[UK] Scotland - the home of Burns, Haggis and Heroin Addicts

[beyondweird]

I'd love to come to a meetup if there is one but I'm in Edinburgh with not much internet access as I didn't bring my laptop. If plans are made, could someone message me on facebook: www.facebook.com/quirkysaur because I can get that on my phone.

Thanks

[Sungura]

Okay peeps.

Zohar and I will both be in Edinburgh Nov 17/18/19ish.

1) MEETUP?!?
2) couchsurf??? please please prettyplease?

[Teapot]

I have no flat and no money at the moment so I'm afraid I can't offer somewhere for you to stay. I'd be up for a meet up as long as it didn't involve a lot of spending though.

[Sungura]

You're in Edinburgh now? Why did I think you were up in...Aberdeen or something? Anyway yeah sounds fun! I won't have much $$ to spend anyway haha. I know I wanna visit the castle again, and I know I want to go to the cave (it's a public/show cave) and I know Tuesday night is a meetup of cavers at some pub I need to find out where 'cause I want to join them if I'm there so uh..yeah those are all my ideas thus far.

[Teapot]

I've been in Edinburgh for the past two and a half years. My parents are up in Aberdeen and Lolsaur was in Aberdeen until earlier this year when he moved to Edinburgh too.

[Sungura]

ooooh ok

[Cheese]

I now live in Edinburgh and not out with parents, so should actually be able to make it to meetups this year! I don't believe I have any major coursework deadlines around those dates, so should be free for anything much (again with the preference on inexpensive).

[Zohar]

It's about time I started taking care of all the meetup stuff! I arrive in Edinburgh on the 16th's afternoon and leave on the 19th around noon. When are people available and for what?

[Sungura]

Zohar - I talked to cheese on irc and he said Thursday evening meetup works for him Anyone else up for Thursday the 18th?

[Teapot]

Thursday would be the best day for me too I think. I have classes from 4-5 every day, but I have work/classes all day Wednesday and I'm going to see Harry Potter on Friday morning so I couldn't do then really.

[Cheese]

Yeah, I'm definitely up for the Thursday. Do we have a preferred place to go? Pub or somewhere else?

[Zohar]

I dunno, you live there, you choose. Amy and I are staying at "High Street Hostel" on 8 Blackfriars Street.

[Baldur]

That's a really good, central location. Just right next to there is South Bridge which has a couple of good pubs off of it (Blind Poet, Peartree, Brass Monkey) and there is the Cowgate, which has some other good pubs (Opium, for one. Teapot will know this one better than I, I feel). The hight street is right there, as can be seen from Google Maps, with the castle (which is relatively expensive) right up the west end of that street. Prince's Street is a brief 5 minute walk away, filled with a multitude of highstreet shops, tourist shops, cafes and restaurants. Also, Waverley station is just off of there, as well as Prince's Street Gardens (which will be cold round about now) as well as the Wallace Monument (also chilly).

Thursday works for me as well, I am easy as to the location. National Museum of Scotland is on Chambers Street, just off South Bridge. It is a really awesome museum, which is entirely free to access. It was the location of our first meet-up, which was followed by a trip the Tron for a nice pub lunch.

There is a really lovely and cute vegetarian restaurant nearby called Black Bo's, I will have to check the exact location.

[Teapot]

Opium's not really pub-y, more like across between a pub and a club and kind of noisy for a meet up. It's also one of those palces where people either love it or hate it. I really like it.

If we're doing food on Thursday the Tron is usually pretty good for pub food or we could go on a wee trek to the Slug and Lettuce in the omni centre (currently my favourite pub food venue) although I'm not sure how expensive that is since I usually go on Mondays when they have offers on. Um... I'm trying to think of places to eat that aren't pubs or fast food places and I'm struggling to think of many that I've been to. There's Viva Mexico but I don't know how expensive it is either and it's usually busy all the time.

[Sungura]

I had pub food last time i was there and thought it was good. I think we just need to be sure there is veggitarian stuff though for Zohar, right? I'd be up for the vegitarian restraunt as well. I like veggie foods Whatever ya'all want.

[Teapot]

I mostly eat veggie anyway so most places I eat serve vegetarian food. There are a few really nice vegetarian restaurants in Edinburgh* but I've only tried a few of them. There's a vegan place near the bus station somewhere that was quite nice but I'm not sure if I'd be able to find it again... This requires more searching!

*If you want a nice veggie meal go to David Bann. It's quite expensive but it's sooooo tasty. It comes Teapot recommended.

[Zohar]

Dinner and drinks sounds great! And vegetarian restaurant recommendations are highly appreciated.

[addams]

This thread started two years ago.

Well? Did you meat up? Ever? Yet?

I am in California. I have been to Scotland.
As I read you posts I imagined Edinburgh.

Then, I realized that each post has a date.
How interesting. Did you meet?
Did you like one another?

Two years and you are still just thinking about it?
Is that normal for Scotland? For humans? Really?

[Sungura]

I guess you didn't read the thread? There have been a lot of meetups...the thread is as old as it is and still active because it keeps being used. For example, me last summer when I was in Edinburgh. I've met 4 forumites from Scotland in the last year, will meet more shortly.

[Baldur]

Two years and you are still just thinking about it?
Is that normal for Scotland? For humans? Really?

So, shall I just leap to the conclusion of "you're an ass" or the one which says "you obviously haven't read the thread"?

You're from California, that's nice. Is it relevant to this thread? Was your post needed at all?

I've been to America. Should I post in every single American meet-up thread?

[Cheese]

I'm afraid I'm completely useless where veggie options are concerned, but would be happy with eating anywhere that people know the food would be enjoyable. The Auld Hoose is a decent pub for food, if I remember correctly... and Doctors, though that's maybe a bit busy for a meetup most of the time. I've not eaten at either of the places Teapot mentions.

[Sungura]

i forget the name of where we met at last year...all I remember is that red hal ordered a drink for everyone and everyone laughed when I just wanted hot chocolate. They actually had some at the bar too. It was really awesome hot chocolate too. I need to find some more of that stuff.

So yeah...i'm not much help. But somewhere with good hot chocolate is a bonus!

[Baldur]

Ok, so dinner and drinks is the plan, then? A pub we can decide on after the meal, but the actual meal location should probably be decided beforehand. How do people feel about pub food? If not pub food, Black Bo's is reasonably cheap and veggie. David Bann is also a veggie option. If those don't suit, there are a bajillion (totally a real, surveyed number) "mainstream" restaurants.

If people are not keen on meal and drinks, we can do something which involves an activity. For example, we have Edinburgh Castle which is pretty awesome and full of interesting historical things. We also have the National Museum of Scotland, which is jsut as it sounds and has the added benefit of being free. There is also Dynamic Earth, which is a tourist centre about geology, but I'm not sure it is pitched at our age range. On the plus side, they have a presentation on the stars which is narrated by David Tennant! Still a cool place.

What are peoples thoughts?

Edit: Annoyingly, you'll just miss my friends production of the BFG, it shows on the 24th.

[Sungura]

I think if it's evening then yeah dinner/drinks is a good idea. If we are meeting up in the afternoon...I approve of free! I also approve of seeing hte castle again because it is awesome.

[Red Hal]

I am trying hard to see if I can wangle a couple of hours on Thursday evening (see previous posts regarding relations staying). It would be fantastic if I could see you, even if only for a couple of hours. Again, though, I can't promise anything.

[Sungura]

I'll have big hugs for you if you can make it!

Ooh I know. We can all suit up and have paintball guns and kidnap you!

...that might get us in trouble though, huh? it was just a thought...

[Adacore]

I'm in Glasgow (on the opposite side) on the 18th and 19th for work... so I might be able to make it to Edinburgh for the evening. Not sure how feasible it'd be though - I'll look into it.

[_wtw_]

I'm at Falkirk - but with school and other commitments on a thursday it'll be difficult to reach y'all, plus with time to get there and back I can't really see myself making it. '-.- i've been watching this thread six months! But what with me being too young to drink it would likely restrict the meetup somewhat anyway, and i'm not convinced i'd fit in being so small ^.^

Butbut! Is it too early to consider a christmas meetup?

[Teapot]

I usually go up to Aberdeen over Christmas so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do any time near Christmas (since I have essays and exams at the start of December too).

As for Thursday, how does the Slug and Lettuce sound to everybody? Everything is getting fixed and being awesome for me recently and I think that would be a very awesome addition to my plans for the week. They do good pub food. Lots of veggie pasta (their veggie lasagne is sooo good) plus falafel burgers and I think some kind of vegetable curry as well as all the usual burgers and fish and chips and thing. They're pretty reasonably priced too. We could meet somewhere after 5 (that's the earliest I'm free) and talk a walk down to the omni centre to eat?

[Adacore]

I'm pretty sure I can get to Edinburgh Waverley by 19:00; if I can get out of work early-ish I may be able to get there by 18:00 - earlier than that is not likely to be possible. So... basically if I know the venue by early afternoon on Thursday, and it's close-ish to Waverly (I think the Slug and Lettuce fits this criteria), and y'all will still be around for a while after 7pm, I'll probably come along!

[Cheese]

For christmas I also have exams until about the 18th, but stay near to town over the entire period so could maybe come to a meetup.

Slug and Lettuce sounds like a good idea for Thursday, I have class till five and all but can meet up anytime after that no problem. As far as meeting up goes, do people want to say on top of Princes Mall if the weather is clear? Open paved area right next to Waverley Station. As for indoors... I guess there's the coffee shop (think its Costa) with an entrance right there?

[Teapot]

The coffee shop is a costa. I'm a regular - they gave me a favoured customer bonus on my points card and everything... Yet to decide if that's awesome or just really sad. The paved bit outside is probably a pretty good place to meet. It's pretty easy to find and we should all see each other fine.

I don't mind what time we meet up. If people don't mind having a slightly later tea we could probably hold off until about 6ish or after then so Adacore can make it.

If it's looking like I'm going to be late (my class sometimes goes over 5 since the lecturer sometimes forgets that most of us would rather go home than listen to him talk about his favourite modernist piece some more) or I can't find people for whatever reason I have Cheese's number and also Amy's (assuming neither of you have changed numbers recently) so I'll let you know

[Baldur]

I'll meet with Teapot beforehand and just pop along with her.

[Cheese]

I have Amy's number too, and am PMing Teapot just to make sure she has mine.

[Zohar]

I'm fine with whatever you decide. I added my phone number to FB so it's visible to friends of mine (which includes Snug, Teapot, Cheese and Baldur), so that shouldn't be a problem. tomorrow I'm arriving to Edinburgh! Any suggestions on what I should do Wednesday afternoon and Thursday until the meetup?

[Teapot]

Definitely visit the museum on Chamber's Street. It's awesome and also completely free. It's always good for a fun way to spend a few hours or a whole day in Edinburgh.

[Baldur]

A wander up the Royal Mile is always fun and there are often free tours that gather and depart from the area. Also, the castle is fun. Watch out of the one mention of Dunnottar Castle! Also, Prince's Street Gardens. It'd be better if the winter fair was up and running, but it's not for a few weeks yet.

[Baldur]

This is the paved area where we are meeting then, on Thursday at or around 5pm.

[Zohar]

Awesome! Thanks for the map, I know where to go. I'll be there.

[Sungura]

Guess who found me in Edinburgh?