When we got to Edinburgh, we were both cold and tired. The plane from
Dublin was a small propeller plane that was extraordinarily loud and
seemingly without a heater. We managed to find a bus to the city
center where tom met us at the Waverly stop and we walked with out
gigantic bags back to his friends flat. Guy, a graduate in Literature
who lived with Tom during First year, was kind enough to allow the
three of us to crash in his two-bedroom flat for the weekend.
We were hoping to get in a nap at the flat but from the bus we saw the
beauty of the city and were excited to go and see it. Tom lead us up
to Princess street and along the Royal Mile, areas known for their
shops and the latter for its street performers.
Scotland was much more quirky than I expected it to be. Bagpipers in
kilts lined the streets, kilt shops promoting with posters of handsome
young men posing with their plaid skirts decked the walls. And
offerings for haunted ghost tours were thrust upon you as you passed
each streetcorner.
And the architecture is spectacular. I think Edinburgh now tops my
list as the most beautiful city I've yet to see. It was breathtaking
in every sense of the word with roads built up along jagged rocky
hillsides and tall beautifully constructed rock buildings lining the
pathways. There were loads of small alleyways off of the
main roads that took you to a small alcove with seemingly spontaneous
shops or markets nestled inside.
The main attraction in Edinburgh is the Edinburgh Castle, purched atop
the highest point in the city its brick walls have protected it from
capture for hundreds of years. But it costs £15 to enter and on my
budget that's not really feasible.
We walked in and saw a few of the views, then decided to go enjoy all
that is free in the city instead. First we found a small private art
gallery with some painted mosaic renditions of the city. Then we
wandered down and alley and found The Writers Museum ina beautiful old
house with narrow circle staircases and the personal belongings of
three of "Scotlands most notable poets", Robert Burns, Sir Walter
Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson. This museum inspired a change in my
reading plans for the rest of the trip, and after I finish my current
book ill be focusing on the writing of local and historical authors
such as these to entertain me as I travel.
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I loved Edinburgh when I went about two years ago. The architecture is amazing! I liked the contrast between the new parliament building and the Holyrood House nearby, not to mention all of the wonderful stone buildings everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWe did visit the Edinburgh Castle, but I don't think it was worth the price. You did the right thing passing it up.
However, I really like climbing to the top of the Scott Monument (the black, scary looking tower) for a much more modest fee - it has great views of the city! I think it's on Princes Street.
I also remember we took a cab to see Craigmillar Castle a few miles outside of the city. It hasn't been restored like many of the other castles in Scotland, so I liked climbing through the ruins. I think it's only around 5 pounds to get in.
I hope you get more time in Edinburgh! It's a great city. But even if you don't have more time, it still sounds like your trip is going really well!