It was a horrible, horrible thing to do. Especially on a Saturday.
I mean, Saturdays are supposed to be fun.
Leaving Scotland isn't fun. If you ever go to Scotland, take my advice, and never leave. I promise. You'll be happier that way.
***
Can't wait to see you all! Love, hugs, and kisses! ...Today we slept in till after eight. It felt like heaven, after waking up at 4:00 or 4:30 the last couple days. We began getting ready at the pace of a snail, enjoying the leisurely attitude of those who have no where particularly important to go, no urgency to worry about.
We had boys for breakfast.
But not to eat. ... ;) See the Hostel provided free breakfast in the mornings--(which consisted of toast, various jams and nutella, and cereal). And we happened to be eating when a couple of chaps from Ontario came intot he kitchen to grab a bite. We ended up talking to them for a good half hour, and had a good time kidding around, and swapping stories.
They were sort of bummed when I told them we were leaving that day. But I think it was probably a good thing, because we found out that THEY were the drunk guys singing outside our window the night before. ;)
We walked up a close (one of those tight, steep, stairways between buildings that Edinburgh is famous for) to get to the Royal Mile. And after some deliberation, we walked up the road to St. Giles Cathedral.
It was beautiful. ... Part of the ceiling was painted bright blue and stark white, and the stones were all different shades of muted red and grey. Of course there were plaques and statues and stained glass... but there was one window in particular that caught my attention. It was just a frenzy of many colored squares... red and yellow and green and blue. It was placed behind the organ because, (I suppose), it didn't depict anything particularly religious, containing no figures or stories. But for some reason, that window behind the organ was more interesting than any of the others. Towering above me, completely abstract and flaming with color... the sun sending the reds and blues and yellows dancing on the wall behind me. I was fascniated, running my hand along the wall, turning my fingers into a rainbow. I stared up at the colors till my neck ached... And then I stared some more.
After that adventure, we wandered down the Royal Mile. There were street performers, singers, musicians... and booths with intricate rings and many colored bracelets. I was sorely tempted to get a piece of my hair wrapped in orange thread by a woman doing hair weavings... but I restrained myself.
There was one woman with so many piercings in her face, that you could barely see her skin... standing on a stool with flowers in her hair and a large patchwork umbrella over her head. I was absolutely astounded at the number of rings and studs and bars covering her eyebrows, and nose, and mouth, and cheeks... I wondered at how her skin didn't droop, or sag. I wondered how long it took to put them all in, and what she would look like if she took them all out... The other girls were sort of appalled. I was mostly amazed.
The architecture in Edinburgh amazes me. It is so old! So well kept! So PRETTY! The whole city has this feeling of timelessness... or... perhaps it is that it is stuck in time. I don't know how to explain it. But I love simply walking the streets, and looking up and down and around me.
We had lunch at a place called O'briens. It was cheap and delicious, and rather convenient. And I thoroughly enjoyed my tripple deckar sandwich. (Alright, I admit I was a little wary... bacon and chicken and coleslaw and tomatoes and cheese and lettuce and three slices of bread sounded like an odd combination, but I had no need to worry! It was delicious. Who even thinks of putting cole slaw on a sandwhich anyway??).
The girls were concerned that we wouldn't have enough time at the airport... so we left earlier than I would have liked. We did indeed sit around for a while, once we'd reached our gate. But it was probably all for the better, seeing as how Ashley has the worst luck in the history of mankind, and we had a billion things go wrong. First her boarding pass wouldn't work, then they took my contact solution and Brit's face wash, then I had to be patted down, and Ashley's bag had to be checked. ... It was an interesting experience. But I think I might actually be cured of my fear of airports! ... Even with all the little things that went awry, I wasn't too concerned.
... Of course, that might be due to the fact that I didn't want to leave.
I honestly cried on the airplane as the wheels left the ground... I sat and stared out the window and wished and wished that I could stay forever.
I've had Loch Lomond stuck in my head ever since. ... Our Scotland theme song.
In Ireland it was "Beautiful Day" by Bono.
And as we stepped out of the Stansted airport, we began singing our London song... "My girl". Because we DO have sunshine, even on the cloudy days. (It's always sunny here in the morning, no matter what the rest of the day might bring)... Because when it's cold outside, we DO have the month of May! (The one month that will be spent entirely in London). And because I always have my girls. Whenever things get hard.
As we walked up the stairs to our flat, I exclamed... "Girls! We're home!!!"...
And it was true. :)
I've HAVE made a home here in London. Just as I hoped I would.
And in 2 and a half weeks, I'll be leaving it.
And then I'll be coming home home. For real.
We had boys for breakfast.
But not to eat. ... ;) See the Hostel provided free breakfast in the mornings--(which consisted of toast, various jams and nutella, and cereal). And we happened to be eating when a couple of chaps from Ontario came intot he kitchen to grab a bite. We ended up talking to them for a good half hour, and had a good time kidding around, and swapping stories.
They were sort of bummed when I told them we were leaving that day. But I think it was probably a good thing, because we found out that THEY were the drunk guys singing outside our window the night before. ;)
We walked up a close (one of those tight, steep, stairways between buildings that Edinburgh is famous for) to get to the Royal Mile. And after some deliberation, we walked up the road to St. Giles Cathedral.
It was beautiful. ... Part of the ceiling was painted bright blue and stark white, and the stones were all different shades of muted red and grey. Of course there were plaques and statues and stained glass... but there was one window in particular that caught my attention. It was just a frenzy of many colored squares... red and yellow and green and blue. It was placed behind the organ because, (I suppose), it didn't depict anything particularly religious, containing no figures or stories. But for some reason, that window behind the organ was more interesting than any of the others. Towering above me, completely abstract and flaming with color... the sun sending the reds and blues and yellows dancing on the wall behind me. I was fascniated, running my hand along the wall, turning my fingers into a rainbow. I stared up at the colors till my neck ached... And then I stared some more.
After that adventure, we wandered down the Royal Mile. There were street performers, singers, musicians... and booths with intricate rings and many colored bracelets. I was sorely tempted to get a piece of my hair wrapped in orange thread by a woman doing hair weavings... but I restrained myself.
There was one woman with so many piercings in her face, that you could barely see her skin... standing on a stool with flowers in her hair and a large patchwork umbrella over her head. I was absolutely astounded at the number of rings and studs and bars covering her eyebrows, and nose, and mouth, and cheeks... I wondered at how her skin didn't droop, or sag. I wondered how long it took to put them all in, and what she would look like if she took them all out... The other girls were sort of appalled. I was mostly amazed.
The architecture in Edinburgh amazes me. It is so old! So well kept! So PRETTY! The whole city has this feeling of timelessness... or... perhaps it is that it is stuck in time. I don't know how to explain it. But I love simply walking the streets, and looking up and down and around me.
We had lunch at a place called O'briens. It was cheap and delicious, and rather convenient. And I thoroughly enjoyed my tripple deckar sandwich. (Alright, I admit I was a little wary... bacon and chicken and coleslaw and tomatoes and cheese and lettuce and three slices of bread sounded like an odd combination, but I had no need to worry! It was delicious. Who even thinks of putting cole slaw on a sandwhich anyway??).
The girls were concerned that we wouldn't have enough time at the airport... so we left earlier than I would have liked. We did indeed sit around for a while, once we'd reached our gate. But it was probably all for the better, seeing as how Ashley has the worst luck in the history of mankind, and we had a billion things go wrong. First her boarding pass wouldn't work, then they took my contact solution and Brit's face wash, then I had to be patted down, and Ashley's bag had to be checked. ... It was an interesting experience. But I think I might actually be cured of my fear of airports! ... Even with all the little things that went awry, I wasn't too concerned.
... Of course, that might be due to the fact that I didn't want to leave.
I honestly cried on the airplane as the wheels left the ground... I sat and stared out the window and wished and wished that I could stay forever.
I've had Loch Lomond stuck in my head ever since. ... Our Scotland theme song.
In Ireland it was "Beautiful Day" by Bono.
And as we stepped out of the Stansted airport, we began singing our London song... "My girl". Because we DO have sunshine, even on the cloudy days. (It's always sunny here in the morning, no matter what the rest of the day might bring)... Because when it's cold outside, we DO have the month of May! (The one month that will be spent entirely in London). And because I always have my girls. Whenever things get hard.
As we walked up the stairs to our flat, I exclamed... "Girls! We're home!!!"...
And it was true. :)
I've HAVE made a home here in London. Just as I hoped I would.
And in 2 and a half weeks, I'll be leaving it.
And then I'll be coming home home. For real.
Yours Truly,
Shamae
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