Edinburgh was supposed to be one of the highlights of our trip. I mean, it’s famous for its medieval Old Town, neoclassical buildings, and the towering Edinburgh Castle, home to the Scottish crown jewels and the “Stone of Destiny” used in the coronation of Scottish kings.
Let me be blunt: I’m not a fan.
Maybe it was because we, along with everybody else, visited on a Saturday. Maybe it was the weather: Storm Amy had passed, but strong, cold winds were still whipping through the streets.
Maybe it was the ongoing renovations across the city. Public buildings, key streets, and historic landmarks are under construction, while the buildings that aren’t could use a serious brush-up. The stones looked dark, gloomy, and depressing.
Or maybe it’s because Switzerland is full of medieval old towns and castles, and I’m just a bit blasé.
Here’s what it felt like: You park in an expensive central lot and thank your lucky stars for being allowed to drive into the city’s low-emission zone. You follow the crowd up the hill to the castle, out of breath after what feels like a hundred flights of stairs, nearly crushed by selfie-stick-wielding tourists, wishing you were home, but instead, you’re 777 miles away.
The road connecting Edinburgh Castle with Holyrood Palace is the Royal Mile. Marketing says it showcases centuries of Scottish history with Georgian architecture and winding hidden alleyways. What I saw were souvenir shops in old buildings: whiskey, cashmere scarves, rain gear, shortbread, fridge magnets, stuffed animals. We’d seen it all at Gretna Green, a place that felt far more relaxed.
It was October 4, Cinnamon Roll Day, and all I wanted was to be home baking. The next best thing was a bakery selling kanelbullar.
I did, however, enjoy the all-year-round Christmas shop. the lady working there wished every customer entering and leaving merry x-mas ;-)
I was relieved my family didn’t insist on prolonging our stay. That was the quickest city trip we’ve ever done. I’m not disappointed, just glad we moved on. I'm also glad we didn't spend a lot of money on expensive accommodation.
Have you ever felt the urge to escape an overcrowded, overly touristy place; even one you were excited to visit?
I have friends who moved to Edinburgh, so if i visited (from the US) I'd hope to have a chat in a tea room and more relaxed visit!
ReplyDeleteOn the weekend I was with friends at the lovely Multnomah Falls (named for local Chief Multnomah) ... the falls were lovely, the rain was just a drizzle...
and my friend had to look in the PACKED gift shop for some trinket... nuts, carmels, pictures of the falls and gorge were local - some of the mugs (made in China) featured local art ... and I was so glad when she found her treasure!! (On a nicer day, I might just have stayed outside)
The next stop was a harvest fair with local venders- more my style!
Nadya
My son recently went to Edinburgh. I didn’t hear about the castles but I did hear about some good food and especially pubs. Oh to be young!
ReplyDeleteWell on the bright side, you did get to make a stop at the bakery and the Christmas shop looks so quaint. Have a super weekend Tamara!
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