Ben lent me his camera, so I can finally post a few pictures. I can finally give you a look at where I'm staying. I woke up this morning in the box room that I have been staying in for the last few days. For those unfamiliar with a box room... it is exactly what its moniker describes. Click for a bigger picture.Small, cramped, cozy. I woke up, and planned out my day. Today's weather was much the same as yesterday's -- I need an umbrella. I also need to buy a watch, or a clock of some sort, because I keep sleeping in. Didn't wake up until 11am today, and to make up for it, I went on a walk by myself down to Old Town. On the way there, however, I took a wrong turn and ended up skirting Holyrood park, and in the mist of the rain it was gorgeous, as was Edinburgh castle later on when I approached it. On the way I passed many residential flats of the type that are common in the University area of Edinburgh.
The stone facades tend to be sandstone, streaked with grime from a hundred years of motor car exhaust. In the rain it magnifies the dampening effect, darkening the mood even more. Though grimy, it is beautiful too. The sooty marks spirialing in different patterns, making each block unique. I prefer this to the red brick of America, however, or our tendency to cover the outer walls with ugly plastic paneling. Of course, the areas are different from place to place, but the sandstone stays constant. These buildings have character, emanating a feeling that persists throughout the city.I progressed from Holyrood, skirting the bottom of New-Town, which I havn't really explored yet, and entering Old-Town on the Royal Mile. By the time I got there, the tourists were out in force. The Royal Mile is full of all sorts of shops, a few that I stopped inside. Nothing really touristy, mostly I just walked about. Familiar sights from my walk days before flashed, and I let myself be guided by whim or instinct. I quickly lost myself, and finally broke down and bought a map. While exploring, I found a really nice music shop that I'd like to go to later, and poked my head in a Games Workshop store that sells D&D equipment. I wanted to visit the City Arts Center, so with considerable mental effort I made my way there.
Arrived at the intended destination without too much of a hiccup. From Prince's street, to
Market Street, straight to the City Arts Center, which had an exhibition of Ian Fleming's Bond cover art entitled Bond on Bound. There was also a collection of photos on China, a self portrait of the country from a humanist stand point. Both were interesting in their own right. Had the intention of going to the Writer's Museum, but will need to put that off until another day. On the way back, I stopped at St. Giles Cathedral, sat in awe, as I always do, at the windows and ceilings, and felt at peace. After that, having not eaten (you can save a lot of money by not eating), I made my way back to Ben's flat and ate Thai soup at a small Italian cafe called Cafe Artista and read a chunk of Alasdair Grey's "Lanark," which I fully recommend to anyone if they have the time to read it. I was a very pleasant dreary day. Ben and I are going to watch "Hancock" tonight at the Odeon Theater.Scottish word/slang of the day
Sassenach
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