Man...this really makes me want to watch Brave Heart

Last week Elise and I finished up our data collection at the Christie hospital and also got a chance to meet some of the medical students studying here in Manchester last Tuesday. We sat in on a seminar class that deals with prescribing and got to participate in a practice case. There were only a handful of medical students in the class as it serves as an elective. The medical students were intrigued to find out more about our healthcare system in the states and the process/schooling time it takes to become a doctor. Pretty jealous of the fact that they will essentially qualify as doctors at the ripe age of 23!

Elise and I will be meeting up with the medical students this Wednesday (July 4th) to go out which should be really interesting. I'm not sure they are prepared to go out with 2 American's on Independence Day and despite the fact I've warned them that I may sing the Star Spangled Banner and perhaps paint my face for the event, they still agreed to go out with us.

Since we finished our data collection on Thursday, we hopped on a train early Friday afternoon for Edinburgh, Scotland. From the moment we arrived in Scotland all I could do was think of the movie Brave Heart...thus the title for my post. Our train had a bit of delay about 2 hours into the trip due to some land slides up North which caused us to get in about 45 minutes later than anticipated. Also due to this weather, the train was packed full....literally, some people stood the entire train ride. The aisles were completely filled with people and suitcases. Needless to say, I was in physical pain when we arrived in Scotland because I couldn't get to the bathroom the entire trip...so again I was stuck paying 30p to use the restrooms in the train station. Now I know why the bathrooms in the train station are so pristine.

On our walk to the hostel, we snapped a few pictures of the scenery along Princes Street, one of the main roads in Edinburgh.

Obviously I had to take a picture with this guy :)

Once we settled into our hostel (super snazzy btw), Elise and I focused on finding some food! I don't think I've ever been so hungry on a trip before. All I wanted to do in Scotland was eat. Luckily there was a nice little place right across from our Hostel that we grabbed dinner at. We then perused the shopping on Princes Street. This is when we found out that everything closes at 7pm. Yes....7pm. I managed to purchase a little something for my nephew at one of the stores and a few postcards before they closed up! Below is a picture of the hostel we stayed in. This is only half of the room...it was like being at camp with all the bunk beds! They offered free breakfast in the morning though and the location was pretty great so we didn't mind sharing a room with 38 other people!

We then met up with our classmate Alex who is currently on rotation in Scotland, his lovely girlfriend and one of our other classmates, Jessica, and two of his other friends visiting from the states. We started off at a pub called "the Last Drop."

We proceeded to meet a lovely Irish man at the pub. Let's just say he had a bit too much to drink. I convinced him to do a little Irish jig before he got asked to leave the pub! Wish I could remember his name...he named me Maggie. Very fitting Irish rendition of my name. Here's a picture below of Jessica, Elise and I at the pub!

Saturday was devoted primarily to seeing the Edinburgh Castle. Pretty phenomenal place. The panoramic views from the top were incredible. We got to see the crown jewels, the royal palace where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to King James VI of Scotland (King James I of England), St. Margaret's Chapel (tiniest chapel ever), the Prisons of War exhibition that did a recreation  of the life of prisoners at the end of the 18th century, the Mons Meg (one of Europe's oldest siege guns that fired stones weighing 150kg), the one o'clock gun that has been fired almost daily since 1861, the Scottish national War Memorial (shrine to those who gave their lives in conflict from WWI onwards) and we got to eat at the Redcoat Cafe. I had the most amazing shortbread dessert! Below are a few pictures from the castle!

The saying in blue says "Nemo me impune lacessit" which translates roughly as "no one provokes me with impunity"...essentially saying if you hit me, I'm going to hit you back.  Gotta love the Scots!

Our tour man!

The Scottish National War Memorial 

The keys to the castle

Where the Crown Jewels of Scotland are kept & the Stone of Destiny which was taken and placed in WestMinster Abbey and took 700 years before it was returned by Queen Elizabeth to it's rightful place; however, if no coronation can take place in England without the stone so the stone will return when England crowns someone new

St. Margaret's Chapel. TEEEENY!

My favorite picture!

I'm gripping that bar for dear life it seems...

The one o'clock gun

After the castle, we explored a bit more of Edinburgh. We went to the National Scottish Museum, took some pictures with the Olympic ring, watched the Scottish Regimental band & bag pipe group, and then found a place to eat before meeting back up with Jessica, Alex and Tyler. We chose a place called SeaDogs. For some reason the name was just speaking to me. Turns out it's a really popular place to eat at! I tried Sticky Toffee Pudding for the first time there!

On our way to dinner we were passing several shops and one particular place jumped out at me. Shout out to my main squeeze....Miss you!

Sunday Elise and I did the very touristy thing and got on a bus tour! It was a live tour so we really enjoyed it. The city of Edinburgh is actually quite small but is absolutely gorgeous and has so much history behind it!

Starting off the day...

This is Gladstone's Land 

The Main Point is where 3 major roads link up in Edinburgh

St. Patrick's Catholic Church - which served the largely growing Irish population in Edinburgh around the 1850s

Scottish Parliament

The design on the building is amazing. Each member of parliament has it's own thinking pod which you can see jutted out on these windows

Canongate Church - This is where the Queen comes to church when she visits

King George IV...who came to visit Scotland and wore a kilt 10 inches above the knee showing off his pink tights. He was a bit large and only 5'2 so nothing like the statue depicts although you can kind of see how they tried to show the kilt was too short. The song "Georgie Porgie, Puddin' & Pie, Kissed the girls and made them cry, when the boys came out to play, Georgie Porgie ran away," was from his visit to Scotland.

William Pitt. Prime Minister of Scotland when the New Town was being built. We can thank him for the income tax....

The home of Alexander Graham Bell...who apparently was just Alexander Bell and was given the name "graham" as his 12th birthday present. What a present!

Outside our hostel! Goodbye Scotland!

So hopefully you made it through this post! It was a long one with all the pictures. Elise and I had a really great time and we really lucked out with the weather!