After my first trip to Edinburgh at the start of July, I did not expect my second visit to Edinburgh to take place under one month later. It was an unexpected surprise as this visit wasn't purely for exploring unlike last time: this time I received an email asking me to come to the city on business, and so I accepted. Luckily, I had my mother and sister come with me, so both before and after my professional venture I had some lovely company to journey around Edinburgh with.
I think that it takes one trip to a place to fully understand it, so the second time around I had a great grasp on my surroundings, and I knew exactly what my geographical preferences were. Whilst most people segregate Edinburgh into 'Old' and 'New' - referring to the 'Old' side, comprising of the Royal Mile and Parliament buildings, and the 'New' side of Princes Street, full of modern shops and stops to eat at - this time I visited Edinburgh thinking of it in a different way: 'Town' and 'Country'.
As I was visiting on business, this trip to Edinburgh allowed me to visit the business district - and as I had already seen the 'Old' and 'New' streets on my previous visits, I wanted to spend my other free moments in Edinburgh's vast natural landscape, namely taking a trip to Holyrood Park and visiting the location of Arthur's Seat: so here are the findings of my second visit!
The Business District
Whilst I am totally in love with the countryside, country life, and living in the most natural way possible, we live in a modern technological world, and so business, tech and artificial economics-based perspectives are around us, no matter whether or not we want it to be that way. The best thing to do about this is acknowledge it and, if you can, embrace it: and I do love the vast, clean open spaces that large corporations provide to their employees. These buildings can be so beautiful (even if they make you lose perspective on the outside world!) and they are gorgeous to explore. Of course, unless you are doing business, it is rare that you will get such a free opportunity to walk around the office blocks, but if you do get the chance - or maybe if you work in such a place - they are really magnificent works of architecture.
After a business encounter - especially when in London - I love to go to a bar or restaurant and relax with a drink (whether you drink alcohol or not, bars are warm and sumptuous subdued places). In Edinburgh this time, I decided to look around Brewhemia, a vibrant golden café/bar/restaurant, and found it to be stunning!
The countryside
So after looking up and down the New (for two food stops) and Old (for the Harry Potter and Christmas shops!) towns again, I made my way up to Holyrood Park, situated just past the Scottish Parliament.
It's gorgeous. It is magnificent in its size and the weeds which wind through the rocks are the epitome of The Natural. It may not be the image you think of when describing a 'rural idyll', but it's certainly a 'wild' one. The journey up to Arthur's Seat is pretty dangerous: there is the possibility of falling rocks and the incline is steep: but even if you only walk a little of the way, or if you enjoy it from below, it is amazing!
Pictured above on the climb that leads in Arthur's Seat, wearing 'business casual'!
And after an excursion to Holyrood, there is a gorgeous nook in the side of Old Edinburgh which leads to Dunbar's Close Garden - it's a small, quiet and quaint patch which is lovely and peaceful to stroll around before heading for something to quench an Arthur's Seat-induced thirst!
Hope you enjoy Edinburgh!
And after an excursion to Holyrood, there is a gorgeous nook in the side of Old Edinburgh which leads to Dunbar's Close Garden - it's a small, quiet and quaint patch which is lovely and peaceful to stroll around before heading for something to quench an Arthur's Seat-induced thirst!
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