Everything I own is currently sitting on a truck headed to my new home for the next seven years. Meanwhile, I'm sitting on a train streaking through the English countryside. The entire experience of coming to Europe is always a bit surreal for me, but never as surreal as being in the UK. Everyone here speaks the same language and walking down the street I can spot many of the same chains I'm accustomed to at home, but there are constant reminders that this is the world I'm used to only turned slightly sideways. My accent, foreign, my proclivity to always look the wrong direction first when checking which way to cross the road, stupid, and my requirement to always take a second longer to count unfamiliar change out to a cashier, silly.
London has changed a lot in the ten years since I was last here. No offense, Londoners, but the entire town is much more reminiscent of New York City than it was before. Although, my ability to get a decent cup of tea at any restaurant I walk into definitely means it edges out NYC in my list of favorite places. My idea of travel involves lots of wandering, I manage to do a lot of the touristy destinations when I go somewhere (Buckingham palace, Westminister, etc) but always try to do them at off hours and leave the rest of the day for simply wandering. I, however, will happily spend hours instead of any history or science museum in existence. Probably my favorite part of travel is spending time in the climate controlled halls of museums filled with pieces of a place I will never visit. Just my own strange fascination with museums -- probably makes me a less than exciting travel companion. To be honest though, I think anyone who thinks they couldn't spend three days inside the British Museum alone is a complete liar. We also made our way down to see a play at the Globe Theater -- a moment that satisfied the theater nerd still living inside of me.
The weather in London held out for us, allowing us to do lots of walking and wandering, easily hoping on and off the Underground. We scored some perfect afternoon tea and scones in a small cafe and managed to get a couple of excellent beers in dark, crowded pubs. I feel like we definitely had the London experience.
We picked up a train at King's Cross, snagging photos at Platform 9 3/4 before heading to Edinburgh. Edinburgh, being the original place where my mother's side of the family hails from, felt strangely familiar though I'd never been there before. It was raining and rather cold when we arrived, and hauling luggage to the hotel was quite an ordeal. I wouldn't recommend anyone come to Edinburgh who is not in good enough shape to carry their bag up hundreds of stairs. The next morning offered us more rain, which allowed us to see Edinburgh Castle in an entirely Scottish experience. Luckily, the next day, the sun managed to escape for a bit to demonstrate Scotland in all its glory. We sampled the local delicacy (scotch of course!) and made more time for tea and scones (what else). Only a few days there afforded us not enough time to really see everything we would have liked, but I think we could have found months worth of amusement in the city.
We've returned to London, though only for a few hours before we'll be back at Heathrow and headed back stateside. I'll be arriving there, only to leave in a matter of hours on a long, long, long road trip to my new residency home. Only one more of these weekly updates left before I'll be writing them from in the middle of residency.
Cheers from the UK my dears
The Week in Snapshots
British museum / the globe / the queen?? (Jk) / platform 9 3/4 / proper tea and scones / sunny Edinburgh
Reading
I had a lovely read of Nick Hornby's About a Boy on the train to and from Edinburgh. I'm firmly of the opinion that Hornby's books should only be consumed on planes, trains, or in the backs of cars on long road trips. Anytime I come across a new one in a used bookshop, I pick it up and set it aside for just this reason.
Listening
I have to confess to you all that I haven't really listened to much music on this trip, walking around so much with my brother means I haven't been sitting around working and listening to anything. So no new recommendations for the week -- though I was able to hear some impressively loud music from the bar near our hotel last night -- who knew you could play traditionally Scottish music with a dub step beat.
3 Things
> I've decided that it's entirely unreasonable that I can't have cookies and tea every day at 3 o'clock. Once I start residency I'm going to file an official petition for mandatory resident tea time.
> Sweetheart and I are officially through the first week of the start of our year of long distance relationship. Luckily, we'll be seeing each other again in only three weeks. I miss him already. <3 I know so many people who do at least a year of long distance in medical relationships -- but just because it's the norm doesn't make it easier to miss someone!
> I am not in the least bit excited for the next week of unpacking, trying to go to the DMV, doing residency paperwork, figuring out a new city, and being slightly jet lagged on top of all of it. If you have the means to mail me a cup of coffee -- please do so now!!!!
Loving from Around the Internet
Spotty wifi and limited cellular data means I've been quite behind on my internet reading as well. So I'll spare you all from reading something else this week.
