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Every country, city, or destination in general exploits some particular aspect of life, culture, folklore or similar, a kind of branding, by which to render itself unique, or at least especial, to the eyes of the visitor: France and Italy present themselves as the most romantic destinations in the globe and hoards of artistic treasure, featuring places like Paris, Rome or Florence, whereas London offers the very idea of cosmopolitism in the old continent, India stands unsurpassed as the ultimate goal in the spiritual area of self discovering voyages, China or Japan are revealed like bonds between millenary tradition and state of the art technologies.. and so on. Edinburgh, capital city of one of the most beautiful countries in Europe has an very particular focusto this trend, and proudly invests itself, almost every sunset, as European capital of fear and horror…
I would say it must take a lot of self confidence and good humour to dwell into the most terrible and disgusting aspects of your country and city’s history like they do, and I can assure you they don’t turn their faces on any of many horrid legacies Edinburgh claims: adultery, murder, pandemy, gore, cruel executions, prosecution of innocents, social agony… The results: refreshing entertainment and absolute fun! Scotchs are a good humoured people that know how to share a laugh even if the joke is on them (even more, of course if it’s on the Brits).
The particular physiognomy of the city provides a most appropriate atmosphere for indulging in such exercises: these walking tours take you through narrow closes and dark, sinister alleys, plenty in this
old quarter, to poorly lit evil lurking corners, old cemeteries and underground suffocating spaces where lost souls still do roam this earth, led by the no less disquieting characters that play as glooming cicerones. I had the fortune of walking those ancient cobblestones behind one such specimen: the highwayman Adam Lyal (Deceased) from the Caddies & Witchery Tours, who spoke to me and some companions about the right procedures to identify and dispose of witches, the lost job and business of bodysnatching, of fellow criminals, the horrors of the Black Death, the blood and gore of famous executions (they knew how to have fun in those days!)… Never was terror so much fun, I can guarantee you will have a good laugh with Adam and his partner, the Mad Friar. Other companies providing these kind of services are Auld Reekie Tours, Ghost Hunter Trail and BlackHart Entertainment’s City of the Dead which provides, by all reports, one of the most terrifying experiences (if not the most) available on the planet (I confess I didn’t muster the courage to try it, these things give me the jeebies), including the chance of an encounter with what is claimed a genuine poltergeist at the Black Mausoleum, within the Covenanters Prison. The prison is part of Grayfriars Kirkyard and kept 400 prisoners during five winter months of 1679, on bread and water with no roof over their heads. Many died in agony. It is scary in broad daylight if you are alone, they won’t catch me dead entering that place by night! (what a funny thing to say, is it cold here or is me?). Have a look:
I would say it must take a lot of self confidence and good humour to dwell into the most terrible and disgusting aspects of your country and city’s history like they do, and I can assure you they don’t turn their faces on any of many horrid legacies Edinburgh claims: adultery, murder, pandemy, gore, cruel executions, prosecution of innocents, social agony… The results: refreshing entertainment and absolute fun! Scotchs are a good humoured people that know how to share a laugh even if the joke is on them (even more, of course if it’s on the Brits).
The particular physiognomy of the city provides a most appropriate atmosphere for indulging in such exercises: these walking tours take you through narrow closes and dark, sinister alleys, plenty in this
old quarter, to poorly lit evil lurking corners, old cemeteries and underground suffocating spaces where lost souls still do roam this earth, led by the no less disquieting characters that play as glooming cicerones. I had the fortune of walking those ancient cobblestones behind one such specimen: the highwayman Adam Lyal (Deceased) from the Caddies & Witchery Tours, who spoke to me and some companions about the right procedures to identify and dispose of witches, the lost job and business of bodysnatching, of fellow criminals, the horrors of the Black Death, the blood and gore of famous executions (they knew how to have fun in those days!)… Never was terror so much fun, I can guarantee you will have a good laugh with Adam and his partner, the Mad Friar. Other companies providing these kind of services are Auld Reekie Tours, Ghost Hunter Trail and BlackHart Entertainment’s City of the Dead which provides, by all reports, one of the most terrifying experiences (if not the most) available on the planet (I confess I didn’t muster the courage to try it, these things give me the jeebies), including the chance of an encounter with what is claimed a genuine poltergeist at the Black Mausoleum, within the Covenanters Prison. The prison is part of Grayfriars Kirkyard and kept 400 prisoners during five winter months of 1679, on bread and water with no roof over their heads. Many died in agony. It is scary in broad daylight if you are alone, they won’t catch me dead entering that place by night! (what a funny thing to say, is it cold here or is me?). Have a look:City of the Dead is the only tour that has access to the Covenanters (it seems the place was closed to general public after the first poltergeist incidents and sightings-prior to the foundation of the tours). Other companies have invested in acces to other spooky places in the city, like the Haunted Vault (part of the Vaults, remmnants of the old bridge that were earthed to be used as storage space and ended up cradling the underworld of the city, featuring multiple uses including tanneries, cellars, home for the homeless, clandestine distillleries and much more), Mary King's Close (this alley and the homes in it were locked and buried with all its dwellers still alive within the place, left to die of the plague), or the Witches' Coven. And that's not the end of the list of haunted and scary places in the city, to which we can add Nicol Edward's, most haunted pub in Scotland (also freat for live music and some pints!), or the Dungeons. Finally, the night bus services are called Ghosts and advertise themselves as "Ride for Free. *Only the living pay." Fantastic!
http://www.nicoledwards.co.uk/history.htm
http://www.thedungeons.com/en/edinburgh-dungeon/index.html
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