Photos from Rosslyn Chapel

I was surprised that Rosslyn Chapel was actually quite near Heriot Watt. So a friend, Roxandra, and I decided to go and visit one Sunday morning. Unfortunately, we got there after the Church service which Roxy wanted to attend. Anyway, here are some pictures we took.


Roxy and I in front of the ruins of Rosslyn Castle. I think this is the bridge where they shot the Da Vinci's Code where Tom Hank's character reunited with the girl.

The two of us exploring the ruins.

Notice the celtic pattern on the cross? Cool.

A glimpse of the actual Rosslyn Chapel from the outside. It is under renovation and we weren't allowed to take pictures inside. But I really admired the architecture and sculptures.

Breathtaking view from the Chapel

Okay, we couldn't resist the temptations and were plucking and eating the wild blackberries that grew around the chapel.

Eid Mubarak

It's already Eid here in Edinburgh, and my family is celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr tomorrow. I woke up this morning with the intention to go for Eid prayers but found myself ill with cough and cold. Probably the rain I've been exposed to over the last few days. I miss my family at this time because, right now, I would be doing the takbir with my Dad and waking up to the savory pastries and sweets. I miss my nephew's and brother's antics. I guess the illness also contribute to a certain extend. Luckily, there're the classes to keep up with.

That's it for now. Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid/Selamat Hari Raya), everyone. I ask for forgiveness for any wrong/sin I've committed against my family and friends.

Addendum: I want to thank my aunt for giving me the serondeng, my mom for sending me the lontong and my dad who footed the bill...my friends who came for my impromptu Eid celebration praised the simple combination.

Enjoying being a student

Budgets, tutorials, long, boring lectures, and cramped spaces...all part of the package of a student. And I'm loving it!

Spent the day today at University of Edinburgh for our stochastic processes and simulation lectures. Dry, boring theorems but as I sat there listening and trying to grasp the concepts, I think I know why I fell "in love." There is a certain beauty in the mathematics behind the stochastic processes that I've not been able to appreciate before this.

Anyway, hope that this will continue and I can hopefully do well for the whole course.

Book review: Archeron

Sizzling! What can I say? Sherrilyn Kenyon combined all the elements I love in this book: mythology, supernatural, romance, and adventure. Archeron is the latest in her Dark Hunters series and probably the best. It covers his early life in Greece and Atlantis, which was only hinted at in earlier books, and the present day events. However, you don't really need to read the earlier stories in order to enjoy this one.

I'm not sure how authentic are her Atlantean fantasy - probably the speculation that it is in the Aegian sea is true. As for the pantheon of Gods in Atlantis, I'm really not sure but I think she definitely took some creative licensing there. Anyway, good leisure reading.

Photos from Heriot Watt

Given that I was up so early (hoping to sustain this habit), I took the time to venture out and these are but some of the things I found...Heriot Watt really got some magical places which I didn't manage to capture. The smell of pine, flowers, combined with the chirping of birds, chatter of squirrels, barking of dogs in the distance, remind me of the enchanted forest written by Enid Blyton. I even saw this ever so gigantic tree reaching to the sky that could have housed Moonface and the folks.

Ah, such industrious fellows, aren't they, the spider and bees?

I was charmed by this lone toadstool on the pathway. Against all odds, it managed to grow there.

Are these bluebells? The bees seemed to love them.

Wind swept moor? Not quite but it does bring that to mind.

Ah, finally the manicured lawn I was expecting.

A rather charming little brook.


Finally, the sun is out.




I wonder if you can eat these berries? Probably not, but they are interesting.

The lake near Caddon Hall where I live.

Just in front of Caddon Hall is this bridge linking to the Student Union.