Farewell, Edinburgh. Hello, London (Day 4 - GToE)

I am on the train from Edinburgh to London; I can't tell you exactly where but somewhere in England. As I write this posting, I'm watching the English countryside roll by and enjoying the views. But being highly annoyed by group of boorish men sitting behind me who decided to drink throughout the trip. Note to the UK train service: if you have a quiet car, please be sure that the entire car is designated as the "quiet car" - not a portion of the car. It annoys the hell out of someone who has booked the quiet car to be sitting right behind the section that is not part of the quiet car. ARGH! Okay, now that I got that off my chest...

I thought I'd provide a little reflection on my time in Edinburgh. If you've never had the pleasure of going to Edinburgh, I highly recommend a visit. The people of Edinburgh (Edinburgians? Edinburghers?) are the most amazing people. I'm not certain if I've met a nicer group of people. They are incredibly helpful and unbelievably nice. For this jaded ex-NY-er, it's nice to see that there are city dwellers who aren't just miserable gits - as a whole. There are nice NY-ers (individually) but mostly NY-ers (as a group) are a-holes. Not so in Edinburgh. I also got a chance to spend some enjoyable time with Aussies, other Americans, Brazilians, and many other nationalities. Far more people are traveling than I would have thought in October.

In addition to the amazing residents, Edinburgh is beautiful and historically fascinating. They have a rich and proud history which is reflected in the architecture all over the city. My only mild complaint is that the city is build on a hill so there are a lot ... and I mean A LOT of stairs and steep winding streets which takes its toll on your legs and arse. But it's also part of the charm of the city. This city was the perfect spot in which to start my tour of Europe.

In addition to speaking the English language with a heavy accent, many Scots also speak Gaelic. If you plan to travel to Scotland, here is a list of useful Gaelic phrases - don't ask me how to pronounce any of them:

Halò / Ciamar a tha thu/sibh? (Hello)

Ciamar a tha thu/sibh? (How are you?)

Is mise ... (My name is ...)

Madainn mhath (Good morning)

Feasgar math (Good afternoon/evening)

Tìoraidh / Tìoraidh ma-tha / Tìoraidh an-dràsta (Goodbye)

Tapadh leat (Thank you)

Tha mo bhàta-foluaimein loma-làn easgannan. (My hovercraft is full of eels.) 

Bonus points to anyone who recognizes the last sentence. To Edinburgh: I bid a fond soraidh (farewell). It was fun!

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To London: I will be there in a couple of hours. Having visited London 13 years ago, I am thrilled to return to a city that I have been in love with for 30+ years. It'll be almost like returning home...almost. I can't wait to see some of my favorite sites and visit a few new ones, plus seeing my friends who live there. I predict that it will be an amazing time.