I have reached the end of my first school week in Edinburgh and couldn't possibly be more enchanted with my surroundings. At some point, I'll have to stop ogling at buildings and look like I actually belong in this marvelous city. However, I figure I have a few weeks left of touristy exclamations and behaviors before it gets to be too serious a problem. Last night was my first night out on the town with some fellow international friends and a couple of Scottish guides, showing us the best of the best in Edinburgh nightlife. There's no shortage of things to do here and every street holds new opportunities. Not surprisingly, the night ended in laughter and reminiscing but the beginning may have been the most memorable part.
My friends and I had met up at a flat to start our night at a common location and then proceed to the busy streets. To get to know one another better, we were sitting around the kitchen table, quite enjoying ourselves and swapping stories about our homes. We all were as giddy as could be, wondering, as this was the first night out, what sorts of eventful happenings awaited us. Someone announced that it was finally time to head out and we all ran to the bathroom before embarking. While the others were finishing up, I was waiting in the kitchen and learning all about the Scottish independence movement from an English and a Scottish student, flatmates that seem to revel in their rivalry. Additionally, accents were imitated by both the American and UK students, leaving everyone in stitches. In the middle of this conversation, a friend came in with a horrified expression on, asking that we come look at the toilet because something was wrong. One would think that American and Scottish toilets couldn't be that different, but one would be wrong. Never have I seen so many strange pieces fit together in an even stranger manner.
We all rushed into the not-so-spacious bathroom to see the top of the toilet removed and water flooding into the back of it at an alarming rate. Now, we all had a couple drinks to warm us before we went out into the cold night air and as the majority of us were American, no one in the group was a specialist in Scottish plumbing. Additionally, there was a great concern with ruining one's shoes as water was flowing so quickly that it was now seeping onto the floor, crawling towards an array of expensive heels and boots. One of the flatmates and I were desperately trying to fit a detached balloon-like piece back onto the tube spouting water. Do note how I don't have any actual terminology to explain what was happening. As we tried over and over to force it back on, the water would rebelliously shoot all over us, refusing to be stopped. The best I could think to do was put my finger over the tube and block it, standing in my fancy dress and boots over this monster of a toilet. Eventually, we panicked and sent our Scottish friends to find the residential assistant, who, after seeing the severity of this plumbing problem, called security to have someone come turn the water off so it could be fixed in the morning. It was now midnight and we all were a little worse for the wear. Nonetheless, we were still determined to make a night of it and set out into Edinburgh's streets to have a very fun time, indeed. I don't think I will ever had such an eventful first night out as this one and in the future, I shall be much more wary of the potential threat of plumbing. All in all, we persevered and despite our toilet's best efforts, got to experience Edinburgh's nightlife.
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