Trip to Scotland


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7 international students, ‘Reading Week’, Scotland’s sheer being there and cheap Ryanair flights equal a great trip. I did like Glasgow, and especially the orchestra jam session in the bar ‘Bloc’ on monday.
However, if you contemplate staying in the ‘BlueSky Hostel’, be advised: Due to a broken lock, we were trapped in our room in the morning hours of our second and last day in the hostel. The hostel staff (okay, one guy - who had been nice and helpful before, though) blamed us, essentially saying we were too stupid to operate the lock, then at first refused to give us our deposit money back (I had torn off the door handle, trying to open the door). If you don’t like being trapped and blamed for it, chose another hostel.

Back to brighter topics: Edinburgh, of course, is beautiful. We took one of those ‘free’ city tours, and I was surprised how good it was. Small enough group, and a very good and friendly guide. Of course they pitch their other, non-‘free’, tours, but that’s okay I think.
Then, a thing that normally only happens via Twitter happened via Facebook. Hanging around in our hostel in Edinburgh, a fellow visiting student’s boyfriend texted me, asking if we really were in Edinburgh and what we were up to that night. He had seen some post by me, mentioning Edinburgh. To cut a long story short: We all had a great night out. The Edinburgh University’s Student’s Union has (even more than one) an amazing building with several bars in it and throws (election) parties that are great craic. Impressive stuff.

In Stirling and its castle, we met the nicest museum guide to walk on this earth. In the way that he acted like the greatest grandfather of all times, asking questions and immediately telling some sweet relating anecdote.