The Weekend Agenda: Edinburgh - Day 2

Continuing on from my earlier post, here's the rest of our Edinburgh weekend agenda.


Sunday 19 February

• Breakfast:  At Starbucks.

I had the super-scrambled eggs + flat white.

Click to "Read more".



• Maximised what was left of Day 2: We went to Calton Hill (another hilly trek but definitely easier than the way up to Arthur's Seat). The view was amazing !!! I'd definitely go here almost every weekend if I were to live in Edinburgh.



A piece of Greece?
It was indeed meant to be a replica of Parthenon but remained unfinished.



View of Calton Hill from a graveyard

• Day pass: Buying the unlimited day pass was a good decision. We knew we will be going to more than just two trips and hence, the £4 day pass vs. two single passes of £3.20 made more sense. We also knew that we'd likely get lost...
• Detour: We initially planned to go to the Royal Botanical Gardens. Took several buses but then we realised it was too far off and we may not make it back in time for our flight.
• The other reason: Actually, we saw this old couple basking in sunshine with their cups of joe and we just wanted to do the same!!! So there. We found our seats outside this lovely café which serves 'fresh, tasty and ethical Matthew Algie coffee'. We spent the remainder of our Day 2 hours people-watching and dog-watching in the sunshine with our cups of coffee. Hahaha!

• Lunch: At Troy Café, a Turkish restaurant just across our hotel. I had Crispy Bacon and Mozarella + a bottle of coke. Loved my sandwich! Well, who wouldn't love bacon and mozzarella anyway?
• Checkout: Went back to our hotel to pick our bags (we left it in the hotel's storage after the checkout time rather than lug them around). We took the Airlink bus to the airport.
• Phew! With the security checks, we almost missed our 2:55 pm flight!!! Made it 10 minutes before the flight and good thing, the ladies at the boarding gate still let us in. We were literally the last two passengers to board the plane. There was that family who came before us, but I think they were only last in the queue and we were just lucky to have made it!!
• Lesson learned: Allow more than enough time for security checks and other possible airport-related misfortunes that are beyond your control. We underestimated the Edinburgh airport, i.e., its size vs. that of the London City Airport.

All in all, a short but well-spent weekend indeed!

On hindsight, here are the memorable things that I'd go back to Edinburgh for:

• The view from Calton Hill and the sunshine



• The cobblestone streets of Old Town

• The 'slow' hours



If I had at least an extra day, I'd go for:

• The Scotch whisky tour
• A trip to the Highlands

Some key things to note if you want to take the same trip:

• Book ahead as the fares are much cheaper!
• It's a small city centre and the locals are helpful. If you look a bit lost (as we often did), they will approach you and do their best to help you out. Don't be afraid to ask for directions and suggestions.
• Check the weather and stay warm. Bring a hooded coat for drizzles as it is more convenient than bringing an umbrella. Thermal shirts and tights really help.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes!
• Get the day pass.
• Put in enough buffer time, at least an hour, before your flight however short it may seem.
• Don't forget your sense of adventure! You could get lost but as in most things in life, you choose your perspective: You could get pissed off with Google Maps or the situation in general, or you could say, 'We are only retracing our steps, twice, thrice, or even four times, to make sure our footprints are there!' :)

A few more outtakes from this trip in a separate blog post: Hashtags 2017 ed. vol. 7.

Ciao dear Spontaneity!




Note: All shots (without me in the pictures) were taken by me while Mani took the rest.