Extraordinary Edinburgh
This entry my friends, is a love story. A tale of a love so strong, that not even the promise of double glazed windows, temperatures above 16 degrees, or (as we previously heard from Bérengère) a funded PhD could come between. It is a love that I imagine only my first born child will be able to surpass. This is the account of my relationship with the beautiful city of Edinburgh; which I also affectionately refer to as ‘Edi’ or ‘Edinbae’ (apologies for any vomiting the use of the word ‘bae’ may induce; I promise this is the only circumstance I will allow it).
Our lab is nestled in a quiet corner of Edinburgh. My office mates and I share a common affection for this majestic and charming city. As none of us are actually from here (is anyone?) we each have our own story to tell of how we came to be here. However — and I dare them to fight me on this — I am claiming the title of ‘Most in Love with Edinburgh’ and have taken it upon myself to share my story and why I think Edinburgh is one of the best cities in the world.
This courtship began in the summer of 2012, after the second year of my undergrad. While the majority of my peers were spending their summers in more exotic locations, like on a working holiday in the US or volunteering on a wildlife reserve in South Africa, I decided (okay was forced by lack of funds) to spend mine somewhere a little closer; working in a bar in Edinburgh along with two friends from home. No exaggeration… we had the time of our lives! Alas, this affair was a fleeting one, as I had to return home to Ireland to complete my degree. We got back together, so to speak, two years later when I came back to do my Masters and have been going strong ever since. It will be our 4 year anniversary in September.
But what’s so great about it I hear you cry? Well, I thought you would never ask!
The Cafés
Edinburgh has an amazing selection of cafés which I discovered during my MSc year while craftily avoiding the library! Every academic needs their go-to café to work in for a change of scenery or when instant coffee will just not suffice. Some of my favourites are: Lovecrumbs (for the cake and unashamedly hipster vibe), Kilimanjaro Coffee (for the MASSIVE scones) and Red Box Café (for the big tables and relaxed atmosphere).
It’s Teeny Tiny
Which means it’s super easy to get around. You can walk almost everywhere. And if not, you get to take the bus and enjoy the comically polite queuing system whereby everyone lines up and asks the person in front of them if they intend to get on the approaching bus. And then everyone says ‘thank you driver’ as they get off. Adorable.
It’s Ridiculous Aesthetic
Everywhere you look there’s a castle or a winding cobble street, or a distant snow caped hill. Case and point made by the view from our office:
It’s also full of green spaces like Arthur’s seat, the Braid and Blackford Hill, the Meadows and the Botanic Gardens. The Pentland hills are accessible by bus and the Scottish Highlands are only a few hours’ drive away. Great for team bonding getaways!
Food and Drink
Would this be a post written by an Irish person living in Scotland without a nod to our shared heritage of pubs? I think not. And happy to oblige. Shout out to Finnegan’s Wake where I first worked that fateful summer of 2012 and who helped me pay my way through my Masters and beyond. Their student discount is amazing! Some other favourites are Boda Bar, Black Ivy, and Paradise palms. Food wise I love 10 to 10 in Delhi, Holyrood 9A and Ting Thai Caravan. Additionally, like any self-respecting millennial, I am obsessed with brunch. Great spots are Dishoom, Honeycomb Café and Brochan.
The Weather
Yes, I said it! Edinburgh gets a bad rap but actually, it’s really bright and sunny a lot of the time. And as the Canadian contingent of our lab will argue, we really can’t complain about it being too cold. To be fair, the summers are abysmal…even I can’t defend those! But those two or three days a year where the temperatures rocket into the low 20s, there is nothing quite like a barbecue and beers in the Meadows.
The Fringe Festival
Now this one is both a blessing and a curse. Every August an incredible range of comedy and arts shows come to Edinburgh, with bars and venues popping up all over. The city has an amazing buzz this time of year. The downside to this is the swarms of tourists and performers that descend upon the city, making it infuriatingly difficult to man-oeuvre your way through the crowds. And, if you’re working on campus, frantically trying to bang out a thesis, it is a particular brand of cruelty to have bars and venues pop up right outside the library! On the upside, catching a show is the perfect excuse for a study break.
So there you have it, a by no means exhaustive list of some of the best things about this City I am lucky enough to currently call home.
Sincerely,
-Lorna
