Note worthy firsts in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is now the third European city I’ve traveled too and each has been more amazing than the last. London has its appeal with the major tourist attractions. Cardiff has its natural beauty with the bay and the shear cliff face. And Edinburgh has its charm with its historic buildings all throughout, the Edinburgh Castle overlooking the city, and finally Salisbury Crags towering over the whole countryside.

I’ve had some interesting firsts here…

1. Saw the richest homeless lady wearing a fur coat and sitting on a Burberry blanket. I guess that’s what you gotta do to live the lifestyle.

2. Clubs that play old school songs from my generation that aren’t even mashups like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song, Ganster’s Paradise, and Grease Lightening (maybe a little before my time) where everyone sings with an accent and dances the part.

3. Witnessed either the earliest or latest drunks at 9am when I walked out of the hostel. Nearly got thrown up on and another should’ve had the decency to use the facilities inside.

4. Had a bunkmate relieve himself in the middle of the night in the middle of our room, and to top it off not remember. Glad it was my last night.

5. Never walked so many stairs in one day: five flights to my hostel (50 stairs), four viewing decks of the Scott Monument to get a 360° view of downtown (300 stairs), an uphill climb to get up to Edinburgh Castle (lost track of the count), and then a 3 hour round trip to get to the top of Salisbury Crags (couldn’t even count if I tried). My calves are going to double in size by the time I leave.

I know the firsts have probably downgraded peoples thoughts about Edinburgh but these pictures will raise them back up. Let me just preface with this, it’s even better in person. This is probably the first and last time I wish I had an SLR. Just realized I don’t even know what SLR stands for. A quick google search provided the answer: single-lens reflex, and yet I still have no clue.

Edinburgh Castle

View from the Scott Monument of Edinburgh and the Salisbury Crags

Arthur's Seat above the Salisbury Crags (3 hr hike round trip)

Sunset overlooking Edinburgh Castle

Sunset overlooking Our Dynamic Earth

Freeedom!!! (quote from the best movie ever....right up there with Top Gun)