This trip has so far been one of the most tiring and most scenic of my life. My first trip abroad was marred with approaching fatigue and soreness as the small seats and few bouts of sleep was all I had to keep me going throughout the day. I knew it was all worth it, however, when we began descent and saw the beauty of old villages and a beautiful city with a perfect blend of classical buildings as well as more gothic styles.
As soon as we left the terminal, and received our bags, the grind of tourism began. We were off to find our tour guide, Phoebe, and our nice and tidy tour bus. Dropping off our bags at the hotel went by as fast as a breeze and before we knew it we were approaching the wondrous view of the Edinburgh Castle from Princess Street and glancing through the stylistic art exhibits of the National Gallery of Scotland. The awe inspiring shifts of styles from Neo-classicism to Impressionism gave great views upon the art history of the U.K.
- John F.
- John F.
First we went to the National Gallery of Scotland and looked at art from the different artistic movements. After the gallery we walked to Calton Hill and there were some amazing views, so that obviously led to photo ops.. At Calton Hill we saw what was known as the Scottish National Monument, a memorial for fallen Scottish soldiers from the Napoleonic Wars, which started construction in 1826. However, due to a poor economy there were money problems and the monument was left unfinished in 1829. The monument became known as Scotland's Disgrace to symbolize the failure of its construction. From the top of the hill we could see the sea and that view was incredible. Along the way, we took in the culture and architecture of Edinburgh, which is varied and styled after ancient Athens. All in all, today was pretty incredible despite the jet leg.
-Izzy B.
