MacPanoramarama!

Last week, Kevin, Kevin's dad and I took a short trip to Edinburgh. We saw and did more than I thought we could fit in the trip- a tour of a whiskey distillery, Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine, a walk through Alberfoyle, a trip to Blair Castle and Doune Castle and Edinburgh Castle...and so on and so on and so on.

We were astonished by how green and craggy Scotland is, as well as the tempermental weather. But we were even more impressed by the age of the city, and the incredible architechure. And it's quite remarkable how many vegetarian options are available in Scottish bistros and restaurants. Judging from the market penetration of tofu, Quorn, and similar proteins on the menu at virtually every establishment we went to, Edinburgh is giving San Francisco a run for its veggie money.

Panoramarama!

Hi there, internet! It's me, Melissa. It's been a white since we talked (ok, since I said anything to you, anyway). We've had lots of adventures since the ice melted. Right now, we are in the middle of a marathon vacation before we start our new jobs in August. In fact, we just got back from a trip up to Dalarna ("the valleys"), reportedly the Swedishest area of Sweden, and home of the famous Dala horses:



We spent the weekend eating pastry, drinking coffee and beer, hiking up hillsides and picking and eating wild strawberries and blueberries with our friends.

Interestingly, this area we stayed in is a massive crater formed by some meteor hundreds of thousands of years ago. Steeper-than-expected hills surround lakes and valleys...so spectacular views were to be had.





Last week we tried to take a trip to Birka, Sweden's first city, which is located on an island in lake Mälaren (west of Stockholm). Unfortunately we found out too late that the ferry doesn't run on Tuesdays after a 2 hour trip on the bus. But all was not lost! We did see some rune stones and burial mounds and the remains of a castle!





Next up: MacPanoramarama!