Edinburgh definitely lived up to the positive hype! After a biking induced coma (ie. deep sleep), I woke up before my other dormmates, ate some instant peaches & cream oatmeal mom insisted I bring (thanks mom!), and headed out to Macdonald's bike shop to get my derailer adjusted. The gears had not been shifting properly the day before and thought it prudent to get it checked out. After a quick adjustment (paid by donating 'biscuits' from Starbucks), the bike shop guys let me keep my bike in the store overnight which was a nice relief. I meandered from Lothian Rd back towards the Castle and Royal Mile of Edinburgh, passing through Grassmarket, Cowgate and Niddry, stumbling upon the busy tourist intersection of Northbridge and High Street in the middle of the Royal Mile. I felt the burn in my already tired legs walking up the steep and narrow streets! I figured out that I was at the starting point of the 'New' Edinburgh walking tour that a dormmate in Glasgow had recommended. What an amazing time I had! The tour guide, Ruth, was a college student majoring in theater and for 3 hours, brought alive all the historical and quirky facts of Edinburgh. This included stories of Robert Burns, Maggie Dickson and JK Rowling. I'll indulge you all in the details when I have my photos online at the end of the trip! Importantly, I met two wonderful people on the walking tour, Caitlin from New Jersey and Matt from Halifax. We ended up hanging out the rest of the night and had a blast, which included trying my first (and probably last!) taste of haggis!
The next morning and most of the afternoon, Caitlin and I visited the Edinburgh Castle. It was great to have a sightseeing buddy - best wishes to you Caitlin on the rest of your 7 month trip! She encouraged me to try my first Scottish (?) doughnut, 'yum yum's. After Caitlin headed off to hike Arthur's seat, I took a leisurely walk down the length of Princes St Gardens, past the big fountain, towards the bike shop to pick up my bike for tomorrow's ride. 'On the road again' ... Ah, packing! Why does it take so long? Since I've been changing towns so frequently, I feel like I spend half my time packing and unpacking! The life of the traveller :) Well, I've set my alarm for 6 am tomorrow, so better get to bed!
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