Edinburgh, or 1000 Years in 4 Days

Let me preach:  before you go to Scotland, learn its history, which is tragic, bloody, inspirational, beautiful, and barbarous.  I recommend A History of Scotland, by Neil Oliver, a loving and readable overview of Scotland’s past, both distant and immediate.  Almost everything you see in this country trails a comet’s tail of stories, intrigue, and characters; illuminating it will brighten your experience and enjoyment.

My Scottish sojourn centered on Edinburgh; I spent four days wandering through its nearly thousand-year history.  Edinburgh’s main attractions cluster along and around the Royal Mile – a narrow street running from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace, the British monarch’s official residence in Scotland – making it easy to see a lot in relatively little time.

The Royal Mile.  The Royal Mile itself, or at least its storefronts, is on the touristy side, undoubtedly boasting the world’s highest concentration of cashmere purveyors.  Also on this stretch, a block or so from Edinburgh Castle, are two of the city’s major tourist spots, the Camera Obscura and the Whiskey Experience.  I forswore both, finding the roughly $20 entry fee too steep given the multitude of free attractions in the area.

The Royal Mile’s charm lies in its “Closes” – narrow lanes or entryways surrounded by buildings dating back centuries.  Many of the Closes bear plaques describing their colorful (often blood-red) history, and they house such wonderful attractions as the Writers Museum located within Lady Stair’s Close.  A Frommer Guide, 24 Great Walks in Edinburgh, offers literally step-by-step directions for unearthing these hidden gems.

Museums.  Edinburgh’s museums are free, although they do ask for a modest (roughly $5) contribution.  I spent a couple of hours each in two of the main and most impressive ones:  the National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery.  The National Museum brings Scotland’s past to life through a rich collection of exhibits, artifacts, documents, and cultural relics.  Elsewhere, the Museum houses standard-issue (not Scotland-specific) displays relating to natural history, mummies, inventions, and so forth, so I’d advise spending almost all your time on the Scottish content.

The National Gallery is likewise a winner.  It’s small – you can easily see everything in under two hours – but packs a punch.  The collection of Scottish artists is exceptional, with wonderful portraits, battle scenes (not surprisingly), and occasional graphic pictures of hunts and murders.  There are also small but impressive collections of Impressionists and Dutch Masters.  Adding to the charm, most of the male docents are in kilts and many of the female docents are in tartan pants that look an awful lot like pajamas.

Outdoor Attractions.  On to some literally breathtaking sights, which you should make a point of visiting if you’re up for it.

Arthur’s Seat is a volcanic hill (roughly 800 feet high) overlooking Edinburgh, across the Queen’s Road from Holyrood Palace and the new, crazy-quilt Scottish Parliament building.  There are two ways to the summit:  a precipitous trek up the front, or a gentler but longer climb up the back.  I inadvertently took the front approach but heartily (physically and literally) recommend the back, if you can tolerate the ego-crushing impact of runners breezing past.  Either way, the ascent is rewarded by views extending over the city and its surroundings, a sense of accomplishment, and the feeling one has earned one’s whisky (spelled without the “e,” which is reserved for the Irish variety). 

The Walter Scott Memorial is on Princes Street near Waverly Station.  For a small fee, you gain admission to the exceedingly narrow winding staircase (287 steps) to the top.  At various points in your ascent and descent, you will have to flatten yourself against the somewhat grimy stone wall to allow passage to those going in the opposite direction.  It’s worth the climb and possible unhygienic exposure; the vista on the observation “deck” (more of a perch) is brilliant, to use a local adjective.  In fact, it’s worth climbing the Memorial early in your visit to Edinburgh in order to orient yourself to the city’s other attractions.  When you return to the bottom, head across the street to Jenner’s Department Store, which has a food hall and a very nice café, as well as floors upon floor of captivating merchandise reminiscent of Harrod’s.

The Feel of the City.  Here’s where I have to sound a purely personal note of disappointment.  As discussed in other blog entries, my family and I spent a week last summer in Ireland and were knocked over by the warmth and friendliness of the Irish.  Edinburgh (and the limited other parts of Scotland I visited) has a different vibe.  In Ireland, people are not just approachable but genuinely glad to talk to you.  In Edinburgh, people seemed more standoffish.  For one thing, even in New York people don’t walk so fast or make so little eye contact.  A caricaturist’s Edinburgh street scene would hold grimly striding pedestrians holding a cigarette in one hand and a cellphone in the other.

Luckily, there’s also a whimsical side to Edinburgh, or at least its mass transit.  Most of the buses teeter along the road, seemingly half too tall for their width, and many have tartan-clad seats.  Most of the taxis (which are plentiful) look like something out of the 1940s.  So, unusually enough, I found the city’s roads more interesting than its sidewalks.

Beyond Edinburgh.  My daughter and I took a train to Glasgow, both to satisfy her quest for a certain style of boots and to give me at least a taste of Scotland’s second city.  Trains run between Waverly Station in Edinburgh and two main stations in Glasgow several times an hour.  Ours were precisely on time, clean, and quiet, and one even had drink service.  In Glasgow, we spent a couple of hours wandering in and out of stores on Buchanan Street, a pedestrian mall.  I am assured by my in-house expert that the shopping did not disappoint; boots were bagged.  Based on this far too limited exposure, Glasgow is Baltimore to Edinburgh’s Washington (in whose suburbs I live).  It’s a grittier city, but at the same time has a more authentic feel.

I also took a day trip with Timberbush Tours to Oban, a harbor town in the West Highlands, various castles, and Loch Lomond.  The tour was comfortable, well run, scenic, and a good value (roughly $60 for a 9-hour excursion).

Eating and drinking  Stop in for a cup of coffee at the Elephant House Café on George IV Bridge, one of the coffee shops where J.K. Rowling brought Harry Potter to life.  The coffee is excellent.  There’s a good Indian/Nepalese restaurant just up the street from there called Namaste Kathmandu, which has lots of delicious vegetarian options.  We also ate in two Italian restaurants:  Vittorio’s, also on George IV Bridge (good al dente pasta and very good ice cream), and Gennaro’s on Grassmarket (good pizza, OK pasta, family-run feel). 

I’m ashamed to say I didn’t stop in any pubs, but I did sample Laphroaig, a smoky, silken single malt scotch.  It’s a wonderful way to transition from traversing the mists of history to dinner.