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Published: October 26th 2006
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Backpackin to Edinburgh
Yes, that is the infamous UK phonebooth... Over the weekend I went back to Edinburgh to pick up where I left off after storming the castle. It was time to pillage and plunder the city!! It was time to taste some whisky!!! Seven companions left Glasgow to Edinburgh for the weekend. A guys night out!! Little did we know what was in store for us.... a feast.... at Kentucky Fried Chicken... actually it was two Family Feasts!!! It was a beautiful evening in the Colonels hall.
Our suite (Hostel) at Brodies was on the Royal Mile. It made it easy to dispatch, and explore. However, there was some difficulty in the operation. The Scottish weather blessed us with a steady downpour of chilled rain. Gusts of bitter wind delivered icy volleys as we tried to maneuver the cobblestone streets towards the nightlife. There of course was no way that such a minor thing could stop the inevitable. I needed a pint!!!
The nightlife in Edinburgh is great!!!
The first night ended with eight people crowded in one room. Who is the 8th person you wonder?? There were only seven companions you say?? The 8th person was Marlana from Brazil (HOT), trapped in a hostel suite
Beneath my castle
After storming the castle a few weeks back ... it looks quite peaceful.. with seven guys from Glasgow Caledonian University .. from six different countries. Slovenia, Lichtenschtein (Yeah, I didn't know that was a country either ... but now I do, and now I know that it has a population of 37,500), Austria, Cyprus, America, and Germany. The girl from Brazil had a great time with us though ... we actually drug her out to the club where she tried to teach me some salsa dancing . Don't even try to imagine how great I looked shakin' it salsa style. We all then went back to the hostel and continued the party until daylight began to creep in around the curtained window.
The following day was spent trapseing around the city. It is easy to just take a few twists and turns down side streets to simply let yourself get lost in the history of Edinburgh. Statues, and monuments pay tribute to brave Scotsmen throughout the city, and the sound of bagpipes carries through the chilly air to tell the stories of the dead. The bagpipes have the ability to warm your soul even while your skin is cold.
After a day spent exploring, it was time for the Scotch Whisky
Experience. Only three of us partook in this adventure. Bernd from Lichtenschtein, Stephen from Austria, and myself. The building is at the top of the Royal Mile, just a stones throw away from Edinburgh Castle. Usiege Beatha is what the ancient Celts called whisky. It means The Water of Life. The tour started off with a sample of whisky. The guide taught us how to check the color of the whisky, how to swirl the whisky in the glass and tell by the way it drips down if it is a full, light, or medium bodied whisky (the drip lines in the glass are called the "Legs" of the whisky). She taught us how to smell the whisky and distinguish the unique scents. She finally taught us how to taste the whisky, and differentiate between the delicate flavors.
The next few parts of the experience took us into different rooms to watch some videos on the history of whisky, followed by a short lecture from the guide. Then you sit in a giant barrel and ride it through time. It has statues, and scenes portraying Scotch Whisky's past as a voice over a speaker tells you the tale. It
What a view
I really wanted to climb that mountain in the background.. was really cheesy, but very interesting. The tour ended with a sampling of four different whisky's. A Lowland Malt Whisky, a Highland Malt Whisky, a Speyside Malt Whisky, and an Island Malt Whisky. We got to put our newly acquired skills to the test. Peppery sweetness, and lingering smokiness are some of the various descriptors. We followed our samplings with two more recommended whiskys from the bar which is host to over 300 whisky's. The Scotch Whisky Experience is one of my most memorable moments in Scotland!!! I will do it again when my dad gets here .....
While in Edinburgh I also went to the Chinese Embassy to get my Chinese Visa. I'm going to Shanghai, China with my flatmate Jei Wang and staying with his family for 7 nights!! The don't speak English, so that is going to make it interesting. Jei's mom told him that she will teach me how to make proper Chinese food.... but as my sister told me ..."Chinese food in China is just food". I never would have thought that I would have gotten the opportunity to go to China.... especially while on this trip. It's really crazy and random, but you
only live once right....??
A few links to some of my friends blogs here....
Matt from Slovenia = http://fowler9.blog.siol.net/ (This blog is really cool because it is titled "Move On" and is about the friction in Slovenias North and South and how both sides have trouble respecting, or just likeing someone just because they are from a certain area. In the blog he questions "Why can't people from the same country like eachother, when 2 people from different sides of the world {China and America} can meet up and become great friends without prejudice .... which is captioned under the picture of Jei and myself.)
Stephen from Austria = http://leibus.net/?page_id=66
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Annie
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jealous
I am SO jealous!! I am sitting here at my boring ass job, envying you!! I am craving some whiskey NOW!! Have fun! ~ Annie