held one of his paintings out to him and asked for a price . He turned , pointed toward Castlehill and said , “ This is my favorite spot to paint .”
I quickly realized that though his other artworks showed various landmarks from across the city , the painting in my hand was painted from the very spot where we stood . I looked out as if seeing through his own watercolor-stained glasses and spoke to him about exploring Edinburgh .
“ If it ’ s your first time in Edinburgh you have to see it from Calton Hill ,” said Omair as he showed me a watercolor painted from its view .
Having left any plans behind and embraced the unexpected of Edinburgh , we immediately began our walk to Calton Hill , where the golden setting sun seemed to color the city in warm cinnamon . The 360-degree view of
Edinburgh ’ s skyline easily distracted me from the chilled wind .
On our way back to our BnB , I saw an elder man finish a crossword beneath the spires of the Scott Monument , the largest monument built for an author in the world .
I listened to a woman who hummed a Scottish lullaby as she spun wool into yarn at the steps of St . Gile ’ s Cathedral .
I heard the laughter of two men dressed in kilts as they drank pints of beer from a pub ’ s patio .
I passed a little girl who held an owl on her gloved wrist as if she was preparing for her first year in Hogwarts .
I held on to each fleeting moment that came as unpredicted as the last , and I never once thought about what was planned for the days to come .
While our days in Edinburgh included
iconic attractions like the epic Edinburgh Castle , my journal each night was filled with how I felt getting lost in its streets rather than any successful check off my itinerary .
On our final night in Edinburgh , a bagpiper from Castlehill began to finish his last song , which I imagined was a parting lullaby for me .
While I held on to what I learned about Scottish culture like the unicorn being its national animal , the tale of the mythical hairy haggis and the importance of tartan , or what we might call plaid fabric , I left Scotland knowing that the most impactful moments when traveling are often the ones which cannot be prepared for .
They come as swift as the Scottish wind and can leave just as fast if you don ’ t seize it .
Omair Ulhaq looks though his artwork at The Royal Mile in Edinburgh , Scotland on May 23 , 2022 .
Calton Hill in Edinburgh , Scotland on May 23 , 2022 .
Victoria Street in Edinburgh , Scotland on May 24 , 2022 .
The Giant ’ s Causeway in Northern Ireland on May 21 , 2022 .
August 2022 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 29