A Day in the Life of Lucas

As many of you know, Lucas Baker is visiting me this week. This brings me so much joy because not only is he my best friend (and boyfriend), but he’s the most hilarious person to take pictures of/with. The fact that he’s here instead of home for Thanksgiving is tough (especially because his grandmother still doesn’t know he won’t be there this year, despite my consistent reminders that he tell her!!) But it’s also hard that I’m away for Thanksgiving. This is the first time I’m missing out on eating turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberries, and green bean casserole until I’m stuffed sick. In fact, today is Thanksgiving day, and I’ve spent 4 hours in  class already and I have 1 more hour to go. Being away from home is tough, especially in a place that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving (aside from random non-authentic Thanksgiving food potlucks and American themed ‘frat’ parties–none of which we’ll be attending because we’re traveling to London today.) So, okay, they recognize Thanksgiving here, but it’s not the same.

While I’m homesick, missing the holidays home with my family, I’m still thankful I have a guy like Lucas who was more than willing to take time away from his family to spend it with me (also away from family) this Thanksgiving, because it does make it feel more real. In a sense, I’m recognizing all I’m thankful for way more away from it than I would if I were home and focusing on the family reunion. Instead, I find myself missing the possible awkward conversations and the slip-ups in conversation (as I’m sitting here surrounded by a group of French girls, talking much too loudly, who inhabited my table in Appleton tower while I was clearly writing this.)

I could go through and give you guys a play-by play of what Lucas and I have done this week, but what better way than to supply you this list than with pictures of Lucas in these places, followed by stupid captions? Here’s a blog full of Lucas:

Saturday: Lucas at the (*almost) top of Arthur’s Seat!  (* The pic of Lucas at the peak isn’t as epic of this. Look at Edinburgh behind him!)

 

Lucas taking a picture outside of the Palace of Holyrood (We couldn’t take pictures inside, so this was the best I could do.)

Lucas in the sorting hat at a local pub his first night! Themed for Fantastic Beasts (We didn’t drink Giggle Juice, but we did see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them three days later.) We also walked our friend Jane home like 10 miles away at 2:30am that night, after eating Zara’s, of course.

Sunday: Lucas eating breakfast at Elephant House (Where JK Rowling wrote large pieces of the  Harry Potter series!

Lucas in front of Calton Hill! (Monument in Edinburgh)

Lucas in Edinburgh at night!

Lucas at the Christmas markets! We tried glühwein (German mulled wine!)

Lucas at Light Night (We saw the ceremony and big concert that symbolized the turning on the lights for the season on Light Street!)

Monday: He started out the day at Edinburgh Castle while I had classes. Then, we met up and did a whisky tasting (where I learned I do not like whisky and adding water to it only makes the liquid grow and hardly dilutes it enough for enjoyment.) For dinner, we went to Lebowski’s (We’d watched The Big Lebowski, to prepare for this dinner, on Saturday night.)

 

 

Lucas and food at Lebowski’s!

Wednesday, Lucas spent his day on Princes Street (Big shopping street in New Town, Edinburgh) while I was in class. We then met up and went ice skating and had a blast, after about 10 minutes of struggle (We were on the ice for over 30 minutes!!) This pic was snapped after we had stopped skating and decided we needed to reward ourselves with Christmas drinks (He’s drinking an Edinburgh Christmas ale and I’m drinking Pimm’s and apple juice. Please also note that the sun sets at 4 here (getting earlier by minutes every day) and it’s only about 5:30 in this picture. Sad, I know.

 

Wednesday: We did an all-day bus-tour to St. Andrews this day. This is Lucas in front of the beach in Fife!

Lucas in front of the Old Course at St. Andrews (He teared up.)

Lucas reading a sign, probably, at the St. Andrews Cathedral.

Lucas giving a soft smile in front of the beach at St. Andrews (Just off of the Old Course!!! CRAZY) mere minutes before the 3:50 sunset.

Drinking Hot Chocolate in Falkland at the end of our tour (It was too cold to walk around the tiny town where they film the scenes of ‘Inverness’ in Outlander. So, we took a brief walk and then found a nook overlooking the church, monument, and the hotel, all in the opening scenes of Outlander in a small cafe.

I would like to end this post by saying that Lucas now knows more about Scotland than I do. He’s read everything he’s seen two-times over and has become a whisky connoisseur throughout the last 6 days. I waited for his visit to try haggis, whisky, and even see St. Andrews and Holyrood Palace with him (Because I knew we’d do all of these things together, and I’m a broke college student who can’t do many of these things multiple times.) The Christmas markets also opened up while he was here, so we’ve gone to all of these together. Basically, he has seen the same things in Edinburgh that I have, and I’m amazed he’s only been here since Friday. He’s the best travel buddy ever because he wants to try everything he can in the quickest time possible. Now, we’re headed to London (after my next class) and I can’t wait to see what the weekend has in store!

Happy Thanksgiving!