Hello from Edinburgh!
…
OK… I’ll let you in on a secret. Not actually in Edinburgh. Haven’t been in Edinburgh for a few days. But I’m behind on my posts, and I’m trying to keep things in order, because I’m anal-retentive, and I like things to be organized, (color-coded, when possible). Don’t worry–I should be caught up soon. Until then, a few words about the capital city of Scotland, surrogate home of the Almost English One, and first stop on my backpacking adventure with one of my friends from university back in Canada, The Canadian Yankees Fan, as well as two of her friends who, up until about a week ago, I had never met. Luckily, we all seem to suffer from the same horrid sense of humor, and I can decisively say that my stomach has never hurt so much from laughing, even if half the time I’m not too sure what we’re laughing about.
As for Edinburgh…
Things That I Recommend:
Fish pie and mushy peas at the Halfmarket House, a pub just off the Royal Mile on a street that is not-so-appetizingly called Fleshmarket Close. The pub has been recommended time and time again by various publications despite changing hands numerous times, and the food is classic Scottish pub fare–mushy peas are always excellent, but I had never had fish pie, and I’ve decided I like it. It’s like chicken pot pie… only fishier.
Fish and chips. Nuff said.
Edinburgh Castle, which gives you a great view of the city as well as a number of interesting exhibits on Scottish history including the Scottish crown jewels and several memorials to war vets.
Tron Pub for cheap hamburgers and beer, a well-stocked jukebox and lots of students to meet and mingle with. (Please pardon the picture. It was dark, and I had been drinking just a bit.)
The Princes Street gardens for, amongst other things…
…staged fights (no Engineers were injured during the creation of this blog post)…
…hillside attacks of your Canadian Yankee Fan (CYF) friends…
…pretending to be five years old and taking over playgrounds…
…staging hill-rolling contests…
…and making fun of people (in this case, King Kong) when they fall off playground apparatuses. (Apparatusi? Apparati?)
Things That I Do Not Recommend:
Deep-fried haggis bought at the chippy. Apparently, some people like this, namely Scotty, but after seeing CYF, King Kong and the Engineer try and fail to eat this after a night out, I have come to the conclusion that haggis is best consumed on a plate with neeps and tatties and not in a styrofoam box with chips and gravy.
Going to Edinburgh in any season without a rain slicker, rain boots and an umbrella.
Things That Are Neither Here Nor There:
I lost my blue scarf and my new sunglasses that I picked up in a hostel somewhere. They were black and 80s-tastic, and I’m pretty upset about it. I like to think that things that I lose join some sort of karmic circle of life, because otherwise, I feel pretty lame about all of the things I’ve lost which, to date, include at least six pairs of sunglasses, several black sweaters and a Cambridge sweatshirt I left in a train bathroom.
The suitcase I left in Edinburgh at Scotty’s house is still there. My shoes will remain separated by the Atlantic, and I still have not worn the red scarf I received for Christmas nearly four years ago.
Also, I still have not climbed Arthur’s seat. Someday.
Halfmarket House, 24 Fleshmarket Close
Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile
Tron, 9 Hunter Square
Princes Street Gardens, Princes Street
