada because Canada is bigger and close to the US.  The same rules and regulations of Canada wouldn't make sense in parts of the US, but we'd be forced to follow them, the same way the Scots follow British rule.  As a member of an independent nation, it just makes sense to vote yes, when I think about it like that.

But of course, that's not bringing in other more complicated matters such as economics or defense.  My favorite article from a few months ago, questioned whether or not the Scots would still have access to Doctor Who, because the BBC was a licensed product.  (In case you're worried, the Doctor will still be traveling to Scotland, for many years to come).

So with that in mind, I have NO idea what the right answer is.  What's a little scarier is, that I'm not sure if anyone really does.  It's a tricky situation that's going to require lots and lots of hard work, like most big elections.  But, it's still a big exciting moment in history and I wish all the Scots good luck on Thursday!  I hope you find what you're looking for and work toward making a more united Scotland - independent or not!

Enchanting Edinburgh

I've only really wanted to visit Edinburgh, for about the last year or so.  Up until that point, it was never really on my radar.  But, I started reading the 44 Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith, which happens to take place in this beautiful city, and was hooked. Of course, the ability to ogle at gorgeous photos of all the amazing architecture the city has to offer on Pinterest and Google images, didn't really hurt either.  Once I saw what Edinburgh had, I was ready, willing, and able to make the 8 hour journey up North from London. (Speaking of which, I highly recommend the Megabus Europe Sleeper Coach - what a fantastic experience and cheaper than a hotel for the night.)

I must admit, Edinburgh is everything you see in the pictures and more. The architecture of the Old Town is just breathtaking.  Everywhere you look, there are spires and bricks and stained glass and wrought iron.  It's absolutely beautiful.  And the people are some of the kindest I've ever come across.  I was never worried about my bag being grabbed like I did in Paris and each store clerk was ready with a kind word or to chat about their city.  When we became lost, a stranger came up to us to offer assistance before we even had the chance to ask.  

I had only two issues with Edinburgh in general. One, which was unexpected (but shouldn't have been given my penchant for not understanding maps) was the layout.  For some reason I assumed it was much smaller than it was.  When, in reality, it's quite spread out.  Things aren't often quickly walkable.  Also, the hills are quite terrible if you are attempting to walk. The other issue being the weather.  Yes I realize I was visiting a Northern country in October, so the chilly, wet and dismal weather should have been dealt with better.  But when I left Maryland, it was still in the 70s so this instant change was a bit difficult to deal with.  

What We Did: Shopped...a lot on the Royal Mile (There's a heck of a lot of wool and cashmere on that darn Royal Mile!), Holyrood House, Scottish Parliament, Hop On and Off Open Top bus tour of the Old and New Towns, Scott Monument, Jenner's Department Store, St. Giles and the Heart of Midlothian.

What We Ate: Haggis (not fantastic but not terrible either - a bit like sausage) at Maggie Dickson's, Fish and Chips #2 and Sticky Toffee Pudding (where has this stuff been all my life!?) at The World's End, many, many raisin croissants at the St. Giles Cafe (oh so yummy and just happened to be the only place in the vicinity opened for breakfast!),  a chimichanga (because, doesn't everyone try Mexican food thousands of miles away from Mexico?) and of course lots and lots of tea.

Surprises along the way: Like I said earlier, WAY bigger than I expected it to be.
~ This goes for all of the UK as a whole; not many places open for breakfast and when they do it's much later than it is here in the states.
~ Very artsy craftsy creative city which I loved!

Verdict: An absolutely beautiful city which I could live in happily...in June, July and August. I'm not sure I could deal with the weather and the gloom the rest of the year, however, I would go back in a heartbeat to see all the festivals that are held each year (Fringe, Hogmanay, Edinburgh Film, etc.) A lively, bustling, beautiful, historic, creative city filled with kind, considerate people: honestly, what's not to love?

Scottish Shortbread

 

I'm not even entirely sure where I got the crazy idea to give shortbread a try.  I've never had it before and never had any desire to make something that needs to be rolled out, but nonetheless I found myself baking it this evening.  With only 3 ingredients it's WAY easier than the macarons I still haven't mastered.  They're not quite pretty (quite wonky actually) however they taste fairly yummy.  I'm not sure if they're the correct consistency and I'm not sure if they're my new favorites but they're worth giving another shot.  And now that they're finally cool, I'm going to try a few with some tea.  Tea makes everything better!

Trip Planning is Under Way

The planning for the European Adventure is under way.  The itinerary has gone through quite a few iterations since I first began in January.  Edinburgh had come off the list but has since been added back in.  Hay-on-Wye was on the list then not, then on again, only to be scrapped (regrettably the drive is just too long).  Dorset, Oxford and Land's End were added in but have been scrapped as well.  For the time being, it would seem that it's London, Edinburgh, and Stratford-upon-Avon. 

Now that that's worked out, I'm realizing the absolute best part of trip planning: what to see, eat, and do while we're there.  And I'm here to share a secret, the coolest tool to use when planning these fun things is Pinterest.  Ok, this may not be such a surprise, but I'm having a blast pinning all kinds of fun places and restaurants and parks.  Seeing all this wonder, gets me even more revved up for the trip.  Some of my favorites are below.  If you click here, you can see them all.  But since this is an activity I partake in quite a bit, I'm warning you, there are quite a few pins.

RSC Theatre where I'll be seeing Richard II!

Graffiti on Abbey Road - I've always been in love with this song, though finding particular graffiti in a city covered in the stuff may be slightly difficult...

Churchill Arms in Notting Hill - Not even sure what the menu is but I'm in awe of the flower boxes.  Of course I'm sure they won't be as beautiful come October...

Heart of Midlothian outside of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.  I'm not sure what the story is but it's a beautiful little Easter egg in the "heart" of the city.

I must be honest, I'm a little too excited about these mini libraries.  I may or may not have been planning exactly what book I'm taking with me to trade in and what the message inside said book will be...

Royal Mile in Edinburgh - Our hotel is right on this gorgeous strip!

Travel Tech

I will admit to often being behind the times in terms of technology.  I can usually figure things out eventually, but I'm not often quick on the uptake.  Exhibit A: I've just realized the awesomeness of Twitter.  I'm still slightly skeptical that people care what we are all doing 24/7.  However, I'm in love with its other uses.

It's now possible to follow cities, and whole countries on Twitter.  How amazing is that?  I've been following Scotland, Great Britain, and Edinburgh.  Each day, they post pictures of beautiful places and ideas for trip destinations.  After just a few weeks, my trip to GBR in the fall has gotten quite busy.  Following the Frugal Traveler and Guardian Travel is also really helpful for getting the goods on travel deals and tips and tricks.

It's sometimes seriously fabulous to live in the 21st century.  I can't imagine trying to plan a trip without the countless resources I've found online.  Of course, there is a downside.  I'm just a little, ok WAY, too excited by what I'm seeing, so the wait is slightly killing me!

Extra, Extra, Read All About It!

~Joe Flacco signed this week for 120 million dollars over the next 6 years.  While I'm happy the Ravens kept him, I have a whole list of reasons why this is incredibly wrong.  He's not worth that much money.  More to the point, no one is worth that much money.  It's obscene that a 28 year old is earning so much for doing no more than throwing a football while others his age are fighting for our country.  Also, I think it was greedy to hold out for that much money.  The NFL has a cap, and since the Ravens are now paying Flacco so much, they're in danger of not being able to afford some pretty amazing players.  What good is this "elite" QB if he has no one to throw the ball to?

~The highest ranking Cardinal in the Archdiocese of Scotland has resigned and has admitted to unfortunate conduct.  I'm happy that this has finally come to light, and he's being held accountable.  However, how can something like this go on for so long without the church becoming suspicious?  What's amazing is the amount of writers that are attacking the priests that tipped the Vatican off to the behavior.  These men were preyed on by this Cardinal and they're the ones that are being abused by the press.  Thank goodness their names are being withheld. I'm not sure much will change under a new pope, but I think the Vatican is finally realizing that something must be done.  There are far too many coverups and far too many people being hurt.

~The UK pound has fallen below $1.50 for the first time in years.  While this is not a good sign for their economy, it's quite a positive sign for my trip there this fall.  I may just have to exchange some dollars for pounds now while the getting is good.

~Maryland may receive "significant" snowfall on Wednesday of this week.  I'm usually all for snow but seriously, it's March!  I'm done with the winter doldrums.  I need sunshine and birds chirping and flowers blooming, not salt trucks, wind gusts and shoveling.

~And finally some good news (although, I suppose if you're Joe Flacco, you've already had your good news...) a Mississippi toddler has apparently been cured of HIV 2 years after she was born with the disease.  I'm not sure the specifics, but how unbelievable is that?!  What a win!  These are the types of projects $120 million should be thrown at.  A few more million for researchers could mean the discovery of a the cure for HIV/AIDS.  Isn't that a little more impressive (and not to mention needed) than a perfect spiral?

Another Tale, Another City

A few years ago I got the chance to visit one of my other favorite cities, San Francisco.  The city itself was absolutely gorgeous and so full of fun things to do and eat.  While I was there, I did my usual thing when travelling to a new city, I hit the bookstores (shocking, I know).  I love finding bookstores in new places, because they tend to carry books specific to the region.  While browsing in San Fran, I consistently found Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.  So I figured I'd give it a shot since it revolved around my (at the time) new favorite place.  After starting the first, in about a week and half I had read all 6 in the series and fell in love with the characters. The stories were (this is corny I know) dazzling and I wanted to be them and have the courage to do all the crazy things they did. Since then I've been looking for a series close to Tales to read that would excite me and hook me in as much as it had. 

It's taken about 8 years but I think I may have finally found it.  Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street series, is, while I'm only on the first book, pretty close to perfect.  Seeing that I've since fallen in love with all things Great Britain, it's a version of Tales of the City on in Scotland, sounded right up my alley.  While it's a bit more genteel and a little less bawdy, you still get these 6 degrees of separation relationships that are so compelling.  I'm hoping that the next in the series will be as fabulous as the first as I'm already hooked on the tenants of the house with the red door on Scotland street, and look forward to their adventures.

Both series are set in a building full of colorful characters with a beautiful city as the backdrop. The relationships that form often begin out of pure proximity to each other but they become a second family as the stories wear on. I know that in real life, most people don't barge into each other's apartments/flats like they do in these tales, but in my head it really happens.  It seems a weird wish coming from someone who owns their own home, but one day I want to live this strange little contained way of life.  I think it's why I gravitate toward cities, specifically London.  The chance to finally live in an apartment and see if stuff like this actually happens is too delicious a thought to pass up.  In London I'd have no choice of course...unless I hit the lottery, a tiny little studio flat would be all that I could afford.    And maybe, just maybe, if I'm very, very lucky, my new BFF will nickname be Babycakes and our landlady/den mother will be a former He that drives a custard yellow Mercedes and I'll begin work on my own tale.