Expat in Edinburgh: Month 2

Did June seem to fly by in the blink of an eye for anyone else, or is it just me?

This month was a busy one for me, and it involved a lot of firsts: I crashed my first Scottish wedding, I climbed my first Munro, and I tried my first deep-fried Mars bar. (On a side note, I really need to stay away from the chip shops in this city.)

What I’ve been up to:

I was lucky enough to see a fair amount of the countryside this month: between the wedding I attended in the Scottish Borders, and the the drive through The Trossachs to Ben Vorlich, I loved the views of green, rolling hills, sparkling lochs, and generally all-around beautiful scenery.

Conquering Ben Vorlich was a highlight this month, and I think it’s safe to say I now have Munro fever. I can’t wait to ‘bag’ my next one.

I continued to be a tourist and indulge my walking tour fixation with a free walking tour of Edinburgh, and a ghost tour. Despite the large crowd, I’d highly recommend the free walking tour. The ghost tour was more of a humorous, light-hearted take on some the city’s gruesome history, but I was hoping for something a bit more… creepy, perhaps? Luckily there are plenty more ghost tours to try.

Things I’ve learned:

I am unfit. If climbing Ben Vorlich taught me one thing, it’s that I need to get into shape. Apart from a steep bit near the top, it was a fairly easy climb, but the next day I felt like I had been hit by a small bus, and I could barely walk for three days. I’m going to blame my unfit state on the fact that I’ve been eating too many of Scotland’s hangover foods since arriving. Curse those delicious macaroni pies.

Scottish weddings are the best. I assumed that a country filled with people who have such a high tolerance to alcohol must know how to throw a heck of a party, and they definitely do. Also, hot men in kilts should be standard at every wedding – Scottish or not.

What I’ve been eating:

If you search ‘the best restaurants in Edinburgh’, or ‘cheapest restaurants’, or basically any phrase with words ‘restaurant’ and ‘Edinburgh’, Ting Thai Caravan will probably pop up. After eating there, it’s easy to see why: they serve great Thai food in a lively and friendly atmosphere, and you can have a main and side dish for less than £10.

I’m currently in the honeymoon phase of my relationship with Lovecrumbs, AKA I can’t stop thinking about it and I spend more time there than I probably should. The cakes are heavenly, and the flavour combinations are like nothing I’ve seen before. Lemon cake with elderflower icing and gooseberry filling, white chocolate and pink peppercorn tart, pear and cardamom scones… I could go on.

At the beginning of the month, Edinburgh was blessed with an incredible week of sunshine and warm temperatures, so naturally I ran went to Mary’s Milk Bar for some gelato. Not only is the gelato made with high-quality ingredients, but the flavours are also seriously unique. Rose and baklava, strawberry and black pepper, and Thai iced tea were a few flavours I happily sampled. Thankfully grey skies and cooler weather returned to the city, which helped put an end to my gelato binge.

How was the month of June for you?