CHEERS!

Well, here I am in Edinburgh, at the Elephant House Cafe, on the internet at last! It's been a wonderful week here in this lovely city...if only I could figure out how to download some pix to share with you all! Oh well...I'll work on that. In the meantime, I have become acquainted with this place over the past week and find it totally enchanting! I would definitely come back and visit again! Upon arrival, I was on my lips and it took me a couple of days to get over the jetlag, but the apartment I have been given is quite lovely & quiet and fully equipped for cooking, etc.

My colleague had even stocked it with a few supplies so that I could have a proper cup of tea and some toast! It overlooks several tiny English-style gardens and when the evening sun makes its way around to my side, the room totally explodes in color, as the walls are painted a bright rosy-coral shade! The brilliance never ceases to amaze me and I think I have taken a picture of the room (yes, the room) every single evening! Sights & impressions so far: stately Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile leading from the castle to Holyrood House (Queen E's residence when in Scotland)...plenty of shops selling everything from kilts to bagpipes to haggis...spring bursting out everywhere in the gardens full of tulips & daffodils...men in kilts (YES! ~ don't worry John, wink wink...I didn't look when I could have...)...incredible Georgian-style architecture everywhere...VERY friendly people ~ I sat down to eat a packed lunch and made the acquaintance of a "rubbish collector" named Peter, but that was about all I could understand him saying, his brogue was SO thick!...everybody calls you "Luv"...difficulty remembering to always look RIGHT when attempting to cross a street...these are a few of my favorite things! We will be leaving here first thing tomorrow morning for a day-long coach (bus) ride to Cambridge where we (me, Professor Reinsma + 20 of our 30 students) will meet up with the professor (Dr. Wolfe) instructing during the 2nd half of the program. Ten of our students are traveling independently right now, mostly in Italy :-) It will be fun to hear of their travels and adventures. This morning was the first day that it actually went beyond the threat and rained a bit. But now, at 3:00pm, the sun is coming out and I think the forecast for the remainder of the week is the promise of decent weather ~ hallelujah! I am sure I will have more opportunity to be online once we get to Cambridge. I appreciate any and ALL comments! Please keep in touch :-) Cheers!