i stepped off the train at edinburgh waverley and walked up the stairs into a torrential downpour.
a perfectly scottish greeting.
surprisingly touristy town, edinburgh, but in a different sort of way than york. it’s considerably larger, first off, and considerably more hilly. i have spent many full days walking since i arrived in the uk, but edinburgh has got my legs sore again.
the city itself is an exercise in classism and in tourism. there are two edinburghs, really–one above, and one below. old town sits atop an extinct volcano, with edinburgh castle at its peak, and was built on top of itself. grand stone buildings and streets top older, originally poorer structures, filling the city with intermingling bridges and tunnels. now, most of them are filled with rather disingenuous kilt and cashmere shops meant to lure in tourists who have come to see the city as they know it from period dramas.
not that it wasn’t absolutely gorgeous, of course.
across the valley, which holds edinburgh waverley station as well as a lush, steep park, sits new town.
georgian, stately, and full of modern conveniences, new town feels much more like a real place people live in.
tram lines ramble through wide streets dotted with parks and monuments. there’s a costa on every street corner.
it feels less fictional. still magic, but more real.
in my two days here, i was able to see:
edinburgh castle, including plenty of military history and the room where mary, queen of scots was born
the museum of childhood, the edinburgh writer’s museum, the scottish national gallery, et al…
j.k. rowling, who i incidentally almost walked directly into on princes street an hour after i arrived
camera obscura, a victorian attraction which contained the titular device as well as five floors of holograms, optical illusions, and other visual oddities
plenty of plaid
a couple of BEAUTIFUL old graveyards (suddenly the movie-trope tombstone makes sense)
and the release of the new robert galbraith book this morning, at long last!
it’s a bit strange to be leaving so soon (especially having hardly had the chance to get to know my airbnb host) but i’m ready to be moving on, i think. it’s definitely a different experience from london, to be travelling about so quickly. almost feels like a different trip entirely.
i haven’t quite yet felt like i’ve overpacked, but i’m getting there.
now on to glasgow.
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