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Published On: Aug 18, 2006 10:18 PM
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Published On: Aug 18, 2006 10:18 PM
The Scots Entry
Well, I left Edinburgh a few hours ago,
so...
Greetings from a Virgin Rail Train, somewhere south of Carlisle!
I hope that all my hostel experiences are as great as what I had in Edinburgh. The facilities were owned by the University of Edinburgh, and so we were basically living in dorms -- small private rooms with a bed, desk, nightstand and wardrobe, and 4 rooms shared one powder room and one full bathroom. Very nice, very secure, and very close to the Royal Mile -- the center of Edinburgh.
Unfortunately in my research for the trip I didn't happen to notice the huge cultural festival that was taking place during my visit (and pretty much all month long). The Fringe is a huge arts festival with drama, music, comedy, etc. bringing people from all over the world. Annoying people. Large crowds of them.
When I was formulating this entry, I thought about my own irrationality -- my overwhelming need for a large quantity of personal space -- and how it was being tested by the large crowds of people who seem to not care how many times they're bumped in a given moment. On the other hand, it was nice, for a change, to be in a country focused on rationality. One of the highlights of my visit was the Dynamic Earth museum in Edinburgh, near Holyrood House. This large, technologically amazing exhibit took visitors back in time to 14.5 billion years ago to observe the Big Bang, and then forward through time to the formation of Earth, and its early aeons. Large screens provided the sensation of motion over volcanic eruptions, glaciers, and other formative forces. Further on there were exhibits demonstrating evolution at work.
Such an exhibit in the States would have had protesters out front, at least, and objections (this exhibit was funded by National Lottery money), but I saw none of that here.
The main thing that I've had to explain to people here has been the religious fanaticism in American society. It's not easy to do so, of course, because I don't really understand it myself. I do my best to help the people here understand that we're not ALL like that.
Of course, my cause isn't helped by Americans at the festival who, to take one random example, stand up on the stage with a foam block of cheese on their head (presumably a Wisconsonite), playing guitar and singing "Jesus loves the little children."
Well, maybe he does. But so does Michael Jackson, and you don't hear anyone composing songs about that.
Greetings from a Virgin Rail Train, somewhere south of Carlisle!
I hope that all my hostel experiences are as great as what I had in Edinburgh. The facilities were owned by the University of Edinburgh, and so we were basically living in dorms -- small private rooms with a bed, desk, nightstand and wardrobe, and 4 rooms shared one powder room and one full bathroom. Very nice, very secure, and very close to the Royal Mile -- the center of Edinburgh.
Unfortunately in my research for the trip I didn't happen to notice the huge cultural festival that was taking place during my visit (and pretty much all month long). The Fringe is a huge arts festival with drama, music, comedy, etc. bringing people from all over the world. Annoying people. Large crowds of them.
When I was formulating this entry, I thought about my own irrationality -- my overwhelming need for a large quantity of personal space -- and how it was being tested by the large crowds of people who seem to not care how many times they're bumped in a given moment. On the other hand, it was nice, for a change, to be in a country focused on rationality. One of the highlights of my visit was the Dynamic Earth museum in Edinburgh, near Holyrood House. This large, technologically amazing exhibit took visitors back in time to 14.5 billion years ago to observe the Big Bang, and then forward through time to the formation of Earth, and its early aeons. Large screens provided the sensation of motion over volcanic eruptions, glaciers, and other formative forces. Further on there were exhibits demonstrating evolution at work.
Such an exhibit in the States would have had protesters out front, at least, and objections (this exhibit was funded by National Lottery money), but I saw none of that here.
The main thing that I've had to explain to people here has been the religious fanaticism in American society. It's not easy to do so, of course, because I don't really understand it myself. I do my best to help the people here understand that we're not ALL like that.
Of course, my cause isn't helped by Americans at the festival who, to take one random example, stand up on the stage with a foam block of cheese on their head (presumably a Wisconsonite), playing guitar and singing "Jesus loves the little children."
Well, maybe he does. But so does Michael Jackson, and you don't hear anyone composing songs about that.
Posted: Fri - August 18, 2006 at 10:18 PM |
