I went to Edinburgh, Scotland a couple of weekends ago to
see what it’s like north of the British Islands. The only exposure to Scottish
culture I’ve had in the past is through watching the movie Braveheart, based on the true story of freedom fighter William
Wallace. Now that might not be much at all, but the movie did give me a
positive view of Scotland. You can even say
Braveheart had a part in promoting Scotland to me and I’m sure many others.
The city of Edinburgh is a beautiful city surrounded by
ancient castles and monuments. People seem much more friendly and a little less
rushed than those in London. Also, unlike their English brothers and sisters in
the south of the island, people in Edinburgh don’t have the same knack for
reading the news. In the streets of London, you see a lot of people handing out
free newspapers and reading the news. When I was walking around in Edinburgh, I
did not see many newsstands or anyone handing out a daily newspaper. It feels
like another world over here and the Scottish people are proud of it.
Another aspect of Scotland that I noticed is that you still
feel there is animosity between the Scottish and the English. On my search to
find the best tasting haggis in town, I met two lads who I started to converse
with. The highlight of our conversation was that Scotland is still seeking to
be an independent nation. The reasoning behind that has a lot to do with the
bloody history they’ve had with the English. Braveheart quickly popped up into my mind after I head them say
that. They don’t want to be associated with the English at all. You can even see that in their Scottish
pounds because there is no trace of the queen on their notes. It’s amazing how
can take a 4 hour train ride in Europe and end up in a totally new place with a
different culture, values and lifestyle.
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