Scotland

I started the two years adventure of studying my joint Masters in Edinburgh, and then continued next semesters in Norway and Hungary. In Edinburgh, I met many nice people who helped me find my feet in a new country, a country so different from my own.

Although my Masters was starting in 15th September, I went to Edinburgh in the last few days of August to look for an accommodation. Going to Great Britain, I had prepared myself for any cultural difference. When I reached Edinburgh and looked for my hostel located in city center I passed so many people advertising their show or people performing in the street, and I told myself “wow, here is an advanced version of Istanbul Istiklal street”. But later found out that singers and other artists and showmen were just a part of Edinburgh international festival fringe! I guess I was too open for any cultural difference or maybe my mind was too occupied with finding a place to stay.

Edinburgh

The woman is touching the sculpture’s toe as they say doing it brings luck, in Edinburgh there is a tradition of touching specific parts of specific sculptures for good luck.

The Scott Monument, honoring the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott, is located on Princes Street, the city’s main shopping street located in city center. It is the second-largest monument to a writer in the world.

In the river photo, I loved the reflection of buildings, clouds and trees on the water and how the similar houses are lined along the river. I do not like the monolithic view of similar houses as I believe they lack beauty and art, but being beside such peaceful river and green trees with beautiful flowers make an amazing contrast.

The photo at night is taken from Waverly, Edinburgh’s main station, where you can see Scott’s monument and Princess Street are at the back.

I took these photos from Princess Street the top deck of an Edinburgh double-decker bus. You can see Edinburgh’s castle on top of a valley. My Scottish friend who I call grandmother told me they used to prosecute people in the valley beneath the castle in old times.

These photos are from Princess Street and its surroundings. I like these photos because of their perspective and how they reflect my overall view of Edinburgh streets.

I really liked the structure of these buildings, for example the mosque was built not the way I was used to see mosques in my country Iran. My Scottish grandmother told me that buildings’ colour has become black because they used to burn coil for keeping the houses warm.

The Heriot-Watt University (HWU),where I studied, was green, vast and lovely, an amazing place to study. As it might get really cold in Scotland, university schools were connected by skyway bridges, while my bachelor’s university had schools spread out and therefore, buses were provided to take students from one place to another.

One of the most famous sights in Edinburgh is the Forth Bridge, a cantilever railway bridge built over a century ago. In the first photo you can see a train passing the bridge, it’s an impressive feat of engineering mixed with natural beauty of clouds, water and trees. In addition to this historical structure, newer bridges nearby cater to buses and cars, reflecting the city’s development over the years, you can see them in the photo with a bench (to sit on and watch the history and modernity). My Scottish grandmother told me that the small island in the middle of the river under the bridge used to be a prison. These photos are taken on a mostly cloudy, sometimes rainy day, typical weather in Edinburgh’s Autumn!

Christmas in Edinburgh is magical. The city center transforms with festive markets, amusement park rides, and decorations. I loved walking through the Christmas Market and soaking up the lively atmosphere, which made the cold weather feel warmer. One of the most beautiful fireworks I have seen belongs to Edinburgh’s new year, and the interesting thing is that some locals have their own firework which is smaller but it avoids going to the busy and full of tourists city center and locals go up a hill to watch this firework in front and the famous big firework at the back from the distance.

This is a fruit farm you can pick your fruit and pay for it. It has a minimum payment taken in the entrance and on the way out they weigh your baskets and you will pay the difference.

North Berwick

North Berwick, a coastal town east of Edinburgh, offers a peaceful escape with its breathtaking views. In the panorama photo of the beach, I love how the beach is curved, the line of houses along the shore, and the vast expanse of sea and sky. The Bass Rock, an island visible from the beach, is home to a large population of seabirds, including puffins and there are binoculars and cameras installed to monitor these birds without disturbing them. I was thrilled to hear stories from my Scottish grandmother about walking among puffins, even imagining walking among these cute birds made me feel good.

North Berwick is also known for its beautiful gardens, full of vibrant flowers. This photo is one of many photos I took from plants and flowers, chosen for its colour harmony and as I hadn’t seen this type of flower before.

Falkirkwheel

About an hour’s drive from Edinburgh, I visited the Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift that connects the Union Canal to the Forth and Clyde Canal. The atmosphere there was lively and full of energy, with visitors watching and walking, wheel and the huge wheel turning smoothly, a short dance performance and so on. I found it fascinating how the scale of the wheel carrying two boats contrasted with the small scale of children playing in the near field. The photo I took from boats waiting to be lifted features a beautiful color blend of pinks, greys, navy blues, and greens that formed a nice colour palette, a fortunate accidental moment for my gallery.

Perth

Perth, a city in central Scotland, lies on the banks of the River Tay. I took a few photos along the river, with one showing the city’s twin-town relationship with Aschaffenburg in Germany. Perth, a city in central Scotland, lies on the banks of the River Tay. I took a few photos along the river, with one showing the city’s twin-town relationship with Aschaffenburg in Germany. Kinnoull mentioned on the stone wall is a hill in Perth with a stunning view of the city, however, I didn’t get the chance to visit it. And the flower pictured above blue Kinnoull name is a type of flower found on top of this hill according to websites. Tayberry name also refers to a plant, a unique fruit crossbred from a blackberry and red raspberry, which is named after the River Tay.

*”Sister City or twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties” by Wikipedia.

Haddington

Haddington, with its calm atmosphere, was a perfect place to sit by the river, watch the swans, and enjoy some popcorn.

Anstruther

I visited Anstruther with my Scottish grandmother, where I spent a cozy moment at an English café, enjoying the cultural differences. In this cafe I noticed that the lady working there didn’t rinse the dishes, so to be assured of what I was seeing I asked my grandmother if in UK they never rinse the dishes and she replied the only one whom she has seen to do this is her son. Overall, UK was full of surprises and therefore one of the best travelling experiences I have.

Some Tips

Visiting a country that is truly different from mine and maybe many others, there are some tips and experiences that might be interesting. However, it should be considered that these experiences belong to the period between 2015-2017 and policies might have changed by now.

  • The UK has many automated services, like self-service kiosks in shops. Sometimes, I expected personal assistance but had to figure things out with machines instead.
  • There’s a price match policy; if you find a lower price online, you can claim it in-store.
  • Remember that steering wheels are on the right side of the car, so be extra cautious when taking taxis or crossing streets as if you are not used to this, it is easy to go based on your habits.
  • Changing a €500 note isn’t straightforward; I had to take my passport and proof of residency to the post center.
  • Be prepared for rain. A raincoat is useful, as the gusts of wind can easily turn an umbrella inside out, however, windproof umbrellas are designed for this purpose.

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