The Tourist Psychology

Living in the capital of Scotland I encounter my fair share of tourists. You can usually spot them a mile off with their cameras pointing up at some unknown building ('that's just a Greggs mate!') and a map sprawled across their face because of the relentless gale blowing at them from every which way. In fact the easiest thing you can do to identify a tourist during the week is by asking yourself if they are either a student or a businessperson; if they are neither of those then it is highly likely that they are in town for the sights and sounds. I love seeing tourists because they all seem so happy - they have every right to be, they're on holiday after all - and they make you see your home city in a whole different way. For example, I saw a group of tourists (it was the camera thing this time that gave them away) standing at the top of one of Edinburgh's many steep closes and I thought 'what in St Giles' name are they looking at?': it turns out that if you stop to look down those steep piles of steps, it's something to behold. Instead of getting your head down to avoid eye-contact with the junkie standing on one of the steps, have a look past him (or the ever increasing number of 'hers' I see at the side of streets) and appreciate how cool these places are. If it turns out that there wasn't much to look at then the chances are that the tourists were in fact taking pictures of said junkie - they are (sadly) a part of our culture after all.

It seems like an eternally impossible idea to be a tourist in your home city but how many of you have actually taken a proper tour around yours? There must, after all, be a good reason why so many people flock to Edinburgh every year. I spend days on end there and yet see a very small percentage of what I know to be a fantastic city; 'we'll go to the Scot Monument and then Edinburgh University lecture theatres' doesn't sound like a common part of a holiday itinerary. I have been visiting Edinburgh since I was a lad but up until about 12 months ago if someone had asked me the way to the University I would have thrown a map at them and then bolted down Princes Street. It makes me feel like I really don't know the place that well despite the vast amount of time I've spent walking around there. I'm pretty sure that if I went on one of the bus tours (which drove under the window of my old flat: 'and on your right is where they keep those horrible student creatures. Don't breathe in.') then I would learn so many interesting things. It might well be a sign of complete ignorance the fact that I don't but at the same time it might also just be because I know my Edinburgh and that is all I need. 

And just on that very point I come to the thing that made me want to write a post on this subject. I love the fact that Edinburgh is very much full of tourists, the reason for which is that I like to 'show off' my city. It's a nice feeling you get when you see crowds of people milling up and down the Royal Mile and you know that the place is your home. When I am on holiday in a place like Rome, I always think to myself 'wouldn't it be awesome to live here; to have the Roman Forum on your doorstep?'. I might not have any proof for this but I think that the people that come to Edinburgh must think something along the same lines. It's a unique city after all,; nothing like Rome or Paris and there is certainly nothing like it in North America. This is of course the main reason why we all go on holiday: to get away from the norm and sample someone else's domain. When I think about it, I must be a part of a fairly rare breed of people that really love their home city. It might be because I've only recently moved there but as I said, I've been going there for years (sometimes every weekend when I was younger) and it has always been where I'm from - mainly because nobody knows where Livingston is!

The irony of this post is that I'm going to become a tourist very soon in mainland Europe. Scottish tourists are easier to spot abroad than any other: sheet white legs, socks with sandals and wielding a haggis before our sporrans. OK, that last part is jocular but we are noticeable but so are Americans, Italians, Germans etc. I'm now going to be the one visiting their home cities thinking 'wouldn't it be nice to live or just spend more time here?' whilst they nip out to their local corner shop for a pint of milk. If they feel the same way that I do about Edinburgh then they will see my epic tan lines and feel proud that people keep coming back to their city. It is one thing to be proud of your nationality (which Scottish people are more than most) but it is something else to be proud of where you live. Home really is where the heart is!

Thanks again for reading - it feels good to be back writing substantial posts again! 

Martin