Wednesday and Thursday!!

Oh goodness, my last night in Scotland, and I really don't want to leave. We had beautiful weather again today and its just been really nice and easy.
Yesterday we had class and visited the history of intruments museum and saw tons of really old musical instruments. It was interesting to see how they progressed throughout the years. We visited the University of Edinburgh and saw a little of the campus. It is really old but they've done a lot to modernize it. I think it was established in like 1538 or something.
We originally planned to climb Arthur's Seat which is a really big hill that looks over the entire city, but by the time we were done with class stuff we were too tired and not excited about the climb so we chose to go to the Princes Street Gardens and nap in the park. It is really neat actually that on pretty days people are always picnicing the napping, reading, ect. in the parks all over the city. Heather had bought a copy of Peter Pan so she read to Lori and I while we napped. It was great, the sun was shining and there isn't much wind there because it is kind of a valley and when I opened my eyes, which was rarely, I could look up at Edinburgh Castle! It was great. We had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and then came back out to the University to change and grabbed Megan and Park and went back to town for our one visit to a Pub while we were in Scotland. We went to Deacon Brodie's Tavern, which is a really popular pub in the guide books, but was actually one of the nicest and calmest we could find. Most of the others were completely packed. The bartender was Scottish but is studying Business Administration in Florida. We didn't stay long, and took a cab back and were in bed by 1:000.... crazy parties I tell you!!!
Today was a little class then Heather and I took of to do some last minute things. We had at the very last moment decided that we were going to take the train out to Sterling, but first we needed to find the neighborhood her granddad lived in while serving here in WWII. So after waiting for what seemed like forever for a bus that never showed up we ended up walking down to Clarinda's for lunch, because it is our absolute favorite little tea shop. We've been there 3 times and we just had to go back. By the time we made it to where we were going and bought some other last minute souvinier stuff (I know we've been doing 'last minute souviniers' for days!!) It was too late to make it back to the train station and out to Stirling in time to actually see the Castle and make it back in, so we relaxed a little and strolled through town some.
The UK in general is trying to do more in the 'go green' campaign, especially before the Olympics in London in 2012, so they have the little two person 'chariots' that are pulled by bicycles. I've refused for weeks to make one of the take us anywhere.... they are horrible little bikes and the entire city is uphill basically, but heather finally talked me in to it... The poor guy, he was really funny about the whole thing, but I felt horrible for him.
We finally found where her grandad lived, and it was in a part of town we hadn't explored yet, so we just looked around for a little while and found a neat little pub to eat supper in. It was really old and the entire bar and walls were hand carved Mahogany. It was great, the food was laking, much like the rest of the country, but the atmosphere was great. We were fighting the need to go to the dorm and pack. I think we've come up with atleast 30 senarios on how we can just stay here, but they all end with the problem of getting jobs. The little tea place where we go all the time is really tiny and they ask you to share tables, so there were 2 of us at a tabl efor 4 so another couple came and sat down with us. The woman finally interrupted us and asked if we were troubled about going home because we sounded as if we were making excuses not to, which in fact we were. They got a good laugh from the conversation. They were a really sweet Irish couple on their 5th trip to Edinburgh, which isn't very far for them in reality. We have finally come back to the dorms and messed around just long enough that i'll be up until 3:00 trying to pack everything. Its 10:30 and I havne't started, which is not completely my fault. We were sitting in the computer lab and heard some noise going on downstairs outside (Its all open windows, no air conditioning) so we went to check out the commotion and it was a group of electricians (They are having a big energy seminar or something) Running around downstairs in their blue hard hats, bright yellow construction vests, their boots and boxers. It was absolutely hilarious when they realized we could see them. We aren't exactly sure where they've gone but we haven't heard them come back to the building yet.
I have had a really really great couple of days. The weather has been amazing and we've had a lot of fun just roaming the city and getting off of the Royal Mile for a little while. I would just really like to stay here and forget about going to London! haha We do have a busy week planned there though so I'm going to be REALLY exhausted when I get back!!!
Tlak to you soon!! - Kait