The Sleeping Mammoth

Last night, Alan casually asked if I've climbed Arthur's Seat yet while we were all walking to CU. Arthur's Seat is a 823-ft-high hill in Edinburgh. It is an extinct volcano and looks like an animal from some obscure angle. The story goes that the mound is a mammoth called Arthur, who has lay down to rest and has been sleeping for a very long time. Climbing Arthur's Seat is a must to do in Eddie Bert, despite that tour guide's warning that "sometimes, the weather looks fine at the bottom, but once you climb up there, people die." When Elle repeated the story of Arthur's Seat for me, I asked if Arthur was friends with Nessie.

Elle: Why would Arthur hang out with Nessie?
Moi: I don't know. Shouldn't all the large creatures of Scotland hang out or something?
Elle: Arthur is sleeping and Nessie is a water monster people can't even see, they don't hang out.

Back to Alan's question. No, I answered stupidly, I haven't climbed Arthur's Seat yet but I fully intend to, some day before I leave. Apparently, Dave hadn't climbed it either and the two of them were planning on going in the morning, did I want to join? Now, I blame this on the cold air. And the fact that I was sleep deprived. And physically weary. And distracted. So I said 'yes.' I couldn't think of an excuse in time. And so it was set, sunset at the peak of Arthur's Seat.

Well, not quite sunset. We'd all been up late the previous night (some got to go out while others stayed in to finish tutorial reports they'd put off all semester long... fine, I stayed in, ok?), and we had another long night ahead of us. Maybe 7am? The sun would be up by then but... oh heck, why not meet at 8am? And of course, breakfast at Alan's afterwards.

And so we did. On this cloudy, misty, and wet morning (are there any others in Eddie Bert?) Dave and I entrusted our lives into the hands of Alan and Elle and we set off for the hill. Elle was a great guide as she picked all the 'girly' paths to take while the guys often took routes apart from the path, where it wasn't clear how one ascended or descended. I was embarassingly out of breath by the time we got on top and even before then, needed lots of breaks, but the hike really wasn't that bad. No one else seemed affected at all.

Dave: We're only 1/20th of the way there? This is going to be rough. I normally get no exercise.
Alan: Right. Except for breakdancing.
Dave: That's all the weekly exercise I do.
Alan: And riding your bike and skating and the occasional mountain climbing.
Moi: And the bars.
Alan: And the exercise bars.
Moi: I'm just like you, Dave. No exercise. Except without all that exercise you do.

Throughout the climb, we kept joking about inappropriate Bible matters, like re-enacting the Abraham/Isaac sacrifice once we got up top. I was really concerned about having to be Isaac until we realized that Elle was wearing a white jacket- a perfect fit for being the lamb/ram to rescue Isaac. And suddenly, my position wasn't so grim any more.


A view of the Crags, a smaller mound to the side of Arthur's Seat, at the beginning of our climb.


Alan and Dave in cheesey summit-pose at the top of Arthur's Seat.


A view of snowcapped mountains in the distance, a large expanse of the city, and Dave's left shoulder.

The highlight of the morning, however, wasn't the reaching the summit or the gorgeous views, or even getting to hang out with small group kids. It was the breakfast afterwards. Fried eggs, sausage (expertly cut in half then scored in quarters as to fit flatly in the sandwich), bacon, and quality English mustard between two toasted English muffins (apparently they're called English muffins in Scotland, too, though we're not sure about England). With espresso from a machine that made the coolest noise. (Honestly the only reason the espresso was made. No one really cared for coffee, but loved the machine itself.) And some apple juice that may have come from green apples. While everyone cooked, I did the dishes. Dave had to cut in to wash the espresso cup for a second. He dipped the cup in a basin of soap water and:

Moi: (Shifting the faucet and turning it on for him) You going to rinse that?
Dave: Oh. You're a rinser.
Moi: Yeah. The water in here is pretty nasty, from all the crumbs. You might want to rinse it.

(Earlier)
Moi: (Trying to brush crumbs into the trash) Alan, you should really do your dishes sooner so you don't have nasty crumbs stuck onto the plate.
Elle: That's why you just soak it in the basin.
Moi: But then the sink is full and I have no room to rinse.
Elle: Oh. I don't really rinse.


The delicious sandwiches. Don't even think of comparing these to McDonald's.

By the time we got back and finished preparing the meal, the sun was shining through the clouds and onto Alan's couch. We sank into the soft cushions, each a plate in hand, and settled in contentment. Once in awhile, we might have talked about frozen peas or looked away at a distraction, but mostly, we just sat there in a wakeful slumber, relishing in the satisfaction of a happy stomach.


Elle, enjoying the morning.