In which I DISCOVER this city's number one tourist attraction
Yesterday was my last day of classes. I keep remarking to everyone (and to myself) how fast time has gone. Where the fuck did the fall go? I mean, isn't it September still? All of a sudden, BAM! I'm in Belgium and now it's Halloween and Thanksgiving and two weeks from today, I'll be home. And that may or may not change everything. I didn't realize time could melt like this. I'm starting to look forward to going home though. I mean, I'm not looking forward to leaving, but I'm excited about the things I've missed and about je ne sais quoi. I feel like everything is ineffable as of late.
Today, I was going to hunt down an art museum because that's what I do when I'm bored and want to feel intelligent, but I got sidetracked, and I ended up accidentally finding the castle. I always see the castle, from the lower parts of the city, looming in the distance, looking all historic and impressive, as it does, but I never could fathom how in hell one was meant to get up there. Well, apparently, it's about five minutes from my flat at the top of the Royal Mile in the direction I never walk. So, earlier this afternoon, when I found myself face to face with the ubiquitous stone structure everyone keeps going on about, I figured I might as well go inside, take some photos, thereby saving myself from hours of chastisement when, at Christmas, my extended family finally realized I'd been living in Edinburgh for three months but had yet to visit le chateau. Plus, it is rather impressive looking, and really, how could I accidentally stumble upon a castle without venturing inside?
And now, some photos:
The castle, upon discovery.
The city from which I usually look up at the castle with amusement.
See what I mean about the facial expressions?
The cityscape as seen through the thing in the castle wall i was going to call a parapet before I realized that parapet wasn't the term I was looking for...
The ridiculously "artistic" shot.
The iPod is my lover. (And seriously, am I about to be attacked by an ax-wielding minotaur? Have I just seen a man in a gorilla suit? Has someone just told me he likes my shoes? What is going on with my face?)
Today, I was going to hunt down an art museum because that's what I do when I'm bored and want to feel intelligent, but I got sidetracked, and I ended up accidentally finding the castle. I always see the castle, from the lower parts of the city, looming in the distance, looking all historic and impressive, as it does, but I never could fathom how in hell one was meant to get up there. Well, apparently, it's about five minutes from my flat at the top of the Royal Mile in the direction I never walk. So, earlier this afternoon, when I found myself face to face with the ubiquitous stone structure everyone keeps going on about, I figured I might as well go inside, take some photos, thereby saving myself from hours of chastisement when, at Christmas, my extended family finally realized I'd been living in Edinburgh for three months but had yet to visit le chateau. Plus, it is rather impressive looking, and really, how could I accidentally stumble upon a castle without venturing inside?
And now, some photos:
The castle, upon discovery.
The city from which I usually look up at the castle with amusement.
See what I mean about the facial expressions?
The cityscape as seen through the thing in the castle wall i was going to call a parapet before I realized that parapet wasn't the term I was looking for...
The ridiculously "artistic" shot.
The iPod is my lover. (And seriously, am I about to be attacked by an ax-wielding minotaur? Have I just seen a man in a gorilla suit? Has someone just told me he likes my shoes? What is going on with my face?)