Edinburgh, Scotland
Rainbow over Edinburgh
This post was originally published March 2, 2017.
My first touristy experience outside of Ireland took me to Edinburgh, Scotland, where I stepped off the bus and was immediately met by a bagpiper in a traditional Scottish kilt. As I quickly realized, the weekend was a big one for Rugby fans and Scotland in general as England was playing in a match (Scotland’s distaste for England is very real), so the pubs were filled with men in kilts.
After checking into the Airbnb, my friend and I set out to make a 3pm tour of the underground vaults. We left early to make sure we had enough time, but then discovered we took the bus in the opposite direction. By the time we made it back to the city, we were half an hour late. Fortunately, we visited the tour office and were able to get our tickets transferred to the 5pm tour instead.
The tour was dark and thrilling. Underneath a bridge were multiple vaults once used as storage spaces and workshops. After a decade of use, they were abandoned due to leaking. The poorest families moved in, along with the ladies of the night, the shady businessmen, and the body snatchers. The guide shared the tale of William Burke and William Hare, who made their money selling the recently deceased to medical professors for studying, but when the dead bodies began to run out, they started making some of their own. They killed 17 people between 1827 and 1829 but were discovered after they did a poor job hiding a body they clearly murdered. Hare got immunity after testifying against Burke, while Burke was executed and his body was sent to be studied by the same medical professors he was selling to. Even more disturbing, his death was a huge public event, and the skin off his back was used to create a leather-bound book. I passed on visiting that attraction.
Despite rumors of ghosts, including Abraham Lincoln and a little boy, the scariest encounter I had was with the tour guide. She led us into Mr. Boot’s room, where a man with tall boots lurked in the shadows and scratched people’s necks. I was listening intently, while looking over my shoulder many times just to make sure, then while she was telling the story of a paranormal encounter, she screamed right at me. I instinctively jumped into my friend’s arms with a delayed “Oh My God!” and everyone laughed. Such is the tale of my public humiliation beneath Edinburgh city.
Later, I visited Edinburgh Castle, the biggest and most beautiful castle I have seen. With 24 different attractions, ranging from batteries to museums, it took all morning to see everything. I enjoyed visiting the Great Hall and St. Margaret’s Chapel. I also saw the Royal Palace and the Military Prison, but my favorite exhibit was the Honors of Scotland. This included the sword, scepter, and crown that were used at multiple coronations. When the monarchy was overthrown, Oliver Cromwell ordered most regalia to be melted down. Three ladies smuggled the honors out of the castle and hid them. They changed location a few times but weren’t recovered and put on display until 1819. The honors remained on display except during World War II, when they were hidden again for protection. Photography was not allowed inside the exhibit, but I promise they looked as incredible as any History Channel documentary might suggest.
Edinburgh has been my favorite stop in my adventures so far. In one of the pubs, I had a burger I’m still drooling over a week later, and in a nearby distillery, I struggled to swallow some authentic Scottish whiskey. The architecture of the city is stunning, and it’s no wonder it influenced the magical world of Harry Potter. Also, shout out to the city for having a dog cemetery in its castle and a statue of a loyal dog in its street. Any city that respects its canine friends like that deserves a rating of 10 out of 10.