To Edinburgh through New Zealand

I went to Edinburgh over the weekend. I found a city full of tradition, where men still wear kilts at black tie events, in pubs and on the street. They sing on their bagpipes and speak a strange, unintelligible language that, for a foreigner, sounds more like german than english.



The first thing we did was go have a beer in a pub... it was Friday, 11pm and most of the pubs closed at 12... so we found a really nice pub, with a guy singing at the guitar some rolling stones, beatles and queen... we had a nice weissbier and danced enthusiastically on Free, All right now.

Besides the ancient history that surrounds Edinburgh, the city is very grey... grey like the huge stones that make up all the buildings around you. Unlike Leeds and, at least, the northern part of England, (that is, by excellence, red brick all over) Edinburgh has very beautiful old, thick, heavy and imposing buildings, made out of stone bricks and with a specific architecture that just makes me think all the buildings are castles.

Almost one day was spent in Edinburgh castle that is located naturally above the city, on a hill, for a better protection. This translates in a magnificent view over the city. There are also interesting re-creation of different "shows of life", with outstanding décors, if I may say: the prisoners of war dungeon (with hammocks, shimmering lights, laundry, food, games and some well maintained doors that everybody used to express their creativity by carving). Another nice thing to see is the Royal Armouries Museum and the Royal Crown Jewellery, all within Edinburgh Castle and all with interactive videos, layouts of the battles and costumes of soldiers.




Me and my other friends had a short 4 hour sleep in the evening, after this tiring day. Afterwards we went in the pub downstairs (we were staying at St.Christopher's Inn, in the city centre and downstairs, Belushi's Bar) was full of people, there was live music and cheap beer for the people in the hostel. I got to talking to a guy from Canada who was sure I was Canadian too, from american accent english... but was very surprised when he found out I was from Romania, as he just visited there and loved it a lot. He even knew some words...

Furthermore, when I went out for a cigarette, one guy asked whereabouts we are... and again... the guy was in Romania some time ago... he was from New Zealand and told him I wanted to go there all my life... some of his friends came and talked to us... some of them also visited Romania and loved it... not Bucharest, of course, but Sighetul Marmatiei, the northern part, still untainted.

I somehow ended up at this guy's house, as he invited us for free beer (and I never refuse beer) and I was happy to sit and chat with all these kiwis (=new zealanders) till morning came and they still did not want us to leave... but we had to drive back to Leeds the following day.. so.. we had to leave. Not before I didn't learn some words in maori, the new zealand language that is extremely beautiful and only so few people speak it.. So.. Hello and thank you is Kia ora! and how do you do is Kei te pēhea koe?...

On Sunday, I saw the North sea which is absolutely freezing but astonishingly beautiful.



I loved it.. no because of the old buildings, but because I found New Zealand in the middle of Edinburgh and felt so welcome...