I overheard some Canadian visitors yesterday exclaiming about the oldness of Edinburgh's New Town - which is Georgian - and gasping when they were told by a local that the Old Town (above) is even older. "Canada is just too new!" they said.
In contrast to the enthusiasm and delight of the tourists, I was amused to read this less appreciative view of Edinburgh quoted in Hilary Mantel's novel of the French Revolution, A Place of Greater Safety. Here is Sir Francis Burdett, British Ambassador, on Paris:
"It is the most ill-contrived, ill-built, dirty stinking town that can possibly be imagined; as for the inhabitants, they are ten times more nasty than the inhabitants of Edinburgh."
What to say to that? Ça alors! Oh dear! Or in the vernacular, awa' an' bile yer heid, man!
I think the few remaining Native Americans in Canada might disagree with that comment of your visitors! Am I right in remembering that the last bits of the Georgian designed New Town were actually completed just before the start of C20?
Posted by: Dark Puss | 19 October 2010 at 08:55 AM
I took a trip that included Edinburgh when I was 27 in 1969. After I returned to Kansas City, Mo., I commented that I didn't know what "old" was until I got to the British Isles.
Posted by: Barbara McDowell Whitt | 19 October 2010 at 08:27 PM
I live just down the highway from Toronto and if your house was built in the 50's...it's old! And that's 1950!
Posted by: Darlene | 19 October 2010 at 08:42 PM
Barbara, we're so used to living in and amongst all these old buildings that I suppose we take them for granted. Our own house dates from 1824, so fairly 'modern' by Edinburgh standards!
Posted by: Cornflower | 19 October 2010 at 10:38 PM