Exploring the city

Edinburgh seems to be set up on a few levels, so sometimes maps aren't especially helpful; you think you're going to come to an intersection and turn onto another street, and then realize that the street is actually about 20 feet above you. But I'm starting to get the hang of this very hilly city, and I'm almost used to the millions of stairs throughout it.

I took this photo of North Bridge right next to a restaurant called "Tasty Tatties," haha-- every kind of potato dish you can imagine.

Throughout the city, there are these little public gardens. It's always surprising to be on a busy street one minute, and suddenly find myself in a quiet garden the next.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is at the very bottom of the Royal Mile, near the new Parliament Building.

Look how green the grass is here! It seems that the landscapes are in every shade of grey and green you can imagine.
I think one of the best things about Edinburgh is the amount of coffee shops. I could spend the next semester just discovering all the tiny little cafes. There are Starbucks on almost every block, but I can't imagine why anyone would even go in them. I just got back from meeting with my tutorial group (four other third-year students) in a place called The Blind Poet to talk about our Chaucer assignment-- isn't that great?!