Din Eidyn : A Symbol of Scotland 7 Step on the right side of life Give it a hearty spit 9 A Spark of Hope 10 Touch a Philosopher Skin to Skin 12 If you think Scotland is all about wearing kilts and tartans and having A Place where Scotland meets the World 14 a funny accent, come to Edinburgh and be enlightened. Creating new Stories 16 With its deep history and lots of contrasts Edinburgh has many places to see and lots of stories to tell. Not only will you discover main attractions like Edinburgh`s Castle or the National Museum that captures the past, you will also hear about The Spirit of Scotland 20 the dark history of Edinburgh, and visit its cemetries with the creepy stories that are waiting to be told. Festival City / Info Boxes 23 More than Words 24 Are you keen on food? Come to Maggy Dickson`s Pub in Between the Lines... 28 Edinburgh`s Grassmarket - one of the best places to try Haggis. It`s also a good place to hang around and get to know the Scots folk. Ready to stArt 32 You will learn Scottish sayings, discover the Elephant House, where A Night Out in Edinburgh 40 J.K.Rowling wrote pieces of the world famous Harry Potter and find What’s Cooking? 42 out about various writers that came to be part of Scotland`s history. Rock the Kilt! 46 If you don`t want to miss the nature side of Edinburgh - come and climb Arthur´s Seat and find yourself looking down on the beautiful shape of the city. While you´re in Edinburgh you`ll always find something new. Sunny side up 50 Our team has created a guide that leads you through Edinburgh and The Sound of Scott 52 offers stories nobody else ever experienced the way we did. A dirty little Story 53 Come and join us on our journey - truly captivating, madly behaving, Blows You Away 54 deeply loving. Getting a real Student Experience at the University of Edinburgh 56 Are you a witty Jock ? 58 Do’s and Don’ts 60 A perfect Weekend 62 “Scotland’s capital city has a very rich and colourful history. This section looks at the important buildings, the museums and some of the stories found at a first glance of Edinburgh. From a castle dating back to the 12th century, a controversial parliament building and some pretty gruesome vaults under the cobbled surface of the city, there is a lot to explore. Let the following articles take you through some of the best attractions that show you the true Edinburgh.” Din Eidyn: A Symbol of Scotland -Vicky Langley ‘So grounded, bounded and founded that by force of man it can never be confounded’ (from John Taylor’s travels around Scotland, 1618). Today nearly 400 years on, as you stand in the However it’s not all bloodthirsty fighting in the fortress looking out over the city it is easy to Castle’s history. Making your way up to the agree with the poet. Upper Ward, you pass a canon that is still in use today. If you happen to be walking within As you walk along the Royal Mile’s cobbled earshot of the Castle around one o’clock you streets the Castle doesn’t look so hard to may hear a single gun shot. The now daily One invade. It’s not until you reach the inside of O’clock Gun was first fired in 1861, originally as the Castle and look down over the walls to the a time signal for sailors. and New Barracks. The current use of these city below that you realise the lengths invad- buildings show the Castle’s history as an impor- ers would have to go to, to storm the Castle. An older signal on Calton Hill was the time ball. tant building continues. This is the reason the Despite the treacherous rock face (potential This was where a canon ball was hoisted up to highest flag on the Castle is a British one and invaders were literally taking on a volcano) the top of the Nelson Monument and released not a Scottish one. many did attempt to seize the Castle. at one o’clock. However, this came up against To commemorate and remember difficulties. Due to the atmospheric conditions As you reach the Upper Ward, you come to the the dead, the people of Edinburgh From the 13th century it was the target of (if you hadn’t noticed it’s not quite a Caribbean site of St Margaret’s Chapel. This is the oldest donated money to rebuild the many invasions and sieges starting in 1296 climate in Edinburgh) sailors couldn’t always building in the Castle and also in Edinburgh. It interior of the building which was when King Edward I of England invaded. What see the ball so needed a more aural aide. commemorates Margaret (the mother of King previously a barrack lock in the followed was around 50 years of a tug of war David I) who died in the Castle in 1093. The 1700s. The first donation was £500 with the Castle between the Scots and the This saw the introduction of the One O’clock inside of the chapel is very small, light and inti- whilst the second was two shillings English. The relationship between the border- Gun which takes place in unison with the time mate, accommodating only 24 people, making it and sixpence (in old money) from ing countries has been a long and often bloody ball, creating possibly the world’s first audio a favourite for weddings and christenings. a travelling person. one. However in 1566 Mary Queen of Scots visual show. The gun was only ever fired once gave birth to her only child, James. He would in an act of violence. This was during the First The very highest point of the Castle is where You can still see the highest part go on to become King James VI of Scotland World War when its target was a German air- the Scottish National War Memorial rests hon- of the volcanic rock in the building, and James I of England simultaneously. A rare ship that was dropping bombs on Edinburgh. ouring all those who have died fighting for protruding under a casket which peaceful moment in the two countries’ histori- The gun is also still in use by the British army in Scotland. It was opened in 1927 after the First contains scrolls naming those who cal relationship. the 21st century as are the Governor’s House World War where 148,000 military were killed. lost their lives fighting for Scotland 7 in World War One. Above them hangs an invaders. The Honours now rest safe along- Give it a hearty spit- effigy of St Michael, the patron saint of war- side the Stone of Scone (or the Stone of Des- riors, killing a dragon. tiny). This was a coronation stone used since -Kerstin Haselmann the 9th century and was moved to Westmin- Across from the War Memorial is the resting ster in 1296 by King Edward I of England. It place of the Honours of Scotland. The Crown, wasn’t until 1996 that it was finally returned to Sceptre and Sword of State lie on display in Edinburgh. The Stone will be used at the next the Royal Palace. At various points in history coronation of a British monarch in London - but the Honours have been moved and hidden in will be returned to Edinburgh much sooner a variety of places (including under a medi- than 700 years. eval toilet at one point) to protect them from In modern times, it also symbolises How do you distinguish a tourist from a local? – A something more up-to-date: local wouldn’t walk over the Heart of Midlothian, Football. but instead walk around it and give it a hearty spit. You might now think “uuuuuhhhh, how The two local clubs’ arch-rivalry is disgusting”, but it is tradition, even if everyone the trigger for hundreds of fans to has another reason for doing it leave their “mark” on the mosaic. If you are a supporter of the Heart The stony heart we are talking about is located of Midlothian Football Club you Throughout its 3000 years the Castle has close to the West entrance of St. Giles Cathedral obviously spit on it for luck. If you been the site of many historical events. on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile (High Street). Named are a fan of the rivalling Hibernian What links the Seven In every nook and cranny of the fortress, after Sir Walter Scott’s novel, The Heart of Edinburgh, you give all your saliva Midlothian refers to the Old Tolbooth, the city’s Years War, the War of history can be found. From the very high- for the enemy’s defeat. former administrative centre and prison, which American Independence, the est point where the Scottish National War Memorial lies to the lowest point in the once stood in that place. So basically, if you can find a reason French Revolution and the vaults, it’s important role in history can be Spitting on the heart shaped mosaic is supposed for yourself to do it – Go for it! There Napoleonic Wars? Prisoners discovered. to prevent you from ever getting arrested. is nothing wrong with it. No one from all these wars were held Furthermore, since the heart marks the old will give you a funny look, except in the vaults of the Castle.