Edinburg, Scotland

THE PICTURES ABOVE ARE ALL RELATED TO THIS ARTICLE/POST.

The trip was made on the 18th of September in conjunction with the Leeds Metropolitan University's student's orientation program.

Here I am in this wonderful and thriving city 4.5 hours north of Leeds. I met 2 ladies from China whom were very welcoming and friendly. Their names are Tanya and Wanglu. I met Wanglu last week during a session of security and safety given by the Leeds Metropolitan Police in Beckett Park's campus auditorium. I sat beside her. It was rather an interesting coincidence here at Edinburg.

Both of them are not the only ones amongst the rest who owns a digital camera. I for one felt ashamed as I'm going around with my wickedly big film camera, an EOS 300v model. Tanya has a Sony T1 and Wanglu a Canon PowerShot A70.

I ran into them twice in Edinburg and the second time Wanglu asked if I can take a picture for them. Maybe one couldn't hessitate to ask as one has noticed how a professional I am weilding such a camera. *laughs* After that, her camera died on her, refusing to work. It could be the battery that went dead or it could be something else. She denied the possibility of a dead battery as she was certain the camera was fully charged the night before. It's dead anyway. So from there, I offered myself to walk with them, well, hehe... as well as my service as a quasi-professional photographer.

Wanglu didn't think it was necessary because Tanya, her friend, still has a working Sony T1. Now, T1 is an awesome digital camera the size of a credit card with an amazingly big LCD screen as viewfinder. It's one of my wish item. We walked up a hill and just around the corner there was a man dressed up like Mel Gibson in the movie called Braveheart. His face painted in blue and weilding a broadsword and an war axe. He'd poses for tourists and/or passer-bys like us for photos. That got Tanya interested and she asked if I can take a picture for her. Of course! We tried three times and three times her T1 failed on her as the battery indicator flashes before me and wouldn't allow me to shoot any pictures. We tried for another time but Mr. Braveheart had to come over and advice us that the camera has run out of battery. How nice of him!

In the end, they gave up and accept the fact that their cameras are useless. Whereas on my part, I no longer felt like a total loser carrying the bulky camera around mounted on a heavy tripod. I felt for once that film cameras (like mine) rules and that digital cameras have issues pertaining to battery lifespan.

We toured around Edinburg for 3.5 hours together; visiting shops, churches, castle(s), and historic buildings. Skies are always changing as clouds floats pass quickly dragging along rain clouds and then back to sunshines against clear blue skies. It was very windy. We went into this church but we moved our separate ways as though we have mutually agreed to meet somewhere after certain minutes later. Essentially, I lost them and they lost me. I walked outside hoping they'd wait for me but none of them were to be found. I left the church feeling sorry for my carelessness and blamed it on my enthusiasm towards photography. I was too busy shooting the interiors of the church but I guess Tanya and Wanglu didn't share as much interests as me in the designs of church interiors especially during the 15th-17th century Roman Catholic days. Colorful glass tints, murals, stone sculptures, and gothic wooden carvings, etc. took my breath away. It didn't for the girls. ;)

So, again, I walked out leaving the church thinking that I'll be walking alone again. Why again? I was with a group initially but because a nun from Ukraine stopped me asking for donations ans stuffs chatted up with me. She was interesting to talked to so we chatted for a good 15 minutes. Because of time constraint, I suppose my group left me there didn't want to interrupt my conversation with the nun.. but they were thinking I was flirting with some lady there. So, that's justified. Just as I stepped out, I saw them on the other side of the broad pedestal walk lane and I quickly walked up to them hoping to give them a surprise. Surprise it really was to them, especially to Wanglu. She almost yelled at me asking where I went and how inconsidered I was being selfish and stuffs I can't really remember. But I knew she was mad at me for my sudden disappearance. She said she went back into the church twice and shouted for my name in vain before they decided to leave. I explained and soon we're all cool about it.

That's about all that happened on this day. It's worth another visit I think. 10 hours journey to and fro and only spent about 4 hours tops in Edinburg is not something anyone would consider as satisfactory. The place has so much to offer in a different aspect compared to Leeds. It has the landscapes, the medieval buildings, history, cultures, and Braveheart! Leeds is just a huge metropolitan that houses countless of discotechques, clubs, pubs, bars, shops that carries various brand names and services that proclaims its own sovereignity.

However the story goes, the least I know is that I have met and got to know 2 ladies, of course, they're good people, and good friends! In this big city of Leeds, I hope I can get to know them better rather than passing them as people I've met.

So, cheers everyone!