Blood and Guts

Instead of looking for employment, Jules and I decided to head up to Edinburgh for a few days. For those unfamiliar with the strange pronunciation of proper English, Edinburgh sounds more like "Edin-bra" then Pittsburgh, Duckburg, or Aki Berg. Don't ask me why, but since these guys invented the language,we'll just leave them to their illogical ways.


The first thing I would recommend to anyone travelling from London to Scotland is to NOT take the bus. While it was a total bargain (£13/person for return tickets), the 10 hour journey drove me crazy by the time we returned home. The train would only take 4-5 hours, and it should cost less then flying.


Scotland's capital greeted us with surprisingly cold winter winds, making me regret about forgetting to pack my hat. We caught a cab (Blackcabs, just like the ones in London) and made it to our hostel in one piece. The next morning, we joined a free walking tour hosted by Sandeman's New Europe. This was the same company that did the incredibly entertaining walking tour which my brother and I participated in Berlin two years ago, and the Edinburgh version lived up to my expectations. We walked for 3 hours and learned a lot more then we would discovering the city for ourselves, including facts about geology, history, and Harry Potter.

above: Harry Potter's a real draw for drunks

The city itself is incredibly fascinating as it is split into two by Princes Street. As the regions' names would suggest, Old Town is where the city began and New Town is the region where the city expanded into. The differences between these two parts are astounding, as Old Town's roads twists and turns in chaotic fashion while New Town was clearly planned out like a perfect grid. According to our tour guide, ever since the expansion began 250 years ago, the rich have continued to this day to migrate out of the old and into to the new. On the edge of Old Town lie the Edinburgh Castle, an imposing and striking structure which could be seen at any point of Old Town.

above: castle greyskull

Of course, no trip to Scotland would be complete without having some Black Pudding (made of pig's blood) and Haggis (made of a sheep's various intestines). I even discovered Macaroni Pies there, a higher level of Kraft Dinner. College students take note, this is an easy way to make something cultural for your next pot-luck... and chicks dig guys with culture.

clockwise: tattie scone, baked beans, tomato, bacon, black pudding, lorne sausage, and egg in the middle