Scotland, The Cutest Place on Earth

When I arrived two days ago in Edinburgh, Scotland, cute was not the original word I would have used to describe it. Dirty, loud, foreign, these are closer to what I said when I first started walking around the foggy streets. But my thoughts on this place have changed. Scotland is actually pretty adorable. Between the incredible cathedrals and museums, the gorgeous gardens and parks, and the cute Scottish boys, Scotland is cute in the best way possible.

Since the reason that I’m on this trip is that my dad is leading it as a Study Abroad program for the University of Colorado, yesterday we went off in pairs to explore, discover, and get lost in (literally) Edinburgh and Scottish culture. And what I found was that each part of the city was different, incredible and full of beauty in its own unique way. The people were different, the food was different, even the building were very different. And it’s all pretty much gorgeous.

Toady we went off to explore again, this time with specific aims to find out more about a certain piece of Scottish culture. My group went off first to the Scott Monument, a statue and surrounding tower paying tribute to the great author, Sir Walter Scott. Next, we went to the National Portrait Gallery of Scotland, which houses all the portraits of the Scottish Royalty, as well as paintings and photographs of Scottish history, sports, authors, and artists. And last, we went off to the National Gallery of Scotland, which has a collection of other Scottish artwork, landscapes, portraits, and even impressionist paintings. All were beautiful, although one can only look at some many royal portraits before they want to run away screaming. Through the art, we learned not only about the people within the art, but also the painters, the history, and the countless stories told through each and every piece. The thing about being here in Scotland is that every piece of this place, every building and every street has meaning. Every person in each of the paintings was important in Scottish history and helped to make it the country it is today.

But to me at least, the real value of Scotland is that it’s not only historically and culturally relevant, but it also houses a level of beauty and aesthetic importance that brings in the many thousands each year. Scotland’s “cuteness” lies in its ability to captivate and inspire people. It lies in the mountains and glens of the highlands, and in each and every churchyard. Each park that I walk through every day houses a new beauty and “cuteness.” Each person (especially the boys) that I meet here is adorably cute in there own inevitable and very Scottish way.

As I was walking through one of the courtyards of a church today, I saw an adorable boy, apparently on holiday to Scotland. The churchyard was quiet and solemn, so was I, so was the boy. But there were was a hidden exuberance and lovely peacefulness between all of us. There was a shared charm , a living existence, and it was beautiful. That’s why I love Scotland, because its real, because its honest, because it’s cute!

Love, Ethan Brown Jones

Destination: Scotland

As I blog to you today, I sit, looking out the window of my hostel, at the quiet streets of Edinburgh. The past few days and even the past few hours have been anything but quiet. I awoke only a little over a day ago, and began frantically cleaning and packing, preparing any last minute things the I could for the upcoming trip. By noon, we were almost ready, and by 12:20, we were off leaving my beautiful dog Sophie behind. First came the easy part, the car ride down to the bus and then the hour-long bus ride to the airport. Next came the irritating piece, security and boarding. And then the mundane segment, the first flight from Denver to Minneapolis.

Soon, but not soon enough, we were on the ground in Minneapolis, running from one plane to the next, just in time. Here’s where it got fun! The flight was on one of the huge international jets with fancy bathrooms, comfy seats, blankets and pillows, and of course, great food. I was actually starting to get excited and lose the worry at this point. I snuggled in, and after eight hours, two meals, and little sleep, we were finally on the ground in Amsterdam. The airport was beautiful, with fresh smoothy shops, cheese, a museum, a lounge, and even a library. Because of the lack of sleep and the comfy surroundings, the library served as a perfect place for us to rest up and recuperate.

By the time we got on the next flight, we were too tired to even think. I just slumped down in my seat and listened to music while dozing for the entire flight. And then we were there, in Edinburgh! When we exited the airport I almost was a little disappointed by the surroundings, bare grass fields and small buildings. But as soon as the bus hit the edge of town, that all changed.

There were cute little houses arranged with rose gardens and cobblestone driveways out front. And then we saw the castles and the churches and the enormous towering old apartment buildings. When we got off the bus, it was just a short walk up to the hotel. Inside we found the modest, but homey apartment we would be staying in for the next three weeks. The bedrooms were simple, with some artwork and fairly large closets. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were nicer with couches, more art, a couple of tables, a sink, an oven, and even a clothes washer. Overall, the apartment was livable, if in somewhat disrepair. Going out to dinner, we decided to go to a pub, but when we arrived, it turns out that the over-18 rule was strictly enforced, so we headed on to a pizza, burger, and kebab place and got lamb kebab and chips, and felafel. The food was good, and the view of the rain-soaked evening streets was even better. After dinner we walked around for a while, wandering through block after block of restaurants, bars, and apartments.

By the end of the day, we were incredibly tired, and I feel asleep blogging and writing. First impressions: wow, beautiful buildings, beautiful setting, sexy-ass boys. Life is good.

Love, Ethan Brown Jones