Ok, I’m ready to write about Edinburgh

Ok, I’m ready to write about Edinburgh
June 28, 2010
Yes, yes I know, you’ve been waiting… Again, I’ve been busy. Not to mention, I’m nearing the end of my journey and my energy is decreasing by the second. I may need another vacation to recoup from this vacation…
Anyway, Edinburgh, Scotland. LOVED IT. I had no idea there is such a big LGBT community. I ended up staying in Edinburgh’s version of the Castro. On my way to the hotel, I stopped at a café attached to this really cute art gallery. I had a carrot-squash soup with a fresh veggie salad and a raspberry lemonade. Healthy and delicious. And, as I continued to my hotel, I was noticing all sorts of shops and restaurants that were very modern and good priced. Oh, and just about everyone I talked to was really nice.
I visited Edinburgh Castle, of course. It was cool. I had no idea it had such a rich history during the World Wars. I’m gathering that this is kind of a theme throughout Europe. These cities that are older than my country keep their amazingly beautiful buildings, for centuries, and utilize them for modern day life. I noticed this especially in Krakow. Some of these buildings bare the scars of WW2, and some were revamped. Makes me think about what the US will look like in 100 years.
I will say that I felt instantly glad to be in Edinburgh as soon as I stepped off the plane and I wish I stayed longer. I plan on going back, hopefully soon. Maybe it’s because I’m Scottish? Maybe because the weather was nice and comfortable? I don’t know, but I really liked it there.
Also got to talk to someone whose boyfriend is a nurse in Scotland. I am very interested in their scope of practice, FYI. It seems that nurses are very independent. I look for that in my future as a nurse. A drawback, however, is the pay. I’m noticing that the pay scale for nurses in Europe is not as high as in the US. But, this also relates to socialized healthcare, which, by the way, I greatly support. So, if I had to take a pay cut so that healthcare could be a right and not a privilege, I would do so. Things to think about…