So it should come as no surprise that the real reason I came to Europe this summer was not to study football and politics, or for any kind of self-discovery journey, but actually to see castles on hills in mist.
Glasgow, unfortunately, is one of the few Scottish cities with no castle. It has the University of Glasgow, which is really castle-like, and the Kelvingrove Gallery, which is also sort of castle-like. But not the real deal. Oh, speaking of the Kelvingrove Gallery, see if you can figure this out:
Yeah. Just think about that for a second. The Kelvingrove Gallery is both to your left and to your right, and simultaneously, neither. For those of you who are wondering, the Kelvin Gallery is actually behind me while I'm taking this picture. I don't want to hear any more about how difficult these cities are to navigate. If the Scottish can't even figure out which direction they're supposed to go, you can't put any blame on me for not knowing my way around.
So, with my Glasgow meetings and interviews finished this morning, it was time to make my way to Scotland's most famous castle - the Edinburgh Castle. I had had enough of Glasgow by this point anyway, plus it was raining here, and I thought that escaping across the country to Edinburgh would help me get away from the nasty weather. Fun fact: Scotland's not big enough to have two different weather systems. Edinburgh is only like, an hour and a half away. It was rainy in Edinburgh, too.
One can clearly see from the rows of kilt and bagpipe stores that Edinburgh is where the tourists come when they come to Scotland. And they come for good reason. Edinburgh is a pretty city. Many of its streets are cobblestone, buildings come from every century except the 21st, and the city is shaped into a valley, with the castle towering over the rest of the city. There are old churches and other cool architecture.
I have to mention that while I'm in Scotland, I feel like eating McDonald's is okay, because honestly, what sounds more Scottish than McDonald's. It's the most Scottish name there is - aside from William Wallace.
Now, it would have looked even better, save for the fact that the weather was horrible and visibility was limited to less than 50 feet. But despite the rain, I had to pursue my destiny, to climb to the top of the city to see what I came to see.
The Edinburgh castle was cool, but a little too commercialized for my taste. It was chock-full of museums, and I could have spent hours if I was willing to read everything, but four museums about Scottish soldiers just seems excessive. It wasn't terrible picturesque because of the weather, but the mist made it especially eerie and medieval looking. Plus, when I think of Scotland, I think of gray, wet weather, so I guess that added to the effect.
The best pictures came from walking along the city and looking up at the castle, because of course, nothing is cooler than an old castle on a hill in the mist, which is exactly what Edinburgh gave me. I'm a fan of the city, and the castle (but then again, how could I not be?).
I also made my way through the rest of the town, seeing an old graveyard where philosopher David Hume was buried and the old Edinburgh observatory, which was set way upon another hill overlooking the city.
More on the trip and the exciting soccer adventures that I've been having in Glasgow, but for now, have fun sliding down the stairs, and watch out for when the floor disappears.
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