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墨書 Inktalez
Edinburgh is a city built on hills, so walking its roads feels like climbing stairs, either going uphill or downhill. This kind of road is pleasing to the eye and offers a unique experience, but after a while, it can be quite a test for the legs. For someone like Bai Yujing, who isn't very active, this also serves as a good workout.
Walking along the main avenue, steep grassy slopes can be seen on the sides, dotted with brown and white Western-style buildings. The windows are arranged in neat rows, as if meticulously planned. Most of the buildings have triangular spires on top, and many feature various unique designs or shapes of animals on their roofs.
Since it's the festival season, there are various promotional posters everywhere along the streets. Many street performers are entertaining crowds, creating a lively atmosphere. Bai Yujing picked up two flyers and noticed that there would be various theater performances in the evening. The streets are filled with performers dressed in theatrical costumes, all wearing smiles, while a group of foreign girls surrounded these artists.
Feeling the rich artistic atmosphere is truly wonderful. In addition to Western performing groups, there are also Eastern ones. Bai Yujing spotted a Korean performance group dressed in Hanbok and women in kimonos, along with cosplayers portraying samurai with shaved heads. Everyone's costumes were particularly well thought out.
Various music performances and performance art can be seen along the streets. One performance artist wearing a crocodile head initially made Bai Yujing think it was just a fierce statue. However, when he prepared to take a photo, it suddenly moved, startling Bai Yujing with its fierce face and fangs.
After recovering from the scare, the performance artist removed the crocodile head, revealing a handsome young man with brown hair who winked at Bai Yujing. Bai Yujing then noticed a small paper bucket placed in front of the pedestal.
Recalling his earlier reaction, Bai Yujing couldn't help but laugh and picked up his camera to take a photo with him. Of course, he also tipped the performer by placing money into the small paper bucket. The Scottish young man was more than willing to pose for photos with Bai Yujing while holding his crocodile head, and they exchanged high-fives when Bai Yujing left.
"Hi!" As Bai Yujing was fiddling with his camera to check his previous photos, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind. Turning around, he was surprised to see an unexpected person.
"Emma?" It was Emma with her golden curly hair. Bai Yujing had regretted not getting her contact information when they parted so abruptly; even adding her Facebook account would have been nice.
"Bai Yujing! I didn't expect to run into you here," Emma said with a bright smile; it really felt like quite a coincidence.
Bai Yujing had told Emma that his name was Bai Yujing without mentioning his surname was Bai, so Emma wouldn't refer to him as Bai Yujing Bai. This is common among foreigners; unless you specifically tell them your full name, they will simply call you by the name you provide.
"Oh my gosh, what a coincidence! Did you just get off the plane too? What brings you here?" Emma's father is local, so Emma must have grown up here and should be very familiar with the area; she must have visited these attractions countless times.
Emma immediately replied, "I'm here for tonight's Military Tattoo because I booked tickets for this evening!"
"Oh, I have tickets for the day after tomorrow," Bai Yujing said regretfully; it would have been great to attend the Military Tattoo together with Emma if possible.
Emma shrugged her shoulders and pouted adorably: "It seems like you're looking forward to something. It's such a pity! But I can show you around; do you want to visit Edinburgh Castle?"
"That's truly an honor. I have such a beautiful guide. I wonder if I could invite you to lunch later as a token of my gratitude." Having such a stunning companion was certainly a delightful experience, and Bai Yujing wouldn't refuse even if his head were caught in a door.
"Then it depends on how you perform. I know a really nice restaurant nearby..."
Emma and Bai Yujing walked along, laughing together. Emma introduced Bai Yujing to the surrounding environment and shared some local legends and anecdotes. She pointed out Edinburgh to Bai Yujing, showing him the remnants of defensive measures and artillery left behind. As they navigated the winding sloped road, Bai Yujing finally arrived at the entrance of Edinburgh Castle.
Edinburgh Castle is built atop a 135-meter-high extinct volcanic rock, making it exceptionally formidable, with cliffs on three sides and a slope on the other, providing a panoramic view of the entire city.
Emma told Bai Yujing that this castle was an ancient military stronghold, a strategic location that was highly contested in historical terms. Additionally, as the royal palace of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle has sheltered generations of Scottish monarchs and has endured countless wars and sieges.
However, after the Seventeenth Century, the castle relinquished its royal status and became a military garrison, as well as a strict prison for war captives, housing many historical figures. Therefore, Bai Yujing felt an eerie and somber atmosphere surrounding the place.
"This is the esplanade. Every night in August, there will be a military tattoo held here. The grand festival ceremony takes place until eleven o'clock at night," Emma said as she jogged ahead to the square in front of Edinburgh Castle's main gate.
The military tattoo refers to the Military Tattoo event, while esplanade is the name of this square. At this moment, many tourists had already gathered here; the area in front of Edinburgh Castle would serve as the performance zone. On either side of the open space were enclosed seating areas where spectators would watch the Military Tattoo performances in the evening.
Above the entrance gate, there was a red lion symbolizing Scotland. Emma had informed him about this; along their way, Bai Yujing had seen quite a few such symbols and flags. However, he couldn't shake off the feeling that it resembled the logo of some unknown brand he wore as a child.
"Look at those two statues; they are legendary heroes of Scotland from Queen Victoria's era—William Wallace and Robert. By the way, did you book your tickets online?" Emma pointed at the two statues in front of the castle while introducing them to Bai Yujing. Suddenly recalling something, she turned to ask him.
Bai Yujing shook his head. "I planned to buy them here."
"Then you'll have to wait in a long line," Emma replied immediately. The adult ticket price for Edinburgh Castle is 16 pounds; however, it was peak tourist season at that moment. Looking at the long queue at the ticket window reminded Bai Yujing of his previous experiences waiting in line over these past few days, leaving him feeling almost tearful.
"No!"
At that moment, Emma suddenly burst into laughter. Bai Yujing glanced at her curiously, but Emma pulled out another ticket from her pocket: "I just happen to have an extra ticket."
"Really?" Bai Yujing didn't expect that and thought for a moment, "Did you invite someone else to come along?"
"You guessed it right. I also invited my father. When I was little, he used to carry me on his shoulders to play here. However, ever since my mother passed away, he rarely took me out. I live in London now and don't get to see him much, so I wanted to bring him here to relive those memories. But unfortunately, he couldn't make it because he had something else to do." Emma felt a bit down as she spoke about it, staring blankly at her father nearby who was carrying his daughter on his shoulders while touring the castle.
Bai Yujing immediately said, "I'm really sorry; I shouldn't have asked that."
"Not at all! Anyway, I've already bought the tickets, so it would be a waste if I didn't use them," Emma quickly perked up and led Bai Yujing into Edinburgh Castle.
Bai Yujing hesitated for a moment. Emma was a generous girl who didn't mind much, but he couldn't keep taking advantage of her: "Alright then, just let me know what you want to eat for lunch later; don't hesitate to tell me."
"Don't worry; I'll make sure to eat my share!" Emma grinned.
"If you're staying in Edinburgh for a while, I recommend getting a Scottish Historical Sites pass. It's more cost-effective that way. You can use it for three days within five days or seven days within fourteen days to visit major castles in Scotland without having to buy separate tickets." Emma immediately shared money-saving tips with Bai Yujing.
Bai Yujing wasn't exactly wealthy either, so he was naturally interested in ways to save money: "Really? Where can I book this kind of pass?"
As they entered the ancient castle, this palace of Scotland, which had served as a military fortress and prison, had now been transformed into various museums. Inside, there were sections like the War Museum and the Scottish Army Museum.
The castle was enormous, feeling like a mini city. Outside the castle were various buildings and statues, while inside there were staff dressed in historical costumes explaining some intriguing stories about the castle, attracting large crowds of onlookers, including Bai Yujing and Emma.
The War Museum was originally an ammunition depot and documented Scotland's military history over hundreds of years. Once inside, one could feel the weight of history; there were exquisite stained glass displays and artistic wooden carvings, though many areas inside did not allow photography.
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