I have so much to write about Edinburgh.
After spending five months here, it is honestly my favourite city in Europe. I guess I am abit bias but everything, the routines, the walks, and the small things really started to make it feel familiar, almost like a home away from home.
I stayed in Shrubhill House, a student accommodation along Leith Walk. It was my first time living in a room without aircon, but with a heater instead, something I never thought I would have to think about coming from Singapore.
Also, we each had a private toilet! But that also meant we had to clean it on our own…
When I first arrived, it was around 1 to 4 degrees. The days got dark really early, sometimes before I even realised it. It was also my first proper winter, and honestly I don’t think I fully understood what that meant until I experienced it myself. What do you mean the sky get dark at 4pm and rises at 8am?!
And slowly, I started settling into a routine.
The place itself was something I grew to really like.
My accoms was situated along Leith Walk, which is a street filled with small cafes, bars, specialty shops, and unique bookstores. The whole area felt lived-in and not overly polished, which made it more interesting to explore.
From my accoms, it was about a 35 to 40 minute walk to school. It sounds far, but it never really felt that way. The cooling weather and the sights along the route made the walk much more forgiving and even something I look forward to.
Along the way, I would pass by places like Typewronger Books, the Omni Centre, St James Quarter, Calton Hill, and eventually make my way towards the Royal Mile and Old College and the Meadows. Near the city centre, there is also The Gym Group, which became a regular night activity for me and my bro, Shane, while the girls preferred their morning gym sessions.
On days when we felt lazy, we would take the bus right outside our accommodation. It took about 20 minutes to get to school.
The buses reminded me a lot of Singapore. Double deckers with a similar layout. But most of them only had front doors, and one thing that really stood out was how people would thank the bus driver as they got off.
It’s such a small thing, but it made everything feel more friendly and human.
Honestly it’s something I wish we did more back in Singapore. Although that would probably mean exiting from the front door and getting side-eyed by all the aunties trying to board, which I don’t think I’m ready for yet.
Most of my days in Edinburgh were actually quite simple. I usually wake up around 9am, and I would make my coffee, then grab something quick for breakfast. Usually a sausage roll from Greggs, or croissants from the nearby supermarket. Sometimes I would get a sandwich from Picnic Basket, goated place near school with lots of students queuing for it.
Usually for dinner, I would meal prep beforehand, and bring it to school to heat it up in the microwaves.
To be honest, I wasn’t attending classes that much. I spent quite a bit of time travelling around Europe, about 62 days in total. So when I was back in Edinburgh, I mainly “self-studied”.
The main library became where I spent most of my time. It is open 24 hours as I wished SG libraries would too. I would usually get there in the late morning and stay all the way until past 10pm and a few times even after midnight. One of the best parts about studying there was the view. You could actually see Arthur’s Seat from inside, which made long hours feel slightly less suffocating. It was also right beside the Meadows.
This was probably my favourite part of the day.
I would usually take breaks in between, with a walk to the Meadows either in the afternoon or evening. At the start it was really quiet because of the cold. But as it got warmer, everything changed. People started sitting on the grass, hanging out, and it just felt very alive.
It is a kind of atmosphere we do not really see in Singapore. Slower, more relaxed, people just enjoying being outside.
There was also a period where the sakura bloomed, which made the walks even nicer. Imagine the 2 vids was just a month apart! The trees went from bare to bloom, just boom.
At some point, the city just clicked for me.
Edinburgh felt like this wise, friendly old guy. A bit mysterious but also very calming and inviting at the same time.
The people I met there were genuinely nice, and the city is so well preserved that sometimes it did not even feel real. Walking through certain streets honestly felt like I was inside Harry Potter.
What I enjoyed the most were the slower moments. Just taking long walks around my accommodation, sitting at the park, zoning out, watching ducks, or seeing people walk their dogs and bring their kids out.
There was one morning where I walked all the way to Port of Leith along the Water of Leith stream, which was about an hour. Nothing particularly special, but it is one of those memories that stuck. Just walking with no rush, no agenda.
I think the weather played a big part in all of this. It made everything feel slower, quieter, and somehow more intentional.
Ok it’s like 3am now, I shall continue this blog post another time, but just know that Edin has a special place in my heart <3 -KH
— 02/04/2026 —
Gonna continue this blog. I think what I haven’t really shared is the places in Edinburgh.
I wouldn’t really call these must-go places, but more like spots that left a memory in me, especially now as I write this almost a year later.
One of my favourite finds was this sausage roll spot near the Meadows, Max Bakes Gourmet Sausage Rolls. 
The rolls here are SOOO MEATY and YUMMMYY. So for those who don’t know, a sausage roll in UK is not really the typical sausage wrapped in puff pastry, but its like minced meat and it can come in many different fillings! For someone who loves the taste of meat and just biting into mouthful of unprocessed meat, Max Bakes got my stomach on a chokehold. They have quite a selection, from haggis and black pudding rolls, to venison and red wine, classic pork, and personally my favourite, the apple pork cheddar.
It always hit the spot, especially after studying for half a day when I really needed that break. And not to mention, the guys there were always super friendly and helpful, which just made the whole experience even better.
^not from Max Bakes, but from Ginger Pig in Borough Market, London (another favourite). Why do we not have sausage rolls in SG?!
Just beside it is Upland Roasts. Their hot chocolate with torched marshmallows is honestly one of life’s simple pleasures. It just hits differently in winter.
Oh, and one thing I lowkey miss is the exotic food like haggis and black pudding.
Haggis is made from sheep’s offal, usually the heart, liver and lungs, mixed with oats, spices, and fat. Black pudding is a type of blood sausage, made using pork blood, fat, and oats.
I could still remember on our first morning in Edinburgh, Shane and I, both jetlagged, went down to the hotel reception at 6am to pay for the breakfast and became their first customers of the day HAHA and we gobbled down the food and found this brown quinoa dish and a black round slice rather nice. Only later in the day did we find out what they were… although it didnt stop us from going for it the next day.
I had never heard of these before going to Scotland, and I always thought only Asians were the ones who enjoyed innards and “less common” cuts.
But after trying it, I actually really liked it.
I think part of it is also how I see food. I’ve always believed that if an animal is sacrificed for consumption, we should try to make use of as much of it as possible. Even when I cook, I try to use everything I can, from bones to heads to even the feet.
Ok, back to places I remember. ------------------------------
There are a lot of nice cafes around Edinburgh, but one that I liked was the Waterstones at Princes Street. It is a really nice chill spot, and the view overlooking Edinburgh Castle still feels quite surreal even after a while.
Victoria Street is probably one of the more iconic places, and I think it deserves it. Colourful, lively, and full of character.
On one of my last few days in town, I even saw a movie being filmed there. I wonder if it’s already out. Just searched: It is going to be out in June 2026, but unfortunately its gonna be in Hindi Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai
***I mentioned this a few times, but the Meadows is still my favourite. Not really a tourist spot, but you can just sit there for hours and not feel like you are wasting time.
Calton Hill is another easy one to recommend. Very short hike, but the view at the top is one of the best ways to take in the whole city.
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Arthur’s Seat is also worth doing at least once. The climb is a bit more intense, but the view makes it worth it.
^ The climb may get you on all fours… but the view, I would say worth it.
The Royal Botanic Garden was also really nice, especially when the weather started getting better. Everything just felt more alive.
The National Museum is also worth a visit. I did not expect to spend that much time there, but it was actually quite interesting and a good way to spend a slower day.
I WILL continue this soon… but hope u have got a good read so far! Sorry if the sequence and writing seems random, i am just typing as it comes out of my head, I MIGHT restructure it in the near future. Cya!