Edinburgh | Festival Edition

This was my second trip to Edinburgh. Last time a friend and I stayed in a B&B called Panda Vila where our host, a man named Martin, was very welcoming but also tried to convince us that the world was flat, floating in a black liquid and enclosed by two giant domes. When questioned about the existence of satellites and space exploration, he said that was a very good question and settled for putting tinfoil over his wifi router. This time however, I was in town to meet up with my Mum and Step-Dad who were visiting as part of a massive trip involving conferences, eclipses, hiking, island hoping, and a wedding in Canada which I will be joining them for later this month. Yeah I know, they should be the ones with the travel blog!

We had 4 days to make the most of Edinburgh at Festival time, meaning there was lots to do and lots of people crammed into what is a relatively small City... this also means you're in for quite a few photos - see you at the end!

Arriving

I took a train from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley. It takes around 4 or 5 hours depending on how many stops there are. I prefer the train to the bus (9 hours with no food breaks and a toilet on the coach) because it's smoother, more spacious, big windows and you get a table to eat/work/read at. I have a youth railcard which is really beneficial if you do as much train travel as I do. It also gives you off-peak tube discounts.

Accommodation

Mum booked a sweet little apartment on the royal mile no less! While being right in the middle of town always has the benefit of feeling bourgeois, at festival time it can be loud and crowded. I think she used Airb&b, a site I've had mixed experiences with, but everything was fine. We stayed in the shortest building in this photo. The skinny tall one to the left is actually a house museum that we wanted to visit, but unfortunately they were all booked out.

Breakfasts

We tried two different places for breakfast, both within walking distance from the apartment. One was Hula, a Hawaiian style Juice bar on Grassmarket. The other was a Scottish breakfast spot called Deacon's House Cafe and was right across the street from us. Both were nice but I found out that I cant have acai because it gives me a headache. Good to know.

The Royal Mile

The Royal Mile is the oldest and most well-known street in Edinburgh. It runs all the way from Holyrood Palace up the hill to Edinburgh Castle. It is known for it's multi-levelled stone houses and small alleyways which connect other streets at different points up the hill. It is also where the festival promoters set up and busk to advertise shows and events. It's the place to be if you want to see some vibrant characters.

Museums and Art Galleries

Having worked at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and not getting to visit last time, I was interested to visit the Scottish Portrait Gallery - and I have to say, it was better than the English one! The building itself is beautiful and creative, and the works on display were varied and thought provoking. The entry hall is currently a display space for a experimental contemporary sculptural piece. The traditional sculpture of Poem Robbie Burns stands in the centre of the hall facing the door, while a identical 'shadow' sculpture lies in shattered pieces on the ground. The other busts around the room have been turned towards the walls as if to ignore the broken illusion of Burns's true character. This whole concept was a wonderful introduction to the gallery, as it inspired independent analysis, rather than a curated opinion.

Other places of interest we visited were the National Gallery, Writer's Museum, and 7 Charlotte Square (a Georgian House Museum).

Holyrood Palace

The Queen's official residence when she comes to Edinburgh, this grand old Palace is really worth a visit. Make sure you accept the free audio guide! I wouldn't usually say that because I find them unhelpful, ugly and uncomfortable, but this one enabled you to walk freely through the house and learn a bit about each room and what it is used for. There was a no photography policy, so I can't show you any pictures, but the bedchamber and outer day chamber of Mary Queen of Scots was amazing and very powerful to be in.

Botanic Gardens and City Walks

Since moving to London and having access to a wider range of plants I have started visiting palm houses whenever I can in new cities (I'm still so sad I didn't get to see the glasshouse at the Palace in Vienna, I have a feeling that would have been incredible). Plants don't need an explanation if you don't want them to, they are a marvel in themselves for their size, age and beauty. I like to think of a botanical glass house as a cruelty free zoo. We were incredibly lucky to be visiting the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens on the day that their Titan Arum (aka amorphophallus titanum aka big penis plant) was flowering. Named Titan Arum by David Attenborough because he didn't want to keep calling it a giant dick, this massive plant is currently being pollinated with others from different gardens in an attempt to keep them alive. Sorry, that was a very unscientific explanation.

We Also took a walk along the scenic part of the Leith River

Festival Performances

We went to two official festival events. Both were terrible. Sorry.

The first was a play called The Rhinoceros which was written in 1959 by a guy called Eugéne, and the other was an opera called Greek, which didn't seem to have any actual listenable music in it. The audience clapped and about 30 people came up on stage to be thanked for the performance, and I still have no idea why.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo

And the last event I'm going to talk about - the Military Tattoo. I didn't know what to expect programme wise for this, and I was pleasantly surprised. If you ever get the chance to get a ticket for the Tattoo, do it.

Dinners

And now for the dinners - well done for making it this far!! Conrad found some pretty bloody good places to pig out including The Grainstore, Kanpai Sushi, Divino Enoteca, and The Devil's Advocate. All delicious.