A visit to Edinburgh, the Athens of the North

Editor's note: Erick Harris, a graduate of Central High School in Cape Girardeau, is spending a semester in London for an internship in Parliament and is writing about his experiences.

For several centuries Scotland and England have shared a monarch; however, it was not until their official union that the Kingdom of Great Britain was created. Having familiarized myself a bit with England and its history, I took my travels north to another kingdom -- Scotland. This trip was an effort to familiarize myself with the history of Scotland prior to its union with England. Since Scotland is a large country, I decided to spend a day in Scotland's capital, and arguably most well-known city, Edinburgh.

When I stepped out of the station in Edinburgh, the screeching sound of bagpipes filled the air and my head. It was a pleasure to hear the bagpipers and speakers all day across the city.

I began my day at historic Edinburgh Castle. Centuries ago it was used for residence by Scottish royalty. At other times it was used as a Scottish stronghold. Inside the great fortress, there is a tiny church that the tour guide claimed had stood for nearly a millennium. The castle now serves as a war museum as well as an exhibition displaying Scotland's crown jewels and oldest regalia.

After spending a few hours exploring the historic castle and seeing exhilarating views of the city, I decided to leave and travel down the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is the main street of old Edinburgh, which stretches from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

As I began my trek towards the Palace of Holyroodhouse, I took the time to pop in and out of places of interest which add to Scotland's history. One such place was the Scottish Whisky Heritage Centre, which describes the history of scotch. Another was a museum which presents a convincing exhibit of the Loch Ness Monster's existence. I also passed the old and new buildings of Scottish Parliament.

Across from the new Scottish Parliament building was the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Although I did not enter the Palace of Holyroodhouse, its grandeur was likened to other royal palaces I have visited. I then spent the next hour hiking up Arthur's Seat.

Arthur's Seat was created by volcanic activity and is one of the highest peaks in Edinburgh. The view from atop the hill is gorgeous -- especially on a clear afternoon.

To conclude the day, I decided to walk over to the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden. This garden was founded in the 17th century as a place to grow and research plants that cured illnesses of the day. I thought of it as more of a blossoming garden ideal for a relaxing springtime stroll -- though it still serves several practical purposes. Since its beginning, the Royal Botanic Garden has grown to include a world-renowned institute that teaches horticulture and botanical research, and it also has the largest collection of Chinese plants growing outside of China.

Visiting Edinburgh and understanding a completely different culture has been a hands-on learning experience that I will not soon forget. And as I reflect upon my trip to Scotland, I realize its importance in the development of Great Britain, although it is often overshadowed by historical events after its union with England.

Harris is a graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School and attends Vanderbilt University in Nashville.