You know... after spending a few months in the midst of another typical London winter - with the weather rainy, cloudy, and generally rubbish - the idea of a city break sounded pretty appealing. A change of scenery, and a chance to chill out, are a perfect recipe for kicking the winter blues. Some folks think the beaches of Ibiza, others the Greek Isles.
Me? I picked Edinburgh. Yup, the cold and bleak, yet constantly amazing Edinburgh... Auld Reekie, as it's called by the Scots, never disappoints. And besides, bad weather in Scotland is almost a blessing, as it provides a guilt-free excuse to retreat to one of the city's many pubs.
As for an itinerary - Edinburgh is one of those cities that you enjoy best when you plan the least. Basically, it's a matter of walking out the door of your hostel, picking a direction, and seeing what adventures await.
So, that's what I did. My first night got me into the city in time to sign up to a Literary Pub crawl, where two actors take turns telling tales of the city's literary greats like Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. It was a funny concept, with the raffish and slightly dishevelled one delighting in stories of the authors' love of the drink and the ladies, while the other put in a valiant effort explaining their contributions to the world's literature. Throw in four pubs, including a fantastic little cellar bar right off the Royal Mile, and it was a great night out:
The next day I woke up early and wonder of wonders, it was actually sunny out. Scarcely able to believe my own eyes, I quickly hit the streets in time to catch the Castle with its grey walls turned gold with the light. Wandering through the Kirk of the Canongate got me some great views...
... and then I wandered up towards the Royal Mile, where I found out that I had the city virtually to myself.
Don't get me wrong, Edinburgh is grand no matter what time you're there, but there's something magical about being able to tread the stone walkways alone and imagine what it must have been like through the centuries.
Oh, and a note about the city - Edinburgh might give San Francisco a run for the money as the "City Where Being the Postman Really, Really Gets You Fit"... the Castle and the Old city are built on a granite upcropping, with steep, narrow alleyways with loads of stairs trailing off to either site. It makes for breath-taking views, but by the time you're there to enjoy 'em, your breath has been, well, taken.
A great breakfast and mocha at an organic cafe on the Royal Mile, and then I checked out the rest of the Royal Mile, eventually arriving at the newer palace, the Holyrood.
I balked about spending $20 to walk around, and besides, I was hungering for something a bit more active, so I turned right and started my ascent towards Arthur's Seat, a 800 foot granite peak towering over Edinburgh.
The Scots are pretty smart. Rather than just building on this site, they've made the entire area a park, full of trails and equally full of Scots and tourists out enjoying the walk. Throw in a bunch of dogs having a blast, and you can't help enjoy yourself, even as your legs are screaming that maybe it might be time to take a break.
Arriving up top, I was treated to the promised 360 degree views of the city, the harbor and the Highlands in the distance:
Stunning.
I just kept circling the peak taking it all in, but eventually the biting wind chased me off, and I headed downhill at a nice, fast, gravity-assisted pace. Why the jaunty stride? My guidebook recommended the Sheep's Heid pub in a picturesque village called Duddingston - where a pub has been in existence in various forms since 1360.
Popping my head, I got a great spot by the gas fire. Throw in a pint and a good book, and I was set for a comfy hour before catching the bus back into town.
Now, while Old City is a warren of lanes and byways, the New City (well, new to the Scots - it's only a mere 300 years old) is a masterpiece of organised city planning, with broad avenues of fantastic Georgian buildings full of cafes, restaurants, and more than a few pubs. Throw in a four story outdoor shop, and a tasty seafood lunch and it was a great way to spend an afternoon.
The rest of the afternoon and evening was pretty chilled out. A few whiskies at a pub watching the footie, then I headed back out trying some night-time photography with some new camera gadgets:
I was a bit let down by the music side of things. It being the off-season, many of the folk music pubs were pretty quiet, and the only one I found was a guy belting out Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer". Don't get me wrong - it's a great song, but not exactly what I was looking for in terms of Scottish culture, so... 'twas off to bed.
My last day in the city was much the same as the first. I got in an early morning hike up Arthur's Seat, heading not for the peak but along the Salisbury Crags - a series of sheer rocky faces overlooking the Castle.
Just fantastic, and afterwards, I was well-ready for some breakfast - this time at Mrs. Forsyth's Tea Room - tucked down a little alley. Prim and proper, and oh-so-Scottish, it was like being transported back to a more polite time. She was full of chatty advice, all delivered in the most charming of Scottish accents - all "och's", "aye's", and so on - I loved it.
With my flight leaving in the afternoon, and bad weather threatening, I headed over to Edinburgh's two modern art museums. Just like modern art in general, they were... interesting. Having the most cutting-edge art housed in renovated 17th century mansions is a weird vibe, especially as one featured a pretty amusing neon sign outside:
Alas, after filling up on art for two hours, it was finally time to head to the airport and get ready to face the work week. Forget tacky souvenirs, for the next few days, my aching legs served as a reminder of a great, even if only the tiniest bit sunny, city break.
Me? I picked Edinburgh. Yup, the cold and bleak, yet constantly amazing Edinburgh... Auld Reekie, as it's called by the Scots, never disappoints. And besides, bad weather in Scotland is almost a blessing, as it provides a guilt-free excuse to retreat to one of the city's many pubs.
As for an itinerary - Edinburgh is one of those cities that you enjoy best when you plan the least. Basically, it's a matter of walking out the door of your hostel, picking a direction, and seeing what adventures await.
So, that's what I did. My first night got me into the city in time to sign up to a Literary Pub crawl, where two actors take turns telling tales of the city's literary greats like Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. It was a funny concept, with the raffish and slightly dishevelled one delighting in stories of the authors' love of the drink and the ladies, while the other put in a valiant effort explaining their contributions to the world's literature. Throw in four pubs, including a fantastic little cellar bar right off the Royal Mile, and it was a great night out:
The next day I woke up early and wonder of wonders, it was actually sunny out. Scarcely able to believe my own eyes, I quickly hit the streets in time to catch the Castle with its grey walls turned gold with the light. Wandering through the Kirk of the Canongate got me some great views...
... and then I wandered up towards the Royal Mile, where I found out that I had the city virtually to myself.
Don't get me wrong, Edinburgh is grand no matter what time you're there, but there's something magical about being able to tread the stone walkways alone and imagine what it must have been like through the centuries.
Oh, and a note about the city - Edinburgh might give San Francisco a run for the money as the "City Where Being the Postman Really, Really Gets You Fit"... the Castle and the Old city are built on a granite upcropping, with steep, narrow alleyways with loads of stairs trailing off to either site. It makes for breath-taking views, but by the time you're there to enjoy 'em, your breath has been, well, taken.
A great breakfast and mocha at an organic cafe on the Royal Mile, and then I checked out the rest of the Royal Mile, eventually arriving at the newer palace, the Holyrood.
I balked about spending $20 to walk around, and besides, I was hungering for something a bit more active, so I turned right and started my ascent towards Arthur's Seat, a 800 foot granite peak towering over Edinburgh.
The Scots are pretty smart. Rather than just building on this site, they've made the entire area a park, full of trails and equally full of Scots and tourists out enjoying the walk. Throw in a bunch of dogs having a blast, and you can't help enjoy yourself, even as your legs are screaming that maybe it might be time to take a break.
Arriving up top, I was treated to the promised 360 degree views of the city, the harbor and the Highlands in the distance:
Stunning.
I just kept circling the peak taking it all in, but eventually the biting wind chased me off, and I headed downhill at a nice, fast, gravity-assisted pace. Why the jaunty stride? My guidebook recommended the Sheep's Heid pub in a picturesque village called Duddingston - where a pub has been in existence in various forms since 1360.
Popping my head, I got a great spot by the gas fire. Throw in a pint and a good book, and I was set for a comfy hour before catching the bus back into town.
Now, while Old City is a warren of lanes and byways, the New City (well, new to the Scots - it's only a mere 300 years old) is a masterpiece of organised city planning, with broad avenues of fantastic Georgian buildings full of cafes, restaurants, and more than a few pubs. Throw in a four story outdoor shop, and a tasty seafood lunch and it was a great way to spend an afternoon.
The rest of the afternoon and evening was pretty chilled out. A few whiskies at a pub watching the footie, then I headed back out trying some night-time photography with some new camera gadgets:
I was a bit let down by the music side of things. It being the off-season, many of the folk music pubs were pretty quiet, and the only one I found was a guy belting out Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer". Don't get me wrong - it's a great song, but not exactly what I was looking for in terms of Scottish culture, so... 'twas off to bed.
My last day in the city was much the same as the first. I got in an early morning hike up Arthur's Seat, heading not for the peak but along the Salisbury Crags - a series of sheer rocky faces overlooking the Castle.
Just fantastic, and afterwards, I was well-ready for some breakfast - this time at Mrs. Forsyth's Tea Room - tucked down a little alley. Prim and proper, and oh-so-Scottish, it was like being transported back to a more polite time. She was full of chatty advice, all delivered in the most charming of Scottish accents - all "och's", "aye's", and so on - I loved it.
With my flight leaving in the afternoon, and bad weather threatening, I headed over to Edinburgh's two modern art museums. Just like modern art in general, they were... interesting. Having the most cutting-edge art housed in renovated 17th century mansions is a weird vibe, especially as one featured a pretty amusing neon sign outside:
Alas, after filling up on art for two hours, it was finally time to head to the airport and get ready to face the work week. Forget tacky souvenirs, for the next few days, my aching legs served as a reminder of a great, even if only the tiniest bit sunny, city break.
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