Scotland is really ugly.

Another weekend comes to a close and I'm facing a 2-day gauntlet of classes (insert sarcasm here) before I'm essentially free to continue my adventures. I say "essentially free" because this whole travel alert thing is a little unnerving and I'm having to reconsider a lot of my travel plans. If all else fails, I will be adventuring here in Edinburgh (nothing says "adventure" like trying haggis, which I still have not done despite being here for 3 weeks now). Life is just so hard, right?

Last Sunday I decided to take my brand new FiveFingers (explanation below for those of you not fortunate enough to be acquainted with them) out for a run in Holyrood Park which is about 5 minutes from my flat. I've learned very quickly that I should take my camera with me anywhere/everywhere I go (you know, in case I run into JK Rowling at the grocery store or something... I've heard rumors). I was so glad that I did because it was an absolutely gorgeous day and my FiveFingers and I got to do quite a bit of exploring...

Salisbury Crags

A view of the city

The aforementioned FiveFingers... I am at the top of the Salisbury Crags looking down. This is my second pair of FiveFingers (a different style/color from my heavier-duty pair... I consider these my "casual" pair)

Top left is Arthur's Seat. When I saw this against the clear sky, there was really no question about whether or not I was going to climb it right then and there.

And when I say "climb," I mean that my FiveFingers give me superhuman powers which lead me to believe that I should stray off the beaten path and climb things... like this rock formation. Paths are for losers.

A view from the top!

As gorgeous as Arthur's Seat was that day, I have to say that it was even more so on Thursday evening when a few friends and I hiked up by twilight. We had the place to ourselves and spent almost 4 hours up on the Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat It was a perfectly clear night and I wish I had pictures but something was on my lens so they all came out blurry. I'll post some once I can steal a couple from the friends who were with me. We are already talking about going back up there for a meteor shower... it would be beyond incredible.

The week found me checking off one more thing on my Harry Potter to-do list while abroad this semester:

Cafe where JK Rowling wrote much of the early Harry Potter books (also coincidentally home to excellent and reasonably priced cappuccinos)

On Saturday I spent the day exploring some of the Scottish Highlands:

First stop: Hamish the famous "Heeland Coo" (Highland Cow)

Falls of Dochart

Loch Tay

Castle Menzies

An obligatory stop at Dewars World of Whisky Distillery in Aberfeldy... delicious (and 2 free samples with reduced price admission... not bad)

Waterfall at The Hermitage park

So here I am again trying to avoid the pile of work I have sitting next to me on my desk while trying to sort out my travel plans (I have priorities). I was supposed to go to London this coming weekend but there have been some complications which have snowballed and now I am facing the prospect of traveling alone with the new travel alert in effect warning about terrorist attacks on major European cities targeting tourists. I don't see many alternatives right now other than to just lose the money on my train tickets and try to go to London some other time. At this point I'm not still not entirely sure what I'm going to do but, as you can see, there is plenty in Scotland to keep me occupied and entertained in the meantime!

I am going to St. Andrew's to visit my friend Cat next week on Wednesday because neither of us has class (convenient!). Then 2 of my flatmates and I are heading to Dublin for the weekend, and then the next weekend Cat and I are going to Loch Ness and Skye (!!!). A flatmate and I are also going to Wales for 3 or 4 days in November and staying with her grandparents which will be tons of fun! Until I get a clearer picture of what is going on with this travel alert, I am holding off on making other plans (for Paris, Madrid, Berlin, etc.). I also want to see when my exams are (we don't get the exam schedule until October 25) so that I can work out some travel in December. If I can get 5, 6, 7, or even more free days in December before/after (or between) my exams, that means two things and two things only: Italy and Greece.

Oh, and in between all my explorations I did actually go to class.