The City of Light

Greetings visitors!
It's time to write about my extraordinary visit to the City of Light: Paris.

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Friday morning I packed my little travel suitcase with clothes and headed off to Edinburgh Airport, ready to see a city I have heard so much about, and yet never visited. After disembarking from an easyJet Boeing-737, I found myself utterly puzzled about how I would get into the city. For those of you who don't know, almost all of France is on strike-- from the judges, to the students, to the train workers. Yes, the train workers. Luckily I found a (free!) bus heading into the city (though not to my ideal destination) so I hopped on and sat back, reading Fleshmarket Close to pass the time. After finally making it to my hotel-- Hotel Rivoli-- it all became worth it. Sarah (in her infinite wisdom) had gotten us a fantastic hotel room with 2 beds, on the top floor, in the 4e, with a balcony overlooking Hôtel De Ville (seen from the balcony, right) for all of 90€ for both of us for two nights-- that's less than a hostel! Friday night was mostly a chill night for chowing down on Thai food and splitting a pitcher of Sangria after visiting Le Bastille, flashpoint of the French Revolution.

Saturday is when the real Paris became alive right in front of me. Though it was cold (down to -4C), we toughed through it and saw most of the amazing sights and sounds the French capital had to offer! Paris excited every sense... Sight with its amazing landmarks. Sound with an accordion serenading us in the distance. Touch with its cold, stale air. Smell with fresh baguette scents wafting in the air. And finally taste with haute cuisine and selection of Bordeaux exciting every taste bud. It did not disappoint.

First thing Sarah and I did Saturday morning was wake up and have a classic French breakfast: Croissant and Tea. After breakfast we headed off for a 4 hour dwelling of Musée d'Louvre. WOW. The place was HUGE! It is estim

ated that to just glance at every piece of art in the Louvre, it would take NINE MONTHS! I was pretty impressed with what I saw: The Mona Lisa, Venus Demilo, Madonna on the Rocks, etc... This museum is a MUST VISIT for anyone going to Paris. My favorite of the paintings was Pygmalion et Galatée by Ann-Louis Girodet (pictured on the left). We also saw the inverted pyramid made famous by Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Food in the museum was RIDICULOUSLY over-priced, so we instead grabbed lunch at a nearly sandwich shop where I had a killer curry chicken salad sandwich. Musée l'Orangerie was next on the itinerary and it too did not disappoint. This recently renovated mecca of Impressionism boasted 6 of Monet's waterlily panels resting in two huge circular rooms with perfect lighting. My favorite was the weeping willow panel (right).

After the Louvre and Musée l'Orangerie, it was off to see some other Paris landmarks. First, Champs-Élysées, the most famous street in France. The roadway teemed on all sides with shops, people, and brasseries. The street used to be an avenue for the see and be seen bourgeois, but after some so called hamburgerization, now boasts an assortment of tourist shops and fast-food joints. This magnificent street led us to the magnificent Arc de Triomphe, a massive roundabout featuring a 50m high arch dedicated to victory in the Napoleonic Wars. After climbing the 284 steps to the top, the view was magnificent. To the south, the Seine and Eiffel Tower. To the north, the grand cityscape and the other part of the Seine. To the west, Bois de Boulogne. And to the east, the Louvre and heart of the city, 1er. The roundabout also hosted the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

After crossing the Seine, it was finally time for Tour Eiffel! The wait was long (even in November!) but well worth it. After climbing almost 700 stairs to get to the 2nd story, a lift brought us to the top (at about sunset). The peak offered amazing views of the city and the sunset. the cityscape was completely visible and after the sun had set, and the lights began to turn on, I began to understand why this is the City of Light. It really is no wonder why this is one of the most visited landmarks in the world.



The night was rounded out with a visit to Musée d'Picasso where hundreds of Picasso's finest works were on display in a renovated Parisian mansion. The mansion worked very well as a museum because it featured vaulted ceilings and beautiful embedded crown molding. Finally, Sarah and I took the Metro home (after walking about 8 miles and climbing about 1000 stairs) to the Hotel de Ville station, got dinner, an (overpriced) drink, and hit the hay.

Sunday was our day of departure. We decided over another croissant breakfast to visit the Jewish quarters-- Pletzel (right). Because it was Sunday, and Parisians (including shopkeepers) tend to take the day off, the Jewish quarter would probably be buzzing because the Jewish sabbath is Saturday. It was. We did some shopping, saw some cute cafes, and I bought a Kosher salami! Even trickier than getting to the city was getting back to the airport. The RER was still not running and the only option was a 13€ airfrance bus that ran to the 2nd terminal (I departed out of the 3rd). I got there in planty of time and had a nice flight home. Back to Edinburgh!

I really had a great time in Paris. I would like to thank Sarah for being my guide and translator for the weekend.

SLIDESHOW:

Adam and Sarah come to town and I goto Poland!

Woah! It has been quite a while since I last posted and so much has happened. Let's start on the academia front. This week has been super-stressful and I have had an essay due for plant biology, a project for economics and an assessed problem due for cell biology. It really was unfortunate that all of these collided in one week, but that's life.
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Now onto sports. Well, Cal isn't looking too sharp this season and I think we might have to wait one more year for that rose bowl. I really thought this was the year it would happen, but some poor decision making and overall weak defense made this season a bust. The Chargers on the other hand, with the exception of this last game, have looked pretty impressive. I say Chargers can get to the Superbowl... as for Cal, anything but the toilet.com bowl would be a win.

A bit over three weeks ago my best friend Adam came to visit all the way from Michigan! We had a great time here doing all the usual touristy stuff but also the student-oriented activities. I had a great time showing him around everywhere. We went golfing at Braid Hills Golf Course, explored Edinburgh nightlife, went to a wine-tasting, went shopping in New Town and explored the wonders of Old Town. After visiting me in the Scottish capital, Adam went south to London where he had a fun time walking around in downtown. I was really sad when he left and I can wait to see him and the rest of my friends and family on December 16!

Sarah also came to visit-- from Bordeaux, France. I had a blast with her, too. We got to see the Edinburgh Castle, go wine tasting, check out all the museums (including a Picasso exhibit) and take a hike to Holyrood Park (PHOTOS!). Sarah enjoyed her stay and even made some new friends. She was really envious of the awesome campus that we have here, especially McEwan Hall (named after the brewmaster). I'm excited to see her in Paris next weekend when I fly down there! I am really lucky to have such great friends that want to come up and visit me, but then again, who wouldn't want to be in this lovely city!



After Sarah left, it was that time of year: Halloween. It wasn't the crazy Halloween we have in the states, but rather a small celebration with costumes and the occasional drink. It was fun being in the dorms though, because I got to see a bunch of (interesting) costumes without having to walk very far. I was dressed up as a baseball player because in this country, let's face it, that is foreign! I found an American Football player in the mix, too!

Even with all the excitement of people visiting, the highlight of this last month was my trip to Warsaw (PHOTOS!) to see Maggie and Jacek! They were such great hosts and I really appreciated them not only putting me up in their guest room, but also showing me a great time around the awesome city of Poland. Throughout the weekend we went to see a bunch of monuments (little upriser, uprising monument, Warsaw ghetto monument) and museums (the palace and the national gallery). All of the sights were thrilling to see, but especially the larger-than-life war portrait by Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz. The food in Warsaw was tremendous, especially the perogi! We went to Hard Rock Cafe for my last meal in Poland and saw the famous Polish movie star, Olaf Lubaszenko!!! I also got to see a Finnish band called "Apocalyptica" who play Metallica songs on four cellos! The concert was a lot of fun but my ears hurt a bit afterward. I really hope I get to Poland some other time, maybe Krakow or Gdansk. Thanks again to Maggie and Jacek for showing me a great time!!!



This last Monday was Guy Fawkes Night in Edinburgh, and there were HUGE fireworks displays all over the city. Arthur's Seat caught on fire and there were over 900 calls to the fire department. I had to stay in to write my essay, but it was still fun looking out my window and seeing all the cool firework displays.

I'm looking forward to going to Paris to see Sarah!

So much to write about!

Wow-- there is just so much to write about!

Sorry I have not been updating my blog, but I have been busy with so much!

Let's start off on the academic front. I have switched around my entire schedule because the first set of classes I had proved a bit too challenging and not entirely applicable to my major requirements. I switched into The Dynamic Cell, Plants, Fungi and Symbiosis, and Macroeconomics. The economics class is a breeze, but while I am finding The Dynamic Cell manageable, it is also dreadfully boring. As my father has always said, it’s all about marketing, and the professors are only succeeding in taking a subject-- one I at one point thought fascinating-- and nearly putting me to sleep with it.The class I am really enjoying is Plants, Fungi and Symbiosis. This class has really put an interesting spin on a traditionally dull subject. We have learned about some amazing things that plants can do: produce nearly millimeter-long pollen tubes in minutes, readjust growth patterns in response to light, touch, and gravity, and use incredible cell wall materials to grow at astounding rates. As opposed to my other plants, class which bored me with taxonomic classification memorization, this one has a focus on the much more interesting and applicable area of plant physiology.

Two out of the three classes are held at Edinburgh University’s Kings Buildings. These mixed-architecture buildings house most Science and Engineering classes and therefore have a very sciencey vibe about them. The buildings are, for the most part, nice and modern, but my oh my... are they a hike to get to! The facilities lie on the southern fringe of the city and usually take about 30 minutes to get to (there is no bus).

During my brief break from Blog writing, the sports world has been exciting to say the least! Let’s get the uglier stuff out of the way first. Well, as most of you know, the Padres chocked more than once to lose out in the wild card race. The Chargers haven’t been much better, losing three straight to fall to last in the division.

Now for the bright spots. Cal has been playing some excellent football and has risen to #2 in the rankings! When I see the ‘2’ next to ‘California’, it still doesn’t register. I WANT THE ROSE BOWL... but hey, if we must goto New Orleans, so be it. Did I mention my room was packed with students to watch Cal beat Oregon? England Rugby is also making some waves. With a clutch win over Australia, the Brits are in position to make another run for the World Cup title. I watched the games at a student-oriented pub and the atmosphere was electric.

Today I had a practice with the house rugby team. I am thinking about taking up rugby and the fact that I am the second biggest guy in the house definitely helps. The problem is that most of the games are during my Labs, so it would be hard to get constant playing time.

My social life has been pretty exciting. I am going out on most Fridays and Saturdays and exploring what this city has to offer. In addition to the student unions, the hot spots in town are: Native State, Why Not?, Shanghai Club, Opal Lounge, and The Jam House.

In addition to clubbing, I have been partaking in the weekly wine tastings with the Wine Society, as well. This monday there is an ultra-exclusive, semi-black-tie event at The New Club on Princes Street, sponsored by Citigroup. The tastings have been a lot of fun and have been a great opportunity to meet cool new people! Tomorrow’s tasting should prove to be a good time and I am really looking forward to it.

My room has been updated a little bit, too. I have put some posters on the wall, but more excitingly, I have added a world map and put in pins to represent certain places of interest...
Blue Pins: places I’ve lived
White Pins: Non-US places I’ve visited
Yellow Pins: US Places I’ve visited
Red Pins: Where my friends are from.

Finally, as some of you have heard, I burnt my hand two weeks ago. The incident resulted in me having to wear a wrap on my hand, preventing me prom going to the gym. I have finally been able to gym and now I am really sore due to the time off.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed thåis update! Have a nice week! GO BEARS!

Fresher's Ball, Wine, Class, and Rugby

Why is it so bright out? It is the middle of September and just two days after a night at -1°C, it is now a comfortable 14°C and bright. I sit now writing at a jam-packed SUBWAY shop, looking out the window at a cobblestone sidewalk flooded with a mix of businessmen, tourists, and locals. I think I am finally starting to find my place here in Edinburgh..

First, let me tell you about my weekend. During the day on Saturday (Sept 15) I sat at my desk, glued to my computer, watching college football on a Slingbox. The simple fact that I can get American TV on my computer over 5000 miles away is pretty neat. Saturday night was Fresher’s Ball. This was a HUGE event that consisted of thousands of black-tie clad freshman dancing around to everything from Ceilidh to Panic! at the Disco. It was a very fun night, apart from the waiting in line for over an hour to get in (and we got there at 8:30!)

Sunday (Sept 16) was a bit more laid back. I watched the 49ers game on the Slingbox with my friend Joey, but luckily I was not able to catch the Chargers get smoked by the New England Patriots :-(. The rest of the day was spent hanging out with my American buddies at the student union while watching some rugby on the tube.

Monday (Sept 17) wasn’t very eventful until the evening when I went wine-tasting with some friends. The event was very nice and cost only £5. After starting off with some sparkling wine, we moved onto some whites (including a riesling) and then to reds (including a dreadful pinot).. We talked about the movie Sideways and wanted to rent it after the event, but blockbuster was closed!

Yesterday (Sept 18) was a very exciting day; it was the first day of class! At 10AM I went to my first lecture: Microeconomics. We got right into the material and discussed the principles of uncertainty, which has the bulk of its roots in the statistical study of probability, i.e. is it worth it to buy insurance. The lecture was quite interesting, but I was disappointed to find out that the tutorial times available conflicted with my schedule. After sending a ‘I like your class but...’ type of letter to the economics department, I managed to get a tutorial time on wednesday. I hope the rest of my classes go smoothly, as I still have Structure and Functions of Proteins and Plant Physiology on Thursday.

On Tuesday evening I made one of the most last-minute decisions of my life: to go see a rugby game. This wasn’t just any rugby match; it was the Rugby World Cup! I took the bus with my friend Joey and picked up some scalped tickets in order to see the match. Scotland kicked Romania’s butt! Seemingly every other minute there would be a roar in the crowd and a Scot scoring a try (rugby equivalent of touchdown). I really do enjoy the sport of rugby because it is a fast-paced, almost non-stop version of American Football. I hope I get to see another match-- maybe Univ. of Edinburgh Versus...

The week has been a pleasant one, filled with new experiences and fun people. I am looking forward to what the next few months have to offer!

Societies Fair, Gym, and Shopping

Hello again from Edinburgh!

I am again sitting in my room writing and enjoying an incredible view out my window. I feel like I have done so much in the past few days and so here I am to tell you all about it!

Just a few days ago, EUSA (Edinburgh University Student Association) put on a Societies Fair where all students could attend and sign up to be a part of a variety of societies (clubs). After walking around and passing over 100 booths, I chose some that fit my personality well:
-Wine Society
-Water of Life Society (Whisky)
-Economics Society
-ChocSoc (chocolate)
-Jewish Society
-Golf Club
-Radio Society
I hope that I can be active in these societies and also hope they will increase my level of enjoyment here. I am most excited about the Wine Society because, well, who else in Scotland is a Viticulture and Enology major? Also, the Radio Society is sponsored by FRESH AIR (see March 16 post), so I am exited to see if maybe I can do some work in the Radio Biz.

Yesterday I joined the gym at EU called the Edinburgh Centre for Sport and Exercise (E-CSE). The lower part of the gym is awesome and features brand new Nautilus resistance machines as well as 70-some-odd cardio machines with individual TVs. The upstairs with free-weights and benches, however, was a huge disappointment. First off, the benches room was closed to to “Upgrades and floor repair”. The Free-weights Room was very old and well worn. I used the bench press station and it almost fell over on me. The dumbbells were from the 80s and weren’t labeled (and when if they were they were in KGs, which is not my native unit). After the gym I attended an essay writing seminar where a lecture was given on how to write essays the UK way. The british essay writing style is much different in that it is not personal at all. Pretty much everything has to be objective, but also novel. I didn’t think the seminar to be much help because it didn’t discuss any helpful writing tips.

Last night was cross-dressing night at the local bar, so a bunch of my dorm-mates were looking quite odd. I decided not to indulge in this theme, but I did manage to snap some pictures of some of the ones who did for memory’s sake. Last night I decided to instead just goto another bar and have a few drinks with some California people, before meeting up with another group of california people for Kebabs at an indian restaurant. Why is it that a 2 mile walk home is so much easier after a beer or two? After getting back, I watched part of the West Virginia - Maryland football game before going to sleep.

Today was a shopping excursion! I really needed to pick up some cold weather clothing and today was a perfect day to do so. I got a nice H&M lined jacket for 39.00p, rain-boots for 5.00p, a sweater for 15.00p, and some nice cologne. It was much fun walking up and down Princes St, looking for places to shop. Edinburgh is such a vibrant city, and I am so lucky to be here!

Well, I leave you now with a smile on my face and hope in my eyes. I am looking forward to starting my classes and taking on new challenges. Here are my classes:
-Structures and Functions of Proteins
-Plant Physiology
-Microeconomics

Well, have a good day-- I am off to have some dorm food next door!

First few days of Freshers Week

First few days of Fresher’s Week

HELLO AGAIN!

I know you are all anxious to hear how this week has been going and how I am settling into my new home in Edinburgh. Well, adaptation has relatively painless and shockingly well organized. I am loving my new dorm room as well as the people around me.

Everyone here is so well dressed. I have been to going to breakfast expecting to see hoards of sluggish, weary-faced freshman, but instead have seen tidy ladies and gents, the former with make-up already applied-- a far contrast from what goes on at my home institution. There are so many English people in my dorm. All of them are so proper, and even send text messages in a genteel fashion, i.e. “When is one going to breakfast”. I have noticed a slight disconnect between the personalities of the ‘freshers’ and that of the UC Students (including me). It is quite obvious that these first-years have not had even the slightest taste of what life is like on their own, and therein lies the disconnect.

As I sit here now, I have a panoramic view of the city and its neighboring landscape; the sight is breathtaking. Acres of heath embrace fields of green, which in turn but up against the city and university limits, surrounding its many spires and flats. It really is an amazing city. Now that I have had ample time to assess the many things there are to do here, I cannot decide where to go next. The nightlife here is also pretty good. There are some clubs to dance at, as well as some pubs to hang out at.

Just now I registered for my classes and I am enrolled in: Macroeconomics, Plant Physiology, and The Structure and Function of Proteins. I am really looking forward to starting my ‘programme of study’ and begin to learn from some of the UK’s most highly regarded professors. There is so much to do this week (freshers week) to prepare for the upcoming months. I still have to register with the health center and the student union.

The view out my window is absolutely astounding. To the left there is Arthur’s Seat, the peak of gorgeous Holyrood Park. In the middle is Duddingston Loch, a fairly sizeable lake. To top it off, there is an extraordinary golf course just meters from my room-- the 17th green is right beneath me!

I am having a great time here... Check back soon more another update!

Days 2-4 in SCOTLAND ... NEW MOBILE NUMBER!

FIRST OFF... NEW PHONE NUMBER: +44 (0) 7942 550704
It only costs me 5p to call the states!!!

Well, it’s day four in Edinburgh and my time here has been an absolute blast. There has been spectacular views, good laughs, and great friends. Right now, I again sit inside the Canongate Cafe, a place I haven't been since the first day I was here. I am sad to say the best food I have had all trip has been at Pizza Express (or maybe it was the egg sandwich at the airport). In any case, the food has been absolutely sub-par.

The people have been great. I have made such a great group of friends here. We go out and stay in, watch the office and traverse the city, poke fun at R Kelly and listen to Oasis. I will definitely be staying in touch with these people and I hope they will do the same.

Now, on to my experiences thus far. As you have read, I was plunged into a new world on day one (Tuesday, Sept 4), and it was lonely. Now I have twenty-some-odd new friends and am doing something new every minute. After finishing my tea at the cafe, I headed back to the hotel and then walked to some museums (The Edinburgh Museum was really fun!) and to some shops. That night I finally met all the other Edinburgh semester students and we went to an, er... interesting dinner at Monster Mash for ‘Bangers and Mash’. I had a hamburger (waaaaaaaaaaaaaay overcooked), but others were more daring and got haggis (innards-- think intestines, stomach, etc...). After dinner we went to a low-key pub and had a beer before passing out from jet-lag.

Day two (Wednesday, Sept 5) was an activity-filled day. I now have blisters from walking around so much, but it was definitely worth it. In the morning we had another (yucky) breakfast at the Travelodge before heading off to a group meeting in the King’s Buildings (Houses sciences and engineering classes). The walk was long (1 hour), and so was the meeting (3 hours), but both were very necessary. After the meeting though, we got a REAL TREAT! After a hike up Blackford Hill, we enjoyed views of the city in stunning panorama. To the left, the Castle, to the right, Holyrood Park, and smack dab in the middle, the city centre with its unique architecture and bustling new town. If ever you are in Edinburgh, check out these views! After the hike we came down and had dinner at Buffet King, a Chinese all-you-can-eat restaurant. While not eating all my stomach could handle, I did eat all my taste buds could take. The food was not tasty Chinese food like you get in San Francisco or even San Diego; it was cheap, cold, all-fried cuisine. Also, they charged for tap water... TAP WATER! After the dinner we hit up a few bars and played foosball.

Yesterday (Thursday, Sept 6) was another fun day. After ANOTHER (uck) breakfast at the hotel, we left for a tour of the much hyped Edinburgh Castle. Though The Castle wasn’t all that I expected, I did enjoy a “living history” presentation put on by two chaps in a hall next to the Crown Jewels. They kept pointing their muskets at a Dutchman (16th century Scots don’t appreciate their kind) and just got a great laugh for being 100% clean humor. After the castle we went on a worthwhile bus tour of the city which really gave me a better sense of direction around town. We saw statues, the now famous Harry Potter cafe, and a bunch of museums. After all of the sight-seeing and tourist nonsense, we got a half-decent dinner at a Thai restaurant on the Southside.

Tomorrow I move into my dorm room in Pollock halls and I am excited to see what the people here are really like (I have met but a few). I was VERY HAPPY to see that Pollock halls were very nice and recently refurbished. The pictures online were a misrepresentation as they showed the place as a run-down Reagan-era tenement. My situation at the Travelodge has been surprisingly nice until today, when they informed me that I had to move to a smoking room because they say thats what I booked, (I don’t think so, my reservation doesn’t say so). They were nice though, and said they would move me if someone cancels.

This really has been quite the experience thus far, and I am only a few days into it! I hope to meet more great people and see more extraordinary places.