Scotland is a mountainous country in the north of Great Britain, famous for its fresh water lochs (that's what they call their "lakes" here) especially the Loch Ness, where the famous Loch Ness monster lurks and resides deep in this lake (though nobody has ever proven 100% that this monster does exist). Scotland is also famous for its colourful and vibrant kilts and eerie yet melodic bagpipes (my old man said we will wear one when we go home to the Philippines - geez! Imagine me wearing a kilt arriving at the airport!).
The temperature in Scotland varies upon the unsuspecting weather and very dramatic changes in wind speeds. These are the reasons why there are times when it's hot for just a minute then suddenly the temperature drops and it's very cold again. That's normally the case when you're outside the flat (another term for "apartment" - I am really having fun converting American English to Scottish - British English). It's warm and cozy when you're inside the flat because of the presence of heaters, good insulation and whatnots. I guess that's why Edinburgh gained its name as the "Windy City". As the name implies, there's not a minute without wind in Edinburgh, wherever you may go. There was a time when my Mom (who is a "wee" lady - small lady as the Americans would say) was almost blown away by the wind. You can hear the sound of the wind at night when all is quiet and still...but amazingly, there has been no records of Edinburgh having hurricanes, tornadoes and typhoons ever! Would you believe that? Edinburgh is also known for the 1000 year old Edinburgh Castle , Arthur's Seat, and the luxurious Balmoral Hotel. If ever you're interested and want to have more details, just click on the following links that I placed for your convenience.
Going back to the main topic at hand, I had some valuable and memorable experiences during my stay here in Edinburgh. The people here are very warm, lively and helpful - especially when they see that you are Asian looking (they always think you are a tourist) and think you are lost and need directions.The people here have strong Scottish accents and you may not understand what their saying or talking about immediately (even people from London find it difficult to understand the Scotts, aye?). I've had some problems talking with the folks--well, mainly because I spoke and understood mostly American English and not much about British/ Scottish English.
In the city side, Edinburgh is loaded with malls, malls, malls, and more MALLS! Yes, there are lots of malls--large and small-- for us to browse and shop in...all in one street! My family and I would get extremely exhausted after our trip to the malls. Aside from malls, there are also parks for those who just want to take leisurely strolls or strenuous jogs. Flowers are set out in beds which adorn and beautify the parks with colour and vibrancy. The flower beds are a wonderful sight in the parks. Museums and galleries are also another hit in Edinburgh especially the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Museum, the National Galleries of Scotland, the Writer's Museum, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (click here to learn more about Edinburgh's museums and galleries). The museums and galleries are cool but I haven't visited them all yet.
In the country side of Edinburgh, there are lots of wide and vast fields and meadows. Most fields are for sheep herding and farming. I've seen a lot of sheep with my own two eyes for the first time. Back in my place, you couldn't see any sheep there...only goats, cows, carabaos (water buffaloes) and horses. There are lots of hills and lochs which are also awesome sites to visit. We came across St. Margaret's Loch in one of our hikes and it was filled with lots of swans, ducks and seagulls. Just seeing them on the water was a breath-taking sight for a "laddie" (young boy) like me. We also went to Carlton Hill which had monuments of great people.The monuments were historical and very huge. Again, this was a very awesome, superb and breath-taking experience just seeing monuments so big and tall.
Above all, Scotland is well-known for its numerous castles that have stood the test of time. My family and I have visited the most famous one of all in Edinburgh--Edinburgh Castle, which sits on top of the crater of a dormant volcano. It was a home for great kings and queens of Scotland especially Mary, Queen of Scots and her sons, King James VI of Scotland and James I of England. Edinburgh Castle is also the home of the One O'Clock Gun, which was fired everyday except Sunday at precisely 1:00 pm to provide everyone with an accurate check for their clocks and watches during the Medieval times.We were amused and astounded by the enormous castle and its historical background.
Overall, I found my experiences in Edinburgh amazing, wonderful and incredible. There's so much to do and to see in Scotland yet so little time. I'd love to talk more about my experiences but there's still a whole city out there to explore and experience, and time is of the essence for me. It's a once in lifetime opportunity that you get to stay in another country that you haven't been before. I love my second home! So best of luck for me and cheers mate!
The temperature in Scotland varies upon the unsuspecting weather and very dramatic changes in wind speeds. These are the reasons why there are times when it's hot for just a minute then suddenly the temperature drops and it's very cold again. That's normally the case when you're outside the flat (another term for "apartment" - I am really having fun converting American English to Scottish - British English). It's warm and cozy when you're inside the flat because of the presence of heaters, good insulation and whatnots. I guess that's why Edinburgh gained its name as the "Windy City". As the name implies, there's not a minute without wind in Edinburgh, wherever you may go. There was a time when my Mom (who is a "wee" lady - small lady as the Americans would say) was almost blown away by the wind. You can hear the sound of the wind at night when all is quiet and still...but amazingly, there has been no records of Edinburgh having hurricanes, tornadoes and typhoons ever! Would you believe that? Edinburgh is also known for the 1000 year old Edinburgh Castle , Arthur's Seat, and the luxurious Balmoral Hotel. If ever you're interested and want to have more details, just click on the following links that I placed for your convenience.
Going back to the main topic at hand, I had some valuable and memorable experiences during my stay here in Edinburgh. The people here are very warm, lively and helpful - especially when they see that you are Asian looking (they always think you are a tourist) and think you are lost and need directions.The people here have strong Scottish accents and you may not understand what their saying or talking about immediately (even people from London find it difficult to understand the Scotts, aye?). I've had some problems talking with the folks--well, mainly because I spoke and understood mostly American English and not much about British/ Scottish English.
In the city side, Edinburgh is loaded with malls, malls, malls, and more MALLS! Yes, there are lots of malls--large and small-- for us to browse and shop in...all in one street! My family and I would get extremely exhausted after our trip to the malls. Aside from malls, there are also parks for those who just want to take leisurely strolls or strenuous jogs. Flowers are set out in beds which adorn and beautify the parks with colour and vibrancy. The flower beds are a wonderful sight in the parks. Museums and galleries are also another hit in Edinburgh especially the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Museum, the National Galleries of Scotland, the Writer's Museum, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (click here to learn more about Edinburgh's museums and galleries). The museums and galleries are cool but I haven't visited them all yet.
In the country side of Edinburgh, there are lots of wide and vast fields and meadows. Most fields are for sheep herding and farming. I've seen a lot of sheep with my own two eyes for the first time. Back in my place, you couldn't see any sheep there...only goats, cows, carabaos (water buffaloes) and horses. There are lots of hills and lochs which are also awesome sites to visit. We came across St. Margaret's Loch in one of our hikes and it was filled with lots of swans, ducks and seagulls. Just seeing them on the water was a breath-taking sight for a "laddie" (young boy) like me. We also went to Carlton Hill which had monuments of great people.The monuments were historical and very huge. Again, this was a very awesome, superb and breath-taking experience just seeing monuments so big and tall.
Above all, Scotland is well-known for its numerous castles that have stood the test of time. My family and I have visited the most famous one of all in Edinburgh--Edinburgh Castle, which sits on top of the crater of a dormant volcano. It was a home for great kings and queens of Scotland especially Mary, Queen of Scots and her sons, King James VI of Scotland and James I of England. Edinburgh Castle is also the home of the One O'Clock Gun, which was fired everyday except Sunday at precisely 1:00 pm to provide everyone with an accurate check for their clocks and watches during the Medieval times.We were amused and astounded by the enormous castle and its historical background.
Overall, I found my experiences in Edinburgh amazing, wonderful and incredible. There's so much to do and to see in Scotland yet so little time. I'd love to talk more about my experiences but there's still a whole city out there to explore and experience, and time is of the essence for me. It's a once in lifetime opportunity that you get to stay in another country that you haven't been before. I love my second home! So best of luck for me and cheers mate!
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