WFC: Down time for a tourism quest
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Blogger: Chiara Zuccarino-Crowe, PhD student
Part way to wake up after a long trip, part indulging in the excitement of exploring a new city, the group strategized how best to take Edinburgh. In an effort to embrace the local culture, I led our merry band on a QUEST FOR THE CUTEST PUB.
The buildings exude a historical aura. I found myself often staring with my mouth gaping at ancient
stone walls, cathedrals, row houses, cobblestone streets, and Edinburgh Castle towering overhead on sheer walls of rock.
First up: The Last Drop – a pub named in honor of the last time a person was hung from the gallows a few steps away in Grassmarket Square. It rated average in both ambiance and beverage variety (as compared to other local establishments). It also offered a delicious baked potato with sour cream and smoked salmon as toppings!
Next stop: The White Hart Inn – just a few steps down the road, which scored slightly higher due to a
better cuteness factor (had a fireplace and wasn’t related to executions).
As we continued on our way, we happened upon another exciting find…a former
address of Charles Darwin while in medical school! The science geeks inside of us were overjoyed.
After exploring the neighborhoods for a while, we decided to warm up at the Captain’s Bar – drawn in by the awesome piratey-looking image on its sign, but we decided it didn’t actually look all that Captainy inside. However, being a bit more off the beaten path, it had a less touristy feel to it, had a nice selection of beverages, and offered live folk music every day of the week. I’m hoping to make it back one evening before we leave to give it a listen.
Last, but not least: Halfway House – Edinburgh’s smallest pub, located on Fleshmarket Close. (A “close” is like a really narrow alley between a block of buildings, and the city is full of them that date back centuries). This had a great local feel to it Due to the cozy feel and variety of beverages. It ended up rating highest of the lot.
We then found a tasty Indian-Nepalese restaurant, Gurkha Café, that had great ambiance. The waiters seemed to have trouble understanding our accents, but we still e
