Budapest...Prague...Dublin...Edinburgh...

If I was able to jot down every memory and every little thing that has happened on this trip it would definitely be mind boggling. I honestly don't even remember the last thing that I blogged about was...or where I was. I don't think that I wrote about Budapest....hmmm, probably my least favorite place I went.... It was so hot there and I just didn't relate to anything that they had to offer. I mean, the architecture was pretty but it just seemed really hot and run down to me.  I thought I was going to have a heat stroke.  I mean, the hi lights of being there was probably the fact that I was able to see different cultures and lifestyles....and able to finally go around without my jacket attached to me.  People weren't incredibly friendly there and the money was very, very confusing. I was very happy to leave... On the train ride over to Prague we were first class...although, it didn't feel like it because the air in the little space wasn't really working.  But we sat with 2older couples that were really nice.  They played cards and we just chatted of random stuff...riding by tons of fields of sunflowers was incredible. Making it into Prague....it was also not what I was expecting....I was expecting amazing architecture as well and I guess since we were staying in a different district that is why.  But, Sir Toby's hostel where we stayed was amazing....the brick work and intricacy of the inside was awesome. The guy who checked us in (Richard) was really nice..he had a strong accent and spit a lot..well, I didn't really notice it but meg did.  I just kept looking at his really small mouth and tried to figure out what he was saying... He always ended with a 'yeeah' like I was supposed to understand every word.  I just shook my head, sure, and went along with it. I was really excited to be in the room.....albeit, no AC again but it was nice.  I had a skylight over my bed and I was very excited about that because it stormed so good that night.  And everyone who knows me knows that I love a I good storm with a tornado or two... I could listen to the thunder and rain all the time. Anyways, so we get up and we decided to take Richard up on his offer to do a guided tour of Prague.  I, of course, wanted to look cute being in Prague and all, I wore my new flats.  Well, earlier on in our trip like the first week I think...I dropped my suitcase on my foot and it has been giving me trouble ever since...so, the swelling that day made my pour left shoe a little tighter than I anticipated (thanks meg for the band aids!)...definitely gonna get it looked at when I get back... Anyways... So, we go on this tour and he wasn't kidding about it being off the beaten path....we hiked up hills and walked thru stone and gravel I thought I was gonna die...but it was really gorgeous.  You can definitely still see the old city vibe they have kept alive. The next day we just walked around ourselves.. We sprinted to catch the tram going into the 'old town' as they called it and as soon as we got on it stunk so bad.. I will never understand why Europeans do not where deodorant....ugh!!!!!! Anyways, at the next stop we jumped off and meg walked away gagging to death while I walked in the other direction plugging my ears and humming a tune so I wouldnt join her.  Anyways, because of all that we ended up walking what felt like was forever....but only an hour or so to get into the city.  It was a lovely walk but definitely a hot one.  More beautiful work in the buildings and bridges.. I don't quite understand the draw to Charles bridge because it looks like the others...but I guess it is a night thing. Anyways, so as we walked for hours and hours around Prague I probably took about 60 pictures and I went to delete one as we were heading out and I accidentally deleted them ALL!!!!!!!!!!!  Sad day.... I really felt sick to my stomach. So, we decided to walk around a little bit again so I could get at least a few pictures....lucky we did, because we came up on this festival thing going on in Prague square and there where this older people behind stage bouncing on yoga balls... I thought to be sure it was just a warm up exercise to their dance routine...and no. It wasn't. They literally got up on stage and rolled around on their yoga balls and what not. It was absolutely hysterical...and to think we would have missed it!!!!!!!! So, we decided to fly back to Ireland instead of taking all these dad burn trains and ferries... Thank goodness.  We made it back to Dublin and it felt like being home. The hostel we were staying in is the sister hostel to the one we stayed at in the beginning. We went to a movie that night (the amazing spiderman in 3D to be exact!) and the theaters are amazing here... They are huge.  Usually you have assigned seating because it is full but sadly the older man told us that it's never full anymore due to their economy. I think we could have fit 3theaters in the states in that one room.  Like I said...it was gorgeous.. All red velvet seating and big red curtains. Felt like the oldies. So, the next morning we get up and walk around Dublin again.... I feel like I know that place better than Raleigh haha.... We went to a wax museum and it wasnt really that good. After we went to the Jameson Distillery again for food and hot chocolate with whiskey....it came highly recommended to us so we thought we would try it out. Well, it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be...it was incredibly strong!!!!!!!!!  Anyways, we walked back in the pouring down rain.... Probably the hardest rain we have had the whole trip and my blasted umbrella flipped inside out...it was worthless...I was drenched. That night we went out with a bunch of girls from our room in the hostel...it was loads of fun!!!!!!! We met a couple of real Irish people who definitely live to drink.... Kind of sad but at the same time, that's their way of living.  Anyways, these two guys kept calling us 'yanks' and me definitely NOT being a yank, I was offended... I told them to get it straight but they just consider everyone from the states a yank....oh geez. So, after a long night, the next day we all slept in...then we went to s church since it was Sunday. It was gorgeous.  I thought it was going to be a long service because the booklet was like 5pages.  Now the choirs here are much more different (and, no offense...sound way better) than back home....I kept thinking that we were on the seventh verse only to realize we were still on the blasted first verse.  They go thru a melody and range of tunes and what not in just one word that it goes on for ages....but, no matter... I could have listened to it for hours. I so wish church's back home looked like the churches they have here.... They are so beautiful and it's definitely a holy place to go worship.  You don't have to even have a building to have worship I know, but the feel of it and the reverence that comes with it is just amazing. So, now we are in Scotland..... We started our first two days being in Edinburgh...it is absolutely amazing.... Probably my favorite city so far.... I mean, you are freezing, and getting rained on and there are people walking and you just can't help but look up in awe at everything... Really... The hostel we stayed at was also probably the nicest place we have been as well.... Everyone was really nice.  We got up the next morning and walked around... We went to the Castle of Edinburgh and it was gorgeous...the history was incredible and the things they had preserved was just wow...they had the queens crown and jewels...the birthplace of kings and important men of Scotland...war heroes and veterans...it was breath taking.  I bet back then when they made the 'castle in the air' (as they call it) they didn't realize that thousands of people would be flocking there to see it.... To them it was just a place they lived... A place to lay their head and to us its grand and magnificent. After being wowed by the castle we went to this cafe called the elephant cafe... I guess that's where the Rowling lady wrote Harry Potter...anyways, it was cool because my parents logged onto the live webcam there and saw us standing there and drinking our hot chocolates in the cafe. My parents, my sister Anna, my grand parents, and even megs parents and friends logged on to see...it was really cool...  Ok...now to the fun part.  We had to catch a bus today to get here to Oban, Scotland... Which was an amazing view (well the second half).....our two hour bus ride I thought would be the death of me.  It smelt like someone has been cooking a porter John in a steamy oven and left it sealed until we started down the road and then opened it up to let us all smell it...oh my gosh it was foul!!!!!!!!  I had to spray perfume and bury my head into my jacket for two hours.... I definitely had to pray for control because i thought I was going to se my lunch... It was awful.  I am definitely reporting them... Nobody wants to smell death for two hours...I would have rather of smelt anything else!!!!! Anyways, so now we are here...in our hostel on the coast and we are preparing for the last leg of our journey to the isle of Iona.  It is supposed to be a very spiritual place and boy do I need it.  I am very excited and hope it is all God wants it to be for me in my heart and life.  Until then... Cheers!!!!!