Luck of the Scottish

After a long day yesterday, class this morning was a little rough. I crashed hard afterwards and took a long, luxurious nap! Laziness has its disadvantages, though, and when I woke up, everyone was gone! Not wanting to waste my first day in Edinburgh, I decided to take a stroll through town and headed towards the Royal Mile.

On the way, I found the Old College of Edinburgh University. Absolutely gorgeous building!

Class in this? Fantastic!

The walk from Pollock Hall to the Royal Mile wasn't that bad at all, and I made it in no time! I only ducked into one shop before I found another group of ours wandering the Mile as well! They absorbed me into their ranks and we were off. We hit up almost every tourist shop on the mile. How so many shops can sell the exact same thing and never go out of business, I will never know.

The Royal Mile! You can see the ocean from the Hollyrood Palace side of the mile. Also, a pretty window display!

My only purchase on the mile was from a man doing watercolors on the street side. They were beautiful little portraits that he was whipping out at the speed of light. He looked so hopeful when I stopped to watch, I just had to get something. It's a beautiful souvenir, though!

Classic thistles

After thoroughly exhausting our tourist shop options, we found ourselves very near to the famous Elephant House, where J.K. Rowling first penned Harry Potter! We stopped in for a spot of tea.

Blackcurrant tea at the Elephant House!

We sat at a table with a fantastic view of Greyfriar's cemetery and Edinburgh Castle!

Full of the happiness only tea can bring, we decided it was time to go back. But then. I saw it.

This man will have all of my money.

Just sitting there. In front of the park. I could have cried. Less than ten minutes away from where we live. Dinner secured, we walked home through the park, coincidental bagpipes actually playing as we walked past a rugby game. It could not have been a more perfect way to end the first day in Scotland!

So now it's time to launch into my readings on Scottish history and devour my crepe. We'll see what tomorrow brings!

P.S. The Olympic British men's volleyball team is staying in the same hall as us. All of the attractive men in matching tracksuits ate breakfast with us this morning. Luck of the Scottish!