NEW YEAR AT EDINBURGH

New Year has come with new opportunity, new challenges, and new chance. Having the opportunity to experience the transition between years, almost everyone in the world celebrate this moment in each of their unique ways. This year I have the opportunity to celebrate new year eve at Scotland capital city, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

My friends and I started our trip from Buchanan Bus Station Glasgow on 31st December 2011 at 15:00. There was 11 of us going on a trip to Edinburgh for New Year. The trip from Glasgow to Edinburgh took approximately 1 hour by bus.

THE ELEPHANT HOUSE:



Before the New Year event started, we came to visit one of the most popular coffee shop in Edinburgh. It is called "The Elephant House". To reach this coffee shop it took about 30 minutes walk from the Edinburgh bus station. This coffee shop is so cozy. The food and drinks were not that expensive also. For a cup of Cappuccino, it only cost GBP 2.75. The taste of the coffee was also just like any other ordinary coffee sold in ordinary coffee shop even though the coffee shop itself was extra ordinary. It was delicious and it was worthed!





But then, why is it so popular? Well the one and only reason was perhaps it's because it was the place where JK.Rowling wrote her book of Harry Potter. The popularity of this book made this coffee shop becomes very popular also. Entering this coffee shop was like MAGIC. I don't know weather this feeling is attached because I know that JK.Rowling was here writing the most phenomenon book called Harry Potter, or is it this place that creates it's own magical atmosphere?

On the entrance, we can see lot's of beautiful elephants decorations. From paintings to decorative porcelain, everything is very elephant. The lighting of this coffee shop is also wonderful. Not too dark nor too bright. It gives the deep feeling of coziness and comfort. Most importantly, we can get a wonderful view of the Edinburgh castle from this coffee shop. I now understand where JK.Rowling receive such a great magical inspiration resulting Harry Potter.

Here we ordered coffee to drinks and to fill our self with caffeine since we will stay up all night long. We chat and make new year resolution in this coffee shop. We were hoping that the resolution made in this coffee shop will result such magical result in the end. For my resolution, I wanted to have at least one book published in 2012 having my self written as the author of the book. I do hope that I can achieved this resolution. I must...

We stayed at the coffee shop until it is closed. At 22:00 where the coffee shop is closing, we took a walk to the Edinburgh Castle to see the firework.

HOGMANAY EDINBURGH:



Hogmanay is a Scottish word meaning the last day of the year. It has the synonym of celebrating the last day of the year (new year eve party). The Hogmanay Party in Edinburgh is one of the most popular event in Scotland. In Edinburgh itself, there was the Street Party and the Keilidh Party. For the street party, we have to pay GBP 15. For the Keilidh Party, we have to pay GBP 35. Since we don't want to pay any money for the party (typical Indonesian Student LOL), we decided to celebrate the new year in a "no cost" way. So we gather near the Edinburgh castle just to see the fire work playing.

When we arrived in the castle, there were not many people waiting in the castle. Perhaps it's because we arrived too early for the celebration. It doesn't matter though since we're able to be in the first row to see the fire work. The only thing that matter is the freezing temperature and the hard wind that were blowing. To eliminate our feeling of tiredness and coldness, we were singing and eating like crazy. It actually works to warm us up a bit..:D



As time passes by, more and more people were coming to the Edinburgh Castle. The place that were cold, becomes warmer as more people enter the street of Edinburgh Castle. The street becomes very crowded as it becomes closer to the transition of the year between 2011 and 2012. Many people from different countries, race, religion, and ethnicity comes together in peace to celebrate the New Year together with the love of humanism.



Finally, the countdown started. As the countdown ends with "zero", beautiful fireworks started playing. Everybody was cheering for the beauty of the firework and the new spirit of entering a new beginning in 2012. The firework last for approximately 6 minutes. As the firework ended, there we are in a new year with brand new spirit. Everyone was cheering with Joy.. Everyone was congratulating for the new year.

A New Year...
A New Beginning..
A New Opportunity...
A New Challenge...
A New Spirit...
A New Chance...

Happy New Year Everyone...

Hope everyone for a wonderful year in 2012 filled with blessings and joy...