Elizabeth's Journey Through Life: Nessie and Greyfriars Bobby

Scotland, need I say more? I loved going there. I went the weekend (Jan 27-29) and had a wonderful time. I went with great people and tried a bunch of new things. The highlights of the trip where seeing Edinburgh as a whole and going on a late night walk to find Guildford Arms. A bar/pub/tavern built in 1898. My friend Lexi and I just where walking around Princes Street and decided to go look at this building. We had a wonderful time asking the bartenders and the locals what to try. I had a twisted bitter and I LOVED it. Lexi had a cider that is "reserved for locals" that was AMAZING. Enough about the Pub, on to what else we did. We arrived to Edinburgh at about 4pm so we walked up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle, it was closed for the day but we did get some wonderful shots of the sun setting behind it. We then did a little bit of shopping and asked a local where to eat, that led us to Deaconess Brodies Tavern. It was good. We then just went walking a stumbled upon The Real Mary Kings Close. A tour beneath the City to see the REAL closes of Edinburgh's glory days. We actually walked the close and saw homes that up to 12 (yes really 12) people slept in. That ended our night and we went back to the hotel to watch some British tele. Saturday morning was filled with Edinburgh Castle, a Whiskey Tour (and tasting), and Italian food. The afternoon filled with running around trying to get everything done. We went to Greyfriars bobby, The Elephant House (where JK Rowling wrote HP), The National Museum of Scotland, The North Sea, St. Giles Catherdral, and probably somewhere else that I can't remember (oh geeze this isn't good). On Sunday we left for Hadrian's wall and Durham. We went to a Roman Fort and stood on the wall. In Durham we went to another pub and had wonderful wonderful food. Another highlight of the week was finally meeting my family that has "adopted" me. I get to have dinner (tea) with them tomorrow (Monday). Another thing that I really like is being able to try new beers/lagers/bitters/ciders. I have tried about 8 new beers. My favorite so far has been a twisted bitter. It was really smooth and had a great wheaty taste. I've also had Haggis, pretty good, but I think im going to stay away from Whiskey. Enough rambling now. Next weekend is a weekend away with local university (Lincoln) students then Ireland!!!!!!