Intro

My first time in Edinburgh was in 2024 when I was 20 years old. I was studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh for a semester. I had never been to Scotland before, and I had no idea what to expect.

The Weather

The weather in Edinburgh is notoriously bad. Surprisingly, it didn't rain as much as I thought it would, but the wind was unlike anything I've ever experienced. People's umbrellas were constantly being blown inside out and their hats were being blown off. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not used to the weather, but I definitely felt like I was freezing more often than not.

Food

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish that is made from the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep. It's a very popular dish in Scotland, and I had it for the first time in Edinburgh. It's not bad, I wish it were legal to sell it in California.

Vibes

Edinburgh is a very walkable city. I was able to walk to most of the places I wanted to go. The city is also very hilly, so I was constantly going up and down hills, such as Arthur's Seat. The views from the top of the hill were definitely worth it.

I got to also visit the Edinburgh Castle, which is a very popular tourist destination. The castle is very old and has a lot of history. I was able to go inside the castle and see the crown jewels. It is definitely worth a visit.

My friends and I took the train to Dundee one weekend. It was a very quick train ride, and we were able to see the countryside of Scotland. We also visited the Kelpies, which are two horse-shaped structures that are a popular tourist destination.

Classes

I took a class on robotics, another on SQL, and a third on AI ethics. The robotics class was the most interesting as we got to program a SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) robot using ROS2.

Fright Night

I was staying on Cowgate, which is a street known for its nightlife. On Halloween, someone near the tavern down the block discovered a severed head, and the police cordoned off the street. I had to wait 2 hours to get home. Things were definitely more intense than they were in San Francisco.

Conclusion

Edinburgh is a city rich with history and culture. It's a great place to visit, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for some Scottish adventure.