TRAVEL DIARIES: EDINBURGH, FT. MY FIRST EVER VLOG

This year I had the pleasure of spending my 25th birthday in Edinburgh, during the Fringe Festival. Technically speaking, me and Christina didn't really know the festival was in a swing as full as it was. We're not the biggest fan of crowds (and I have to admit, it made taking photos and recording videos so bloody hard!), so navigating a new city while trying to wade our way through the crowds wasn't the best. However, I absolutely loved Edinburgh and the snippet I got of its cute little town centre. I love architecture that has a medieval/gothic feel, so Edinburgh topped one of the most aesthetically pleasing places I've visited so far.

FIRST OFF...

On the first day we decided to mooch around and get our barings (would we be truly British if we didn't?) I definitely took the most photos this day (be prepared for a heavily infused photo post) - but I did get to take my new camera with me! I'm literally in love, (Panasonic, Luimx G DC-GX800). So a lot of these photos are me just playing around (don't expect the profesh photographer in me to come out just yet.)

Our first taste of Edinburgh architecture was just as beautiful as expected. I'm a sucker for all things gothic/medieval looking so getting to walk through the cobbled streets and winding paths was a treat for the eyeballs. The only thing we weren't such fans of was the incredibly steep hills that we seemed to find ourselves walking over/up, every single day. (Also, as you can see, Edinburgh was PACKED the entire time we were there due to the Fringe Festival!). We stopped in a cute little cafe/restaurant called 'Hula', which claimed to have tonnes of Vegan and Gluten free options so obviously we had to have a gander. When I was in Edinburgh I kind of forgot how the prices would be similar to London, considering its the Capital of Scotland, this small bowl of salad cost us nearly £8! Tasty all the same though.

Next we decided to walk to Edinburgh Castle, to immerse ourselves in some true Scottish culture to kick of our trip. We came across this wicked restaurant, which of course I had to stop and take photos of. I kinda wish we ate in there now! Peering through the windows the decor looked just as cool as the exterior. 

I feel like these are the photos that really gave the true detail of my new camera. I. am. obsessed. literally every photo I took I'd be like 'Christina, LOOK. HOW.', I was pretty much like a grandma with a new camera phone. Bless me. Although the pretty hefty entry fee, Edinburgh castle didn't fall short of things to see/learn about. There were tonnes of different rooms you could explore, history to read up on, whiskey to taste, and views for miles and miles. 100% Recommend a visit!

BIRTHDAY DAY!

We decided to visit the 'Whiskey Experience' considering it just felt right, considering the fact me and Christina have both been to the Guinness factory in Dublin, and the Heinekin Museum in Amsterdam! Again, pretty pricey, but awesome all the same. The 'experience' was fairly short, but it did include a ride, a free glass, a little education session, and of course a big taste of Scottish whiskey. (Christina hated it, I finished hers). All very impressive, just wish it was longer! 8.5/10.

The day of my actual birthday was super cute. Christina woke me up with a Youtube special version of the 'Happy Birthday Song', a peppermint tea, and a card & presents. We got ready, had some breakfast, and headed out.. for some more breakfast - naturally. We had to be out of our accommodation for 11am (pretty early for the Christina, Madi duo when we're on holiday), so we ended up visiting an awesome cafe called 'Lutons' (I think?), they had soOoOo many vegan options. Including these AMAZING pancakes, that were made without egg/milk/wheat, had chocolate chips in, were covered in a strawberry sauce, topped with bananas and strawberries. I was in heaven. Christina opted for the Vegan breakfast, which she also said was smashing. (Again, pretty pricey, but legitimately worth it, for a birthday treat especially.)

PS - I actually made my first little vlog of this trip! Its nothing special, and it was SO hard to film considering there were people EVERYWHERE at ALL times. *rolling eyes emoji*
However it was my very first time editing such content, and I hope you enjoy! Heres to improving my skills and posting more videos in the future!

Thanks for reading, as always!
Madi x