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| High Street and the castle and Prince's Street Gardens from Waverly Bridge at 5:30 am |
A rare quiet moment in the very center of Edinburgh in early August, taken on the way to the airport bus to head home. If I had known how wonderful the city is before people are out, I would have extended the nine or ten hour hikes endured every day by an occasional pre-breakfast stroll in the mist. In this photo the old buildings below High Street fade and the even older castle almost disappears in the fog, like the way things seem to rapidly withdraw into the past. The silhouette of the iron fence and nearby tree create a frame on three sides and its U shape is then repeated in the mauve-colored paths turned 90 degrees in both the picture plane and the perpendicular plane of depth. You can see the National Gallery in the center just below the castle. This was taken at the last moments of a trip mostly focused on the museums, galleries, and visual-art Fringe events. I thought visiting before the Festival days would avoid the crowds, but Edinburgh in August is as crowded as Florence in July! Maybe more. There were times when I couldn't move, the streets were so full of people.
One photo I would have like to get but couldn't because it went by too quickly was of a street sign seen on the bus ride into town. Large rectangle, white letters on red, it said "Changing Priorities Ahead." ! You know you're in another world seeing something like that. I'm sure it means something about the arrangement of the roads, but it seems to be some kind of prophesy and sets me to thinking of all sorts of messages one could put on such signs.
There are a few things I didn't get to do. I didn't get out to Little Sparta, the studio estate of Ian Hamilton Finlay (he called it a poem). That was actually the first thing that had motivated me to visit, and I wasn't there the right time, didn't plan carefully enough. A few hours earlier arrival or two days longer stay, and I could have taken a minibus trip that was only offered on Fridays in August. It's virtually impossible to get there any other way, since the nearest bus stop is over four miles away. Traveling lesson learned: plan carefully before reserving hotel room or purchasing air tickets. I walked down Candlemaker's Row from Greyfriars, but couldn't find the sculpture of the little dog. And I couldn't see much of the National Museum of Scotland because the Mary Queen of Scot's special exhibit ate up most of the afternoon. Half the National Gallery was closed for renovations. But I'm not disappointed; I've excuses to return some day.
Getting there and getting around is very easy. The Scots are very friendly and eager to be helpful. The airport is tiny and easy to find your way through, and the bus takes you right to the center of town in just half an hour. They run every 10 minutes in the first week of August. You don't need exact change. You can walk to anywhere in Old Town, New Town, or several neighborhoods surrounding them in a reasonable amount of time. I felt safe everywhere. For weeks before going I was anxious and wondering if I was foolish to travel alone. It's been many years since I've traveled till I began again last summer. I got a pin number for my Visa card and thought I was ready to get a good exchange rate, but then it turned out there had to be something in the card and the atm's wouldn't work. So I had to go to an exchange. Surprise, the fees were much lower than getting Euro's with traveller's checks last year. So I did ok anyway. Rick Steve's advice was right. Just go and trust that things will work out. I will add more to this from my travel journal in days to come, including an experience of a possible haunting, thoughts on the art seen, sketches and photos. . . .
