Amazing article. I was so swept up in your description of Edinburgh and its amazing culture that I was halfway out the door before I realized that I don't have any money, tickets, or availability to actually get to Scotland. Bah, details to be sorted out later. In literary terms I absolutely have to get there at some point. Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson are two of my all-time favorite authors. I just read Stevenson's The Master of Ballantrae recently. Earlier this week I scored perhaps my greatest achievement in trying to build my physical library by getting the entire collection of Scott's Waverly novels. I can't leave sir Arthur Conan Doyle out either. I've read every single Sherlock Holmes story he ever wrote and have multiple editions of the works. My dream is to one day visit Abbotsford and see Scott's incredible home.
Ah, yes, the danger of reading about a place is that one feels compelled to visit it! Books have always had that effect on me and I was glad to spend a few days in Edinburgh visiting locations that have inspired stories and writers I've come to love. I've recently bought a copy of The Master of Ballantrae after coming back to London and look forward to reading it soon. And well done for securing that Waverley collection. Now I hope you can visit Abbotsford soon. It's a short journey from Edinburgh so maybe you can kill to birds with one stone : )
What a beautiful tradition of celebrating your birthday !! Edinburgh truly is magical, especially when it shows off its charm under the sun. Your reflections on national identity and the parallels with Scotland’s history are thought-provoking.
Great article Cristina. I lost my heart to Edinburgh years ago and have visited it many times. I never get bored with visiting the same places there and I think the Royal Mile is one of the best streets in the world. Would happily move there but we have a farm full of animals, so it's not going to happen 😞
I agree about The Royal Mile. Even with all the touristy shops it has so much charm that you somehow manage to not see them and walking along the Old Town is such an atmospheric experience, especially on a rainy day. Hope you enjoy many more visits!
Loved this! My daughter and I have had so many special Edinburgh trips (we’re half a railway journey closer than you in York!). I’d move there in a heartbeat. And wow to your TM spot. I LOVE Matt Smith, but think I agree he was the best Prince Philip. Didn’t he preside over the incredible Aberfan and Apollo 11 episodes? Well done for not leaping on him and his fine shoes. All the restraint points to you.
Oh you're indeed a lot closer to Edinburgh from York, I'm jealous! Yes, TM is indeed in those two episodes in Season 3 I think, and the more I watch his performance the more I like how he approached the role.
The episode with the astronauts has such a great arch for Menzies to explore the transformation of Philip as he goes from excitement to disappointment and then finally is humbled by it all and becomes open to admit his own struggles. Probably one of my favourites overall. I feel a bit bad that I couldn't let him know how much I loved his acting in this, but to be honest I am very shy and I would have made a mess 😂
When I rewatched those two seasons recently I had a newfound appreciation for the cast, it's such a strong bill: Josh O'Connor was brilliant as Charles, Emma Corrin as Diana, Erin Doherty as Anne, Olivia Colman and Elena Bonham Carter make a great tandem, and of course Gillian Anderson as Maggie.
Given the amount of poses, you would have easily thought this was the cover for the September issue... My takeaway from this trip is that we all need a home cinema. Game changer!
I'll conduct further research when I visit the Highlands in April, which promise to open a new chapter in my romance with Scotland. And the hotel cinema should be a default hospitality setting from 3* above
Thank you! One of the things that has really stood out for me reading about the history of Scotland, especially after the union with England, is that there is a constant focus on humanity and the value of human knowledge. That probably is the case in many places outside Scotland but being in Edinburgh it is really impressive how many references there are to writers all around. Almost as if writers, ideas, words, and critical thinking truly matter. It's funny that Scottish accent is widely considered one of the sexiest in the world and back in the day Boswell, Hume and Adam Smith did all they could to correct it and adjust their writing so it could sound and look more English... Glad the accent never disappeared and that both Scots and Gaelic are now receiving official recognition in this age where sameness and automation seems to be the rule.
Amazing article. I was so swept up in your description of Edinburgh and its amazing culture that I was halfway out the door before I realized that I don't have any money, tickets, or availability to actually get to Scotland. Bah, details to be sorted out later. In literary terms I absolutely have to get there at some point. Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson are two of my all-time favorite authors. I just read Stevenson's The Master of Ballantrae recently. Earlier this week I scored perhaps my greatest achievement in trying to build my physical library by getting the entire collection of Scott's Waverly novels. I can't leave sir Arthur Conan Doyle out either. I've read every single Sherlock Holmes story he ever wrote and have multiple editions of the works. My dream is to one day visit Abbotsford and see Scott's incredible home.
Ah, yes, the danger of reading about a place is that one feels compelled to visit it! Books have always had that effect on me and I was glad to spend a few days in Edinburgh visiting locations that have inspired stories and writers I've come to love. I've recently bought a copy of The Master of Ballantrae after coming back to London and look forward to reading it soon. And well done for securing that Waverley collection. Now I hope you can visit Abbotsford soon. It's a short journey from Edinburgh so maybe you can kill to birds with one stone : )
Love Edinburgh… one of my favourite cities to visit. Great article and photos…thank you for sharing!
Thank you, it is a place straight out of a postcard from the past 😊
What a beautiful tradition of celebrating your birthday !! Edinburgh truly is magical, especially when it shows off its charm under the sun. Your reflections on national identity and the parallels with Scotland’s history are thought-provoking.
Thanks for reading! Edinburgh is indeed a magical place filled with history and beauty. May need to return soon to get another fix 😅
Great article Cristina. I lost my heart to Edinburgh years ago and have visited it many times. I never get bored with visiting the same places there and I think the Royal Mile is one of the best streets in the world. Would happily move there but we have a farm full of animals, so it's not going to happen 😞
I agree about The Royal Mile. Even with all the touristy shops it has so much charm that you somehow manage to not see them and walking along the Old Town is such an atmospheric experience, especially on a rainy day. Hope you enjoy many more visits!
Enjoy the Highlands. I lost my heart there too 😍
Looking forward to that trip!
Loved this! My daughter and I have had so many special Edinburgh trips (we’re half a railway journey closer than you in York!). I’d move there in a heartbeat. And wow to your TM spot. I LOVE Matt Smith, but think I agree he was the best Prince Philip. Didn’t he preside over the incredible Aberfan and Apollo 11 episodes? Well done for not leaping on him and his fine shoes. All the restraint points to you.
Oh you're indeed a lot closer to Edinburgh from York, I'm jealous! Yes, TM is indeed in those two episodes in Season 3 I think, and the more I watch his performance the more I like how he approached the role.
The episode with the astronauts has such a great arch for Menzies to explore the transformation of Philip as he goes from excitement to disappointment and then finally is humbled by it all and becomes open to admit his own struggles. Probably one of my favourites overall. I feel a bit bad that I couldn't let him know how much I loved his acting in this, but to be honest I am very shy and I would have made a mess 😂
When I rewatched those two seasons recently I had a newfound appreciation for the cast, it's such a strong bill: Josh O'Connor was brilliant as Charles, Emma Corrin as Diana, Erin Doherty as Anne, Olivia Colman and Elena Bonham Carter make a great tandem, and of course Gillian Anderson as Maggie.
Absolutely agree—incredible cast, and one of my favourite episodes.
Having said that, Matt Smith and Claire Foy are such a wonderful pairing and I had hard time letting them go.
Loved this - and how fab to have a hotel cinema and such amazing weather. Laughed at the remark about it not being a Vogue shoot!
Given the amount of poses, you would have easily thought this was the cover for the September issue... My takeaway from this trip is that we all need a home cinema. Game changer!
Enjoyed this and supremely jealous of the hotel cinema! It sounds as though Scotland is calling your name
I'll conduct further research when I visit the Highlands in April, which promise to open a new chapter in my romance with Scotland. And the hotel cinema should be a default hospitality setting from 3* above
That hotel cinema is amazing!!
It was a highlight of this trip and it was nice that it is actually open to the public so anyone can go.
Thank you! One of the things that has really stood out for me reading about the history of Scotland, especially after the union with England, is that there is a constant focus on humanity and the value of human knowledge. That probably is the case in many places outside Scotland but being in Edinburgh it is really impressive how many references there are to writers all around. Almost as if writers, ideas, words, and critical thinking truly matter. It's funny that Scottish accent is widely considered one of the sexiest in the world and back in the day Boswell, Hume and Adam Smith did all they could to correct it and adjust their writing so it could sound and look more English... Glad the accent never disappeared and that both Scots and Gaelic are now receiving official recognition in this age where sameness and automation seems to be the rule.