01.24.2004 | 6:55 am

we went to scotland and i saw a castle and a parliament that is passionate about its people. the haunted graveyard tour of edinburgh was only as creepy as the history of the city.

in the lake district of england, i left a part of my stomach among the moors, where the sheep outnumber the inhabitants. homes of authors long gone and cemeteries with thousands more bodies than headstones were among the highlights there.

and there were cathedrals and stones that were there before jesus. there were clocks and towers and bridges and theatres. there were open-air markets and palaces and memorials to everyone who ever died. there were famous paintings and rosetta stones that england stole from every country in the modern world. there were internet cafes and underground trains, double decker buses and black taxis. the rain never stopped the 80s lovers from coming out and flaunting their leg warmers and side ponytails. there was no mountain dew and there were no sting figurines.

i loved stonehenge. i loved westminster abbey and st. paul's cathedral. i loved portabello road. i loved the british library. i loved seeing brand new in brighton, england.

i heart the u.k.