Scouring Scotland

I arrived in Edinburgh at 7:30 am.  The weather was a stark contrast to what I’m used to back in the States.  40 Degrees in the middle of July is not ideal to say the least.  It didn’t seem to bother the Scottish, though. They were walking around in short while I wrapped my scarf around me for a third time.

I headed towards The Elephant House Café for some breakfast and warmth.  For you muggles who may not know what the Elephant House is, it’s the birthplace of Harry Potter.  JK Rowling wrote the Philosopher’s Stone while she was staying in Edinburgh with her sister.  She would frequent the café and write in the back lounge. 

Nestled across the street from the café lay the dead of centuries past.  This graveyard is said to have provided Rowling with the character names for all those we know and love today.  I was only able to find the gravestones for Arthur, James, George, and Helena after an hour of scouring the site.

Even without its added quirk of naming the Harry Potter cast, this graveyard has its own personality.  Housing the deceased dating back as far as the 1700s, the tombs featured intricate designs and massive memorials for the poor, unfortunate souls. 

A short walk up the street from The Elephant House sits the Edinburgh Castle.  Built in the 2nd century, this is the only castle to never have been taken by force; it has been captured using other tactics such as starvation.  Though the Scotsmen lasted two years before surrendering to the starvation tactics.

The oldest building on the grounds—and the last standing building from the original castle—is St. Margaret’s Chapel.  Still open to the public today, the chapel is a small building that can hold up to 20 people at a time.  Some Scottish still use this chapel to get married, too.  If you fancy a small, intimate setting for your wedding, you might want to check out this chapel. Quite cozy.

Other monuments of the Scottish heritage can be found in their food.  Haggis is a common meal for the Scottish.  It gained popularity in Scotland years ago when they faced poverty.  They used every part of the sheep back in those days, including the stomach.  To their surprise, haggis turned out to be very tasty (compliments to the chef).  Now it’s a traditional meal that everyone should try at least once, if you can stomach the thought of eating it.  Ha-ha.

Scotland isn’t normally a country I think of when travelling.  For me, it reminds me too much of home.  I talked to a few Scotsmen during my trip, and they all said they want to visit West Virginia because it reminds them so much of home. After my trip, though, I must say that I would love to visit this country again.

I was only able to see Edinburgh for one day, but Scotland has so much more to offer.  The Scottish Highlands are the iconic views for Scotland, and those I plan to see at least once in my lifetime.

Full of kind people, good food, and great music (bagpipes are cool, you guys), Scotland is place you need to add to your bucket list if it isn’t there already.  Let’s plan a trip. I’m down to eat haggis and play bagpipes. Are you?

(Photo taken by me, 7/29/15)