That's the house I'm staying in: Ochil House. And below are just some flowers I thought were rather pretty. One never sees anything other than bougainvilleas in Singapore.
This one below shows a view of the buildings in the West End. That's where the university's campus is.
And here's one of the few quaint grocery stores found near the university. Aren't they cute? Personally, the quality of vegetables, fruits and flowers in these kind of stores are superior to those in supermarkets; unblemished and fresh and of course, more expensive.
Rachel and I had bank appointments yesterday to open accounts. Sadly, we're not eligible for their student accounts, which are really attractive, because we're not local. Maybe after three years? Haha. Anyway, they required a specific letter of accommodation from the university, which we didn't have. Therefore, we've to apply for the letter, wait for two days before it's ready and return to the bank before we can finally open an account. Seriously, they're quite irritatingly fussy here. The silly thing is, the banks require you to have a local telephone number, while the mobile phone companies require you to have a bank account before you can sign a contract. ???? Like what Rachel's mum said, it's like the case of the chicken and the egg.
While on the way to the bank, we passed by a fishmonger and Rachel's parents stood gaping in awe at the range of seafood on display. Can't blame them, it did look very fresh. They had to get the huge scallops and fish and we had that for dinner! (They invited me over for dinner yet again, as they do almost everyday! I feel bad for imposing on them! )
Anyway, that was yesterday.
This morning, I thought my mum and I could have a late and lazy start but Rachel phoned at ten in the morning to say that she was going to apply for the Freshers' Pass and if I wanted to. Well, since she's getting it, I'll get it too! Basically, you pay 30 pounds for it and it gives you free access to ALL activities held during Freshers' Week, which is next week. Actually most of the activities that cost money to attend are gigs and parties. Don't know if we'll be attending enough to make it worth 30 pounds but oh wells... We'll see.
After that, they decided on the spur of the moment to drive up to Edinburgh! Hah! Mum and I were thinking of taking a train there on Saturday but since they're driving, why not? So the five of us bundled into the car for an hour's drive to the capital, during which we mostly guessed our way through. There was no looking at the map, just gut feeling and the unreliable signs on the road. I must say, Rachel's family is quite spontaneous. :) When there weren't signs, they just drove in whichever direction they thought was right till a sign appeared. Lol. Getting there was easy but the lack of signs pointing to Glasgow on the way back meant we took two hours plus to get back. What a sore butt I was having. Anyway, here are the photos!
Along the way:
Edinburgh's popular among tourists so you do find souvenir shops, especially along The Royal Mile, which is a long stretch of road separaring the old and new town, and along which many royal buildings stood in the past. The castle is located at its very end. An adult entry ticket costs 12 pounds! What extortion. Can you see the castle behind?
Did you know that J.K. Rowling studied at the University of Edinburgh, which was her main source of inspiration for Harry Potter? The unversity building did look pretty grand and imposing. I'd love to get inside and explore :)
