Edinburgh Opens its Doors!

Between the job hunt, the broken boiler and trying to find things to cook (with a celcius oven and some major shortcomings from the Somerfield supermarket it is not an easy task), Matt and I made an effort this week to get out and have some good, free fun in town. Thanks to the help of Brother Van Hagen at church, we heard about "Edinburgh Doors Open" event this weekend. It was a great way to see some of the hidden gems of Edinburgh. It was sort of like a Parade of Homes, only instead of seeing how rich people live with their home theatre system and themed rooms, it was more like how dead people lived a couple hundred years ago. Needless to say, it was pretty cool.

We went to the private Drummond Gardens in New Town. It was a lot of fun since it felt very exclusive and almost like getting to go into the Secret Garden - well Matt didn't think that so much as me; however, we both agreed it was lovely.

Closeby was an old Glasite Church off Broughton Street. Ever heard of the Glasites before? Well, I hadn't until yesterday. They were a Christian sect founded by John Glas, in the 18th century, who thought that the Church of Scotland was great but that church and state should be separate. He started the Glasite church in Scotland and his son-in-law (Robert Sandeman) started the Sandemanians in England and America. Maybe this doesn't strike you as interesting but Matt and I enjoyed our visit to the church.

Here's the restored cupola in the church.

The church had these narrow pews, rather than the wider ones with the kneeling bench, since they prayed with their hands in the air so they could be closer to God. Learning how the architecture revolved around their practices made me nostalgic for the ol' Art History days. Very interesting stuff to me.

Our walk through the city raised the spirits quite a bit and helped remind me why our cold flat, being without work, smelling breweries everday and not very social life here is really something I am glad we signed up for.

Other things I enjoy about life in Scotland:
1. How everytime I turn on my tele - it is the BBC. If you knew me as a late night British Comedy junkie as a kid you would know why this is so grand for me. My favourite shows here are Britain's Next Top Model and the shows where the bobbys come down on petty crimes such as "fly tipping" (they are obsessed with catching fly tippers here) or bullying other drivers by honking at a roundabout when you are irritated rather than when there is actual danger. It is like Cops meets the People's Court all in English or Scottish accents. Really quite fun.
2. Sharp (and I mean kick-in-the-pants sharp cheddar) I can get at the grocer
3. Listening to everyone talk at church or around the city. (Although I will say that Stake Conference is still boring, even with everyone talking in a Scottish accent).
4. Chocolate covered Digestive Biscuits
5. Running in Holyrood park. It is something incredible - truly it is.

6. Walking around. Doesn't matter where, for the most part. I see something unusual everytime I go out. For example, here's something I see routinely walking to campus with Matt.