Edinburgh, Scotland

Back home once again after an incredible adventure!

Athena had class Thursday afternoon and by 7:00pm we were on the train headed north to Edinburgh.  Running a little later than planned though, we ended up having to run through King's Cross station, and jump onto the train.  In my head, I was running towards the Hogwarts Express to bring me back to school though ;)  We didn't have assigned seats on our tickets like we thought we did, so we ended up having to sit on the floor inbetween cars for an hour and a half until people got off and seats opened up.  Next time: choose your seats in advance.  We got to Edinburgh around 11:30pm, found our hostel, and hit the hay.  We stayed at Castle Rock Hostel which was very nice!  Though we selected "female only dormitory" online, we of course walk into our four person room and find a friendly Brazilian man named Pedro ready for bed in the bunk next to ours.  He was very nice and was quiet in the mornings, so no complaints!  

Friday the 21st, we slept in a little then caught a free walking tour we had heard about from friends and from our hostel.  The tour was a lot of Scottish history and about certain major landmarks in the city.  Our guide was very entertaining and it was free, so of course it was good!  We learned about Greyfriar Bobby who was a dog to a local policeman years ago.  When his owner died, the dog sat on top of his grave for 6+ years until his own death.  It was a very touching story, and now the statue of the dog is one of the most photographed attractions in Edinburgh.  Touching his nose is good luck!  We had lunch at The Elephant House which is a now famous cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote part of the first Harry Potter book in.  It was really cool to see all the newspaper articles and pictures about the book and how it started at The Elephant House.  That evening, both being hockey fans, Athena and I hit up a pub to watch the USA vs. Canada Olympic Hockey game.  We made them change the channel from speed skating in which Great Britain was competing to watch the game...they were hesitant at first, but decided to change it.  After the disappointing conclusion to the game, we met some locals that were out celebrating a friend's birthday.  Since we had no plans, they said they'd be happy for us to tag along, so that is exactly what we did.  We went on a our own mini pub crawl, and it was a blast!  They were very intrigued by American culture and one guy practically knew more about America than we did.  

The Elephant House

Good luck rub!

Saturday, we decided to not pay 23 Pounds to go inside the Edinburgh Castle, but to explore outside instead!  We climbed to the top of Calton Hill which had the Scottish National Monument and other amazing landmarks.  The view from the top was gorgeous as well!  But not nearly as breathtaking as the top of Arthur's Seat.  That was a strenuous climb, but 100% worth it.  I have never experienced something so beautiful and of course no picture could truly capture it.  On one side of you is the coast and green hills, then on the other is all of Edinburgh to look down on.  The wind at the top was impressive, and there were multiple times that I thought we would blow right off the mountain.  That was enough climbing and walking for one day, so we decided to find another pub to eat dinner at.  Our tour guide on Friday told us about haggis and how it was a traditional Scottish meal.  For those who don't know what haggis is (like I did not), it is a mixture of sheep heart, lungs, and liver, all cut up and mixed with herbs and spices, then cooked inside the sheep stomach and served with potatoes and turnips.  Sounds appealing right?  But how could we be in Scotland and not get it?!  So, I braved it for dinner and while I don't think I would ever order it again, it was worth it to try!  After dinner we went to a different pub where again we met some Scottish guys that showed us their favorite places which turned into yet another pub crawl.  Scottish people were way more interested in Americans than anyone we had met since coming over here.  Instead of making fun of our accents, they seemed to actually enjoy them.  It was semi refreshing and made us even more proud to be an American ;)

On the top of Arthur's Seat

Today, Sunday, thinking we had experienced all we could from Edinburgh, Athena and I hid from the rain and hung out in a coffee shop laughing about our random adventures we had been on since being in Scotland.  We walked around, took a couple more pictures, then got on a 4:00 train back to London.  Currently, dirty clothes are in the wash, and we are slowly getting our lives back together after 10 days of straight traveling.  Our reading week break is over, and it is back to reality and class tomorrow!  I am looking forward to being back into a routine, having my own bed, and having just Athena as my roommate. 

Here's my Facebook album of pictures!

https://www.facebook.com/kaitlin.martiny/media_set?set=a.10203190581346820.1073741832.1276632147&type=3

Oslo, Norway

NORWAY WAS AMAZING!  I instantly fell in love with this country the moment we landed at the Oslo Rygge Airport.  As I looked out the window of the bus taking us to central Oslo, I couldn't help but think 'hey, that kind of looks like Minnesota.'  A little piece of home was refreshing with the hills, snow, and trees.  Only when I got to Oslo, did I find out that there's more of me in that city than just resembling Minnesota.  Talking to my mom about what we had been up to, she told my grandma who then informed me that her side of the family is from Oslo and that she has seen the sights that I had been seeing all day.  What a cool coincidence!  Whenever we told people that we would be going to Norway for our Reading Week break, everyone asked why?  Even some Norwegians that we met asked why we would decide to come to Oslo.  But I could not be more happy with our decision.  The trip will definitely be a highlight of my study abroad experience. 

Our flight Friday morning was at 8:30 AM at an airport an hour out of central London.  As we ran to our 5:30 AM cab that was meeting us a couple blocks away, I was wide awake and ready for the adventure.  We flew Ryan Air which I had only heard horror stories about, yet our time with them could not have been easier.  No problems with our carry on bag size and weight, with tickets, or with boarding.  Everything was smooth sailing, which was needed since none of us had had our morning coffee.  We arrived at Rygge Airport around 11:30 because of the hour ahead time difference, took a bus to central Oslo, got off, and enjoyed the scene.  The city of Oslo is much like any other city: busy, loud, cars, pedestrians, etc.  Everything you would expect.  But, coming from London, it was much quieter than what we were used to.  We didn't know where to go to get to our very cheap, but very nice hotel, so we asked around.  I had read online that Norwegians were very nice and welcoming and spoke English well, but I was blown away by everyone's helpfulness.  The whole six days we were there, we ran into only one person who did not speak English and zero people who were not willing to help us find our way.  Most of the time they would say "Enjoy Oslo!" or "Have a great day!" after pointing us in the correct direction.  It was refreshing.  I guess that is something else Minnesota and Norway have in common, that whole 'Minnesota Nice' thing may just be a 'Northern Nice' thing ;)  

After checking in to the hotel, we were exhausted and were in need of some resting time.  We found the lounge of the hotel (which had a free cappuccino machine -- bonus points for the hotel!) and watched the Winter Olympics for awhile.  In London, no one seems to care one bit about the Olympics.  Yet, in Norway, it was playing on every TV anywhere we went.  It was awesome getting to catch up with how USA was doing, and we found ourselves cheering for Norway as well.  That night, we walked around forever trying to find a cheap place to eat.  One downside to Oslo is everything is SOOO expensive.  Doing the conversions in our head, a normal meal with a drink and food would probably be about $25 if not more.  And we thought London prices were large... But, we asked around and a couple celebrating Valentine's Day led us to sort of food court/market area where there were many different stands to eat dinner at and buy other food to bring home.  We settled on some paella and finally sat down to eat.  That night, we crashed and rested up for a tourist day. 

Saturday, we got an early start.  The hotel had complimentary breakfast every morning, so we decided to stuff ourselves each day at breakfast to hopefully lighten the lunch we would have to buy.  It was a great breakfast too!  One thing that I wanted out of Norway was snow.  I was really missing my normal winter in London since all we get is rain and wind.  When we opened the curtains Saturday morning, I screamed and I think everyone was a little shocked at my excitement over some flurries.  But, the flurries turned into wet, big flakes that put an inch of slush on the ground and our coats.  But, some 30 degree weather and snow couldn't stop us!  We walked to Vigeland Park to see the famous 200+ sculptures. On the way, we were able to see some of the houses and neighborhoods of Oslo.  We also realized that the Oslo Royal Palace was just to the right of our hotel and the Norwegian Parliament was to our left.  Shout out to Athena for picking a great hotel in all aspects.  The snow was really falling and we were all pretty chilled to the bone, so we used the park's bathroom hand dryers to dry our wet socks and gloves.  I was very thankful for my Hunter Rain Boots I got for Christmas because my feet were pretty dry, just cold (unlike most of my friends).  We walked around some more, then headed back to our hotel lounge for more free coffee, Sochi Olympics, and Wifi.  For dinner that night, we went to Peppe's Pizza which seems to be a very popular chain in Oslo.  Another surprising chain was TGI Friday's.  There was one practically on every corner with their "American Bar" advertisement on the awning.  Peppe's Pizza had Chicago style and California style pizza which was humorous to us since 3/4 of the group goes to University of Illinois and 1/4 goes to Scripps College in LA.  That night, we went to a pub for a drink or two then headed home for sleep and warm clothes (but also to get away from the extreme prices for a draft beer).  

In front of the Royal Palace

Norwegian Museum of Cultural History 

Sunday was museum day.  We went to the Tourist Information Center and bought an Oslo Pass which provided free transportation, free entry to 30+ museums, and discounts to restaurants and cafes.  Buying the pass was definitely worth the money because we made it to six museums that day and rode the bus a lot.  We started at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, then headed to the Viking Ship Museum, The Kon-Tiki Museum, the Norwegian Maritime Museum, and the Fram Museum.  My favorite was probably the Fram Museum because it was all about polar ships and arctic travel.  There was a lot of interactive items that were probably made for children to try out and learn from, but hey, it helped me understand as well!  The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History was in a very close second because it had different areas that were inside and outside.  Outside had a ton of old Norwegian houses that were placed in a way to create an old town.  It gave a really cool visual as to what Norway used to look like.  There were also lots of cool artifacts indoors.  I was very jealous of all the cozy slippers and coats they got to wear, even though they really needed it in the cold weather.  After lunch that day, we went to the Nobel Peace Center.  I did not know that the Nobel Peace Prize was given in Oslo every year before researching what to do when we visited.  The museum was amazing and inspiring of course.  There was one exhibit that looked at how much money different families from all over the world spent on groceries in on week with pictures of what food they bought.  The American families were of course very typical American families with their take out and frozen pizzas.  Another exhibit in the center was about Chemical Weapons and what is being done to destroy them all.  It was a great thing to learn about considering the US and Russia were the only countries to not destroy their chemical weapons when everyone else did.  We went to a pub that night for dinner and to the Hard Rock Cafe Oslo after (just to say we did slash we didn't know where else to go).  While the night was still semi young, everyone else went back to the hotel and my friend Rachel and I sat on the pier overlooking the Oslo Bay.  The stars and moon were out, the water still, and everything was quiet.  It was amazing.  We talked for hours and looked around at the sights.  It was a great time to reflect and realized that wow, I was in Norway with my best friend and many new friends.  How did this happen?  and how did I get so lucky?  Only once we couldn't feel our toes anymore did we head inside to bed.  

Akershus Fortress on the Oslo Bay

Nobel Peace Center

Monday was my favorite day in Oslo.  We caught the Frognersetern subway line up to Voksenkollen and headed to Oslo Vinterpark.  After renting skis/snowboard, boots, snow pants, jacket, and helmet, we headed to the slopes!  I had not snowboarded since 8th grade, but it was practically like riding a bike.  The views were breathtaking, the sun was shining, and everyone made it down the mountain without any injuries.  It was Rachel and Athena's first time skiing, but they were troopers.  I wish that we could have gone back another day to the Vinterpark, but everyone is still suffering from sore muscles and bruised limbs.  We got home, did our usual afternoon/early-evening rest in the lounge with the Olympics, and headed to a cheap(er) Thai restaurant for dinner. 

Tuesday, we set out to do some hiking around the same area as the Vinterpark.  We had heard of great trails with even better views.  As I asked the Tourist Information center about getting some trail maps though, his confused look and then smirk ruined the plans.  He laughed and explained that the trails are too snowy and icy to walk in the winter.  Usually only cross-country skiing goes on at this time of year.  Note to self: next time you head to Oslo, go in the summer because I truly think it would be a completely different experience.  So, we headed out for Plan B which consisted of going to see some other important landmarks.  The Opera House was a must-see and I am really happy we got the chance to experience it.  We were able to walk up to the roof that overlooks Oslo and the bay.  It was beautiful.  We then headed over to the Akershus Fortress which I had admired many times from the pier.  We learned on our way over that Disney's Frozen does take place in Norway and is inspired by the Scandinavian culture.  The castle that Anna and Elsa grow up in in Arendelle is inspired by the Akershus Fortress.  The castle was really cool and again provided some great views.  We continued to walk around and found ourselves at the Museum of Contemporary Art which had a cool exhibit on an artist.  Since it was our last night in Oslo, we figured why not go to a nicer restaurant that we had been eyeing since we got in.  They had an outdoor patio with sheepskin and blankets on the chairs and heaters overhead.  We were able to sit outside on the pier to enjoy our absolutely delicious risotto.  It was probably the best meal that I have had since I left the US.  We asked our waitress for any cheap bar suggestions in which she told us a couple.  After sitting at one for awhile, the crew went back to the hotel, but Rachel and I assumed our normal night position on the pier.  I could never get tired of that view and the outdoors.  That is one thing that I miss from home, the outdoors.  I was happy to have gotten my fix in Oslo. 

On top of the Opera House

Akershus

We got back to London last night after a long travel day since the airport we left and arrived at were both an hour ride out from the city.  It was strange, but cool, to be looking forward to going home, which meant London.  Once we got off the train from the airport, the warmer air and busy streets felt more like home than I thought they ever would.  Today, Athena and I have time to regroup, repack, and then get on a 7:00 PM train to Edinburgh, Scotland tonight.  We are really using this open week to our advantage!  

If you would like to see more pictures from my Norway adventure, feel free to check out my album on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/kaitlin.martiny/media_set?set=a.10203162621607844.1073741831.1276632147&type=3

Time Flies

They're right.  Time does surely fly when you are having fun.  But, fun would almost be an understatement to describe what I have been experiencing.  

So what has happened since my last post?  

Thursday, January 30th, my friends and I got cheap tickets to see RENT.  I am a big fan of the movie, so this was an amazing experience for me to see it live.  We were definitely not disappointed! 

RENT at Hackney Empire Theatre

Friday, January 31st, we decided to go on a pub crawl in Camden, which is only a short walk away from where we live.  We got tickets ahead of time which covered free admission to 5 different pubs and clubs and discounted drinks.  It was a blast being able to see different pubs and clubs that I probably would not have gone to on just a normal night.  I even ran into some high school friends that are also studying in London this semester.  Talk about a small world! 

Pub Crawl Shenanigans 

Saturday, February 1st, Wow already February!  Decided to meet two friends from school, Rachel and Katie, and their friend Sonya out in China town for dinner and drinks.  The pub we chose had a live band upstairs which we decided to just stay after to dinner to experience.  I am a sucker for any live music, so we just all four danced the night away!  My kind of night! 

Sunday, February 2nd, Trafalgar Square had a huge celebration for the Chinese New Year.  Athena and I met up with Rachel, Katie, and Anna who was a Chi Omega exchange student from England when I was a freshman.  She was in Illinois for one year and I hadn't seen her since, so it was amazing to catch up with her!  Walking around Trafalgar Square with the thousands of people was intimidating but really cool to see all the families and people who came out to celebrate the day.

China Town

Katie, Me, Anna, and Rachel - Chi Os take over London!

 

The next week, every moment I had, I was working on a 2500 word essay for my History of Art class on Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait.  After days of researching and having to come up with my own topic to argue in my essay, I finished the essay on Sunday the 9th when the essay was not even due until Today (the 13th)!  I am notoriously a procrastinator, but with all the exciting things that I had going on, who would have time to write an essay at the last minute?!

Thursday, February 6th, Athena, Rachel, Katie, and I met up with a friend from Illinois and his friends to see Wicked!  It was AMAZING of course.  Third time seeing that show and I could never get sick of it.  We were happy the show was worth it though, because getting there was a nightmare.  Last week there was a 48 hour tube strike in which most of the lines and stations were closed.  Athena's friend told her about one station and line that was still open though in which it would lead us right to the theater.  Not knowing there was a difference between Euston Station and Euston Square Station, Athena and I realized we were in the wrong place.  So, we decided, why not cab it?  Black cabs are the most expensive way to get around London, but when Wicked is about to start in 15 minutes, you do what you can so you can see the curtain rise.  To our surprise though, there were zero open cabs.  We waited for 20 minutes, trying to hail down any cab we saw.  Athena finally got a hold of her friend who told us the correct station and line to take and we took off.  Running through the rainy, busy streets of London was never on my study abroad bucket list, but we sprinted towards Euston Station just as it turned 7:30.  It was practically like we were in a movie.  We got on the Victoria Line, ran out of the station and got into the theater by 7:47.  A new record I would believe.  We got our tickets that were waiting at will call, but were not allowed in until a certain spot in the show.  Once seated, we finally were able to enjoy the night we deserved.  

Friday the 7th, with the History of Art essay still hanging over my shoulder, I worked on the essay all throughout the day, but decided to get away from the computer screen that night.  We finally left our room early enough to make it to the University of London Union.  I am sure glad we did!  It was a blast seeing all of our friends from the dorm and meeting new people.  Definitely will become a new Friday tradition (well when I am in town, at least!)

Saturday, Athena and I got to see the Saracens vs. London Irish Rugby match.  I have never seen rugby, nor know anything about it, but it may have become my new favorite sport to watch.  We were so into it!  Trying to figure out the rules and scoring from wikipedia, Athena and I cheered on the Sarries (even though they lost).  I really hope that I can go to another game before leaving! 

Last Monday the 10th, Athena's dreams came true.  I have never been a huge fan of Taylor Swift.  I'll listen to her with friends (and jam alone in my car), but I would never say she is one of my favorite artists.  But, I decided to go with Athena to her concert at the O2 Arena! I am very, very glad I did.  We took the tube over with enough time to get dinner and dessert over by the arena.  Taking our seats and seeing the thousands of girls (and guys!) with their signs, lights, and t-shirts, we could not keep the smiles off of our faces.  I have been to a fair amount of concerts before, but I have never seen anything quite like a TSwift concert.  It is a production!  Each song had a different outfit and theme.  The dancers were AMAZING.  She was great live and was flawless on stage.  I could not have asked for a better night! 

Tuesday, though we were not planning on going out, we were invited back to the Sky Bar on the top of Centre Point tower.  How can you say no to seeing London 35 stories up again?  It was beautiful and breathtaking.  Definitely a treat to be so lucky to experience something like that! 

Last night, the 12th, going to see Billy Elliot was on our to-do list.  Mind you, my paper was proofread and ready to be printed before I left!  I had not heard much about the show beforehand.  I didn't really know what it was even about.  But, I was completely blown away by it.  For anyone who has not seen it, that would be number one on my recommendation list.  I believe I would categorize it as my new favorite musical.  Dancing was the main aspect of the show, which is very relevant to my life, so I was in awe.  The main boy was 12 and a better dancer than I will ever be.  The storyline was inspiring, and the performers were so entertaining.  Never have I laughed, cried, and clapped more during a show.  I hope I can see it again before I leave London, that is how good it was. :) 

After a busy day of printing and turning in a 10 page paper, going to the National Gallery for class, exchanging pounds for the Norwegian krone, stuffing a backpack with 6 days worth of sweaters and wool socks, I am finally ready for NORWAY TOMORROW!!! Our flight leaves at 8:30 am at a small airport an hour out of central London, so our 4:30am wake up call will come fast, but I could not be more excited.  Hiking, snowboarding, skiing, museums, food, etc. await me in this beautiful country that I can't imagine I would ever go to if I were not here this semester.  Wish me luck and godnatt!! (goodnight in Norwegian ;) )