I am writing now from my small, comfortable dormitory at St Mary's Music School, where the choir will be staying for the next three days. In about thirty minutes we will gather for lunch in the dining hall. So far I feel a bit disoriented; it's hard to realize that the day has only just started; as we have spent the last ten hours dealing with all the baggage that comes with airport travel (although our arrival in Edinburgh was quite seamless!).

We arrived here about an hour ago, after a six hour long redeye flight out of Newark (with an in-flight entertainment system that refused to cease malfunctioning). We were greeted upon arrival by a large coach that shuttled us all straight to this Music School. I'm delighted that we are situated only a minute's walk away from the Haymarket, a small area filled with tiny shops and restaurants, where I will be able to satisfy my craving for Cadbury Crunchie bars. Also nearby is the main shopping district (the Fifth Avenue of Edinburgh) at Princes Street. It does seem that we are in the middle of everything at the moment. After lunch, and a little rest, the choir will proceed to rehearse for tomorrow's service at the adjoined St Mary's Cathedral (visit their website here), and concert at St Giles Cathedral (which, I believe, is located almost directly above Edinburgh's infamous City of the Dead, an underground burial chamber filled with skeletons). Monday will be a free day...I do not know what activities are in store for us...

We're all amazed by the beautiful scenery here in Scotland. Edinburgh is an incredibly picturesque place, with old buildings, small streets, and Edinburgh Castle overlooking everything. The temperature here is 14 C (about 55 F), a refreshing change from the stifling heat of New York. The choir has not become exhausted yet, but this is likely to change considering the jet-lag and busy schedule to come.

I'm not exactly sure when this post will be released--there is no internet in my dorm, so I'm using Microsoft Word for the moment. Hopefully I will be given the chance to access the internet soon, probably in the Haymarket (while munching on some Crunchie goodness). I also hope to upload some photos to post here--although I do not have a digital camera, I could easily snatch someone else's memory card (with their permission, of course). Now, time for lunch!