Edinburgh

This weekend I finally made the journey to the big smoke!  I even travelled there in style:

 

After experiencing travel first-class, there is no going back!  Unfortunately reality has hit sooner than I would have liked.  I couldn’t get a good deal on the return journey so am now travelling home cattle-class….sigh!   Not to mention that the train is delayed 1 hour…sigh again! 

All in all though, this has been a wonderful weekend!  There is something great about a four-day working week.   Aside from a break from work, my main motivation for going to Edinburgh was to catch up with some wonderful friends and go to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo together!!  Emily, Luke and I booked our tickets in November last year, and finally our Taswegian reunion happened.  It was brilliant!  There was some rain during the day but it cleared and the evening was a perfect night with perfect company J The lighting made it hard to get good pics but here are a few anyway:



I asked if I could have a hug and they said
yes...perhaps I should try this more often??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definite highlights were:

The Piping Bands.  Seeing the bagpipers in full costume with capes, huge hats and amazing kilts was fantastic.  The open air arena and amount of pipers playing at once was just magical to listen to!  At the end, the arena was full of all the performers and they each played/danced and were applauded as they left.  The Scottish contingent was the last to leave the arena and in my opinion far outclassed them all!

Go Aussie!  The Australian Federal Police had a performance starting with the entire band in uniform marching out as expected.  They then went crazy, singing Kylie Minogue “I’m spinning around” with flashing disco lights, groovy dancing and making all the crowd stand up and join in.  It was potentially one of those moments where I could cringe in shame but it was absolutely hilarious!  Points for stretching the boundaries I think! 

Swiss Drummers.  A surprising highlight was a Swiss drumming group called “Top Secret”.  It was mesmerising to watch as they swapped sticks, threw sticks and tapped each other’s drums all without missing a beat!  And then the lights went out and their drums lit up…and still they didn’t mess up!

So that was Edinburgh…great times.  Tomorrow, back to my little ones at Beauly.  More on that another time!  Here are some other pics of the big smoke.  It rained all Saturday but I managed to get out today and take a few snaps.  God bless, have a great week!

 

The Scot Monument

 

The hostel we stayed at was super close to the castle and
tattoo stadium!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Edinburgh Castle








 

The world's largest collection of Scotch Whisky



Luke and Emily "enjoying" some whisky




 

 

 

 

 

Ok, last one....



 

 

 

 

Hellos and Goodbyes

And so, that was Iona!  It certainly was an experience I will always remember.


Sunset on my last night on Iona :)

Yummy goodbye breakfast :)

Goodbye to good friends




 As in any community, everyday activities become quite formallised and it was no different with the "goodbye" process.  We each have a formal review with the staffing coordinator where we reflect on our time on Iona.  There is then an opportunity for saying farewells at our final dinner, and people make and sign leaving cards for each other.  We also had a leaving service where each person leaving had the chance to share something special.  Finally, on the morning we depart the rest of the staff stand on the pier and wave as the ferry leaves:

Really, the whole experience is full of hellos and goodbyes...each Friday is "goodbye" to the guests leaving then "hello" on Saturday as the next week's guests arrive. Then every Wednesday morning is "goodbye" as volunteers leave and "hello" Wednesday afternoon as their replacements come.  I felt ready to be leaving so the goodbye didn't hit as hard as it might have otherwise.  Still, I will miss the routine and friendships of community life.  What I won't miss....sharing a room!!! I slept for 10 blissful hours on my first night back here.  Ahh, life's little luxuries! 

I seems I will be saying some "hellos" to little people next week as I start work as a P1/2 teacher.  It's quite exciting and I'm grateful to be going into something that will help me keep a good routine.  I will be teaching at Beauly Primary three days a week from now until October as a P1/2 teacher, and then Thursday as a RME (Religious and Moral Education) teacher.  Monday is a planning day then it's all happening!  I probably should be feeling nervous or something but am really looking forward to the challenge. 

Here are some final pics of my time on Iona.  I hope you have a wonderful week and if you are in a cold part of the world, (unlike me at the moment...haha) stay warm!