Auld Reekie

Quick, name three things about Scotland. If 'Braveheart, kilts and bagpipes' were the first things to come to mind...me too! I knew VERY little about Scotland when I booked my flight to Edinburgh. To be honest, I wouldn't have gone if it weren't for Nickie telling me that I had to visit. When I looked into the city, it almost looked boring: just an old historic town with Ohio-style weather. However, the three-day trip completely changed my mind and now I'm completely infatuated with the place. Anyone remember when Tom Cruise lost his mind on Oprah when talking about his love for Katie Holmes? Well that is me...sitting here right now...typing this blog. "I LOVE THIS EDINBURGH, I LOVE IT AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS."

Raph and I landed very late at night, so we found our Airbnb and went straight to sleep. The next morning, we were off to explore the gothic wonderland that is Edinburgh. We immediately fell into the tourist trap that is the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is where Edinburgh's busiest streets come together and form an area full of history, cafes, and shops (at least 10 whisky shops, 8 kilt shops, and 4 Harry Potter shops were counted). Despite the tourist aspect, it's an amazing area. I mean, how many places can you walk to one end of the street and find an extinct volcano, then walk to the other end and be at the country's most famous castle? I spent hours creating a meticulous itinerary but we threw it away (metaphorically...at first) very quick. We spent our entire day on the north half of the street, alone. You may be wondering how we could possibly spend an entire day within a two mile perimeter. Well guys, it all started with a tour.

Both Raph and myself are wholeheartedly against city tours...especially bus tours. But for some reason--perhaps by chance or fate--we literally stumbled into a free 18+ tour. For those who know me well, you understand that I have a very crude, inappropriate, and dry sense of humor; I simply couldn't pass this opportunity up. It was actually a fun way to learn some history about the city...which I probably wouldn't have done on my own. I learned the following:

-The city is a literary hub! It was/is home to so many famous writers, such as: Robert Louis Stevenson (Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde); J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan); Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes), and J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter).

-The Royal Mile is 1945 yards, yet a mile is only 1760 yards. The extra distance caused the government to create the 'old Scot's mile', which is why the area can still be considered the Royal Mile.

-Robert Burns, though an incredibly talented poet, was a total dick.

-Sitting next to the St. Giles High Kirk (which is a religious focal point of Scotland and pictured below) is the Heart of Midlothian. It is a heart-shaped mosaic built into the sidewalk pavement. Pretty right? Well, don't get too close. The heart marks the doorway to where an old prison once stood and where public execution took place. People would once spit on the prison door as a sign of distain. Now, it is custom for visitors to spit on the rock...but for good luck (and yes, I did spit on it).

After the tour, we visited the Edinburgh Castle. Of course, it was beautiful but we didn't want to pay the hefty price tag to view inside. Plus, we were super hungry. So we decided to stop for a quick bite to eat...and a beer or two. With a nice lager in my belly, Raph and I decided to check out a museum known as The Scotch Whisky Experience. I'll spew out some of my newly acquired knowledge on the drink, since I'm not sure when I'll ever get the opportunity to speak about it in my everyday life:

-The traditional Scottish Gaelic drinking toast is "slàinte"...meaning health.

-The Scots spell is 'whisky' while the Irish spell it 'whiskey'. Irish immigrants brought their version of the word to America in the 1700's, which is why we spell it as such. But in the spirit of cultural immersion in, I've used the Scottish version of the word.

-There are 5 Scotch whisky regions. Each uses the characteristics of its respective area to produce their own signature flavor: Speyside, Highlands, Lowlands, Islay, and Campbeltown.

-Whisky comes from the Scottish Gaelic phrase "uisge beatha", which translates to "water of life".

-Angels love Scotch...and I can prove it. Scotch whisky is matured in oak barrels in Scotland for at least three years, or else it cannot legally be called Scotch. During the maturation process, 6% of the alcohol evaporates from within the barrel; this is known in Scotland as "the angel's share." 6% might not seem like a large amount, but it's equivalent to 444,000 whole barrels, or 29 million gallons, lost each year.

-The Scots' take this drink VERY seriously. They explain that it demands attention...begs to be taken seriously...and is something you drink consciously.

We quickly swung by birthplace of Harry Potter, the Elephant Cafe. It was cool to say that I was in the same cafe as J.K. Rowling and all..but I'm not a big fan of the series to begin with (sorry, Abbie), I was hungry, and the price for a cup of coffee seemed a little atrocious to me.

That night, Raph and I attended a pub crawl hosted by the same guy that gave us our 18+ tour (he ended up being super cool and now we're friends on Facebook). I won't (can't) give you the full details of the night because the seven bars blurred together. However, I am sure of three things:

1) I received multiple free shots of absinthe from the most handsome bartender I've ever seen

2) I became fast friends with two German siblings, an Irish couple and a group of Austrian boys

3) Raph and I sang "Hit Me Baby One More Time" in a packed bar...and it was a massive success

The next day was spent crawling to the top of Arthur's Seat, which is a dominant peak of the many hills surrounding Edinburgh. On our way over we looked around Edinburgh University, which kinda put Ohio University to shame (love you, regardless). We began our 2-hour ascent and everything was going smooth. We even ran into two girls that remembered us as "the girls who sang Britney Spears" the night before. It wasn't until we were 15 minutes from the top (at which point the hill turned into straight rock climbing) that Raph decided to tell me that she was terrified of heights. A sympathetic side of me wanted to stop and turn around. However, the selfish side of me ended up winning and I left her at the base of the rocks. The wind was so strong that I slipped a few times while crawling to the top, and even once when I reached the summit. It put me outside of my comfort zone, but isn't that what an adventure is supposed to do? The entire hike up, the following lines kept resonating through my head: "You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!" Well, I conquered my first mountain guys.

We viewed the Queen's Castle, Holyrood Park, and the Parliament Buildings before going home and passing out. The new morning, we woke up early and went to Grassmarket Market. It's a little farmers market held every weekend. We had brunch there and then took a walk through Victoria Street (the inspiration for Diagon Alley) until we reached Dean Village. I want it to be known that we did all of this walking with our luggage, since we had to leave that afternoon.

Dean Village was the last thing that I really wanted to see in Edinburgh. It's just a little village, with 19-century homes, and a tiny bridge over-looking a tranquil stream. It was easily the most beautiful and calming place I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. It embodied all that Edinburgh is.

Growing up, I wanted to be an author. I was never the best with science and even worse with math. But when I wrote, I excelled. You know the feeling you get when you step outside after a harsh winter and see the first sprout of green amongst the endless spectrum of white and sloshy brown? Maybe you don't feel it, or simply can't remember...but for those of you who do: that's how I felt when I would see a blank page. Somewhere along the years, though, my desire for writing was replaced with the desire for a steady paycheck; I switched my focus of study onto a carer that would put me in the best position for a high-paying job after graduation. But seeing this city reminded me of that little girl whose family and friends bought her a journal every year for her birthday because they knew how quickly she filled the pages of her old one. Edinburgh is a really special place, and I really hope I get to go back during my lifetime.

It's more than alright to visit the most famous cities in Europe. Even I want to see Paris, London and Athens. But if you get the opportunity to spend some time abroad, get out of your comfort zone and book a ticket to somewhere less well-known. I think you'll love the result...I know I did.