Thankful in Scotland

For a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, Scotland sure gave us Sweeneys a great holiday. Between a visit from my mum for the week, a couple of day trips to the Kingdom of Fife and its own St Andrews as well as Loch country and Stirling Castle, some quality time in Holyrood Park, a bit of odd Christmas cheer getting set up on Princes Street gardens (story will come follow), I felt I had a lot to be grateful for this year.

The week started out a bit wet and dark for my climate preferences. Still, we started the day off by shivering through a couple "Hop On Hop Off" bus tours through the city. To hoist the ol' spirits up, my mom tossed a coin to the bagpiper on Waverly Bridge and got me a proper tourist picture. Afterall, there is nothing more Scottish than a good, cold rainstorm.

Tuesday brought adventures in Holyrood Park for the morning. Thank heavens for the sun that day! Beautiful views abound along all the trails in Holyrood and it was so so fun to show them off to the lady that taught me how to take in and appreciate some quality wild landscape.

We were also sure to get some Princes Street and Royal Mile time in the shops. Along the way we saw the anachronistic monstrosities going up for the Christmas festival. My favorite was the views of the ferris wheel set up in front of the Sir Walter Scott monument. As irreverent as carnival rides may seem in front of medieval through 18th century architecture and monuments, Matt and I are looking forward to taking a go around it sometime soon.

Later in the week was dedicated to a couple of lovely day tours through a bit of Scottish country North of Edinburgh (so great that I think I will need to dedicate a separate post for them later). Suffice it say, for now, that we all agreed a fish and chips Thanksgiving chased with sweet mince pies suited the three of us just as well as any feast we had in previous holidays.

It was sad to send her on her way early this morning. I've said it before but it's the truth in saying that there just ain't no sunshine when she's gone. Perhaps that's not saying much considering that I'm here in the cloudy capital of the world but it is as true in Austin as it is here. That said, I was grateful indeed to have a week spent with my mum in some good Lothian sun!

When Scotland Wins...

Foods that are better in Scotland...
-Almost all dairy products. The whipping cream, yogurt and butter here are shamelessly rich and thick. The cheddar is kick-in-the-pants strong when it says "sharp" cheddar. An important culinary (and budget friendly discovery) that Matt and I made recently is that super sharp, white cheddar is the perfect replacement for a parmesan in a pinch. Why do I say "almost" and not "all" dairy products? Not sure about the cream cheese here. It's texture is a bit troublesome for cream cheese frosting on say...well a carrot cake. That is unforgivable in my world so I have to qualify dairy products as not entirely being superior.
-Eggs. They are all free range which does result in occassionally having to pull off wispy feather attached to the egg or bitty beaks floating in the yolk. This is unnerving at first but then you realize that it is so much more normal to have a slightly imperfect, organic experience with a brown egg than a completely sterile experience with a white egg. Plus it encourages me to be true to the recommended method of cracking an egg in a bowl before adding it to wet baking ingredients, etc.
-Bacon. This is a very touchy subject to some Americans and Scots as the bacon here is distinctly different from what you would buy in the states. Many Americans say that it isn't "crunchy" enough and that bacon needs to have a certain texture to be true to itself. Indeed the bacon here isn't the striped fat, crunchy bacon but let me tell you something. It is so so...well...bacony. The flavor beats the hell out of American bacon. So smokey. It is like the dark chocolate of bacon. I can understand you wanting to have something familiar and comforting at times like a bar of cheap milk chocolate. All cravings have their place but I submit that when all is said and done, bacon here is more sophisticatedly tasty. In the meantime, there is always the argument that bacon here has more food for what you pay - less fat content in the price you pay. So touche all you crunchy bacon advocates.
-Candy. No doubt this is to be expected with chocolate. Americans always get a bad reputation for waxy chocolate and rightly so. That said, these Brits really are our superiors on all things confectionary. For one: gummies. I give you Rowntree's Randoms or Haribo's Tangfastic or Sour Strawberry Pencils as exhibit A, B, and C. These are so so good in such different ways. Randoms are utterly gummy-y in a way you never thought possible. Now some smart-a might challenge that "Oh Haribo is a German brand of candy. Not British." To that I would respond it is more accessible here in the UK and it is much much cheaper. Ha! That's right. And might I add that only those who have read even a few Roald Dahl books would know not to trifle with the Brits and their confectionary. Can I also throw out there that the Skittles here have blackcurrent instead of grape in their original flavor packs? And also candy bars include delightfully romantic and creative renditions of mint and chocolate (Aero Bars) as well as fake honeycomb (Crunchie Bars). Heaven! This just scratches the surface but you get the idea.
-Digestive Biscuits. Most especially those blessed HobNobs. How do Americans compare? They don't. There is no subsitute for a Hob Nob. Enough said.
-Hummus. This has always been a staple but it is taking on a new level of importance for us while we have been here. It is better in all ways here. It's cheaper. There are more choices. The texture is always spot-on better and all the flavors have been so so perfect.
-Curry. There are so many good curry and falafal places here in Edinburgh. It is cheap and spicey good. Britains own Tikka Masala, Chicken Vindaloo (for all you Red Dwarf fans) and much much more. It is some tasty spice that is great for heating you up in cold weather.

Foods that are better in America...
-I expected this but the variety of choices (most especially in the way of produce - how I miss a good avocado!) in an average grocery store in the States is really superior. Then again, that is the American way - have more choices! Have a bigger selection! Even a head of cauliflower or a kilo of brussel sprouts are bigger in America. How could this be? They last longer and somehow they fit in your ginormous fridge (ours is the same size as the average local which makes it just bigger than something you would have in a hotel room).
-Mexican food. I knew this would be my main culinary trial here and so I prepped for it. It was so much harder to deal with after having lived in a TexMex capital of sorts but I am coping. Somehow eating more curry helps curb my cravings.
-Bread. I don't think that Americans really have the best idea on bread. I think that would have to go to the French and their baguette wonder food or maybe the Italians with their Ciabatta bread. Still, there is no place to get a thick slice of some Great Harvest whole wheat or Dakota-style bread in these parts. It is a bit fluffy for my taste. The best substitute I can find is Polish bread. It is chewy-delicious.

*Thanks to Andreas Gursky for his photograph "99 Cent". Truly a document of American culture.

Other things that are better in Scotland...
-Healthcare. Let the debates begin but seriously guys, it is such an accessible and intuitive system to use here. Need I mention that it is free?! It is free to me because I have a job that I work 3 days a week at and free to Matt because he is at Uni. We have been trying it out by force as Matt's ol' gallbladder is giving him trouble these days. Is the quality good? They have the same procedures and tests that they gave Matt in Texas when he was having problems with it. So far, the conversations and advice have been comparable. Is it taking forever? In the last 3 weeks, Matt has registered for a General Practioner (where all NHS users must start), attended an initial appt/check-up, gotten a chest x-ray, had a follow-up appt about his x-ray, attended an appt for blood work. Pretty impressive. I have this sort of ridiculous idea that hey, if either Matt and I are going to get sick, need a gallbladder out, etc we best do it this year as we won't be able to afford to do much about it come next fall!
-Mystery tele programmes. No one matches the Brits on their ability to churn out series after series, programme after programme of compelling, quality mystery shows on television. It is remarkable. Matt and my favourite programme right now is New Tricks. We stumbled on it one night when we first moved into our flat. With a boiler that didn't work, no friends, no job and a kitchen that was hard to use, it was more than a luxury to find as it reminded us of some of the great things that we loved about this culture.
-Accents. Let's face it. Scottish people have such a great way of expressing themselves. Their terminology holds it's own but their way of speaking is really something great too. I would acknowledge that Texans, Bostonians and New Yorkers are up in the running but I think they still may be beat. Which brings me to a point, why is it that DreamWorks had all their supposedly Norwegian Vikings talking like Scottish people in How to Train a Dragon?

Lovely Linlithgow.

Matt and I had a much needed planned* adventure in what I guess you call the Scottish countryside this last Friday. Perhaps it wouldn't be considered a proper country trip by some but it certainly was pastoral and the town itself was wee. That said, we had a grand time taking a 20 minute train ride North West of Edinburgh to a town called Linlithgow. What attracted us to go to Linlithgow in particular was a chance to see this site:

It was marvelous and a true gem to have so close to us that it only took 8 pounds for us both to go and see.

What is the background of this place you ask? Well, Matt and I probably don't have the full story as it would have taken another 7 pounds to learn about it by going in the castle. What we did figure out is that it was the birthplace of Scotland's own Mary Queen of Scots. The loch (or lake) by which the castle was built gave much help to town in the early days in terms of fish and water for crops, etc. Also, the area was so scenic and relatively nice in terms of the climate that royalty often took their holidays here.

Matt and I took a grand tour around the castle and loch.

Saw some ducks braving the white capped windy waters of the loch.

Got a stellar view of the castle with some full on rainbow action.

Ate a delicious lunch of smashed PBJ sandwiches and a wee mint tart.

Got caught in the rain during our canal walk and decided to head back to the train station when my umbrella broke beyond repair due to the wind. The highlight of the day came when Matt kept insisting that I use his umbrella and he could put on my rain jacket that I didn't want to wear. I assured him over and over "No no. I promise. I am fine with this umbrella. It works well enough for now." After dodging a few locals on bicycles, Matt tells me pleadingly "Please Cate. Can you just put that busted umbrella away? I am embarassed for you."

And the truth comes out! That set me off laughing so hard for several minutes I could barely walk through the mud. It just was so so perfect as I really feel like that is what happens so often with the dynamics between Matt and I. "No no...I don't mind this crazy outfit I am wearing at all...No need to buy me matching socks...etc." Finally Matt comes clean and tells me his real concerns. Good man to know when I am embarassing myself. He really does help me "get on" in this world.

But can I just pose one lingering question that remained on our way back to the train station? Is my busted umbrella look any more embarassing than Matt wearing my TJMaxx rain jacket? In some funny way, I think he looked great in it. What a guy to be willing to don my sub-par rain jacket to help save me from myself. Love that fellow of mine.

*There are no shortages of opportunities for adventure here for Matt and I. The problem we often encounter is that our adventures are more along the lines of taking the wrong bus to the wrong side of town, almost getting hit by a car because we forget what side of the street people drive on, etc. Indeed, we have found that it takes a fair amount of effort to have the pleasant sort of adventures sometimes. Thankfully, Linlithgow was one of these moments.

Culture Shock Listed

Things you are probably already aware of as far as difference in Scottish and American terminology goes:

- Garbage Cans = "Rubbish Bins" (or "Litter Bins" if you are from the posh crowd)
- Diapers = "Nappies"
- Bangs = "Fringe" (they still understood me at the hair school when I got a trim this last weekend)
- Sausage = "Bangers"
- Mashed Potatoes = "Mash"
- Vacation = "Holiday"
- Holiday = "Holiday" (This can make for some confusion between an American employee and a Scottish employer on which paid days off you have at work.)
- Cell phone  = "Mobile"
- T.V. = "Tele"
- Commercials = "Adverts"
- Cookies/Candy Bars = "Biscuits"
- Dessert = "Pudding"
- Dinner/Supper = "Tea" or "Dinner"
- Small = "Wee"
- Y'all = "pardon?"
- 11:30/12:30/etc = "half eleven"/"half twelve"
- Fries = "Chips" and Chips = "Crisps"
This has prove to be confusing for me on several occassions as I often get confused when trying to actually implement these terms in conversation. I have been known to talk about wanting some ketchup for my "Crisps" and asking for Doritos for my "Chips" with my sandwich. The key is to not over think this one.
- Stroller = "Buggie"
- Vaccum = "Hoover" (I think the Americans have the more academic approach to this one actually)
- Hall = "Cooridor" (Particularly relevant when working housekeeping I suppose)

When traveling about the UK, be sure to replace __________ with ____________.

- Tag with "Tig"
Otherwise those Rainbow Girlguides will set you straight if you try and play with them.
- Pants with "Trousers"
Otherwise you may end up offending your boss at work in the same way your mom does when she calls flip-flops "thongs". Indeed "pants" are short (no pun intended) for "panties".
- Raisins with "Sultanas" 
Otherwise you will end up sounding like a boorish American (even though that is exactly who you are - you may as well try to overcome it for the sake of fitting in)
- Corn with "Maize" 
Since we were already on the topic of sounding a bit more refined and "fitting in"...
- Season (as in a season of a tele programme) with "Series"
This is still a bit confusing to me. I will let you know once I get a handle on it.
-Have a good day with "Cheers"
This is a great phrase as it can also sneak into an awkward moment with a stranger and smooth things over. Maybe two people are trying to get out of a small shop door at the same time and one takes the initiative to go first to get the deed done and over. The person who took the initiative need not seem rude as they can simply follow up with a "cheers" as in "thanks in advance for not being mad about me getting out first".

Expressions abound here like:

- "How are you getting on?", "She's got on well.", or "We got on like a house on fire!" 
I am still trying to recognize all the contexts in which this is appropriate to the "getting on" phrasing but the jist of it is that "getting on" is a positive thing. You always want to be "getting on" with work, life, relationships, etc. Don't quote me on that as there may be some exceptions....
- "I can't be bothered", "She won't be bothered", etc.
Again, still trying to get a hold of this one as well but the context in which I routinely here this one is when my supervisor at work says something to the effect of: "I try and get most of my rooms cleaned before lunch because after lunch I can't be bothered". 
- "Having a laugh"
I love love this one and did before I got here. Now that I am here, I have bit more confidence in using it as it is a great expression that causes the very thing it describes. FYI, for all you non-BBC comedy watchers, this expression means "are you kidding?" Check out a great use of the expression here. This phrase can also be used, as per a sister at church I talked to the other day, to talk about having a good time or being able to joke around. Her use of it was a bit like "Oh you should come to the church for Enrichment nights. It would be worth the walk up the hill on a cold, dark night as there would be a laugh and a chocolate biscuit once you get there." Rightly so too.
-"That's me" or "That's Us"
This means you have finished with something or you are about to leave. A good example would be something like when you are done with the last project you have at work and then you would say "Well, that's me then" and you would grab your coat, say your cheers to everyone left at work and be out the door.

Phrases/Words I believe I will adopt into my normal speech (or already have):

- Wee 
This is up there with "y'all" as far as I am concerned. Such an expressive regional term.
- Tele 
What's not to love about this one?
- Having a Laugh
Do I have to explain myself on this at all? If so then please watch the second season of Extras.
-Cheers
Good farewell option for an email and a good way to avoid awkward moments with strangers. See posting of term used above.

So this may not seem like too many things to keep track of but along with a sturdy Scottish accent, there are moments when I am not quite sure what people are talking about or if they know what I am talking about. In other words, it can all add up at times to be difficult to express myself here in spite of me speaking the same language. Indeed, I have been known to offend or confuse others with my willy nilly use of terms such as "pants", etc, but nothing compares to the embarassment I faced while abroad in France. There were many moments with that language and culture where I ended up saying something I didn't mean to but the worst was when I carelessly assumed that "preservatif" was a cognate. This led to my telling my host mom one night "Le pain Americain a des preservatives. Il n'y a pas des preservatives dans le pain francais". Translation: "American bread has condoms in it. There are no condoms in French bread." Yep. In other words, I am accustomed to the humiliating myself in front of other cultures. Too bad I couldn't have said, "Mais non, je suis en train de rire" - "Just kidding, I am just having a laugh".

Love this world of ours.

Look at the world around (hand on head as if you are looking around)

Learn everything you can (point to your head)

Laugh as you go along (point to mouth and smile)

Love this world of ours (cross hands over chest)

Look, learn, laugh love (repeat above actions)

Rainbows have begun

We're all here now

Time to have some fun

I am learning this song right now from a handful of 5-7 year old Rainbows at Girlguiding meetings each Tuesday. I signed up as a volunteer unit helper to help get a bit more involved in the Edinburgh community. I have only been once but it was great fun. The girls asked me "Why do you talk so funny?" I confided in them that I come from a place where everyone talks funny. "Are you from Canada?" Nope. America. After doing a Southern drawl and a New Yorker impersonation, I turned it into a teaching moment and taught them the word "accent". They taught me the word *"wellies" while coloring in their paper doll clothes. Then they demanded more American impersonations. We got on like a house on fire, as they say in these parts. I look forward to many good times with them at St. Cuthbert's church on Slateford Rd.

In other news, another culinary success in this country that offers so few of my tried and true ingredients (in walking distance at least). Oh how I miss my Mexican staples but it is good to branch out. I give you coconut curry and rice soup with falafal.

*Three cheers for anyone who can figure out what "wellies" are. And yes, it is a commonly used term here in the UK.

Highlights from Halloween Weekend

On Friday, Matt and I visited the Royal Botanical Gardens off Inverleith Row. It was lovely, free, autumn fun.

Saturday was double the fun Halloween celebration with a visit to the Edinburgh Ward's Halloween party where we had our fill of chocolate biscuits, gummies, costume gawking and Michael Jackson's Thriller at full volume in the cultural hall. My favorite moment of that part of the evening came when a pint-sized lass dressed as a skeletal pict approached me, saw my cowboy boots (all that my costume really included) and asked in a shrill brogue "Are you a cowboy, then?" A sharp wee girl indeed.

Still, the best bit of the weekend, I have to say, was our City of the Dead ghost tour later that night. Now I have had some grand Halloweens, as my late eighties and early nineties childhood put me in a pre-trick-or-treating-paranoia era. Between that and some great parties and cult classic horror movie nights, I was a bit nervous to expect much from a coutry that just recently (and with great reservation) accepted trick-or-treating in lieu of "penny for the Guy" practices. But it turns out that just about the best place to have some real Halloween spirit and spook is Edinburgh.

Our tour started at a dark hour on the steps of the St. Giles Cathedral along the Royal Mile. At the start, our guide set a gritty scene of Edinburgh during the dark ages. Truly it was a great mix of humor, history and horror and even included some modest participation from Matt as "the bearded Mr. Balfour" who demonstrated a frenzied rat type of torture. Yep. It was grisly but somehow funny too...?

As our walk progressed, we ended up in Greyfriar's Kirkyard off George the IV street. The setting was marvelously spooky. Edinburgh's castle took on a fantastic Dracula air and the Dicksonian buildings turned Sweeney Todd in the dark views from the graveyard. It was wonderful. Needless to say, the ambiance lended itself well to listen to the grim tales of the Burke and Hare murders, McKenzie's poltergeist, and strange happenings in "the Coventers Prison". At the risk of sounding absurd, it was indeed some kind of Halloween nirvana...without the hot chocolate though.