Exploring Edinburgh: The Queen’s Yacht, National Museum, and Exceptional Indian Food

I have always been interested in exploring Scotland — its tradition, and pride in its roots, where men wear colorful plaid skirts. The Queen’s Yacht Britannia is parked on the shore of Edinburgh and turned into a museum to remind the British glory and mighty empire. The famous National Museum of Edinburgh houses Dolly and a superb millennial clock. Scotland represents a weave of tradition and modernity. A train ride from Cambridge station to Liverpool, connecting a beautiful three-hour train ride through the countryside, brought me to Waverly station, Edinburgh, one late afternoon in July. 

While traveling outside the United States, I love staying in local hotels that are different from American brands. In Edinburgh, the boutique residential-style Royal Scottish Club hotel, with the history of the Scottish military, signified the tradition and charm. It is in the heart of Princes Street across the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Garden, within walking distance to the Waverly railway station, the national monuments and the Royal Mile. At the entrance of the hotel, the welcoming and smiling portrait of Princess Anne, the royal patron of the Club, signifies the royal tradition and culture. 

I decided to walk from the station to the hotel from the train station as it was just 15 minutes away. However, it ended up being a 45-minute walk, as my Google Maps did not work without the internet. I resorted to using my Indian way of asking people, which took me in different directions. I got lost and also got drenched in the drizzle. On the positive side, I learned the walking path from the station to the hotel, passing through several monuments, including the famous writer Sir Walter Scott, the National Museum of Art, and the sprawling Princes Street Gardens.

I was hungry. The receptionist at the hotel recommended the local Scottish restaurant. I had my favorite fish and sweet potato fries with a little salad. The waitress was loud but sweet and motherly. She advised me against ordering olives with my food. “I personally do not like them,” she said, adding that I don’t need to order more food since I ordered “a big meal.” Her words felt like a breath of fresh air. In America, that would never happen. Everyone minds their own business, and I appreciated her advice. 

The following day, the breakfast room at the hotel was cozy and elegant, with the tea and food arranged in real China. The lady in waiting who came to the table to ask what we wanted for hot breakfast was like a retired military member with no smile and meant business as if on a mission. The choices were limited — scrambled or poached egg and meatless bacon for vegetarians. A white lesbian couple from Austin, Texas, was having breakfast at the following table. It was their last day after two weeks in Scotland. They both raved about Mother India, a local Indian restaurant in the heart of Edinburgh. My ears perked up, and I was determined to find it.

I was tired of eating fried or scrambled eggs served with fried tomatoes and sweetened baked beans for breakfast every day. Of course, the croissants and pastries were my favorite, unlike the heavy, greasy American ones. The bland breakfast is the defining feature in London, Edinburgh, and Ireland, ubiquitous at every hotel. The saving grace was the freshly brewed tea, the best I looked forward to. For the first time while traveling, I did not miss my home brew, and the fresh tea leaves were enticing. No wonder the British, the best tea makers, are known as creatures of habit, and how can we, the colonials, forget their greatest gifts to India besides cricket?

That afternoon, while getting down on a hop-on and hop-off bus, I asked the Scottish driver if he knew anything about this Indian restaurant. He replied that the popular one was just across the street on St. Andrews Square. 

At Dishoom,  the line was long. I learned that this famous restaurant started in London in 2010 and has several branches. Paying homage to the Irani café from 20th century Bombay, the founders introduced Dishoom  — a little-known aspect of Indian culture synonymous with diversity, cosmopolitanism, and cultural fusion. I saw pav bhaji on the menu; we had to wait 30 minutes past lunch and too early for dinner, which was well worth it. Having chai street style in a glass, sweet potato chaat, kadhai paneer, and dal makhani in the heart of Edinburgh was worth a visit. The cute Sicilian waiter from the port city of Catania served complimentary chai with the amazing pista kulfi. I learned that employees from 26 different nationalities work in that restaurant. For me, the food, ambiance, and the personal care of the waiters made the food exceptional.

A must-visit is Edinburgh Castle, the most incredible pride of the Scotts. As a popular tourist attraction, it is famous for its rich history and military significance. The castle is one of Europe’s oldest monuments, with human activities dating back at least 3,000 years. It’s been a royal residence, military garrison, prison, and fortress, once home to Scottish monarchs. On July 17,, we witnessed a traditional military parade and a 21-gun salute, which happened to be the birthday of Queen Camila. The castle is still an active military base known as the “defender of the nation.” I saw giant posters preparing to host the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on Castle Esplanade in August. 

My narrative would not be complete without mentioning Queen Elizabeth’s luxury yacht, the Royal Yacht Britannia. It served the royal family for 40 years and is now housed at Ocean Terminal, Leith in Edinburgh, a visitor attraction with over 300,000 visits yearly. At the end of a three-hour tour of the royal public and private spaces, including the honeymoon suite of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, we became the royals just for an hour, sipping tea at the cafe on the view deck. It was quite a surreal experience.  

It was time to leave the Scottish world. I had a late flight from Edinburgh to Dublin which gave me plenty of time to see the famous ‘Dolly’ and the millennial clock. So I headed to the monumental National Museum and used the day hopping from floor to floor. Dolly was the first cloned mammal created from an adult cell in July 1996. Dolly’s birth was hugely exciting for the scientific world and the public. It is a vast museum — learning about the Viking invasion, the marriage between the Vikings and the Scottish, the contribution of the Scottish military to the British colonization of the rest of the world, and the significant Scottish diaspora was memorable. 

Scotland stands out as a beautiful combination of tradition and modern, where Scotts are very proud of their roots, culture, courage, and loyalty amid scientific invention and advanced technology.

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Annapurna Devi Pandey teaches Cultural Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and was a postdoctoral fellow in social anthropology at Cambridge University, the U.K. Her current research interests include diaspora studies, South Asian religions, and immigrant women’s identity-making in the diaspora in California. In 2017-18 she received a Fulbright scholarship for fieldwork in India. Dr. Pandey is also an accomplished documentary filmmaker. Her 2018 award-winning documentary “Road to Zuni,” dealt with the importance of oral traditions among Native Americans.