Here's to masses of incandescent gas...

The most welcome development over the past few days was the appearance of the sun: FINALLY! This coincided with the equally welcome return of my energy stores (I'm finally eating healthy, and I now know my way around the city--and, more importantly, its bus system), meaning that I could actually spend time doing touristy things instead of stressing out or sitting around unable to move.
I did the hike up Arthur's Seat, a massive outcropping of volcanic rock on the city's eastern border that provides an amazing view of the entire city. Next to that is a smaller hill that is, for some reason, covered with random monuments, ruins and the like. It all made me think that Edinburgh--or at least central Edinburgh--was designed as part of a secret conspiracy by time-travelling manufacturers of either film or digital camera batteries. No matter where you go, you encounter something unbelievably, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. (And yes, I have pictures, which I'll be able to post once my flat's Internet starts working, which should hopefully be soon.)
On Saturday I took a day tour of the Highlands, which included a cruise on Loch Ness. The boat's skipper was a rather intense Scotsman with some sort of advanced degree from MIT. A few of us started talking to him, and it turned out he was convinced of the existence of not just one, but eighteen Loch Ness monsters, actually plesiosaurs left over from the late Jurassic period. He showed us cell phone camera footage of 33-ton sonar blips, of a carcass found at the bottom of the loch, and of something--it was hard to see what--surfacing, producing an enormous wave. The evidence was pretty persuasive, although I wouldn't go so far as to believe the guy's assertions about similar monsters in Lochs--er, Lakes--Tahoe, Champlain, Titicaca and Baikal.
The Highlands were also impressive--mountains, lochs and glens as far as the eye could see, scenery that provided the backdrop for a) movies such as Braveheart, Highlander and Harry Potter, and b) a whole lot of clan warfare, according to our tour guide. Seeing as I knew absolutely nothing about Scottish history prior to coming here, the stories unnerved me. Like, just when you start feeling sorry for the Macdonald clan, who were mercilessly slaughtered by the Campbells, you learn that they turned around and viciously massacred the Macgregors, who went on to murder the house of Maclachlan...or something like that, anyway. It's a wonder there's anyone left in this country. They must be fantastically prolific breeders.
That night I went out with a few other BUNACers; not surprisingly, my plan to wake up early and go to Rosslyn chapel the next morning was derailed in favor of an afternoon trip to the beach. That amazed me, by the way. Not because the beach itself is especially nice--it isn't--but because it's a fifteen-minute bus ride away. My Southern California-trained mind reeled at this--a beach you can get to without traffic? Without driving around in circles searching for a parking space? Impossible!
So yes, Scotland can be quite fantastic--in the sun. Knowing my luck it'll be pouring next weekend, when I...hmm. Haven't decided on that one yet. Stay tuned...