Clarinda's Tearoom (Edinburgh)

My friend Lisa and I were walking around the Royal Mile and decided that it was time for a snack so we stopped in this little tearoom. Very good call on our part. Not only is it super cute inside, but the food (savory and sweet) is amazing!! And the prices were really cheap. If you ever go to Edinburgh I 100% recommend this place.

It's on 69 Canongate right in the middle of all the touristy stuff so it is easy to get to as well.

Hiking in Holyrood Park (the trek to Arthur's Seat)

enjoying the wind on top of Arthur's Seat

I say trek but it probably only took us 30 minutes, 45 tops. This hike is on my must do list for Edinburgh though. It is all up hill, but the grade is very gradual and you can take it at your own pace. It is definitely worth doing because once you reach the top you have a phenomenal 360 degree view. It is quite windy so bring a wind breaker and be sure to do it on a sunny day otherwise the wind makes it very cold. We just hiked to the summit(Arthur's Seat) but if you were really ambitious you could hike all over the park. I think this is one of my favorite hikes I have ever been on.

This is half way up. First, I look down on what we just hiked up. Then up at what we have left to hike.

Partial view from the top

AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

How did the number of mental patients in my life rise from zero to 4 in two days time!?!?!

I have a gardener boss who aimlessly wanders around all day saying "ya' know?" after every sentence. NO! I don't know Bactee, explain yourself for once in an effing blue moon!! Then there is the 40-something year old guy who is stalking my 19 year old French roommate, and somehow hasn't gotten the hints that she wants nothing to do with him. Then there is the 40 or 50-something woman who still gets an allowance from her rich jeweler uncle (presumably to keep her as far away from him as humanly possible) and calls herself a child of the earth, and has a private tutor to help her become a white witch. I know she must have something actually wrong with her and I'm a horrible person for complaining and I would normally be able to deal with this small amount of crazy if there wasn't a super-king-sized crazy sleeping in the room across the hall that is taking up all my self-control.

The girl across the hall is, we think, schizophrenic. She was fine a few days ago and then she just started randomly bursting into tears every hour or so. After that she started not wanting to go places by herself like to get a broom or a dust pan in the next room, and if you left a room for any reason or amount of time and she was alone she'd just follow you. Then she took to just staring at you while you did anything, from write an e-mail to brushing your teeth. Then she came into the conservatory holding onto a 7in long full on Hitchcockian Psycho style knife like it was a security blanket. She didn't threaten anybody or anything, but it took 10 mins to convince her to leave it in the kitchen rather than take it back home with us. Things got really strange after that. She stopped leaving the house altogether and anytime you asked or said anything to her she'd just reply "I'm fine." Then she stopped eating and sleeping. Then when we tried to convince her to go to the hospital to make sure she was OK (that sounds harsh, but we did it subtly) she refused to leave the up stairs. Then the Scottish police came (both very fit, but under the circumstances there were more pressing matters to focus on). They talked with her and told her she'd have to abide by the rules of the people we were staying with, but because she made no out right verbal threat there was nothing they could do to forcibly remove her. So she stayed another night and while we (my two roommates and I) were at dinner she moved her stuff into our room. When we got back and saw this we all agreed there was no way we were sleeping in the same room with the Lizzie Borden wanna be and promptly locked ourselves into the bedroom at 8pm and spent the rest of the night whispering, trying to convince ourselves that we weren't overreacting. Because really she hadn't done anything, but be super effing creepy (but it's better to overreact in a situation like this than under-react right???) anyway now it's the next morning and it took 30 mins of convincing, but me and one of the other girls got Lizzie to go for a walk. We're like 90% sure she's not actually thinking about hurting anybody, but wow, talk about a bonding experience.

I'm really trying to be a good person about all this and not one of the many jerks I'm sure she has encountered in her life, but she is really sketching me out. God help me.

addition to above post: I was feeling so sick over this who situation then one of my friends had a stroke of genius! She told me to contact the Finnish Embassy (Lizzie is from Finland) because they would probably want to take care of their citizen while she was in a foreign country.  To make a very long story short, the police came out to forcibly  remove her and she refused to go to the hospital but we got her to agree to go to a homeless shelter that deals with mentally ill people until the Embassy could send someone. I think once they get her back on her meds that she will be fine like before. I know I was justified in my reaction but now that the scary part is over I'm back to feeling like a jerk. =( bleh!

Random Happening of the Day (I)

Today I was talking to a Hare Krishna woman and she told me they wake up at 4:30 every morning to chant and dance in their temple.

Upon hearing this I promptly responded with a wide eyed "Jesus Christ!"

This exclamation was followed by a lot of laughter by all present because of the irony.

The MEGABUS!!!!

I can't say enough good things about The Megabus. First off it is super expensive to travel by train or plane, but everyone knows this already. Short of hitchhiking I don't think you'll find a cheaper form of transport than The Megabus. It only cost me £20 to go from London to Glasgow.


Now, this journey did take from 8am to 5:15pm, however there is a ton of leg room, the drive up is pretty scenic and the bus has free Wi-Fi! If you have a buddy with you or if you just enjoy talking to strangers than this is not a bad way to spend a day. I 100% recommend this mode of travel. The greatest thing about it is they go all over the UK, the US northeast, and Canada(along the NY boarder.) I'm for sure gonna use them in the future. 


http://www.megabus.com/

Air Canada is Amazing!

I flew through Toranto to get to London, and my connecting flight was Air Canada. This airline has their sh*t together. 

There was tons of leg room, real silverware, huge blankets, individual entertainment consoles, and the food was good. 

Also, I've been thinking that Franch-Canada would be a good place for me to move if I ever get serious about learning French.

You're Awesome Canada! 

Remembering the Alamo!

My little brother Scott and I

On the drive through Texas we stopped in San Antonio and thought while we’re here we may as well go see the Alamo. It’s right in the middle of the city. It’s kinda funny to see this classic old church right in the middle of a bunch of high rises. It is really pretty though, and it’s free admission so that’s pretty cool.

Scott and our friend Jeff (AKA El Flufferino) on the riverwalk

We wandered around the riverwalk area along San Antonio River after we’d seen the Alamo. I wouldn’t have thought that I’d like any city in Texas (I know, I shouldn’t judge a place before I’ve been there) but the little of San Antonio I saw was really pretty and it looked like it would be a really fun place to stay for a while. I wouldn't mind going back some day and exploring it more thoroughly. And I’d totally recommend it as a nice city to visit if you just wanted a chill place to spend a week.