HOGMANAY
That is how you say New Year's in Scottish. Gallic? Yes.
I just saw Gordon Ramsey get drenched in gin and limes. It was kind of amazing. Anyway.
So we popped off to Edinburgh for an overnight. None of us realized that there would be festivities on. There were. And they were lovely.
There was a Christmas fair that was still going, with rides and booths and music. During the afternoon, we went up to the castle and saw an amazing sunset over the city. Then we went down in hopes of seeing a torch procession that would be going down Princes Street in the spirit of Hogmanay. We ended up getting a bit caught in it. We saw the beginning, which was a bunch of old guys in armor, carrying axes and giant torches. They were followed by an army of bagpipers and drummers. And then the crowd joined in, almost all carrying smaller torches (that we saw being handed out, but you had to have a pre-voucher for them). We watched for a bit, then went back into the fair to get some mulled mead. When we finished that, we realized that there were still people walking by (they'd come all the way down from the castle). So we decided to join them, and ended up halfway along another hill in a crowd 20,000 strong that was pretty much on fire. And then there was a bagpipe serenade and a fantastic fireworks show, and all we could think was how lucky it was that we hadn't just gone back to the hotel (which incidentally had a good view, but front row seats are so much better).
The next day would have been great, but my cold is in the stage of lots of snot and face-hurting, as well as a horrid cough; also instead of climbing up Arthur's Seat, we ended up climbing the mountain behind it, and it was dreadful cold and windy and my face HURT, so we didn't even get to the top of that. And when we tried to go tour the Royal Mile, the underground bit, everything was booked. So we went home.
And now here I sit, trying not to doze off. Naked Brad Pitt is helping, but too brief was that glimpse. I'M FADING. WHY MUST I STAY AWAKE TILL MIDNIGHT WHEN I APPARENTLY CANNOT. AND WHY CAN'T I HAVE THIS PROBLEM DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
~Edit: managed to stay awake. Stood out in the cold misty rain to listen to foghorns in the harbor and watch a surprise firework show (first time they've done it, must've heard I was in town). Then had some champagne and played a very short round of Trivial Pursuit. Am now watching QI and waiting for my LemSip to cool down enough so I can chug it and go to sleep. HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A FANTASTIC HOGMANAY TO ALL. 8D
I just saw Gordon Ramsey get drenched in gin and limes. It was kind of amazing. Anyway.
So we popped off to Edinburgh for an overnight. None of us realized that there would be festivities on. There were. And they were lovely.
There was a Christmas fair that was still going, with rides and booths and music. During the afternoon, we went up to the castle and saw an amazing sunset over the city. Then we went down in hopes of seeing a torch procession that would be going down Princes Street in the spirit of Hogmanay. We ended up getting a bit caught in it. We saw the beginning, which was a bunch of old guys in armor, carrying axes and giant torches. They were followed by an army of bagpipers and drummers. And then the crowd joined in, almost all carrying smaller torches (that we saw being handed out, but you had to have a pre-voucher for them). We watched for a bit, then went back into the fair to get some mulled mead. When we finished that, we realized that there were still people walking by (they'd come all the way down from the castle). So we decided to join them, and ended up halfway along another hill in a crowd 20,000 strong that was pretty much on fire. And then there was a bagpipe serenade and a fantastic fireworks show, and all we could think was how lucky it was that we hadn't just gone back to the hotel (which incidentally had a good view, but front row seats are so much better).
The next day would have been great, but my cold is in the stage of lots of snot and face-hurting, as well as a horrid cough; also instead of climbing up Arthur's Seat, we ended up climbing the mountain behind it, and it was dreadful cold and windy and my face HURT, so we didn't even get to the top of that. And when we tried to go tour the Royal Mile, the underground bit, everything was booked. So we went home.
And now here I sit, trying not to doze off. Naked Brad Pitt is helping, but too brief was that glimpse. I'M FADING. WHY MUST I STAY AWAKE TILL MIDNIGHT WHEN I APPARENTLY CANNOT. AND WHY CAN'T I HAVE THIS PROBLEM DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
~Edit: managed to stay awake. Stood out in the cold misty rain to listen to foghorns in the harbor and watch a surprise firework show (first time they've done it, must've heard I was in town). Then had some champagne and played a very short round of Trivial Pursuit. Am now watching QI and waiting for my LemSip to cool down enough so I can chug it and go to sleep. HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A FANTASTIC HOGMANAY TO ALL. 8D