Crail and awkward public transit...

Today I did another portion of the coastal path, this time to the town of Crail. After a lovely breakfast of Scotsman oats (my new favorite breakfast food), I set out. It was a sunny day with a brisk ocean wind blowing fiercely over the path. Quite a nice walking day; especially compared to yesterday.

Soon enough I was passing through Pittenweem with Anstruther in my sights. Last time I walked to Anstruther, it was only to go to the store, so today I got to walk all the way through the town. Being a Saturday, it was very busy along the main street. Families were milling about, looking at the shops and eating at restaurants. I was surprised at how much it reminded me of home. A beautiful, small seaside town that fills with tourists during the summer months. Once I got through the main section of town and onto the small road that lead to the FCP, it was really enjoyable. Stone building of every size and color lined a very narrow street. I love these little sea side towns... so historic and beautiful.

Anstruther bay.

Just one view down the narrow streets of Anstruther.

Then the narrow road ended and the coastal path to Crail began.

Fields of livestock lined the path to the left for most of the way. After a while of walking, a very cool sandstone formation rose up in the distance. 

 

Beware of livestock!

From there, the path became less defined and more rocky. It made it quite a challenge with my aching feet and painful hiking shoes, but it was cool nonetheless. A very enjoyable hike with more incredible beach views. Then I was approaching two ruined houses. Scotland is so cool...everywhere you go...ruins. :D

 

Ruined house #2

 Immediately after these two houses, after cresting a small hill, the town of Crail lay before me. I then meandered along the beach, stopping to take off my shoes and have my lovely lunch. A Nutella and peanut butter sandwich and an apple. Guess how many times I've had that this week? 

Damn shoes...

Check out those rocks!

Crail!

The plan was to take the bus back to St.Monans, which didn't leave until 3:50, so I had more than an hour to explore the town. Although it is another coastal fishing village, it is absolutely beautiful and charming in its own way. I spent most of my time just wandering the streets and taking photos. (Que pictures)

I could have spent like 6 more hours there getting all artsy with buildings and taking cool photos. There are just so many small architectural details I kept noticing around the town the added to its charming atmosphere and overall photogenic nature. No wonder it is an artists town...

Then it was about time to catch the service 95 bus back to St.Monans. It was about 15 minutes late, which did not help the whole uncomfortable shoe situation...but it felt great to sit when it did arrive. I used my best Scottish accent when I bought my ticket. Although it was only to say "To St.Monans" and "thank you", I think I totally nailed it. 

Anyway, in Ansturther, this lady got on with her unruly child. We were about halfway to Pitenweem when the mother decided to start to play a game of "let's see how uncomfortable I can make the other bus passengers by letting my kid run around like crazy, then yell at them loudly when I finally reliaze they are misbehaving." She won. It was so awkward... Her kid was climbing on everything while she just sat there, then she noticed it, got up, yanked the kid down and proceded to yell about it. I could see everyone sitting near looking very uncomfortable. Including me... Ahh the fun of public transit. 

It was another great day of hiking along the coast of Fife. Only a few more days left here in Scotland, which is really hard to believe. But so far I have had an amazing time. Check back tomorrow to see whatever it is I am going to do tomorrow...Yay! 

'Tis the Season

So, now that Christmas is only 6 days away, most of my friends are back from college, which has made these past few days very eventful. Quite a change from the work,hike,write,relax type of life style I have seemed to taken up. At fist, weeks before their actual return, I thought about how insignificant I would feel beside them, knowing they had just completed their first semester of college and I had really just worked. Then when they actually got here, I was too excited to feel that way. Not to mention, also within the last week or so, I have really understood that that line of thinking is...well, out of line. For a long time I  knew that rationally feeling such a way was not how I should see it, but it is what I felt. And unless you are Dr.Brennan (from Bones. I love that show so much.Okay. Off topic.), and you can separate your rational mind from emotional feelings, then it is hard to just go with that rational thought. And yet, I now know and believe that I am just as good as them. I took my path and they took theirs. I realize that it seems as though knowing full well I would be taking a gap year, that is a fact I would have digested long ago. But I have only just started to truly believe it. And not just think it. And I also think that that is all apart of what a gap year is supposed to bring to the table. It may have taken me four months, but now I know that I made the right choice. 
I guess what I am trying to say is, that we can learn a lot from inner reflection, so long as you don't get lost there. (As Dumbledore once said ""It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.") (yeah, I went there. Harry Potter quote. :D 

 Wow. I rambled waaay more up there than I had intended to. Anyway, I went to the Boston museum of Science today with a good friend. It was awesome. We figured out the seemly complex network of trains and subways and successfully got there and back with no problems. I am actually very proud of this, especially considering that I feel more at home alone in the middle of the woods than anywhere else. Score one for the lowly country bumpkin. Here are a few picture from the end of the day. 

 

Then yesterday after work I was able hang out with some other very good friends. One friend gave me a hat she had crocheted. She's going to a school in Vermont...so. That explains that. It was wonderful to see them all. Then on Sunday my best friend got hang out with me while I worked the little shop at the local farm. 

They are all back and are going to be here for the next month or so, so I am excited. Then maybe it is off to Finland for me. (Still working out some issues with that.) And if not, definitely WWOOFing in the UK. 

Anyway, Happy Holidays to everyone and thanks for reading this blog!

Day 6 N.S. trip recap

This is how we spend out final day in Nova Scotia. I know this post is incredibly delayed... and I have no real valid excuse. I just haven't given myself the time I suppose. And I have been contemplating other matters that I wish to write about, but I want to get this out of the way first. So enjoy!

(oh and be prepared for lots of photos)

On this chilly overcast morning, We set out to go find another "local gem" according to the handy dandy map we had found a few days before. It was called Gaff Point. And it was spectacular. Probably the prettiest view I saw the whole time there. We drove for what seemed like a lot longer than it actually was, we turned onto a very bumpy paved road littered with chuck holes. The farther we went down the road, and the more secluded it got the more we began to question our directional skills. Perhaps We had turned to soon... and then the road bore to the right and boom. There we were. The earth dropped away into the ocean in massive brown cliffs. It was incredible. I knew we were in for a good hike. We pulled into the dirt parking lot packed up and set out.

As soon as we get out of our car, this was the beginning of the hike.

Off to a very good start.

Our goal? Out across the beach and out to the end of Gaff Point and back.

Someone else enjoying the chilly day on the beach.

About halfway across the beach. All these smooth, round rocks the whole way.

Hiking yay!

The ocean reclaiming the trees.

Weird space houses. Very modern.

 After a pretty long trek across the smooth stoned beach, and a lunch stop we made it to the trail head. Right away after heading out onto the trail and up away from the beach, the moss came back and the pines spread out in every direction. Back to the wild woods.

First glimpse of the trail after leaving the beach and beginning to head out to Gaff Point itself.

This is what a majority of the trail out to the point looked like. This stuff is supposed to only exist on nature shows...totally amazing.

The woods receded and this was the view. Then back in for a little while longer.

Another path view. I just can't get over it.

Some cool cliff side rocks out at the tip of Gaff Point.

"AHH IT'S SO PRETTY" that's what I was thinking in my head. yup.

 The point was awe inspiring. Crashing turquoise waves, jagged shale cliffs, tidal pools, old washed up lobster traps, and drift wood. Just a few of the things apprent during the hike. It was a wonderful walk with astoundong views of untouched Canadian maritime nature. Awesome. I just wanted to sit out there and watch the waves all day. I want to go do that now actually...

The sun came out on the return leg of our hike.