Scotland Day 3: Edinburgh Castle

Thursday 20^th January

A slightly sluggish start to the day after our driving around the countryside the day before, Jan and I headed off to the Edinburgh Castle to take a look around. The place is amazing with some of the best views over Edinburgh. It was great to finally be in the castle after years of seeing it on TV whilst watching the Military Tattoo at Nan’s place. Just before one we headed to the “one o’clock gun” (the Scotts were never overly creative) and waited for the cannon to be fired. I tried to record it on my camera but when the gun goes off all you see is a blur as I try to recover from the mild cardiac arrest that hit me. IT IS LOUD – especially when you are barely 10m from the thing. I found it interesting that the cannon is aimed towards the English border…some slight tension or resentment between the two countries perhaps?? Nonsense! But if the English wanted to invade all they need do is rock up at 1.15pm as the Scotts would have fired their only weapon by then!

After wandering around the castle we walked down the Royal Mile heading towards Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament. We peaked through the gates of the Palace, the Queen’s home when she visits Scotland, and wandered around the edge of the gardens surrounding the ghostly Holyrood Chapel ruins. As it was a week day we decided to check out the Scottish Parliament building, which looks like something you purchase at IKEA! We had a look inside the building and sat in on question time for a bit listening to the members squabbling over issues under the limited powers that they are given through the UK government. Very interesting stuff!

We left Parliament and headed back up to the Royal Mile where we caught a bus that headed towards the sea side. Under any other circumstances it would have been slightly romantic, Jan and I walking along the water as the sun set behind us…but it just wasn’t quite working for me. Sorry Jan! We wandered along the foreshore and made our way to the docks where we found a nice seafood restaurant for dinner. We ate overlooking the Royal Yacht Britannia which when lit up at night is incredibly impressive! The yacht was decommissioned in 1997 and now is docked as a floating museum for the public.

After a ridiculously long wait for our meals, and subsequently a comp’d bill, we raced back into Edinburgh to grab our bags and head home to Leeds. It was a fantastic couple of days in the Scottish capital. Jan and I both agreed that had we gone with the uni as originally planned we wouldn’t have been able to see so many sights or go on our day trip into the highlands. A great way to finish off my time in Leeds with a good mate!



St Giles Church




View from the castle





View of Calton Hill from the castle



The one o'clock gun





Holyrood Palace



Royal Yacht Britannia



Scotland Day 2: Highlands and Loch Ness

Wednesday 19^th January

We got up at what felt like the crack of dawn. It was still dark outside and quite chilly! We were hoping to go on a bus trip out in to the highlands but because we hadn’t booked anything we were trying our luck by turning up super early and hoping for two spare seats. Turns out luck was in our favour and we ended up on one of the best trips possible.

The tour took us out of Edinburgh and straight into the country side passing by sights such as the William Wallace monument and Sterling Castle. Our first stop was to see Hamish the Hairy Bull a much loved highland attraction. Back on the road we headed through the Glencoe National Park learning about the great MacDonald clan and the battles that took place in the region whilst driving past numerous lochs along the way. We made it to Loch Ness for lunch and the views were breathtaking! The water was like glass and the forests were so peaceful and still. We ate lunch on a restaurant which overlooks the water so we could keep an eye out for Nessy! Unfortunately all we found were a couple of swans.

After lunch we headed back to Edinburgh pulling in to a few more places on the way home to take in the sights and sounds…and even some of the whisky for the others! We made a stop just as the sun was setting and found ourselves on the edge of a beautiful loch. The perfect place to take in the last rays of the day.

Back in Edinburgh we dragged our feet out to find some dinner after an exhausting day of travelling around the highlands. We settled in to listen to some Scottish music at a pub near our hostel and enjoyed a quick nightcap before completely collapsing.

Early morning mist on the lochs



Hamish the Hairy Bull
Not too sure which one of us was having the worse hair day??



Glencoe National Park

Me and James van der Beek at Glencoe!

Loch Ness



Jan and I at Loch Ness



Sunset...

Scotland Day 1: Edinburgh

Tuesday 18^th January

Seeing as though Jan and I had finished all our assessment by Tuesday 18^th we decided to go to Edinburgh for a few days because our trip earlier in the semester was cancelled due to bad weather. It was fantastic. We arrived early in the morning and headed out to find some breakfast. Ever the haggis lover I chowed down as much as I could to warm me up for the day ahead!

We wandered around the old town for a brief while, checking out the castle and some of the other sights on the Royal Mile.  Later on we joined a free walking tour which took us around some of the more significant sights of the city and gave us a little bit more history to the place. That evening we walked to Calton Hill, a particularly dodgy area at night, to check out the various monuments and statutes built overlooking the Old Town and the New Town in Edinburgh. We got out of their quickly and ended up at the Conan Doyle Pub, named after the author of Sherlock Holmes who spent quite a bit of time there. We enjoyed a wee dram (aka hot chocolate) at another traditional pub in the Old Town before turning in for the night.

The Royal Mile



Outside the Castle




The Scottish Monument




The Heart of Midlothian
If you walk through this heart you will never find your true love. Most locals spit on it as they walk past.



The inspiration for Harry Potter...a private school in Edinburgh



Sun setting behind the castle



National Monument on Calton Hill



Looking over the Old Town and Castle from Calton Hill



Euro Trip Day #8: Paris, France

Tuesday 21^st December

It was a foggy day on tuesday and we were again meeting Diyana’s friend Maria and her boyfriend Nicola (another Parisian) in an area called Montmarte which is known for its markets and typical French artists painting on the streets for a living. It also hosts one of the best views of Paris as it is on top of a huge hill, upon which sits the Basilique du Sacre-coeur…a big church!

We wandered through the streets following our two Parisian guides and ended up in the slightly suspect area of the Moulin Rouge. The club itself is quite glamorous form the outside (and quite expensive on the inside). We then decided to head for the Eiffel Tower.

This is the point where I realised I was in Paris. Before then it was just a very pretty European city (despite having been to Notre Dame the night before). The view is incredible, especially when watching the light show which is on the hour, every hour. After gazing with our mouths open we came to our senses and moved on. Beneath the tower were some markets and an ice skating rink which we wandered around. Diyana and I then headed off to see the Paris Opera House, home of the Phantom of the Opera!

The building is just as I imagined: huge and beautiful. Very Phantom-esque! We then started on the very long walk from the Opera House to the Champs-Elysees and on to the Arc de Triomphe. It took a while but it allowed Diyana and I to do some house hunting (or domestic violence for those who followed my Germany tales) in an area full of high class hotels, restaurants and shops. We felt right at home!

We didn’t have a map by the way, so our navigation skills were put to the test by pure guessing as to what direction we should go. We found our way and started along the Champs-Elysees checking out the markets either side of the avenue. What a spectacular view to look up the avenue on to the Arc de Triomphe. Diyana and I went photo crazy!

Halfway down the road I ran into a guy from QUT who I had a class with last semester. He was over here visiting his sister who lives in Paris. What a small world! 5 minutes later we ran into Evelyn and Lydia, our Hong Kong flatmates from Leeds, further down the road. As far as I knew they were supposed to be in Venice…or Leeds! Another freakish coincidence!

We finally made it to the Arc where we took our very last photos of Paris before meeting up with the others to say goodbye. An emotional farewell and we parted ways hoping that the weather wouldn’t leave us stranded in Paris for Christmas!

Paris was given a second chance…and it certainly stepped up to the plate! Regardless of where you are in the city, you always feel like you are in the centre of Paris. It is just so huge and so full of life, even in this slightly quieter period right before Christmas. It is a beautiful place with so many quintessentially European streets and scenes.

The end of Paris also meant the end of my 8 days on the continent. An amazing trip with some incredible sights along the way. To be honest, my hear still lies in Germany in the small town of Munster and Hamm. Whether it’s because these were the first “European” towns I visited or perhaps because of their charm and warmth, they remain the highlight of my Euro-trip!

It is sad to leave the continent but it gives me more motivation to get back here one day soon. Given the weather at the moment though I might not make it back to the UK! I am writing this from the Eurostar terminal at Gare du Nord in Paris where over the last few days a series of trains have been either cancelled or delayed by a number of hours.

Here’s hoping mine makes it out…otherwise it might be a lonely Christmas in Paris for me!



Basilique du Sacre Coeur



Artists on the street in Montmarte

Moulin Rouge

The interesting cup of tea that I was served!



Law Faculty of the Sorbonne University - one of Paris' best!
Their building is slightly more impressive than C Block at QUT...but only just!



The Panthéon
A  mausoleum for important French citizens such as Victor Hugo and Voltaire

Luxembourg Palace

Luxembourg Gardens

Paris Opera House
Setting for the Phantom of the Opera

Looking along the Champs-Élysées towards the Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe

Euro Trip Day #7: Paris, France

Monday 20^th December

Early in the morning we exchanged goodbyes with Calum (sad ones for the girls as they head back to the States for Christmas and are not coming back to the UK). We jumped on our train and were off to Paris!

The ride into Paris travelled through some pretty heavy snow which wasn’t a good sign. But the capital was fine one we had arrived.

First on our sights to see was the Louvre. We met up with our friend Diyana, who also lives in the flat here in Leeds, and headed to the gallery. What an amazing building. I fought the crowds to get a glimpse of the Mona Lisa and managed to squeeze in a few photos with her as well. The Venus de Milo statue was next as was some of the other incredibly famous artworks hanging in the gallery.

After finishing at the Louvre Diyana and I met up with a friend of hers who lives in Paris. She guided us around Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter before heading to a well known steak restaurant for dinner.

If you ever visit Paris DO NOT GO TO THE HIPPOPOTAMUS STEAK RESTAURANT! We waited over an hour to be sat at a table which had been free the whole time, the waitresses were unprofessional having private conversations and joking with each other whilst in the middle of taking our order and my steak, which I asked for medium, could have still provided milk for breakfast the next morning it was so raw! I asked for it to be recooked twice and it was still purple in some parts!

This and many other reasons spoilt my first night in Paris. I wasn’t impressed. The city had one more chance to prove itself the next day!

The famous inverted pyramid of the Louvre

The Mona Lisa

Diyana and my favourite piece in the museum!

Venus de Milo
Cost the museum an arm and a leg to get her here!


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Carousels and ice skating in front of the de l'Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall)



Notre Dame from the rear

In front of Notre Dame...just after I did my Quasimodo impersonation!