I must say, I quite enjoyed Scotland. The history (and their continuing tension with the English) is fascinating. Not to mention the scenery is beautiful, the accents are fun, and the food is only for the daring! Good thing I'm the least picky eater I know.
Let's start in Edinburgh. First of all, so you don't all sound like dolts, be sure you pronounce this correctly: Eh-din-bruh. With a short e sound, and no "berg." God help you if you said Ee-din-berg to a Scot.
I took a FANTASTIC free walking tour, provided by a company called Sandeman (the tour guide works only for tips). If you're planning on being anywhere in Europe, look up this company; they have free walking tours in many cities. It was cold and rainy the entire 3-hour tour, and I had STILL an excellent experience. Here are a few places our guide, James, showed us in the city:
This is St. Gile's Cathedral. Technically it isn't a cathedral, because it lacks the one thing a building requires in order to be a cathedral: a bishop. The Scots are Presbyterian. But they liked the name Cathedral, so Cathedral it is. 
This is an old preserved staircase with a trip step, a popular feature in the 1600s. You can see it, 3 steps up. It was meant to catch thieves. He would trip on the step and fall to his death or at least injure himself enough that he could just be rolled out into the street the next day. Unfortunately, because the drinking water was so dirty, most people just drank beer and ale all day, because it was made using water from springs that was safe to drink. This fact caused many [drunk] people to fall victim to their own trip steps...even causing death in a few instances.
Just a cute street in Edinburgh! So you can get a feel for the architecture. 
This is a side of Edinburgh castle that sits on what is called a crag (the dark rock below it). Crags are made of volcanic rock. Surprise you a little? It's because where Edinburgh sits today used to be located at the equator, wayyy back when the single land mass Pangea existed on Earth. Boo-yah, science! 
Me, in front of Edinburgh Castle. When the Queen visits Scotland (maybe once a year for a few days), this is where she stays! I didn't go inside, but I heard it's more like a museum than a castle. 
This would be the famous haggis, layered on top of tatties (mashed potatoes), doused in the traditional whiskey cream sauce, and garnished with some oatcakes. To quote Wikipedia: "Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach." There ya have it folks. And it was DELICIOUS. Kind of herby.Moving right along. My second full day in Scotland, I went on a Rabbie's tour of the Highlands, including Glencoe and Loch Ness. I planned this so I could join my friend Greer, an amazing girl I met in the IES London program, and her parents for the day! It was well-worth the money. As I have already mentioned to some people, I am definitely a city girl. But the Scottish Highlands might be the only place on this planet that could tempt me to lead a simple country lifestyle. Here are some pictures!
The body of water in the above two pictures is Loch Ness! It is the largest lake in the Highlands, running about 24 miles long and getting up to 1,000 feet deep in some areas. We learned a little about Nessie, and how they think the "monster" might be some relative of the plesiosaurus. If it exists, of course. Part of the mystery surrounding the Loch is that you simply can't SEE anything in there. The water is stained very dark from bits of mineral that come down from the land everytime it rains. You get more than a couple meters deep and it's pitch black.Moving on now to Glasgow! This city reminded me of a mini-London in some ways. I also met up with Greer and her parents in this fashion capital of Scotland. We went to dinner at a pub called Sloan's -- and it turned out to be quiz night! So of course we partook...and lost. Miserably. Our consolation prize (?) was apparently a can of meatballs. Pretty exciting stuff, folks.
Glasgow Necropolis: City of the Dead. Aptly named, but perhaps creepier than was truly necessary.
City Chambers. Just a really cool building, and has been in a few movies as a double for the Vatican.
Museum of Modern Art. I went in and looked through all the galleries, and what can I say...it was modern art. However, note the statue outside of Wellington astride his horse. He is wearing a traffic cone on his head. Apparently this prank is so common, the traffic cone is now considered his "traditional" headwear.
An old tower where you used to pay your taxes, hundreds of years ago. You could also be chained for 24 hours to some metal loops (which are still on the tower) as your punishment for gossiping.All in all, I think I prefer the countryside of Scotland to the cities. But I had a great time! Another update coming your way tomorrow.
Cheers!
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