Let’s go to Scotland: Edinburgh (Part 1)
Written by: Tereza Lysakova
OK, a confession. Before travelling, and it really doesn't matter whether I'm planning to visit a new city or returning back somewhere I've already been to, I usually watch some film or series taking place in that particular place. Simply, to experience the vibe of that place and (honestly) to look forward to that place a tiny bit more.
So, An American Girl in Paris, the iconic episode of the SATC series, was my source of inspiration before travelling to 'The City of Love'. While the Roman Holiday (btw one of my most favourite romantic movies) was an obvious choice (and a must see) before visiting the city 'All Roads Lead To'.
The movie called Once was a desirable choice before visiting Dublin (apparently, 'The Big Smoke', as now I should probably continue with the nick names, as already smartly started).
So before travelling to Edinburgh (aka 'Auld Reekie'), a quick online research had presented me with a movie called One Day, a beautiful story based on the book of the same name, written by David Nicholls, which by the way, broke me totally down to tears. But that's another story and since I already diverted a bit, let's get back to Edinburgh (read 'ed-in-bruh or ed-in-buh-ruh', as apparently, pronunciation of this name belongs among those which tourists pronounce incorrectly the most) [1].
So, after seeing this movie (and finding out that it actually does not feature that many of Edinburgh locations after all, but as the film is such a beautiful and heart-breaking story, it really didn't matter), climbing the Arthur's seat is a must do!
So, what to see in Edinburgh after all? Let's get started!
- The Arthur's Seat and the Hollyroad Park
OK, the Arthur's Seat. When asking a local lady for the direction to Arthur's Seat, I should have taken her advice
to go up the easier way really for granted. Unlike thinking, the easier way? No
way! So driven by the desire to see the whole Edinburgh from the bird's eye
view and wanting to see the place Anne and Jim climbed in aforementioned, One
Day movie, I decided to take the direct way. Which is kind of OK, when it's a
nice sunny day. Which really was. At the beginning. But then, halfway through,
guess what. It started raining. Which is also fine, if you have the right
equipment for climbing the mountains, not the trainers, which slip on each wet
slippery stone (and believe me, there are many slippery stones on the way up).
But, after a heroic effort, the summit was finally reached and the view to the
whole city was really breath-taking and worth every single raindrop and slide.
So, unlike me, choose a lovely sunny day, go early (as it gets a bit crowded
later in the day) and take the easier route from the back side of the hill, in
case of unfavourable weather.
- Royal Yacht Britannia
This yacht is no longer in service but never mind, as it now serves as a beautiful Edinburgh tourist site and a museum. It is located directly next to the Ocean Terminal shopping centre in the Leith area of Edinburgh (a bit more about this later). So, shopping and visiting a Royal Yacht at once? In Edinburgh, not a problem! The yacht is really impressive and there is a really nice view (and also a beautiful location for a thematic picture) even from the shopping centre.
- Portobello Beach
The Portobello Beach is (in theory) a lovely and beautiful beach. But, as lucky as I feel, visiting the beach in a very windy April day is not a very good idea (at least for a tourist like me). So, the time actually spent at the beach equalled to about 4 to 5 minutes, because after that I really couldn't stand the strong wind anymore. Let alone the locals happily playing with kids and dogs at the beach, running or cycling alongside or enjoying their pint at the beach restaurant, looking very content while almost flying on their chair. (That's why I do have a down jacket and a hood in almost every single photo from my April trip to Scotland 😊). But I did not regret the decision to visit the beach for very long, as while wandering around the secluded Portobello streets, I have discovered very lovely and authentic local shops and restaurants, which are worth visiting (and the wind doesn't blow there).
- The Forth Bridges
While enjoying first three days in Edinburgh and Glasgow with full sunshine and no rain (and I'm not kidding – the previous pictures with cloudless skies are the proof 😊), the rest of the trip was marked by the typical Scottish weather, consisting of a very strong wind, rain, and an occasional storm. While the weather in the morning looked picture perfect, it turned crazy at the exact moment, when visiting the Forth Bridges of Edinburgh. And it's not a very good idea deciding to cross the bridge at such weather, because there is literally nowhere to hide. But anyway, it was a wonderful experience and I really recommend walking across the Forth Road Bridge, connecting Edinburgh South Queensferry with North Queensferry, where you'll see a beautiful view of the railway Forth Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing, which are not open to pedestrians, though. You can also discover the area of the North Queensferry at the other side of the bridge. But this area of the city remained unexplored for me, as I had to turn back in the middle of the bridge due to the sudden weather change. Still worth every single minute and at least I have another reason to visit Edinburgh again soon!
To be continued...😊
References:
[1] Tourists
can't pronounce "Edinburgh" correctly as new survey has Scots Capital alongside
Phuket and Dubai. Edinburgh News. (2022, July 4). https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/lifestyle/travel/tourists-cant-pronounce-edinburgh-correctly-as-new-survey-has-capital-alongside-phuket-and-dubai-3754965
Image credit: Tereza Lysakova