Dark Empty Streets And Warm Whiskey Dreams

Finding flights and fiddles in Edinburgh, Scotland

“It’s down this street” I pointed, hopeful. But as we turned the corner, my heart sank. The street was empty. Deserted. And dark. We were looking for a fun bar to do some whiskey tasting, but nothing on this street looked open, much less like a gateway to a memorable evening.

This was the first night of the first trip my sort-of-boyfriend and I took together. In reality, we hadn’t even planned the trip together. I had planned a solo trip to Edinburgh, and he called me on the first night and asked if he could fly in and join me. I was impressed by his spontaneity, but nervous it was too soon. We had only been dating a few months, and I liked traveling alone.

The first day would be a flag for how the rest of the week was going to go. I just wasn’t sure what color the flag would be.

The snow crunched under our feet as we continued in silence. I opened my mouth to say something hopeful but shut it as we walked by yet another store that was dark and closed. “Are you sure this was where you wanted to go?” he asked. His voice was steady, but his eyes were doubtful. “Yeah, I’m sure,” I said, not meeting his gaze. I had researched the best bars to go to Edinborough and this was the one that was recommended over and over. They said they were open online, but my optimism was fading fast. It was supposed to be at the end of the street, but we had not passed a single place that was open. I wondered if the evening was going to start on a low note.

“It’s there on the left,” I said, relieved we had found it. The building had thick, black siding, and the windows were covered by heavy drapes. As we got closer, I couldn’t see any lights, and I silently cursed my luck in my head.

I reached forward and pulled at the handle to the front door, expecting to feel the tug of a locked door. But, instead — whoosh! The door slid open, warm air and lights rushing out with it. There was also music. Bagpipes, a fiddle, and a couple of other instruments I couldn’t name. “Let’s check it out,” I said, looking up at my boyfriend and smiling. He smiled back and grabbed my hand.

We walked into the bar and I knew instantly I had made the right decision. It was perfect. A jolly bartender was pouring a whiskey-tasting flight at the bar. There was a roaring fireplace. Small groups and couples sat at tables tucked in cozy corners. And a group of five musicians were at a table drinking and playing their instruments, jamming in harmony as the mood hit them.

What followed was one of my favorite nights to date with my then-boyfriend and now husband. We tasted whiskey, sang with the band, danced, and closed down the bar. We ended the night drinking on the walk back to our hotel with a few new friends we had met.

It started with uncertainty, but ended with an amazing experience we still talk about.

That night there were no red flags… just whiskey-soaked green ones.

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