January things

First term essays are over with, second term paper topics will be out in the next week or two, and I am currently enjoying this short time without any looming deadlines other than weekly class readings. My classes are all up and running again, and they are all off to a good start; two are continuations from last term, as they are full year courses, and I am now taking Inter-state Conflict & Humanitarian Law in place of my IP & Technology course last term. One nice, new development: my professor in my International Criminal Law course this term has instated a break for "tea and biscuits" half way through our 2 hour lecture each week!My dad just left Edinburgh this morning after a week visit here, and we had a great time together. It was exciting showing him around the city, sharing my life here with him, and watching him take in the city the same way I had when I first arrived. Before I knew it he was navigating the city centre like a pro and even got the hang of crossing busy streets without waiting for the proper signal! We did a lot of walking, had some good meals, and picked a mild day to climb Arthur's Seat to see the unique view of Edinburgh and beyond from the top.

Then, leaving early Saturday morning, we took a little weekend trip to Amsterdam where we overall had a blast! We toured the Heineken Brewery, went to the Van Gogh Museum, and saw many other notable sites and areas in a whirlwind of a weekend; needless to say, we arrived back in Scotland on Monday morning exhausted. On my dad's last day here we took a bus to Leith, a city/suburb of Edinburgh proper (like Cambridge to Boston) that is right on the North Sea and is home to a bustling harbor, the Queen's Yacht the Royal Britannia, the huge Ocean City Terminal Shopping Centre and lots of nice restaurants. Later that same day my dad met several of my law school friends and we all chatted over tea!

Now that my dad has left it is back to the old routine for me! Time to get back to course reading and other delightful activities. No more traveling to the continent for a while I think, and no other real news to report!