Snap: Castle Rock

Greyfriars Kirkyard and Edinburgh Castle from The Elephant House dining room,

11 February 2014, 9:30am.

Cheers,

Kate xx

A winter walk: Edinburgh Castle

PICTURES!!!

Haha. It's been a little while, but I've finally managed to get through the photos of Edinburgh Castle that I took during the weekend of St. Andrew's Day when Historic Scotland opened a number of its major destinations free for the day. Still had to secure one of a limited number of tickets, but it was totally worth it to not have to pay the (to my mind) ridiculous cost to get in. Not to mention they always charge you more for coffee and things once you're in!

Anyway. Let's rewind and not be so cynical. It was a gorgeous visit. You get an idea of what the light is like here right now... the photo above was taken around 10am and the sun is very low in the sky. The truth is, the sun stays really low in the sky all day, and sets around 3:30. It makes for some pretty contrasty photos, which is my only real complaint about it on this day in particular! Otherwise it was gorgeous and clear so therefore faaaabulous for view-from-the-castle shots!! I think I took far more of those than I did of the castle itself.

Edinburgh Castle is a working military garrison, but it also houses a couple of small museums and memorials as well as the Great Hall, the royal chambers and St. Margaret's Chapel, which is the oldest building in the castle, built in the 12th century. Of course it abounds with cafes and souvenir shops as well, but you can hardly avoid those.

Anyway. It was so nice to finally visit the place, because since it's literally only a block away, I had no real excuse for not getting there until now, other than the cost... But I'll be honest, of course I would have paid to go see it anyway. Ya just gotta, y'know?



In other news, the term is officially over. I've still got an essay to work on over the break (and would be smart to work on another additionally, but I'm not feeling too smart right now apparently), but it's so very nice to not have to go to class or meetings or seminars right now. I'm headed to London in just a little less than a week, and shortly after that... it's homeward bound to Wisconsin for about a week and a  half! Looking forward to seeing some loved ones and hugging my cat and going to a coffee shop where the baristas and half the customers know my name. OH and of course my very pregnant sister, whose little bun I'm hoping will arrive while I'm home. Here's to little niece or nephew arriving a few days early!

So much to look forward to!

Anyway. I've been sucked helplessly into the thrall of season three of Game of Thrones, which I'm only finally catching up on. Drinking a ton of tea, enjoying some free time, hanging out in coffee shops, and actually hoping a little bit of snow will come eventually. I mean, did I just say that? I see all the Christmas decorations, but it was 52 degrees here today. What do you make of that, Wisconsin?

Edinburgh Christmas from the castle:



And a really wonderful video that's been making the rounds here in town, of Edinburgh Christmas and the Star Flyer that I seriously have to get on soon:


Floating over Edinburgh from Mo Thomson on Vimeo.

Cheers!
Kate x

Edinburgh Farmers Market

It's hard to miss this little market on Saturday mornings if you're walking around the castle. From 9-2 every Saturday, a selection of local farmers, artisans and food vendors set up, selling everything from fruits and vegetables to cheeses, eggs, beer, meat, and fish at the Edinburgh Farmers Market. It's not a huge market, but there's a decent variety and the quality is excellent. Also not the place you'll want to go if you're on a budget, necessarily (as it's next to the castle, it caters to tourists as much as anyone else) but if you want direct-from-the-coop brown eggs and perhaps a kohlrabi or a pack of yummy strawberries, straight from the farm, here's a more entertaining, and in my opinion, rewarding place to shop than at the supermarket.

There are also a couple of fresh food vendors selling sandwiches and sausages, too, so I walked down there to get lunch as well as a bag full of snacks for later. I had a really amazing buffalo burger from The Buffalo Farm with fried onions and mushrooms -- so yum!



And on the way back, not really a part of the market, but I couldn't help it. I'm not sure why, but I find it just adorable that it's "ice creams." And ice lollies! Ahh! Impossible to resist.




Cheers!
Kate x

Lost on purpose in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a huge pile. Literally, buildings are stacked on top of one another. They brace hillsides, depend on one another for support, cling to one another, and provide all sorts of intriguing passageways. Old Town specifically is just a mass of gables, turrets and dormers. It's incredible when you're trying to navigate narrow and winding streets, let alone when viewed from a distance.

I've tried to make a point every day that I've been here, to go somewhere new. Even if it's just a couple blocks over from somewhere I've already been, if it means trying a new coffee shop or a different cafe, I'm all for it. And one thing I love to do when I'm in an unfamiliar city is to get purposely lost. There is no better way to understand your surroundings than to get lost.

When you don't know where you are, your senses are automatically heightened. Call it anxiety if you wish, but you've done it on purpose, so you're not that anxious. But you're that much more in tune with what's around you, because you're inherently trying to figure it out. This way or that way? Take the corner or go straight? Up the stairs or down the stairs? Along the waterway or over it? The choices are aplenty and every one you make will lead you in a slightly different direction. There are infinite routes!



I live a block away from Edinburgh Castle, firmly set in Old Town, but it has a tendency to sometimes feel cramped and crowded with so many tourists and such narrow walkways and streets. Down the steps (or around the castle) and into New Town, the roads are wider, the sidewalks are wider, and there are just as many trendy, if somewhat slightly more upscale cafes and restaurants. I found possibly the best coffee in town, Wellington Coffee, which serves simple pastries and a very minimal yet exceptional coffee menu. No flavors, just coffee! More on them later, I think...



There are some great flowers in the Princes Street Gardens, but of course it's getting to be autumn so some of them are starting to look a little droopy. The color, however, on a cloudy day, is much appreciated.



I continued north through New Town until I happened upon a bridge over a small waterway, and saw a sign pointing to a walkway beside the water. It turned out the walkway was part of a long, winding pathway system called the Water of Leith, of which I actually ended up seeing only a very little. I might have to make a point to do it from one end to the other eventually. It's 12 miles altogether, so it would be quite a hike in one go, but it might be cool to break it up and do parts here and there.


  



I wound back into down and walked up Dundas Street. And perhaps the best moments go undocumented, but just as I was taking this photo, a guy off to the left of the frame started hollering for me to take a photo of him and he worked very hard to flex his biceps for me. A missed opportunity. Obviously. ;)

Eventually I also scouted out the Edinburgh Farmers Market, but more on that next time!

Cheers,
Kate x

   

It's the little things

There are soooo many items of information that a traveler/visitor/new resident is faced with every day. I sort of psyched myself up to go with the flow this time, knowing how stressful it can be sometimes to transition from one place to another. As I've mentioned previously, I studied abroad in London in 2006 and have made a couple of subsequent trips to the UK since then -- and even visited Scotland. But the city is not the country, Edinburgh is not London, and even though they are merely four hours apart by train, they look and sound quite different.

I'm totally fascinated by cultural and regional differences. I hope to continue to share all sorts of interesting, amusing, endearing and perhaps confusing things that I come across -- some which I am experiencing for the first time, and others I've known of from previous trips, but have been reminded of.

One new thing I've encountered in Scotland is the greeting, "Alright?" Sounds like awrite? Essentially, it's a way of saying "hello, how are you?" or if in a retail setting, "hello, how can I help you?" Don't just say "yes" -- they're not inquiring whether you're doing okay, necessarily.

Scotland weather has a reputation for being grey and rainy and changeable. Well, changeable it is--after a mere three days of being here, the weather has gone from sunny and warm to partly cloudy to lightly raining to breezy to cold to warm again in one day. As autumn turns in earnest, it's sure to get cooler and probably breezier and rainier, but so far, the weather just keeps us on our toes!

There are a lot of buskers (street performers) along the Royal Mile and other popular thoroughfares. Unsurprisingly, many of them are bagpipers, but there are often other musicians as well, jugglers, statues, etc. I think it's a pretty good rule of thumb that if you actually take the time to stop and watch a performance, and especially if you take a photo, you should cough up a little coinage. They're trying to make a living too! (I feel like the same goes for homeless folks -- if you take the time to read their sign, or acknowledge them in any way, give them a little something. But that might just be me.)

Orange soda here is like fizzy orange juice. It's the best thing everrrr. And on the topic of ingestibles... Premade sandwiches. Just saying. The popularity of fresh food sections in convenience stores, or sections in stores like Marks & Spencer with shelves of various readymade sandwiches from things like Spanish grapes and free-range eggs (!!) makes for yummier, healthier eating on the go. I'm just not used to convenience store sandwiches in the US tasting like anything other than soggy cardboard.

Lastly, there are height restrictions on the buildings in Edinburgh, so the city is... short. Nothing can rival the height of the castle on its central hill, which from a new visitor's point of view is awesome. Not only does one get glimpses of the amazing castle from various vantage points around the city, but if you get lost, if you can find the castle, you can figure out your orientation just like that. Not to mention that getting lost in a new city is one of the best ways to get to know it. Doing it on purpose is cool.

 

(I apologise [haha, spelling.] for the photos in this post; I'm still figuring out my iPhone camera! More [and better] next time!)

What is your favorite thing about visiting a new city? The restaurants? Tours? Walking? Parks?