Exciting or Ordinary

Stockbridge Market Entrance

Sometimes it can be instructive to see familiar things through another's eyes. They can often notice or interpret what they see a bit differently. Between the trip here two years ago and the time we have already spent here on this trip, we have familiarized ourselves with a bit of our surroundings. We now walk past the nearby fish monger's shop without staring through the window display case every time. Likewise for the beautiful view of the Water of Leith from the Stockbridge bridge, or the historic Stockbridge Market entrance; we mostly just walk by. It is only natural to begin taking some things for granted. Now, since our son just arrived, we are interested in his reactions to those things we are finding familiar.

He has done a considerable amount of European travel, with us and on on his own. He spent one summer while in college studying math in Budapest. Home to eminent mathematicians such as Paul Erdős, John von Neumann, and George Pólya, Hungary has a long tradition of excellence in mathematics education. Anyhow, every weekend during that summer while in Budapest, he got on a train and ventured out to explore another country/city/area.

So, when we asked him about his initial reaction to being in Scotland for the first time, he quickly responded that, "It looks like most other European countries." Hmm, he is blasé about that which excites us. Readers of this blog can make up their own minds, exciting or ordinary.