Scottish Charms

 

 

Each stroll is singular.
Paved with autumn, crisped with frost or squelched
with an excess of rain. Today the path and its companion
snake unruly.

But there is a melting in this March-bound air that irrigates
the city's breath. Catches sun-shafts, the flicker-dance
of rising light which
etches pale shadows.
Celandines are stirring.

- Anne Connolly

If you have been to Scotland, you will know this already. The charms of Scotland are numerous, but the ones that stand out to a visitor I think the most are the people, the buildings (history and story), and the natural beauty.

On our last day in Iceland, we had lunch at Café Paris, and sitting next to us at lunch was a Scottish couple, who had grown children and were on holiday for a week in Iceland. They engaged us in easy, friendly conversion, and we came to find out that they were on the same flight as us, later that night into Edinburgh. They were so easy-going and friendly, it was fun to talk with them. When they left the café, we all said maybe we will see each other on the flight that night. Later that night, mum and I were sitting at the gate waiting for our plane to arrive, and sure enough, our new Scottish friends came right up to us, and sat with us. We all talked as if we had known each other for years. about travel, their children, our travels, where they live (in Fife, about 20 minutes from Edinburgh), and Edinburgh itself. 

I feel this was a perfect re-introduction back into Scotland, as I haven't been to Scotland since 2010. I have missed it very much, and I forgot how friendly and lovely the people are. This was a perfect reminder. 

The last time I was in Scotland, with my brother, we traveled the country by car, so it was full of nature and dramatic scenes of mountains and lochs. This time, we would be in the city of Edinburgh, which I did not get to explore too much on my last trip. 

It felt so great to be back in Scotland, and back in Edinburgh for a deeper exploration. We stayed on the Royal Mile, which is the main attraction street in the city. A lot of sights, restaurants, museums, and attractions are along this street, which goes from the Edinburgh Castle at the top of the hill, down a mile to the Royal Palace of Holyrood. Along the way, you have to pay attention to tiny narrow paths that lead off perpendicular to the Royal Mile, called closes. These tiny narrow closes sometimes lead downhill to the next street, some lead to a garden, or a view of New Town, or a courtyard where people live. They are really fun to explore.

One thing I love about Edinburgh is that you can walk everywhere. Yes, there are a lot of hills and stairs, so be prepared to climb, but that also leads to another thing I love about Edinburgh, is the views. Everywhere you go, just look around you and the views are breathtaking. Whether it is of the church steeples, the castle, the extinct volcano (Arthur's Seat), New College's towers, or the large monument to Sir Walter Scott, you can hardly take it all in. Along with the the ability to walk everywhere, it is all fairly close that you can get out of the city streets easily to a park or climb a hill for a view and nature. It's all right there, easy to get to. 

While I love to do some of the main attractions of a city (in this case the Edinburgh Castle was what we toured) which is touristy and busy, my goal is also always to get out of the main area to side streets and neighbourhoods where locals spend time. I want to see the daily pace, the bookshops, the coffee shops off the main trail. We got to do that, and I will share more later on.

As with English weather, Scottish weather is apt to change within a few minutes. I actually felt colder in Edinburgh than I did in Iceland. The wind and chill of Edinburgh was deeper. Good thing we did have some hills to climb to warm up. Also, a good selection of coffee shops that we could warm up in. But when you are at the top of a hill, it sure is windy and freezing cold, but I wasn't complaining as the city captured me. And yet, Spring was beginning to show up in the daffodils and snowdrops.