Edinburgh, Even Better the Second Time

I first traveled to Edinburgh in 2006 with my mother and step-father who met up with me after I finished an excavation. We spent several days in and around the city seeing the highlights, such as the gardens, the castle, and a trip to nearby Loch Lomond. With all of the major sights under my belt, I had some freedom to experience Edinburgh in a different way the second time around. Unfortunately, this trip was limited to a single day. I arrived from Paris at 8:30 AM, took the thirty minute bus ride into the city, and could not check into my hotel until 2:00 PM. I had time to kill and had no definitive plans. My train for Durham was leaving the next day at 3:30 PM. I had about 30 hours to spend in Edinburgh – how to make the most of it?

Serendipity was on my side this day and it proved to be one of my most lovely and enjoyable trips in all of my European experiences. Feeling rather defeated about not getting into my hotel and having a shower, I decided to walk around the city. I was staying in Old Town and was already near many of the important sights. I headed along the Royal Mile towards the famous castle on a hill in the center of the city. It was already busy with tourists and I was thankful I was not entering again as I already saw it in 2006. I did walk to the top though to take in the city at dawn/early morning, and as it was a clear day I could see all of the beautiful snow-topped hills surrounding the city.

Being long overdue for a coffee, I found a charming little café near Saint Giles Church, adequately named Saint Giles Café Bar. The staff was nurturing and attentive as they seemed to sense my fatigue. A latte and bacon and maple syrup-topped waffle later, I was feeling a bit more prepared to face the day. I strolled up and down the Royal Mile, and then descended into the more modern areas of the city. I wandered through an old cemetery at the bottom of the central hill before moving on to the Prince’s Gardens, which are, obviously, much more beautiful in the summer when the lush plants are in bloom. It is a good place to have a rest and to people watch for a while as well as taking in the castle from below. 

While walking along the main road, I could see in the distance several structures on the top of a hill that looked like ancient ruins, though no Romans, and certainly no Greeks built cities that far north. Climbing the hill to investigate brought me to a new area of the city I had not explored before. The various signs around the hill and replicas of ancient ruins explained their history and presence in the city. This hill, known as Calton Hill, has a partial, and I think accurately sized, replica of the Pantheon from Athens. This structure, along with its intellectual fame of the 18th century, gave Edinburgh the nickname of “the Athens of the North.”

I was a bit too beat to do anything else after that, though I passed yet another larger, older, and more interesting cemetery on my way back, I did not have the energy to explore further. I crossed the beautifully painted Waverly Bridge, and returned to my hotel for a much needed nap and shower. Feeling refreshed and hungry, I set out for dinner. It was only 5:30, and I decided it was much too early to eat, so I descended the hill yet again, and basically walked all around the castle from below again. I really worked up an appetite at this point!

At the café this morning I inquired if they could recommend a place with great haggis, a traditional Scottish dish made up of sheep parts, onions, and spices cooked inside of a sheep or goat’s stomach. I tried this in 2006, much to my mother’s disgust, and loved it. It is peppery and fully of rich flavor. They recommended a place called The Arcade Haggis and Whiskey House, a charming little hole in the wall I walked past several times that day and failed to see until I actively sought it out. It was quite small and inviting with very wonderful décor. I did not even bother to look at the menu and requested the haggis with the whiskey sauce (as I was instructed this morning). It was phenomenal! It was served stacked in a circular form with mashed potatoes as the base, mashed turnips in the middle, and the haggis on top with the whiskey sauce served all around it. I ate the entire thing. I wandered back to my hotel and flopped in bed to enjoy my incredible food coma.

The next morning I had a meeting planned with a professor in the early part of the day. After our meeting, I still had a few hours to kill before my train. I decided to find a vintage and antique clothing store I read about called W. Armstrong & Son. They had an incredible selection of old clothing from Victorian nightgowns, to 1970s maxi dresses, and a range of furs and various uniforms. There really were some fantastic pieces, though nothing I liked fit me unfortunately even after an hour of browsing their collections.

Just up the hill from Armstrong’s was a sort of screen-printing artist collective called TheRed Door Gallery. They had some really unique pieces and fun subjects that were definitely worth the look. Normally I am not much of a shopper, but after leaving this store I walked past another one that I just could not resist. The store, Ness, has all sorts of cute plaids in various happy color combinations. It was all so cheerful! Shockingly, I splurged and bought myself a bag, though it was probably the only thing in the store that had no plaid on it. Oh well.

So, if you just have a short time in Edinburgh, I highly recommend getting to a few of these major sights I have described (and also The Real Mary King’s Close – a sort of famous ghost tour that takes you to underground parts of the city. I did this in 2006 also and it was one of the most interesting and unusual tours I have ever been on!). I definitely recommend getting to The Arcade for some haggis. If haggis is not your thing, they have many other traditional Scottish dishes that are also worth trying, as well as at least six shelves of different whiskeys! 

The Contents of [Katherine] Mary Poppins’s Bag

I hoped to have some of my new pages for the blog up and ready before I left for this trip. Maybe if I would have finished them (or wrote yesterday's entry) before I left I would not need to write this entry. I was a bit distracted before this trip to France and consequently, I forgot some of the little things that make my life easier while traveling. On the upside, a few last minute (and literally an hour before I left for the airport) purchases and unassuming items have really helped on the trip so far!

Things That I Am Sad I Forgot:

1.     Light My Fire Serving Spork

When I am traveling solo or on a budget (so, always), it is unnecessary to go out to eat, but a girl’s gotta eat. Markets and grocery stores provide a nice opportunity to experience local flavors (it is actually quite fun to peruse a foreign grocery store) and it is the most affordable option for long-term travel. I first bought this handy utensil (about $2) for my trip to Europe with Ami to make our eating on the road a bit easier. Unfortunately I had packed both hers and mine in my bag which was lost thanks to the airline. Luckily my bag reappeared magically on my mother’s doorstep unannounced and I was able to finally retrieve and use my handy gadget on future trips. The small, lightweight, and durable plastic ended up being handy for everyday use for my lunches at school; it never left my backpack for three years. Last year while in France I managed to snap it in half while scooping peanut butter (I am not sure exactly how beyond that). Well, I am back in France with my peanut butter but do not have my handy utensil. A fork and knife on one end, a spoon on the other, and an easy to hold curved handle. How I miss you.

2.       Washcloths

You might be thinking, gross, how is she getting clean. I have a scrubby cloth thing that my soap is in, gross I am not. A washcloth though can prove handy for various purposes. Last year I used a washcloth as a clean surface on which to place cups or fruit after washing them, and another for either giving my face a quick scrub or for cleaning up messes in my room. Not essential for some, but I am missing mine today. As I noted in my last post though, this is one of those things I could easily buy if I truly cannot live without it.

3.       Clothes…!

Seriously, WTF was I thinking for this trip. I packed clothes and even made sure I stuck with the same colors to make it easier to mix-and-match/coordinate, but I feel like I really failed this time. I was definitely distracted. It is also difficult to pack when you have museum research, tourism time, excavation dirt, and lounge-around-in-the-evening time to consider. Also with the amount of equipment I had to bring, I had so little room for clothes it was a bit frustrating. I suppose it might be one of those rare trips where I actually buy some clothes here because two t-shirts is not going to cut it for 2 months.

4.       My Updated I-pod

Yes, my I-pod is here, but for whatever reason, it did not update and add all the great TED Talk Videos I downloaded right before I came. As I do not have I-Tunes on my mini-computer I am without. Sad.

Things That Have Already Broke

1.       My USB External Mouse

While not essential, it would have made some activities on this trip a lot easier than the tiny touch pad on my tiny netbook.

2.       The Scale

I needed to bring a scale to weigh some ancient coins. Alas, I plugged her in and she said ‘no’. I am scrambling to figure out another alternative, but nothing has come up so far.

(On the Upside!) Things I Am Thankful to Have With Me

1.       Osprey Meridian ConvertibleBackpack/Wheeled Luggage and Detachable Daypack

While this pack was a hefty investment (even at 30% off like I snagged it), it is really quite worth it. As far as looks go, it is a big awkward and big/bulky. As far as convenience and ease of travel, it is a winner; totally worth hunting down the UPS driver to make sure I got my bag before I left (it’s a long story). Anyway, this bag is great because it is a duffel-style (easy to access everything), a rolling suitcase, but it also has the option to convert to a backpack when the terrain gets rough! In addition to the main bag, there is a detachable daypack that zips on to the front providing extra storage and ultimately, one less bag to pack!

2.       Razor Blades with Built-in Shaving CreamThings

I’ll try to limit details here. I never used these before but razors are one of my mother’s classic stocking stuffers at Christmas. This year she stepped it up with these fancy ones. At first, I was thinking, “Hmmm… I never use anything so fancy, and I only use shaving cream if I’m shaving in the sink… I guess I’ll give ‘em a shot since they were free and all…” Well, I can totally live without these fancy ones at home, but for travel, they are great. The showers at the school where I stay for research and excavations are push-button timed making it nearly impossible to shave in the shower. I typically did it in the sink last year which resulted in lots of cuts. BUT THIS YEAR, I can shave cut-free with the fancy cream-included razors. For those of you that always use shaving cream, you might want to consider this alternative since it would be one less liquid/bottle to pack. Thanks Mom!

3.       JIF Peanut Butter

Everyone laughs, but I have been packing a jar of peanut butter since I started traveling abroad. It is one of those rare things that is difficult to find in the form we know and love in the States. Apparently you can find Skippy in Paris, but I have always been a JIF girl. It is perfect for breakfast, for snacking, or when you just need a taste of home. 

Ok, I am off to Dijon tomorrow to see some good friends. I will start actually discussing my travels instead of my packing issues soon! Have a good weekend all! :)

What to Pack, When You Are Packing (For a Trip, Not Heat)

Some friends and family marvel at the fact that I can pack a bag that will last me for two months. While it does take some planning (i.e. a well thought out list), there are a few things to consider when trying to limit one’s packing:

1.       You have to carry everything you bring with you. Always. Think about your trip. What are you planning to do? What sort of climate will you likely be in? Do you really need that thick wool sweater, or could you get away with a cardigan that will layer well instead? Unless you plan to travel in style via taxis and stay at hotels with bellhops, you will probably have to carry your bag(s) through various terrains (baggage claim; the curb outside the airport; additional transportation to your destination via bus, train, etc.; through city streets to your hotel; and so on). There will be steps, there will be elevators, and there will be bumpy sidewalks and curbs. Do you really want to be dragging that 4’x2’ suitcase behind you and hoisting it up regularly? If you cannot lift it yourself, you need to downsize.

2.       Every item in your bag should serve multiple purposes. I traveled to Germany this spring and rocked this point so hard with the clothes I chose to bring it was amazing even to me! While not every item will do multiple things, it should be a priority for most things going into your bag. As far as clothes are concerned, layering and coordinating is essential.

For example, during my trip to Germany I was attending a conference for a week and being a tourist for almost another two weeks. I needed clothes that would work for both occasions for three weeks in variable spring weather. In my 22” carry-on bag, I packed: a classic cut blue dress, a khaki pencil skirt, black dress pants, a thin purple and black patterned silk skirt, a black cardigan, a thin grey sweater, a thinner purple sweater, a thin blue sweater, a white blouse, a pair of jeans, and 3-4 coordinating t-shirts and camis. Pretty much all of the sweaters and t-shirts I brought could be dressed up or down and accommodated both warm and cool weather and some of the sweaters and the blouse could be worn with both the dress and skirts. This was more than I typically pack for a trip, but I wanted to make sure I had options and backups for my professional debut. Making sure you have clothing that will serve double duty will save you space and will ensure that everything you pack gets worn several times, but not look the same. If you are in to accessories, this is a good opportunity for changing up the same clothes to keep you from getting bored.

As far as other things that should serve multiple purposes… I think I will need another blog entry for that. Stay tuned.

3.       It is worthwhile to invest some money upfront to get items that will save you time, stress and more money in the future. Every year before a big trip I torture myself by looking at things that would make my travel experience easier. I debate whether or not I should drop that money on something I will use once a year, or if I can live without it. Reading product reviews typically helps me decide. Nearly every item that has stuck around in my head for more than a month I end up buying and nor regretting. A good bag can make travel so much easier. A handy coat with tons of pockets, therefore negating a carry-on bag, frees you up a lot. Each traveler is different. If you think you might like something or it would be particularly useful to you, chances are you are right.

4.       Bring things you are ok abandoning for something better or will use up before the end of the trip. I have a box which contains clothes specifically designated for travel. These are things that are travel specific (e.g. a desert climate) or are old clothes that I do not feel like donating yet. I bring these along every trip with the idea that if I find something here that I really want, I will always have room in my suitcase to bring it home. If you like to shop, this might be a nice option to consider. If I want to keep myself from shopping, I bring clothes that I wear regularly to remind myself I do not need anything new now.

I also bring products that I will probably use up or nearly use up before coming home. I could not bring myself to throw away a bottle of something that was still half full, but if there is about a quarter or an eighth left, I do not feel bad leaving it behind so that I might fit a great souvenir in my bag instead. Simply keep track of how quickly you go through your toiletries at home to gauge how much you will need for your trip, or if you have a bottle that is almost gone and you are going for a week, take it along.

5.       And remember, most things we have at home can be found in other countries. As a girl who has been without a bag more than once, compliments of efficient airlines, I know that nearly everything I have at home I can find while traveling. If you forget something, or perhaps you do not want to deal with liquids in your carry-on at security, you have options when you arrive. Another part of the travel experience is trying new things. Last year while in France I bought shampoo and conditioner that was made in a local region from honey. It was a treat to take in these new smells every morning and to see the cute icon on the bottle to remind me where I was.

Alright, that is enough for now. I will maybe plan to share some of my favorite travel products in my next entry. But for now, I will just say that both my bag and I arrived safely in France this year and while I have already been faced with a few surprises and challenges, it looks to be a promising summer!

My New Year Began in the Fall

As a 27-year-old student, it seems a bit childish to still be measuring my life according to the school year calendar. Even when I am finished as a student, my life will continued to be measured this way as I will hopefully have a career in higher education with life beginning each Fall and ending each Spring (with a nice long limbo period in the Summer months). This approach also makes more sense to me as I have a Fall birthday, so looking at a new year beginning every November simply works well!

The thought of aging crosses my mind, but it seems so far away that I do not pay it much mind. I think about my parents and family aging, and that is more unsettling and real. Television shows always have that character who realizes their parent or co-worker is developing Alzheimer's or dementia. These stories break my heart, not for the characters, but for fear that it may happen to someone I know. We get hung up on the negative and ugly side of aging instead of accepting that it is a natural and inevitable part of life that can sometimes be beautiful.

I stumbled across an article about a photographer who is struggling with accepting her mother's dementia. She found that by capturing the lives of older animals on her camera, it helped her be at peace with the aging process and her own fears of developing such an illness. Some of these images are quite touching. They show age and decay, yes, but they also show experience, tenderness, and an unappreciated beauty in wrinkles and wear that our society deems negative. While these photos do not take away the fear completely, they do show that aging is not always something bad, but can be a marker of pride illustrating the fullness to which a life can be lived.

If you do not wish to read the article, here is a direct link to her website: Elderly Animals


**Addition 4/19/12**
Another sort of interesting article connected to aging and death came across my path recently titled, "Top Five Regrets of the Dying." As I have realized on many of my travels, it is not about the destination, but the journey and all the mayhem along the way that really creates the experience and the memories you take away from it. We often forget that, and, for those at death's door, realize it too late in life to do anything about it. So, check something off your bucket list, take a vacation with your family, call a friend, and take some time each day to do something that makes you truly happy.

Ello, ello!

I have not been updating because frankly I am exhausted! It is the beginning of the "bad part" of the semester and it is going to be pretty crazy. I will try to share a few things though...

My classes are fine. I am working my ass off in my artifact course. I was up twice this week til 3:30AM and haven't gone to sleep before 12:30 for the others. Its pretty time consuming, but seems to be going well. I got over my own insecurities and trusted my judgment enough to name/label my bone tools that I am responsible for based on my own opinions and reasoning. It may sound like a ridiculous fear, but everyone in archaeology has an opinion and I had to really think about why I was making the decisions I was. I had to consider whether this would make sense to others and if it was logical. My assessment was going against previous work done on this topic and I feared I may receive strong criticisms for it. The work we are doing on these artifacts will be published eventually, so I want it to be thorough and good.

I have a wonderful bunch of students this year. I've received several compliments from a few recently telling me that I'm doing a great job as a TA, that my enthusiasm has not gone unnoticed, and that they appreciate the extra effort I'm putting in making sure they are doing well and that I care. It has really lifted my spirits and confidence. I tried really hard with my kids last semester, but most were so bitter toward the course that they didn't care how hard I tried/cared. I honestly do want to see them do well and I'm glad when they do. These kids are also doing much better in the course which also works well for me because I can start using up my vintage sticker collection. Haha! I tell them to look at the copyright dates on some of the stickers and they laugh because they are definitely from the late 1980s or early 1990s. I knew I didn't use them for a reason! :)

Let's see, what else, what else... We have spring break next week which I cannot wait for! Mom and Greg are coming for a visit so I will finally see some of the cities, haha! I will be sure to update about what we did/saw/went. I also have a lot of work to do, so it wont be all fun and games.

My undergraduate professor, Mark, that I went to Turkey with has a new series on the History Channel. The show is called Battles BC and airs Monday nights 9PM E, 8 PM C. It started this week. It was fun to see Mark on TV again (he previously was on the show Bible Battles). The new one is neat because it is filmed in the style of movies like 300 or Sin City. The budget is obviously significantly less, so the quality isn't as good, but it is still fun.

Mea is well. She has started sleeping on my side of the bed now (her big monthly move of the favorite spot). She is stubborn as stubborn can be though. I got into bed last night and kept nudging her out of the way and ended up with my feet under her. She couldn't have been comfortable, but she didn't move... Are children like this??? If so...ugh.

Anywho... I'll leave all you Michiganders with an interesting link. It is a photo-story from Time magazine called Detroit's Beautiful, Horrible Decline. It was pretty incredible to see these photos. I've always thought Detroit was an absolute shithole, but it really was something back in the day. I didn't even know half of these buildings existed. It is sad to see their current state because many are lovely, but broken and dirty now. Another strange experience I had looking at these was the feeling that I was at an archaeological site. Quite similar actually because the only things present are the structures and trash, no people or signs of life. Very eerie and apocalyptic.

Alright, on that cheery note, off to do work (hopefully).

The Ball is Rolling!

Before I get started with the update, I want to share an article recommended to me by a friend. I watched a documentary recently called Beyond Belief (about two women who's husband's were killed on 9/11 and decide to do something positive about it and help Afghan women who are also widows from violence), and have become interested in what is going on with the average citizen over there. I thought that this was another interesting case of someone helping the people over there, in this case, Afghan youth. Enjoy!

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On to the update. I've officially been through an average week in my new semester and the future looks bright! I am taking Anthropological Archaeological Theory, Pagans and Christians 100 to 430 AD, and Artifact Analysis. I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this inspired about my field and that I could actually contribute some new ideas to current body of knowledge. Its a really good feeling :) The semester is going to be a lot of work and I have a lot of reading each week, but I'm going strong so far!

I am teaching two lab sections again this semester. My kids are really great, such an improvement from last semester! They answer questions, pay attention, and understand the material...its wonderful! I am so excited to teach them!

In other news... I went to my first ever wrestling match last week. It was interesting to watch and to try to figure out the rules since I know nothing about the sport. It looked painful being stretched and pulled like they were. I was amazed at how much strategy was required, a simple placement of the arm could make or break one's lead. Interesting, though I don't think I'd want to go again.

I received and AeroGarden for Christmas. I decided to plant flowers first, just to make sure I get the hang of it before I try herbs or veggies. It is doing really well and gives me hope that I will be able to actually grow things in my apartment again. Its nice to see something green and alive everyday when it is so cold and snow covered outside... Here are some pictures of my little indoor garden so far :)
















Nothing else much to report. I'm going to the Winter Carnival tonight over in St. Paul. Hopefully I wont freeze my cheeks off (either set). We were supposed to get our end of January heatwave this weekend (a whole 30 degrees), but its not looking promising at a steady 18 degrees outside... I will be sure to post pictures of that next time I post...that is, as long as my camera doesn't freeze...

Just a Quick Update...

Short, but sweet this week.

My best friend, Ami (I'm sure you all remember her name from our trip to Europe), came out to visit me this weekend all the way from Custer, South Dakota! We haven't seen each other in 5 months! Far too long!

She got into town just in time to go to my FUTBOL game. I play with other Anthropology TAs on a club/inter-mural team called "The Four Fields." We lost miserably, but it was great fun running around and doing something physical for a change. I'm thankful I spent the $9 extra on some shin-guards...it was a pretty physical-contact-intense game!

Friday, once I got home from school/teaching we hung out for a good part of the day, got lunch, then I took Ami to Ikea because she has never been. I ate too many of their cookies while I was there...tummy-ache.

Saturday morning we got up at the crack of dawn and went to the Farmer's Market. It was a great weekend for it! All the fall veggies and such are coming in and were pretty cheap compared to the summer produce. I have a lot of cooking planned for this week. (I may cauliflower gratin tonight, delish!)

That night, we made a trip to a place called Nye's, a Polish polka bar! It was great fun! I actually recognized the place from my trip in 2007 with my mom, we walked past it and I remembered seeing a sign that said "Voted Best Bar by Maxim Magazine." It could very well be! The polka band members are pretty old, I think the youngest guy was in his 60s. The oldest member, Ruth, was well over 90 and rocked an accordion like none I've ever seen! :)

Ami left Sunday morning. Sad now. She's coming back out for my birthday in November, yay!!!

Other than that, I have a really busy week ahead of me with a rough draft due and tons of reading, so I'm done writing for now. Hope all is well with everyone!