Well, a lot has certainly happened in the last few days since I wrote!
First, we have been doing a lot of walking. We’ve visited the Royal Mile, skirted the edge of New Town, gone south to Summerhall, the University of Edinburgh building where I’ll have most of my classes this year, stopped by the UoE accommodations office to ask some questions, stuck our feet in the pond near the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and more.
On Saturday, however, we walked to Holyrood Park. After stopping into Plaisir du Chocolat for a delicious hot chocolate (73% cocoa), we made the hike up to St. Anthony’s Chapel. Though only ruins remain, it was once a small chapel closely tied to St. Margaret’s Loch. People with skin diseases would travel here to be healed. The hike up to the ruins was short but steep, and the unexpected rain made the stones and paths quite slick. It was beautiful, though, and the Loch is now a sanctuary for migrating birds, so we saw loads of swans who were not at all afraid of us!
Saturday night, we met up with Keith Beebe, a Whitworth professor. We connected with him since he was in Edinburgh doing some research for a fascinating book he’s writing about the Scottish Great Awakening. He treated us to some hot drinks (mmm, tea... I think I’ll make myself a cuppa right now) and we would up chatting with him while walking first to our flat, then his. All in all, we spent almost 4 hours hanging out. It really lifted both Matt and my spirits to see someone who knew our names and faces and didn’t think we were tourists. It has been fun exploring this beautiful and interesting city, but it does throw into sharp relief how far away we are from those we know and love.
Sunday, we lay around bemoaning our sore and tired bodies until about noon, when we visited the Museum of Scotland. I love museums, which amuses Matt greatly. He loves them too, of course, but it made him laugh when I said things like, “I am so hungry. And tired. And sore...” but when he asked if I wanted to get lunch or sit down, I would say, “Yes, but let’s just look here and there and here first.” I admit it, I am a nerd. Anyway, we then went to a sweet sandwich shop for lunch, then hung out at the flat until about 6:30, when we went to church.
The church we went to is called St. Paul’s and St. George’ Episcopal Church, though most people just call it “P’s and G’s”. It is a Scottish Episcopal church, though not many would have thought so by looking in. It was very contemporary, with a modern worship band and a young preacher wearing a shirt and slacks instead of a robe. I liked the service, though the sermon was a bit fluffy at points. (Aside: the Scottish call fluff or kitsch “tat”, as in “Oh, that shop just sells tourist tat.”) We filled out an enquiry form about small groups there, since that is what we’re mainly looking for.
Today, we just hung out around the flat for most of the day. All the walking, combined with the fact that our mattress takes “firm” to a whole new place, has made both Matt and I very, very sore. His back, my hips and left knee, sheesh. We’re like a couple of old fogeys.
I ordered our internet, but it won’t be activated for 2 more weeks. So for now, I am just writing these posts at home and posting them when I can. Sorry about that. We have a phone however, so if you have a phone card you should email me to set up a time when you can call, and we’ll wait by the phone like eager teenagers! We’d call you, but we can’t find any calling cards.
Also sorry for this novella. If you made it this far, you get a gold star. Go on, stick it to your shirt then. There, now you look like proper girls and boys.
I miss you guys like the crops miss the rain!