The Idiot's Guide to Moving to Edinburgh

[danny la rouge]

There's also a bike Coop, but the staff are very grumpy so don't go there.

 

[maomao]

Phrases my mother has used in recent years to praise the glorious Scottish summers:

'There were some days when it didn't rain at all.'

'It's been lovely, the temperature's been in double figures every day'

'It was so warm I had to take my jacket off'

(the last one was a cousin of mine actually)

 

[danny la rouge]

Phrases my mother has used in recent years to praise the glorious Scottish summers:

'There were some days when it didn't rain at all.'

'It's been lovely, the temperature's been in double figures every day'

'It was so warm I had to take my jacket off'

(the last one was a cousin of mine actually)

A useful Edinburgh weather app:

Edinburgh, Taps-Aff or Taps-Oan?

 

[Pickman's model]

I might - and I stress might - have a chance of a job in Edinburgh sometime in the near future. I don't want to say any more than that, as I don't want to jinx it, and anyway it's not strictly germane to this thread.

This is a city I've never been to in my life. I'm wondering now what the major issues are in relation to relocating to the Scottish capital.

How hard, and how expensive, is it to find somewhere decent to live?

I'm used to harsh weather conditions from living in Mayo, but I understand that Schottland is something else again. What say you, urban?

What's Nicola Sturgeon really like?

Enquiring minds want to know.

When I was last there (2009 ) there were some grand bookshops - expect there still are

 

[danny la rouge]

When I was last there (2009 ) there were some grand bookshops - expect there still are

A selection here: 15 Charming Edinburgh Bookshops You Must See Before You Die

(WordPower is now Lighthouse).

 

[Celyn]

The only way to survive the incessant rain which afflicts Scotland is to live, as the locals do, on a diet of haggis and neeps, augmented by kippers and Dundee cake or deep-fried Mars bar, washed down with irn-bru, buckfast, tennants super or whiskey which even the youngest Scot drinks.

As trolling goes, that last suggestion is particularly well-thought out.

 

[weepiper]

The Pear Tree has had a refurb, they have taken the old central bar out and painted everything grey

 

[Sirena]

My younger daughter is flitting

There's a nice old Scottish word! I think we had it in geordie land too....

You find it in fairy tales too...

British Goblins

 

[danny la rouge]

The Pear Tree has had a refurb, they have taken the old central bar out and painted everything grey

Why don't people come to me for advice first?

 

[danny la rouge]

As trolling goes, that last suggestion is particularly well-thought out.

I'm struggling not to bite on the spelling issue because I know it's a hook. But it's hard.

 

[Celyn]

You held out longer that I did, though.

 

[The Boy]

The Pear Tree has had a refurb, they have taken the old central bar out and painted everything grey

Have they also removed the braying twats?

 

[kebabking]

i love Edinburgh, and have done since i first stepped out of Waverley station - from a very wet, very grey Glasgow - into blinding sunshine and what appeared very much to be a central European fairytale...

i've no advice to give, and certainly none thats better than you'll get here, but if our family circumstances were different we'd be living in Edinburgh like a shot.

its the most heart-rendingly beautiful, vibrant, endlessly interesting city i've ever set foot in.

 

[starfish]

As a Glaswegian im in hysterics at the title

 

[Celyn]

...

its the most heart-rendingly beautiful, vibrant, endlessly interesting city i've ever set foot in.

But you must be careful never to get lost and ask passers-by for directions, because they cannot help as they all come from somewhere else.

Actually, I suppose everyone has smart phones with maps now, so that's ok.

 

[weepiper]

Have they also removed the braying twats?

Sadly you're going to get braying twats in any pub that near George Square.

 

[Celyn]

Braying twats infest all places, sadly. Best plan is to become very poor - that way very seldom be near them.

(Well, that's the workable plan for the time being. But come the revolution ... )

 

[Chilli.s]

Brilliant city, better than London.

 

[The Boy]

Sadly you're going to get braying twats in any pub that near George Square.

True. But peartree particularly bad, ime. Apart from that time there was an urban meetup there, obvs...

Edit: and there *are* a few about.

 

[gosub]

The Pear Tree has had a refurb, they have taken the old central bar out and painted everything grey

 

[gosub]

Sadly you're going to get braying twats in any pub that near George Square.

thats rather a large catchment of braying twats.

Pear tree twats relate more to having a decent ootside

 

[equationgirl]

The Pear Tree has had a refurb, they have taken the old central bar out and painted everything grey

What????

Sacrilege.

 

[equationgirl]

i love Edinburgh, and have done since i first stepped out of Waverley station - from a very wet, very grey Glasgow - into blinding sunshine and what appeared very much to be a central European fairytale...

i've no advice to give, and certainly none thats better than you'll get here, but if our family circumstances were different we'd be living in Edinburgh like a shot.

its the most heart-rendingly beautiful, vibrant, endlessly interesting city i've ever set foot in.

You said vibrant. Up against the wall with you, come the revolution.

 

[Winot]

Had a long weekend there end of July. First time there for 10-15 years.

Impressions: it's got more 'hipster' but no more than I'd expect. The Royal Mile is pretty much now all tartan & whisky shops. Most noticeable irritation was the amount of time spent waiting for pedestrian crossing lights to change, and the speed of motor vehicles. But perhaps that's just in contrast to the congestion of London.

Still love it, and would live there like a shot if circumstances were different.

 

[kebabking]

You said vibrant. Up against the wall with you, come the revolution.

Ha! Next time I'm up I'll grow a big ginger beard and wear trousers that are too short for me!

And open a cereal café!

 

[Corax]

As a Glaswegian im in hysterics at the title

Aye. A long time ago, but I lived in Edinburgh for a bit, and Glasgow for a bit.

Move to Glasgow instead.

 

[geminisnake]

Phrases my mother has used in recent years to praise the glorious Scottish summers:

1'There were some days when it didn't rain at all.'

2'It's been lovely, the temperature's been in double figures every day'

3'It was so warm I had to take my jacket off'

(the last one was a cousin of mine actually)

1, could have been approx 4 days in the last month
2, it has actually been warm and even fecking hot some days
3, on the hot days it has been bikini weather ffs!!

I tried to think of a list like Danny, got as far as Jenners and the Chocolate Soup shop and ran out of things I like about Edinburgh Sorry, not a city person
If you like going out and eating out it's great, if you like peace and quiet not so good

 

[Plumdaff]

In common with all Scottish chip shops, "supper" means "with chips". If you want no chips you ask for a "single".

So, supposing you wanted sausage without chips you'd say "a single sausage, please". This might actually be two sausages.

I think my biggest Scottish chippy shock was that if you ask for a hamburger and chips, or even a cheeseburger and chips, this will not come in a bap but instead battered and deep fried.

eta. Napier! Where I did my training a very very long time ago. I hope she enjoys it as much as I did. I absolutely adored living in Edinburgh but all my recommendations would be 15 or more years out of date

 

[lefteri]

its the most heart-rendingly beautiful, vibrant, endlessly interesting city i've ever set foot in.

Wow, I thought it was monotonously grey and the fact that most of it was built during a relatively short period added to the monotony plus it was a bit up its own arse

 

[weepiper]

Wow, I thought it was monotonously grey and the fact that most of it was built during a relatively short period added to the monotony plus it was a bit up its own arse

between the 13th century and the present day?