11. Edinburgh, Will You Marry Me?

Well, so far I've seen four men in kilts, and my face hurts from the smiling! Not laughing, smiling. It's just so damn awesome, and cultural, and new to me, and glorious! And I'm only at Gatwick Airport.

Not so glorious is that on a screen of 50-some flights, mine is the only one delayed. The good news is who cares, I'm going to Edinburgh. I'm going to effing Scotland!

I have a few theories on the EasyJet flight that I'm about to get on:

1. The chances that my height is the only issue that I come across is very small. Hips man, hips don't lie. Shakira was right. Fingers crossed that the 1 hour 5 minute flight doesn't hurt too much.

2. KILTS!

3. I'm hearing Scottish accents already, and cannot express how fun it is! I'm sure they feel the opposite way about my accent, but, not much I can do about that.

4. Apparently, as I'm listening in on peoples conversation, like a winner, there was another flight also delayed. Oh well. Cheap tickets, I guess it's all part of the game.

1:30pm

Waiting for the flight to happen.

So this morning, I stood in line at Victoria Station in London, with about 30 other people, to get my ticket on the Gatwick Express, a train that leaves the station every 30 minutes and only takes 30 minutes to get to the South terminal of Gatwick. I then realized, after standing in that line, that there was I fact a special line for that train only. It had no people in it...

Anyhow, let's not focus on that. Gatwick is a pretty nice airport, equipped with a shuttle us over to the North terminal. That goodness! It felt like it was the equivalent of 20 city blocks.

Then I went to Jamie Oliver's restaurant in the airport. It was fine, just got a small Caprese salad. The tomatoes were, for lack of a better, less ignorant term, cooked and then skinned and them mushed about on the plate and then made cold. I'm sure it has a proper culinary term, but I haven't got even the slightest guess as to what that might be. It was weird, but the cheese was good. Also the decor is very fun!

Anyhow, then came time to kill some more time, sitting and watching people take up five seats when they only needed two, and saw other people standing. Oh, humanity.

2:27pm

And now we wait. The flight will be soon, 13 minutes I believe. The next part of this message will be written when I get to the AirBNB location, likely after some dinner and a few more stories to share.

Stay tuned...

7:24pm

Holy shit. I'm obsessed. I'm in love with Scotland. It's... it's too beautiful. I can't handle it. I'm verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. I'll give you a topic... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=58grYzCcfHI

Okay, I've slightly recovered. You guys, immediately off of the plane I fell in love with Edinburgh. The closer we got to where I'm staying on the bus (I'm not staying on a bus, which I realize that sounded like...), the more I fell in love. I've only been here 2 hours, and I can't handle it. 

I got to my AirBNB location so simply, so clears directed, and it's a beautiful little place on the side of a steep hill, surrounded by old brick, lovely people, and what appears to be right downtown Edinburgh. Just a five minute was away I can see the skyline of castles, old hotels, stunning brick pubs. I plan on going to every single one of them. 

This is where I'm staying in Edinburgh : Inside, inside, view from window, view of outside door, view from outside door and building face.

Does it get more lovely than that?

I've only got four days here, three full, and one with a flight at 1:25pm on Friday. So far I have been in one store, just before they closed tonight, and I had to stop myself from buying a handfull of amazing, wonderful things that I need. Need... I obviously don't need them, but want, I for sure want them. One is a stunning bag, another a scarf, another a blanket, another shortbread. Shortbread is clearly happening!!

I just had calamari, a rib eye with a delicious portobello mushroom on the side (which was unfortunately a bit better than the steak), and then they talked me into sticky toffee pudding. Ummm... You guys. That was absurdly full of sugar. And they put ice cream on top. On a scale of 1 to holy-shit-why-did-I-do-that-who-cares-it-was-delicious-yolo, the later wins. That is the first and last time I will use yolo in a post, you have my word. 

Before dinner I walked around for a bit, and these are some of the things I saw. I don't know what they are yet, really, but it's a good starter look at the city.

(The next four shots are in order of the skyline, but in four shots because I couldn't get a good panorama on my good camera. I've added a fifth shot that is a panorama from my iPhone.)

This shot below is how the UK does transit. This whole section, blocks of town, is just one train and bus station. It's called Waverly, and it appears too be quite efficient.

This poor guys statue... covered in bird poop, and there's a bird on top of this shot to prove it. It was actually a tiny bit funny.

The building above (both shots) is stunning, but looks a bit too much like a Transformer that's been buried for a little to long, and is looking for revenge. I'm just saying...

Alright, off to bed I go, have to get some sleep, enough to combat the hills that Edinburgh seems to have so many of. Thighs, pull up!

Night everyone!