Christmas Time in Edinburgh - Christmas and German Markets

What a wonderful time to be living in Edinburgh. The city has been taken over with a fever of excitement about the launch of the Christmas Market and German Markets. When walking down Princes Street, one first sees the "Big Wheel" against a backdrop of the old historical monuments in Edinburgh. It is a stark clash of the old and new. As it quickly starts to get dark by 4:00 PM with complete darkness by 4:30 this time of year, the atmosphere could not be more "Christmassy!" Tomorrow night is the lighting ceremony (http://www.edinburghschristmas.com/events/light-night) and when the markets officially open. I think I will go!

As I am heading home for a much needed visit with my family in Mississippi over the holidays, I look forward to shopping in the markets for traditional Scottish honey and other goodies for the folks back home.

Oh how I love Christmas! This year is particularly special as my Italian boyfriend Andrea will be meeting my family in Mississippi for the first time. He has seen numerous photos and is ready for the long flight from Edinburgh to Amsterdam and then Amsterdam to Memphis. What will they think of my Tuscan man? What we he think of them? I cannot wait to find out.

Ahh Christmas. I cannot wait!

Autumn is Here

It's that time of year again. The clocks have fallen back and it's dark, dark, dark. If you have a regular 9 to 5 job, then you go to work in the dark and go home in the dark. All is not sad though. There is a freshness in the air in Scotland. In fact, a common saying when it's cold but not rainy is that it's "fresh" outside. I love this saying as it describes the feeling exactly. The air is cool and crisp with just a little bit of a bite as it nips across your face. If you are smart and not like me (a Mississippian who finds coats, hats and gloves alien) then the wind can only pierce your nose as everything else is completely covered.

There is an air of excitement about in November -at least it seems that way to me. Everything leads to Christmas and New Year - but before these two events, there is Guy Fawkes on November 5. I am thinking of attending a fireworks session on Wednesday evening at Meadowbank Stadium which is a short walk from my flat. If I get back from Newcastle in time, I am going with my boyfriend Andrea.

Girl from Mississippi Moves to Edinburgh

This is my first ever blog and I am so excited. Having lived in Edinburgh since August 2007, I thought it would be cool to write about some of my experiences as this is such a unique and beautiful city. It has captured my heart and I sometimes wonder if I will spend the rest of my days here.

I live in a small 2 bedroom flat on the east side of the city near Meadowbank Stadium. From my window, I can see the top of Arthur's Seat which is set in a gorgeous park in Edinburgh called Holyrood Park. Although the price I pay for the flat is quite reasonable for Edinburgh, I feel that moving to a place more central is something I will have to consider in the future as I miss being anywhere near a Costa, Starbucks, or Cafe Nero...sad I know but I do love my coffee.

As for the reason(s) I chose to move to this city, well there are several but there is one that comes forward as a consistent one time and time again - it's a truly beautiful city with beautiful architecture. I love to take walks in Princess Street gardens where you have a beautiful castle on one side and the shops of Princess Street on the other. Or, if you wander further down into the gardens, you can walk through areas of greenery where people sit on benches and look up at the castle or sit in the grass and have lunch in the summer time (not summer to you and me - but Scottish summer which means warm enough to not wear a coat and sometimes a short sleeved shirt). I can be in the worst mood and all I have to do to lift my mood is to walk to Princess Street and stroll through the gardens - once this happens, I smile and know that I live in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Ahh, Edinburgh....