Edinburgh - Part 2
Saturday
Harry PotterI only spotted one potential coffee shop so researched more whilst watching Jonathan Ross last night. By the way, this is the first hotel in many years I have stayed where there were only five channels on TV, remembering that I mostly go to America.I found four coffee shops in 2 adjoining neighbourhoods in the old town which I though gives me the reason to explore this ancient city. What I hadn’t reckoned on is that J K Rowling author of the uber-successful Harry Potter is from these parts and lo and behold, there is a coffee shop to recognise that she frequented it, The Elephant Cafe. Just as I added that one to my list, I had a tweet from @kissmecupcakes to tell me so. This was just meant to be so is my first point of call this morning for breakfast and first writing stint – the reason for this long weekend of solitude.I do like a window seat and this is one of those narrow establishments so there were only 2 window bar stools, of which I grabbed one whilst waiting for my sausage (in a) roll. The view of the castle they speak of Ms Rowling enjoying must have been at the back somewhere but I wasn’t going to risk losing my window seat to find out. Plus I am not writing about mystical worlds so don’t need the castle as inspiration.
- Coffee: full of beans
- Words total:1483
Chocolate SoupI took a break in the National Gallery of Scotland and noted their Cupcake bakery before heading to no: 2 in the coffee shop list, Chocolate Soup, for lunch. My hunch was right and I enjoyed a little writing with some potato and leek soup with tomato bread before moving onto no: 3. I had a window seat but I didn’t feel too comfortable writing with a laptop actually on my lap plus I was hogging a table made for four and now really fancied a decent coffee, something I imagined the chocolate connoisseur wasn’t going to be as good at so I quickly moved onto the Medicine Coffee Company and the first disappointment of the day.I didn’t plan on visiting three of the coffee shops in one day but it gave me a chance to see which I wanted to return to. I found it easily enough and even though there was no-one in front of me and three members of ‘busy’ staff, it took a few minutes for me to be served. Then I was told I couldn’t have my coffee in a takeout cup, inside, - a first for me and I visit a lot, I mean a lot of coffee shops. Even though I offered to pay whatever the extra charge is to ‘eat in’, it was the owners policy. So it’s the owner’s policy to a) make me drink my coffee quickly before it gets cold and order more or vacate my chair b) make me have cold coffee at my leisure.TartanThis should have been quaint and old worldly, as the name suggests but was uncomfortable as I find cold coffee and productive writing are not a match. I got a cute but rough window nook and as sitting on a tree trunk is never easy for a long time, a decent hot coffee would have made it infinitely better. There is no customer care here but they did warm up the milk for me. Still half way through the measly little cup, its cold.I wonder back via a little look at Edinburgh Castle, or more importantly, a little retail discovery called Ness that sells all things tartan. In all the excitement of the dual first of starting my book and coming to Scotland, I forgot one my old loves, tartan. As both my kilt and tartan trousers are currently residing in New York, I should have one memento of this occasion and set about finding a kilt in another colour.As I have done on many a trip, I swap the Friday fish and chips to Saturday and pop to Harry Ramsden’s for an accompaniment to Dr Who. Later I do watch Match of The Day despite the big end of season games being played tomorrow.
- Coffee: instant
- Words total: 2389