Juliacentralicious

Day in the North part of the city, night in the South

Yesterday, I walked more than I ever thought possible. First, Laura and I went to Princes street, in the New side of the city, on a quest for a microwave. Princes street, being on the new side, is the commercial base for the city-- I got my first taste of just how expensice yet tempting British stores are. Also I realized just how trendy tights and leggings are here, which is rather surreal. And I did manage to find not-so-pricey shoes, which was nice.
I can't say that I'm a fan of walking in the daytime here. In the States, it is very subtly ingrained in us to walk on the right side of whatever you happen to be walking on. Here, not so much. In fact, not at all. When I mentioned this to Laura, she replied, "What, like you're in elementary school?" So it is quite the challenge to navigate around the people, especially if you are carrying a microwave about a mile home.
Last night, I took an inadvertent walking tour of the South part of the city. In other words, I got hopelessly lost. The goal was to get to a girl's house at which the New Scotland (aka the Scottish Dancing) Society was having a little party. From our flat, it was about two miles away (did I mention that everyone walks everywhere here? Two miles, being hella far in LA or even Portland, is nothing here, and no matter how lost I got, I barely even considered flagging down a cab). Forty-five minutes after leaving, I called Laura to find out where I was-- still two miles away. Over an hour later, I'm in the correct neighborhood, but completely sick and tired of walking and carrying a bottle of wine all over the city. Just as I'm about to find a nice park and open the bottle to celebrate my complete lack of knowing where I am, I recognize a street name. Success! I arrived at the party two hours after I had left my flat, but fortunately Anna (the Society president, who had insisted I come) was there as were many other friendly people who made me feel like the walk was worth it.

As far as the more quotidian parts of life here, Scottish History, though taught for the first part by an American (oh, the irony), is turning out to be good. The Tango Society is also good, despite a frustrating insistance that they don't need to teach me specific moves, because once I can really follow or lead, they'll "just happen." And, of course, the Ceilidh class is loads of fun. It's been raining all of today, which means that every time I go out, I have to change clothes when I come back in. As expected, I suppose. And now to waste the rest of the day curled up with some tea and the Muppet Show.

posted by Julia @ 7:00 AM