Terrance Talks Travel: The Quirky Tourist Guide to Edinburgh (Scotland)

By Terrance Zepke

Everything about Edinburgh is intriguing for the quirky traveler, especially the people, the food, and its amazing attractions. Highlights include:

*Edinburgh Castle

*Funky festivals

*A secret, speakeasy-style bar hidden in the heart of the city.

*Find out where to get the best, authentic Scottish food.

*Take a fun ride in a whiskey barrel, learn all about Scotch whiskey, and sample the best single malts.

*Learn about unusual ways to explore Edinburgh, such as a chauffeured city trike tour, a spooky fun underground ghost tour, and an exciting Edinburgh Outlander Experience.

*Take a PotterTrail Tour to follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter and Hogwarts. Edinburgh is where J.K. Rowling created this literary masterpiece.

*Find out about some really unusual hostels and also how you can stay in a castle during your visit!

*Get creeped out in a fun way at the Edinburgh Dungeon.

...and much more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terrance Zepke
• Release date: May 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781942738473

Terrance Zepke

Terrance Zepke has a B.A. in Journalism and a Masters degree in Mass Communications and has also studied parapsychology, which is the study of paranormal phenomena, at the renowned Rhine Research Center. She is an award-winning and best-selling author of more than fifty books. Terrance has traveled to every continent and enjoyed all kinds of amazing adventures, such as piranha fishing on the Amazon River, an elephant safari in Nepal, dog-sledding in the Arctic, and spending the night in the famously creepy Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum as part of a paranormal investigation. She is in demand as a speaker and has been featured on NPR, The Learning Channel, History Channel, Around the World, CNN, Rick Steves Show, Good Morning Show, and the Travel Channel. She is the host of TERRANCE TALKS TRAVEL: UBER ADVENTURES and co-host of A WRITER'S JOURNEY: FROM BLANK PAGE TO PUBLISHED. More about this author, her books, and dozens of free repots can be found on www.terrancezepke.com and www.terrancetalkstravel.com

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Terrance Talks Travel:

The Quirky Tourist Guide to Edinburgh (Scotland)

Terrance Zepke

Copyright © 2018 by Terrance Zepke

All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, and photographic including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

All queries should be directed to: www.safaripublishing.net.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Zepke, Terrance

Terrance Talks Travel: The Quirky Tourist Guide to Edinburgh (Scotland)

1. Travel-Scotland. 2. Travel Guides-Edinburgh. 3. Edinburgh attractions. 4. Scotland. 5. Scotland guidebook. 6. Edinburgh guidebook. 7. Scotland-Travel. 8. Edinburgh Castle. 9. Edinburgh history. I. Title.

First edition

CONTENTS

Introduction

Getting There & Getting Around

Fast Facts

Terrance’s Top Ten Picks

Touristy Things to See & Do

Best of Edinburgh

About Accommodations

About Scotland

Annual Events & Average Temps

Titles by Terrance

INTRODUCTION

The average tourist goes sightseeing. The quirky tourist travels. He immerses himself in the local culture. He seeks out weird attractions, offbeat destinations, and adventurous activities. He tries new things, meets lots of people, and has a lot of fun along the way.

The beauty of Edinburgh is that you don’t have to go in search of quirkiness. Edinburgh is quirky. Period. You will see what I mean as soon as you begin exploring the city. And then there is the food. Where else in the world can you find a dish made of the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep or lamb, combined with oats, herbs and spices, and then cooked in the stomach lining of said sheep or lamb. Certainly, you won’t find Haggis (the national dish of Scotland) in the U.S. since the Food & Drug Administration has banned it since 1971. Fair Warning! It looks worse than it sounds! But it is a rite of passage to try this unique dish—and a challenge that should be met by all quirky travelers. My advice is to consume a wee dram (or quite a lot) of good Scottish whiskey beforehand.

But that’s just the beginning. Other Scottish delicacies include Cootie Dumplings, Crappit Heid, Festy Cock, Howtowdie, Rumpledethumps, and Tipsy Laird. I kid you not! Again, thank goodness for premium Scottish beer, single malt whiskey, and Drambuie! No worries if you’ve had enough of a culinary adventure after sampling Haggis, stick to their specialty deep-fried pizzas and deep-fried Mars candy bars.

One of my favorite things about Scotland is the people. Scots love to party and most are big-time extroverts. Most Scots have never met a stranger and they love to tell tales and laugh at themselves. I don’t always get the joke (Scottish humor takes some getting used to), but they will make sure you’re having a good time, and that’s all that matters.

Edinburgh is a walking city and is easy to get around, although there are a few steep climbs but the views are well worth the effort. Edinburgh is safe and jam-packed with fun activities, tours, attractions, bars, restaurants, and accommodations for all ages, interests, and budgets. This city has done a wonderful job of maintaining its history and integrity with its historic Old Town and accommodating both tourists and locals alike with its bustling New Town.

Take a ride in a whiskey barrel or enjoy a frightfully fun ghost tour of the city’s Underground Vaults. Learn about Edinburgh’s dark history by taking a walking tour of Mary King’s Close or a sit back and see the sights during a vintage bus tour. Climb Scott’s Monument to get one of the best views of the city or partake in a traditional Scottish afternoon tea. Enjoy a picnic on The Meadows or in a little-known garden that may be the loveliest in all of Edinburgh. Explore Edinburgh Castle, which is reportedly haunted. Even if you don’t see a ghost, you will see many historical artifacts, including the Scottish Crown Jewels. Have a drink in a secret bar. Follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter. Edinburgh is where J.K. Rowling created literary history with Harry and Hogwarts. For you’re seeking something different, check out the Edinburgh Dungeon or Obscura Camera. The possibilities are endless!

Edinburgh is known for its famous festivals and special annual events, including Fringe Festival, Hogmanay, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. So read on and get ready for your next big adventure. Aye!

FYI: Edinburgh’s nickname "Auld Reekie means old stinky or old smoky." Back in the 16th & 17th centuries, Edinburgh was surrounded by city walls and the narrow streets were narrow were lined with tall buildings were tall. This created a smoky smog and a stinky odor.

GETTING THERE