MELODY TIENYUN

Edinburgh

After a long morning, our group composed of all study abroad students finally reached Edinburgh in the afternoon with a couple of hours of sunlight to spare. This was arranged through Somewhere New Tours, which LSE advertised to the study abroad GC students. Our tour guide for the weekend, Dave, met us at the train station. He was a Scottish local and knew everything from pop culture to medieval history, and was downright funny-he had us all laughing with every other line that came out of his mouth. 

Chinese tourism Scotland edition: Hanzi / Chinese characters included on the sign introducing “the elephant house,” the cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter. We also walked through a cemetery where the real Tom Riddle lay. I bet he never thought his name would be immortalized in a children’s story, and also be associated with a noseless Ralph Fiennes.

The gothic castle that served the inspiration for Hogwarts.

Dave led the pack and was much more fit than we all were.

A tradition by the locals to spit in the heart when you walk past.

Tried some haggis: a savoury pudding containing sheep’s pluck; minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach though now often in an artificial casing instead.

Daytime vs. Nighttime

Some of the other students and I went back up the hills at night, taking a detour on the way back to the hostel. I didn’t get to hike Arthur’s seat, but I’ll be sure to do that when I come back!

Start at 50 seconds to listen to local guitarist Dave BeMac who plays guitar with style, laying the body of the guitar on his lap and playing with the face up. There were guys taking turn playing bagpipes on the main road also, with tourists taking selfies with them while they played.