Sleeping Beauty, Minus the Prince (But There's Still A Castle!)

The very pretty Scottish National Gallery

So as you may have figured out, I carried my camera with me on my adventures today, like a tourist, just for you. You're *welcome*. Also, note to everyone who is travelling anywhere ever: for the love of god, check behind you before coming to an abrupt stop in the middle of the sidewalk to take a picture of something. Yes, I know it is all very cool, believe me, but when I have to do a weird sidestep to avoid running into you, you should probably just *not*.

Just an adorable group of children. Don't mind me

*casually leans against wall* *yawns* Oh, you mean you don't have a castle where you live? 

How plebeian.

Last night marked my first run to the grocery store here, and it is quite different from those at home (obviously). I'm not sure if it makes a difference that it was a Tesco Express, but if I was trying to go by the advice given in Canada, to avoid unhealthy food by shopping around the outside and not going into the aisles, I wouldn't have any fruit or veggies. You can also buy alcohol right at the store! Like, there is a booze isle. And *everything* is either proudly English or Scottish, and so many more organic and farm fresh things.

Pictured: the thrills of Scottish food.

I also walked up to my campus (its right by the grocery store... and literally a ten minute walk from the flat). Though I did manage to again go the wrong way (twice).

No sign,  I don't think it is. 

Can you rotate the way google maps shows you something? Because that is what is really messing with me. Because I feel for some reason that I need to go south, but everything is north of me.

I forgot to mention this yesterday, but look at the cute little french press I got for my tea!! Also note the lamp in the foreground... 

...no, I didn't match all my things at all, why would you say that?

Slept for 12 hours last night, which was alarming and disorienting. My friend Andrea told me the story about her jet lag before I left - when she arrived in Edinburgh, she didn't really get what jet lag meant, and was starting to think she didn't have it, when she went to take a nap and woke up 13 hours later. Well, I was starting to think that that just wasn't something that was going to happen to me - I mean, I'm used to jet leg! I switched three hours regularly for four years!... Yeah, clearly not. Woke up and was so confused... why was it light out? What time was it?

Anyways, after I stumbled about the house a bit recovering from that, I went back up to Prince St. to get a SIM card, and to John Lewis to exchange my sheets. Which all went very smoothly. Phone plans are so much better here. Seriously. For £15 I get 3000 texts, 300 min, and unlimited data. And my SIM was £1. My old pay and talk plan with telus? I was paying $25 a month for unlimited texts, no data, and about 30 min. Jussayin.

Church down the street

Just down the street.

Canal or something? IDK its a shortcut to Princes street.

Only real cobblestone I've had to walk on is also in this area - which is good, because man, that shits uneven. 

Also went to a store called Argos, which I found online to carry Canadian-UK plug adaptars (because the one that I bought in Canada only had the two-slits, not the three-plugin standard, which, WHY?). The store was very confusing though, as you order and pay at the cash, and then pick up from a desk (they run and get it from the back for you) or you can pre-order online and just come in and pick up, or order from a computer in store if you're paying with a card, and they have everything from electronics to kids toys.

Slightly unrelated to today's activities but nonetheless super exciting: I bought train tickets to Glasgow on Friday. I've had concert tickets to the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis concert that night since before I actually bought my plane ticket to Europe, so clearly I'm excited. I was going to take the bus (there's a really frequent bus that runs between Edinburgh and Glasgow for like £8) but unfortunately the last bus is at like, 6pm, and the concert doesn't even start until 7pm. So instead I'm taking the train. Which was still around £12 round trip, so really not expensive. And, thanks to Edinburgh's excellent public transit, there is a bus that runs from right near the train station to near my flat until late at night, so no worries about getting home from the train station (which is near Princes St).

OMG so excited

I gave myself lots of time in Glasgow to kind of wander around and see that city as well. 

Usher Hall

Graveyard at St. Cuthburt's Parish Curch

And right next door, St. Johns

Have I mentioned yet that there is a castle here? Because...

... there is. 

Okay this is just a closed shop on my street, but the single toilet in the window keeps making me laugh when I pass it. 

The middle steps lead to my flat,

24 Polwarth Gardens: complete with broken door that doesn't close.

Finished off today by going to ASDA with my roommates. The internet assures me that it is only for poor people..

... but hey, I'm poor!

Me and my 34p fruit salad don't care what you think, internet. 

Also took the bus for the first time! *excitement* They are all double decker, but there doesn't seem much point going to the top unless the bottom is full or you're going a long way. Too much effort.  

My roommate insisted I try Irn Bru, which, no matter how much like beer it sounds, is actually a Scottish soda that tastes like a strange combination between cream soda and orange pop that is surprisingly tasty. Plus the name is awesome.

And the spelling just makes it so much better.

Pretty much settled in, and don't actually have a big long list of things I have to get done tomorrow, so I will start looking up some super touristy things to do. Maybe I will go to the castle properly... one of them anyways. Or perhaps I will hike up to Arthur's Seat. OR the view up Carlton Hill looks promising. Who knows! So many possibilities!

Really need to remember to be back here to meet my landlord at six though... he was so sweet, he said I must be really tired when he gave me the keys and offered to come back in a couple days.