100 Blog Topics I Hope You Write: # 4

Continuing on from yesterday with Chris Brogan's 100 Blog Topics (www.chrisbrogan.com), here is my newest post:

# 4. A Community I Love

This was a more difficult topic for me to address than almost any other topic. I gather that Chris meant "online community" or community in general. I can't decide what community I "love." The English major came through with me, and I thought of the most obscure linking between what I am about to write and the topic at hand. As long as I have "evidence" to support my statement, I'll be okay. Most of you know why I love the people where I lived in South Georgia between 10-17 years of age so I chose a new one...

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND (SCOTLAND IN GENERAL)

Photos: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/236200964CLYHEH

I first went to Scotland in December 2004 so that is the time I will write about here. We (Krissy and I) were a little more than completely stoked about going to Scotland. We flew in through Amsterdam and landed in the small Edinburgh airport after a shuttle from Holland to Scotland. That, right there, was funny to me. Our taxi driver was not only friendly but informative, explaining to us that Edinburgh is divided by the castle in the middle of the main city. (The suburbs of Edinburgh are much like Atlanta - where there is a "Buckhead" in Atlanta, GA, but the town of "Buckhead" is not the same place). One one side of the castle and the gardens is "New Edinburgh." Buildings ranging from 1700 to present. On the opposite side of the castle is "Old Edinburgh" dating 1700 to 0 (see "Picts" - aka "tribal Scotland.") We stayed in "New Edinburgh" a block away from the castle off George Street (behind the "main drag" of Princes Street).

When we were on our flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam, we accosted two Scotsmen waiting for the restroom near our seats and asked them, "if there were places to visit in Scotland in one week that weren't touristy and couldn't be missed, what would they be?" They gave us a list of places, "William Wallace Monument in Stirling," "Urquhart Castle on the Loch," as well as "Standing Order" and "Espionage" (two pubs/bars). The night we arrived in Scotland, we went touring to the pubs. We started to walk into "Standing Order," but never made it inside.

As we were walking inside, three guys came walking out of the bar. When we said "thanks" (for them holding the door open), we were stopped immediately and asked "where ya frum? Canada?" We replied, "The States," and it was downhill from there. No, we never made it into "Standing Order" that night. Instead, we followed our new friends (two Scottish Army soldiers and their DD) around Edinburgh. I learned the difference between "green" and "orange," and I learned about Parliament, etc. In the middle of that was listening to the Scots sing American songs in karaoke at the "American Pub" - "The Filling Station." I walked into a private house by accident...turned around quickly. We compared tattoos, and it was a great night all around. Krissy was being fought over by the two soldiers, and I talked current events and Scottish facts with the DD.

The reason why I love Scotland, in general, not just Edinburgh, is everyone is friendly and helpful. Yes, we were two American college girls, but we were opting against tourist stuff and opting for things like small towns, local restaurants, local memorials, etc. as opposed to the "Ten pounds gives you a haunted tour!" type of stuff. We went to Stirling and Inverness. We stopped along small towns on the way up to Inverness and then Drumnadrochit.

It was 2am one night in Old Edinburgh, and we were walking towards Grassmarket (Diagon Alley from Harry Potter was based off of Grassmarket). People were still alive and kickin' - eating fish n' chips walking down the street in a euphoric alcohol bliss. "Good Evening!" a man called out. I can't remember why we shook hands, but it was just a "hey how's it going?" type of thing. He grabbed Krissy's hands, "Warm hands......cold heart." He grabbed my hands and smiled, "Cooooool hands.....warm heart" bid us good night, and continued on his way, picking up where he left off with fish n' chips. At 3am, we were still walking around Old Edinburgh...so were others. Yes, let me repeat that. It was 3am. Two girls walking alone, and we felt completely safe. Come to find out, that's just how it is in Scotland and in Edinburgh. Of course, we weren't drunk or drinking so that helped, too.

Heading up to Inverness and Drumnadrochit, we stopped at a small town with a local bakery. The local baker was MORE than happy to see us, smiled, and chatted a bit while we got hot chocolate (real hot chocolate) and a pastry for breakfast. We opted against meat and kidney pies...and haggis, for that matter.

One of the final nights we were there, Krissy and I walked around "New Edinburgh" - past an old cemetery behind the castle, past left over pict carvings in stone marking the entry into "Old Edinburgh." Once you go to Scotland, it pulls at you to go back. All of the above reasons and millions more are what makes "Scotland...a community I love."