Hogmanay Hopes and Tooling about Town
Our flight to Edinburgh on December 28th included a layover in Munich. The airport’s pretzel and German beer were a nice transition from Italian fare, and soon enough it would be time to ring in the new year with Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebration. We had only recently learned of these annual three days of festivities involving thousands of incendiary-bearing Scots processing like a “river of fire” through the streets (led by bagpipers and Vikings!), along with concerts, food, drink and general revelry. And now we were here!
(photo: Creative Commons)
At the airport, our friendly Uber driver was from Sub-Saharan Africa but had lived in Edinburgh for 40 years and gave us many tips on places to go. It was a bit hard to focus however, as of course everyone was driving on the “wrong” side of the road!
In Edinburgh, we stayed at a university hotel. It was, shall we say, cozy. So cozy that along with a bathroom, it contained only the following: a queen-sized bed attached to a narrow vertical shelf, a slim desk facing the foot of the bed, a chair, and a wall-mounted television. There was a two-foot clearance between the bed and the chair which is where Laura (comically) accessed her side of the high bed. I know you’re wondering where we put our suitcases. We kind of propped them on the table at the end of the bed. They needed to stay shut, or they would cover the tv screen. These accommodations were transformed dorm rooms which in their previous life would have had a twin bed and no private bathroom. The dimensions were about 7 X 7, and we were grateful for every inch as getting a room at Hogmanay time was no simple task. It is crazy popular, though the weather does not often care about that.
(photo: KM hotel site uoecollection.com)
John was fighting a terrible cold, and our goal was to get some soup for him. Dinner at Ikigai Ramen close to our hotel filled that bill deliciously. John got amazing spicy black pepper beef ramen, and Laura ordered small plates of “Karaage” Chicken (mmm!), pork potstickers and sweet potato croquettes. This crowded place was full of twenty-something diners and run by friendly professional folks. First rate.
In the morning, we walked next door to the hotel breakfast. They had a “Full Scottish” buffet, including haggis (which John liked ok), as well as the offer of cooked porridge to order, breads and pastries, marmalades, jams, cereals and yogurts. The first time we got the porridge, it was a giant’s portion. (Ever after, we asked for a half serving.) Dreamy with a drizzle of honey and fresh cream.
We walked to High (sung) Mass at St. Patrick’s, just gorgeous! It had loads of Latin, was celebrated ad orientam, and included a beautiful homily on being grateful, accepting and forgiving family members, and softening our hearts to God’s gifts. After, it was time for the practical — getting John some fleecy sweatpants and Laura a long winter coat and boots. Primark department store to the rescue!
Exploring the picturesque old town, we went through the enchanting Edinburgh Christmas Market, Princes (pronounced like princess) Street, the East and West Princes Street Gardens, and the historic Royal Mile. (The latter connects Edinburgh Castle at the top to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (where the king stays when in Scotland) at the bottom.) In addition to the market stalls, there was a Ferris wheel and various other trilling and music-radiating neon amusements and rides for Christmas. Princes Street is just as every non-Scot might imagine Scotland – lined with quintessential and colorful shops and pubs preserved from the 1770s.
Our late lunch was at City Restaurant — fish -n- chips, naturally! We learned that we don’t care for classic accompaniment of mushy peas, but the chips were a winner. Sticky toffee pudding was for dessert. Our sweet waitress Maddie was from the Clearwater, FL area and getting her degree here. (Incidentally, they have THE nicest bathrooms in Europe. When we remarked upon this, the owner mused we were not the first to tell her so but that she didn’t set out to make them that way!)
Back at the hotel, it took a moment to figure out the little “dances” necessary to navigate the small space. John began making tea for Laura as the electric kettle was on his side, Laura closed her suitcase so John could reach his, and the like. 😊
On Monday, a trip to the train station to check on travel to York and Glasgow for future fun found us in the capable hands of another Laura who was most helpful. (“Tapadh leit,” Laura!)
The imposing 900-year-old St. Giles’ Presbyterian Cathedral was up next. Obviously, a church this old was originally Catholic. As Catholics specifically and as humans generally, it was heartening for us to learn of the forthright manner in which the terrible stories of the Catholic churches being pillaged and stolen under the Protestant Reformation are told here. We appreciate that this kind of truth telling can help build a bridge to Christian unity. (An unusual aspect to this church and later others throughout the UK is that people visiting talk, eat, drink, and walk on the altar. Moreover, spaces inside a church can have a variety of purposes, including a gift shop and even a coffee bar!)
After the church history lesson, we saw a sign for a bookstore that was closing. (I should say it was a MAGNET, as we can rarely pass a bookstore or library.) St. John’s Cornerstone bookshop was sadly going out of business after 30 years. The morning ended with a wind-y wander a mile up the hill to the iconic castle for sweeping views of the city.
(People rub the foot for good luck, just as with the Greyfriar’s Bobby dog’s nose.)
Walker Whisky and a Wee Pub
We then walked to Johnnie Walker for lunch and whisky (no “e”) tasting, with “whisky sommeliers” Cara and Anstice guiding us at the rooftop bar. A “small plate” of chicken thighs and also mushrooms and celeriac on toast (don’t knock it till you try it!) went great with Laura’s maple and whisky cocktail and John’s classic straight whisky. The young Ollie led our Johnnie Walker Whisky Tour. So youthful looking was he that he began by reassuring everyone that yes, he in fact was legal to drink. What a well-produced (as in a performance with a moving stage, an aroma-disseminating room, and more), detailed and informative experience!
On the way home, we tried to find a pub at the famous “Grassmarket” area (an attractive square with outdoor seating), but they were full up with holiday revelers. Ironically, when we found one, it was at the “smallest pub in Scotland” called “The Wee Pub at Biddy Mulligans!” Room for just 20 people! Bangers and mash for John and sticky toffee pudding for Laura (she is searching for one as good as John’s home version). Though we had escaped the rain all day despite a 75- 100% chance, it did fall when we were in the Wee Pub. Thank goodness for snug boots and brollies (umbrellas)!
Next morning, we were the first ones to break our fast and enjoyed a long lounge-y one with books in tow. We don’t usually have breakfast included, so it was a treat to stretch out on in our booth and have a second cuppa. At dinnertime it was the atmospheric “Whiski” pub with the promise of lively music later in the evening. Unbidden, the gregarious bartender gave us “cosy pub” tips: the Jolly Judge and the Blue Blazer. You’ve got to love these names!
Careful readers may have noticed that this was New Year’s Eve. So, John and Laura, where is your Hogmanay celebration in the streets of Edinburgh? Where is your torchlight parade with 20,000 other merrymakers? What about the concerts? The fireworks? Isn’t this an unforgettable three days of festivities? Well… it is when it’s not cancelled due to high winds, heavy rains and cold!!! This year they blamed it on “extreme weather!”
Chilling Like It’s 2025
The forecast for the first day of 2025 was rain and snow, so we waited some before going out. Then, we walked to Greyfriars’ Kirkyard to see where J. K. Rowling got some character names for her Harry Potter books (including McGonagall and Riddle)! It was a fun “search and find” mission along with several other families and small groups scattered and trudging around the mysterious, almost indecipherable weathered and broken headstones. We popped into Grayfriars’ Bobby bar on the first floor of a row of Georgian houses for a drink (Bobby was their faithful dog, a Skye Terrier). Back to Ms. Rowling, we saw the Elephant House Café where she wrote her famous series. Though it still boasts its cheery red exterior, it was devasted by a 2021 fire and remains closed.
We gave in to the temptation of the corner Kentucky Fried Chicken we kept passing in our neighborhood and got some for a late lunch (after which Laura said, let’s not do that again), followed by a scrummy Scottish shortbread chaser with tea. This cold evening, we watched an excellent miniseries called “Mr. Bates Vs. the Post Office.” Highly recommended, it is the engaging true story about a scandal that rocked the UK when it was revealed that over 700 “mom and pop” postal vendors were wrongly convicted of financial fraud. Many lost their marriages, jobs, homes, and savings. Some were imprisoned; some took their own lives. We won’t give away how the tragic tale came to light, but the result was hopeful and great for a gloomy night in.
Glasgow and Good-bye
Glasgow Day was here! At the train station we saw (and heard!) a bagpiper. An auspicious start before a bit of a fumble. We waited with some other folks for the Hop On/Hop Off bus but finally determined that it wasn’t running. When we tried to go to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to see Salvador Dali’s exquisite ‘Christ of St John of the Cross’ (a favorite of ours), the door was locked. Turns out it was a bank holiday. Ha! We sat out front for a bit listening to the “Glaswegians,” as they are known, passing by. Families headed for the park on the day off, pensioners and the like. The accent (not the Scottish Gaelic language) made their English almost unintelligible to our American ears!
(photo: Creative Commons)
Visiting the University of Glasgow was a “moment” for Laura, as her undergraduate school (Bethany College) was modeled after it. Traditional ivy-style appeal. The “cool” neighborhood of Ashton Lane was next where we ate under the hanging plants upstairs at the funky Ubiquitous Chip restaurant. We stopped to see the iconic statue of Duke of Wellington crowned with a traffic cone (!) before taking train back to Edinburgh.
Later, strolling through the bright Christmas Market food and drink stalls, we were surprised to see that above each booth was a Christian symbol of the holiday! Hurrah! Heartwarming as that was, Laura was chilly, and John was determined to get his bride a hot cocoa. They serve it with marshmallows AND whipped cream. Sweet is how they like it! Perfect, nonetheless. Thanks, John!
We made an attempt to visit Magdalen Chapel the following morning. This was the last Catholic chapel (around 1544) to be built in Edinburgh prior to the Scottish Reformation of 1560, and it contains the only stained-glass windows that survived that Reformation. Unfortunately, it is only possible to visit by appointment.
Hitting Armchair Books where, per their website, description they sell, “dusty old tomes in a historic location” was a quirky kick. Ah, the intoxicating smell of ancient ink on caramel-colored pages and the feel of the fading Persian rugs underfoot. Afterwards, Vennel Viewpoint lived up to its reputation as a panorama lay before us at the top of the 50-step stone stairway lined with streetlamps: the castle, the Royal Mile, and the Grassmarket Market.
(Precious stained glass. Photo: Creative Commons)
We went to “Real Mary King’s Close”, an unusual underground history museum that tells of life during the plague here, but it was booked up. A great lunch ensued at The World’s End, a pub with exterior walls forming part of the famous Flodden Wall, a 16th century old town fort. People of that era thought the world ended outside their wall. The day capped off at Blackwell’s Books, Edinburgh’s oldest bookshop at 177 years old (!), where John got a book on pubs that would serve us well as we ventured around the UK. Next up: York!
