Rugby and the Queen

On Saturady we went to see Vinnie play rugby. We ended up at the wrong game until we figured out that he was second string. They didn't seem very good, but what do I know?
WE accidentally met up with all of them later, after the Ceilidh. They were drunk and hilarious and we made friends with several. A really old man kissed me and said he was so happy to see me again, even though I don't think we had really ever met.
The Queen's Palace was great. I especially enjoyed learning about Mary's tragedies. I loved that we could climb the spiral staircase and see her bed chambers. It was interesting how many royal people's hair was stashed in lockets and gifted to others. What a peculiar thing to be presented with. I loved all the portraits and noted that even with different ideals of beauty, those royal people were not a handsome bunch.

Post-Pope and Mary King's Close

The underground city is actually the foundation for modern High Street. The ghost tour was not very ghostly but more informative. I can see why there was so much disease, lots of closed in spaces, no plumbing, no fresh air, lots of rat/flea habitat.
The Pope wasn't wearing his giant hat. What a disappointment. I also learned that he uses the 16 mil for good (not evil) JK. I don't know for sure. This is all stuff my roommates said. I will look it up.

The Pope and Being a Tourist

The Pope will be in town tomorrow. All public transportation to the city center has been shutdown and my street has barricades on both sides. Scotland, or someone, paid 16 million for the Pope to come and speak with victims of violence? That's a lot of money for one person.
Also, tonight all my friends and I will be touring the second layer of Edinburgh through Mary Queen's Close. Edinburgh is apparently a three layered city in parts. Instead of demolishing and rebuilding, the first layer was built on top of and then the second. The black plague went rampant down there, when peasants rented out the underground city. We will be seeing the part beneath the Royal Mile tonight and then will be up to see the Pope's parade in the morning.