Discovering Cambridge: Haste ye back

Aug

2015

Haste ye back

0 Comments

"Haste ye back" is an expression in Scotland that means "Hurry back". It was everywhere this past weekend when Anna and I made a trip to Edinburgh. If you've ever traveled to Edinburgh, or anywhere in Scotland, I think you'd agree that it is most certainly a place one wants to hurry back to. I had a feeling when I was planning for this weekend that I was absolutely going to fall in love with the city of Edinburgh. Do you ever get those feelings where you just know you are going to love a place without having been there yet? (Normally, I really dislike typical study-abroad post type things, but this is going to be one of those posts. I'm human and I'm a hypocrite, what can I say?!) Anyway, I just had this feeling.

The train ride from Cambridge to Edinburgh solidified that this was going to be a good weekend. In fact, after we got off the train Anna said that if we had just turned around and gone back the same route that would have been worth the trip. She was right because the views as we were within an hour of Edinburgh were simply amazing. We were traveling right along Scotland's eastern coast so we had views of the ocean and small seaside villages. We passed lighthouses, and big cliffs jutting out over the water.

This picture really doesn't do these views justice!

After this beautiful train ride in, we grabbed a taxi to head to where we were staying. Getting a taxi was an event, as Anna and I never grab taxi's, living in a place like Emmitsburg. I ended up asking the guy through the window if we could go to said address and he said, "You can, but not by standing out there." Point taken, sir. He ended up being very nice, albeit sarcastic, and for a second thought that Anna and I could not speak english because we were having a hard time deciphering his thick Scottish accent, which was muffled behind the thick plastic cab screen. Eventually, feeling like pretty dumb Americans, we ended up at the place where we were staying.

The sister of a good family friend lives in Edinburgh and she and her husband were gracious enough to let us stay with them for the weekend. I felt bad that we were arriving after 9PM as they do have young kids, but they were so welcoming and made us feel right at home. They had two rooms ready for us on the top floor of the house and she had even left us a tea pot with a selection of herbal teas which was the very best thing after a long train ride. Anna's room had a balcony attached which had an incredible view of some of the city and the mountains that surround it. After a good night's rest, we were ready to conquer Arthur's seat!

Anna's view (I wasn't jealous, it's fine.)

Arthur's seat is at the top of a very (much more than Anna and I realized) steep hill (more like mountain) right in the heart of Edinburgh. Arthur's seat is actually a dormant volcano, and legend has it may have been where Camelot once stood, thus it was named after King Arthur. Anna and I felt less like kings when we reached the summit and more like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music. The pictures really don't capture the beauty; I just wanted to run around, spinning while singing like Maria Von Trapp and that's what I did.

Channeling Maria

The hills were alive

Once we got to the very top, we sat and just looked for a while. It was so very windy when we got to the top that you had to sit down and just take a minute. From this point (one of the highest in the city) you could see for miles. We saw the old medieval buildings, castles, the ocean on one side and more mountains on the other. We commented on the beauty of God's creation and were just in awe--it's important to be taken aback every once and a while. It reminds you to be humble, and thankful for this beautiful world that we live in.

Windblown hair and Arthur's seat in the background (this was the most difficult selfie we've ever taken)

After a wonderful morning of hiking and changing body temperatures drastically (hot while climbing, freezing when at the top), we decided to explore the city and go get some good coffee. We wandered down the Royal Mile and found small passages with staircases that led to winding roads with the prettiest shops. Eventually, we wound up at The Elephant House (if you know me, you should not be surprised) which is where J.K. Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter Books. The bathroom is dedicated to her--people from all over the world have written her notes of thanks and quoted the books, showing the deep love we all have for the series. I freaked out at the idea that J.K. Rowling once sat where we sat, penning the greatest novels of our time and paid homage by signing the bathroom wall myself.

The last quote of the best series, written in pink pen by me!

I've rambled on long enough and I'll be sure to include more pictures at the end of this post. The rest of that day and the next were spent taking in all of the beauty Edinburgh has to offer. Anna and I grew very fond of the medieval architecture that made you feel like you had traveled back in time. We bought way more than we thought we would but everything was so cool it was too hard to pass up! Edinburgh is definitely one of those cities that instantly feels homey. Our host said she loves it because it doesn't really feel like a city, and I'd have to agree.