Edinburgh | Clarinda's Tea Room
When I'm traveling with my students,
I'm a bit of a sucker for routine.
You see, I'm often doing a similar circuit
that is really fast-paced,
so I enjoy a bit of normalcy in the midst of the whirlwind.
I tend to stick to my pre-approved list of good things
and spend the rest of my time staring blankly at the ceiling of my hotel room
trying to recover and plan for the day ahead.
But sometimes, even in the midst of exhaustion & routine,
you find that places can still charm & surprise you...
like I was in Edinburgh this week.
***
I was heading up the Royal Mile from Holyrood Palace
right as Tyler was arriving at our hotel from the train station.
{Editor's note: Yes, he arrived a day later than I did
because home boy now has three ladies to support
and is feeling some pressure to work some wee longer hours.}
As I huffed my way up the hill in the cold,
I saw a cute little tea room named Clarinda's
that seemed to be glowing from the window
.
I texted Tyler if he wanted to walk down to meet me there instead
and he said he'd be there in ten minutes.
When I walked in the creaky door,
I was patting myself on the proverbial back
for choosing to stop in this gem.
Tiny bouquets of flowers sat on
lace tablecloths draped over the tables...
Blue & white china hung spattered along the wall...
A table full of baked goods
lay before me
glowing with the splendour of a pirates chest
overflowing with golden coins & jewels...
And the menu had so many of my favorite things
at ridiculously cheap prices.
I was in heaven!
Please add this cozy stop to your visit to Edinburgh...
and pretty-please try the carrot cake.
Find Clarinda's on the Royal Mile
at
69 Canongate, Edinburgh Scotland
.
Just walk down and you'll find it
near the bottom of the Royal Mile on your left-
sitting somewhere between the Canongate Kirk
(where economist Adam Smith is buried)
and the new parliament building near Holyrood Palace.
***
For more of my favorite things in Scotland,
for additional posts.
*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy