When I think of Scotland (or Scots), I think Macbeth, So I Married an Axe Murderer, and Bagpipes. My week in Edinburgh has included two of those three.
Leaving Stratford was bitter sweet, as Linhill became a little home for us abroad. Diana, one of the owners was the sweetest lady ever, and she used "love" as her term of endearment or casual nickname. "Tea or coffee, love?" "How was the play tonight, love?" "You simply blew some fuses and overloaded the internet multiple times, loves." The departure was exciting, though, as it meant we were headed for the world's largest arts festival.
We had a mini/almost fiasco with our transportation via train, but with some time, patience, and a few "those are our seats", we all managed to settle in for the long ride. Edinburgh itself is a beautiful and interesting city. Walking along Princes Street, to one side is shop fronts (many american stores) in the bottom floors of old three story buildings, and to the other is a scenic view of castles, cathedrals, and other generally gothic/revival style buildings. Between the two views is a beautifully maintained park, green as can be from all the rain.
We've seen a variety of shows: an adaptation of Oedipus at Colonus done in Black, southern baptist, gospel singing; an "urban" portrayal of Hamlet by high school aged students from Oakland; a comedic playing of Macbeth; a spin off A Midsummer Night's Dream by a soulful voice and dance troupe; an intensification of the character Laura from The Glass Menagerie; a commentary about the sex slave industry in England; etc. Also, our classes attended two readings by famous authors that we're reading for our courses, Roddy Doyle and Paul Muldoon. They signed our books after the interview and reading.
There's literally too much to post about. I have a personal record of my days, but I don't want to get into too many little details because we pack so much adventure, learning, eating, walking, laughing, and praying into one single day. I have a lot to still reflect on that hopefully I'll be able to blog about soon. Without a doubt, I've had a lot of incredible moments with God and friends, and I've also had a lot of serious, difficult, stimulating and heartbreaking moments that have arisen while watching some of the theatre productions.
Our next stay is in Rydal, in the Lake District. We head out on Tuesday!
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