Edinburgh, 2018
Rose Street, in Edinburgh’s New Town, is not particularly new. New Town dates back to the reign of George III, which is an era many of you know for the American Revolution. In comparison to the Old Town of Edinburgh–a snarl of alleys and ginnels, a mess of hills and ridges– this New Town is bold and orderly in layout.
But orderly facades are always facades, and architectural symmetry always belies the messier lives there housed. So consider New Town. The main streets (Queen Street, George Street, and Princes Street) are wide and regal. But tucked between are smaller streets– more like grand alleys– running through the blocks, like veins through flesh. And here lies Rose Street.
Today, Rose Street is a pedestrian road peppered with bakeries, pubs, restaurants, and shops, but it still retains a “back alley” aura. Not least because it has an outrageous number of pubs, and sometimes an outrageous number of people stumbling out of those pubs and weaving from wall to wall the length of the street. All told, it’s reputation is generally respectable, if just a bit sodden, these days. It’s cleaned up a bit from the red light reputation it had 60 years ago. In fact, it’s home to many more-than-reputable restaurants — 1780 being one I can heartily vouch for.
I bring up Rose Street today, because I stumbled on the lead photo for this post the other day– a photo I took of some street art , part of a series on Rose Street. It struck a chord, but I had no idea what the verses presented were all about. Today, I sleuthed about the internet to find that they represent bits of a poem by Scotsman George Mackay Brown, who, as it happens, used to drink in a bar named Milne’s, sat on the corner of a street named Rose, running like a vein through the arm of New Town.
Bottoms Up, dear George! Today I celebrate your poem, “Beachcomber,” and think about Edinburgh’s New Town, sat side by side with a very old town and perched on the edge of a cold North Sea, both harsh and beautiful.
Beachcomber
Monday I found a boot –
Rust and salt leather.
I gave it back to the sea, to dance in.
Tuesday a spar of timber worth thirty bob.
Next winter
It will be a chair, a coffin, a bed.
Wednesday a half can of Swedish spirits.
I tilted my head.
The shore was cold with mermaids and angels.
Thursday I got nothing, seaweed,
A whale bone,
Wet feet and a loud cough.
Friday I held a seaman’s skull,
Sand spilling from it
The way time is told on kirkyard stones.
Saturday a barrel of sodden oranges.
A Spanish ship
Was wrecked last month at The Kame.
Sunday, for fear of the elders,
I sit on my bum.
What’s heaven? A sea chest with a thousand gold coins.
George Mackay Brown
Travels and Tomes: One Expat's Amblings and Ramblings 
Fascinating place to have a beer in good company!
Hello, Peter! I have a lot of catching up to do on your blogs– I’ve missed reading them! And, yes, Rose Street is a lovely place to have a beer, or an slice of pizza, or haggis and whiskey. . . and always in good company. Cheers!
I have been to Edinburgh twice in the last year, this past December and about a month ago. My daughter and her husband have been there for a little over a year as she went to the university to work on her Masters degree. They live in a cute little flat on the top floor of a building on Rose Street! They have a view of the castle from their bedroom window. When we were there in December, we stayed at an Air B&B just down the street from them. I love Edinburgh – great city.
It is a great place! And I can imagine the view from a rooftop flat on Rose St is spectacular! That was a nice find! We’ve stayed in The Principal Edinburgh Charlotte Square, just off the corner of Rose. It’s a lovely place.
Hope you have a fantastic time in Edinburgh! We are lucky enough to live in the New Town but you taught me a couple of things I didn’t know about Rose Street! Also, have you noticed the patterns made out of sea pebbles along the street, on the ground? I have always loved them and what I find interesting is that you can see similar ones in greek islands like Spetses.
I do remember those sea pebbles! I’ll have to take a closer look next time I’m there. . . hopefully next spring. And you are very lucky to live there. I know the winters are tough, but it’s such a fantastic city.
Lovely poem and glad to see you blogging again
Thanks so much. Nice to be back!
Welcome back! A great post to celebrate your re-entry to the blogosphere.
Hi– I’ve missed the community! Glad to be back.
Nice to see you back, scattering a few gold coins into the blogging sea chest.
Brilliant response! This is why I’ve missed blogging. Thanks!
Wagnificent 🐾
Nose nudges,
CEO Olivia
Glad to see you back blogging and enjoyed the post.
Thank you! Glad to be back.
So pleased to have found your blog. Excellent writing.
You might enjoy this ex-pat story, bit ancient now but still…..http://bit.ly/2wlU10s
Thanks, John. I’ll check out Broadsides–thanks for the tip! I always love to find other ex-pat blogs!