New Car

Clifton and I bought a car for me this weekend and it was definitely an experience completely opposite of the states for us. First off, car dealerships are not attentive to your needs at all. You are not greeted in the lot and if you have a difficult situation like ours, they really don't care to spend their precious time helping you work through it. For example, the situation Clifton and I are in is that I do not have a UK drivers license, we can not be financed because we have to live here for two years before we can get credit and I only drive automatic cars. In the UK about 1 in 30 cars are automatic. So we had a very low price range because we figured out we would have to pay cash, we didn't want to buy a hideous car and it had to be automatic which is extremely rare. We ended up having to drive almost to Edinburgh to buy me a car. We found a couple cars in Dunfermline that would be perfect for me so I called yesterday to make sure the car was on the first lot we were going to and it was. Since we were having to make the drive we decided to take the scenic route which we thought would be so amazing. It was an absolutely beautiful drive but we did not take into account my motion sickness. The roads were very windy, tons of roundabouts to stop at and up and down hills. Needless to say I did not feel well so when we finally arrived at the first dealership we walked in to find out the car I really wanted was sold a half hour before we got there. Immediately they took us to see the one other automatic they had on the lot and as I am looking at it I look at Clifton and say I am going to be sick. He thought I was kidding. Nope I wasn't. I threw up right next to the car in front of the car salesman. So embarrassing! Then he asked Clifton if I needed a glass of water and of course Clifton said yes. Seriously I think the guy gave me sugar water. I tasted it and he must have dumped a packet of sweet and low in it. I was disgusted and thought I was going to get sick again. Then he walked to the car and put the keys in the last automatic left and said take a look on the inside and come and get me if you need anything else. I don't think he was happy about me getting sick on his lot. Clifton and I decided to leave and go to the next place and I was telling Clifton how embarrassed I was that I got sick on that lot and my amazing husband says they deserved it because they sold your car before we even had a chance and they knew you were driving up from Aberdeen to see it. Ha! That is when you know you have a good man because even though it was probably embarrassing for him as well he acts like the dealership deserves my throw up on their lot. Gotta love it!

I was feeling much better by the time we got the next lot and they had a perfect car for me and it was a better price. The owner of the car dealership was amazing too and so helpful which has been very hard to find. We took it for a test drive and I think I gave the guy and Clifton a heart attack when I decided to pull out on the wrong side of the road. They both start saying wrong side, wrong side!! Clifton about died of embarrassment and the car salesman was definitely on edge after that but we made it back in one piece and bought the car. We pick it up next Saturday because there was some minor body work that needed to be done to make the car look beautiful. I love my new car and I can't wait to drive it. It is a Citroen C2 and yes it is super teeny but perfect for driving here. Here are some pics!

Other than just buying a car this week in Aberdeen has been gorgeous. The weather has been around 12-15 degrees Celsius. For you Fahrenheit folks that is around 55-60 degrees which is warm for here. The sun has been out almost every day and Clifton and I have taken full advantage of this weather by running or walking through the town. Today we sat on a patio and ate lunch outside for the first time this year. It was beautiful.

I finally start my teaching job tomorrow and I can't wait to be over a class again. I am very nervous since I have not taught Math and Science before but I am sure I will get along fine. I am just ready to have a place to go every day and be needed again in a workforce.

Belgium and Amsterdam (29th Birthday)

For my 29th birthday Clifton decided to plan a trip to Amsterdam and last minute booked a train to take us to Antwerp, Belgium on Friday. We woke up at 330 in the morning and got to the airport at 5 and on a plane at 6 on the way to Amsterdam. We then went to the train station from the airport headed to Belgium. The Amsterdam central station was quite an experience. They continued to announce two things over and over in all different languages. "There are pick-pockets in this train station and the cleaning crew is on strike". The train station was absolutely disgustingly dirty to the point where you didn't want to put your bag down on the floor. So those two announcements made you feel pretty comfortable right from the get go. Ha! We then got ready for the hour long train trip to Belgium where we saw tons of windmill houses and there were acres and acres of green houses. I have never seen so many greenhouses growing everything from vegetables, fruits, flowers and marijuana. The Netherlands is at the forefront of professional greenhouse technology. We arrived around 11 and were incredibly impressed with how beautiful Antwerp was. First off, Antwerp is the world's diamond center. There were tons of jewelry stores lining the streets along with great fashion stores as well. The thing I loved most was the smell of the Antwerp streets. Every few blocks there was a Belgian waffle stand which made the entire city smell amazing. Of course Clifton and I both had a Belgian waffle and some famous Belgian chocolates. Both were to die for! The city reminded me a lot of Paris but not near the crowds. There were a ton of outdoor cafes with seating and squares were everyone gathered. The architecture was beautiful. Clifton and I were only in the city for five hours before we had to head back to the train station but we would love to go back to Belgium.

Amsterdam

We arrived back in Amsterdam around 5pm and immediately were almost killed by bicyclists. Yes I said bicyclists. When you look through the slide show you will see how many people ride bikes in Amsterdam. It was amazing. So when you got to a cross walk you had to make it across the bike lane, the tram lane and then the car lane. Seriously it was insane! The bicyclists have little horns and bells and will yell at you if you are in the bike lane or in their way when they are riding past. They do not care if they hit you. In there eyes they have the right of way everywhere even though they are supposed to stop at lights and crosswalks for pedestrians. I also loved the people who had babies, toddlers and kids riding on their bike with them. Just think in America we strap our kids in to where they can barely breathe or move and these people just put the kids in seats or in carts that are at the front of the bike to take there kids around. I saw babies less than one in little seats on the front of the bike strapped in. It was hilarious. I have about three pictures of kids on the bikes on the slide show. My favorite is the one with a guy holding an umbrella over his little boy while he is on his own bike. They also have bike car parks or parking garages. I put a picture on the slide show of that as well. It is just amazing how different cultures are with transportation. You would never see that many bikes in America or dare see anyone strapping their kid in on the front. :)

One of the other things Clifton and I loved about Amsterdam were the canals. We of course took a canal tour all through the city where you saw amazing architecture and some of the 2500 houseboats. The canals are another way people get around in the city. There were tons of small boats as well just docked on the side. Really it is the best way to travel when going to visit Amsterdam rather than taking the bus tours.

Clifton and I did some of the touristy things like going to the Heineken Brewery and seeing the Amsterdam Palace. The Heineken Brewery was interesting and we learned how they brew their beer, saw the famous Heineken horses and carriage and then of course in the end we got to enjoy the beer in the Heineken bar. After the Heineken brewery we went to see the palace which was beautiful on the inside. We did not get a good look of the outside because it was under construction so everything was covered up. We also went to the Ice Bar. It is entirely made of ice and we had to dress up like Eskimo's to even go in. At first, it was kind of neat but after about 10 minutes you didn't think it was that cool anymore and you just wanted out. They trap you in there for thirty minutes. Oh yeah and right before we went in I was splashed by a car on the street with tons of water so my legs and bum were freezing. Clifton thought it was hysterical when this occurred!

Lastly, I know everyone wants to know about the red light district and "coffee shops". Clifton and I did pass by many so called coffee shops. Coffee shops is where they sell pre-rolled joints, and marijuana. Again so different from American culture. Some of the streets smelled of marijuana and it was nothing to see someone smoking a joint as they walk past you. They also have what they call smart shops which is where you get seeds to grow your own marijuana. They have menus that show you what seeds to buy depending on the strength. They also sell mushrooms in these smart shops. In some of the pictures on the slide show you will see a smart shop and at the flower market they have cannabis starter kits to grow your own. The red light district was quite an experience too. We went there around 7 at night so before it got dark because I was a little nervous. Come to find out it is completely safe and a big tourist attraction. I even saw families down there but I would not recommend that to anyone going with a family. There were girls in lingerie and bikinis standing in the windows ready for negotiations and tons of triple X shops and shows. Again completely different world when you are walking down the streets. The store fronts are extremely risque and something you would never see in America. Supposedly, the Red Light District at night is even more crazy but we decided that seeing it in daylight was good enough for us.

All in all we had the most amazing vacation and officially decided out of all the places we have visited thus far Amsterdam and Belgium were our favorites. Just amazing cities!! We were also surprised by how many American tourists that were there for Easter weekend. The service was incredible everywhere we went and the dutch speak great English. I seriously think everyone in that city is bilingual with dutch and English. Everyone we spoke with at museums, restaurants, taxi drivers, and hotel spoke incredible English. I had an amazing 29th birthday and I am pretty sure my 29th year will be amazing!

Dallas Trip

I went back to Texas for almost the entire month of March which was great but I missed my hubby and our home. The first thing I did once my mother picked me up from the airport was go pick up my dog Kody. Unfortunately, he was not able to move to Scotland with us so he is staying with my good friends Jodie and Taylor. He loves his new home and seriously went into a depression for the first four days when I got him back. As you can see from the pictures above he is a pretty easy dog to take care of considering he pretty much eats and sleeps.

The first weekend I was back in Texas I drove to Austin to celebrate my niece's 2nd birthday. It was a Dora the Explorer party and there was a bounce house that not only the children had a lot of fun in. I can't believe it has been two years since my niece was born. She is so big now and saying all kinds of words. She is truly hysterical to be around right now. Here is a video of pictures from her birthday party.

After Austin I drove back to Dallas and I saw a bunch of friends and ate entirely too much food in the three weeks I was home. It is amazing how good the food is in Texas. I gained 5 pounds in the first week of my trip. That is not a joke either! :) I spent a lot of time with my mother who I miss a ton but she is coming to visit Clifton and I in July and we can't wait to show her our new home. I miss Texas so much but I truly love Scotland and the new life that Clifton and I have embarked on!

Edinburgh, Scotland February 26-28 2010

Clifton and I went to Edinburgh the last weekend in February and had the most amazing time. It is only a two and a half hour train ride from Aberdeen. We arrived late on Friday night and of course went to a local pub to start the vacation. On Saturday, we set off on foot to go explore this beautiful city. The first thing we saw was St. Giles Cathedral. St. Giles Cathedral is the historic City Church of Edinburgh. It stands on the Royal Mile between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. We then walked down the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle. This castle is perched on an extinct volcano and has so much of Scotland's history within its walls. We then took a tour through Mary Kings Close which was my favorite thing that we did. Beneath the Royal Mile lies Edinburgh's deepest secret: a warren of hidden closes where real people lived, worked and died. It was an amazing tour and showed you what life was really like in 16th century Scotland. Unfortunately, you were not allowed to take pictures so the only picture we have is of the sign telling you where the tour is. We also went by to see the Greyfriar's Bobby. In 1858, a man name John Grey was buried in old Greyfriar's churchyard and his dog kept constant guard and watch over the grave until his own death in 1872. This now famous Skye Terrier laid on his owners grave for fourteen years only leaving for food. Lastly, on Saturday we walked down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This is the official residence in Scotland of her majesty the Queen. It is pretty unreal when you get to walk in an actual working palace. On Sunday, we decided we would walk up Holyrood Park. I have to admit it was a major incline for about 10 minutes and I was not in any shape to climb it but it had some beautiful sights and we got back down to the bottom right when it started rain. We had such a great vacation and we can't wait to go back to Edinburgh again considering how close we are. Next vacation is Amsterdam for my birthday. We can't wait!

Aberdeen in February 2010

February in Aberdeen was extremely cold as you can see from the above photos of Clifton and I outside. Tons of snow and we were so ready for it to be over. The pictures of my friends was right before I left to go home to Dallas for three weeks. We had a little too much fun that day. Then the picture with Clifton and the bags is showing how we grocery shop. Everyone recycles here and carries the re-usable bags so we bought three and use them every time we go grocery shopping. We love those bags. It is so much easier to put your groceries in those bags rather than the plastic ones they give you at the stores. I wish I had more to say about February but I took too much time off in writing about it so I don't remember everything. :)

Mardi Gras-Feb 7th-Feb 13th

This week was another great week in Aberdeen. First off, I was offered the 5th grade teaching position for the remainder of this school year. My official start date is going to be April 12th. The students were told this week and they are excited but sad to lose the teacher that is in the position now. I also started to drive on Sunday with Clifton in the car of course. Clifton tends to be very nervous when I drive but he is getting better about being the back seat driver. I drive to school every morning with Clifton and then he drops me off and takes off for work. He loves to yell out curb curb curb when I drive. I have no clue what he is talking about I have only hit the curb three times!! :) I think that's pretty good! Then Wednesday I went to the American women's association meeting where there was a traditional Scottish fiddle player. Afterwards I went to lunch with some new friends and then we went shopping. Lastly, Saturday was the American women's association Mardi Gras party. We ended up having a great time! Amber and I decided we wanted to make Mardi Gras masks for the party, which ended up paying off because we won the most festive table award. With that title came a nice bottle of whiskey that we will all be sharing this coming weekend! The party consisted of Mardi Gras music, decorations, and great Louisiana cuisine. With every week that passes Aberdeen is feeling more and more like home. We are meeting more and more people that are becoming our friends and making our time here more enjoyable!

Cruden Bay/Slains Castle

As I stated in my last blog I made new friends here in Aberdeen and we had our first outing on Thursday. We decided to go to Lynn's house in Cruden Bay and have lunch and then hike to Slains Castle. Slains Castle is perched on the top of cliff's looking out over the North Sea. No one runs the castle so you are completely alone when you are out there walking alongside these cliffs. The original castle was built in 1597 and owned by the 9th Earl of Erroll. Everything about Slains Castle gives you a creepy feeling when you are inside the walls so you can see how it might have inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.

The trip to Slains Castle can explain every reason for why Clifton and I decided to make this move overseas. It is a 45 minute drive to Cruden Bay from Aberdeen and a 25 minute walk to Slains Castle. I was able to see some of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen and it is less than an hour from my home. We were all in awe of the Scotland scenery and felt lucky that we all have this chance to get to experience it. We wished our husbands could have made the journey but seeing that we are all housewives right now and our husbands work on weekdays, we ventured out alone! The girls and I did pick out a campsite on the way back from Slains Castle that we will be utilizing this summer with our husbands. I can't wait to go back and everyone that comes to visit will be experiencing it as well. You just have to get some rubber boots to make it through all the mud but it is very worth it.