reading week trip pics

Plane to Belfast. I love when the passengers get to walk on the tarmac. I flew Easyjet.It is not like the US. In Europe there are cheap, yet safe and not disgusting, airlines.There were no assigned seats and you could board from the back or the front. It was very quick, not like Southwest. Here, people just sat down.

Belfast- City hall in the background.If I was on this street- it was a good thing, I knew where I was. Picture taken from Castle Street- where my hop on/off tour started from.

City hall.

Krupp built this, to build the Titanic (I think), in WWII he also tried to bomb it as part of the Luftwaffe.

I think this is where the Titanic was built- if not, it was built across the road, by the pump station.

Parliament.

This street is where the first car bomb of the Modern Troubles was.

Bullet-proof camera. This is at the beginning and intersection of Falls Road and Shankill Road.

The court house on Crumlin Road, next to the Shankill.

The jail- across the street from the court house. There is also a underground tunnel. I believe 17 people were killed here.

A car going from Shankill to the Falls. From 6am-6 pm this is open, to take and get people to work in the different areas. Other times- and on the weekends all the connecting roads are closed, expect for one main one which has cameras monitored by the police.

The Peace wall- built based on the Berlin wall.

The one road that is always open. If you look very closely, down the road you can see the guard booths.

One of the Falls heroes. Bobby Sands, died during a hunger strike. He was a member of parliament (MP).

Falls road. Where President Clinton came and the two sides embraced each other in more then 30 years.

Picture at the beginning of the Falls

a few belfast pictures

I am in London, at a hostel Clink78. It was a jail and court house at one time. I am soooo tired, so here are only a few pictures, the more exiting ones, from the Belfast leg of my trip. I loved Belfast! Great city!

'The Big Fish"

Parliament.

The court house on Crumlin Road.

A mural on Shankill Road. 

Mural in The Shankill.

Shankill- the Protestant/ English stronghold during modern-day "The Troubles."

This does not look like this...

...how disappointing.

My room at the B&B

Divis Tower. The top 2 floors is where the English Army spied on the Falls Road (Catholic/Irish stronghold) for 30 years.

another, littler stronghold for the Troubles. .

My plane. Belfast has ridiculous security. Every person I saw going through had their bags pulled to the side and searched. And, not like in the US, they unpacked most of my backpack (the my jacket). Then they did the bomb test thing on my backpack and the stuff in it. It was not like the US, the people knew what they were doing and looking for and they were friendly about it!

day 1 of adventure within adventure

The train station close to St. Andrews. Also note the fog in the background. I got the 13:29 train.

Ticket window

Trying to find out how to get to the ticket window was confusing.

The train station is called Leuchars (pronounced: loo-kers) is 5 miles outside St. Andrews. Luckily, there are lots of buses that go there.

The train is here! and it is 2 minuets early. The second I got on, it left. I guess it is not waiting for anyone.

View from the train.

I sat next to the crabby lady in the orange; becasue my seat I reserved was taken and this was the only one facing forwards left in the car.

Arriving about an hour after leaving at Edinburgh (Waverley station). Got in at 14:27.

There was a road that went through the train station! They do not collect tickets until you have to show yours to get out of the train area. Sucks if you lose it; I guess you are not getting out...

My hostel for the night. I got a private room. It is okay. They just turned the heat off though and it is in the 30s outside. Also, everyone is yelling in the hallway right outside my door. :(

My room.

Ah the Royal Mile, much better, a familiar area

The (Edinburgh) castle. As a note, on the train we went right next to Aberdour-a castle I visited on my field trip.

Crazy fog today.

There was like a little town in the castle- sweet!

Structures floating in the fog.

I love little nooks like this.

This is why I wanted to come to the Castle. In this building is the Stone of Destiny (Scotland's destiny that is) (and some crown jewels). I tried to take pictures twice and was told twice, very firmly, that photos were not allowed. There was a just married couple there... weird.

This is the 1 o'clock gun. Guess what it does? It is shot everyday, expect Sundays, at 1 o'clock.

Part of Edinburgh and the Castle.

I thought this was a cool picture with the moon and everything. This picture could have been taken anywhere. In fact, I think it looks like it was taken in a Muslim country in Africa.

Edinburgh

I loved that there are these streets within the walls of the Castle. With the Castle and the fog I felt like I was in Pirates of the Caribbean, in one of the first scenes, when the enemy was approaching and everyone was running around getting ready.

The end of the Castle and the beginning of modern Edinburgh. The car headlights is were the Royal Mile (high street) starts/ends.

The Castle in a different light, ha ha, pun intended.

I wanted to go see it, but all the tours were sold out for the day. Plus, I did not feel like going on a tour, especially a haunted tour. ( I went on one on the day before Halloween). But, apparently, Mary King's Close is cool becasue you can see how people build on top of the existing buildings- there is stratification. Plus, it was dark, and when the sun goes down this city gets weird. When I was on the haunted tour, there were about 5-10 (scary) tours I saw, and no one else was on the streets. So, I was back in my hostel by 5:20 (the sun goes down by 4:30-5) and have been on the internet- which I had to pay a pound an hour. I also had a Subway sandwich for dinner in my room, even though there is no eating in the rooms. I figured I would be very neat and clean. Plus, I already had fish and chips, with salt and vinegar in my room for lunch...

The Plan

I love it here! I don't even want to go to Belfast and London for a few days. I love it that much. I have been thinking a lot about whether I want to stay here and get my degree from St. Andrews, or go back to KU. I have found the solution... so I think, right now anyway. I will go back to KU. I will graduate in 4 years with a degree in Journalism and Swahili. I will then go to St. Andrews for grad school. I will graduate with a masters in either some department in history or IR... that is the plan. Even knowing that I will be back here in a few years... I still don't want to leave this place.

remember, remember, the 5th of november

"Remember, remember, the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot... But what of the man? I know his name was Guy Fawkes and I know, in 1605, he attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. But who was he really? What was he like? We are told to remember the idea, not the man, because a man can fail. He can be caught, he can be killed and forgotten, but 400 years later, an idea can still change the world.."

V for Vendetta

Lots of fireworks going off tonight for Guy Fawkes Day. I hope I get to see a bonfire or two also. 

READING WEEK!!!

Ok, first off, reading week is not what you think. Everyone that is new to the school travels. Everyone that is a 3rd or 4th year stays. I have no clue what the 2nd years do. Most of the people I know that are first years and from GB are going home. In short, no one I know is reading. The week was made so, "Reading Week is intended as an opportunity for staff and students to catch up on academic work and to deepen their understanding of their subject. All students are expected to devote these parts of the semester to their studies." However it seems to not be working since this is the last year they are going to have it.
     So we have our next cleaning inspection in the middle of reading week. This is what our kitchen has looked like for the past few weeks...

This trash is actually pretty good considering it have been about 3 weeks since it was last emptied. Last time, it was so overflowing there was trash piled up to the counter.

It is so gross that I do not use the kitchen. I understand the dishes, but who spills coffee and leaves it for weeks...On Thursday night Naomi says we all have to clean it, since everyone was leaving the next day. We got in a big fight. I said I am not cleaning it, I did not make the mess. Plus, why not when people make the mess, or before it gets to the disgusting point. She said I was being rude and not a good flatmate. I said it is so disgusting that I do not use it. She said you don't? So, you don't use the cutlery  or anything? I said I do but nothing else. I don't use the oven, counter, stove, microwave or anything. Then Sam started in on me helping to clean and I said that he does not even live in the flat, so why is he in the conversation.Naomi is the person who when found out that the toaster was broken, blamed Jonathon (behind his back) then went out and bought one the next day and asked for a pound for it. Why doesn't Jonathon buy one, or ask housing for one, since it was supplied to us? I agreed to take out the trash. And, as a sign of good faith, I took out everyone else's too. I do not mind cleaning but when no one looks out or helps each other or shares, then I am not going to either.I did send Naomi a text later apologizing, I guess I could have been a little more understanding. It is just that the kitchen has been a mess for weeks, and I am not about to clean up other peoples' messes whenever they want me to.
     But, Naomi, Douglas, and Faye are all gone for at least a few days. Which is very nice! It was cool at dinner yesterday, to see eveyone I know that lives at DRA to be eating at the same time, and there was no line and lots of seats becasue everyone was leaving.
      Here is my reading week schedule:
today and tomorrow- St. Andrews
Monday- train to Edinburgh in the afternoon. See more of edi. stay at hostel
Tuesday- Belfast
Wednesday- afternoon flight from Belfast to London
Wednesday-... London with Lindsay (high school friend, or here it is college friend)

After that, not sure, I have a few options, Wales, Scottish/English border, or St. Andrews. I still really want to go to Brussels to see where I lived, but it is soooo expensive, it is like 200 pounds for a Chunnel ticket or to fly (roundtrip) :(

That is the plan. I would like to experience what St. Andrews is really about, so when not traveling during reading week I will be reading. At least that is the plan.