You take the high road and I'll take the low road...

Having a little struggle with blogspot.  I will try this again for the third time (maybe a charm?).  

I did a lot of driving August 15-19.

I left the house after a lazy, Wednesday morning and began the long drive to Edinburgh after my breakfast.  I stopped along the way to tour Dun House--the majestic building set in a lush landscape along an alley of Wellingtonia trees (which look a lot like redwoods, tall and elegantly imposing). 

Several hours later, I met fellow Fulbrighters (Christy, Stephanie, Tessa, and Natalie) at the train station in Bathsgate a suburb of Edinburgh.  We took the train in so no one had to navigate the crazy city traffic.  This is festival season in Edinburgh.  The Military Tattoo plays for the same three weeks as the International Festival, which is also the same three weeks as the Fringe Festival, which is also the same time as the Book Festival.  I think that there is also a Crafts Festival, too, but I did not see that personally.  Needless to say, the city is a hopping place in the first three weeks of August.

 The Edinburgh Castle before the start of the Tattoo--in the rain, of course!  

Right to Left:  Niki, Tessa, Christy, Natalie, Stephanie.  

Note our gorgeous rain apparel!

We believe that it was fitting to see the Tattoo in the rain.  We felt very Scottish and very wet.  The weather did not spoil our grand time, though.  We cheered and loved every minute of the show.  

The beginning of the pageant with bag pipes, drums, dancers, and

hootin' and haulerin' USA-style!

Delicious Mr. Whippie cones.  Thanks for the suggestion, Steph!

 Thursday's weather was beautiful and even warm.  We spent most of the day in town, touring the castle, and at the Fringe Festival.  We listened to the street shows, and attended two official performances.  We saw an abbreviated version of A Midsummer Night's Dream and a vampire parody.  Midsummer was an earnestly produced program with good singing, decent acting, and a very smelly Puck character.  The vampire parody was entitled- Dracula: Sex, Sucking, and Stardom.  

And yes, it was pun-wonderful.  The parody was two-fold--the novel of course, and pop music.  The best part of the play was the manipulation of space in the tiny theatre with only three performers.  The talented actors continuously surprised the audience with their comic timing.
  

Honestly, I STILL cannot believe that I am here!

Lion Stop on the tour.

I think this is a unicorn.  Both emblems are from the coat of arms.    

Talking pole.  Or for me, a captive photo opp.  While I was standing here,

I mentioned to the man that his nose must be itchy.

 He was not so happy to make acquaintance with my sense of humor.

Tasting Whisky on the official Scotch Whisky Experience tour.    

This is a reflection picture.  I just liked it.  

 On the way home, I stopped off at Glamis Castle. How could any self-respecting English Teacher do otherwise?  

The castle was full of hundreds of years of art and portraiture, massive carved furniture, ghost stories, a stuffed bear, pictures of a philandering royal, and loads of information on the late Queen Mum (not the philandering royal, by the way). 

Garden outside of Glamis on a singularly perfect morning.  

I had coffee and soaked up the sun before my tour of the castle.      

Famed Glamis Castle, from MacBeth by William Shakespeare

Fun fact:  pronounced 'Glams'

This picture is for Stephanie, who is really fond of Highland Cows. 

Who could blame her?  They are so cute, aren't they?  This one is a baby.

"Blah, blah, blah.  Shakespeare had the history ALL wrong", said the Sundial Lion.

By the way, did you know that the Queen Mum was born at Glamis Castle?

I had such a fabulous time with my new friends!  and now it is time to work.  Next post--the starting of school.