Edinburgh: Parte I: Culture

Alright, alright. This is umbarrassin' but today was my first time into Edinburgh, not including the airport or time we came here to go on The Hairy Coo. I know, it took me a while.

Anyway, the day started with getting up at 7:30 in the AM. Erm....Not pleasant! I was so tired. I proceeded to use up my peanut butter and bread to make toast. Then we took the bus to the Stirling bus station so that we could take Megabus to Edinburgh. It was really great, I got to be the resident Megabus expert! Although I have only taken it once (though technically two buses), it was more than either of my two friends.

Once we got into Edinburgh, one of my friends went to get her hair done (SPOILER: It came out really nice!), and my other friend and I went to Scotland's National Gallery. You see, I have taken it upon myself to culture myself a bit. So far that means reading more and going to museums. The problem is, I can only look at paintings of the Madonna and Child or portraits of nicely dressed people for so long. 

We started out in the "Contemporary Art" room that was filled with art residents' work. There was some really....weird, and although I don't necessarily like using this word for someone's art there is no other way to describe my feelings about it,  taxidermy. Also, let's be real, although I am a vegetarian I am not going to go all PETA on the museum or anything. But it was just really bizarre! The artist (Jamie Fitzpatrick) basically took various parts of different animals and put them together to make something. For example, there was a part bird (crow?), part rabbit, part duck one. And there was a magpie, hare, and other...things. I don't know, but here is an example:

Hoodedcrowmountainharehumanmagpie

Yeah. Maybe I am just not enough of a hipster-taxidermist to get it. Anyway, there were also a couple of things I really liked! One woman, Mary Garner, had a couple of pieces where she used beeswax (as well as oil and acrylic) on paper or board. Although, I don't think they photograph well, it's harder to bring out the texture I think.

Sea of Tranquility III

Mostly though, I really liked the pieces in the room by Ashley Nieuwenwizen. She had several drawings there were just very...interesting. Or nice. I wish I had more precise words. But they were just so amazing! I think this one was my overall favorite of anything I saw today:

Quietly, the Flock

Anyway, after this my friend and I made our way to the main building with the permanent art (the contemporary art was in the special exhibition building). There was so much to look at! Oh my goodness! I was all art-ed out by the end. There some that were really lovely! And some that were just....well, over my head, let's say.

My favorites, in no real order. Don't feel obligated to click them all-there were a lot.

Novelli, Pietro. Cain Killing Abel.; I couldn't find an image of this one, unfortunately  He did another piece that is the only one that comes up, which is fine but I really liked the shadows in this one.

Procaccini, Giulio Cesare. The Raising of the Cross.; c 1615-1620. This one reminded me of The Stations of the Cross that you see in a church (at least Catholic ones, I don't know about others), and how I used to look at them when I was little and make up my own captions because I didn't really understand what they were at first.

Van Ruisdael, Jacob. The Banks of a River. 1649.; Mostly, I just really like the tree in this one. 

Church, Frederic Edwin. Nigara Falls, the American Side. 1867.

Nasmyth, Alexander. View of Tantallon Castle and the Bass Rock. c 1816.

Grant, Francis (Sir). Anne Emily Sophia Grant. 1857.

Graham, Peter. Wandering Shadows. 1878.

Fitton, Hedley. Advocates Close. 1912. I couldn't find an image of this, but the man did a lot of cool etchings!

Fraser, Alexander. A Glade in Cadzow Forest.; Couldn't find this either, but it was very pretty.

York, William. The Vegetable Stand. 1884.; I was probably a bit hungry at this point.

Van Gogh, Vincent. Orchard in Blossom. 1888.; Pssh, who needs Starry Night? 

.... Just kidding guys!

Monet, Claude. Poplars on the River Epte. 1891.

Cursiter, Stanley. Twilight. 1914.; This image isn't the full painting, but I couldn't find the whole one. Which I find strange.

Whew! If you are still with me, I'll continue about the day. Actually, even if I lost you somewhere among the paintings, I will continue about the day.

After this, my friend went to go see Phantom of the Opera at the playhouse, and I decided I would walk over to University of Edinburgh. First of all, I was told this place would look like Hogwarts. I was understandably excited. I got a little lost on the way there, and ended up wandering into some art gallery, where I found more things I liked! Mostly, there were a lot of things by a woman, Matylda Kanecka, that were really cool!

Gingerbread Tree

There was also another woman with a bunch of things in there, Ruth Mutch. She had lots of things with little penguins, so of course I liked them =] I might have to go back and get a card or something with one on it. There were even little penguins with kilts and bagpipes! Cu-ute!

Anyway. Finally, I made it to University of Edinburgh. And, honestly....I was so disappointed  There was lots covered in construction. And if it wasn't being constructed upon, the old castle buildings had modern commercial add-ons to them.

Like this. WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE???

However, there were so many bookstores and coffee shops around. I will definitely go back and have a hipster day where all I do is go into used bookstores, drink coffee (I might go crazy and drink it black!), and talk about obscure things that you would not have heard of. =]

At this point, it was three o'clock and I had to start finding my way back to the bus station. I didn't get to explore the whole campus, but I will next time during my hipster day. Maybe I will find non-commercialized areas. I was also craving falafel, so I stopped into the first place I saw to get some. Turns out this was a mistake. THERE WERE SO MANY PLACES TO GET FALAFEL. I will eat at all of them next time. Or next times, it might take a while. Anyway, the falafel was good (And for those of you who are wondering, no it was not better than the place in Providence), but I think I can find better among the other places. It was a little dry.

I got to the bus station and met my friend who'd gotten her hair done-it looked so good! I was a little jealous. It was very...Emma Watson kind of short. I also went to the coffee place there, not expecting much from a bus station coffee place. My goodness, I was wrong! I got a "mochaccino"- "A delicious cappuccino with a burst of chocolate!" It was so good. Like a mocha, but with foam. So delicious. I don't know if I can drink regular mochas now. It also warmed me up because it had been quite cold all day! Though not drizzly or rainy.

Then we took Megabus back to Stirling and I got back to campus tired and ready for bed. Whew!