Nisi Dominus Frustra
“Without the Lord, everything is in vain.” -Edinburgh City Motto
"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” -Psalm 127
“This is a city of shifting light, of changing skies, of sudden vistas. A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again.”
It’s late on a rainy Thursday afternoon in Edinburgh (Nov 17, 2022). Halfway around the world, our friends and family are waking to begin the day, the same day that for us has nearly ended. For the better part of the preceding year and beyond, Amanda and I envisioned and contemplated this time. We romanticized our stay in the quaint Georgian merchant’s house built in the early 1800s. The castle perched prominently on the hill, old graveyards, and bolthole coffee shops—all connected by ancient cobblestone streets—featured large in our dreams. The unspoken question was whether reality could hold a candle against our impossibly optimistic imaginings.
We departed LAX on Saturday (Nov 12) and arrived at Heathrow on Sunday. A delayed flight to Edinburgh delivered us to the airport just past 5 pm and the bus journey to the city center was as easy as promised. With no rain in sight, the 15-minute walk to our house was over uneven pavement but rewarded us with a chance to move after the sedentariness of two flights. Even in the dark, the stone buildings were immediately enchanting.
Dinner at PF Chang’s at LAX and a message from our fortune cookie.
Wexi waiting to board our Boeing 777 for London.
Wexi excited to deplane in Edinburgh.
We slept late and met with the home’s owner Robin on Monday (Nov 14). After a wee chat we had lunch at Dishoom (Indian food). The samosas were exceptional, and the roti were cooked over a clay dome—warm, soft, and delicious!
After lunch we took in the long-awaited views from on top Calton Hill before heading down to Princes Street, with its bustle of people speaking every language imaginable. We purchased a hair dryer, curling iron, and electric toothbrushes—all with the requisite UK plug. Then it was off to Vodafone to purchase SIM cards, where you’ll see Amanda in the shop with Edinburgh Castle just outside the window—a kind of window shopping in reverse.
The National Monument of Scotland on Calton Hill.
Scotland’s tremendous intellectual and cultural background certainly earned the city the title Athens of the North, rather than its ability to complete this Athenian monument. Construction on the National Monument of Scotland started in 1826 and, due to the lack of funds, was left unfinished in 1829—a copy of only one side of Greece’s Parthenon. This circumstance gave rise to various other nicknames such as "Scotland's Folly," "Edinburgh's Disgrace," "the Pride and Poverty of Scotland," and "Edinburgh's Folly.”
I gave Amanda a new necklace on Calton Hill.
On Tuesday (Nov 15) we wandered through Topping and Company Booksellers before crossing over to the old town, where we had coffee on the stunning Cockburn Street. We eventually wandering up the steep Warriston’s Close Stairs, and through a dark and narrow passageway that brought us onto High Street—the stunning St. Giles Cathedral straight ahead, the iconic Gothic spire of Tolbooth Kirk to our right, and the imposing Edinburgh Castle beyond. With its myriad narrow passageways and small wooden doors lining the cobblestone streets, one is easily transported to the dark world of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. From a more modern tale, we watched Mark Bonnar (we believe) being filmed emerging from Advocate’s Close for an episode from season 3 of the British TV drama Guilt. The rain was ending making the view south over the castle’s esplanade stunning. We stopped at the Witches’ Well before meandering through the amazing Tartan Weaving Mill. While an obvious tourist trap, the massive array of traditional Scottish garb was astonishing, making the multi-leveled shop truly fun to explore. The picture of the rainbow is looking through the stone-encased window from inside the Mill. After stumbling across the wee hidden gem of Makars Mash Gourmet Mash Bar Company, we enjoyed their lovely vegan version of the ubiquitous Scottish haggis with neeps and tatties. Absolutely brilliant!
Inside Topping and Company Booksellers, where every bookshelf runs to the ceiling and customers are actually allowed to use the rolling ladders to reach books.
On the esplanade outside Edinburgh Castle. This will be the site of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo when we return in August.
Rainbow looking through a window from inside the Mill.
Looking down the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle. The Tartan Weaving Mill is on the left, The Witchery restaurant and bar is the building covered in wreaths on the right, and Tollbooth Kirk with its spire dominates the background.
The sun sets behind Edinburgh Castle. Lovely!
An amazing dinner at Makars Mash. Our “haggis” with neeps and tatties is the dish in the back. On top are the neeps, which are swedes or turnips. Below the neeps was our version of “haggis.” If you want the real deal, just know you’ll be eating sheep’s “pluck” (heart, liver, and lungs) and, if you haven’t lost your appetite yet, the “pluck” is encased and cooked in the sheep’s stomach. Our neeps and haggis were both set atop the tatties, or mashed potatoes. All were surrounded with a moat of gravy. Say what you will, but Makars did an excellent job veganizing this dish and I’ll gladly take the meatless version every time, thank you very much!
The long awaited vegan Kit Kats, available only in the UK. Straight to the freezer with these bad boyz—frozen Kit Kats—Yum!! 😋
Wednesday (Nov 16) promised a day free of rain so we laced up our hiking boots and headed out to conquer Arthur’s Seat. We popped in Söderberg bakery and safely stowed an oven-fresh sourdough round in our backpack. Passing the incongruous Scottish Parliament and the gorgeous Palace of Holyroodhouse, we began our climb. The ruins of St. Anthony’s Chapel were a short-way up and then it was on to the top. Summit attained, camp chairs in place, fresh bread in hand, panorama unending—we took time to appreciate our good fortune at being able to witness such a view from such a place on such a day. Check out this video of our hike: https://youtu.be/GT_fZBioE8Q
Afterward we walked back toward the town center. Despite being closed following a fire, we found The Elephant House—the café made famous after J.K. Rowling revealed she had written much of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone while seated at its tables.
Immediately behind the café is Greyfriars Kirk with its surrounding kirkyard. One can easily imagine Rowling meandering through the headstones, finding names like McGonagall, Moodie, and Thomas Riddell, and dreaming them into her story. The massive stone edifices of the Royal Mile and the castle dwarf the kirkyard, as though the story of Harry Potter was simply waiting for the proper person to coax it from the stones. If there is such a thing as the birthplace of Harry Potter, this kirkyard would surely be it.
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moodie, the most famous Auror of all time.
Of course we all know Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka “I am Lord Voldemort.” Here is a quick video of the inspirational Riddell gravestone: https://youtu.be/2yfqSqtE1f4
The Royal Mile stands over the Greyfriars Kirkyard. The Harry Potter novels were so original and the story so deeply connected with history and mythology that it would surely take such an inspirational place to birth the story. What a privilege it was to walk this place.
After a warm bowl of soup, we made our way to the famous Victoria Street, believed to have provided some of the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Along the street is Robert Cresser’s Brush Shop where the Victoria fixtures full of dusty boxes and broomsticks may have given inspiration for Ollivanders. Just down the street we stopped and posed in front of The White Hart Inn, where Lars and Sigrit likewise stopped for a pint after arriving in Edinburgh for the Eurovision Song Contest. We purchased a copy of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from the floor-to-ceiling bookcases inside the deeply atmospheric Armchair Books. After a break, it was off to the Tesco Superstore for groceries. With 21,603 steps and 9.66 miles under our belts, today was one for the books.
Victoria Street, inspiration for Diagon Alley?
The inspiration for Ollivanders wand shop, widely acknowledged to be the best wand makers in Great Britain?
This pub was founded in 1516, welcoming guests for almost 500 years now! It was named after the rarest of all highland creatures: the white stag. How sad is it that I associate it more with a 10-second shot from the Fire Saga movie rather than the fact that Oliver Cromwell, William Wordsworth, and Robert Burns were all know to have drank a tankard of ale here?!
Some serious Christmas decorations trying to compete with the imposing Edinburgh Castle.
Our fourth full day in Edinburgh, Thursday (Nov 17), was time to scale back. We walked about town some but mostly stayed home. Of course, we ended the evening by watching season 5 of The Crown.
For two people whose principal obligation for the past 30 years has been duty, travel for pleasure is a most welcome diversion, and the answer to the opening question is a resounding yes! Edinburgh is enchanting at every turn. Few places can provide the character and charm of this city. So, yes, it is very much living up to our expectations and we hope this brief tour through its hills, streets, and passageways will ignite your imagination as it has ours.
