Curso eG Citytravelreview: Travel Writing experience in Edinburgh September 2011

2. dowload full book: http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/edinburgh-truly-madly-deeply/17280853
Step on the right side of life
Din Eidyn : A Symbol of Scotland 7
Give it a hearty spit 9
A Spark of Hope 10
Touch a Philosopher Skin to Skin 12
If you think Scotland is all about wearing kilts and tartans and having A Place where Scotland meets the World 14
a funny accent, come to Edinburgh and be enlightened. Creating new Stories 16
With its deep history and lots of contrasts Edinburgh has many
places to see and lots of stories to tell.
Not only will you discover main attractions like Edinburgh`s Castle or
the National Museum that captures the past, you will also hear about
The Spirit of Scotland 20
the dark history of Edinburgh, and visit its cemetries with the creepy
stories that are waiting to be told. Festival City / Info Boxes 23
More than Words 24
Are you keen on food? Come to Maggy Dickson`s Pub in
Between the Lines... 28
Edinburgh`s Grassmarket - one of the best places to try Haggis. It`s
Ready to stArt 32
also a good place to hang around and get to know the Scots folk.
You will learn Scottish sayings, discover the Elephant House, where A Night Out in Edinburgh 40
J.K.Rowling wrote pieces of the world famous Harry Potter and find What’s Cooking? 42
out about various writers that came to be part of Scotland`s history. Rock the Kilt! 46
If you don`t want to miss the nature side of Edinburgh - come and
climb Arthur´s Seat and find yourself looking down on the beautiful
shape of the city.
While you´re in Edinburgh you`ll always find something new.
Sunny side up 50
Our team has created a guide that leads you through Edinburgh and The Sound of Scott 52
offers stories nobody else ever experienced the way we did.
A dirty little Story 53
Come and join us on our journey - truly captivating, madly behaving, Blows You Away 54
deeply loving. Getting a real Student Experience at the University of Edinburgh 56
Are you a witty Jock ? 58
Do’s and Don’ts 60
A perfect Weekend 62

3. “Scotland’s capital city has a very rich and colourful history. This section
looks at the important buildings, the museums and some of the stories
found at a first glance of Edinburgh. From a castle dating back to the 12th
century, a controversial parliament building and some pretty gruesome
vaults under the cobbled surface of the city, there is a lot to explore. Let
the following articles take you through some of the best attractions that
show you the true Edinburgh.”

4. Din Eidyn: A Symbol of Scotland
-Vicky Langley
‘So grounded, bounded and founded that by
force of man it can never be confounded’ (from
John Taylor’s travels around Scotland, 1618).
Today nearly 400 years on, as you stand in the However it’s not all bloodthirsty fighting in the
fortress looking out over the city it is easy to Castle’s history. Making your way up to the
agree with the poet. Upper Ward, you pass a canon that is still in
use today. If you happen to be walking within
As you walk along the Royal Mile’s cobbled earshot of the Castle around one o’clock you
streets the Castle doesn’t look so hard to may hear a single gun shot. The now daily One
invade. It’s not until you reach the inside of O’clock Gun was first fired in 1861, originally as
the Castle and look down over the walls to the a time signal for sailors.
and New Barracks. The current use of these
city below that you realise the lengths invad-
An older signal on Calton Hill was the time ball. buildings show the Castle’s history as an impor-
ers would have to go to, to storm the Castle.
This was where a canon ball was hoisted up to tant building continues. This is the reason the
Despite the treacherous rock face (potential
the top of the Nelson Monument and released highest flag on the Castle is a British one and
invaders were literally taking on a volcano)
at one o’clock. However, this came up against not a Scottish one.
many did attempt to seize the Castle. To commemorate and remember
difficulties. Due to the atmospheric conditions the dead, the people of Edinburgh
(if you hadn’t noticed it’s not quite a Caribbean As you reach the Upper Ward, you come to the
From the 13th century it was the target of donated money to rebuild the
climate in Edinburgh) sailors couldn’t always site of St Margaret’s Chapel. This is the oldest
many invasions and sieges starting in 1296 interior of the building which was
see the ball so needed a more aural aide. building in the Castle and also in Edinburgh. It
when King Edward I of England invaded. What previously a barrack lock in the
commemorates Margaret (the mother of King
followed was around 50 years of a tug of war 1700s. The first donation was £500
This saw the introduction of the One O’clock David I) who died in the Castle in 1093. The
with the Castle between the Scots and the whilst the second was two shillings
Gun which takes place in unison with the time inside of the chapel is very small, light and inti-
English. The relationship between the border- and sixpence (in old money) from
ball, creating possibly the world’s first audio mate, accommodating only 24 people, making it
ing countries has been a long and often bloody a travelling person.
visual show. The gun was only ever fired once a favourite for weddings and christenings.
one. However in 1566 Mary Queen of Scots
gave birth to her only child, James. He would in an act of violence. This was during the First You can still see the highest part
World War when its target was a German air- The very highest point of the Castle is where
go on to become King James VI of Scotland of the volcanic rock in the building,
ship that was dropping bombs on Edinburgh. the Scottish National War Memorial rests hon-
and James I of England simultaneously. A rare protruding under a casket which
The gun is also still in use by the British army in ouring all those who have died fighting for
peaceful moment in the two countries’ histori- contains scrolls naming those who
Scotland. It was opened in 1927 after the First
cal relationship. the 21st century as are the Governor’s House
World War where 148,000 military were killed. lost their lives fighting for Scotland 7

5. in World War One. Above them hangs an
effigy of St Michael, the patron saint of war-
invaders. The Honours now rest safe along-
side the Stone of Scone (or the Stone of Des-
Give it a hearty spit -
riors, killing a dragon. tiny). This was a coronation stone used since -Kerstin Haselmann
the 9th century and was moved to Westmin-
Across from the War Memorial is the resting ster in 1296 by King Edward I of England. It
place of the Honours of Scotland. The Crown, wasn’t until 1996 that it was finally returned to
Sceptre and Sword of State lie on display in Edinburgh. The Stone will be used at the next
the Royal Palace. At various points in history coronation of a British monarch in London - but
the Honours have been moved and hidden in will be returned to Edinburgh much sooner
a variety of places (including under a medi- than 700 years.
eval toilet at one point) to protect them from
In modern times, it also symbolises
How do you distinguish a tourist from a local? – A something more up-to-date:
local wouldn’t walk over the Heart of Midlothian, Football.
but instead walk around it and give it a hearty
spit. You might now think “uuuuuhhhh, how The two local clubs’ arch-rivalry is
disgusting”, but it is tradition, even if everyone the trigger for hundreds of fans to
has another reason for doing it leave their “mark” on the mosaic.
. If you are a supporter of the Heart
The stony heart we are talking about is located of Midlothian Football Club you
Throughout its 3000 years the Castle has close to the West entrance of St. Giles Cathedral obviously spit on it for luck. If you
been the site of many historical events. on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile (High Street). Named are a fan of the rivalling Hibernian
What links the Seven In every nook and cranny of the fortress, after Sir Walter Scott’s novel, The Heart of Edinburgh, you give all your saliva
history can be found. From the very high- Midlothian refers to the Old Tolbooth, the city’s for the enemy’s defeat.
Years War, the War of
est point where the Scottish National War former administrative centre and prison, which
American Independence, the once stood in that place. So basically, if you can find a reason
Memorial lies to the lowest point in the
French Revolution and the vaults, it’s important role in history can be Spitting on the heart shaped mosaic is supposed for yourself to do it – Go for it! There
Napoleonic Wars? Prisoners discovered. to prevent you from ever getting arrested. is nothing wrong with it. No one
from all these wars were held Furthermore, since the heart marks the old will give you a funny look, except
in the vaults of the Castle. doorway of the prison where the executions took for the tourists, and you will all of a
place, you can thus show your sympathy for the sudden feel a bit more personally
Carvings on the wooden
convicted or your disagreement with the death connected to Edinburgh.
doors of the vaults are still on penalty. But these are not the only reasons for
display today. people to spit on it. 9

6. A spark of hope
- Kerstin Haselmann
being. This feeling will solely be caused by what
A burning sensation of pain. After weeks of you will learn about those poor souls who took their
entire darkness, the tiny spark in the distance is last breath in the obscurity of nothingness down
a blazing inferno to Alan’s eyes. Sudden groans there.
of agony, like his own, are reverberating from the
stony walls of the cave. A new one has arrived. Before South Bridge was erected in the 1780s, the
Another damned soul adding to the sum of area outside Edinburgh’s Southern wall was home
thousands of fugitives populating the filthy vaults to the city’s poorest. Out there the slums were
beneath the beautiful city of Edinburgh. Once located. People living there had to wade through
designed to keep the rich merchants’ goods human waste all day long, since Edinburgh’s
safe, they are now a depository for the city’s lost citizens simply emptied their chamber pots out the
and hopeless. window, leaving all the grime to run down the hill
Alan is crouching further into the shadows to and accumulate in the valley to form a huge cesspit.
escape the dazzling brightness. He knows When it all became too dirty and inconvenient for
exactly what it is like to arrive in the vaults, the townsfolk to cope with and since the town
when you think you are not here to stay; when within the walls was growing too small to house all
the disgusting stench of excrement, sweat and residents and businesses they decided to build a
decomposing flesh is filling your nose and mouth bridge to span the dirt. This bridge – South Bridge
for the first time. The way your nostrils are flaring – was constructed as an extension to High Street
in response, how you’re trying to suppress the and was supposed to host various fancy shops,
shortly after taking their first breath. Young and the bridge arches being used as storage rooms.
urge to throw up. Alan is chuckling to himself. Oh, old all had the same chance: None.
how they are all convinced that they won’t stay Unfortunately, those vaults were leaking and as such
long – like himself just a few weeks ago – but useless for the tradesmen. The empty chambers
only very rarely one or two will leave for good. For providing shelter from the inconveniences of the
Even today, you can still almost feel the smell law, illegal businesses soon found a new home in
Alan all hope is lost. By now, he is suffering from of despair, decay and death burning in your
tuberculosis, he will die and he knows it. Soon the obscurity of the caves. Gambling, prostitution
nose, almost hear the sighs and groans of the and the like were thriving. When the Irish potato
he will be gone as if he never existed, following moribund men and women when all lights die
his wife and son who have already passed away. famine and the Agricultural Revolution displaced
down and you are alone in the black emptiness. thousands of people and they tried their luck in
This story may sound like the beginning of a tale the big cities, the South Bridge vaults turned into
Taking a tour through the vaults of Edinburgh a collection point for the desperate and hopeless
to you, but it’s not. This is what it was like to live in is surely different from what you might expect.
the 18th century vaults. When you walk through of the time. Misery and crime were growing as
Of course there is the token phantom making more and more people arrived in Edinburgh,
the catacombs of Edinburgh today, you can feel you jump at a certain point. Of course you will
a cold hand gripping your heart when you hear bringing with them the problems of hunger and
learn about the poltergeist allegedly haunting disease. In the overcrowded bridge arches, the
the story of thousands of people dwelling down the place. And of course you will almost be a If you are now interested in ta
here, all literally condemned to rot alive. An icy damp air, malnutrition and lack of water were only
bit disappointed when the entity won’t leave its king a tour through the vaults to contributing to the spread of maladies; the entire
chill runs down your spine at the thought of the mark on you, because you half-way expected it experience it yourself, visit www.
conditions under which so many people were darkness and constant fear was wearing people
to happen. blackhart.uk.com >Tours; Watch out mentally. Conditions we, nowadays, can’t
enduring their fate in those caves in the 18th and However, the most important thing you will
19th century. Just imagine: The given number out for special offers like 2 for imagine living under. People never saw the sun;
experience is about people like you and I – they were permanently looking in the cold empty
of occupants per chamber ranges from 30 to 1 on certain days! The Under-
people who were looking for a better life in eyes of death.
50, usually averaging about 35. Diseases were Edinburgh after fleeing from famine or after ground City of the Dead tour is
flourishing like roses in spring and the average And the worst? No one forced them to stay.
having lost everything, only to arrive here and especially recommended, e.g. At the time, there were laws banning beggars and
life span was about 3 to 18 months, once you be damned to die or be killed in the anonymity with tour guide Jamie, to whom
had settled there. vagabonds from the streets, but they all stayed in
of the vaults. I’d like to give a special thanks. the vaults voluntarily. They were free to leave town
Death was the omnipresent shadow making the In the end you will leave the “city of the dead”
darkness even deeper. Mothers died giving birth at any time, but no one would. They were all hoping
beneath South Bridge with a dull feeling in your for a better life, dying rather than leaving, clinging
to children, who were either still born or died stomach that is not at all due to any supernatural to a tiny spark of hope that was bound to cease. 11