The American Edinburgh

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The American Edinburgh

Author: Ieuan Dolby

Edinburgh is a lovely place to visit and to live in. Voted as
one of the nicest and most picturesque cities in Europe it gives
a sense of wonderment to all that roam the streets for
adventure, relaxation or just plain having to go to work. Large
buildings stand majestically next to the older and less imposing
structures, each complimenting the other. Windy streets cross
easily over the new whilst cobblestones fit easy patterns next
to newly laid tarmac. All who visit gain a real sense of living
for the future and of being part of history and culture that is
ever so much part of what Edinburgh is all about today!

Edinburgh as the Capital of Scotland has an extremely large and
important financial community and structure. Education with many
well known and respected Universities brings many an
International Student to Edinburgh, and Museums and historic
sites brings tourists in droves at any time of the year. Yes,
the old sits well with the new in an old City steeped in culture
and vibrating with future prospects and everlasting importance
in global stature.

Edinburgh has an excellent transportation system partly built
around the Double Decker Bus. It was on one of these that an
American Couple sat having recently arrived in Edinburgh on a
Tourist Package from some corner of the USA. Typically American
they sat there discussing the sights as they passed them and
tried in the time allotted to read all in the 101 guide books
that were sprayed all over their seats, the floor and
neighboring chairs.

Nothing unusual you may say? And you are right! American
tourists make up a large portion of visitors to Edinburgh.
Japanese, Australians and fellow EC Members make up the rest. I
suppose though that Americans and Japanese tourists tend to
stand out more than do the French or German visitors. For
example, one will always spot a Japanese tourist from miles away
as he is invariably bowed under a mass of tangled cameras and
supports as he tries to get a photograph of Princess Street or
the Royal Mile. At that point the observer always becomes
surprised at the size and scale of the equipment wondering what
has happened to the ‘Instamatic’ that was heralded as the equal
to all else! Yes, Japanese tourists are always well noted for
carrying cameras of disproportionate dimensions and seem to
struggle in their efforts to set them up suitably.

Regardless, let us return to Americans. Yes, Americans tend to
come to Edinburgh for special reasons and one of these is to
“find their roots”. Find the Tartan of McDougal as three hundred
years ago they were once related or so they say…..All Americans
have Scottish Roots! Strange but true! Others come just as
tourists but well equipped with all that America has to offer on
the touristic spots of Edinburgh and then they buy more on
arrival. Maps, guide books and tape dialogues seem to pour out
of their pockets, their hair and any other place that one could
possible imagine. They do in fact seem to spend more time
pouring over these advice leaflets than actually looking at the
historic sites under review.

Well, on this fine day the two Americans sat far back on the bus
trying to find a picture and associated literature regarding the
Scott Monument. Unfortunately and as typical in this sort of
situation the bus meandered along at a rapid pace and turned
onto the road that leads past Waverly Station (Edinburgh’s Rail
Station) and up and around to the Bridges and what would then
lead onto The Royal Mile and the Old City.

If one passes the entrances to The Station it is typical to have
the amazing and wonderful site of the old and famous castle of
Edinburgh on the left and high up, and the station on the right
and low down (not easy to distinguish). So one would normally
watch and look at the Castle on the right or the Bank of
Scotland Building ahead or some other historical site of
wonderment that graces the whole city. Our American friends of
course where busy with their books and pamphlets, having now
found the Scott Monument but discarded that as it was well and
far behind them by then.

Edinburgh Castle receives well over 1,000,000 million visitors
every year and is where the famous and yearly Military Tattoo is
held during the Festival Period. Built on the Rock, which was
first used long before the Romans ever thought about sailing up
the Forth River the oldest and still remaining building is over
900years old. As one of Britains biggest Tourist attractions its
long and turbulent history is well documented and reveals that
never once was the castle taken by storm. The Castle to this day
stands alone and proud above the Capital of Scotland, showing to
all a symbol of all that is Scottish.

As the Bus turned away from Princess Street and passed the
Railway Station, the husband having momentarily forgotten his
search for the relevant literature and having accidentally
glanced out of the window, was in immediate awe of the castle as
they sailed under it. Turning to his wife who was bent in a
double-jointed manner under the seat and presumably looking for
the book titled “Edinburgh Castle” he said in a voice filled
with respect and awe, “darling, do you know why they built the
castle so near to the railway station?”

Ieuan Dolby October 2002

About the author:
Ieuan Dolby is the Author and Webmaster of http://www.seadolby.com Seamania. As a Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy he has sailed the world for
fifteen years. Now living in Taiwan he writes about cultures
across the globe and life as he sees it.