More pics of (absolutely) gorgeous #edinburgh coming soon, but for now, we want to share a bit about the neighborhood we chose for the week.
Traveling nonstop makes for weighty decisions when it comes to where we stay. Sure, we want to feel comfortable and well-connected, but equally important is the vibe and feel on the street. Is the neighborhood diverse? Lively? Affordable?
People advised us to stay in ultra-cool Stockbridge (Edinburgh’s SoHo, if you will), but we felt it wasn’t our scene.
We opted for the port-side and port-vibe of artsy #Leith and totally fell for its East-Village-esque charms.
It’s the kind place where you stumble on art fairs in parking lots, find community garden plots sprinkled among urban dwellings, feast on the best Turkish meal you’ve ever had outside of Turkey, gorge on raw oyster happy hours and catch live music in pubs bursting with local color.
It’s also the kind place where you can meet legends. Though I don’t know the first thing about boxing, it was a thrill to meet former lightweight World Champion Kenny Buchanan (second from left in pic included here), share some time together with he and his friends and hear his outrageous stories.
Here’s a bit of that so-Leith and so-lovely interaction:
His friend Jim introduced us by saying, “He’s a legend and a gentleman.” I held out my hand for a shake, but Buchanan raised and kissed my hand, then looked to his own and said, “Luv, this is the hand that shook the world.” As soon as he learned we had been to Madison Square Garden, stories began to spill of his many fights there and about the time he shared his dressing room with a young Muhammad Ali. His is a hard luck story of fortunes lost and struggles with alcohol and addiction, but he eyes lit with a spark as he told us the community raised funds to create and dedicate a statue in his honor. Soon, the form of a young and ambitious boxer, the most famous every to come from Scotland, will grace the top of Leith Way.
We were invited to the dedication party and, who knows, we may just return to our Edinburgh “home”! 🙌
#ifreakinglovetravel #edinburgh #leith #ourtravelstory #travelingaroundtheworld #scotland #lifeinleith
