Adventures Abroad

This is my blog about my adventures in England at UEA and wherever else I may go. I intend to update at least once a week.

[mcubitches]

AGE OF ULTRON Filming Seemingly Transforms UK Campus Into (Part of) THE AVENGERS Tower

[tristanaef]

Filming for The Avengers sequel has picked up on-location at a campus in the United Kingdom, and photos from the set reveal many Audi vehicles, as well as Earth’s mightiest heroes’ logo on a building.

Of course this happens two weeks after I leave.

[traveling-ailee]

I arrived home on Saturday without any issues. I will be doing a few last posts in a bit. (Click on the photos for captions.) 

[traveling-ailee]

[traveling-ailee]

At the Tesco down the street from UEA. 

[traveling-ailee]

I'm not sure what you're meaning about the Inverness signs puns. The first one has Inverness in English then in Gaelic "Inbhir Nis". It's not a pun! The second is a company so yeah I think it's a pun. - From an Invernesian

Sorry that was confusing — I love the first sign because it uses English and Gaelic, and I love the second sign because it uses a pun! I'll edit the description to make that clear. 

[tristanaef]

The books I bought at Leakey’s Bookshop and Café while in Inverness, Scotland. It is an amazing bookstore, and could have spent much longer there than the several hours I did spend.

This issue of The Yellow Book contains works which were published in previous issues, so it includes work from many writers and artists who are now well-known. I am particularly pleased because it includes several pieces by Aubrey Beardsley. (However, the art is reprinted on semi-glossy sheets at the end of the book instead of interspersed with the stories like it is in other issues, which is a bit of a disappointment.)

Machiavelli’s The Prince (translated into English) is a Folio Society edition; The Pearl is in the original Middle English (and, funnily enough, was originally published in Massachusetts), though it has been written in a bit. Since I will be writing my thesis next semester on the author of The Pearl, it seemed like an appropriate purchase. 

[traveling-ailee]

The ultimate pair of signs: a sign with both English and Gaelic, and a sign with a pun. Going to Inverness was worth it just for the latter.

[traveling-ailee]

Scotland, Day 5: Returning to Norwich

(Some views from the train.)

My train out of Inverness on Saturday, May 24, left at 7:55 a.m., so I had to leave the B&B before breakfast was served. The owners were very nice and gave me scones to take away, which I ate on the train. 

(A fruit scone and a cheese scone.) 

I have been on a total of six train journeys during this trip, and I have been assigned a seat facing backwards in every single one of them. I have seen the seats facing forward, so I know they exist. Maybe they cost extra. 

My trip had three legs (not including the bus from the Norwich train station to UEA): Inverness to Edinburgh, Edinburgh to Peterborough, and Peterborugh to Norwich. This time, I was seated on the other side of the train going from Inverness from Edinburgh, so I was able to see the ocean through my (rather dirty) window when we passed it. 

When we passed through Ely near the end of my journey, I snapped a photo of the cathedral. 

My train to Norwich got in a little after 6 p.m., so it was definitely a full day of traveling. I am safely back at UEA. I had a very good trip, and I'm glad I was able to visit Scotland! 

[traveling-ailee]

Should the pedestrians slow down? Or should drivers slow down the pedestrians (by hitting them with their cars, perhaps)?

(Seen in Inverness.) 

[traveling-ailee]

Loch Ness, Scotland.

[tristanaef]

The countryside around Loch Ness.

[tristanaef]

Loch Ness, Scotland.

[traveling-ailee]

Scotland, Day 4: Inverness

(All the signs in Inverness are bilingual.)

I had all of Friday, May 23, in Inverness. After breakfast at the B&B, I headed across the river to Leakey’s Cafe and Bookshop. Its website claims is the largest secondhand bookstore in Scotland. I can believe it. 

(Look at all those books!) 

I bought three books (pictures later) and had lunch in the café, which is just behind me and to my right in the picture above. 

Then I went by the Inverness Museum, which has free admission. The exhibits mixed historical artifacts with contemporary artwork, and it was interesting to see modern takes on traditional objects. I also learned what a quaich is: it’s a traditional bowl or cup used to drink the “welcoming drink” (usually whiskey). 

(Quaichs.) 

(Brooches. A bit of editorializing on the plaque: "Most brooches are decorated with incised designs, the most common based on a star pattern. Some have been engraved with more skill than others.")

(A miniature bagpipe.)

I also stopped by the castle. The castle itself is closed to visitors, but you can walk around the grounds. There wasn’t much to see. 

(The castle; the view from the walls.)

The owner of the B&B had recommended that I look at some islands farther down the river, so I crossed to the other bank and walked along the water. I stopped by St Andrew’s Cathedral. 

(The Inverness cathedral.) 

In rained off and on, but it was fine weather for a stroll. 

(Birds on the water. I’m not sure what the top one was, but it wasn’t a seagull: it had a black head.The crow was one of two which were carrying bits of food back and forth to one area on the bank.) 

(The path.)

(One of the islands.)

I walked back to the B&B and relaxed there a bit before I got dinner. In the evening, I caught the bus to Urquhart Castle, which is on Loch Ness. I had no intention of seeing the castle itself, but I was under the impression I would be able to walk down to the water from there. That was not the case. It looks like the only way to get close to the water is to pay for admission to the castle, which I couldn’t do anyway since I got there after it had closed for the day. I got off the bus, admired the castle from a distance, and got on the next bus back. So, I basically paid £5.25 for a bus tour of the loch. Still, the views from the window were nice. 

(Urquhart Castle from the carpark. More pictures to follow.)

Though it was disappointing that I couldn’t get closer to the loch, I had a very good day. 

[traveling-ailee]

In Inverness.  

[tristanaef]

Cemeteries on the train from Edinburgh to Inverness. 

[traveling-ailee]

Inverness. 

[traveling-ailee]

Scotland, Day 3: Traveling to Inverness

(View from the train from Edinburgh to Inverness.)

I spent a good part of Thursday, May 22, traveling to Inverness. On my way from the B&B to Waverley Station, I used one of those stairs I mentioned. 

I guess there was a problem with our original train and they had to get a replacement, because they didn't let us onto the train until the last minute, and then there was a group of men (on a business trip?) who were supposed to be in first class but were sitting in the same coach as me because there was no first class anymore. It didn't really affect me, but there you go. 

The train from Edinburgh to Inverness takes about four hours, so I had plenty of time to look at the scenery. Inverness is in the Highlands at the top of Loch Ness, so the scenery was more like what I associate with Scotland.

I caught sight of quite a few sheep, many with lambs. 

(Those little white dots are sheep.)

On the train, I tried a British specialty I have seen advertised everywhere since I arrived in England: Bakewell Slices. They got a little smooshed so they weren't worth photographing, but the packaging does a pretty good job of representing them: 

(Courtesy of Mr. Kipling.) 

Apparently they are a derivative of the Bakewell tart. They consist of jam (in this case, plum and raspberry) between almond sponge (frangipane), which is topped with lemon icing. They are indeed "Exceedingly Good..."

When I arrive in Inverness, I had no trouble finding my B&B. Inverness is pretty small, so it was only a ten or fifteen minute walk away even though Mardon Guest House is on the other side of the River Ness, and therefore not in the center of the city. 

(A footbridge.) 

Once again, I am very happy with the B&B. This one is very cute. 

(Flowers and complimentary teddy bear.)

(Also something I find very cute: they put the shortbread biscuits in a tupperware!) 

While recovering from my walk through the rain that was required to reach the B&B (the first rain I've encountered on this trip), I sampled another British specialty which we cannot get in the States: Horlicks malted milk drink. 

It was better than I was expecting, but not my favorite. I'm not sure I had the malted-milk-to-water ratio correct, though, so I'll have to try it again sometime. 

Fully recovered, I set out to explore the town. My major discovery was the cemetery, which is home to a family (or two) of rabbits. Many of the tombstones were so worn away they were illegible, but I did find a cluster of graves dedicated to Ritchies. 

I decided to have a real meal for dinner, so I went to Ash, a chain which has a special offer of two courses for £7.95. I got the seasonal vegetable Indian curry, which was pretty good, and the raspberry . . . something for dessert. I think the menu said soufflé, and both the person who took my order and the person who served it to me both confirmed it was a soufflé . . . but I don't think this is what a soufflé is? It was like a very rich sorbet. 

(Whatever it was, it was so good!)

I headed back to the B&B, and now I'm writing this blog post! I'm looking forward to my day in Inverness tomorrow. Until then, I'll leave you with some flowers. 

(Clearly, it rains a lot here.)