Edinburgh, Scotland

September 18-24, 2019

What an amazing beginning to my journey!  I left Denver at 10pm and flew all night to London.  My flight had been delayed 3 hours and I missed my connecting flight.  They booked me on the next flight into Edinburgh and I arrived at 8pm with all my luggage and lots of adrenaline-induced enthusiasm.  

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I took the tram for $10 into town and because my hot spot was not working, I had no idea which stop to get off on or how to find the hostel that I had booked.  Here is where I was first introduced to Scottish kindness and it could not have been more appreciated.  With the help of many people, I found my hostel and collapsed into bed – exhausted from 24 hours of travel on very little food or sleep.

I awoke to sunny skies and was finally able to see the city in which I had landed.  My room had a direct view of the castle.  I was staying in the Grassmarket area of Old Town Edinburgh.  I had not slept well and had severe leg cramps due to dehydration and inactivity on the plane.  I did not feel well at all. 

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I worked all morning but only toured the immediate block where I was staying before going back to bed hoping to feel better.

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By Friday, I was feeling like myself again and excited to explore the city.  I toured the castle, walked the streets for hours and connected with one of my contacts from 5W (Women Welcome Women World Wide). 

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I met Gillian in the late afternoon for a tour of the city and dinner.  We had an immediate connection and had a marvelous time together.  She is a single, retired social worker with many interests including, pottery, art, sewing, walking and choir. 

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We had dinner at a tiny little French restaurant with 6 or 7 tables that required reservations.  We had the best fish I have ever eaten! It was sea bass with fresh fennel (the vegetable, not the spice) and a sauce that had the most interesting combination of flavors.  We had mushroom soup, green beans and potatoes, all of which were absolutely wonderful.

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Gill (pronounced Jill) invited me to stay with her for 2 days at her flat (apartment) outside the city.  80% of Scottlanders live in this type of housing due to housing space restrictions. I took the city bus (which is excellent in Edinburgh) about 25 minutes to a rural area right outside of town. The bus stopped right outside of a tiny market next door to her flat. She had a lovely home which she generously opened freely to me.  Most flats have garden areas that include washing lines.  Very few have “tumblers” or dryers in their homes.  The washing machines are small and located in their kitchens. 

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The refrigerators are also smaller than in the states and are built into the cabinetry which make them camouflaged in the kitchen.  We became fast friends – enjoying long walks in the countryside, fixing our meals together, shopping at the tiny market just down from her flat and sharing stories from our life experiences.

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She invited me to join her on Saturday while she taught women to sew and make fabric shopping bags to replace the plastic ones that are being phased out.  I had a wonderful day with these amazing ladies with service minded hearts.  She introduced me to a community organization called Bridgend Farmhouse where they focus on learning, working and growing together as a community.  The served homemade leek and potato soup to the volunteers and I so enjoyed making new friends.

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The highlight of my week was when she invited me to join her Monday, Women’s walking group.  Every Monday, 8-10 women who have been friends for years, alternate planning a 5-9 mile walk somewhere in the city or surrounding area.  They walk rain or shine – sleet or snow.  Gill says there are no bad weather days, only bad clothing choices!

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Gill coordinated this week’s walk along the coast.  We hiked 6 miles through a bird watching preservation, over bridges, along grassy steep hills, though the water on the beach and though small towns.  It was a perfect day.  

The next day we spent at Newhailes House and Gardens.  We had traveled along the coast, but upon arriving discovered that it was closed for a moth infestation.  Strange.  There are very few pests here in Scotland.  With the exception of “midges” which are tiny mosquito-like biting flies that come out in the summer, there are no bugs.  In fact, there are no screens on any of the windows in Scotland.  There is also no air-conditioning in any home or building, so the windows are open all the time.  

There is a fruit that comes from a Chestnut tree that the children play games with called a “Conker fruit”.  We changed our plans and went to a tea room that was part of a very large garden nursery.  She thought it was very small, but it was much larger than our nurseries in Oldham or Henry county.  I experienced my first “High Tea”.  It was wonderful.  They brought our choice of herbal tea with scones and small ham and cheese sandwiches.  The cheese was a white cheddar and the ham was more like country ham with a tiny bit of butter instead of mayonnaise.  Gill explained that they only use mayonnaise in salads, never on sandwiches. 

We changed our plans and headed to Preston Mill where we toured East Lothian’s last working water-driven working mill. The machinery that turned grain from local farms into oatmeal and animal feed is still preserved here. Parts of the building date back to the 17th century.

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I also had my first view of Highland Cattle or Highland Coo as they are called.  Unfortunately, I was not aware of these animals, and when we passed on in the car, I exclaimed, “Look! A Yak!” – Gill got a good laugh at that.  They look like Yak’s with their long hair that hangs in their eyes, but they are the famous, hearty cattle of the Scottish Highlands. 

Everyone speaks English with a heavy accent but it is not difficult to understand unless they speak very fast .  However, it does take some concentration because many of the words they use are different from ours in the US.  Here are a few I have run across this week.

Kirk = Scottish church

Kirkyard – Grave yard – usually part of the church grounds

Loch = Lake

Close = Alley