Sales in Scotland

An end and a beginning...

2009-09-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

We haven't been updating our blog too much recently and I apologize. We've been in limbo since we've moved home from Edinburgh but we finally have some clarity. We are moving to Texas! Austin to be precise. I will be running a private company that develops software and firmware for the fueling industry. Stacie and I are both excited and as many of you know Stacie has a Texas connection having attended Baylor University.

Just this week we finalized our rental home and tomorrow we're getting our car (since we sold both of ours prior to moving overseas). The movers came and loaded all of our kit (Scottish for stuff) this morning and Monday we will hit the dusty trail to Austin. We'll meander our way South, stopping in Boise and Jackson Hole to visit good friends along the way.

Like the latest chapter of our life, this blog has come to a close, but we invite our faithful readers to follow along with us at http://salesinaustin.blogspot.com/

See you in Austin!

-Kyle

Family Reunion

2009-09-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

After an entire year of separation, our little family has finally been reunited. Our sweet Mercedes has been living in Spokane with Kyle's mom for the past year, while Deacon got to travel abroad with us! We've been lovingly referring to her as "Timmy" (i.e. Timothy Lahaye from the 'Left Behind' series, if you are familiar with the novels).

Best buds again!

The Deacon-Mercedes reunion was not initially as happy as we had hoped. Mercedes was not too thrilled to see her older bro, but after a day she came to her senses and has been laying all over him ever sense. Thankfully, she was quite excited to see us! Leave it to a dog to make you feel like you're some kind of celebrity or something!

Kyle & I couldn't resist a little photo-shoot in the 'new' (used lightly here as you can see) family car. It feels good to all be back together again!

Kyle and "the kids" in the Beetle

-Stacie

Back in the States

2009-09-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well, we are officially back in the States spending time with friends and family and it feels good! We flew from Edinburgh to Virginia and spent a little over a week with my family. One day we went down to Colonial Williamsburg with my good friend Katie and her boys Chase & Brooks.

Colonial Williamsburg

Katie & Me in Williamsburg

Kyle & I felt very nostalgic when we went in the 'Scotland House'. Katie even bought us a can of Haggis to enjoy here!

In front of the Scotland House

Kyle & Brooks playing with dinosaur eggs (aka rocks)

Katie & Me in the stocks!

During our week we also went to Harrisonburg to visit my brother Justin at JMU. He is a freshman this year! It is still blowing my mind that he is all grown up. I still think of him as being a little kid, but as you can see those days are long gone!

Justin & Kyle on campus

Last time we were in Virginia my parents had just gotten a german shepherd puppy named Moses. We were reunited this trip and now I am missing him! He's HUGE, but super sweet and endearing. After he got used to us, he followed us around the house looking for an ear scratch or tummy rub.

Sweet little Mo-Mo

We are now back in Spokane hanging out with Kyle's family. We should be here for the next few weeks- we'll keep you posted on our future plans!

-Stacie

Miltary Tattoo

2009-09-02T08:50:00.001-07:00

Our last night in Edinburgh Kyle & I went to see the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. A military tattoo is a performance by a military band. As part of the annual festival in Edinburgh, they have hosted a Tattoo for the past 60 years. It included military bands from all over the world and is performed on the esplanade of the Edinburgh Castle. The event is viewed by over 200,000 people each year and has sold out for the past decade. Needless to say, it was quite spectacular.

Performers from China

Highland Dancers

Scottish Pipe Band

Swiss Drumline

Grand Finale

Fireworks

-Stacie

Three hundred and sixty one...

2009-08-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

...that is how many days it has been since we arrived in Edinburgh on our European adventure. Now, it seems like a blink of an eye and it is over. Kyle has finished his MBA and we are leaving one adventure for the next- a job. No job yet, but that's why it's called an adventure!

We feel so blessed to have been able to live in the UK and see all the amazing things we have gotten to see while we've been here. It changes you to experience a different culture this way and I think we will both return with a new / greater perspective on life.

Tonight we're headed to see the 'Edinburgh Military Tattoo'. A performance held at the castle featuring military bands from all over the world, with over 200 pipers. It is supposed to be phenomenal. We'll post more about it from Virginia.

Bon Voyage,

Stacie & Kyle

Fringe Festival

2009-08-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

Every August Edinburgh hosts one of the largest arts festivals in the world. There are hundreds of shows you can go to varying from comedians, musicians, acrobatics, dance- the list goes on. Kyle & I have gone to a few shows and enjoyed all the free street performers as well. Here are a few photos from around town:

Speed Dating

Spooky Street Performer

Crowd Enjoying Acrobatics

'Lord Livingstone' - Classic

Street (or offroad) Musician

Flyers

The city is teaming with people promoting venues and shows which means it is impossible to walk 10 feet without having a flyer shoved into your hand. It's a fun and festive atmosphere and we've enjoyed taking it in during our last week here in Edinburgh.

-Stacie & Kyle

Homeward Bound

2009-08-23T08:40:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that our adventure in Scotland is coming to an end soon. It feels like just yesterday that we stepped of the plane and started our new life here in Edinburgh. It has been an exciting, fun and challenging year to say the least. Kyle & I are both feeling rather bittersweet about having to say goodbye to Edinburgh, but we are looking forward to going back home and being much closer to friends and family.

One week from today we will close the door to our flat for the last time and board our flight back home. Our first stop is Virginia to spend some much needed time with my family. I haven't seen my brother or grandparents in over a year and am really looking forward to being able to see them again! After labor day, we are then headed to Seattle. We'll most likely be in Seattle for a few days while Kyle does some interviewing and then the plan is to head to Spokane where will stay indefinitely until Kyle finds a job.

The prospect of going home without a job, is a little daunting. But currently there are quite a few irons in the fire and we both feel very encouraged that the Lord will provide. Needless to say, it is still exciting times in the Sale household! Even though it won't be 'Sales in Scotland' for much longer- we plan to keep the blog going until all is settled and Kyle has a job.

-Stacie

Signspotting

2009-08-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

Every August, Edinburgh hosts what is known as the 'Edinburgh Festival'. The festival holds the world record for the largest arts festival and dates back to 1947 when it was established as a post-war effort to boost moral. There are countless events that you can attend including opera, orchestra, musical theatre, comedians, magicians, open-air markets, street performers and anything else you can thing of really! We saw a pretty funny exhibition of signs collected from around the world. Each sign has a funny caption (not written by us, fyi) and a note of where it was spotted. We got such a kick out of them we thought we'd post them for you to enjoy as well.

"Just add a little water and those Bay area pedestrians start slipping right out of your hands."

San Francisco, USA

"We know a street when we see one."

Wisconsin, USA

"What happened to equal opportunity pain inflictors?"

Warwick Castle, England

"Interesting...Cassowary birds are a better speeding deterrent than police."

Queensland, Austrailia

"Nature is calling."

Maine, USA

"Keep your hands away from the cages. You may be clawed, bitten or covered in drool."

Isle of Eriska, Scotland

"There's something over there, but we're not sure what it is."

Zemah, Israel

"Well, at least you know where it is now."

Batalaha, Portugal

"Sadly, the irony is lost on the bears."

Laos

"Well, the parishioners have been duly warned."

Vermont, USA

"Messiah Crossing?"

Ireland, UK

"Without this sign, you'd never know that you need to increase your speed to clear the rocks below."

Chiayi County, Taiwan

"How many unattended relatives, you suppose, rolled to their tragic fate before local officials were prompted to put up this sign?"

St. Lucia, South Africa

"Police are cracking down on either swearing or flagrant punctuation abuse."

Virginia, USA

"Warning: spectacular accidents ahead."

Mertola, Portugal

"Translating is clearly prohibited at the Karlstejn Castle. Or as the sign says in Czech just above the English, "Translating Prohibited"."

Prague, Czech Republic

"Better fasten your seatbelt."

Wellington, New Zealand

"Only authorized unauthorized visits."

Utah, USA

"Have you ever wondered what you'd get if you combined a flea market and a funeral parlor?"

Georgia, USA

"Left lane for mid-life crisis; Right lane for abandoning New Year's Resolutions."

London, England

"Here's an interesting reflection on Western Society: we even having parking spots for people who have just made a conscious decision not to park."

Wisconsin, USA

"Executives battle over animal feeding."

Johannesburg Zoo, South Africa

"Fallen pedestrians will be fined."

Forbidden City, Beijing, China

"Tastier than caged children."

Scotland, UK

"Here at the Optimist Club, people see the Cape half full."

North Carolina, USA

"They don't call it a safety ladder for nothing. Or, on second thought, perhaps they do."

Alaska, USA

"Your vehicle will rise up and get an oil change. All traffic violations will be forgiven."

Wisconsin, USA

"Sometimes it might be easy to forget that people are just as baffled by our toilets as we are by theirs. I have yet to see a sign in a squat toilet instructing people not to sit directly on the hole in the floor though."

Ankor Wat, Cambodia

Hope that made you laugh, it sure did us! We'll be posting more of the stuff we see over the next two weeks. Post a comment and have a vote on your favorite one. I like the translated sign of 'Translating Prohibited' and Kyle most enjoyed 'Optimist Club of Cape Fear'.

-Stacie

Coastal Vacation

2009-08-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

This past week Stacie and I headed back to the States to visit my family on the Oregon Coast. We flew into Seattle on Friday afternoon and got to see our good friends Dan & Jodi as well as catch-up with our old Bible study crew on Saturday morning. From Seattle we drove the Pacific Coast Highway (101) down to Rockaway Beach Oregon!

The appeal of the Oregon Coast is the natural beauty and small towns that dot Highway 101. The weather is usually mild and the Pacific Ocean is COLD! The caramel corn however, is alway just right and Stacie knows just where to find her caramel apples.

Seaside Beach scenery

One of our favorite stops is Seaside Beach. The main attraction is Stacie's afore mentioned caramel apples but the real crowd pleaser is an old time bumper car extravaganza! The whole family enjoys trying to inflict neck and back injuries on anyone who dares enter the arena.

Pure Bumper Bliss!

It's hard to tell from the picture but my sister is seven months pregnant. You leave the country for a year and a lot changes!

Brandon, Heather and Us

Here's a shot of Oregon's natural beauty. This tree is located in Cape Meares, which is named after British explored John Meares.

Octopus Tree

Here's me and my mom enjoying the Cape Meares Park scenery.

Me & Mom

One day we ventured down to the Tillamook to partake in the county fair. If Tillamook sounds oddly familiar it might be because you've enjoyed Tillamook Dairy ice cream or cheese (and if not, you really should). We bet a few dollars on the horse races but came out a loser, actually it was a photo finish but that didn't stop them from keeping our cash.

As we've commented before I have an affinity for VW's and the Tillamook Dairy was rolling modified VW Busses, aptly named the 'Mini Loafs'. It's hard to see in the picture but they are about the size of a Mini Cooper. Needless to say I thought they were blog-worthy.

Mini Loaf gets big props

Deacon racked-up the frequent flyer miles on this Edinburgh MBA adventure but we're happy to say he's safely home. I think he enjoyed the beach more than anyone. He'd play in the sand and water until he was limping (not exaggerating) then cry to go out again when we put him in the beach house.

Deacon enjoying American soil...well, sand

We had to get back to Seattle to catch our flight home and we were happy to stay with our friends the Dobbins. Their son Blake is cute enough that Stacie and I have contemplated 'baby snatching' him on more than one occasion. Blake demonstrated how a Gordito's Burrito should be eaten!

Open mouth, shovel, repeat

Overall the trip was an amazing success! We arrived in Edinburgh yesterday morning and lasted until about 5:00 pm before succumbing to jet lag. Not to worry, we were sound asleep when the alarm went-off 13 hours later at 6:00 am!

We will be in Scotland through the end of the month then we're off to visit Stacie's family in Virginia and move home. Time does really fly.

-Kyle

Homeward Bound

2009-07-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

Oregon Coast here we come!

We are off to the Pacific Northwest to visit friends and family for the first time since August of 2008! Deacon is already on his way and our flight leaves tomorrow morning. It's only a short visit this time, but the plan is to return home for good at the end of August. We'll post an update when we return.

-Stacie & Kyle

A Clan Gathering

2009-07-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

As part of 'Homecoming Scotland' we attended an event this weekend called 'The Gathering'. During 2009, Scotland is celebrating what they're calling 'Homecoming Scotland'; a series of events to celebrate the Scottish culture. One of these such events was 'The Gathering'. This weekend all the Scottish 'clans' gathered in Edinburgh to celebrate their ancestry. Some of the festivities included Highland Games, Highland dancing, Pipe bands, lots of Scottish food and just general Scottish stuff (i.e.- lots of kilts, swords, capes, etc). The event was held in the field behind Holyrood Palace.

The Gathering

The official Patron of the Gathering was His Royal Highness, Prince Charles. Kyle & I were pretty excited to see some official royalty up close and personal.

Prince Charles

One of the events that I mentioned they had is called Highland dancing. Highland dancing was derived from the Scottish Highlands and is done to accompanying bagpipes. The dancing itself looks similar to a very athletic ballet. It's quite impressive really.

Highland dancers

Another event was the Highland Games. Highland Games are a series of events celebrating the Scottish culture. The most exciting events are called the 'Heavy events' or the 'Strong man events'. One such event we saw were the men trying to lift up heavy stones and placing them on top of a whiskey barrel. They had to see who could get all five stones on the barrels and who could do it the fastest. The competitors came from all over the world including America and Australia.

A few of the 'strong men'

Here is a video we took of one of the events and a Pipe band in the background. The announcer was actually quite amusing.

In the midst of the games, they also had a tug of war competition going on. I never realized their was a technique to tug of war, but apparently there is. We got to see the world champions in tug of war (I can't believe there is a world champion- who is judging this kind of thing?).

Tug of war

Aside from the really cool stuff that we got to see, we also saw some pretty funny stuff. One of my favorites was the line for the Tea Pavilion. Normally you have a long line for the beer garden (which did also have a long line) but only in the UK do you also have a long line for the tea pavilion- where you can actually go inside and be seated for tea and biscuits! I love it! My second favorite sighting was the babies in kilts. Really, you cannot get much cuter than a baby in a kilt.

The Tea Pavilion line

Baby in a kilt

Another baby in a kilt

Last but not least, they had a stage set up for Pipe bands to perform. Kyle & I were fortunate enough to get to see a very lively, entertaining band called the 'Red Hot Chili Pipers'. We had seen their CDs for sale around town, so it was funny to get to actually see them perform live. Here's a video of them:

Quite the Scottish weekend!

-Stacie

Highland Highlights

2009-07-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Stacie and I took a tour of the Scottish Highlands. Originally we planned on renting a car and taking a day trip on our own. Decent plan in theory. The reality would have involved me white knuckle driving on the opposite side of the road and car, Stacie and I bickering as I refuse to follow directions... you get the point. Hello hired tour!

The tour started at the Hermitage, a nature reserve on the River Braan within the Craigvinean Forest.

Enjoying some sun in the Hermitage

Pathway and foot-bridge in the Hermitage

Nature is precious, alway bin your rubbish!

Next we went to the town of Dunkeld (Dun means Fort, Keld means Celts in Gaelic). This was a town that sprang-up around its cathedral and was far enough inland that it was protected from Viking attack... at least for a little while. The Dunkeld Cathedral dates to the 13th century but the town itself was leveled in the 17th century during the Highland rebellions.

Dunkeld Cathedral

Dunkeld Cathedral, Abbey Ruins

Dunkeld sits on the River Tay, crystal clear water perfect for distilling some Highlands scotch. Stacie and I didn't get to tour a distillery but we did stumble across a good chippy shop and savored our Haddock fish 'n chips. The tour lasted all day and we got to enjoy beautiful views of the Scottish Highlands. We were lucky to pic one of the few sunny days of the summer as well.

-Kyle

Sale's rollin dubs...

2009-07-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Kyle & I are always on the look out for vintage Volkswagens. Kyle's first car was a 1974 Beetle and in High School I always dreamed of driving down the road in an old VW Cabriolet.

Volkswagen spotted in Edinburgh

Poor Deacon having to pose by the Bus!

Kyle has dreams (that I try frequently to squash) of driving a VW bus across the country while camping inside.

Bus spotted in Tallinn, Estonia

Before leaving Seattle in the fall, we sold both of our cars. So, we recently decided we would need to purchase a vehicle for our return. What better car to buy than a VW? Meet Bailey, the newest edition to the Sale family:

Beetle Bailey

-Stacie

Cruise Report: Tallinn & St. Petersburg

2009-07-12T08:33:00.001-07:00

The first port we stopped in was Tallinn, Estonia. Tallinn is located on the Gulf of Finland and boasts a population of 400,000- about 40% of which are Russian. The city itself has been invaded and attacked multiple times- it had a bit of a run-down feel. But it also had some amazing sights and a lovely 'Old Town' area that has been well-maintained despite it's tumultuous history. Our first stop on the tour was the ruins of an ancient nunnery. We were told that Ivan the Terrible used the headstones from the graveyard of the nunnery as cannonballs during one of his attacks. He also burned the church down, which accounts for it current state of ruins.

Kyle & me at the nunnery ruins

The Old Town area of Tallinn was beautiful and boasted this amazing cathedral:

Cathedral in Tallinn

From the Old Town area you could also get a great view of the entire city of Tallinn.

Here we are at the look out point

After our day in Tallinn, we set sail for St. Petersburg. To get into Russia, you have to apply for a visa. So, to bypass this little obstacle, Kyle & I took an official cruise line tour. The tour lasted 9 hours and took us to the Hermitage Museum, Peter and Paul Fortress, a traditional Russian lunch and general sightseeing around the city. The Hermitage Museum was the most impressive thing we saw during our whole trip. The museum includes a series of six buildings including the Winter Palace. It also boasts over 3 million pieces of art, the largest collection in the world. Needless to say we were quite impressed. The Winter Palace put any palace we've seen in the UK to shame.

Inside the Winter Palace

An interior room in the Palace

The royal throne

Cuckoo Clock

Kyle & I thought the cuckoo clock at the Hermitage was really impressive. It is hard to tell here how large it is, but it was amazing and still in working order. We were disappointed to find out that it is only started up for Heads of State and very privileged guests.

Peter and Paul's fortress is the original citadel of St. Petersburg and was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great. The fortress houses an impressive cathedral with the burial tombs of royal family, including Peter the Great himself.

Inside Peter & Paul's fortress

Tomb of Peter the Great

Part of our tour included a traditional Russian lunch. The food itself was fairly bland and normal- chicken and rice, cabbage soup and a tomato and cucumber salad. However, lunch started off with a shot of Russian vodka- can't beat that!

We got to get a view of the city as well. There were quite a few amazing buildings but also quite a few buildings that reminded you of Russia's past. There were a lot of concrete, run-down buildings that fulfilled all my visions of what communism must have looked like.

Amazing Russian architecture

One of the most interesting buildings in the city is called the 'Church on Spilt Blood'. It was given this name after Alexander II was murdered on the site in 1881. His son built the church as a memorial to his father on the exact site of the murder. Because of this fact, part of the church hangs over the canal.

Church on Spilt Blood

Canal the church is built over

One of the few remaining Soviet symbols on a building

One interesting Russian tradition that we got to experience on our tour was wedding season. It is tradition for most weddings to take place in the summer and after the ceremony for the bride & groom to drive around the city, drinking champagne, and taking pictures of themselves by local landmarks. We counted about nine brides during our tour.

Well, our touring of Europe has come to an end. This was our last trip while we're living here. We feel really blessed to have gotten to see so many different places and cultures and we feel very appreciative that we were fortunate enough to be born in America. I would say without a doubt- the greatest country on earth.

-Stacie

Cruise Report: Stockholm

2009-07-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

Last week Stacie and I took the opportunity to indulge in gluttony and exploration throughout Scandinavia aboard the Vision of the Sea. A cruise wasn't actually our first choice but it was the easiest way to get into Russia without excessive visa preparation. Plus, once you're on the boat it's all you can eat, so really who's to argue.

Stockholm was our port of departure which meant that we got to spend time exploring the city the day before and after the cruise. This was lucky happenstance because we both favored Stockholm to the other cities we visited (Tallinn, Estonia and St. Petersburg, Russia).

For anyone who is familiar with flying Ryanair you know that they take you to an airport close to, but not actually in, the city you're flying to. Fortunately the 90 minute bus ride gave us an opportunity to see some of the beautiful Swedish countryside. It actually reminded me of parts of Western Washington. Stockholm is loaded with great architecture, historical sites, museums and friendly people.

Speaking of people, after we rode the bus to the city and found our hotel it was around 10pm and we were hungry! We found a street vendor selling hot dogs and sodas but she didn't speak English ( I'm pretty sure she was a Spanish or Portuguese immigrant to Sweden). Anyway, we ordered and ended-up helping a French couple decipher the Swedish menu then translated their order to the vendor (by translate I mean say the same thing over and over in English but get louder and use grandiose hand gestures). When we got our hotdog it had two scoops of mash potatoes on it!

Enough rambling, here's some pictures. Stockholm is built on many islands, one so small it holds only one house. The waterways are beautiful and it was sunny for us so people were out and about on their boats.

Like most ancient European countries Sweden has a figure-head monarchy. We strolled around the palace and watched the guardsmen in their bright blue uniforms with pointed metal helmets. Here's a shot of the palace entrance.

Palace Entrance

Palace Guard

Gamla Stan is a historic district of Stockholm that is home to boutique shops, cafes, restaurants, artists... you name it. The Gamla Stan area is it's own island as well.

Gamla Stan

Stockholm is home to Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite and namesake of the Nobel Prize. The building below is named after him and houses Stockholm's city hall. It is also where the annual Nobel prizes are awarded (except the peace prize which is awarded in Oslo, Norway, at Nobel's request).

Nobel City Hall

Who couldn't resist snapping a cheesy love-bird shot with a Swedish gnome?

Stockholm was very impressive. My only regret is that we didn't have more time to explore but I'm glad we got to see what we did. Stay tuned, we'll post pictures of Tallinn and St. Petersburg soon.

-Kyle

Cruisin'

2009-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

We're off today on our last European vacation (while in Edinburgh)! We're flying to Sweden and then boarding a cruise for Estonia & Russia. It's a short 4-night cruise, so we'll be back in the UK on Monday night. We'll post an update when we get back!

-Stacie & Kyle

Stirling

2009-06-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

While my family was here visiting, we took a day trip up to explore Stirling. Stirling is about 50 minutes north of Edinburgh. It is a small city of about 40,000 on the divide between the Scottish lowlands and the Scottish highlands. The city boasts of numerous historical attractions including an ancient church, castle, monument to William Wallace and a historic jail. We figured it was worth the trip to check it out!

Picturesque Stirling

We started off our trip with a visit to the 'Stirling Old Town Jail'. The jail operated during the Victorian era and they offered tours of the old cells and information on the jail conditions during that time period. Kyle & I have become regular old jail visitors- we visited one in Dublin and Philadelphia as well.

Warden outside the Old Town Jail

Stirling is also home to 'Stirling Castle'. The castle was occupied by royalty such as Mary Queen of Scots and King James VI of Scotland. In part of the castle you can sit on a throne and pretend you are King (or Queen). Who could resist such an indulgence?

Kyle & Me as royalty

Stirling Castle

The Church of Holy Rood was founded in 1129 in Stirling. It is the only operating church in the UK, aside from Westminster Abbey, that held a coronation ceremony. King James VI was crowned King of Scotland here, by John Knox himself, on 29 July 1567.

The Church of Holy Rood

The overall experience was moving. Stirling has been the epicenter for many battles, seen English and Scottish kingdoms rise and fall. The sense of history in this picturesque Scottish town is powerful. Needless to say we had a great day exploring and highly recommend a visit if you ever within proximity.

-Stacie & Kyle

Use the Force...

2009-06-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile, Kyle & I get bored and decide a good "activity" would be to mess with Deacon. Tonight was one such occasion. Here is Deacon doing his best Yoda impression:

"Annoyance swells inside me, suppress it I must" -Deacon Yoda Sale

Deacon didn't seem too pleased, but we had a good chuckle.

-Kyle & Stacie

Kith, Kin and Kilts

2009-06-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

This past week Judy and Justin, Stacie's mom & brother, were in town. They were treated to the beauty of a Scottish June, temps in the 60's and rain! We didn't let the weather stop us from getting out and exploring Edinburgh however. It's amazing how much ground can be covered in a short period, I'm confident we left no cobble stone unturned while they were here.

One of the most interested parts of out time together was when we toured Mary's Close. Check out the link to the website. It was amazing to experience the underground closes of Edinburgh and gain an appreciation for how people lived in 16th century Scotland, a period which is famous for the plague.

We did get some breaks from the weather and took advantage by touring Holyrood Palace, above you'll see me and Justin in the Garden with the Palace Abbey ruins in the background. We were fortunate b/c Her Majesty the Queen arrived a day after our visit for her annual summer stay so the Palace was in particularly tip-top shape.

Edinburgh has a nice little Sunday market that we took advantage of. Farmers, butchers, distillers, knitter... you name it, all come to town to hock their wares. We didn't have to look too hard to find some good eats.

Here's another shot from the market. The market is set just below Edinburgh Castle which poses a pretty impressive backdrop.

Edinburgh is home to a pretty amazing botanical garden which is just around the corner from our new flat. We didn't have enough time to do justice to the immense garden but it was fun to sneak a quick peak at the variety of vegetation. Heck, they even have four foot tall palm trees there!

All in all the week was a success and it's always a blessing to have family in town. Christmas / New Year was the last time we had seen any family so it was well over due.

-Kyle

A Texas wedding

2009-06-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I made a whirlwind trip to Texas to see my college roommate get married. I love going to weddings, but a few things tend to stand out with a Texas wedding. Firstly, the wedding took place at Second Baptist Houston, a quaint little church with five campuses and fifty thousand members.

The "Bapti-dome" aka Second Baptist

If you have spent any time in Texas you will know that Texans are very proud of their state and this pride carries over into their alma maters (Sic 'em bears!). So, what wedding would be complete if the cake didn't display your school's crest?

The Texas A&M cake

The weekend went off without a hitch and it was amazing to be back in the States and the sunshine and heat of Texas (it is 60 and rainy in Edinburgh today). There were six of us in the "house party" and we helped make sure the bride was calm and had everything she needed.

The house party

Me and my college roommates

The weekend was also special because my mom flew in for the wedding! We hadn't seen each other since January so it was a much needed reunion.

My mom & me

My mom flew back with me and we arrived this morning back in Edinburgh. She's staying the week with us and then my brother Justin is coming on Thursday as well. I'll post more once we've done some exploring.

-Stacie

Nomadic tendencies...

2009-06-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

Well, for the third time since getting here we have moved again! It has been a busy / tiring weekend of trying to move flats without a car. We've taken multiple bus rides, taxi rides and had a friend help us out with his car. Thankfully, this should be the last time we have to move! Here are a few pics of our new pad:

Front door

Hallway

Living Room

Deacon's new playground

This week Kyle finishes up with his consultancy project and will then start working on his dissertation. Then on Thursday I'm heading to Texas for my college roommates wedding. I'm very excited to be back in the States for the first time since Labor Day!

-Stacie

Sun & North Berwick

2009-05-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

Summer decided to make an appearance here in Scotland so Stacie and I seized the chance to get outside. According to local sources, summer here can be a bit of a flirt. We jumped the train to the little town of North Berwick (pronounced Barrik...your guess is as good as mine). Walking to Waverly Station we enjoyed the greenery and blooming flowers in Princes Street Gardens, we also stopped to admire the castle. You just don't get used to walking around town in the shadow of a medieval castle!

Edinburgh Castle

All aboard to N. Berwick

Every summer my family spends a week on the Oregon Coast and North Berwick reminded me of the little towns we frequent. Shops, eateries, cafes and more shops lined the old streets that were teaming with people. Stacie and I both love the sea salt smell in the air of coastal towns and North Berwick didn't let us down.

Bass rock in the N. Sea

People enjoying sand and sun!

Stacie and I both have a weak spot for unhealthy food and Scotland is known for deep fried delicacies (oxymoron?). We visited a local fish 'n chips shop, known as a chippy, on a friends recommendation. We left full, happy and greasy...success!

Local chippy serving up happiness!

-Kyle

Rosslyn Chapel

2009-05-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Kyle & I set out on another adventure in Edinburgh and went to visit Rosslyn Chapel. Rosslyn Chapel is on the outskirts of Edinburgh and was founded in the mid-15th century. It's situated in the quaint little town of, you guessed it, Rosslyn. It is also featured in the recent film, 'The Da Vinci Code'. I didn't actually know that until we went there, but Kyle & I promptly went home last night and rented it and sure enough it's true!

Outside the grounds of the chapel is a large cemetery and a path leading to the ruins of Rosslyn Castle.

Footpath to the Castle ruins

Rosslyn Castle ruins- destroyed during the War in the 16th century

The Chapel is in much better condition than the Castle, although it is under restoration for the next year and a half. Due to large levels of dampness inside the Chapel, a "steel umbrella" has been erected over-top the Chapel to protect it from all the lovely rain that Edinburgh gets each year. This 'umbrella' is helping to dry the church out from the damage the dampness is causing. You aren't allowed to take photographs inside the Chapel, but it was incredibly impressive. It is best known for it's extensive stone carvings.

Kyle outside of Rosslyn chapel

Flying Buttresses

One of my favorite carvings inside the Chapel is called a 'green man'. Green men are carvings of men with leaves or greenery growing out of them. Rosslyn Chapel has over 110 green men mixed into their carvings. The Chapel also contains 213 boxes that are protruding from pillars which are known as the 'musical boxes'. It is believed, by some, that the intricate carvings on the boxes represent musical notes and have been translated into a musical score. Another interesting carving is a depiction of the crop maize. At the time of the Chapel's construction, Columbus had not 'discovered' America, thus it is intriguing that there are carvings of maize in the Chapel (since it does not grow in Europe). Some speculate that this is evidence that others may have discovered America before Columbus. Who knows, but interesting none the less!

In the movie 'The Da Vinci Code' Rosslyn Chapel is credited with containing the records of Jesus' blood line and at one point the Holy Grail. This of course is not true- or is it? However, the Chapel is owned (and always has been) by a private family, the Sinclair's, and therefore no one actually knows what is stored in the underground area of the Chapel. The family has not allowed anyone to view the family vaults. They did allow the Chapel restorers to do a 'depth' test to see how deep the vaults were and they were able to see images of bodies of knights buried in their armor underneath the floor, which is as deep as the Chapel is tall. You certainly can't say that Scotland doesn't have it's history!

-Stacie

Beer & Blossoms

2009-05-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

"And since the day I left Milwaukee
Lynchburg, Bordeaux, France
Been makin a fool out of folks
just like you
and helpin white people dance
I am medicine and I am poison
I can help you up or make you fall
you had some of the best times
you'll never remember with me
Alcohol"

Last Friday Stacie and I were watching a movie when we were disturbed by an odd sound emanating from the corner of the den. Much to our surprise we turned to find our innocent (we thought) Deacon finishing off a beer I'd mistakenly placed on the floor. Take a look at the incriminating photos below.

So engrossed, he doesn't realize he's on camera

In dog years he's technically 28, so have at it big fella!

Spring has finally sprung, in fits and spurts anyway, here in Edinburgh. For many of our faithful blog followers you'll know our Sunday's consist only of Church, reading and a nap. We mixed it up this weekend with a nice walk to take in the blossoming colors around our neighborhood. Stacie snapped these just around the corner from our flat.

Hedges and cherry blossoms

Pink blooms on climbing ivy

If it's Deacon's debauchery or the return of color to Edinburgh, there's always something to keep us entertained.

-Kyle & Stacie

Say what?

2009-05-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

It's funny how Americans and Brits speak the same language, 'English', but it doesn't mean that we actually speak the same language. We've complied a little quiz to test your knowledge of the fluidly interchangeable English language. Take a look at our list below and see if you can figure out how these words are used by our kin across the pond.

British English words:

Muppet
Kit
Biscuit
Fizzy Juice
Brolly
Jelly
Hob
Bobble
Cheese Toastie
Bap
Sequestration
Fairy Lights
Fringe
Ginger
Train Tracks
Ice Lolly
Nappy

So how did you get on? Check your answers below:

Idiot
Stuff
Cookie
Soda
Umbrella
Jello
Stove top
Hair-tie
Grilled Cheese sandwich
Bread Roll
Bankruptcy
Christmas lights
Bangs
Redhead
Braces
Popsicle
Diaper

There's your crash course in dealing with the quirky differences between British and American English.

-Stacie & Kyle

Glaswegian for the day...

2009-05-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Kyle & I made our first trip to Glasgow. Glasgow is only 50 minutes west of Edinburgh and is the largest city in Scotland. We figured we should give it a look, or as the Scots say "suck and see".

The weather was typical Scotland, cloudy one minute, sunny the next. No rain though so we were happy! Glasgow is mostly known for it's shopping and dining- as opposed to Edinburgh which is more known for it's cultural heritage. Since Kyle & I love to shop and eat, we were not disappointed with our experience!

A main street in Glasgow

One of the stores we went in had a 'Snoopy Sno-cone machine'. I used to have one of these when I was 'wee' and was super-excited to see one in Scotland! Of course, I made Kyle pose while I took a picture.

Kyle & the Snoopy Sno-cone Machine

Like most big cities, Glasgow also has a large city park named 'Kelvingrove Park'. We ventured over to the park once we were done with our shopping (can you ever be done?) and had eaten lunch at our new favorite restaurant here 'Wagamamas'. The park was really beautiful and the sun was shining- it actually felt like spring!

Enjoying some sunshine

A pond in the park

A meadow in Kelvingrove

We really enjoyed exploring Glasgow and thought it was a nice city. I must say however that I am biased towards Edinburgh and it's ancient architecture and castles, but Glasgow was a nice.

-Stacie

A wee hike

2009-05-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Kyle & I went on a hike (or as they call it here "hill walk") near our flat. We hopped on the local bus and road it out to an area of Edinburgh called the Pentlands.

That's Edinburgh off in the distance

Deacon lead the way as we explored

A flowering Scottish weed (so we were told).

My favorite part of the hike was the baby sheep.

Along with a lovely hike, another thing the Pentlands has to offer is the longest artificial ski slope in Europe. Exciting stuff!

The ski slope

Just like in Seattle- you have to seize a sunny day when you have one!

-Stacie

B-School Ramblings

2009-04-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

Upon returning from our Easter holiday the MBA program entered a new phase of week long intensive classes. Until now we spent our time juggling multiple courses per week and their requisite projects, reading and case studies. The great thing about the intensive classes is the opportunity to really dig deep on a specific topic. In the earlier semesters it was not uncommon to become spread really thin as you try to handle all the material and demands of the course.

Since starting the MBA, I've discovered that I really enjoy the strategy aspect of managing a company so I chose both corporate and global strategy as two of my intensive courses (mergers & acquisitions next week). Both classes relied heavily on case studies of industry leaders that required us to analyze the strategic issues facing a firm and leverage our understanding of strategic frameworks, financial analysis, etc. I may sound a bit nerdy trumpeting these case studies but it's interesting to see how a couple of stilt walkers from Canada redefined the circus (disruptive strategy) and now sit on a multi-million dollar empire known a Cirque du Soleil. Or why was the Daimler-Chrysler merger akin to Britney and K-Fed's relationship while Peugot-Nissan appear to be living happily ever after?

Stacie can probably give you an ear full about how intensive these week long courses are since I didn't really see her last week but I've only got one more to go so we just have through. I don't want to even think about the grown 'honey-do' debt I'm accumulating as I shirk all domestic responsibility while studying!

-Kyle

Spring Break, Part 2

2009-04-18T02:13:00.000-07:00

This is by far my favorite photo of our trip to Egypt. The trip had its ups and downs, but riding a camel at the pyramids is one of those things you'll never forget.

After our fun time in London, we boarded a flight for our 5 hour journey to Cairo, Egypt. Cairo, also known as Al-Qahirah, is the largest Arab city in the world and the largest city in Africa. We didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into when we arrived. The culture in Egypt, is one of bartering and it is a "mad" city like nothing we had ever experienced. The streets are crowded and very poor. There are no grocery stores or restaurants- all we saw were run down buildings and shops.

A street in busy Cairo

A vacation in Cairo is not like a vacation in a European or American city. You cannot just walk out of the hotel and stroll the streets if you have free time. Except for our trips to the Pyramids, Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum, we stayed in the safe confines of our hotel. It was definitely an eye-opening experience and Kyle & I both feel like we came away from the trip with a different perspective of the world and our charmed lives.

We arrived in Cairo late Wednesday night. On Thursday we had given ourselves a free day to explore the city, but just ended up hanging out in our hotel, lounging by the pool and watching movies. Not too shabby really! On Friday we had a guided tour to the Pyramids and it was amazing! Our guide took us to both the pyramids and the Sphinx and gave us an in-depth lecture on the history of the Pyramids. And of course, we got to ride a camel! Kyle wasn't too keen on this, but I was very excited!

Tourists at the Pyramids

The Great Giza Pyramids

Proof we were actually there!

The Sphinx

Kyle couldn't resist trying to pick the Sphinx's nose (or lack of nose)

After our trip to the Pyramids, we also made a trip to the famous Egyptian Museum. The Egyptian Museum is the most extensive collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world with 120,000 items on display. It was quite different from the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.. Most of the items were in enclosed cases, however most of the descriptions were written by hand on torn off pieces of notebook paper! Quite a different experience from what we were used to. But the artifacts on display spoke for themselves. We got to see mummified animals (crocodiles, dogs, monkeys and cats), the tombs of the Pharaohs, golden chariots, ancient jewelery and even the items they found inside of King Tut's tomb. It was an impressive collection! Perhaps my favorite part was the mummy rooms. As you may know, I hold a special place in my heart for all things Halloween and what could be more Halloween than actual mummies?! The level of preservation was stunning. The mummies had toenails, hair and teeth! It was like a real live Tales from the Crypt episode.

All in all, our trip to Eygpt was great. Now we're back in the good-ole UK appreciating our safe streets and clean water! Kyle is back in class and I'm back at work. We don't have anymore traveling adventures planned until July, but that is good because we're both a bit worn out as it is!

-Stacie

Spring Break, Park 1

2009-04-13T07:16:00.001-07:00

It has been a little while since our last post. Spring break has come and gone and we have been enjoying the time off from school and work. Our spring break officially started on Wednesday, 1st April when Kyle finished his last exam! The next day, my good friend Katie, from Virginia, and her husband Taylor came to visit us. We hadn't seen them since July and were stoked to have visitors!

The four of us!

We spent Friday and Saturday exploring Edinburgh. We went to the Palace, walked around the city, ate Haggis and tatties and even went to a football game.

Kyle & Me outside of Holyrood Palace

Katie & Taylor listening to their audio tours in the Palace gardens

On Sunday, we hopped on a train and went up to St. Andrews for the day. On Sundays you can walk the course. I am not a big golf buff, but I understand the history and beauty of the St. Andrews course, it was really cool to actually get to walk on the course and see where it all started. As if that wasn't enough, there is also a castle (there always is in Scotland) and an amazing Chapel. You can also walk around the cute town and there are plenty of little shops and restaurants.

Here's Taylor at the St. Andrews sign

On Monday, after our trip to St. Andrews, we got on the train again and headed down to London. Kyle & I haven't been there since we moved to the UK so we were really excited for another chance to see London. On our first day there we went to the famous Harrods department store. It was quite an experience. The store takes up multiple city blocks and carries everything from Krispy Kreme, fruits, vegetables, designer clothes, shoes- you name it they have it. Not at a price that the average Joe can afford, but they do have it.

Here is Kyle & Me getting ready to enjoy some Krispy Kreme

After our Harrods adventure, we bought tickets for the Big Bus tour and rode the bus around London to see all the sights. My favorite part of the tour was the Tower of London. The tower was originally built by William the Conqueror in 1078 was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison for high status or royal prisoners. One of it's famous prisoners was the Queen Anne Boelyn. All of the prisoners are buried within the Tower and they even showed us where Anne Boelyn was executed.

Where Anne Boelyn was executed

The Tower of London also contains the crown jewels. The crown jewels includes the royal crowns, royal sceptres and royal jewelry. One of the royal sceptors, 'Sceptre with the Cross' contains a 530 carat diamond, which is the second largest cut diamond in the world (the largest being the 'Golden Jubilee' which is 755 carats and is housed in the crown jewel collection of Thailand). Katie & I really enjoyed this part of the tour. I can't speak for the men though...

In front of the Tower Bridge

Westminster Abbey

Our tour took us to all the major spots of London- Westminster Abbey, the Eye of London, the Globe Theatre, St. Paul's cathedral, Big Ben, Parliament Buildings, etc etc. It is such a huge city compared to Edinburgh or Seattle for that matter! After our long day of sight-seeing we stopped off for dinner at a local Italian Restaurant. On our way, we came across this fun marketing ploy by McDonald's. They have positioned their billboard in Picadilly Circus such that you can pose with the different photos they display. We had fun playing with all the different photo options.

Kyle & Taylor at the McDonald's ad

We had quite a lively waiter at dinner. He managed to spill Taylor's beer and then his solution was to drink the beer off the table with a straw. At least he was willing to help!

Taylor & the waiter...

Kyle & Katie being silly

Wednesday was our last day in London so we decided to go to the changing of the guard. It happens at 11:30 but you have to arrive early to get your place in line. We got their around 10 am and waited for the festivities to begin. It is quite a procession down the mall with soldiers and a band and horses marching.

Changing of the Guard

We all had flights out of London on Wednesday afternoon- Katie & Taylor to Virginia and Kyle & I to Egypt. I'll post part-2 of our trip later this week.

-Stacie

Cheers to a fiver!

2009-03-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Kyle & I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that it has been five years already! It has been a busy five years though. We've managed to live in Virginia, Washington State and now Scotland- not to mention 4 different apartments, our own home, 6 different jobs, 3 cars and two dogs (..."and a partridge in a pear tree")! Marriage suits us well and we're enjoying our life as a pair. Here's to many more happy anniversaries!

-Stacie

Candidate Survivor

2009-03-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

My MBA experience is rapidly progressing. I've already sat for two final exams and I'm currently revising for two more. At this point I'm well over half way through the program (or programme for our British friends). Stacie and I will spend spring break with friends visiting from Virginia, visit London and cap it off with a trip to Cairo, Egypt. I return to school to take several intensive one week courses (9 - 5 M-F), and conclude an external consultancy project with the Edinburgh office of a global investment analytics firm. The project concludes in late June and I spend July/August writing a 15,000 word dissertation on a relevant business or career topic of my choosing.

One of the main goals of any MBA'er is to leave the course with gainful employment. Ideally your new job will utilize your new knowledge and produce a positive step change in your career trajectory. I've been fortunate enough to interview with a couple companies for MBA Associate programs recently and I have to say I didn't fully appreciate what it takes to get hired post MBA. I thought hey, I'll submit an application, they'll call me in for a chat, I'll put on the charm, drop a few references to lean operations or Levin's Marketing Myopia and bada-boom....hired. Uh, no!

In reality, one must literally run the gauntlet to get hired. No amount of charm or BS will get you a job, especially in this economy. Here's the process, lets call it Candidate Survivor:

1) On-line application. This process sounds quick and dirty but after answering several 2000 word essays (why work for us? what drives you to succeed? etc) and tailoring your resume to each application and crafting that unique and eye-popping cover letter...you get the point. These things are a time suck!

2a) This step happens 98% of the time...letter in the mail "Oh gosh, you are such an amazing candidate that we are still tingling from reading your application. However, everyone else who applied happened to go to Harvard, flew F16's in the Royal Air Force and speaks seven languages so all we can offer you is this nice letter on official letterhead and our best wishes."

2b) The other 2% of the time...a phone call from the company recruiter congratulating you that you are now eligible for round one of Candidate Survivor, prepare to have your every fiber tested!

3) Round one of Candidate Survivor, ability tests. These test are taken on-line and usually comprise three sections: numerical, verbal and diagrammatic. The first two are self explanatory however the tests are designed so you cannot get a hundred and you cannot finish. The point being they want to see how you perform in a situation where you're in over your head. Here is an example of the diagrammatic section:

Looks life fun eh?

4) If you score satisfactorily on these tests you obviously move on. The recruiter calls you with the good news that you passed and when you come to interview you get to retake similar tests, just to prove you didn't have your genius friend take it for you. Candidate Survivor rolls on!

5) At this point you may get to interview with an actual person, but the advanced version of Candidate Survivor requires that you endure an hour long Gallup interview. The Gallup interview profiles your personality, strengths and weaknesses. The company has an idea of the type of person they want and apparently Gallup can tell them if you're it. The interviewer asks random questions, and only asks questions...no explanation or follow up. It goes like this:

Interviewer: "Do you think you are more capable than your peers?"
Me: "Yes I do"
Interviewer: "Give me an example"
Me: "Example A"
Interviewer: "Another example please"
Me: "Example B"
Interviewer: "If you saw a charity box unattended would you take money from it?"
Me: "heck yeah...just kidding, no I would not ma'm!"
Interviewer: dead silence........................................"Are you dependable?"

And on it goes for an hour until your mind is so broken down you're willing to tell the interviewer your deepest secrets just to get to the end of the interview.

6) Good news! Your personality matches the company wish list (at this point the process feels a bit like on-line dating). You're still on Candidate Survivor and you actually get to meet a real person. This part is the standard interview that anyone would expect. No real surprises in this round.

7) This is where they turn up the heat...you've been invited to an assessment center. This means that maybe 10 - 16 candidates remain (for two spots) and you are all coming to the same event to compete against one another. The twist is that most of the time you are split into teams necessitating a delicate balancing act of working together yet standing out as an individual. In my assessment center one task included analyzing a Harvard Business case that pitted two companies in a negotiation scenario. The teams assumed the roles of the opposing parties and had to pick up where the case left off and negotiate to their ideal conclusion...lets just say it got heated! Other scenarios where more fun but all day long 6 assessors watch your every move, just looking to kick someone off Candidate Survivor!

8) Candidate Survivor has whithered from hundreds of hopefuls to 3 or 4 desperate MBA'ers. At this point you're invited to spend a day at the company shadowing last years MBA Associate survivors and see what they do. At the end of the day you're enticed to a nice dinner attended by managing directors, VP's and the CEO. Sounds cool right? No, these folks have come because your final task is to make a presentation to them on a topic they've assigned to you beforehand. Undoubtedly they are experts on this topic and you are not, so as your presentation draws to a close the sharks will begin to circle. As you as you muster the confidence to utter 'I'll now take any questions' it's game time! You're under attack and they want to know if you will fight or run. Fight, and you're in. Run, and you're out.

9) Congratulations! You've been offered a job! You are the winner of this year's Candidate Survivor! Well, that's the hope anyway.

Okay, I know that this post has been a bit long (I may be venting a little). I'm currently at stage 7 with one company and am eagerly awaiting a phone call to see if I'm invited to stage 8 with another. I was voted off the island at stage 6 with a 3rd company a few weeks back. As tiring as it is to be a contestant on Candidate Survivor, while trying to complete projects and revise for exams, it's pretty exciting. I'll keep you posted if I make it to the next step with either company.

Spring is almost in the air in Edinburgh and Stacie took a few pictures while walking in a park near our flat last week. It's nice to see some color again!

Daffodils near our bus stop

"The Meadows"

Deacon enjoying the sun!

More spring color at the Meadows

That's us for now.

Cheers,
Kyle

A game of British English pictionary

2009-03-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

We've been here about 6 months now, so I thought I would give another update on the local lingo. Here are a few pictures of things you'd see all the time in America. However, if you call them by the name that pops into your head, the person you are talking to looks at you like your growing horns out of your head. I know, because it happens to me quite frequently.

You may want to call these pants. However, they are called trousers.

These are pants:

That's right, women's underwear are pants. This can be very confusing when you're telling your friend at work about the new pants you bought and she is looking uncomfortable and concerned about you sharing too much personal information with her. Whoopsies...

This is called a jumper, not to be confused with a little girl's dress which is what I would call a jumper. Interesting...

This is a vest. Not a tank top. Silly Americans. What will we think of next?

This is a body warmer, not a vest. Makes sense, but still. When I asked a friend what a body warmer was she described it as something that farmers wear over their jumpers. Needless to say, I had a very confusing image in my mind after her explanation.

This is called a rubber. One day at work my colleague asked me if she could borrow a rubber. Enough said.

Finally, the grocery store can be quite confusing. My two biggest that I have run across are for cucumbers and snow peas.

Observe:

Courgette

Mange Tout

It's enough to make your head spin. Well, not only are different words used for different things. They also change words. Just a touch though, just enough to mess with you. Our two favorites are 'orientated' instead of 'oriented' and 'envisage' instead of 'envision'.

Drumroll please........my personal favorite Scottish saying is, and I quote, "Suck it and see". Which just means "try it and see", but if you ask me sounds very unrefined.

-Stacie

A Highland Coo

2009-03-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to visit a few old friends from my childhood up in the Highlands of Scotland. The farthest north I had been previously was Edinburgh, which if you know your Scotland geography is not north at all. I took the train up 4 hours to the town of Inverness and then traveled another hour north by car to the small village of Dornoch where my friends James & Jennifer are missionaries. The scenery was breath taking and refreshing after 6 months in the city. My most exciting citing of the weekend were seeing my first Highland Cow and going to Loch Ness.

Two young Highland Cows

Me posing with Nessie!

Beautiful Loch Ness

In Scotland, 'loch' just means 'lake' so it is really just 'Lake Ness'. I never realized that growing up when I heard about the Loch Ness Monster (aka Nessie as they call it here) but it makes sense.

On our drive up from Inverness to Dornoch we stopped and enjoyed the local scenery. Which in Scotland means a Castle or two.

Urquart Castle off Loch Ness

Coastline of the North Sea

Typical scenery of the Highlands

On Saturday, Jennifer took me on a hike to a local waterfall. It was great to be out in nature and hike around Scotland.

Waterfall #1

Waterfall #2

It was nice to see old friends and get a break from the city. Kyle spent the weekend studying and getting ready for his finals that are starting up in a week or so! There are only three weeks left in this semester and then Spring Break- time is flying!

-Stacie

Our weekend in Dublin

2009-03-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

On Friday morning, Kyle & I set off on our first trip since we've been here. We decided to spend the weekend exploring Dublin. It's only a brief 45 minute flight from Edinburgh. It was our first time flying on a budget airline, Ryan Air, but the experience was a good one. They even played a victory song when the plane arrived on time in Dublin.

Kyle getting ready for our flight to Dublin

Neither on of us really knew what to expect of Dublin. When I think of Ireland, I think of lush green landscape. But of course, it wouldn't be like that since we were in a city. The city itself was had a great atmosphere and much bigger than Edinburgh. There is a river running through the center of the city that divides it by north and south.

Liffey River through Dublin

This weekend Ireland played England in the Six Nations rugby tournament, so the city was full of festivities and people. We bought our tickets for the hop-on-hop-off bus tour and tried to cram in as much as possible in our two days! There are quite a few impressive churches in Dublin. Christ's Church and St. Patrick's Cathedral being the two most famous. Kyle & I visited the grounds of Christ Church.

Christ Church

Here we are in front of Christ Church

I think the thing we were both the most excited about visiting in Dublin was the Guinness Storehouse. Both Kyle & I really enjoying visiting breweries so were excited to visit the Grandaddy of them all in the homeland of famous beer!

Here we are at the gates of the Guinness Storehouse

The tour itself is quite impressive. It is a self-guided tour through seven floors of the original Guinness warehouse that was started by Arthur Guinness 250 years ago. We even learned that stock from the original barley seed is kept in a vault at the storehouse for future generations. These people are serious about their brewing...

Guinness Vault replica

Kyle & I sampling some Guinness

The 7 story maze of the warehouse

As some of you may know, I am not a beer drinker. However, the Guinness from the brewery was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed my sampling experience!

After our tour of the Guinness Storehouse, we did a bit of exploring around the city. Dublin's cultural district is called the Temple Bar area. This area is lined with cobblestone streets and full of pubs and restaurants.

An Irish Pub in Temple Bar

We also took a stroll around Trinity College. The University was founded in 1592 and has around 15,000 students. It is also ranked 49th in the world rankings of Universities. Just a bit of information since I didn't know much about the University until our trip. The campus itself is located in the heart of Dublin and is quite beautiful.

Trinity College

Another interesting thing we saw on our Dublin Bus Tour was the President of Ireland's home, also known as Aras an Uachtarain (did I mention everything in Ireland is bi-lingual? All the signs read in Irish or English). The current President of Ireland is a woman and is serving out her second 7 year term. Looks similar to another house of a President...

The Aras an Uachtarain

A trip to Ireland would not be complete without some Irish Whiskey. So, Kyle & I jumped on the bandwagon and went to the Jameson Whiskey Distillery. The original distillery located on Bow Street in Dublin. The distillery is no longer in use, but has been turned into a museum and had quite an interesting tour where we learned all about the whiskey making process.

Inside the Jameson distillery

To make my father proud, I volunteered to be one of the 8 visitors who got to participate in the whiskey sampling. Each of us were given a sample of Scotch Whiskey, Irish Whiskey (Jameson of course) and American Whiskey (Jack Daniels). I choose the Scotch Whiskey as my favorite and received an official diploma deeming me an "Official Irish Whiskey Taste Tester". Needless to say, Kyle was very jealous.

Me and all my whiskey

The last tour we took was a tour of Kilmainham Jail. Built in 1796, Kilmainham Jail is now a museum. Check out more here. We learned about some of the prisoners who were kept at the prison and also about the hundreds of executions that took place here.

Gate near Kilmainham Jail

Inside the jail

One of the corridors

Many of the political prisoners of the 1916 rebellion were brought here to the Kilmainhaim Jail. Fourteen of the leaders of the 1916 rising were executed in the yard of the jail. A black cross stands in the spot today to commemorate their deaths.

Black cross for the leaders of the 1916 rising

Dublin was an exciting place to visit with lots of rich history and cultural atmosphere. We had a great weekend exploring a bit of Ireland. Next weekend I'm off to visit friends in Northern Scotland so more then! Here are the rest of our pictures from Dublin if you're interested.

-Stacie

A Taste of Home

2009-02-21T11:14:00.000-08:00

Today Stacie and I jumped on the dependable Lothians Bus to head out of town and investigate a potential kennel for Deacon as we have some imminent travel plans. After viewing the kennel we stumbled upon a slice of home...Costco baby!

Our first glimpse of bulk purchase Mecca

Once we gave the membership card checker at the front door the slip Stacie and I were like kids in a candy shop. Six months ago the thought of Costco provoked frustrated images of over crowded parking lots and 10 gallon mayo jars but not today my friends. Stacie and I like to indulge in Costco's cheap pizza, hot dogs or ice cream while we shop and we were pleased to find the same offerings available here in Edinburgh...plus a couple local fav's. Can you spot the additions? Pizza, Hot Dogs, Cottage Pie w/Haggis, Jacket Potatoes, Chicken Bake, Ice Cream.

Something old...something new

Same layout, different country

After a long afternoon of parousing the vast Costco offering and stuffing ourselves on the bounty of 'sample day' we thought we would unwind with a movie at the flat, and another taste of home, ah Blockbuster.

We thought performing due diligence on a dog kennel would make for a lame afternoon but we were way off. Every now and again nothing satifies like an unexpected taste of home!

-Kyle

A weekend, a turkish bath and a beach...

2009-02-17T10:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend Kyle & I went out for another adventure in Edinburgh. When we were in Japan (2002), we had the amazing experience of visiting a public bath house. It sounds a bit creepy, since there is really no such thing in the States, but it is actually quite an enjoyable experience. In Japan, the bath houses had multiple types of hot tubs: some had electric current, some were extremely hot, some were cold, one even had a massaging waterfall. So, when we heard that there was a Turkish Bath house here in Edinburgh we decided we had to go! The Turkish Bath we found is attached to a health club in Portobello, a suburb of Edinburgh right on the coast. The beach in Portobello is quite lovely and made me feel like I was back on the Oregon Coast (mostly because I associate the Oregon Coast with the frigid beach air).

Just like San Diego...okay, not really

The bath house

The Turkish bath was not of the same caliber as the Japanese bath, but it was an interesting experience. The bath was set up in a circuit. You started out in a wet sauna and then progressed through three rooms each one a bit hotter than the first all culminating in a jump in a cold pool at the end. My one observation is that everyone says Americans are so fat...correction, people are so fat! We saw our fair share of overweight individuals in bathing suits. I think America gets a bad rap on this one. We may be fat, but so is everyone else!

-Stacie

Te Amo Mexican

2009-02-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

Kyle & I have been on the look out for some good Mexican food here in Edinburgh. Let's just say that Mexican is not a Scottish specialty. However, we managed to find some other people who were on the same quest. One of the guys in the program is from Mexico and asked around, which is how we found the place. There were no free chips & salsa, which who are we kidding is the only reason I go, but the food was pretty good.

Here we all are...

We haven't had a lot of luck with fine dining in Scotland. It doesn't appear that food is something the Scottish are known for. Alcohol, maybe. But food, no. Most of the food is what you would call 'Pub' food and usually involves some form of chips and fried meat. I do appreciate how they can put chips (aka fries) with pretty much anything though. Fish & Chips, Burger & Chips, Salad & Chips, Pizza & Chips, Lasagna & Chips (not kidding, we really saw this on a menu). You have to give them credit for appreciating a good thing!

-Stacie

What's Your Sign?

2009-01-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

Moving overseas you expect some things to be different but sometimes the differences are just plain comical. One thing (among many) that we neglected to consider were street signs. Universal signage? NO!

My deductive reasoning skills lead me to think that this one highlights a) a speed bump and b) you're only safe between the lines.

Among the variety of indigenous wildlife here I've yet to see a humped zebra.

This one is more of an advert but humorous non-the-less. I'm inexperienced with both Russian peasants and French patisseries so I'm grasping to see how the combination of the two relate to boxing. Enjoy-

We'll keep an eye out for more good signs while we're about town!

-Kyle

A wee update

2009-01-27T11:26:00.001-08:00

We've gotten behind on our usual weekly post, so I thought I would give a quick update on things here. Kyle's been back to the grind stone- his second semester classes started up on 12 January. His schedule is a bit better this semester in terms of time spent in class, but he is still studying just as much, but that's the point right?! This semester runs until the end of March and then he will get a 2 week break before his next semester begins. Time is just flying by and we can't believe that it is already 2009! Kyle is busy applying for jobs and we are trying to figure out what our next step will be. We'll keep you posted as things develop.

Some good news is that we have finally been able to plan a few trips! Kyle was so swamped last semester that we weren't able to do anything but we're taking advantage of his lighter class load and trying to see more of the sights- since that was part of our reason in pursuing the international MBA. So far we have trips planned to the Scottish Highlands, Dublin, London and Cairo all before next semester! Best of all we're having more visitors! My best-friend Katie & her husband Taylor are coming to visit for spring break. If anyone else wants to visit, we've got an extra bedroom for you!

-Stacie

A few things the Scots say and think

2009-01-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

Today I learned that this photo is of what the Scots call "gutties". Sneakers? Never. Trainers? Sometimes. Gutties? Of course!

Another one of my favorite Scottish words is "knackered". This doesn't mean what you are probably assuming, it means really tired i.e. "I went to bed late last night and I am absolutely knackered today!"...I love that one. Here's another one- Imagine that you'd love a cold soda (pop, whatever you call it). You'd say "I'd love a can". Can of what?Apparently that is not important... I find this very similar to how everyone in Texas calls all soda "coke" whether it's actually Coke or Pepsi, doesn't matter to them it is all coke.

I also learned today that a lot of Scots find Americans "confusing". For example, the perception over here is that America is a 'God-fearing country' (I was surprised to learn this, but was told that this is the impression that President Bush gave off- go Bush!) so someone asked me "Why do so many of our movies have constant swearing?" Also, why does everyone in our movies or on TV looks so fit when everyone in America is supposed to be obese? I did not have real answers to these questions, except to say that there are too many Americans for us all to fit into one stereotype. I'm sure we all have our perceptions of different countries, whether they are correct or not. I just thought it was interesting to see what someone from the UK thought of us.

Well....I'm even though I'm knackered, I'm off in my gatties to grab a can!

Cheers,

Stacie

Farewell 2008

2009-01-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

We have been busy since our last post! Kyle's mom Sally was here for New Year's week and we did a lot of exploring around Edinburgh while she was here. Also, for those of you following our blog you will be happy to hear that my mother was given clearance to fly and is in the air as I type to return to Virginia. Her 1 week in Edinburgh turned into 3 weeks, but she definitely knows her way around Edinburgh now. It was nice to have her with us and we are both just thankful that her leg is healing and she was able to fly and get back to my poor father who is having to run the show at home with two German Shepherds and my younger brother.

This week it was back to work for me, but Kyle still has one more week off before he returns to his classes. This semester he has half as many classes as he did last semester, so it should be a much more enjoyable experience for him. He will be taking more individualized classes in the field that he is interested in (last semester was all core classes that all of the MBA students took). We are looking forward to a more relaxing semester, touch wood (that's what they say here instead of "knock on wood").

Here are some pictures of our adventures with Sally in Edinburgh, hope you enjoy!

My mom, Kyle's mom with us at dinner

Sally loved the trademark red telephone booths!

The Palace at Holyrood House (Official residence of the Queen of England in Scotland)

Abbey ruins inside the Palace

Kyle & Sally in front of the Palace.

William Wallace impersonator

Piper

New Year's Eve fireworks

Afternoon Tea

We're excited for 2009 and all that it will bring!

-Stacie

The Hogmanay Torchlight Parade

2008-12-31T02:22:00.000-08:00

This week we're hosting my mom and she's been able to experience the Edinburgh Hogmanay. Take a look at the website for all the details, they claim it's the worlds biggest New Year's celebration... debate amongst yourselves.

On Monday night we took part in the torchlight procession. Roughly 30 ancient Scottish warriors led the procession followed by a full bagpipe marching band and 20,000 folks carrying torches. It was amazing to see the entire downtown area alight with torches and the massive bonfire and fireworks were impressive! I've posted some of our pictures but they don't do justice to the event, I suggest looking here at the professional pictures.

Scottish Warriors bearing weapons and flame

Stacie and Sally joining the crowd

Torch Procession

What's a parade without fireworks?

The bonfire

Tonight we'll be joining crowds over 100,000 strong to welcome the new year with fireworks and Auld Lang Syne. Have a happy new year and I'll see you in 2009.

-Kyle

Our family Christmas

2008-12-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a bit of a photo montage of my family's visit to Edinburgh for Christmas:

Whiskey Shop on the Royal Mile

Inside the Great Hall in the Castle

Our traditional Christmas Eve nachos

View from Holyrood Park

Stacie's dad at the top of Arthur's Seat

Dinner at the Witchery

Kyle, Justin & Me in front of the Dome

Stacie's parents at the top of the Castle

Armour inside the Castle

Chapel inside the Edinburgh Castle

Kyle, Justin & Me in front of the Castle

Kyle & Me with a Piper

Justin with all of his Hearts Football Club gear

The family (minus our photographer- Stacie's mom)

As you can see, we had a wonderful and very eventful trip with my family. The plan was for my parents and brother Justin to fly off to Paris on Saturday morning. However, on Friday morning my mother woke up with her leg swollen to twice it's normal size. After spending most of the day in the Royal Infirmary, we learned that she had three blood clots in her left leg and was unable to fly. After much debating, my father and brother decided to continue on to Paris without her and have left her here in our care. Hopefully she'll be able to go home soon- it just depends on how quickly her blood thins.

On a more positive note, Kyle's mother Sally arrived safely this afternoon from Spokane. She is spending the week with us here, so we'll keep you updated with some great New Year's photos.

-Stacie

St. Andrews

2008-12-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

This week we've been blessed to have Stacie's family visit us for Christmas here in Scotland. We've been showing them around the city and even took them to a soccer match. Today we all jumped on the train and headed to historic St. Andrews. I was aware of the history associated with golf but we were all pleasantly surprised with the rest of the city. Here's a few pictures:

Rugged natural features of hole #4

Group shot at hole #6

Old Course Hotel in background

St. Andrews coast on the North Sea

Castle ruins, (for McClure: history)

Cathedral remnants and graveyard

We all had a great day exploring St. Andrews and found it to be a charming Scottish village with amazing views and impressive history. Stay tuned-in as we'll be uploading pics over the next few days as we play tour guide.

-Kyle

Getting in the Festive Spirit...

2008-12-16T08:16:00.000-08:00

Kyle and I have been busy over the last week getting in the Christmas spirit by moving to a new flat and dressing up as Santa...not sure how the two go together? They don't really, but that was our weekend. We have been having issues with our flat in the past month (aside from the obvious issue of space) Mildew...a little while ago I noticed a lovely black and white substance growing on our bedroom wall- nasty! Long story short, we were able to get our landlord to agree to let us out of our lease for health reasons and the Lord has provided (Jehovah Jirah!). We moved in on Saturday to our much nicer and more spacious flat in the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh. Here are some pictures of our new pad:

Entry Way

Living Room

Master Bedroom

Kitchen

Hallway

Possibly the greatest feature of our new flat is the laundry drying rack. To save space and utilize the high ceilings they have installed a pulley system to hang wet clothes. Check it out!

To celebrate our move, we went out on Saturday night to the Christmas Market. The market has a ferris wheel, swings, slides, ice skating, bumper cars on ice and tons of booths with traditional Scottish and German fare.

Now for the dressing up as Santa part. Every year Edinburgh has a charity walk called the Santa Stroll where you get a Santa costume as part of your entry fee. We went with a group of people from my work. After we all got our Santa gear on, we went for a leisurely stroll around Princes Street Gardens serenaded by bag piping Santas. Even Deacon got to wear a Santa costume and got 'oohed and ahhed' at as we walked around. He was quite the hit in his red cape!

This week is Kyle's last week of final's and then my parents and younger brother arrive on Friday to spend the week with us! We'll post some updates while they're in town.

-Stacie

Who turned the lights out?

2008-12-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

"Save Me

Call my name and save me from the dark"

-Evanescence: Wake Me Up

With Scotland being a similar latitude to Alaska, things are starting to get pretty dark over here...I thought I was doing good not having to start work until 9 a.m, but when the sun doesn't rise until 8:30 a.m. it doesn't feel as good as it used to. With the shortest day of the year being about 2 weeks away, we still have a few weeks left of diminishing sunlight. The sun has been setting around 3:30 in the afternoon it's only going to bet worse. On the flip side though, we will be living it up this summer when the sun rises at 4 a.m and sets at 11 p.m!

-Stacie

Thankful

2008-11-28T04:26:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Stacie and I shared food, wine and laughter with friends in Edinburgh as we celebrated Thanksgiving . The theme of the night was pinched from the poet-philosophers Crosby, Stills and Nash, "If you can't be with the ones you love, love the ones you're with".

Several Americans are in the b-school and we combined forces with the Canadians to celebrate Turkey Day. It was fun to introduce Thanksgiving to our friends from the UK, as well a Swede and Ecuadorian. The night was a great success and I'm always blown away when I reflect on all the blessings in my life.

Sticking with the thankfulness theme, yet sidetracking slightly, Stacie and I are thankful that our little Mercedes is on the mend. This summer she appears to have eaten something previously thought inedible and the mystery meal lodged into her intestine. In the past few weeks she lost a third of her body weight and had to have emergency surgery.

Welcome home from the Vet

Below is a picture that highlights her malnourishment plight. She looks like a sweet little skeleton with fur.

We are thankful that she pulled through (the veterinarian said she's a fighter!). Most of all we are thankful to my mom for shuttling her between home and vet, nursing her back to health and generously spoiling her in our absence. Mercedes buddy Max was a nervous wreck when she was in the animal hospital...it seems he'll protect her while she's on the mend.

Max the protector

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, we hope you had a great day and enjoy the long weekend with friends and family.

Love,

-Kyle & Stacie

Sorta like football (but I'm ignorant)

2008-11-25T08:26:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to take some time away from the books and witness a true spectacle. Rugby is a big deal in Scotland and S. Africa was in town for a match. This is significant because S. Africa is the reigning world champion. Here is a taste of my first National Rugby afternoon:

Met 20 or so fellow MBA'ers for a pint in a local pub
Sang 'Flower of Scotland' with tipsy crowd in jam packed pub
Walked to new pub and bantered with visiting S. African expats up from London
Enjoyed another pint in a very crowed pub
Sang 'Flower of Scotland' with another crowd, this one a wee bit more tipsy
Headed off to Murray Field for the match, popped into another crowded pub for one last pint
Sang 'Flower of Scotland' with extra tipsy crowd (sociology note: increasing alcohol consumption = thicker Scottish accent)
Bantered with more S.African fans on the way to Murray Field
Harassed some Scotland fans for wearing wrong pattern of tartan kilt (only Scottish Rugby tartan allowed on National Rugby day...everyone knows that!)

Arrived at Murray Field just in time to hear bag pipers and drummers finish 'Flower of Scotland'
Asked British friends roughly 300 questions about rugby during match
Was forced to drink several more pints during match
Enjoyed Scotland's finest export (whisky) after each point scored (when in Scotland...do as the Scot's)

Overall my first rugby match was a smashing success. Scotland lost but put up a very respectable effort against the world champs. I enjoyed being part of the crowd and feeling the excitement rise in the stadium as Scotland marched down the field. I even figured out when to yell 'heave!!!!' at the appropriate time (trust me, if you mess this up you look like an idiot). By the end of the match I was critiquing the refs by yelling 'that call was rubish' and supporting the players with phrases such as 'that chaps a right good fellar'.

I'll certainly be attending another match.

-Kyle

A wee bit of free time...

2008-11-14T04:50:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Kyle was given a "break" from class with a study week. Really, he was just as busy as usual. However, we finally had some free time on the weekend to go out and explore more of Edinburgh. We took a bus out to Cramond and Lauriston Castle. Lauriston Castle was originally a 1590's tower house, but was left in trust to Scotland in 1926.

Lauriston Castle

During our short journey to the castle, it's only about 15 minutes away, we ran into Kyle's two dream cars. The stark contrast in these cars just demonstrate how Kyle has a streak of Idaho running through his Seattle veins.

Orange Dream #1 (attainable)

Orange Dream #2 (slightly less attainable)

After we walked around the Castle grounds, we visited the village of Cramond, which is about 2 miles outside of Edinburgh city centre. Neither Kyle or I realized that we were so close to a beach! Needless to say, we were both very excited with our discovery of Cramond.

Kyle on the Firth of Forth beach

Firth of Forth from a distance

It's been back to the books for Kyle since our excursion a few weekends ago, but thankfully this semester is almost over. Kyle will be taking his last final as my parents get their first good look at Edinburgh on December 19th, a mere 5 weeks away!

-Stacie

It's good to be cool!

2008-11-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

When we first came to the UK Stacie and I didn't know how we'd be received as Americans. The predominant stereotype was that Europeans were anti-American and it would be best for us to downplay our national affiliation. From the first week we got here that perception has been challenged. In my MBA cohort I have classmates from all over Europe, Africa, Asia, North & South America and it's been interesting to see how positive a view they have of the States.

This sentiment was on full display this week as Europe has been abuzz with the U.S. elections. When I walked into class on Wednesday morning I was greeted by a Nigerian singing 'God Bless America'! Stacie was greeted by a coworker sporting a US flag tie. It's been both fun and eye opening to see your own country via a different reference point. I've always been proud to be an American but it's been fun the past week to be a part of a global American hug.

-Kyle

New country...same dog

2008-10-31T06:27:00.000-07:00

We wondered if moving to Scotland would be difficult for our dog, Deacon. But apparently, a dog is a dog no matter where they live...

Deacon in his tartan collar, so Scottish!

Deacon hanging out with Kyle on the sofa/futon/really uncomfortable piece of furniture

A little worn out from his walk? Not sure...

As you can tell, he has trouble sleeping...

and getting comfortable...

Sometimes we like to mess with Deacon...notice his socks

This first video is of Deacon wearing socks around the house.

The next video is of him behaving very oddly at the park.

Jet lag and overall stress while traveling took it's toll on the big guy but he adapted pretty quickly. The biggest change was moving from a suburban neighborhood with parks and forests too living in the middle of a city. All in all Deacon is thriving as he adapts to life in Edinburgh.

-Kyle & Stacie

Why is Halloween so great?

2008-10-29T06:11:00.000-07:00

Some Halloween Favorites from home!

Top 10 reasons why I love Halloween:

A holiday that revolves around candy- does it actually get any better than that?
Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin
Another reason to eat caramel apples
Going to a Haunted House
Picking pumpkins from the pumpkin patch
Watching Kyle carve a pumpkin (he is quite good)
Having the dogs freak out when the doorbell rings...again!
Eating Chili with fritos (a Kibiloski (now Sale) family tradition)
Seeing all the little kid's costumes when they come to the door
Feeling guilty about being glad not that many kids came by- now I can eat the extra candy!!

Happy Halloween on Friday! To our Halloween Extravaganza friends- we missed you this year!!!

-Stacie

Football Madness

2008-10-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

As you may know, football is king in the UK. Edinburgh has two teams in the Scottish Premier league- The Hearts of Midlothian and Hibernian, more commonly known as the Hearts and Hibs. The Hearts and Hibs are fierce rivals and this past weekend was their infamous game. The Hibs stadium is located on the road we live off of and is mere feet from our "front door".

On Sunday morning, Kyle & I were minding our own business in our flat when we thought we heard a noise. We both looked outside and didn't see anything so we figured it must be the wind. Then Deacon perked up, he heard the noise too. It finally got louder and we figured out what it was....chanting. The football fans were arriving (2 hours early) to begin cheering on their teams. They sing all kinds of chants and are quite rowdy, as you can probably imagine. Here is the scene from the bar right outside our flat. The police were even on the scene to make sure no brawls broke out.

Chanting Fans pre-game

Kyle & I haven't been to a game yet, but we are planning on going in December when my family comes to visit. My brother Justin is a big football fan, so we are going to a game with him! Here is the 'Easter Road stadium'.

The end result of the game was not as exciting as the pre-game, it was a tie.

Cheers!

-Stacie

Our first visitor!

2008-10-17T03:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had our very first visitor. Our good friend Mike came into town. He was on his way to London for a buisness trip, so he decided to come and stay the weekend with us! We were very excited to have a familiar face around and Deacon was just excited to see someone other than us in the flat! He was beside himself with our visitor, good thing Mike likes dogs!

Mike had never been to Edinburgh, so we showed him all the local touristy sites. In Edinburgh there is the Edinburgh Castle, which is at the top of what is called the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is a road that starts at the Edinburgh Castle and ends at the Palace of Holyrood House (the Queen's residence when visiting Scotland). So, it literally is a royal mile...

Here are Kyle & Mike in front of the Edinburgh Castle

Inside the castle gates

You can actually pay to go inside the castle and go on a tour, but we didn't do that this weekend. We're saving that for our next group of visitors (my family at Christmas).

The Royal Mile is one of my favorites parts of Edinburgh. It is full of Scottish shops and interesting characters. The leaves are starting to change too, so it is especially lovely right now. Also, there are lots of alleys off the main road, but here they call them closes.

A close off the Royal Mile

Changing leaves off the Royal Mile

The other main road through Edinburgh is called Princes Street. This street is also full of shops and restaurants, but not the touristy kind. This is more for serious shoppers (as I like to consider myself when I have the fundage). Off Princes Street there is Princes Street Gardens which is located at the foot of the Edinburgh Castle. We walked around the gardens on Saturday and enjoyed the beautiful views.

Mike & Kyle in front of Princes Street gardens

It was such a great weekend to spend with a good friend and share our new town with someone! If you want to see all our pictures click here. Thanks for visiting us Mike! Now...who else wants to come visit?

-Stacie

Dairy Queen we miss thee...

2008-10-11T02:29:00.001-07:00

For those of you who know us very well, you know that Dairy Queen has a special place in our hearts. Kyle & I started the tradition of going to Dairy Queen every week before we even were married. We used to go to the Dairy Queen off West Broad Street in Richmond and then go back to Kyle's apartment to watch the latest episode of the O.C. (quality television for those of you who were not faithful OC watchers. The tradition continued after our move to Seattle and we've even gone to Dairy Queen seperately, while one of us was out of town, and eaten it together over the phone. Some may call it an obesession, I call it an appreciation of soft-serve and candy! Currently, we are at 5 years of weekly Dairy Queen visits....

However, Dairy Queen has not stretched it ice cream empire outside of the U.S. so we have been forced to look for other means to keep up the tradition. We've tried a few different options (and they aren't very many) and have landed upon our new Dairy Queen...wait for it....Burger King. Yes, Burger King is a little better here than back home in that it serves tasty mixed ice cream treats, they even have a flavor of the month (similiar to Dairy Queen for those of you who have had the joy of experiencing the Dairy Queen 'Blizzard of the Month'). We miss you Dairy Queen!

-Stacie

B School Update

2008-10-04T07:36:00.001-07:00

McEwan Hall (graduation location)

I thought I'd crawl out from under my pile of books, case studies and lecture notes to give a quick update on how business school is going. The short story is it's both amazing and exhausting. I'm really enjoying all the subject matter, but it's just a LOT of subject matter! It's a great fun to be in a lecture theatre with people from 18 different countries and various professional backgrounds. Also, the Lecturers are great. I'm starting to lose track of time and date as I hibernate in the b-school. I commented to one student that I feel like a caterpillar that 's in a business cocoon being transformed into a little butterfly that is ready to be a business leader!

Since the program is 12 months I've already started the job hunt. Adding to the already heavy school work I've been talking with alumni and local business contacts in both Edinburgh and London to try and get my foot in the door. It's exciting times and I'm not wishing it away but I'll be ready for some rest come Christmas time!

-Kyle

Random Updates

2008-10-01T05:20:00.000-07:00

Well, last week was our first official week of work and school. We both enjoyed our weeks and are very excited to be back in a routine again! In case you read my last blog post, I did enjoy a deep fried mars bar this weekend! It sounds filthy and I can assure you, it is! But lucky for me, filthy sounding doesn't equal filthy tasting and I quite enjoyed it!

With Kyle busy with school, we haven't done much sightseeing but there are a few things we've done that I haven't posted yet. Below is a picture of Duddingston Kirk. Duddingston is a quaint little village about 2 miles outside of Edinburgh. We walked there about a week ago to check it out.

Kyle and Deacon in front of Duddingston Kirk

This next picture is of the walk towards Duddingston. It's nice to get away from the city and see a little green!

Walk to Duddingston

We also visited the Royal Botanical Gardens. They are free to walk through (which was the main draw for me). Here's me in front of the ivy wall.

If you want to see more pictures click here.

-Stacie

What's so different about Scotland?

2008-09-26T05:04:00.000-07:00

Deep-fried Hamburger

Not much, but quite a bit! So far, my favorite difference is the working schedule. Previously, in the States, I usually worked 7:30-4:30 and Kyle worked 8:oo-5:30ish. Here work doesn't even start until 9am and then you get off at 5:00, with an hour for lunch. Only 35 hours a week is full-time! I LOVE this. I have been sleeping in until 6:30 and have noticed how much happier I am. 8 hours of sleep every night really does do a body good. I can't remember the last time I was this happy on a regular basis! Who knew that all I really needed was a little extra sleep?!

Here are a few words that are different too:

Give Way- Yield

Tatties/Jackets- Baked potato

Que- line

Biscuit- cookie (ie- Oreo Biscuits (they really say that!))

Lollie- lollipop/sucker

Veg- vegetables

Neeps- turnips

Diary- planner

Cheers- thanks

Quid- buck

I'm sure there are a ton more, but these are the ones that really stood out to me. It's funny how the English language can vary so much.

Another thing that is different is that they like to deep fry everything. Last week Kyle and I had a deep-fried hamburger, yuck! But I figured we could at least try it. This weekend, my goal is to eat a deep-fried mars bar. We'll see if I get that accomplished!

-Stacie

Kilts & Celidah!

2008-09-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

Last night Kyle's program had what is called a "Celidah" (pronounced Kaylee). A traditional Cedliah includes men in kilts, traditional scottish dancing and traditional scottish food (ie. haggis and mash). Doesn't Kyle look cute in his kilt?

All of the guys were given the opportunity to "hire" (rent) a kilt for the evening. Here are a bunch of them all dressed up! It was fun to see so many guys from so many different countries wearing the Scottish kilt! Including Kyle the guys in this pictures are from Ireland, Nigeria, Ecuador, India, Mexico and America. Definitely a melting pot of cultures!

Here's a video of Kyle dancing. Sorry it's kind of dark but hopefully you can tell which one he is.

After the dancing was done, we got to enjoy some famous haggis. I tried both the vegetarian and traditional haggis and didn't think it was too bad. I mean, I wouldn't go to a restaurant and pay money for it, but it wasn't bad. Hope you enjoyed the pictures! Here's a link to more if you're interested.

-Stacie

Our Apartment

2008-09-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of our apartment!