1 Week In

It has been exactly one week since we arrived in Edinburgh. We are finally starting to get use to how things work around here. Brandlyn is still nervous about crossing the streets just because the vehicles are on the wrong side, and John has been able to cross the technological barriers and add more channels to our tv, as well as figure out what certain switches in our flat our meant for. We are both very impressed with how efficient the city is. In our flat, each electrical outlet has a switch that we can turn on if we are using the outlet, and off when we are not. Our water heater also has a switch we can flip to heat up the water in the house and it will keep it hot long after the switch is turned back off. Considering we have to pay our own electricity, we like these methods!

Although we have spent a lot of time becoming acquainted with our flat, our week has been very eventful. We have opened up a bank account, acquired cell phones for a lot less money then we would have in America, went up Edinburgh Castle, and Saturday we went to the farmers market behind the castle. We have also finally learned how to shop for certain items we need. There is no Walmart here, or any store of its kind (at least that we have found). There is also no Target here, or any store of its kind. After searching for a blowdryer all week, we finally found one on Friday at a drug/beauty store that has the feel of Walgreens and the makeup sections in Dillards all in one. We have also been looking for a printer which we desperately needed, and finally found one Saturday after leaving the Farmer's Market. We were walking home and noticed a store that we thought might cell electronic things like Printers and computers. We walked in and it was a catalog store. All you see are stands with giant catalogs and kiosks where you pay for what you want. Although catalog stores are very mid-1900's, these are very modern day ones. You can text in your order number and have it either shipped to your home or pick it up in the store. We got online, found our printer along with other things, and picked them up in the store which is 2 blocks away. It is such a great deal. We assume that this is as close to Walmart or Target as we will get when it comes to getting most of the things we need in one place. Needless to say, we are happy to have finally found a place where we can get anything we need.

To close, this was a very busy week. We have been making our flat into a home as well as exploring the city little by little. We can't express how beautiful this city is. We will post pictures once our desktop gets here which hopefully will be soon. Until then, you'll just have to take our word for it.

We're here!

After 16 + hours of traveling, and watching great movies on Continental Airlines which we definitely recommend flying overseas, we have finally arrived in Edinburgh.  We are so late getting this blog update out due to our lack of #1 our own computer, and #2 the internet. 

When we arrived in Edinburgh, we took a cab to Brandlyn’s uncle’s friend’s mother’s house.  It was a beautiful house, and the hospitality was just great.  We had tea when we arrived and after playing games with our hostess’s family, we ate a wonderful lunch consisting of chicken, peas, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips.  Oh yes, did we mention this was the middle course?  Our first course consisted of melons, while our third consisted of Scottish cheeses, oatcakes, ice cream, and a fruit salad.  It was a great first meal in Scotland for us.  Later that day, we went to my Uncle’s friend’s home where we stayed for the next 3 nights before we moved into our flat.  Their names are Adam and Amanda, and they are about the nicest people we have ever met.  After Brandlyn broke their sink and stopped up their toilet (which they say happens all the timeor at least that what they told Bran) they still put up with us and fed us.  While in their care and company, we had more interesting Scottish foods.  One of them being chicken liver patte on toast which was excellent!  Brandlyn was also brave and tried the one thing she said she wouldn’t which was Black Pudding.  She liked it, but isn’t in a hurry to try it again and probably won’t be stocking it in her house to feed to visitors, although it really wasn’t bad. 

We may now move on to tonight.  Tonight is September 1^st.  We have just moved into our flat after walking hours back and forth getting our key and other things sorted out around the town.  We are pre-typing this blog because we still have no internet connection due to lack of a cord, and we are not sure if our phone works properly because we have to register it to call anyone not in this building, but we can’t register it until we register our internet.  It is all quite ironic.  We went to buy a cable for our internet today, but oddly enough in this big city, most stores close at 5:30.  Restaurants and grocery stores stay open late, as well as pubs, but not regular stores.  Roswell has one up on them so far on that!

As for the flat we live in.  Despite it’s dark corridors, it is still pretty dark in the flat itself, which will probably drive a certain electrician crazy.  For now, it works very well.  The only bill we pay here is electricity, which is nice, however everything uses electricity.  We have just learned that in our bath/shower, the bath works and heats up just fine, but in order to turn on the shower, you adjust your heat by a knob in the shower, but you pull a cord that is by the bathroom door to turn on the shower.  For hours we have been trying to figure out what this random cord is.  Now we know.  We now realize it will cost us money to take showers, but no money to take baths.  It is all quite interesting, and I have a feeling we will start taking more baths. 

As for the temperature here, we have been sweating.  Let us just say that it is not hot.  It is probably 60 degrees during the day, and when the sun is on you it feels hotter.  We have been sweating however, because everything is uphill.  Literally, our flat is at the bottom of two hills. We’re not complaining, it is a fantastic workout, however it does bring about difficulty of how to dress.  Jacket or no jacket? Anyway, that is all for now.  Next stop, Haggis!