Edinburgh!

I arrived in Edinburgh yesterday evening and must say this place is amazing. Currently the Fringe Festival is going on, and there are TONS of plays, concerts, and street preformers EVERYWHERE. Last night I watched a man who earns his living by juggling rusty knives and a flaming torch while riding a 3 meter unicycle. Amazing. While it's cool to have festival going on, it is also insanely crowded here.

Today I went to Craigmiller Castle. (Note: Em and Mer: This was a real castle, meaning it wasn't built within the 20th century and there are no clocks on the side ;) Too bad you aren't here Mer there are tons of Castles here. You'd be in heaven.) The castle was so amazing. I got off the bus which dropped me off and I believe I was one of the first people there. Apparently most people aren't bothered to leave the city center. I was alone most of the time exploring this amazing castle that was built in the 16th Century. The place was like a maze, and i kept ending up in rooms that I thought were a floor above or below me. You could completely explore this whole castle including the prison, wine cellar, drawing rooms, kitchens, towers and bedchambers. It was wonderful.

I came back and took a break in The Elephant House, which for those of you who don't know is where J.K. Rowling wrote much of the Harry Potter novels. I sat in a window overlooking the view of Edinburgh Castle, which was the inspiration for Hogwarts! The Harry Potter nerd in me was going nuts.

I managed to visit two graveyards without really meaning too. One i intentionally made my way over to because of a myth regarding one of the inhabitants. Apparently after a dog, Greyfriar Bobby, was left alone when his master passed away, he would go and lie on his master's grave every day. He did this for fourteen years until he finally passed away himself, and is now buried in the graveyard as well.

I also checked out some views of the city from Calton Hill. So Beautiful.

Currently I am sipping a beer in a Pub across from the Dorm I am staying at (To all those who studied abroad hear, I am in the Sciennes dorms, if you know where those are). I just ordered a crazy looking baked potatoe for dinner, so we'll see what comes out to me. haha.

I am adding pictures to all the blogs I've written already, and including a link to a selection of pictures I've already uploaded. Talk to you soon!!!!