Who books a 25 minute flight? To anywhere? They call that a
joyride. Or the distance from Dublin to Glasgow. I fell asleep on our 8 am
flight out and woke up as we bumpily landed in the rainy gale force winds of
Scotland’s not-capital. For my first
time, Ryanair was a little late and didn’t play that horrible revelry horn as
we landed, congratulating themselves on an on-time job well-done. I was
grateful – it’s not a tune you want to hear early in the day. Or ever.
Both places have a strong Gaelic background (most confusing
language I’ve personally encountered), a lot of crude industrial zones, and a
lot of beer drinking and animal farming. However, I can’t actually vouch for
what’s in Glasgow other than the bagel I split with Kate in the train station
before we boarded for Edinburgh.
The toy two-car train stopped in every single town between
Glasgow and Edinburgh. About twelve. They were all very pretty – I even saw a
rainbow at some point among the sheep grazing in the rolling green hills. I bet
the Highlands are beautiful, but if I’m back, it’ll be in the summer. In
Edinburgh, we were greeted by slaps in the face of freezing rain as we carried
our twelve-day bags up some hill to nowhere. Indoors, we grabbed wifi at a McDonalds
(my ‘cheese dippers with festive tomato sauce’ are occupying a stronghold in my
diet and my heart this vacation…) and got in touch with our hotel, our friends,
and our tummies.
The rain stopped, and the wind blew us right to the hotel
check-in. Sometimes, removing the s from your accommodations and upgrading is
worth the splurge - the provided plushier bath towels were exactly what we
needed after a morning of travel and general dampness.
Here are some things about Edinburgh and Scotland and the UK
in general:
1.
The money in Scotland is not accepted in
England, I hear. It’s also bright colors (think regal purple, or monopoly
money) so it looks fun to spend! Yea!
2.
Everywhere has those fantastic Dyson airblade
hand-dryers. I once saw a job to work at a pop-up store for Dyson, and I
totally should’ve done it – I love those machines! Normal air hand dryers in
public bathrooms actually make the experience worse but those sleek-looking
blade machines – quick, effective, hygienic, and awesome. Good for you, UK
public wash closets!
3.
No wonder JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter here. I
was expecting to see Hermione in the student center today, or Harry zipping
through the skyline. All of the stoney architecture and the gothic spires and
the Christmas lights just make me think of the HP Yule Ball! (and I didn’t even
get past book four, to be honest.)
4. While the Eurozone implodes, the pound is still strong. Very strong. And that
hot chocolate today cost me about $4.50. But it didn’t look so bad in pounds.
And it tasted like a million (insert relatable currency here - I’ve been carrying three in my wallet, and
I’m very confused). Marshmallows and whipped cream and warmth is really joy in
a cup.
5.
If you like a city as a chunk of hail smacks
you across the cheek, it must really be quite precious. Edinburgh for the wintery
weathery win.
Thanks to Maura’s friend Lainey who made
us haggis for dinner, Scottish 'meatloaf' at her apartment! I only ate the
side dishes but they were delicious – especially the banofee cheesecake! We hit up
some slightly grungy bars with a crew of Americans and had a decent
time. I met up with Ben, a friend from relative back-in-the-day and we caught
up over a drink – served in a plastic glass without ice or a lime. Edinburgh, this is your one and
perhaps only pitfall – fake glass glasses? Seriously? Seriously?
That is Tacky McTacksterson. So, if you’re ever in Edinburgh, avoid the Hive.
What kind of bar serves drinks in plastic
glasses? Redeeming city qualities include a castle overlooking a cliff, so we’ll
call it even.
I have all day Friday for this
small gem of a city to keep winning me over.
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