The Royal Mile

[robthehiker]

Part of me agrees, but enough people think otherwise for laws to be passed requiring food ingredients to be listed on packaging, autos to declare their estimated gas mileage, public schools to declare parental rights in writing, etc. There's an established tradition of saving the ignorant, at least in the USA.

Right, so if the laws are being broken something should be done. If not... then not.

[Woot22]

This is a bit off topic, but since the Parliament building was mentioned earlier I wanted to give my own opinion on it. The first time I laid eyes on it, I absolutely hated the look. It just seemed so awkward and out of place. But since visiting Edinburgh a few more times since then it has sort of grown on me. Now I see the building as less awkward and just really unique and it even sort of "feels" right. Not sure what has changed my perspective but it really has just grown on me over time. I am wondering if our fellow XMTS who live in Edinburgh feel the same way.

[The Kilted Reverend]

I have to weigh in on this by saying that I think we are comparing apples and oranges. Someone has already said that most tourist will not shell out a ton off money for a "souvenir". When I was in the UK in '07 I did not try to buy anything expensive as a momento. In fact the one thing that I brought back was a guide book from anywhere I went that sold them.

The casual tourist is not looking for a hand-sewn tank. They are looking for something that they will never wear but be able to say that they bought a kilt in Edinburgh. These shops are selling "kilts" as a souvenir just like here in Kentucky we sell anything with a horse on it.

It is capitalism, plain and simple.

Rev.

[Woot22]

These shops are selling "kilts" as a souvenir just like here in Kentucky we sell anything with a horse on it.
Rev.

Problem is these are not "kilts" at all and should not be allowed to be sold as such. It only serves to debase the Scottish culture further peoples misunderstanding of Scottish heritage.

[Edinburghkiltie]

Earlier in this thread a member commented that he did not see many kilts in Edinburgh. Kilt wearing - this depends on where one goes on any particular day/evening and also the time of the year/week. People generally wear kilts for events ranging from rugby, football internationals, parties, formal dinners, burns nights, ceilidhs, pubbing sometimes, highland games, festival events, indeed any event where one can be bothered to dress up or get 'party-ed up' so to speak. So midweek in winter will not see many kilts about save the odd piper but Friday nights and weekends it is quiet common to see a few kilties or thousands if it is a rugby day. Here are a few examples:



Kilties in the Grassmarket



Kilted Bar Staff at new Ghillie Dhu pub - many patrons kilted and on Friday nights there is a ceilidh too.




Royal Mile during Festival




Royal Museum Party (Rainbow Kilts)



Royal Mile



Deacon Brodies Tavern - Royal Mile




Charlotte Square



Princes Street Gardens



Assembly Rooms - George Street



Murrayfield

I realise the list is endless so rather than over dominate the postings I'll simply refer you to my Kilted Life Album http://richardfindlay.zenfolio.com/kiltedlife

[GG]

We were in Edinburgh for almost 4 days total, and in that time I saw two dudes in kilts. One was a military personal at the Castle in uniform, and one was another American trudging up High Street towards the Castle. That's it.

The Scots don't deserve their kilts!

Greg

[Jock Scot]

The Scots don't deserve their kilts!

Greg

I can't help but agree with you, particularly the way the kilt is, too often, worn in such a sloppy way by some people. It REALLY upsets me to see the kilt worn like(most of) those in the pictures of Edinburghkiltie's.

I know there are those that say; "the kilt is only a piece of clothing", or,"its my kilt and I will wear it how I like",or "What has it got to do with you?" No doubt there are also umpteen other perfectly valid replies to justify how and why they are wearing the kilt so badly and of course they are right,.............from their point of view.

BUT they forget one thing! They just look damn stupid and, for what it is worth , that is my opinion.

Edinburghkiltie, I am not getting at you sir. You are only showing us what you see.

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

As far as the practice of "tiering" by a merchant, consider that The Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy are owned by the same corporate entity. Thus they provide the high end, mid-level and low end of very similar product lines all at the same time...oh, Lord, how the money rolls in!...

Which one produces the high end clothing?

[Lachlan09]

As for the new parliment building, I thought it provided a very unbridled and powerful statement of independence in contrast to the Georgian architecture of the English rule.

-Ian

Ian

I think you'll find that the main people involved in designing the Georgian New Town, master-planner James Craig, architect William Chambers, most famously-associated architect Robert Adam and later, Robert Reid, were all Scottish. No English hands needed – we Scots did it all by ourselves.


How much did the cost of the new parliamentary building over-run by again ?

[robthehiker]

Ian

How much did the cost of the new parliamentary building over-run by again ?

from wikipedia (an always reliable source...):
"From the outset, the building and its construction have proven to be highly controversial. The choices of location, architect, design, and construction company were all criticised by politicians, the media and the Scottish public.[8] Scheduled to open in 2001, it did so in 2004, more than three years late with an estimated final cost of £414m, many times higher than initial estimates of between £10m and £40m."