Edinburgh

Princes Street

George Street

Queen Street

GrassmarketCowgate

York Place

Johnston TCE

Edinburgh Castle

Scott´s Monument

St.Andrew SQCharlotte SQ

Castle S

treet

Hanover S

treet

Frederick St

George IV

Bridge

Royal Mile

North B

ridgeSotuh B

ridge

CarnivalLothian R

oad

Rose Street

EdinburghCity Centre

Itineraries 1

CONTENT

„We´re are having a barrie time“ 10Eating and Whisky and more

„What´s on tonite?“ 20clubs and cinema and more

History and Culture 26galleries and tartan and more

York Place NOTES

Edinburgh is the most desirable city to live in the UK. At least, according to a 2009 YouGov poll. Edinburgh came out top for its atmosphere and positive reputation.We, the authors of this guide, can approve these results. “Auld Reekie” is indeed a wonderful place to visit. There’s the Castle, the Scott Monument, Arthur’s Seat ... yes, we talk about them, too. But beyond those mainstream sights we leave the trampled tourist paths and try to create an alternative gui-de to Scotland’s capital.

If you only have one or two days to stay our itineraries will help you spend them efficiently. Edinburgh is a rather pricy town, in general. But the are spots which offer cheap food, clothing or other items. Your wallet will thank you for taking our advice. Then, of course, there’s the whisky. You can’t leave Scotland without having tasted the best brands. Luckily, we have sorted out the the bad ones, so that you don’t have to.

Finally, you’ll encounter people, attractions and stories you won’t find in any other tourist gui-de. For Edinburgh in all its grandeur is yet to be discovered.

your City Travel Review Team

Itineraries

In the following (text) we would like to suggest you three totally different options how to spend your days in char-ming Edinburgh in the most efficient, yet affordable way.

It is up to you to choose between: a very touristy and therefore historic, massive and impressive day – a rather alternative, picturesque and unique day or a pretty artis-tic, educating and entertaining day. However, in the end it needs to be said that – as different as they might seem – each day in some way includes all the above mentioned adjectives.

In Scotland´s varied and inspiring Capital – Edinburgh - creativity and individuality is written in rather big letters. Maybe that is why became known for famous writers (like Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson), artists, philosophers (like David Hume), scientists and economics (like AdamSmith).

Exploring Edinburgh´s Old and New Town includes a lot of walking. But thanks to closes, wynds and significant historic buildings a walk is not just a walk – it is rather an experience and discovery. You soon feel at home and protected in this friendly and curious area. However, public transportationis more than unnecessary to discover this place, which seems to be neither a town nor a city – but this exactly is what creates Edinburgh´s unique character. Although it kept its small, familiar flair and although this is the place where all the traditional, tiny specialized shops and their chatty salesperson still exist, it offers everything a human´s city heart might desire as well.

It is now your time to be an explorer and to discover Edinburgh on your own, inspired byour itineraries. Have fun!

1

A visit to Edinburgh – inscribed as a World

Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995 – would

not be complete if you have not actively visi-

ted, experienced and absorbed the treasure

– chest of historic gems with all your senses

that are at your disposal: the Royal Mile.

The most typical touristy area of Edinburgh.

Yes – although we would like to provide you

with the most alternative and anti-touristy

tips and places Edinburgh has to offer, we

also feel the need to offer you the chance to

experience Edinburgh´s historic Old Town,

and with it its indispensable touristy attrac-

tions.

You might want to be aware of the fact

that today surely everyone will notice

that you are a tourist, which is no shame

at all. Not that surprising that most of the

people you are going to see on your route

today are tourists, too. So there is no

need to hide – today is YOUR day to

free the tourist in you – YOUR day to

explore one souvenirshop after the

other and YOUR day to stunningly

stop and stare with your head

t thrown back so to see this impressive

building in front of you.

Touristy Itinerary

2

You might want to be aware of the fact

that today surely everyone will notice

that you are a tourist, which is no shame

at all. Not that surprising that most of the

people you are going to see on your route

today are tourists, too. So there is no

need to hide – today is YOUR day to

free the tourist in you – YOUR day to

explore one souvenirshop after the

other and YOUR day to stunningly

stop and stare with your head

t thrown back so to see this impressive

building in front of you.

To start this extraordinary day you climb up the four floors of the Scott´s Monument, which is situated in the heart of Princes Street. Hopefully it is a sunny day so that you have a clear overallview of Edinburgh in its full pride – the Monument´s four different viewpoints serve you with exclusive and accurate windy views to the North Sea, up Princes Street, down Princes Street with Carlton Hill & the Balmoral Hotel´s Big Ben – like clock in the background, and of course an excellent view of the Old Town and its Castle. Due to the fact that there are two other excellent viewpoints like Carlton Hill and Arthur´s Seat – which are, by the way, for free – you might not want to spend £3 on Scott´s Monument. Nevertheless it is higly recommen-ded, unless you are either afraid of heights, fat or claustrophobic. However, if you like cosy, dark spiral stair cases that lead you up the way – and force you to squeeze yourself past the descending strangers – it is worth the unique view.

After getting the first impression of the day from above you need to head to

the Royal Mile – approximately a mile long, partly still pretty royal and the

one and only pedestrian zone in Edinburgh. For those of you who are into

tartans, scottish scarves, Kilts, Shortbread or other Scottish specialities -

used by tourist as souvenirs for the loved ones who stayed at home: this is

paradise - including high class cashmere shops as well as affordable shops to

buy ordinary touristy things. For the rest of you it might be satisfying enough to go in one of the stores,

guess about the other´s supply and move on to fulfill their task as a proper

tourist. Therefore you pass the Heart of Midlothian to your left, right in

front of the Church and spit right in the middle of it. Indeed, this probably is

the only place in Scotland where you are asked to spit in public.

Afterwards the next attraction waits just around the corner – a

donkey riding a horse – actually this is the statue of an admiral,

but unfortunately there were made some architectical mistakes

in the past so that it now looks a bit displaced and is banished

inbetween lots of parking spots.

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As you are already next to the Church it is worth paying attention to it and to go in for a few minutes and – hopefully on a sunny day – to watch the reflections of the imressive stained glass windows.However, the most important information about the Royal Mile is that it connects the Edinburgh Castle in the North with the Holyrood Pa-lace and the new, controversial Scotish Parliament in the South. Surely, there are some people who like to see the castle from inside – who like to see the room where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to her son James, the future King of Scotland and England – who like to see the Stone of Destiny as well as the Scottish Crown Jewels, called the Honours of Scotland,. Nevertheless this takes about 2 hours, so that probably some of you are satisfied with a picture of each on a flyer and spend their time in a maybe more fun and exciting place – the Camera Obscura right below the Castle.

As the touristy day moves on you will surely feel the need to get something to eat.

Unsurprisingly, the Royal Mile offers you a wide variety of places to have lunch, coffee,

dinner and of course beer or whisky. So there are lots of traditional pubs, inexpensive

and less known as well as smaller sandwich shops offering good food, young-people fo-

cused coffee shops, which offer you soups-of-the-day, as well as maintream shops like

Starbucks and Subway. All in all you indeed have more than one option to spend your

lunchbreak. However, as we are on our touristic route its appropriate to have a propper

Scottish Haggis with Neeps and Tatties in one of the local pubs. Cheaper, but still typi-

cal, is having fast food á la Scotland: deep fried Fish&Chips.

After having lunch it is time to take a walk to the graveyard. “Why go to a graveyard?“, you might wonder. But this is not just any graveyard. It is THE graveyard. The graveyard where you can find the most haunted Mausoleum in Edinburgh and even more important: the graveyard including Greyfriar Bobby´s Grave! The grave itself is worshipped with a few pale-coloured plastic flowers and rain-soaked cuddle toys. You might not have heard of “Bobby, the Terrier“ who, after the death of his owner, used to come to his grave for the rest of his live, 14 years, to still take care of him. Just around the corner Edinburgh dedicated Bobby a statue, which now ist the most photographed statue in Edinburgh – so feel free to unpack you camera and take the 100.000th Bobby-picture to update your photogallery. 4

After having lunch it is time to take a walk to the graveyard. “Why go to a graveyard?“, you might wonder. But this is not just any graveyard. It is THE graveyard. The graveyard where you can find the most haunted Mausoleum in Edinburgh and even more important: the graveyard including Greyfriar Bobby´s Grave! The grave itself is worshipped with a few pale-coloured plastic flowers and rain-soaked cuddle toys. You might not have heard of “Bobby, the Terrier“ who, after the death of his owner, used to come to his grave for the rest of his live, 14 years, to still take care of him. Just around the corner Edinburgh dedicated Bobby a statue, which now ist the most photographed statue in Edinburgh – so feel free to unpack you camera and take the 100.000th Bobby-picture to update your photogallery.

Regardless of any age, you surely have heard of J.K.Rowling, the author of “Harry Potter“. If you go down Southbridge it is hard to miss the red building to your left, called: “The Elephant House“, which is the place where Rowling got inspired to write her stories about young Wizards attending school in an old, mysterious Castle called Hogwarts. That is why this Café is also called “The birthplace of Harry Potter“. Hopefully this sounds interesting enough to you to go in. You might wonder why ele-phants inspired today´s second richest woman in Scotland (on a list right below the Queen) to write such an anti-elephanitc story. That is because it was not the cafe´s – still present - elephants that inspired her, but the unique, undisturbed and incredible viewpoint of the Castle, situated on the remnants of a volcano formed 340 milllion years ago. This looks impressively dangerous but still secure, with the graveyard in front of it – leading the observers view up the hill.

After this impressive break it is hard to be surprised by anything more picturesque. Nevertheless you should give it a try and therefore visit the “National Gallery of Scotland“, which is on Princes Street – near the Scott´s Monument. Depending on how interested you are in Scotland´s pretigious national collection, including European art from the 16th until 19th centuries and early Italian and Dutch paintings up to 1530, this tour takes from half an hour to 2 hours. If your feet already hurt and you feel the need to sit down you can also use the IT-Gallery and ex-plore the collections using a new, modern and innovative touch-screen computer.

Stepping out of the

Gallery´s building you

will literaryly fall out

into the “German“

Christmas market,

which welcomes you

with a hot, warming

Glühwein, Crepes, cho-

colate-glaced apples

or marzipan balls and

grilled potatoes – just

as a good christmas

should do. Feel free to

satisfy the child in you

with a ride on one of

the horses of the Mary-

Go-Round or conquer

your fear

-of-hights

in a

ride

in the

Ferris

wheel.

The chances of taking your tourist tour on a Tuesday are approximately 1 to 7. If it is a Tuesday, you should end the day with a Ceileidh Dance Course at Grass Market, accompanied by live Folkmusic (including a Fiddle, Drums and surely an Accordeon) This is an introduction into the Scottish Folkdance, mostly attended by groups, couples, friends, singles and above all tourists as well as locals. Especially if you forgot to bring a partner along with you, the old, renovated church crowded with people of the average age of 23 might - in the beginning - rather evokes the impression of a “SingleMarket or Speed dating“. However, there are lots of group dances that get even the stiffest and most moody person to laugh, dance, clap their hands, be happy and forget all their doubts of dancing in front of strangers – because actually you dance with them. Moreover it is not the normal, traditional standard dance or disco dance which you might imagine, it is much more a running, interaction and circling each other around, with the purpose to shout out loud full of happi-ness and to have a jolly-good time. And beyond any doubt: it is hardly that easy to laugh and have a good time with a lot of open-minded people in a good mood. And if you still not feel the need to dance – you can also just sit down, have a beer, watch from the first floor and reflect the day. GT

5

Start your day with a typical Scottish breakfast which usualy includes toast, an egg, sausage, beans and black pudding (just so that it is not mistaken with tasty chocola-te pudding - better described as: blood-sausage). Mostly it is called (among tourists): Hangover-Breakfast. The fact that the Scotsman likes to eat this kind of breakfast quite often, leaves no doubt why Scotland is the the num-ber one on the list of the country with the highest rate of heart-attacks.

A pretty good place to have breakfast would be „The Mit-re“, which is a huge pub on Royal Mile, where breakfast starts at £4,50. But there are several other places to get traditional breakfast on the Royal Mile as well, such as „The Crag and Tail“. This is a more modern, plain styled restaurant where breakfast starts at £5,95.

After having such a filling breakfast it is a good idea to go for a nice walk, which leads you down Royal Mile, along the new Scottish Parliament, established in 2001, and the Holyrood Palace, opposite to it. Your walk takes you further to Arthur´s Seat – the hill which is so close to town but whose nature still preser-ves such a lovely, mystical and magical atmosphere as if wandering around the Hobbit´s Landscape. The further you go the longer, steeper and more ex-hausting gets the hill – but keeping in mind the reward of the view you are going to get it is absolutely worth the effort.After this succesful hike you are allowed to proudly rest on top of Arthur´s Seat and to take a few or ma-ybe a lot of pictures.

Alternative ItineraryThis is the day to enjoy breathtaking views and to walk the hidden path in order to explore unique places.

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As usually going down a hill is much easier and faster, you soon arrive at the end of Royal Mile again. Do you have the flavour of warm, creamy and homemade soup, tasty like your mother used to cook it for you, in mind? This means it is time to head to delightful “Hula“ at Grassmarket. In a warm, orange-toned atmosphere they welcome you with warming, homemade food such as bagels or soups. For the ones who instead feel the need to be spoilt with a hot chocolate or a strong whis-key, the Grassmarket offers a variety of inexpensive, cosy pubs.

You might have already noticed that Grassmarket looks a bit different compared to all the other places Edinburgh offered you so far. Congratulations! You just discovered one of Scotland´s most exciting and unique area. Surrounded by Victoria Street (once Edinburgh´s most illegal area), Cowgate and Candlemaker Row and its well preserved architecture from 1700, this area leaves you stunned by an occasionally creepy, weird and alternative selection of shops. Here, in he heart of the Old Town, vintage shops (like Armstrong, having celebrity fans like Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand) are nestled next to joke shops, exclusive Scottish de-sign shops, gothic and corset as well as hat specialists, trendy shops as well as old-fashioned or science fiction oriented book stores and comic stores.

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To move on with this impressive day, a visit to the Dean Gallery or the Gallery of Modern Art right next to it would be appropriate. Despite the Galleries themselves, which are on Belford Road, the walk to get there is pretty amazing, too. First of all you get a pretty good impression of Edinburgh´s less touristy area and maybe get inspired by some cafés or pubs you pass. Secondly, walking along feels like being one of the students you pass on your way – going home to your cosy apartment on the third floor with its beautiful view of the park right behind the house. Why not fantasise how the flat right below the roof of the house with these many, lovely chimneys looks like. How would it be to live in there?

It is now time to lay back entirely relaxed and carefree while nipping on a warming cup of hot chocolate. Urbanangel Café offers everyone his own private space- whether you want to read, chat or just have a second on your own to feel like an angel - in a modern, clean and sober, yet lovely heartwarming atmosphere. Not to forget, that this is the place to get the best chocolate brownies in town.

To end this day you could attend a pubquiz, which is pretty famous among the local people and is usually held by dif-ferent pubs on a fixed day of the week. On Monday´s for instance “The Bailies“ is full of young, curious locals who hope to be able to answer the quizmaster´s questions on anything - from celebrities to politics and geography, while enjoying good company and a few beers. Surely you some-times just have to guess the answer, therefore you can get extrapoints for extraordinarily funny answers. Feel free so shout and cheer like a real Scotsman! GT

Art Galleriesin the Dundas Street

Start your day with several small and different art coll-ections, all side by side.

Mc Naughton´s Book Shop on Leith Walk

Find some old beautiful books here - for 2nd Hand prices!

Calton Hill Enjoy the view and relax.

Filmhouse on Lothian Road Go for a film in this unique independent cinema.

The Bowery on Roxborrow Place Listen to live music and have a beer in the evening.

The short-

arty Itine

rary

P U B

„We´re having a barrie time!“

10

„We´re having a barrie time!“

Scotland’s cuisine is not really known as a gourmet’s cuisine. Due to limited sun-shine and a lot of wind and rain during the year there is not a wide range of native products growing naturally in Scotland. Root crops such as carrots or potatoes are plentiful whereas fruits and other types of vegetables are largely imported from countries with a warmer climate. After having spent three weeks in Scotland just eating traditional food you may put on some weight. Nevertheless, some Scottish food is better than its reputation.

What Scotsmen eat for breakfastScots don’t shirk breakfast. Traditional breakfast includes, of course, por-ridge. This mixture of oats and water can be delicious if you are a fan of gruel. In fact, porridge was the main diet for generations of Scots in former times. Traditionalists of the older generation swear that the only way to eat it is just with water and a dash of salt. Nowadays, it is mostly mixed with cream, fruit, butter or even whisky to give it a hint of the exotic. People visit-ing Scotland for the first time are generally amazed by cooked breakfast but it is not popular with everyone.If you enjoy a traditional breakfast you have to make your way through the mixture of egg, sausage, bacon, chips, toast, mushrooms, baked beans and black pudding. In contrast to this, if you are into common continental break-fast you will also find this anywhere.

What to eat for a quick lunchAfter having a rich breakfast you may not feel like having lunch. Nevertheless, if you are in the mood of eating further there are a lot of nice pubs and restaurants to pop in. Lunch tends to be taken quickly or on the hop. For lunch people mainly have a snack like a soup, a pie or a sandwich.

Going out for dinner Being surrounded by so many deep oceans, fish still make up an important part of the Scottish food. In Scotland they have a variety of excellent native fish, such as smoked salmon, herring and haddock. Venison and deer are popular with gour-mets too. Available all year, venison has a strong, distinctive taste. There is plenty of wild game to choose from, such as rabbit, duck, partridge or pigeon. People focus much more on dinner than on lunch as dinner is the actual main meal of the day.

Eating and drinking in the land of the brave

11

If you visit Edinburgh try these typical Scottish dishes:

Haggis with tatties and neeps:Haggis is Scotland’s national dish. It even comes up first in people’s minds when they think about Scotland. In the distant past when times were hard, haggis was a creative way of using up what is left over. It is offal with oats, spices, and pepper. Ingredients are stuffed into a sheep’s sto-mach to be baked and served up with tat-ties and neeps. Despite the fact that this all sounds awful, haggis is surprisingly tasty. As Scottish people more and more have become vegetarians they have in-vented vegetarian Haggis. It is a popular alternative to the old blood and guts way.

Pies: Pies are simply pieces of meat in gravy encased with crusty pastry. These pies are filled with minced meat and onions. Often, the meat is replaced by innards. According to the traditi-on mutton meat is used but nowadays beef is more commonly used. There are different types of pies, such as fish pie, chicken pie, mince pie or steak pie.

Fish and chips:Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in Scotland therefore you definitely have to try it once. It consists of deep-fried fish (traditionally cod, haddock or flounder) in batter or bread crumbs with deep-fried chipped potatoes.

Scottish dessert:It seems that Scottish people have a sweet tooth because there are a lot of delicious but extremely sweet desserts. The most famous one is probably fudge, a small toffee bar si-milar to caramel, mainly made of sugar and butter. After a visit in the Fudge House you get a sugar shock for sure! If you are into sweet staff you will be satisfied with having some cheesecake, Dundee cake, shortbread or dou-ghnut... there is enough for everyone.

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After strolling around Edinburgh in search of nice places to appease one’s appetite or hunger here are some sugges-tions of locations to go to:

Halfway House (Pub)24 Fleshmarket Close,Edinburgh, EH1 1BXThe smallest pub in Edinburgh, winner of the award for pub of the year 2009, hidden in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, tiny but warmly welcoming you, they specialise in ales/beers.

Jekyll & Hide Pub (Pub)112 Hanover StreetEdinburgh, Midlothian EH2 1DRA bit dark but pretty individual place, toilets are hidden behind a bookcase, unique character, chatty and delight-ful staff, regular comedy nights.

L’alba D’oro (Fish’n’chips)5-7 Henderson Row, New TownEdinburgh, EH3 5DH

Probably best chippy in Edinburgh, take-away and delivery.

Crag and Tail (Restaurant)503 Lawnmarket, Royal Mile,Edinburgh, EH1 2PHSmall but modern, friendly internati-onal staff, offer typical Scottish food, good place to enjoy rich Scottish breakfast but also a place to be in the evenings.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen (Restaurant)137 George Street EH2 4JYBritish and Irish franchise but tasty burgers at reasonable prices, huge portions, also offers exotic burgers (e.g. Avocado burger, Jamaican burger), contemporary interior design, lounge music, nice alternative to pubs and touristy places for business people as well as students.

Wannaburger (Restaurant)217 High StreetEdinburgh, EH1 1PEAt first glance it seems to be a mainstream fast food restaurant but it is probably one of the best places to enjoy a big delicious burger in Edinburgh, very friendly staff, easy-going and young atmosphere.

Susie’s Wholefood Diner (Vegetari-an restaurant)51 West Nicolson Street, NewingtonEdinburgh EH8 9DBSpecialises in organic vegetarian meals, relaxed atmosphere, chilled out staff, students’ area, ideal for low budget.

Black Medicine Coffee Co.2 Nicolson Street Edinburgh, EH8 8DHCosy and casual atmosphere, non conventi-onal place, meeting point for young people and students, friendly staff, independent pri-vate run coffee shop, wide range of teas and fresh smoothies, broad range of food ranging from chocolate fudge cake and cookies to cia-batta melts and soups.

13

The Underground Café (coffee)34 Elder Street Edinburgh, EH1 3DX

Small venue but cosy and friendly place, ideal for having a chat and get some coffee, tea or snack.

The Kenilworth (Pub)152-154 Rose Street Edinburgh, EH2 3JD, United Kingdom Welcoming atmosphere, cosy seats, friendly staff, huge portions, delicious meals, also reasonably priced typical Scottish breakfast.

Biddy Mulligans (Pub)96 Grassmarket Edinburgh, EH1 2JR Old-fashioned style, very rustic and Scottish, ideal for typical Pub feeling when enjoying a beer. Delicious and reasonably priced meals for lunch, e.g. soup with bread, a place where you find locals

Royal Mile Tavern (Pub)127 High Street Edinburgh EH1 1SGDiscounts for backpackers who are staying in a hostel, lovely staff, friendly warmly welcoming atmosphere, young people’s meeting point, live music play-ing current rock songs, nice place for drinking a beer with a good friend

Bannerman’s (Pub)212 Cowgate/Niddry Street Edinburgh, EH1 1NQHistoric pub, a bit hidden below South Bridge, mee-ting point for students and backpackers, sometimes crowded but very lively, live new alternative music (Folk, Rock, Indie, Punk, Metal), Karaoke, student discounts, not a place to go for just a quiet drink, it is a place to get drunk and get to know new people.

The Canny Man (Pub)237 Morning Side RoadEH10 4 QUOutside the city centre but worth going there, alternative style, individual pub full of nooks, staffed with antique and junk, pub with the widest range of whiskies in the city, famous for delicious food, if they don’t want you to enter you won’t enter.

UR

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angus beef Gourmet beef from Scottish Angus cow

banger and mash sausage with mashed potatoes

bashed neeps mashed beetroot/turnip

black pudding blood sausage

cock-a-leekie chicken soup with leek

cullen skink fish soup with smoked fish

haggis sheep stomach filled with sheep’s innards, oat and onions

ham & haddy smoked haddock topped with ham and cheese

hugga-muggie fish-haggis served in fish stomach

kipper hot smoked bloater/red herring

mince minced meat with onions and gravy

scotch broth vegetable soup with grain from pearl barley

stovies purée from potatoes and onions

white pudding fried or roasted white sausage, sometimes for vegetarians

bannock flat oat bread either sweet or spicy

black bun traditional fruit cake for Hogmanay (= New Year’s Eve)

clootie dumpling typical Christmas cake with raisins and cinnamon

fudge soft butter toffee

scone little sweet cake made of flour and butter

(cheese) oatcake cookie made of oat (with cheese)

shortbread biscuits made of short pastry with a lot of butter; butter coo-kies

chippy fish and chips

porridge boiled oats with water/milk

turnips type of vegetable, a root

dundee cake extremely sweet and heavy cake

gaelic coffee Irish coffee with scotch whisky

hotch potch soup with lamb and vegetables

neeps beetroot/turnip

pie filled pâté

venison meat from deer

tatties potatoes

toddy whisky with hot water and sugar (when someone’s got a cold)

Well, if you are hungry right now after reading all this staff about food and meals in Scotland there is just one thing to be recommended to you: have a look at the following table as it might help you to find your way through the Scottish gourmet jungle:

15

You have never drunk whisky? What would be a visit to Scotland without ha-ving tasted a nice glass of whisky? Well, you probably know Jack Daniel’s mixed with Coke, but guys, this is not what we are talking about here! True whisky is produ-ced where men wear kilts, where cows are hairy and sheep’s innards are considered a country’s favourite meal. No other beverage is so intimately connec-ted to the spirit of a nation. The word for whisky itself has its root in the old Gaelic t erm for water, uisge. Uisge beatha means the water of life in Gaelic. Outside Scotland you order a glass of whisky… but if you want to do this in a Scottish way then you order a dram!Whisky is a delicious but strong alcoholic be-verage distilled from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different vari-eties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat and maize. While the market is dominated by blends, the most highly prized of Scotch whiskies are the single malts which are made of one type of grain. Whiskies mature in wooden casks which are generally made of oak.

In order to add a subtle nuance, quality Scotch whiskies are often aged in used casks from Bourbon production. Scotch whiskies are divided into five main regions namely Highland, Lowland, Islay, Speyside (Tip: visit Dufftown!) and Campbeltown. The natural water in each region contributes to the taste of a whisky.Whisky has established itself as an affordable luxury with a trend for drinking less but bet-ter. Scotland continues to set the pace when it comes to wonderful whisky. Industry figu-res prove that shipments of whisky abroad are up despite economic recession. Scotsmen can proudly present their Scotch whisky ex-port quota which already represents 20% of Scotland’s manufactured exports. One of the great joys when it comes to whisky is disco-vering an unfamiliar distillery and finding it produces wonderful single malts. If you do not have the opportunity to do so just take a look at the list below with suggestions of what types of whisky one could start with on a whisky experience.

Here are some affordable Scottish Single Malt whiskies that can be recommended. They are mainly light and delicate ones, therefore also suitable for the Ladies ;)

Let´s have a dram!

Name Age Taste Produc-tion

Aberlour 10 very soft, dry, fresh and fruity aroma from apples and pears, sweet toffee note, hint of marzipan (honey and nuts), smooth and creamy finishing

Speyside

Dalwhinnie 15 Aromatic nose with hints of peat, sweet, hint of honey and vanilla, with a bit citrus fruit flavour, long intense finish which starts sweet but gets to peat and malt

Highland

Glenfarclas 10 fruity, hints of dried fruit, cinnamon and vanilla, a wee oily, smokiness combined with sherry sweetness, long smooth and spicy finish

Speyside

Glenlivet 12 Aromatic, flowery, clean and simple though some spice, notes of vanilla, slightly sweet, long but mild and warming finish

Speyside

Macallan Fine Oak

15 matured in sherry and bourbon oak, smooth and light, the aroma has a hint of rose and cinnamon, the finishing tastes like chocolate with hints of orange and raisins, lingering

Speyside

Some other very delicious and aromatic ones that you should try are, for instance, Mortlach, Macallan, Glenfiddich, Edradour and Balvenie... well, the reason why the whiskies mentioned above are mainly from the Speyside or the Highlands is simply because Scots say the magic that makes their whiskies better than anyone else’s is in the water from their Highland rivers!

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If you want to immerse yourself into the delicate world of whisky, you should consider some things in order to enjoy the full cheer and not to make a fool of yourself. Just follow some easy instructions and you will learn how to become a whisky expert ;)

Lesson 1 How to prepare for a whisky tasting:

a) The smaller the glass the betterb) Use water to mix with the whisky or drink between the whiskies. This will enrich the taste, or bouquet as the professionals call it.c) Concentrate on smell (nose), palate (taste) and finish (after-taste) and finally overall impressiond) If you want to eat something with it have some crackers or oat-cakesLesson 2 How to taste a whisky:

a) Swill the whisky around in the glass (but take care you do not spill it!)b) Put the glass just below your nose, smell it (but don’t take a breath too deep!) and describe what you smell – Is it fruit, vanilla, caramel? Is it fishy or smoky?c) Taste a wee bit and let it rest some seconds in your mouth. It can be soft or sharp, spicy or nutty, fruity or smoky.d) Finally swallow it. It can have a long or short aftertaste, gentle and fruity or sharp and spicy. UR+PO

Edradour Whiskey Distillery

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The widest range of whiskies to buy can probably be found at Peckhams (Peckham & Rye, 155-159 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh, EH10 4DG, Uni-ted Kingdom, +44 131 228 2888) or in one of those specialised whisky retailers in the city of Edinburgh. So just pop in one of the following:

The Whisky Shop28 Victoria StreetEdinburghEH1 2JW+44 (0)131 225 4666

Cadenhead Whisky Shop172 CanongateEdinburgh EH8 8DF+44 (0)131 556 5864

Royal Mile Whiskies379 High StreetEdinburgh EH1 1PW+44 (0) 131 225 3383

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The ForestMy old wooden table is decorated with a beer bottle which serves as a vase for a yellow rose.While using the free WiFi I observe this girl sitting near me. She is getting a red cat out of her huge bag and starts to put colour-ful ribbons around the animal’s neck. The cat, feeling that her natural appearance is going to be significantly manipulated, escapes and hides behind an armchair. Crazy. But the people in here are crazy – crazy and young and artistic and open-minded. Meet the direct gateway to the friendly alternative milieu of Edinburgh:The Forest Café. Its offerings cover far more than a fine selection of tea, coffee, soups and wraps – you can also attend film screenings, live music, poetry or language courses. Everything is for free.

So it is not only a meeting point for creative people but also a place for crea-tivity itself which is impressively under-lined by the mixed, partly old-fashioned and inspiring interior. The Forest is exclusively run by volun-teers from all over Europe and they spread an enjoyable international am-bience. One of those is now helping to catch the cat. Crazy café. WK

bring your own alcohol from the supermarket and enjoy it here - no problem

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What´s on tonite?20

CAMEOGenerally, when a cinema is tagged as the favourite in the whole world by no less a figure than Quentin Tarantino, it is time for the owner to pop the corks, as he should be set for life . However, the cinema in question is not the most profitable Art House venue in Edinburgh. With the Film-house just some 300 feet a way, The Cameo has found a worthy rival in the battle for the favour of the capital’s cinéasts. Curtain up for the competition between one of the oldest movie theatres and arguably the most important cinema in Scotland!

On one big screen (253 seats), and two smaller screens (75 and 66 seats) mainly alternative new-releases, but also foreign-language films as well as classic re-issues and documentaries are shown. Q&A screenings with guests from the film industry take place on occasion. The Double Bill on Sundays gives one the opportunity to see two related films at the price of one. Every week there is a different foreign-language film to be seen du-ring the European matinee.

The main auditorium evokes reminiscences of the past through its highly elegant Edwardi-an style, which has been largely unchanged since the inception in 1914. The sensation alone of sitting in the cosy seats and enjoying the feeling of being in an abso-lutely unique place is worthwhile.

After having seen a terrific movie, a visit to the Café-bar is a must. Have a coffee in a relaxing atmosphe-re, listen to the golden 20s music and see if you can name the numerous actors and directors on the walls!

InteriorsBEFORE 5PM: full price £5.50, concessions £4.20AFTER 5PM: full price £6.50, concessions £4.90

MO: full price £4.50, concessions £4.20WED FIRST SCREENING:£1.50 for concessions holdersWEEKENDS: full price £6.50, concessions £4.90

Concessions available for students, children under 15, claimants, senior citizens

Eating and Drinking Prices

Programme

Programme

V S

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Filmhouse

It is difficult to decide which cinema is better – in the end it all comes down to each individual’s personal taste. The real winner in the rivalry between the Cameo and the Filmhouse, though, are the movie-goers of Edinburgh: The fact that the programme directors seldom show a film which the other cinema is already showing, makes Edinburgh’s range of films so uniquely diverse. ES

CONCLUSION

Next to the latest international arthouse releases, the Filmhouse offers a wide variety from the history of world cinema. The films that are shown on one big screen (280 seats) and two smaller screens (97 and 72 seats) are thoughtfully compiled into different seasons, such as “Totally Tati” or “The Best of Czech Cinema”.As this cinema is able to screen 70mm, it sometimes offers screenings of silent movies, which are accompanied live by a piano. Whoever experiences cinema at its origins in this way, can consider himself lucky! On the second Sunday of every month the film buffs compete in an extreme-ly tricky quiz, which makes even experts sweat. Participation in groups up to 8, starting at 9am. It is however recommended to get there early in order to get a seat.

The interior design is kept simple, yet prac-tical. When entering the Lobby, one’s sight first falls on a collec-tion of outstanding DVDs, which can be purchased. In front of the screen in the main auditorium, there is a stage, which is perfect for Q&A screenings.

After having bought your ticket, you will notice there is something missing. Yes, the Filmhouse does not sell any popcorn or sweets, and as is turns out, this is quite convenient. One can fully concentrate on the film and not be bothered by the eating noises of a neighbour. Nevertheless, one can have a reasonably priced meal or a drink afterwards. The café-bar is also a good place to chat to other film-lovers.

BEFORE 5PM: full price £4.90, concessions £3.30AFTER 5PM: full price £6.50, concessions £4.90.

FR: BARGAIN MATINEES: full price £3.60, concessi-ons £2.10

Concessions available for students, school pupils, children under 15, claimants, senior citizens, disability or invalidity status

Interiors Eating and Drinking Prices

Programme

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Go through the dirtiest, darkest and shadiest underground passage of Edinburgh. Don’t let yourself be put off by the smell of you-don’t-want-to-know-what. Follow the narrow back-alley, turn right and climb a couple of steep steps. Et voilà, you made it - A bright sign tells you your destination: the grv. Unlike the ugly path you had to pass, the small club you’re about to enter seems very clean with its light-coloured wood and the stoney walls. You may order a beer, have a seat and ponder about the reason why someone put so many things as peculiar as a sewing machine or the little dog from “Toy Story” into the cupboard behind the bar – or you can discover unknown, young bands just before their breakthrough! ES

You’re in for a wild and varied mix if you choose to chew the Bubblegum on Saturdays. Since the The Hive tries to appeal to as many people as possible, you’re likely to meet both heavily made-up girls in short skirts and high heels and more alternative-styled folks. An open-minded attitude is therefore necessary. You can go mental to the usual floor-fillers and as soon as they play that tune that you’ve just heard too many times, you can head over to the second dance-floor and rock out to your favourite indie song. The atmosphere in these spacious underground vaults is perfect for party- people from 18 to 22. 11:00-3:00am - free entry before 11:30

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getting drunk – is to spend the night in as many pubs as possible. Unsurprisingly, each pub has its own flair and its own party-attendees so that you see and (if you want to) talk to a big variety of younger as well as older people partying, all of them in a good mood and willing to share a drink with you. There are crowded and busy pubs as well as more chilling and cosy pubs. Traditional, old-fashioned as well as modern and plain pubs. Smaller as well as bigger ones - younger as well as older ones - loud as well as calmer ones. Moreover, there are the ones which are more trendy and the ones which are rather alternative. There are the ones which offer live music (whether it is Jazz, Rock, Indie or Folk) and there are the ones with a Jukebox, a DJ or a CD. And last but not least there are the ones with Karaoke (mostly on Friday night e.g. Rose Street, Waterloo Place)! You see – all in all it is pretty unlikely for anybody to get bored while being on a pub crawl in Edinburgh. However, sometimes it indeed happens that one of the group members is not satisfied with the choice of current pub and therefore wants to move on. In this case this person should be tolerant and fair enough to wait until the group moves on, which will happen – depending on how fast the group drinks their beer or whisky - quite soon. Keep in mind that there are tons of other pubs waiting to be explored by you!

Pub crawl If you have ever dreamed of getting to know as many pubs of Edinburgh as possible – and you just have one day to do so – you need to go on a so-called pub crawl: one of the most popular evening activities of Edinburgh.

In general, it seems that a Scotsman somehow feels the need to get drunk pretty fast and early. This is due to the fact that pubs mainly close pretty early, which means around 1 am. Consequently, pubs are already full and crowded around 7 pm. While wan-dering through the crowded streets full of bag-car-rying customers in haste time seems more precious because of shops closing their doors at 6 pm. Time travelling begins when passing extrovert, young, fancy-clothed students and when short skirted, highheels wearing, laughing girls cross your way – ready to party. For some tourists this might be a pretty new and unusual experience – but don´t worry – although it might seem like it is already somewhat after 11 pm your watch truly is set at the right time, and it really is just 7 pm, and yes: these loud, eccentric, joking and laughing drunken people ARE definitely drunk. Lucky the one who

gets to know the Scotsmen on a Friday! This is the day to ob-serve suited Businessmen drinking lots of pints of beer during their lunch break with the purpose to get drunk in order to be prepared for the evening. The purpose of a pub crawl – next to

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Good places to crawl around: Along Royal Mile – Southbridge – Rose Street – Geor-ge Street (the place where Prince Harry and Prince William go to Party)

You can also attend an organized pub crawl (=£10) which is not just for those of you who travel on their own but for all the ones who want to be part of a big group. On the one hand you will crawl in a group of different tourists from all over the world and with different interests, and on the other hand it is guaranteed that all of them have the same aim: to get to know new people, to have a good and fun time, and of course: to get drunk. Another important fact to mention is that standing at the bar between lots of Scots-men does not allow you to hold the most serious conversation. But who wants to hold a serious conversation, anyway? GT

Rule °1: Start your tour early and don´t feel bad about it! Keep in mind that it might end early as well and pubs are closing early.(1 am)

Rule °2: Just stay for one drink. Rule°3: Be tolerant and fair – you do not like this pub? The next one

is already waiting for you! It will not be long until you get there...

Rule °4: Keep an eye on pubs in the basement! It would be such a

shame to miss them because you just have not recognised them.Rule °5: Be aware of the fact that dairy shops are not allowed to sell alcohol after 10 pm.

Rule °6: Try to crawl in a homogenous group with similar interests –

that is a lot easier and surely more fun! And keep in mind: there is a

pub for everyone´s interest.Rule °7: Do not expect to get a seat at the table – be satisfied with

standing at the bar next to an old Scotsman.

Rule °8: There are pubs with live music, pubs with a dance floor in the back and there are clubs to go afterwards as well.

Rule °9: Clubs mostly do not charge you an entrance-fee

before 11 pm.

Rule°10: Do no hesitate checking out royal and expensive looking buildings like The Dome on George Street - these might be pretty cheap pubs to go.

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History and C

ulture

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“We have a building which is more than a building.”Edwin Morgan

Between Innovation

The first quality I have in mind when I think of Scottish people is their strongly expressed pri-de in being Scottish. But what does that mean for them- being Scottish? Maybe, besides the richness of tradition and culture, it is related to the fact that the last 100 years have turned Scottish society topsy-turvy. An approach.

Because of the improvement of shipbuilding through new technologies and practices, fishing was revolutionised in the 20th century so that Scotland became one of Europe’s most impor-tant exporters of sea food. As potentially one of the richest countries in renewable resources and the one that gains its energy entirely from natural resources (such as coal, oil and gas), Scotland is well prepared for the future and the financial sector is sympathetic towards Scot-land, since it had started growing very quickly in the 1970s, as well.This development might support the fallacy that Scotland had weathe-red the storms of war very easily but the in-heritances of the 19th century were hard to carry. Not only because of the huge political, econo-mical and social changes, which led Scotland the way to its today’s place in the world, the lives of most Scots were deeply touched by World War I and II. Proportionally, Scotland

lost more lives than any other nation.While war was raging remote from home, Scottish husbands, sons and fathers were sacrificing their lives while woman worked al-most everywhere. This caused a fundamental change in established social structures. Industry (originally dominated by coal, steel and heavy engineering) experienced weigh-tily transformations. These sectors, which once had been so strong, now needed state support. Heavy industry was replaced by the service sector, as well as by knowledge eco-nomy and the light high-tech industry in the 1970s. The closure of Ravenscraig Steel Works in 1992 was a symbol for the end of Scotland as a heavy industrial nation. The change in the textile industry was not less enormous. Where-as previously one in eight people was working in the textile industries the manifold products were nearly reduced to tartan and cashmere. Together with the reduction of products, wor-kers had to leave the factories. Fewer working hours in the 20s were the result of globalisa-tion and mechanisation, and subsequently a lack of working places. People filled their free time easily using the options modification, car ownership and cheap holidays, which in the 1960s found their way into society. They be-gan to travel around while Scotland, however,

Scottish Parliament

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and Tradition went on being the most favourite place for taking holidays.

“The Sick man of Europe”, that is what Scotland was called and not without any good reason. Poverty, sub-standard living conditions and life expectancy lower than in the Gaza Strip marked the 20th century. Poor housing and health as well as unemployment was tackled by creating new towns and programmes of slum-clearance. After the Second World War competing markets (in prices and goods) reduced smaller busines-ses to rubble and in times of the Internet a glo-bal market for Scottish products was created.A growing multiculturalism, votes for woman (es-tablished in 1918), their involvement in politics plus the new-found voice of the working class during the wars -of which the evolution of the labour-movement in Britain was an indication - made social life more colourful and innovative.

Dealing with ordinary life was a daily occur-rence until the 1970s, when people found time to question the loyalty to the Anglo-Scottish Union.Therefore the foundation of the National Party in 1934 (still a minority group) was a sign of re-covery from the gaping wounds inflicted by war.Regained power and growing self-consciousness could now

be used to add authority to the engrained wish of gaining political independence and acknowledgement on the part of England. Having conquered so many barriers on the way to finding their national identity, the words“There shall be a Scottish Parliament.”, written down in the Scotland Act of 1998, sounded greatly releasing to the Scottish peo-ple. The labour government under Tony Blair promised reform. On 11th of October, 1997 a referendum was held to decide whether a Scottish Parliament should be established and about its ability to vary taxation. Unsurprisin-gly the majority of Scots answered both ques-tions with yes.Finally, on 1st of July, 1999, the first Scottish Parliament met for the first time since the union in 1707, full of ambiguity to start work as this had happened very seldom in history.

Notwithstanding these great changes, new-ly acquired improvements in society and the well-deserved pride on being Scottish, it should not be forgotten that serious problems still do exist, such as social deprivation and poor health. Finding a solution must be the ultimate goal for the future which is fast ap-proaching. LJ

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The mentality of giving and a corporate feeling seem to be traditionally deep-seated in Scottish peoples′ minds, not allowing to expect any thing as a reward for it. Therefore you can find lots of charity and vintage shops all over Edinburgh. Here are the very special ones. LJ

2nd Hand Shops

Barnardo′s Vintage Store116 West Bow

Being most friendly wel-comed by the shop assis-tant you can launch into a variety of clothing, enjoy-ing a cosy living-room-atmosphere at Barnardo′s personal and intimate little store. Run riot in trying out totally different styles!

Armstrong and Sons′at Grassmarket 83Opening Armstrong’s door is like diving into another world feeling captured by a nearly absurd mixture of eccentric, alternative and traditional styles. Huge ruffled skirts and dresses are enthroning above your head, interrupted by lustres draped with pearl neck-laces and other affectionate details, such as old music boxes, commodes and extraordinary crazy figurines. You cannot stop browsing, here is a lot of everything! If you want to feel like a real lady (century is selecta-ble), are looking for a stylish everyday-outfit, or want to costume yourself, you need to come here.

Godavia9 West Port

In the front area those of you with fat purses can find interesting creations of young designers. In order to fill the leaks of your shopping bags the rest of you can rummage in the back room of Godavia.

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Herman Brown West PortYou did not yet find the perfect dress for tonight? Hard to belie-ve! But do not worry, you might not have a problem in finding a stylish one here.

Concrete Wardrobe50a Broughton Street

Are you looking for something re-ally special manufactured, individual of high quality for decorating your home or yourself?In this shop you can get it – for less money than you might think.

Prices start from £2.00.Nonetheless, you have to invest another 20 - £80 in order to acquire their beautiful clothes. But that is worth it!

Joey Ds 50b Broughton Street Wearing Joey Ds visiona ry accessories you will stand out everywhere. Boots and hats rede-signed into handbags seem to be their speciality. However, this creativity has its price and the clothes are less un-conventional.

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Mainland of north England, a multitu de of islands separated by the sea- this is Scotland. This country is open, uninhabited and one of the last wildernesses in Europe. Remarkable to be full of contrasts, dominated by its landscape and its weather Scotland is a good mix of old and new.After some three hundred years of political union with England, the Scots voted to have their own parliament in 1997.The elected assembly is now sitting in Edinburgh. In times of political as well as cultural renaissance the Scots are faced with the challenge of redefining themselves. This important step brings hope and greater dynamics for the future to the country and its people. Scotland may remain part of Great Bri-tain but it has always been a country apart. And indeed the land and the people are in some ways truly different.About 80 percent of the population live and work in Edinburgh, Glasgow and between those two big cities.In the older days South Scotland was the centre for the textile industry but in our days people are increasingly moving to the big cities for work. Edinburgh and Glasgow “the principal cities” couldn’t be more different:Edinburgh, with its incredible charm and stone facades everywhere and much more compact than Glasgow and, on the other hand, Glasgow, one of the greatest cities of the colonial empire turned into a modern metropolis.The Scotland in common travel guides with old castles and romance means little to the majority of Scots who live in modern urban areas. Much of the

big shipping and fishing industries of Scotland ´s proud industrial past have, gone anyway. A country is defined by its people.

Scots continue to enjoy a good reputation around the world. Many of the stereotypes about Scotland and the Scots contradict the modern reality. Compared to the English, Scottish people seem more relaxed and optimis-tic. They are also open and friendly to everyone.This is particularly evident in the countryside, where it is rude not to take time to chat to people coming across your way. When, staying in Scotland you are immediately impressed by the wealth of history that virtually co-mes out everywhere in the country’s different districts. Edinburgh, with its granite terraces and churches is only one example of this wealth. It feels like the city has a story to tell on every

“Sir Walter Scott’s land of brown heath and shaggy wood, land of mountain and the flood”

Culture

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street corner, where you come across. This link to ancient times attracts visitors from all over the world.So history plays an important part in attracting visitors to Scotland.For many people the image of Scotland ‘s heritage, is packed in a big “tartan pa-ckage “and can bought in any tourist shop along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.”For anyone interested in Scotland and its people it is not easy to understand the cul-ture and defining a national character is complicated. The Scots are mostly portrayed, as being open- hearted and generous, courageous, mean and dour, high- sprited and cynical- all at the same time. Part of the difficulty lies in the fact, that not all Scots can be seen as one unified „ type“. Scots come together to celebrate a national festival but are also divided by class and geography. Whether buying something in a shop or just asking for the way, it is easy to slip into a conversation with the locals. The image of the Scots not being best friends with the English Neighbours is an enduring one and that Scots are proud people is beyond, the doubt.

Traditions that are unique to Scotland have often survived the country’s past. The best known is Hogmanay.Originally an old Celtic festival to ward off evil spirits with huge bonfires, Hogmanay is now a massive party held in the New Year.

Another Tradition comes here…

PO

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The tradition of the clans and the wearing of the tartan are Scotland ‘s

most enduring symbols.

Traditional Scottish dress is in vogue, especially with young people.

Scotland’s trademark, the tartan, is worn at weddings, funerals, Highland

balls, at Rugby games and sometimes just for a pub night.

In Edinburgh you can find Tartan almost on every corner of the city. The

most famous spot is the Royal Mile.

The tartan is made up of different coloured yarns and woven together to

produce a multicoloured product.

Each clan member has a number of distinctive patterns to choose from.

Since the 17th century specific tartans have been reserved for fami-

ly names or clans. But the tartans have been an important part of the

Highlands, in any season and this is where much of the inspiration comes

from. There are a lot of old plants that give good colour in Scotland.

The myrtle for example, gives deep green. Technically, it is only fitting to

wear tartan if you have a clan surname, either on your mother or your

father’s side. However if you can t claim clan ancestry, don’t worry.

In our days most patterns are recent inventions so you can always invent

your own.Tartan is most typical worn as kilt. If you are lucky while walking

through Edinburgh you can see men wearing it.

Legend says that nothing is ever worn underneath a kilt.

Kilts aren’t cheap. They cost around 300 Pounds each, but they are a life-

time investment. Most Scots still have the old clans names, such as Mac-

gregor, Macduff, Macdonald or Campbell. The clans were tribes of people,

bonded by blood and land. Living together under a single family name,

they were entirely modest, living off their own crops and Highland cattle.

Very often they got attack by their neighbour clan.

This system of local autonomy only survived into the 18th century, as the

Highlands had no laws and kings and tax collectors.

Flag:The flag of Scotland is called a Saltire. It symbolises St Andrew, the pat-

ron of Scotland. It has been used as a symbol for the struggle of indepen-

dence since the middle of the 14th century.

The national flag of the United Kingdoms- the Union Jack- also flies in

Scotland.

PO

A country that is so multilayered as Scotland, cannot be explained easily, so go there

and discover for yourself.

Tartan Times

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Fog. Leafless trees. Large grey fields of grass. No buildings. Just a 10 minute walk from Haymarket but you feel like in a tale of Edgar Ellen Poe. The sound of cars almost silent somewhere behind me while I am following the path. In the distance there is a yellow blurry light – like burning letters. Light to letters, letters to words. Through the thick fog I read: “There will be no miracles here”. A provoking phrase that emphasises the interest to explore the huge monumen-tal building that emerges in front of me.The Dean Gallery is close to the Gallery of Modern Art and both are rich and manifold residences of controversial art. One room and four grey squares on the walls. Coloured metal plates combined to make an odd sculpture. A crus-hed violin caught in a cube of glass. Confusing seemingly senseless film footage. Picasso. Warhol. Dada. Pseudo art? Genius? Trash? Beautiful?Even if you do not favour modern art – you will always ask questions and it always evokes at least some kind of opinion in you. You decide about the truth of the phrase mentioned above. Go for it, it´s free. WK

and Gallery of Modern Art

Dean Gallery

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The Really Terrible OrchestraWhen really bad turns out to be really good – and successful

The Really Terrible Orchestra of Edinburgh is the last refuge for hopeless musiciansWith some last shrieks and awkward noises the pie-ce which is supposed to be Scott Joplin’s “The En-tertainer” fades out. Were the American composer around tonight, he probably wouldn’t be too enter-tained. The four dozen men and women rehearsing at the Robertson Music Centre in Edinburgh’s West-end are a really terrible orchestra. At least, they have the decency to call themselves The Really Terrible Orchestra (RTO).

It doesn’t require its members to have any musical skills. Just buy an instrument and join! The Edinburgh based troupe is home to all those who have never managed to play properly, the “last refuge for the musically disadvantaged”, as current chairwoman Pippa Lockhart puts it. Some members are just here for the fun, others take it more seriously and want to improve. Most of them played an instrument as a child, but stopped at some point. Then, after a few years or even decades, they found it in the attic, blew off the dust and joined the RTO. But some have never even had any musical experience whatsoever. Take, for example, Dorothy Leeming. “I asked our conductor if I could join if taking some lessons before.” To which he replied: ”Forget the lessons, just come”. And he made Dorothy learning 1st double bass immediately. Conductor Richard Ne-ville Towle, actually Sir Richard Neville Towle – there are still rumours if and why he has been knighted – stands in front of the musical crescent, swings his arms heavily and puts great effort into instructing the musicians. But hardly anyone seems to take notice. Most members are too occupied with the contrarieties of their instruments. Mr Neville Towle is the only professional mu-sician around here and has been hired by businessman Peter Stevenson and novelist Alexander McCall Smith who founded the RTO in 1995.

“It started out of envy for our children play-ing in school orchestras”, Mr Stevenson re-calls. The two wanted that for themselves, but were way too bad for real orchestras. And so the RTO was born. Soon after they had their first concert at the Edinburgh Fringe. Yes, they have public appearan-ces. And quite succesful at that. They pro-mise bad music, and they deliver reliably. So far, the RTO has had concerts in Lon-don and New York, all of which were sold out. Which is puzzling, especially for for-eigners. Why do people pay to attend aw-ful performances? Out of schadenfreude? For the same reasons they watch horror movies? The horror of music, if you will?Music critics from German television to the New York Times have wondered about the phenomenon. In a strange sense of irony, the RTO has a music critic in

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its ranks, as well. By day, Susan Nickalls reviews bad musical performances for the “Scotsman”, by night, she gives, well, bad musical performances. Her colleagues at the newspaper find her hobby “quite funny”. “It’s really eccentric, really British”, says Felici-tas MacFie, the self-announced “quota German” of the RTO. “You couldn’t do something like that in Germany.” Mrs MacFie doesn’t consider herself to be a really terrible musician, having had lessons for several years. But as a hotel owner and mother of six, she doesn’t have the time to practise. “Besides, I feel welcome around here.” Probably everybody does. The relaxed atmosphere within the RTO puts a stark contrast to the tenseness and competitiveness of ordinary orchestras. Rehearsals are as often interrupted by sudden laughter as by the conductor. Before each concert, both the audience and the musicians receive a glass of wine, “be-cause it’s more fun then”, Mrs Lockhart smiles. At times, there would also be audience participation of some sort, or a guest speaker would recite verses between the songs. “People come to see a variety show”, Mr Stevenson sums up.

Not all pieces tonight are actually terrible. The longer they perform, the better they seem to become. So does the RTO undermine the basis for its success by too much rehearsing? Will it have to be rebranded as the “Quite Decent Orchestra”? Chances for that aren’t high. The orchestra as a whole has probably improved 20 percent since the beginning, Mr Stevenson fi-gures, starting from a very low level. “So there isn’t any risk that we might become too good one day.” MB

The RTO regularly performs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. For further information see website www.thereallyterribleorchestra.com

press photo

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Economist John Law became the richest man in the world – but died a pauper

Edinburgh usually celebrates its most eminent sons and daughters. Economist Adam Smith, for example, has a sta-tue erected in his honour on Royal Mile and his face on the Scottish 20 pound note. For some reason they seem to have skipped on his colleague John Law. “John Who?” Even most natives of the city reply with astonishment if you ask them about this early 18th century figure. Which is quite asto-nishing, too, since John Law was only the inventor of modern paper money, saved post-Louis XIV France from bankruptcy, controlled commerce for a great part of North America and rose to be the richest man in the world, maybe the richest man of all time, but wound up a pauper and dying alone and despised in a Venice hotel.

But first things first: Born in Edinburgh in 1671 as the eldest son of the goldsmith and banker William Law, young John grew up at Lauriston Castle, a 16th century Edwardian mansion in Silverknowles near the Firth of Forth which today is open to tourists. The boy turned out to be brilliant at mathematics and economics, but also knew how to enjoy life. “Beau Law”, as the tall and handsome lad was called by his friends, had a love for the ladies and for gambling. For a great part of his life he would make ends meet by se-parating other people from their fortunes at a card game called Pharao. At first, not very successful. Squandering his late father’s inheritance, he had to be bailed out by his mother. At the age of 20, John Law moved to Lon-don in order to study mathematics, econo-mics and political economy. But at night, he went on with the hobbies mentioned above. His charm and fine manners soon got him in touch with the higher circles of society, both male and female. Not everybody was quite fond of that. On April 9th 1694, Law fought a duel with a certain Edward Wilson over the affections of a woman. Being an excellent fencer Law killed his opponent on the spot. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death just three days after the incident. Later the accusation was reduced to mans-laughter and the sentence commuted to a fine. But his victim’s brother appealed.

Forgotten Son of Edinburgh

Wilson had been the son of an influential fa-mily and Law was imprisoned again. Howe-ver, he was able to flee with the help of some friends and escape to Amsterdam, where he learned banking as a more practical approach. Upon returning to Scotland around 1700, Law engaged in debates surrounding the Union with England and proposed his plans to The Scottish Parliament (see box). They were re-jected and in 1707 Law had to flee again. Due to the Union the sentence against him became valid in Scotland, as well. He toured Europe along with his lover Catherine Segnieur and their two children. Catherine was at the time still married to another man. “I’m not marri-ed, but my wife is”, John Law would joke. After several other rejections he got his chan-ce in France which had been ruined by the late “Sun King” Louis XIV’s wars and opulent lifestyle. The new regent gave a way for Law’s banking project and appointed him Controller General of Finances. As such he founded the Banque Royale which succeeded in reducing most of the state’s debts and made many reforms benefitting the common man. The thankful regent granted Law the commerce monopoly for France’s overseas territories in Northern America, Lousiana. Had Law died at this point he might have been considered a national hero in France.But his ruin was about to come. Law founded the West Indian Company whose shares were affordable for peasants and servants, as well.

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People were equal in this respect several decades before the French Revolution. And they almost trampled each other to death to buy Law’s shares hoping to profit from the alleged El Dorado across the Atlantic. The shares boosted and made Law the richest man in the world and everybody’s darling in Paris. But the Scot ha d greatly exaggerated the riches of Louisiana, which turned out to be a mosquito-ridden swamp. The “Mississippi Bubble”, one of the biggest financial bubbles of all time, burst and shares fell rapidly. John Law had made the French rich and then poor again. In May 1720, an angry mob hunted the formerly popular man down the streets of Paris. He managed to save himself, but his carriage was torn apart. John Law was expelled yet another time.

His titles and belongings were seized by the state. On March 21st, 1729 he died in Venice – alone and forgotten. MB

According to John Law economic progress is fundamentally linked to the amount of money circulating. Because paper money was unknown and metals for coins were rare, the Europe of his day suffered from a scarcity of money. So Law proposed the establishment of a national bank with the rights to issue paper notes backed by land, gold or silver and guaranteed by the state. This mul-tiplication of money, he reckoned, could increase investments.

paper money

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This final chapter is about Scots – for the Ladies: unfortunately we are not talking about Scottish men ;) – we are definitely talking about the Scottish language … In general, the Edinburgh English is not difficult for foreigners to understand. In Scottish English the letter “R” is rolled which may cause some pronunciati-on problems with people from abroad. Scotsmen’s language is simply called SCOTS. Scots is not to be mixed up with Gaelic, which was formerly much more widely spoken than it is today, though, many words have passed from it into Scots.Scots has originally developed since medieval times with its roots in Old Eng-lish. Scots would have become an independent language if the Union with Eng-land had not prevented that. Nevertheless, it should be noted that some Eng-lish words actually have their origin in Scots, such as eerie, cuddle or greed. Even though there has never really been a complete split, Scots distinguishes itself especially in terms of vocabulary from English. 50,000 words in Sots pro-ve that the Scottish people have always had a mind of their own.Here are some words and phrases that you may find useful when having an informal conversation with a Scottish person: UR

Scots words & phrases The equivalent in English:

Ay(e)/nae Yes/no

ane, twa, three, fower, five, sax, sieven, aicht, nine, ten

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Hi ye/awrite; Hou ar ye?, Hou‘s it gaun? Hi/Hello! How are you?

A‘m fine, slainte! An‘ ye? I am fine, thank you. And you?

Whaur ar ye frae? Where are you from

A dinna kin! I don’t understand

A dinna ken! I don’t know

Happy Hogmanay! Happy New Year!

Canty Birthday! Happy Birthday!

one of Britains sexiest languages

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Auld Reekie (~ old smoky city) nickname for Edinburghaye or ay [pronounced like eye] yes; always/constantlyae [rhymes with bay] one, a single (e.g. ae fond kiss)Alba Gaelic name for Scotlandben mountain; inside of a house (e.g. “cam ben the hoose”)bonny, bonnie beautyfulburgh citybarrie or barry very good, very attractive (we’d a really barrie time)blootered (to be...) to be very drunkCaledonia the poetic name for Scotland or the HighlandsCeilidh [kayley] Scottish dance, social gathering with folk musicclosesmall courtyard; entrance; narrow lane/passageway leading off a main streetdram small quantity/a glass of whiskydreich miserable, cold, wet (weather)doolie a foolish personeedle-doddle a daydreamer or carefree personefter afterEe, een an eye; eyesfilibeg, filibeg, philibeg a kilt as worn in Highland dressfricht someone [friCHt] to frighten someoneglen narrow valley with a stream or river flowing through itgate; gait a street or a path (like in Canongate, Marketgait)heavy dark beer (nearest equivalent English beer is bitter)Hogmanay New Year’s Eve, 31 Decemberhowff bar or pub used as a regular meeting pointhooley a wild partyIrn Brew popular orange-coloured carbonated soft-drink supposed to have hangover-curing propertiesinver a river mouthjiggin dancing, a dancejoco [jo-ko], (to be...) to be happy, relaxed, self-satisfiedken (to...) to knowKilt knee-length pleated skirt in tartan worn as part of a man’s Highland dresskirk church

SCOTS vocabulary

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laddy and lassie boy and girlloch, lochan lake, small lakemuckle, meikle big, tallmercat [mer-kit] market (mercat cross in a town is a monument marking the site of the old market- place)

miraculous [mir-rock-you-luss], (to be...) to be exceptionally drunkminginvery unpleasant or of bad quality, also used for describing the weatherned(in Glasgow area) a young hooligan ongoings happenings, eventsoutsider(Glasgow area) first or last slice of a loaf of breadpudding often: sausagepinkie the little fingerpiper a bagpipe playerplump a sudden, heavy fall of rainquair a book; word often found in literary works such as A Scots Quairqueerie any odd or strange personrood crossreek a smoke, to smokescooby(in Glasgow) not to have a Scooby about something = to know nothing at all about itskirl a loud shrill sound such as that of the bagpipes slàinte mhath [slan-ja vah] Gaelic toast used especially when drinking whisky; it means “good health”smirr drizzly rain falling gently in small dropssteamin (to be…) to be very drunkswally, swallie having a drink of alcohol (e.g. fancy a quick swally after work?)tapsalteerie [tap-sl-tea-ree] upside-down, chaotic, untidy

Tartan a distinctive pattern of coloured lines and bands which cross each other at right angles originated in the Highlands associated with particular clans

Thistle the national emblem of ScotlandÙrlar [oor-lar] in bagpipe music it is the basic tune around which a pibroch (piece of bagpipe music) is based; Gaelic word for floorvennel lane, alley (often used in street names)wee small, little, tiny, a bitwynd narrow street or lane, often a winding one, which leads off a larger/more important onewellied (to be…) person who is drunkyestreen last night or sometimes yesterday

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TEAM:TEXT:Marcel BartschUlrike R.Gesa T.Patricia O.Eva SalomonWilli KubicaLeah Junck

LAYOUT/DESIGN:Willi Kubica

WORKSHOP ASSISTANCELuca FregoneseRebecca White

www.citytravelreview.co.uk