As I sit in a small coffee shop on George IV St. in Old City Edinburg, contemplating my next destination, I realize that I really have nothing concrete planned on this trip, except to backpack around Europe and bust out a few cities in areas that I have not yet been too. I also realize that when you leave things up to the unfolding of the universe, there really are no coincidences. Scotland is at the foot of winter and that means it is a little chillier and that the wind cuts a little deeper, but it also means that there are very little tourists. So far the people I have met do not seem to be in any kind of rush, the get in all they can in a very short amount of time, like most “busy” travelers. I am Staying in a hostel with other travelers, mostly younger, but none the less with the same penchant for adventure, I am immersed with a new breed of seekers, some looking for the vibrancy of another city, some for the culture and some just to visit places distant and different from there towns and neighborhoods from which they came. I find this to be a perfect time to travel (so far), with gaping cracks in the city’s “tourist” facade, and revealing glimpses of the city where locals are more themselves along with a timely view which offers up what the city is truly made of. Like most European cities a strong resilience and sustainability, driven by heritage, pride and tempered timeline of the city’s trials and tribulations. I like this “off season” and “off the beaten path” approach to my adventure. I will stay in Edinburg a few days then off to discover the mean streets of Glasgow. ☮️