Arrival to Dalkeith

...and just like that, we're in Scotland.  All of the preparation and travel now being over, I am sitting in the teacher's lounge, having a coffee, and looking out the window at the rain falling as I am tapping this note out.

Modern travel is amazing. It took almost 24 hours from door to door, but when one thinks about the boat ride that our predecessors took to get across the Atlantic, our short term discomfort was nothing.


We were greeted kindly at the door by, Katie, one of the Dalkeith House employees, and shown to our room.  The place, or technically, "palace" is...well...interesting. "Faded Elegance" is the term I heard used by the staff at UW River Falls, which rings true being here now. The building itself is impressive from the outside, and it is set in what is now used as a park by the town of Dalkeith.  Tall wooden doors and lots of marble have caught my eye first.


We were brought through a labyrinth of doors, hallways, and staircases to our small, comfortable, plain, clean room and shown where the kitchen and bathrooms are.  There is a group of art students and faculty from River Falls here for a couple of weeks this summer, so the room we're currently using is not our permanent room - no unpacking yet. Below is an arial view of the building I got from a photo here.

We took a walk around the city of Dalkeith last night, a bit groggy from being up for so long, but enjoyed the walk and got a nice meal at an Indian restaurant called the Bombay Lounge that was spicy and delicious.  After a good nights sleep and getting some outlet adapters this morning from Katie (yes, the outlets are different) we're back in business. We'll bus the ride into Edinburgh today to see the sights and plan a quick trip to Ireland before being back for Faculty Orientation on the 10th.


So far it's been great to be out in the world, but one of the highlights so far was flying over our home near Red Cedar Lake shortly after take off from the airport in Minneapolis.  I had a window seat and was able to discern the chain of lakes that we live near by their particular shapes and islands. I saw windmills and fields of tulips along the canals in Amsterdam as we landed and took off on a connecting flight there. We have seen people from all walks of life, speaking various languages, exibiting varied accents, throughout the airports and streets. Travel is a treat for the eyes, ears, and mind - if not the body.

Thanks to all for the well-wishes prior to our departure (even those who kept asking me if I was going to wear a kilt - the above picture is for you). We apprciate your interest and will report more as it happens.


So far, so good.