we hope you all had a memorable christmas and a happy new year! it seems as though the past couple weeks have flown by...
dustin, rex, and i got up very early christmas morning and climbed arthur's seat, the peak in holyrood park created by an extinct volcano. we finally made it to the top after a couple of hours hiking and the views of the entire city and surrounding ocean were amazing. we spent the rest of the day in sweats watching christmas vacation, doing puzzles, watching the queen's annual christmas day address (LOL) and devouring homemade king ranch, compliments of dustin's mom's recipe.
(christmas hike pictures here.)
dustin had the week off between christmas and new year so we got to pal around edinburgh together and explore. on the 29th we attended edinburgh's annual torchlight ceremony in preparation for hogmanay a few days later. it involved about 15,000 people processing through the streets of edinburgh with torches only to conclude in a massive bonfire at the top of calton hill. it was like nothing we'd ever seen before. (except at a&m.) there were actual orkney vikings (okay maybe i have this wrong?) BUT it ended in spectacular fireworks that seemed to be just barely over our heads!
(torchlight pictures here.)
that week we also hiked a portion of the 'waters of leith' from our village of stockbridge all the way to roseburn. it was cold but serene and felt like we were far away from the city. needless to say, rex's sniffer was very busy. :)
(waters of leith pictures here.)
we spent new year's eve down in the princes street gardens for edinburgh's annual hogmanay celebration with our arkansas neighbor and friends. each year nearly 100,000 people fill the streets to watch the fireworks at midnight. we had tickets to the ceilidh in the gardens (with real bathrooms, thank goodness) and learned how to scottish folk dance whilst simultaneously drinking drams of whiskey/mulled wine for 'warmth' and devouring angus burgers. it was a memorable night filled with 'firsts.'
(hogmanay pictures here.)
dustin's parents arrived safely (and on business class upgraded BA seats!) this past friday and they have been conquering edinburgh ever since! they have already seen two castles (edinburgh and stirling), a palace (holyrood), eaten haggis (regular and veggie), drank their weight in tea, and sipped a handful of local and foreign ales. so far so good. :) they brought amazing weather with them and...it SNOWED yesterday, briefly. okay okay it was just flurries but still.
speaking of good news...my last bit of good news and then i will shut up, i swear. for those of you who don't already know, i PASSED my first architectural licensing exam that i took in november! i am currently preparing for two more in march but this was well-timed good news as my momentum was waning.
we miss you all and promise to post pictures of the mccoys trip when they are texas (and mexican food) bound.
(christmas hike pictures here.)
dustin had the week off between christmas and new year so we got to pal around edinburgh together and explore. on the 29th we attended edinburgh's annual torchlight ceremony in preparation for hogmanay a few days later. it involved about 15,000 people processing through the streets of edinburgh with torches only to conclude in a massive bonfire at the top of calton hill. it was like nothing we'd ever seen before. (except at a&m.) there were actual orkney vikings (okay maybe i have this wrong?) BUT it ended in spectacular fireworks that seemed to be just barely over our heads!
(torchlight pictures here.)
that week we also hiked a portion of the 'waters of leith' from our village of stockbridge all the way to roseburn. it was cold but serene and felt like we were far away from the city. needless to say, rex's sniffer was very busy. :)
(waters of leith pictures here.)
we spent new year's eve down in the princes street gardens for edinburgh's annual hogmanay celebration with our arkansas neighbor and friends. each year nearly 100,000 people fill the streets to watch the fireworks at midnight. we had tickets to the ceilidh in the gardens (with real bathrooms, thank goodness) and learned how to scottish folk dance whilst simultaneously drinking drams of whiskey/mulled wine for 'warmth' and devouring angus burgers. it was a memorable night filled with 'firsts.'
(hogmanay pictures here.)
dustin's parents arrived safely (and on business class upgraded BA seats!) this past friday and they have been conquering edinburgh ever since! they have already seen two castles (edinburgh and stirling), a palace (holyrood), eaten haggis (regular and veggie), drank their weight in tea, and sipped a handful of local and foreign ales. so far so good. :) they brought amazing weather with them and...it SNOWED yesterday, briefly. okay okay it was just flurries but still.
speaking of good news...my last bit of good news and then i will shut up, i swear. for those of you who don't already know, i PASSED my first architectural licensing exam that i took in november! i am currently preparing for two more in march but this was well-timed good news as my momentum was waning.
we miss you all and promise to post pictures of the mccoys trip when they are texas (and mexican food) bound.
1 comment:
Hey Megan! Just wanted to let you know I love reading your blog and seeing the pics. It's very interesting to see all your cultural experiences. And I'm going to forward your Christmas hike pics to my husband to remind him why the UK is at the top of my list of places to visit next.
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