Sola Christus

Making my way through La-La land, one mug at a time (updated)

[I finally fixed the photo alignment below. That's better.]

Christmas vacation started with a snowy taxi ride to the Scotland airport two days before Christmas. After arriving in South Carolina safely, Christmas Eve I got the flu. And promptly presented it to my dear loved ones. After a week or so I felt better, which was perfect timing because I had planned a trip to the Western parts of America. Los Angeles was calling. My good friend Elisabeth planned for us to wind our way around the city one coffee cup, one lunch, and one bookstore at a time.

Having never been West of the Mississippi, I found LA....intriguing, and surprisingly multi-faceted. It is a city of people who are searching. Searching for the next big show. The next big movie. The next big party. They all seem to be searching for something new, hoping that that new thing will be the final end.

I love traveling, but getting to enter into a friend's life. Going to her favorite places, seeing her workplace, going to her church adds a new dimension to our friendship. It got deeper and better and fuller. And, riding around in Elisabeth's little car, LA became more than a facade, it became interesting and intriguing.

Here are some snap shots from our jaunts around the City of Angels.

Wednesday was a day on my own. I drove around and spent the whole day at The Getty--an amazing museum!

 

 

The view from the terrace, very different from the January skies back home in Scotland.

 

Soakin' up the rays!

 

Thursday and Friday were filled with the MLA Conference, so when Friday rolled around, we were ready to party. So we did what book lovers do best. We went to Urth for THE (second) BEST coffee I have ever had.

Tiramisu and a Spanish latte to finish the night.

 

 

 

Saturday was full of sights, good food, and more coffee.

 Peet's for morning coffee (also amazing!)

 

 

If you spend anytime in LA, you spend a lot of time looking over dashboards.

 

 

Guess where? Via a drive through Laurel Canyon and Mullholland Dr.

 

The Alcove, an amazing little luncheon hideaway.

 

They believe in good food out here....

 

Don't worry, I split it, but boy, was it yummy!

 

 

  Echo Park and Chinatown in the afternoon

 

 

 

 

Look! There's Moses!

 

 

Playing the Look-like-you-belong game in Chateau Marmont

 

 

After dragging Elisabeth into Meltdown Comics we went to Birds for supper. It's a loud and fun little place with a Hitchcock kinda' theme.

Then, we finished Saturday with a trip to Amoeba Records, where we barely escaped alive!

 

 

Sleep, Church, and then Santa Monica Sunday.

April came in like a lamb (update part 2)

I already posted about March, so this post is about April and May. On April 18, a big event happened in St. Andrews, The Kate Kennedy Parade. The Kate Kennedy Club is a student club that only admits the most exclusive (read male and rich and sometimes royalty) into their club, and then each spring, they host a parade through the town. The parade features important people from the history of the University, complete with horses, monks, queens, and a staged stage coach robbery. People from all around came to see the parade. While the history is doubtful, it has been held for more than eighty years. Here are some pictures:

St. Andrew starts off the parade; we are in Scotland, notice the pipers behind him.

Cardinal Beaton (who was killed by Protestants after he burned Patrick Hamilton, a lecturer at the University)

The end of the parade with Kate Kennedy (a young first year dressed up as a girl). Yes, it is covered with daffodils.

This picture represents Scotland to me. I love it; little boys with their wee bagpipes.

Then on April 19, I went back for a visit for about four weeks to South Carolina. It was the first time I had been back in seven months. The time there was a flurry of visiting friends and spending time with my family. My wonderful friend, Stephanie, held a party for me where I got to see some dear friends and had a really wonderful time. Then, May 9, 2009, my wonderful brothers graduated! Matthew and Michael lived with me for three years and we are quite close. When they walked across that stage I was so proud of them (probably because I put so much work into those few steps).

Our wonderful friend Catherine who was able to attend the graduation. She was also at both of my graduations.

Look at those beautiful gowns!! YEAH! At the end of the month, I went to Rome and Geneva, but they deserve their own posts. . . .

Tagged again

I was actually hoping that a fellow blogger would tag me again. Will tagged me in the latest meme; this one is for all of the places I have traveled. Here are the states I have visited:

I went to most of them while I was on my Alma Mater's debate team. I still want to go to the west coast though, especially to visit my friend in Hawaii.

I have been to these countries:

Which, doesn't look like a lot, especially because Israel is just a little dot.

So, I put my own addition to the meme.

Some favorite cities:

1. Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia (I have been there twice)

2. Edinburgh, Scotland

3. Rest and Be Thankful, Scotland (a very small town in the highlands. Beautiful!)

4. Qumran, Israel (near the Dead Sea. I never knew the desert could be so beautiful.)

5. Peaks of Otter, Virginia

Five places I would love to go:

1. Rome, Italy

2. St. Petersburg, Russia

3. Cairo, Egypt

4. Venice, Italy

5. Wittenburg, Germany

I tag Desiree , Andrea, and Christa. Go here to create your own maps.

Finally!

I have finally finished resizing and uploading the second batch of Israel pictures. Enjoy!

Times of trial

With all that is happening in Israel now, I feel very blessed to have traveled when I did. I have been looking for pictures of Tiberias where the rockets hit but I can't find any. Over at The Jerusalem Post there are some interesting pictures though. The Post is an all English newspaper with (unlike our newspapers) excellent writing. The first picture captures the Israeli situation well.

The first batch has arrived!

I have finally finished uploading the first half of my pictures from Israel. This is the Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee batch. I am working on the Jerusalem group now. Please let me know if you have a hard time loading them. I intend to write some reflection posts later. There is also a link at the bottom right of the blog.

Blogging on a hebrew keyboard

Just thought I would put up a quick message about Israel. Everything is great! We are staying in a hotel by the sea of Galilee.

More to come.  . . .

Wanderlust and scantrons

The end of another semester. A tough one, but it is nice to know it is over. So, after hiding in my office to finish bluebooks and scantrons, I have turned in my final grades. Yeah!
Now, a week from today I will be on my way to Israel. The wanderlust is kicking in. . .

12 days

And I will be flying into Tel Aviv!!!!

Not just any boring summer. . .

That's right folks this is where I am going this sumer . . . .

My school has one of those classes that also includes a trip to the land being studied. Enough women students signed up this semester that they needed another chaperone. This means all of my expenses are paid for. One May 9 I will fly out of good ol' GSP to Israel. We will be there for 10 days and will travel to all of the major sights (Petra, Massada, Qumran, etc.) Needless to say, I am VERY excited!!!!!!!