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If you want to know what black pudding looks like - well, there's Google Images, and I didn't take photos. But mine looked like a couple of dark and crumbly sausage patties, about hockey puck sized, more crumbly than normal sausage. Not how I imagined it, or the D&D monster named after it.
I'm in a Museum of Childhood. Unrelated to the one in London, I'm told.
The bus last night didn't have any form of stop annoucements.
Market street has lots of shops and old buildings. Including a fudge shop - and Games Workshop, the Warhammer people, the first suh store I've ever seen. I came all this way... There were two women in it, out of a dozen, both companions.
Now in St. Giles cathedral. Very confusing layout, not that I have a lot of experience with churches. Seems like the priest goes in the center with seating on both sides, but there's also parallel alcoves of seating that look like they'd be attending to someone else.
One wall has memorial plaques - including "Thank God for James Young Simpson's discovery of chloroform anesthetic in 1847" which is the best one I've seen.
Trash cans here have labeled gum traps on top. Never seen that before.
Did I mention that pretty much all public bathrooms have hot air hand dryers exclusively, with no paper towels?
(Later) Been walking around. Market Street, Grassmarket where the gallows used to be, the castle (£14 to go inside, so at 4:30 I didn't), free sample haggis (can't say that it really grabbed me; thumb-sized 'sausage' with meat and some grain in it). There's a camera obscura and illusions museum, and a Scotch whiskey tour, I could go back to.
Found the central public library. I am moderately certain that the top floor (general collection) and bottom (Scottish books and maps) combined are smaller than the Monroe County Public Library which serves maybe a fifth of the population.
Oh, I may be wrong. There's a whole separate reference library floor, and a fine arts floor too, though that one is smaller.
Library still has its card catalogs, though electronic ones too.
Bathroom had paper towels. Hah.
Found Meadows Walk, and the Meadows, what looks to be a large park. Well, lawn with paths. Right by the University of Edinburgh.
You can pay parking by card via mobile phone.
BTW, the answer to odd escalator behavior has been provided in a comment in an earlier post. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/london_film_festival/article6883065.ece
I'm in a Museum of Childhood. Unrelated to the one in London, I'm told.
The bus last night didn't have any form of stop annoucements.
Market street has lots of shops and old buildings. Including a fudge shop - and Games Workshop, the Warhammer people, the first suh store I've ever seen. I came all this way... There were two women in it, out of a dozen, both companions.
Now in St. Giles cathedral. Very confusing layout, not that I have a lot of experience with churches. Seems like the priest goes in the center with seating on both sides, but there's also parallel alcoves of seating that look like they'd be attending to someone else.
One wall has memorial plaques - including "Thank God for James Young Simpson's discovery of chloroform anesthetic in 1847" which is the best one I've seen.
Trash cans here have labeled gum traps on top. Never seen that before.
Did I mention that pretty much all public bathrooms have hot air hand dryers exclusively, with no paper towels?
(Later) Been walking around. Market Street, Grassmarket where the gallows used to be, the castle (£14 to go inside, so at 4:30 I didn't), free sample haggis (can't say that it really grabbed me; thumb-sized 'sausage' with meat and some grain in it). There's a camera obscura and illusions museum, and a Scotch whiskey tour, I could go back to.
Found the central public library. I am moderately certain that the top floor (general collection) and bottom (Scottish books and maps) combined are smaller than the Monroe County Public Library which serves maybe a fifth of the population.
Oh, I may be wrong. There's a whole separate reference library floor, and a fine arts floor too, though that one is smaller.
Library still has its card catalogs, though electronic ones too.
Bathroom had paper towels. Hah.
Found Meadows Walk, and the Meadows, what looks to be a large park. Well, lawn with paths. Right by the University of Edinburgh.
You can pay parking by card via mobile phone.
BTW, the answer to odd escalator behavior has been provided in a comment in an earlier post. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/london_film_festival/article6883065.ece
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no subject
Date: 2010-08-31 18:44 (UTC)From:Library: Yep - I think Monroe County Library beats most european libraries of places twice the size that I had seen before I moved here.
Train: Yeah - NEVER pay for first class - its usually not worth it. Most european trains (western european being my only reference) are just fine in second class - often with outlets for laptops in LD trains.
Further thoughts on contacts: If you go to a pub or such, sitting at the bar makes usually signals people that you can be talked to, often starting with the usual "are you new here" kinda small talk but can lead to nice conversations. If you seat yourself at a table you basically gives a clear "don't talk to me unless you sell food/drinks" signal.
For single travellers most hostels can find a space, but calling ahead never hurts. I often find it easier to get into conversations while smoking my pipe (provides an easy conversation pickup with other smokers) or beer (talking about alcohol is also an easy starting point). Make use of the fact you are new here - at least in local joints (a.k.a. non-tourist-traps) thats an easy entry.
Bus: Unfortunately get used to that - While Subs and Trams often signal stops, Buses often don't. If you realize that, asking the driver to tell you when you should get off usually works though.
Have fun in good ole Europe - I miss me some castles.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-31 19:32 (UTC)From:Looked a lot like the black disks in the "Black pudding for breakfast... fried bread" picture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding
First class: the other cars I saw did look more like airlines in terms of legroom or space between seats... I'll give it a try sometime, though. Probably en route to Glasgow, actually.
Market failure: I don't really care much about being pampered 1st class style, I can bring my own food. But there's nothing between "economy cattle car" and "spacious and pampered" first class. I'd like to just pay for physical comfort. Well, United has Economy Plus, with a couple more inches room.
Bars/pubs on my own scare me in general, but maybe I'll try the sit/stand at bar, thanks.
Buses seem inconsistent. First London bus had a silent LCD. Second bus had vocal announcements and perhaps LCD but I was upstairs. Edinburgh buses had nothing. Bloomington bus depends on the driver.
My hosts weren't thrilled by the idea of Edinburgh castle but I haven't been in any castle ever, so... probably should have gone to the Tower, this one's pretty military.