Looks like it's time for a new brand: College purse tips.
College purse tip #305: Always bring your own lunch. Food in Europe, as previously mentioned, is muy expensivo. It's worth getting a few weird looks from your fellow travelers to save twelve bucks. Also, in N. Ireland, nothing goes better with a cold cheese sandwich than a 2 GBP warm bowl of soup and wheaten.
GBP = Great Britain Pounds.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Arthur's Seat
On my last day, I woke up early and had a nice bowl of Wheetabix. Wheetabix is a miracle for people who want to stop the rumbly feeling in the morning but can't quite deal with tasting anything that early in the day. Then, four of us left the flat and went for a hike. After the hike (did we go to the art museum? I can't remember when during the weekend this happened) Amit and I had the best Indian buffet I've ever encountered in my life. We started out going to a pub that Lonely Planet recommended, but were turned off when the we went inside and saw that their idea of non-bar seating was curtained-off beds. The Indian restaurant had tables with chairs. With tablecloths instead of comforters. Always a good sign. It was a hot buffet with a drink and dessert, all for six pounds, which is dirt cheap in Scotland.
Back to the hillwalking. Arthur's Seat is a hill overlooking Edinburgh. It looks innocent when you're in the main town, but once you start climbing it gets really windy. Luckily, the wind was blowing the direction that kept me, Amit, Shay, and Shay's Flatmate ON the hill. The view at the top was definitely worth it. We also got to feel that cool sensation where you can lean back into the wind further than gravity would normally permit.
Working to fulfill the duties of my new post as Minister of Tourism in Scotland, I present a Come to Edinburgh photo story.
Arthur's Seat: He's got a nice one!
At the end of the day I got my stuff and hurried to the airport, terrified because I was running late. As it turns out, I could have waited another hour. F.Y.I.: the little hoppers that go around Europe are always late. The label on your ticket "Gate closes at 18:50" is more of a suggestion that you might want to meander over to the security gate. After you've finished your latte.
Back to the hillwalking. Arthur's Seat is a hill overlooking Edinburgh. It looks innocent when you're in the main town, but once you start climbing it gets really windy. Luckily, the wind was blowing the direction that kept me, Amit, Shay, and Shay's Flatmate ON the hill. The view at the top was definitely worth it. We also got to feel that cool sensation where you can lean back into the wind further than gravity would normally permit.
Working to fulfill the duties of my new post as Minister of Tourism in Scotland, I present a Come to Edinburgh photo story.
Arthur's Seat: He's got a nice one!
At the end of the day I got my stuff and hurried to the airport, terrified because I was running late. As it turns out, I could have waited another hour. F.Y.I.: the little hoppers that go around Europe are always late. The label on your ticket "Gate closes at 18:50" is more of a suggestion that you might want to meander over to the security gate. After you've finished your latte.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Pitlochry: The Scottish Highlands
Early the next morning, Amit and I headed out for the Scottish Highlands. Pitlochry is the shortest train ride away from Edinburgh that can still be called the Highlands. If you're staying in Glasgow, Loch Ness is doable for a day trip. Now, I always thought that the fabled sea snake was the Lochness Monster, and that Lochness was just her intimidating name. Like the Cookie Monster. Actually, though, it's Loch Ness, and there are Loughs all over England, Scotland, and Ireland. A loch is actually a "lake." How many people already knew this, and why are you keeping it from us? Going to Loch Ness would have been really cool, just to be able to say we'd been.
However, we had to weigh what would have been a 6 hour round trip with the benefits of a 4 or 5 hour hike. The train ride to Pitlochry ran along beautiful woodlands, and the entire time I was feeling wierded out (WAY more than the situation merited) that phonetically, Pitlochry should be spelled Pitt Lochrie.
Neurosis aside, we got there mid-morning and set off looking for a hike. The train station had a bathroom attendant. I usually find that when you're a young person traveling with relatively few restrictions, and you head into a small town, it's best to follow the advice of random locals. Ask a few to make sure the info is good. I started with the bathroom attendant:
"Where can I go hiking around here?"
"What? No, you don't want to do that!" I could see a hint of fear in his eyes.
"Why not?"
"A nice girl like you could get hurt. Don't do it."
"Umm, but I really want to go hiking. I have a friend with me."
"No. It's very dangerous."
(The lightbulb over my head flickers) "We just want to take a walk in those hills over there."
"Oh! You want to go HILLwalking! Yes, yes. There's a tourist information centre down the road."
Of course, it's always better if you don't accidentally ask the locals where a good place for hitchhiking is.
The tourist info centers in Britain/N. Ireland are exceptionally good. Whenever you stop into a hub town, it's a good idea to visit them, even if you already have a guide book. Always try to talk to the older person working there and not the (usually) clueless teenager working a summer job. If your destination is not well-traveled, it's good to ask them if they've been on the hikes or to the places they're suggesting. If you don't have a car, also ask whether or not they know anyone who has used public transportation to get there and back in one day.
The Pitlochry tourist centre was, as usual, a great resource. It produced its own detailed pamphlet on walks in Pitlochry. We chose the Craigower trail, which takes you up into the hills to look at the surrounding Lochs and Glencoe. The trail goes along the Old North Road, which was "the main means of communication between North and South in this central area of Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots and General Hugh Mackay the commander of the government troops who were routed by the Jacobites at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689 passed along this route." (cite)
We ate our Nutella sandwiches in a city garden--why don't we have more of these little gardens in the US?-- and then set off. On second thought, why don't we have more Nutella sandwiches in the US? On day trips, bringing your own lunch is a must, because restaurant food is very expensive in the UK/Northern Ireland. In America, we eat out. In the UK, they eat in and drink out. Recent economic surveys conducted by Jessa Analysts, Inc. estimate that 50% of the GDP in Derry comes from people saving what they would spend on a restaurant meal and dropping it in the pubs and night clubs. But enough about dining. Look at this country park in the middle of the Scottish Highlands.
The way up.
At the summit.
Back down to Pitlochry again.
I accomplished some of my Scottish food goals that day: steak and ale pie and Irn Bru. Other Scottish food goals accomplished during the trip: Scotch broth, squash (weird concentrated fruit juice), toffee, Belhaven's Best, and Wheetabix. Yet to be determined: fried Mars Bars, true scotch, haggis. A note on squash: you must dilute it with 4 parts water before drinking it. Don't ask me how I know this; ask my pancreas.
Steak and ale pie:
Irn Bru, an orange soda so acidic that it will strip rust off nails.
It was actually a little bit of a hassle to get them to sub a soda for the pint. I don't think customers usually turn down beer. The poor bartender, his eyes had a little red text scroll that read: "ALERT! COMMAND DOES NOT COMPUTE. ALERT! COMMAND DOES NOT COMPUTE."
The end.
However, we had to weigh what would have been a 6 hour round trip with the benefits of a 4 or 5 hour hike. The train ride to Pitlochry ran along beautiful woodlands, and the entire time I was feeling wierded out (WAY more than the situation merited) that phonetically, Pitlochry should be spelled Pitt Lochrie.
Neurosis aside, we got there mid-morning and set off looking for a hike. The train station had a bathroom attendant. I usually find that when you're a young person traveling with relatively few restrictions, and you head into a small town, it's best to follow the advice of random locals. Ask a few to make sure the info is good. I started with the bathroom attendant:
"Where can I go hiking around here?"
"What? No, you don't want to do that!" I could see a hint of fear in his eyes.
"Why not?"
"A nice girl like you could get hurt. Don't do it."
"Umm, but I really want to go hiking. I have a friend with me."
"No. It's very dangerous."
(The lightbulb over my head flickers) "We just want to take a walk in those hills over there."
"Oh! You want to go HILLwalking! Yes, yes. There's a tourist information centre down the road."
Of course, it's always better if you don't accidentally ask the locals where a good place for hitchhiking is.
The tourist info centers in Britain/N. Ireland are exceptionally good. Whenever you stop into a hub town, it's a good idea to visit them, even if you already have a guide book. Always try to talk to the older person working there and not the (usually) clueless teenager working a summer job. If your destination is not well-traveled, it's good to ask them if they've been on the hikes or to the places they're suggesting. If you don't have a car, also ask whether or not they know anyone who has used public transportation to get there and back in one day.
The Pitlochry tourist centre was, as usual, a great resource. It produced its own detailed pamphlet on walks in Pitlochry. We chose the Craigower trail, which takes you up into the hills to look at the surrounding Lochs and Glencoe. The trail goes along the Old North Road, which was "the main means of communication between North and South in this central area of Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots and General Hugh Mackay the commander of the government troops who were routed by the Jacobites at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689 passed along this route." (cite)
We ate our Nutella sandwiches in a city garden--why don't we have more of these little gardens in the US?-- and then set off. On second thought, why don't we have more Nutella sandwiches in the US? On day trips, bringing your own lunch is a must, because restaurant food is very expensive in the UK/Northern Ireland. In America, we eat out. In the UK, they eat in and drink out. Recent economic surveys conducted by Jessa Analysts, Inc. estimate that 50% of the GDP in Derry comes from people saving what they would spend on a restaurant meal and dropping it in the pubs and night clubs. But enough about dining. Look at this country park in the middle of the Scottish Highlands.
The way up.
At the summit.
Back down to Pitlochry again.
I accomplished some of my Scottish food goals that day: steak and ale pie and Irn Bru. Other Scottish food goals accomplished during the trip: Scotch broth, squash (weird concentrated fruit juice), toffee, Belhaven's Best, and Wheetabix. Yet to be determined: fried Mars Bars, true scotch, haggis. A note on squash: you must dilute it with 4 parts water before drinking it. Don't ask me how I know this; ask my pancreas.
Steak and ale pie:
Irn Bru, an orange soda so acidic that it will strip rust off nails.
It was actually a little bit of a hassle to get them to sub a soda for the pint. I don't think customers usually turn down beer. The poor bartender, his eyes had a little red text scroll that read: "ALERT! COMMAND DOES NOT COMPUTE. ALERT! COMMAND DOES NOT COMPUTE."
The end.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Honey Roasted Peanuts
There's something about overnight flights that I just love. I love all flights, actually. I even like airplane food. (I know, right, my profile interests say good food?) I think it has to do with the yearly trips we would make back to Maryland to see Grandma Margie. My theory is, if you want your kid to like flying, take them early. Actually--I take that back--my theory is that all parents with infants should be guided into a soundproof compartment and locked in for the entirety of the flight. Oh, come on, I'm not that cruel. We can give them a few bags of honey roasted peanuts before we shut the door.
Overnight flights are great for a number of reasons. British Airways has an almost infinite selection of music, movies and TV shows. That alone makes me feel like King for a Day (or a really good internet pirate). You get to see the sun rise and set. They still serve food on overnight flights. People are paid to bring you pretzels (or snack mix, if you're lucky) and drinks while you sit on your bum. And you get to watch your plane on the little tracker computer thing. To me, this is heaven.
They also use the planes that have a little extra seating room--a big blessing for the usually overcrowded international flights. I lucked out--although the plane was 99% full, the middle seat in my row was empty. I got the window, which is my favorite spot. The guy sitting on the aisle was a 20 year old American college student heading for a semester in Amsterdam. He took full advantage of this academic opportunity to drink every bottle of wine that they brought him (plus all of mine). Way to get a head start on school, dude! Ah yes, on overnight flights, they also bring you wine.
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