It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman with a lack of understanding of her true self, must be in want of an adventure. My adventure led me abroad for the first time, visiting the cities of Edinburgh, Paris, and London. I trekked across the pond with a friend and we began our journey in Edinburgh. The feelings I experienced there were nothing short of magic.
As soon as you step on its cobbled streets, you are transported into the pages of a fantastical novel set among medieval architecture and history. It doesn't come as a shock, to know that the Boy Who Lived was brought to life here. Like J.K Rowling, writers like Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Dame Muriel Spark have been inspired by this city - a writer's paradise.
"Piled deep and massy, close and high / Mine own romantic town." – Sir Walter Scott
"This profusion of eccentricities, this dream in masonry and living rock is not a drop scene in a theatre, but a city in the world of reality." – Robert Louis Stevenson
Arriving on December 26th, brought some cold weather. We didn't get to experience snowfall, but frosty white grounds would have you believe we did. My hands were constantly freezing replacing a pair of gloves with a camera. I've become interested in the hobby of photography more so after this trip. Making that focused connection between my eyes and the details of the sights that stand out to me, is much like writing. It's a form of expression and telling of its own story. The photos take me back to the scent of wet pavement and the awakening feeling of coming out of a warm building to the crisp air outside. I didn't waste time posting these photos and being distracted by social media. We live in a generation of black mirrors and "pic or it didn't happen," and ignoring this for my trip was the biggest favor I did for myself. If you're traveling, leave the social media behind and enjoy every second there for you because it's over all too soon.
On our first full day in Edinburgh, we grabbed brunch at a Frankenstein themed restaurant and pub. This find was purely by chance as our first plan was to visit The Elephant House, also known as the birthplace of Harry Potter but it was closed. The pub became a happy coincidence because we loved the food and drinks so much. The ambiance was great too and we came back for dinner the next day.
After brunch, we walked to Greyfriars Kirkyard, a cemetery just around the corner from the Frankenstein pub. We walked the entire exterior before finding its entrance and on the route found Victoria Street. Said to have inspired Diagon Alley, it's made up of a handful of small shops each painted its own different bright color.
At Greyfriars Kirkyard, we walked on muddy pastures looking at centuries-old graves of departed loved one, soldiers, poets, chemists, etc. The gravestones are embellished with sculptured details, some light and beautiful with angels others more eerie with skulls. I wrote down a Latin phrase from one of the tombstones in my journal to later lookup and translate:
NON OMNIS MORIAR
I SHALL NOT WHOLLY DIE or NOT ALL OF ME WILL DIE
I knew of one famous tombstone there, the source of Lord Voldemort’s name. And although the above Latin phrase wasn’t apart of Thomas Riddle’s tomb, it sort of alludes to the purpose of Horcruxes. Which, makes one wonder if this phrase sparked one of the most vital elements in Harry Potter.
At the hotel room, I searched the history of Greyfriars Kirkyard and read about one of the more popular ghosts that haunt the grounds there, George Mackenzie. Following the King’s orders, Mackenzie persecuted the Covenanters, a group of Scottish Presbyterians who refused to conform to the established church. They were imprisoned and tortured in a section of Greyfriars Kirkyard, giving Mackenzie the nickname “Bloody Mackenzie.” There have been stories of supernatural occurrences at his mausoleum: people fainting or finding scratches and bruises on their bodies later. In one more horrifying occurrence, a homeless man looking for shelter went into the mausoleum. The floor collapsed finding him in a pit filled with remains of plague victims. Today, the mausoleum is sealed with a lock and chain.
The following day, we were finally able to visit The Elephant House I ordered a delicious Scottish breakfast, trying my first Scottish dish - haggis. I can’t say I’m a fan, but the rest of my breakfast was delicious. Like many other writers and Harry Potter fans that find themselves in this cafe, I took some time to write. It’s a very homely cafe with different shapes and styles of wooden chairs and tables. Elephant framed photos, Harry Potter fanart, and J.K Rowling newspaper clippings hang on the faded peach-hued walls. The windows fog from the chill of the evening and the steam of hot coffee and tea. The cafe feels timeless as if nothing has changed from the moment J.K. Rowling sat there and wrote the introductory sentences of Harry Potter.
I've always had a strange obsession with castles. Needless to say, being able to walk through one was one of my favorite experiences. We chose to visit Linlithgow Palace, known for being the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. And as a fan of the show Reign, I was geeking out quite a bit. The show may be a loose adaptation, but she has always been an intriguing historical figure to me. Linlithgow Palace is beautiful. It is a ruined castle that sits on a hill overlooking a lake. Walking through the Palace gave me goosebumps, inspiring and haunting. I conjured ghost thinking about the people who would have walked those halls, from servants to royals and the Queen who would one day be executed.
The following day, found us at a fortress that stands proudly in the middle of the city that shares its name. Edinburgh Castle also housed Mary Queen of Scots and is the birthplace of her son, James VI, the King who would unite Scotland and England.
Visting in December, meant we had the opportunity to experience an Edinburgh Christmas festival. It was as cute as you could imagine, a mix of a carnival and marketplace. And on our last night there, we found ourselves sipping hot cocoa, under fairy lights, listening to live acoustic music.
I was so happy in that moment. My mind was so overwhelmed, still not believing I was there. So much beauty, inspiration, history, and wonder in one Scottish city. It makes me sad not having time to see more of Scotland but I will always be so grateful to have had the opportunity to visit at all.
Have you ever been to a place that enchanted you completely? Please, share in the comments and link me to your own travel posts. I'd love to read them!
Cheers!
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