2. table of contents
Editor‘s Note 4
Appetising Bites 5
Warning! this may raise your blood cholesterol! 6
Guide to sweet Edinburgh 7
How to find your inner gourmet 9
Is it Possible to Fall in Love with a Potato? 11
Old! But Not Boring. 13
People, Let‘s Go Dancing! 14
Royalty - a lost virtue today?
- Not in Edinburgh! 16
The Palace of Holyroodhouse 18
Craigmillar Castle 20
How the Scottish Parliament became what it is 22
Grave Night Out 23
Green Edinburgh 25
The Botanic Garden 26
Visit Calton Hill! - Overlook Edinburgh! 28
A Desert Island is Only a Bus Journey Away 31
The Amazing Coast 33
For Art‘s Sake 34
The Shadow over Edinburgh 35
Four strings, three pipes, lot‘s of keys and a voice
- or totally different 41
Grassmarket: A Vintage Haven 43
Stand up for The Stand 45
Fear and Loathing in Edinburgh 46
Welcome to the House of Film 48
Scottish Surrealism? 50
Readers, Writers and Speakers 52
Secondhand But Twice as Precious 53
Laddies and lassies!!!
Are ye ready for a wee blether?? ,...Aye, I guess?...‘ 55
Sounds of the Scots 58
The fictional Edinburgh:
3. Drugs, Clubs, and Mr Hyde 60
The Characters Behind the Lines:
The life and sorrows of 3 famous Scottish writers 62
Just Walk the Words! 65
Newsroom! Quiz Night! Read All About It. 71
Culture ´n` Stuff 73
The Spirit of Scotland 74
Braveheart Country 76
Kilts are everywhere –
a short review about the Scottish national dress 79
Edinburgh - Just a Traditional City? 81
Big News from the Newsroom 84
A day out for the young and the old,
and everyone in between 85
Travelling Beyond the Numbers 87
The Pope is coming - how get people affected?
- A way through Scotland‘s world of religion - 89
Small matters that matter –
Edinburgh examined with a fine - tooth comb 91
Edinburgh‘s Unequal Faces –
Where Past and Future Come Together 94
Good to Have a Plan! 96
A place where tradition
and modernity melt into one 97
The Perfect Saturday Morning 99
From a Kilt to a Rolex –
Shopping in Edinburgh! 101
Tips and Tricks 103
Highland Hospitality - an unofficial rule 104
INTERVIEW - Orlene, a university student 105
Adventure: Public Bus! 107
Snip ´n`Sip 108
Glossary 108
The Team 111
Editorial 116
4. editor‘s note
So you think you‘ve seen all the sights of Edinburgh? Sure, you‘ve
padded around the castle and been startled by the one o’clock
cannon; you‘ve strolled the Royal Mile and been bombarded with
offers of tartan scarves and postcards; heck, you‘ve even choked
down some haggis and Irn Bru in Deacon Brodie’s at the height of
your attempt to become acquainted with the Scottish capital and
its customs. But have you perused the second-hand bookshops in the
Grassmarket for some first-edition gems? Been twirled around by a
stranger at a traditional ceilidh? Donned some wellies and trekked
to one of barren isles of the city’s windswept bay? If not, you’ve
missed out on some of the finest cultural offerings of Edinburgh, a
city with an artistic spirit as hearty as its inhabitants and a social
tradition as robust as its landscape. Enter Back Alley Edinburgh, a
magazine devoted to exploring the underground facets of life in the
‘Burgh that have yet to make it into generic travel guides. We’ve
done the dirty work of examining the niche nooks and crannies
of Auld Reekie’s darkest alleyways, and the cultural gems that
we’ve unearthed will intrigue even the most conversant of visitors.
Written for young and old adventurers alike, Back Alley Edinburgh
is a guide for anyone who’s a lass or laddie at heart! So grab your
kilt, knock back a wee dram, and get ready to delve into the
shadowy alcoves of the city that even the Romans couldn’t conquer.
Slainte!
The Team
5.
6. 6 appetising bites
Warning! This may raise your blood cholesterol!
Sticky, greasy fingers, paper wrap
from your mouth, a
oil dripping don’t like fried food, as long as you
have a sweet tooth and are in for
drained with fat – for some people a treat, you should overcome your
this may sound as much arepellant fear of taking in far too much satu-
for a meal as ants or spiders. But for rated fat and try the famous Fried
others, especially the Scots, this makes Mars Bar. For the author, the best
a perfect take-away for lunch. Using way to have it is shortly before mid-
batter and vegetable oil, Scots are night on the Royal Mile. Stop by at
able to deep fry almost everything, the Clam Shell Take-Away on your
and as far as take-away shop staff tour through bars and pubs, and it
are concerned, there is nothing one will be freshly prepared right be-
cannot deep fry, including meat, fore your eyes. As soon as your teeth
potatoes, bread, vegetables, fruit, crush the thin crispy batter and the
cookies, sweets, and even ice-cream, hot creamy caramel chocolate inside
although the classic remains fish- melts softly into your mouth you’ll
fish’n chips is still the all time favou- know it is worth every single calorie.
rite, despite competition with haggis
up here in Scotland. But even if you Text and Photos by Luise Hausweiler
So do you dare to risk your
health and/or figure? Check out
these places:
Clam Shell, 148 High Street: Qui-
te pricey, but still number one in
Old Town
Castle Rock Chip Shop, 87 Grass-
market: Close to the area’s pubs
For something cheaper, try the
ones along Leith Walk
7. appetising bites 7
Guide to Sweet Edinburgh
Fudge- The sweet treat Edinburgh Rock-
The commercial one
Fudge is made out of milk, cream,
butter, and Edinburgh Rock is a traditional Scot-
sugar which tish confection, and it is quite distinct
is mixed from the hard minty candy often
together found in seaside towns. Edinburgh
to make Rock consists of sugar, water, and
smooth and cream of tartar. It is formed into
creamy bars. sticks and has a soft and crumbly tex-
While you ture. In Edinburgh, you will find the
can buy best sugar canes in all colours and
packaged fudge in supermarkets, I flavours, even Irn
would recommend going to a more Bru. Nowadays,
traditional place like The Fudge almost all shops sell
House. This shop, which is over 60 some sort of Edin-
years old, sells handmade fudge in burgh Rock, but if
a variety of flavours. You can have you want a more
caramel (the most popular), coco- special place, try
nut (my favourite), and even peanut the I Love Candy
butter, made especially for American shop, a pretty pink
customers. In addition to the fudge, shop that is an experience in itself.
you can try something even more It has loads of shelves filled with
Scottish, a treat known as tablet. It sweets, and the air is filled with the
is very similar to fudge, but the tex- sweet smell of them. If you can’t
ture is grainier. Still, it melts in your decide on a treat, go for Edinburgh
mouth and leaves a creamy feeling Rock, which can never go wrong.
on your tongue. The Fudge House is
a traditional family business in which Scones- The all-rounder
quality and friendliness are most im-
portant- so when you stroll along What is one of the things Britain is
the Royal Mile, make sure you stop most famous for? The five o’clock tea
by to experience the sweet treat. of course, and what would that be
without scones, a fluffy kind of bread
8. 8 appetising bites
with a crunchy outside. You can have to order this delicious pudding. The
scones plain or with raisins, and they dessert consists of layers of raspber-
are wonderful accompanied by but- ries, cream, hon-
ter, jam, cream, or clotted cream. ey, oatmeal, and
In Always Sunday, there is a great whisky (of course
choice of scones: they have apple it does- we are in
and cinnamon ones in addition to sa- Scotland!). Best to
voury ones with dive your spoon
cheese. Here into the glass and
you can enjoy a taste all layers at
scone at every once. I recently came across a Cra-
time of the day, nachan accidentally in The World’s
whether it is for End. This pub also serves other
breakfast or as food, so the dessert is great after
a small snack in a nice dinner. It might be a bit ex-
between meals. pensive, but it is worth every penny.
While the great-
est variety can Text and Photos by Helene Hirschl
be found in Always Sunday, the
best-quality scones are served in
Café Truva in Leith. Here you get Box Fudge: Fudge House, 197
your scones toasted and warm. On a Canongate, Royal Mile. Opening
sunny day, you can sit outside with Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-6.
your scone, watch the Water of Leith, Price: £ 2.49 per 100 g.
and relax after a busy day in the city. Box Scone: Always Sunday, 170
High Street. Mon-Fri 8-6, Sat&Sun
Cranachan- The fancy one 9-6. Price for Scones: £ 1.75.
Café Truva, 77 The Shore. 9-6.30
Although Cranachan is a typical daily. Price for Scones: £ 2.10.
Scottish dessert, you can’t always find Box Rocks: I love Candy, 38
it easily. The best way to locate a Hanover Street. Opening Hours:
place that sells Cranachan is to look Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-6. Price for
at all the restaurants and pubs you Rocks: 45 p.
pass. If you are lucky enough to find Box Cranachan: World’s End, 4
one on the daily menu, cancel all High Street. Opening Hours: Daily
your other plans and take your time 11-1. Price for Cranachan: £ 4.99.
9. appetising bites 9
How to find your inner gourmet
Since Edinburgh lies try thebeside
the sea shore, why not
right
fresh
For small budget foodies, how-
ever, two places on Rose Street
seafood that is offered at several might be the more interesting:
places around the
city? It won’t cost
you a fortune!
Scotland has a
large fishing area
around its shores
with seafood
from the Atlantic
west coast as well
as the Shetland
Isles in the North.
It is very popu-
lar throughout
Scotland; in Ed-
inburgh some
of the fine but
rather expen-
sive restaurants (e.g. Fishers Bistro On one hand, there is the Mussel Inn,
and The Shore Bar and Restau- which features a maritime interior
rant) can be found on The Shore in with colourful mosaics on the walls.
Leith. While some places in the city‘s Specializing in all kinds of seafood
Old Town are as pricey as those at beyond just fish, it is the perfect place
the waterfront (like as the Mus- to have a very first meal of mussels,
sel & Steak Bar on Grassmarket prawns, scallops and oysters. Go with
and Creeler’s Restaurant in Hunter some friends, order different starters
Square just off the Royal Mile), all (£3-5) or grilled platters (£5-10), and
of them have attractive lunch time share – not at all slimy! Even better
offers of two courses from a set and befitting the restaurant’s name
menu for usually no more than £ 10. are the ½ kilo pots of mussels for only
10. 10 appetising bites
£5.80, perfectly cooked in different ly more than £ 10. The recipes are
stocks that you can choose personally down-to-earth but with a twist, a
(for example, roasted pepper, Mo- genius combination of main ingre-
roccan, or blue cheese) - delicious un- dients and lots of fresh herbs (for ex-
til the last drop that you‘ll eventually ample, cider-smoked haddock with
wipe up with the warm fresh bread thyme mussels). While the bread is
that is refilled for free. not free, it is obvious-
ly home-baked and
On the other hand, very moist and well-
there is The Seadogs, a worth the extra £ 0.95.
quirky but classy place
that is my personal fa- Having seafood might
vourite because of its be a culinary adven-
fantastic price-to-per- ture and gastronom-
formance ratio. White ically-virgin soil for
walls, partly decorated you, but it doesn‘t
with ornamental wall- have to be expen-
paper and various col- sive or pure glibber.
lections of wood and So when you‘re in
red plastic furniture, create a chic Edinburgh, sharpen your teeth
but cosy atmosphere. The menu in- and senses and broaden your ho-
cludes traditional Scottish seafood rizons on a delicious exploration!
dishes, like tomato chowder and high
standard fish and chips (with differ- Text and Photos by Luise Haus-
ent sorts of fish like plaice or trout weiler, Photo by Helene Hirschl
to choose from), as well as vegetar-
ian meals like barley paella. During
the daytime, everything is around
£ 5, but the wider dinner menu are
also reasonable- a dish costs rare-
Seafood venues with great value
for money:
Costs: usually £ 5 - 10
Seadogs, 43 Rose Street
Mussel Inn, 61 – 65 Rose Street
11. appetising bites 11
Is it Possible to Fall in Love with a Potato?
In terms of eating, vegetarians are body. It’s cheap, it’s a lot of food (the
portions are over-generous), and
often at a disadvantage. But for-
it’s is very, very yummy. The shop
tunately Edinburgh offers a lot for
only uses the freshest of ingredients,
the meatless people. At Cockburn
and you can taste that by far. An-
Street, for example, there is an awe-
other great
some store
thing are the
called The
many fillings
Baked Po-
to choose
tato Shop.
from - far
Of course, on
too many to
almost every
try all in one
second corner
trip. They
in Edinburgh
are all pretty
you can buy
impressive,
a baked po-
with stag-
tato, but this
gering range
is without a
of veggie
doubt the best place in the city to
and vegan options from peppers
get a baked potato. For years, the
and avocado to chili, curry, cheese
shop has sold potatoes in every vari-
and beans, coleslaw, tuna, or sour
ations and sizes. The great cooking
cream. There are alternatives to the
and good service of the Baked Po-
main stuff: mushrooms, cous cous,
tato Shop keeps the customers com-
sweet corn, of course the delicate
ing through the door in flocks. Even
home-made soup of the day, varied
if you’re not a vegetarian or vegan,
selection of filled rolls, filled pittas
the delicious taste of their potatoes
or sausage rolls- the list of the deli-
is simply mouthwatering for every-
12. 12 appetising bites
cious meals goes
on and on. Being
a vegetarian or
vegan has rarely
felt better. These
stuffed potatoes
are something
you absolutely
must try to com-
plete a Scottish
visit. For dessert,
you should try
one of the home-
made cakes, es-
pecially the vegan carrot cake. After
sharing dinner with them. If it’s good
all that, you’re likely to feel totally
weather, find a place along the Roy-
pigged out, but it´s absolutely worth
al Mile to sit down, eat, and watch
it. The Baked Potato Shop is mainly
the world go by. You will love it!
a take-away shop, but you will find
a very small square table with a Text and Photos by Nadine Massag
bench. Why don´t you try to have
a sit? Frequently, you will meet
complete strangers there with excit-
ing and funny stories from around
the whole world, and you will love
Where to find: 56 Cock-
burn Street Edinburgh EH1
1PB Costs: From £ 1.40 to £ 4.00
13.
14. 14 old but not boring
People, Let‘s Go Dancing!
...B ut not the kind of dance
where you don’t move away from
the safe spot you found somewhere
on the dance floor, hardly moving
your body and only rhythmically
nodding with the head to the base
drum. No! We’ll be going to a Ceilidh!
...Excuse me, what, you ask? The
name Ceilidh is Gaelic and has its
origin in the Highlands. Traditionally,
clans always had to arrange their In Edinburgh there are many great
own entertainment programme be- places where people get together
cause there was nothing else to do in the evening (after supper- ‘cause
around the area at night, so clan you will need loads of energy) to
chiefs would invite all the clan mem- enjoy cheerful music, to meet out-
bers to their houses, usually the big- going people, to see Kilts which spin
gest of them all, where they gath- around dangerously high, and of
ered to tell stories, play music, and course- to do a lot of dancing! At a
take advantage of the good chance Ceilidh there is always a caller who
for young men to meet young girls of announces the upcoming dance and
their clan. While the Ceilidh originally explains the steps to it. You then
had nothing to do with dancing, over repeat the steps and everything
time dancing became an established comes together for an energetic and
part of the gatherings and is now the cheerful dance, which pften involves
central idea of Ceilidh nights. As one changing partners, many twists,
of Scotland’s many cultural tradi- jumping, and sometimes being spun
tions, participants must do the tradi- around in the air. While it might be
tional dancing to the tunes of a Scot- a bit daunting at the beginning see-
tish band and join in the drinking and ing some “real” Scots in their national
the socialising with all kinds of people dress jumping around as if there’s no
to get the full hands-on experience. tomorrow to get warmed, do not
15. old but not boring 15
Places to go to for a
worry and don’t decide to just “turn Ceilidh night
off” the brain, thinking you don’t
know how to do this. Rather, join The Lot, 4-6 Grassmarket Edin-
in, learn the steps and have a great burgh EH1 2JU;
night out; it will be an awesome ex- Tuesdays from 8pm-11pm; Tick-
perience and a blast you would not et: £6
want to miss out on. After all, there’s
always a bar close by so you might
as well drink the worries away before
getting started on the dance floor! The Ghillie Dhu, 2 Rutland Place
Edinburgh EH1 2AD;
Text by Gabriella Friesen Friday nights 7.30pm; £25 (din-
Photos by Gabriella Friesen, Magda-
Gabrielle ner incl.)
lena Hinterhölzl & Andrea Micheal
