By the time we reached our destination there wasn't a soul on that bus that wasn't foaming at the mouth, in need of an ale of some description, so we were pleased to know that within minutes of securing our dorm room, that we would be taking part in a professionally escorted pub-crawl, that would, of course, last until the wee hours of the morning.
Now you need to picture this ... It's an awful 10 degrees outside, icy winds tunnel down the streets and bite at your cheeks (yes, in the middle of Summer) and constant rains are spitting. We enter the 1st of several pubs and are welcomed with men in kilts. Sexy, piper-men in kilts and an open fireplace with quaint little love seats decorated in red velvet and surrounded in mahogany wood. It smells musky and the bar-tenders are all blessed with the smoothest, crooning accents, enough to make any red-blooded woman plant herself at the bar and order drink after drink just to hear them speak (which of course I DID). It's warm, inviting and I never wanna leave..
But we do and head on to the next pub which is much the same only this one we accessed through a small arch-way down a little alley of cobblestones. Again, its warm and cosy and smells of Guinness. During the course of the night we visit famous pubs such as Grayfriar's Bobby's (do look up the story - its worth it) and Th e Last Drop; the pub where convicted criminals would enjoy their "last drop" of whatever before being hung!), until the temperature, or more so the rain drove us all back to our 14-woman dorm room for a much needed rest, which actually turned into a giggles and gossip slumber party!
The next morning it was up at 8am to a hearty breakfast and a stroll around the city. Of course, in true female, shopoholic fashion I spent a small fortune on things I have no need for such as gloves with holes in the fingers, accessories, and all the touristy stuff like Edinburgh Castle Rock, homemade Scottish fudge, a tartan blanket, which I wore everywhere despite its lack of chic-ness, because I was so bloody cold), a Scottish Rugby jersey etc etc.
We visited another quaint little pub for a lunch of bangers and mash (but oh so lush) and Scottish ale, and then wandered back to our accommodation for an hours kip before getting ready for the Military Tattoo (the final performance) at 10:30pm. It was INCREDIBLE! To be amongst that crowd! The cheers, the echoing canons, the heavy drone of the bagpipes, the chest-rattling drums, the magical display of fireworks, right there in the middle of Edinburgh Castle.
The vibe was indescribable and I think it's safe to say I will never experience anything like it again!
Now I'd love to say that we were all so hyped that we partied on again til the wee hours, but after the Tattoo, more than 8,000 people milled out of the Castle walls and through the streets of Edinburgh in the spitting rain, and I for one, was ready for bed.
Next morning it was up early and off to Stirling to experience the William Wallace Monument and climb the 286 steps to the top of the tower and look out into the green, hilly horizon. Such a lovely site! Later that day we were entertained by a comedy show (being that it is, or was, the Edinburgh Festival at this time of year) and then it was out again that night for a farewell evening of Scottish ale and men in kilts.
The 1st pub we entered was blaring with good ol' raw Scottish tunes, played on an acoustic guitar and sung by a kilt-wearing Chinese Scotsman. It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen. He sounded just like William Wallace and looked just like Bruce Lee and as cliché as it may seem, the entire place was jam-packed with pipers in kilts and bellowing whisky drinkers. It was a wild night of belting out numbers such as "Ye Banks and Braes", "Flower of Scotland" and "Scotland the Brave" out-of-key and as loud as the larynx could possibly allow and there I was, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF IT, as always!
Next day it was up and on the bus with air conditioning that had carked it and a constant throbbing in my temples (apparently we don't like to admit hang-overs here in the land of booze). I was fragile but I had experienced Scotland for the first time and I have a taste for it.
On the way home we took happy snaps at the boarder between England and Scotland and almost froze mid-pose. I was ill on cheese crackers and sweating out of my eye balls from a lack of air-conditioning on a bus full of hung-over Aussies and Kiwis. But it was a sensational trip and I confess that I need more. More men in kilts... More Scottish ale... more pipers playing on street corners... more drunken pub sing-a-longs!
Does the culture get any richer I ask you?
