The Glass

I miss Edinburgh.

Before the pandemic hit, 2023 was going to be the year that I returned to this Scottish capital, and for the first time, I'd be accompanied by DW. It wouldn't be our first time in the UK together and it wouldn't be her first time in Scotland, but would be our first time there, together.

Because of the pandemic, a lot of our travel plans were postponed. Some may never be recreated as we had originally planned but all of them had been pushed out.

We were considering a return to Italy in 2024, but my parents have come to the realization that they've pushed of travelling for so long that they are starting to think that it's now or never. And so, we're planning to go with them to Italy this year; likely, in the fall.

Next year, DW and I will be heading to Costa Rica for a couple of weeks and I would like to go to Iceland. So the UK is being pushed out even further.

But I miss Scotland, and in particular, Edinburgh.

The last time I was in Edinburgh was in 2010, with my best friend, Stu. He was attending a botany conference and I was gathering information for my novel. Most days, we did our own thing but we did manage to spend quite a bit of time together.

One fond memory was heading to the Oxford Pub, made famous by Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus novels, of which both Stu and I were fans. Stu captured this photo of me as we were enjoying pints of Belhaven's Best, a lovely bitter malt ale that I sought out at any pub that poured it.

A couple of years later, at a Robert Burns Day lunch at the now defunct Ottawa Scottish pub, Highlander, my father and I received Belhaven pint glasses to commemorate the day. It's one of my favourite beer glasses that I use to pour myself cream ales, stouts, and other fine brews.

And every time I drink out of this glass, I think of Edinburgh, wondering when I'm going to find myself there again.

Soon, I hope. Soon.

Happy Thursday!