Edinburgh - Part II

But I still had to pay my respects to the Queen, so off to Holyroode Palace I went. This is actually a working palace, the place where Her Majesty the Queen stays and conducts official business when she is in Scotland. It reminded me a lot of the tours of the Newport Mansions, and it wasn’t nearly as expansive as Edinburgh Castle, but it was pretty neat to hang out in the bedchamber of Mary, Queen of Scots. There’s even a plaque where her personal secretary was stabbed to death by her jealous husband. The gardens are also spectacular, with an amazing view of the nearby crag (which I decided to climb later that afternoon).

I had to give equal time to the current Scottish government, so after the Palace it was off to Parliament (which is conveniently right across the street). Unfortunately, there were no debates that afternoon, but a Scottish police officer was kind enough to let me take his picture to show my students.

Because of Scotland’s location so far north, it doesn’t get dark until very late in the spring and summer months. As a result, I was able to take advantage of the extended daylight and climb not only the random crag that was next to the Palace, but also Calton Hill, a famous hill next to my hotel. I honestly don’t remember why it was famous, but I’m pretty sure that some battle was fought by someone there. The views more than made up for whatever history I wasn’t learning though. It really is amazing how many places in the city of Edinburgh make you feel like you’re on the top of the world.

Finally, I was ready for dinner, which was only important in that I had to have it before my last tourist excursion of the evening: a ghost tour! I was waiting all day for this part of the evening, and picked a ghost tour company based on both its good report and the fact that it took you to the vaults underneath the city. As far as scary goes, this tour sounded like the best bet. Our tour guide, Kat, did a great job and I learned a lot about the history of Edinburgh along the way. For instance, because it was a walled city and the Loch (lake) was used for both raw sewage and drinking water, it had more than its fair share of plagues, complete with stories of burning down plague infected tenements and having the inhabitants come back from the dead. The vaults were also pretty cool – and definitely spooky, even if I didn’t encounter anything from the other side. Overall, it was time well spent.


After the ghost tour, I decided to stop by a pub for a cider before bed (hey, I may never see this much cider again in one place for the rest of my life). While there, I made friends with an Englishman from Manchester and had a fun conversation about the World Cup (which made me extra glad that we at least tied the game and didn’t lose – I was talking a fair amount of pro-USA smack). And I learned that the Manchester accent was easier to understand than the Scottish-Edinburgh accent (Glasgow seemed a bit easier, but more on that city later). Since it was my birthday, he bought me a cider to celebrate, which was very nice. And explained to me why, even though everyone kept asking me if I was a student, no one carded me. Yes, I know I teach the drugs classes and do substance abuse research, and I know that I should remember that the laws are different in Scotland, but hey, I’m on vacation. At least everyone thought that I was young.



Unfortunately, I had to leave Edinburgh after breakfast the next morning to grab a train to Glasgow. But if I ever have the chance, I will definitely go back. It was a very welcoming city, with amazing architecture and very friendly people. Plus, did I mention the cider? It was a celiacs’ dream come true!