Living in Edinburgh August 18, 2000
Now
that my Kit Kat (KK) Summer is pretty much over, it's
time to write
about living in Edinburgh First, just to clue you in, the KK Summer
refers to 
the fact that I discovered a Costco just outside town (much to Dick's
dismay) and, among other thing, bought a BIG box of individually
wrapped KK's -- 48 of 'em. They didn't quite last the whole summer, but they were a part of
most days! So, as you might have guessed, my love for chocolate has not yet diminished.
And for that matter, neither has our desire to travel.
Ten weeks in Edinburgh confirmed that this is an exceptionally pleasant and livable city, albeit a bit expensive by US standards. Both the old and the new parts of town have lots to offer -- sightseeing, museums, shops, hikes, bars, restaurants and outdoor cafes. Summer is a great time to be here: the days are unbelievably long, the weather is usually fine (max. temperatures are about 70F -- perfect for golf) and at least until August things aren't too crowded. And we were very luck to have several friends come and visit.
In
August, Edinburgh becomes a Mecca for
many.
The Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Edinburgh Book Festival and the Blues and Jazz Festival all happen at
about the same time; tourists inundate the town and thing bustle day and
night. Aside
from the entertainment at the festivals, which often includes some very prestigious
performing groups doing some of their more esoteric works, there are parades, street performers,
and hundreds of upstarts trying to make a name for themselves at about 200
different Fringe festival venues. There's entertainment available EVERY
hour all day and night!
Moreover, there's the marvelous nightly extravaganza, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, replete with marching bands,
vocalists, pipers and flags, all set within the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
Still, I
much prefer
things less crowded and thus liked the city better before August, even though July had few theater or other arts
events -- everything taking a breather before the Festivals.
Edinburgh highlights include the ancient and fascinating Edinburgh Castle. Included in the price of admission is a extensive headphone commentary and a live guide to provide an overview. The Scottish crown jewels are here, the views are great, and St. Margaret's small Chapel, which is the oldest building in the Castle, has some lovely stained glass windows. The above unique cannonview of the city was taken at the Castle; the cannon points at the (Sir Walter) Scott Monument, a city landmark. We got to climb around the Castle several times, as we enjoyed sharing the sights with friends this summer.
There's
also Holyrood Palace, where the Queen stayed during her
recent visit to town, the Royal Mile (see photo at top), Prince's Street with
it's modern shops, and the
wonderful "mountain" park that sits right in the middle of town.
Holyrood Park includes hill walks up the Craigs and to Arthur's Seat, where the
views over the Firth of Forth, the City and the Borders are magnificent.
Here I am at the summit with California friends, Stuart and Margaret Winter.
One of the nicest things about Edinburgh was the small neighborhoods, apartment buildings built of stone with gardens and flowers in front and numerous little mom and pop shops; fresh bread and fruit just around the corner. There were also lots of thrift shops to explore and golf courses everywhere -- more than 70 within a twenty mile radius. Edinburgh suited us to a tee; a wonderful place for a summer stopover.