Happy December! Time is continuing to fly by, classes are wrapping up, and I have returned from my final weekend trip. After so many fun viajes with friends, I decided to stretch myself and take a solo trip. I chose Scotland because they speak English, I’ve never been to the UK, the landscape is beautiful, and some of my friends have traveled there before and gave me recommendations. It was an amazing weekend and I feel so proud of myself for doing it alone!
After watching the sunset over Calton Hill, I walked to the café called The Elephant House where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter. It was a new experience in two ways: 1) my first time sitting at a “table for one,” which was much less awkward than I expected, and 2) my first time trying “haggis, neeps, and tatties.” All I knew about the dish was that the menu said it is a traditional Scottish meal, so I decided to try it. Later I realized that haggis is minced sheep’s lungs, liver, heart, and stomach cooked with onions, oatmeal, and spices. It tasted good, especially with the turnips and mashed potatoes (neeps and tatties), but I’m glad I didn’t know what it was when I was eating it!
I spent most of Saturday on a guided bus tour of the Scottish Highlands, including the Glencoe valley and various lakes such as Loch Ness (no, we didn’t see the monster). It was fun to meet other people from different countries, learn facts and stories from our talkative tour guide, and explore some of the countryside outside of Edinburgh.
After returning to Edinburgh that evening, I explored the giant Christmas market with a new friend from the tour. The shops, lights, rides, decorations, and food were all so festive! I also tried gluhwein (a German spiced warm wine drink) and a currywurst (hot dog with sauerkraut, onions, and a curry ketchup sauce) which were both delicious.
I woke up early Sunday morning to go hike Arthur’s Seat, a hill near the city. It was very cold, but I listened to a podcast on the way up and arrived at the summit just as the sun was rising, around 8:15am. I wandered through Holyrood Park on my way down, passing countless runners, lakes, and hills. My path also took me past Holyroodhouse Palace, the official residence of the Queen of England in Scotland.
After over 2 hours I eventually arrived at my destination for brunch, a cute (and warm!) restaurant for eggs Benedict and a large mocha. I thawed my frozen fingers and read my book while enjoying the meal. Then I walked to Hillsong Edinburgh, a church recommended by one of my friends who has visited the city before. It was good to worship with other Christians in my own language and hear an encouraging message.
Next on my itinerary was Edinburgh Castle, the huge fortress on top of the (dormant) volcano literally in the middle of the city. I spent several hours wandering the place with my audio guide, taking a cake break in the middle at the castle cafeteria, and was fascinated by all of the history. I saw old cannons, prison cells, a banquet hall, a chapel, an infirmary, and various museums dedicated to preserving the history of Scottish involvement in wars (independence battles throughout the centuries and World Wars I and II).
I stumbled upon a beautiful cathedral on my walk back to my hostel one night, and found out they were holding a free music service to welcome the Advent season on December 1. Since that happened to be the Sunday I was there, I attended the performance and listened with absolute awe the entire time. A group of five musicians sang hymns and played cello and piano pieces, the beautiful notes echoing off the walls and ceiling. It was one of my favorite memories of the trip!
I also found it interesting that the cathedral was built by Catholics but was converted into a Presbyterian place of worship after the Scottish Reformation, led by John Knox. In the 16th century, Scotland broke off from the Papacy and developed a mostly Calvinist national kirk (church). Even today, the majority of Christians in Scotland are Protestant instead of Catholic, with strong ties to the Presbyterian church.
I also visited the National Library of Scotland for its exhibition on the Scottish Enlightenment, and the National Museum of Scotland for a quick walkthrough of its galleries on the history of the country. I learned that Adam Smith (author of The Wealth of Nations) was Scottish. Also, Scotland fought back and forth with England for independence for many centuries, officially becoming part of the United Kingdom in 1707. Public opinion has wavered on becoming independent again or not, but the Scottish people voted in 2014 to remain in the UK. Many are unsure about the recent Brexit decision, however, which might shift the opinion back towards independence.
Maybe one of my H’s for this post should have been History because I learned so much during this trip! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Scotland. Traveling solo was fun; I was able to do things at my own pace, choose whatever restaurant I wanted, spontaneously explore a random street or building, spend a long time in museums, go to bed early, read my book, and had more time than normal to reflect, think, & journal.
I know I will look back on this weekend as an example of when I was able to do something difficult and out of my comfort zone. All of the planning, transportation, communication, and decisions had to be figured out on my own, and sometimes it was a challenge. It was also a new experience for me to stay in a hostel room with 9 other strangers. I shared a community bathroom and was occasionally woken up during the night, but also met people from around the world and had a cheap & safe place to sleep each night. (I also enjoyed the free hot chocolate and tea in the lounges.)
The weekend reminded me how grateful I am for this opportunity of living in Europe for a semester. It showed me more examples of God’s beautiful creation and convinced me that He really is the master Artist and incredible Creator of the earth. It taught me more about world history and the different lives many have led in times past. It gave me confidence that I can travel to an entirely new country by myself, order food at a restaurant by myself, and enjoy exploring by myself. I am so thankful!
Cora the Explorer 