Edinburgh

When I visited Edinburgh, I was at a very different point in my life. If I were to sum up the difference between me as a traveler then and now, I would say that in 2012, I somehow managed to arrive in Edinburgh without any knowledge of the existence of Fringe Fest nor that I had arrived right in the middle of its activities. For anyone that is unfamiliar, Fringe Fest is, to generalize, a performance arts festival, and the biggest one in the world happens in Edinburgh throughout most of August. You could say that it takes special effort, or lack thereof, to remain this ignorant of your trip coinciding with a major, month-long festival, but I did it. 

The view of Edinburgh Castle from the Elephant House

The view from where I began my walk, Attempt #1, to Arthur's Seat

The only time I've not minded a tour bus being in a photo.

Fringe Fest open space performance. Forced audience participation - I love it

Fringe Festival open space performance by the Showhawk Duo

The view of Edinburgh Castle from the front door of the hostel I stayed in.

Hiking up Arthur's Seat is an easy climb, but it took me about 3 attempts and 4 hours. On the first try, I was very nearly at the top when the path narrowed, and I found myself looking down at a thousand-foot drop, leaning on and clutching the side of the mountain. This is when two guys  came across me. Bitter that I was so close to the summit but wouldn't be able to make it past this one final stretch, it was clearly the most optimal time to receive a lecture on "you know what you need to do?" Practice, apparently. Looking back, I still can't help but marvel that within 5 seconds of laying eyes on me, some rando was able to solve my life-long fear. So thank you, mystery mountain hero, for knowing me better than I am capable of knowing myself. Except that - I still get near panic attacks from looking down sharp drops. Well, guess I haven't practiced enough.

Date: August 2012
Camera: Nikon D40