A Tourist in Edinburgh

Day 1

I'm in Edinburgh, Scotland for the first time. I've spent the day being a tourist with my wife. I grew up in Orlando, so whenever I get to be a tourist in someone else's city I feel like the universe is settling accounts. We went to Edinburgh Castle, bought some stuff with highland cows on it, went to Grassmarket and the Farmer's Market, saw the Wojtek statue, and walked all around the Waverly Station area.

It's only been a day, but this is already high on my list of favorite cities. It's somehow a modern city built within an ancient one. It brings to mind every story I've ever read that involved a shadow world intermingling with the everyday. If I lived here, I think I'd be content to spend a lot of my days just walking around, telling myself stories about all the things happening just beyond - or just beneath - the periphery of my awareness.

Tomorrow we're meeting up with some friends who know the area and will be spending the next few days with them. I'm looking forward to getting the insider view, but it's been fun to be a tourist for a day.

Day 2

Our friends arrived around lunchtime. We spent the morning slowly: coffee, laundry, reading. This was a good decision, because when they arrived, the walking began. The day would be a food and drink tour.

We got a bit of lunch that included my first haggis. They tell horror stories of haggis in America, but it's delicious. I was a little disappointed at first. I thought it was going to something I had to overcome. I quickly shook the disappointment and resolved to start the day with haggis thereafter.

After lunch we walked to the Water of Leith, which we followed for 3 or 4 miles into Leith. Our destinations were a couple of breweries, but the journey made the trip. We saw some very old parts of the city and spent some time looking for, and failing to find, an old baker's sigil. The waters themselves flowed serenely alongside us. At one point we encountered an Antony Gormley Statue.

The beer was fantastic - I think my favorite was the saffron rice lager at Moonwake, but I also had some very good Scotch Ales: malty and just a bit sweet. The weather was a little cold and dreary and that always puts me in the mood for that style.

After the breweries, we slowly worked our way back to town. We stopped at a nearby pub, then hopped on the tram for a few stops and made our way to The Hanging Bat for another beer. I had a stroopwaffel imperial stout that was delicious, if slightly ill-advised after everything else. We capped the day with a fantastic dinner at LeftField.

Day 3

A bit of a slow morning after the previous day's activity. About 10 in the morning we set off for Arthur's Seat. A stop for haggis and other less noteworthy sustenance along the way. Arthur's Seat is a climb! The views just grew more spectacular, so I didn't notice the climbing so much until we neared the top and had to do a bit of scrambling over the rocks. The view at the top was breathtaking, but the winds returned it, so everything worked out. We descended a different slope and walked into a part of the city we hadn't yet seen.

We played skittles! I'd never played before. Okay, I'd never heard of it before. It reminded me of going duckpin bowling when I lived in Baltimore. Duckpins are smaller, but the lanes and balls were similar (we played indoors - it's apparently also an outdoor activity). We each threw a frame and I won with 8 pins. This never happens when I bowl. I'm a skittles convert.

We wandered through the Grassmarket again, but this time up some different streets. A different scene from Sunday - quieter. We had a late lunch of delightful Banh Mi at Banh Mi Brothers. I had my first Turkish coffee - the server seemed tickled. If I ever find it in New Jersey I'll have another. We stopped off for a couple hours rest and then dinner at Lucky Yu followed by cocktails at Panda and Sons. Such a fun place! One of the coolest bars I've been to - cocktail or otherwise.

Day 4

Our last day in Edinburgh, but we were resolved to make the most of it. We headed out a bit late for breakfast - haggis again as an element of a Scottish Bake at Pantry. The staff made sure we knew they weren't thrilled we were there, but the food was great and the portions were overwhelming. There would be no lunch today.

From breakfast we walked to the Botanic Gardens. It's a little early in the year yet, but they're spectacular. Most memorable were the Monkey Puzzle and the Chinese Hillside where, in addition to fascinating flora, we learned about Dongba, the world's only active heiroglyphic language.

We walked from the Botanic Garden to The Modern Art Gallery: first 2, then 1. On the way, we found that baker's sigil that escaped us on the second day! The current exhibit in 2 was by Ian Hamilton Finlay, who I hadn't heard of previously. He primarily considered himself a poet and practiced a kinetic form of poetry that is also surprisingly contemplative. Then we walked to 1 and encountered another Antony Gormley statue - or at least half of one.

In 1, we saw an exhibit by Everlyn Nicodemus. I wasn't familiar with her, but I'm glad that I am now. Powerful depictions of feminine subjugation, racist oppression, and subequent empowerment. Her palette was vibrant - oranges and purples set off against dark browns and blacks. I haven't seen much else that employs it and the effect was arresting. She spent some time in Princeton in 2022 and I can't help wondering whether we crossed paths without my knowing.

After the gallery, I went to my first Homebrew Website Club, which just happened to be in Edinburgh while I was there. I met James of Coffee Blog fame, as well as Andrei and Colin (who may be cross with me for linking his blog). I had a lot of fun. I learned a lot about languages and the creative repurposing of old hardware. There were a lot of website ideas bouncing back and forth. I may have stumbled into in a new writing project - stay tuned!

After HWC things turned bittersweet, as we went out for our last dinner in Edinburgh with our friends. One more round of food, drinks, and great company capped with a resolution to do it all again soon. I'm already looking ahead to it.