Walkabout

As promised, pictures of my new town. My plan today was to head toward the old part of town, then Princes Street where a lot of the fancy shops and buildings are. I was going to zip around, take some surrepticious pictures (I favor sniper-style photo taking, so as to avoid looking like a tourist as much as possible), buy a phone and zip out. The first few pictures are of my walk to school, and just heading around town.

However.

When I got toward Princes, it became obvious that something big was happening. Something exciting. Something...parade-like. All of the roads were blocked off, there were bobbies EVERYWHERE, and everyone was waving Scottish flags. What was this strange event I had stumbled upon?

Well friends, it was the POPE. The Pope was in Scotland today on an apostalic visit, and he just happened to be having tea with the queen that moment and his motorcade was going to come sloooowly rolling through the center of town IN JUST TEN MORE MINUTES. Of course I waited. And waited. And waited with everyone else in the bitter Scotch wind while the Pope drank endless cuppas with the queen mum. This seemed very British to me.

But then he came! And I got a picture of his arm waving in the Pope-mobile. I would have rather had a scarf with his face on it, but that cost £5 and I can't afford to wear the Pope at that price.

Anyway, so I watched the Pope and then I walked back. The last few photos are of my school building and the student union (which has four bars in it. Clearly, I am expected to be drunk ALL THE TIME).

Thus, Edinburgh.