Friday's Find: The Union Canal

Another one of Edinburgh's "secrets," tucked away in a quiet corner at Fountainbridge. I made my way down to the Union canal yesterday afternoon after watching a French thriller at the Filmhouse ("Mark of an Angel," by Safy Nebbou. Hm. A little disappointing). Started my canal walk at Edinburgh Quay, and walked down the canal for about half an hour before doubling back home via Polwarth.

The canal is a little marred by the graffiti along the walkway, but I think it still ranks as one of my favourite 'nature retreats' right up there with the Water of Leith. The canal walkway is generally quiet and peaceful, making it a great place to spend a hot, lazy Sunday afternoon. And in spite of the graffiti, the scenery is quite picturesque - at some points, I felt like I was wandering down a rustic village road!

The canal pathway is popular with cyclists which can be a bit annoying if you're a pedestrian - the road is quite narrow at certain points, so always take care you don't get knocked down by an over-zealous cyclist.

If you're up for it, consider a spot of rowing! There's a boathouse situated along the canal, and you can rent a boat there on Sundays. On that note, I noticed that the canal is also frequented by students in the University's boating society and other younger students (around 12 years old) who seem to be in some canoeing society/ course. Fun times.

I didn't finish the entire route, but I'm told that the canal terminates at the Falkirk wheel. So if you're up for it, grab a bike (or boat) one day and whiz down the entire length!! xD

Going Northern Chinese: Chop Chop

Never mind the slightly cheesy name. .Chop Chop on Morrison Street was voted the Best Chinese Restaurant in Scotland (2008). With credentials like that, I would be crazy to give it a miss especially when I'm currently pining for good Asian cuisine. So having finished my exams, I decided to treat myself to a Chinese lunch at Chop Chop!

They do business lunches which go at a very, very reasonable 5.50pound. For that amount, you get a bowl of noodles, two side dishes and a serving of their famous dumplings which are distributed throughout Sainsbury's.


So I've posted two pictures to be fair. The first is a shot of my 2 side dishes (beansprouts, fried potato things) and egg noodle soup. The second picture features the dumplings which came halfway through my meal after I had already plowed through the noodles - hence their rather messy and unphotogenic state.

Well there is no comparison to the Chinese food you get in Singapore. But then again, I really have no right to be a food snob and pontificate about Chinese food in Scotland! After all, I'm sure my friends from mainland China have their own grouses about Sze Chuan and Shanghainese food in Singapore (and indeed, some have expressed them). Likewise, I was surprised when I discovered that "Japanese" food in Singapore is pretty different from the kind you actually get in Japan. So hey, I'm probably not even the best person to judge Chinese/Asian food because the versions we get in Singapore are not necessarily "authentic" either.

So I'll restrict myself to saying that all things considered, Chop Chop serves decent and acceptable Chinese fare. At the same time, don't expect it to be the same as Chinese food you get in Singapore (or China). In all, be prepared for differences and go with an open mind!

The noodles were not too bad in terms of their texture and feel - I really do like my noodles in general. The dish came with a very generous sprinkling of vegetables including diced capsicums (unusual) and Chinese parsley. I wish they had been more generous with the soup though. The egg itself formed a fluffy layer ontop of the noodles and it had some mirin in it I believe - it's done in the style you get when you order Katsu-don from a Japanese restaurant. This was a little odd to me initially. But whatever - Asian is Asian, and I'll accept anything after 5 months of sausages and stews at Pollock halls!

As for the fried dumplings (pork with chives), they were okay. I've had better, but at least the skin was crispy and not soggy. The filling was quite acceptable I felt. The dumplings also came with condiments including vinegar, chilli and garlic...although I must say that it's more common for me and my friends to douse our dumplings in vinegar with strips of ginseng rather than garlic.

The side dishes were so-so in my estimation. The bean sprouts were okay if a little sweet, but the fried potato things (I'm not even sure what they were) were just weird. More like...oily, deep fried crisps. I didn't like it too much. I really cannot think of an equivalent dish back home in Crystal Jade or any other of my favourite Chinese restaurants. Plus it didn't even taste too good, or go with the noodles and dumplings.

On the bright side, had a good experience with the service at Chop Chop. The very earnest waiter advised me on the correct proportions which go into making the perfect dumpling dipping sauce (1 part vinegar, 2 parts soy sauce, garlic, chilli). Again I have to admit that the Chinese food snob in me reared its head - I know how I like my dipping sauce, duh. But the waiter was so friendly that I felt kind of bad for thinking that.

Upon chatting with him, I found out that my waiter hails from Lithuania! Possibly the second Lithuanian I've come across in my life actually! He reckons that there are probably only 100 other Lithuanians in Edinburgh, which is quite a small number. I told him that he should consider himself special which he agreed with in a mock-serious tone. Haha.

So overall I think Chop Chop is good value for above-average Chinese food in Scotland. Time-willing, I will sample the Chinese restaurant on Bruntsfield place as a form of comparison! Now that one has been there for about 40 years I'm told! Sounds promising indeed...my chinese palette always seeks out greener pastures...mmm...

Escaping the City: My Favourite Nature Spots

Was feeling rather depressed on Wednesday after revising for my History paper. This involved reading about a variety of delightful topics including the 14th-century Plague, witchcraft, heresy and failed peasant rebellions.

To get into a more optimistic mood, I took a trip to the Northern part of town, intending to revisit the Water of Leith walkway and possibly making a stop at the Royal Botanical Gardens. Was glad I took a time-out from medieval doom and gloom. Had a very relaxing and enjoying afternoon, getting "in touch" with nature. It's quite amazing to know that these beauty spots in Edinburgh are just a stone's throw away from the main city centre - fairly accessible.

Some highlights of my afternoon:

1. Water of Leith: Dean Village to Stockbridge

An instance where my first impressions were right: the Water of Leith is gorgeous and totally worth a walk. I entered the walkway via Belford Road at Dean village and took the direction toward Leith. Didn't complete the entire route though - I exited somewhere along Saunders Street in Stockbridge.

Nevertheless, it was a very pleasant walk - almost...rejuvenating I would say? The route is peaceful and scenic, leading you past the banks of the River, and up through pathways which are bordered by picturesque residences and interesting structures here and there. Perfect for a contemplative afternoon or when you just need some peace to sort out your thoughts.




Other people gravitate to the Water of Leith as well - joggers, cyclists...and even a man in a business suit who had escaped to the river for a quiet lunch, whilst admiring the fauna along the river bank. He looked so pleased and content munching on his sandwich, that I couldn't help but smile myself.

Altogether a lovely place. There are some benches along the walkway (though not a whole lot) - perfect to sit down, rest your feet and just indulge in a bit of quiet 'me' time.

2. Lunch at Herbies of Edinburgh

Felt a bit peckish after my walk, and randomly headed for the nicest looking place I could find. This turned out to be Herbie of Edinburgh situated along Northwest Circus Place (New Town). Herbie combines a small cafe with a food store selling a variety of attractive produce including olive oils, meats (Iberian ham!), bread, jams and other preserves. It's delicious even to look at.

I ordered a rare roast beef with harissa mayonnaise wrap, priced at 4.95 pounds. The portion isn't very big although it comes with a decent sized salad. However it does taste really good - the beef is thinly sliced and extremely tender. So tender it melts in your mouth. The harissa mayonnaise complements it well.

Nice place to have a bite to eat with your girlfriends, or your mum. The service is polite, if not exactly warm. A tad uppity perhaps.

3. Inverleith Park


Found myself within Inverleith park after lunch. In particular, I was very taken by the lake, and its rather largish and charming population of pure white swans. Beautiful to look at really.

The lake is situated at the trough of a large gently sloping field - I loved this! It's the perfect place to lie down (because you're on a comfortable incline) and just relax. Also, you get a good view of the New Town skyline and the adjacent sports field which, on the day I went, was being used by a men's rugby team for practice. Fantastic place to just unwind with a cold drink in hand.

4. Royal Botanic Gardens

The botanic gardens are situated just next to Inverleith park. It's really pretty and I do recommend you make the trip down. In particular, I liked the 'themed' gardens within the park. I saw one dedicated to alpine flora and fauna, and another to Chinese plant varieties which was quite interesting. The gardens are beautifully landscaped and are a pleasure to behold.
The Alpine garden

The Chinese Garden

The gardens seem to be popular with families and young children, in addition to people around my age. Quite a few visitors opted to lounge around on the grass taking advantage of the sun, and tempting the occassional squirrel with a few well-chosen nuts.

Overall had a great afternoon. The walk was just what I needed to balance out half a day's worth of intensive revision, coupled with ghastly images of Plague victims. I do recommend you go to these places if you're looking for a quick escape away from civilization - this is about as close as you can get to nature within the city centre itself.

A Week of Farewells and My Advice for Visiting Students

Term's officially winding up the following Sunday. A lot people are starting to leave (or have left). Attended various farewell "get-togethers" in the past week with a sense of poignancy.

Dinner at Patricia's flat just before she went back home to Germany, 21st May

Celebrating Chee May's birthday at Kampong Ah Lee, 2 days before she flew to Holland! 18th May.

At Marianne's farewell cocktail party, held at Under The Stairs, 18th May. Zipped here right after cutting Chee May's cake!

Sending Martin off at Vodka Revolution, 16th May. Don't ask about all the empty shot glasses.

As for myself, I'm leaving Edinburgh for Singapore in 8 days. I'm feeling rather ambivalent about the whole thing. On one hand, the prospect of flying off so soon is scary, and I'm starting to wonder if I should've extended my stay just a little longer...

On the other hand, my philosophy has always been that all good things must and should come to an end. They cannot continue indefinitely, if not they wind up becoming draggy and routinized.

I'm also looking forward to see the people (and food) back home, and I'm keen to spend my summer break catching up with friends and re-acquainting myself with the sunny island I call home!

At this juncture, it's inevitable that I'll reflect on my exchange and start to analyze it from start to end. I'm really not the kind of person who will rhapsodize and say that my exchange was fantastic and that there was nothing about it I would change. I really genuinely enjoyed it, but at the same time, it's inevitable that there are several "I-should've-done-that's" and "I-wish-I-had's" at this stage. Several issues come into mind:

1) Choosing a Residence: If you're coming to Edinburgh for exchange, unless you're here in your first semester, I would personally advise against staying in Pollock halls. It's hard to meet people when they're mostly shut up in their rooms - most of the time, I don't see my neighbours, I just hear them (or their music).

Also consider that as a new student arriving in the second semester, it's harder to break into cliques which have already formed in the beginning of the year. Not that people here are unfriendly, but they are less likely to go all out to know you when they have already settled down in their own social groups.

I wish I had opted for a flat because I think the level of interaction would've been better. I would rather know a small handful of flatmates really well and intimately, rather than have many acquaintances in Pollock who are of the "hi," "bye," variety.

One good thing about Pollock halls is the meal plan but consider if you really value eating convenience over and above community and socializing. I was lucky to be with other Singaporean students in Pollock whom I had known beforehand, but if you don't know anyone think about it - what good is a meal plan if you're eating your meals alone in the cafeteria?

As a point of comparison, I went for a 5-week summer programme in Yale last year. The layout of the dorm was excellent as it had a common space on each floor for socializing, and the bedrooms were all organized around the common room - I got to know my 5 dorm-mates there way better in 5 weeks than I have most of neighbours for 5 months here.

So my advice is: opt for the flats. It's cheaper, the location will probably be better, and you'll have a better chance of forging closer friendships.

2) When to come: Well this is less clear-cut for me. One problem about coming in the second semester is that you arrive in the thick of winter. And being so far North, winter lasts for an unusually long time in Edinburgh. This makes going out and exploring the city a bit of a drag - during term time, I spent most of the free periods I had in between classes shut up indoors or going to places I was familiar with. Getting lost in a strange neighbourhood in the wintery cold is not an inviting prospect.

In fact, it's only recently (after Spring break) that I've been really out and about Edinburgh, and discovering all its fascinating nooks and crannies - it's not an exaggeration to say that the weather is a huge deciding factor when venturing out.

At the same time however, coming in the second semester means you get to experience a three-week long spring break, and in my case, 2 examinations spread out over 5 weeks. This is an impossible luxury in Singaporean universities where term time is hectic to put it very mildly.

I would think that most of my fellow students from Singapore would be extremely keen to incorporate some continental tour when on exchange in the UK. If so, it's a good idea to come in the second semester - you have loads more free time on your hands once lessons end in late March. And spring (I feel) is really the nicest time to travel - not too hot, not too cold and flowers will be in bloom. Just perfect :)

But if you have the option, you might want to consider a full-year exchange...although you might have a lot of catching up to do once you're back. The average workload per semester here is the equivalent of 3 courses. Back in NUS, it's 5 and some people choose to do 6 or 7. So bridging this discrepancy might be an issue, especially if you want to graduate on time.

3) Surviving and Enjoying Winter: However even if you do come in the winter like me, I'd advise you not to coop yourself indoors too much even though it's tempting to!

At the same time, I don't encourage you to put yourself at the mercy of the elements in the spirit of 'fun' - especially if you're more used to tropical climes and need time to adjust. In retrospect, I find it a little funny that my friends and I decided to do a whole bunch of outdoorsy things in the bitter cold of January - including the visit to Edinburgh castle, trekking in Roslin and walking around Glasgow.

It's tempting to get the exciting things out of the way as soon as possible, to make time for...other exciting things outside of Scotland/the UK. But after coming close to frostbite in several of our little winter 'jaunts' (Dunfermline and Roslin come to mind), I'd say it's not a bad idea to slow things down. Shift the more outdoor-oriented activities to spring-time - there's really no rush...unless you're talking about winter sports and snow fights.

But apart from that, you might want to use winter to check out nice cafes, pubs, shops, galleries and other indoorsy, chill-out spots. How about visiting a heated outdoor pool for instance? Or curling up in the filmhouse's small, intimate theatres for a good indie flick? Sampling a hot soup at Henderson's little vegetarian empire over at Hanover Street? Sprawling on the gigantic bed at the Brass Monkey pub with a beer in hand? Checking out various live music venues in town?

There are possibilities even in winter - don't let the weather restrict you too much. And at the same time, don't fight it; work with it and plan appropriate activities/ itineries to get the most out of your time.

Okay I hope I don't sound naggy! Will upload more thoughts about leaving and my exchange experience when they come to me!

DONE!

I'm finally done with all my exams!!! I'm so happy and relieved that it's over :)

Other students celebrated today by throwing flour at each other outside the examination hall.

It feels nice to have no commitments or projects on the horizon. Not that I was extremely preoccupied with exams in the past 2 weeks, but they were certainly a niggling worry at the back of my mind. I'm free, free, free!!

Took a rather long walk today to relax and "de-examinify" myself - walked to Lothian Road; caught a film at the filmhouse; had my first Northern Chinese meal here at Morrison Street; strolled down the Union Canal; had a fruit smoothie at Bruntsfield; got lost at Marchmount; got myself back to Pollock 6 hours later! An exhausting end to my day.

Shall consider grabbing dinner (my feet still hurt), and will offload a backlog of blog entries after that. See you world.

Breakin' Conventions, 190509

Took a break from revision and went for Breakin' Convention last night - described by the organizers as an 'international festival of hip hop dance theatre,' Breakin' Convention sees 6 different hip-hop acts touring the UK this month - half are comprised of local performers, and the other 3 are international ones hailing from France, South Korea and the US.

I went mainly because it sounded like it might be interesting - hip hop theatre? That's something new. You don't often see popping and locking in such classy, formal settings. I had to see it for myself.

Pre-performance entertainment occured in the foyer, and included an open stage for local breakdancers to show off their moves. Really entertaining, especially after boys in the audience as young as 8 or 9 joined in the fun!





Presenting El Diaz - one of the break-dancers entertaining the floor before the show started. He's really fit.


Performer and emcee Tony Thrills taking the stage just before the show started proper. He's really good.

A kid getting in on the action. He couldn't have been older than 11!

The show started promptly at 7.30pm, and was emceed by artistic director, Jonzi D and one of the performers, Tony Thrills of Random Aspekts. Overall impressions of the show: wasn't impressed with a couple of the acts, but was totally and stupendously floored by some. Ultimately however, the stereotypes I had involving baggy man-shirts and flashy bling were completely smashed and I came out with a greater appreciation of how versatile hip hop as a dance form can be.

Even if I didn't like all the performances, I have to say it was a very carefully chosen line-up which demonstrated a great diversity of styles. The local act which stood out was Random Aspekts, and its highly entertaining and equally charged dance narrative which was an instant crowd-pleaser. Sin Cru delivered a rather confusing but nevertheless, bold experimental attempt to marry hip hop with modern/contemporary dance and live dialogue - it was hip hop gone avant-garde, and judging by the giggles from the audience, not everyone 'got it' (have to admit, I was a bit at sea too). Nevertheless, Sin Cru received very loud applause at the end. I did not expect to see acts interpreting hip hop as a 'serious' art form, so this was certainly very novel.

The surprises continued as the international acts dominated the second half of the performance. I was a little disappointed with the group from the States, however the other two made the 13 pound ticket worth it.

Salah from France is a.m.a.z.i.n.g. His performance was essentially a combination of stand-up comedy, mime and dance, which drew both laughter and gasps of amazement from the audience. He adopts a persona called 'Gluby' for his performance - some kind of child who talks in a high-pitched voice and banters with the audience. It's highly amusing, but also serves to heighten the impact (or shock) when he suddenly breaks out into dance at various parts of his comic routine.

This is an excerpt from my favourite part of his performance: he's dancing with a tissue (seriously). And no, the video was not sped up at certain parts - he really has incredible movement and body control.

The other big highlight of the night was MyoSung, a troop of dancers all the way from South Korea. Theirs was the longest performance, but was the most impressive in my opinion. The choreography was tight and top-notch - imagine break-dancing infused with elements of ballet and Irish river-dancing, set against a soundtrack which includes John Lenon's "Imagine" and a string-plucked version of Pachelbel's Canon. It was sheer eclectic brilliance, and the dancing itself was phenomenal - hats off to the lads from South Korea! They got a well-deserved standing ovation.

Here's just a small sample of their opening dance - incidently, the Kim Il Jung lookalike (complete with bad hair) in the clip is Mr Zino Seol, their choreographer.

A fantastic evening of entertainment, and one which really showed me the breadth and range of Hip hop onstage. Kudos to Breakin' Convention for really...well...breaking conventions.

Migrant Issues in Edinburgh: A Polish Encounter

One surprise I've had coming to Edinburgh is that I haven't encountered as many Scottish students as I thought I would. If anything, most of my classmates and the people I bump into in Pollock Halls (judging by their accents) are English. There is also a fairly sizeable international population, with many students hailing from Asia.

Despite its relatively small size, Edinburgh is commonly referred to as a global and cosmopolitan city. Curious to know more, I spent my morning yesterday searching online for information on the ethnic composition of Scotland's capital. The most recent population census I could find was dated in 2001, which listed the largest non-White ethnic minorities as Chinese, Indian and Pakistani. Click here to find out a little more.

However my little internet search also threw up scores of news articles in more recent years dealing with the phenomenal influx of Polish migrants into Scotland. It seems immigration numbers have been on the rise ever since Poland joined the EU in 2004.

Even if you're not keeping up with the news, you can definitely feel the Polish presence in Edinburgh, and it's contentious place with (some) Scots - whether it be through the parodic portrayals of Polish migrants at comedy clubs, or the offhand remarks made in guidebooks about nice Polish delis springing up in Leith despite general 'complaints' about immigrants. Skimming through some of these articles yesterday helped confirm and clarify my vague sense of there being a sizeable migrant community viewed in ambivalent terms by the locals.

Some articles I bookmarked can be found here and here. In particular, I like reading the comments posted in response to the articles - even though some of them are not the most coherent or PC, they give a sense of the opinion on the ground which is usually at variance with what's officially reported.

Something intriguing I notice is the frequent distinction drawn between industrious and hardworking Poles, and the 'lazy,' 'idle' Scots who won't do menial jobs - how far are these stereotypes true though? Are they fair and useful distinctions to make, and on what basis do they rest?

So after getting my fill of news, I headed down on impulse to Leith Walk that same afternoon - not for window shopping this time, but to try and find first-hand evidence of the Polish community in Edinburgh. I've previously mentioned how the numerous ethnic eateries in Leith really express Edinburgh's diverse population - so with that in mind, I revisited the area keeping a curious eye out for a specifically Polish presence.

Stepping out of bus 14 on Leith Walk, it didn't take me long to bump into my first few Polish outposts in Edinburgh. Polish supermarkets like Polski Smak and Deli Polonia are not particularly large, but are nevertheless quite visible along the stretch. Had fun poking around both stores (though Deli Polonia is larger and has more things to see) - the sheer range of imported products really makes you feel like you've been transplanted to Warsaw or something. It's almost jarring to realize that Marks and Spencer - bastion of quintessential British-ness - is a mere 15-minute walk away.

I enjoyed just checking out the foodstuff in Deli Polonia - everything from the vats of pickled gherkins, to the sausages to the packets of ready-made pierogi (traditional Slavic dumplings) was quite novel. I broke in my virgin Polish palette with a gigantic poppy-seed roll, purchased at the Deli for just 0.75pence. Not quite my favourite snack I think, but interesting to try.

Ended up with a late lunch at Bigos on Leith walk - named after the national dish of Poland! This was my first time trying Polish food, so I don't have any way of judging if the dishes were 'good,' 'bad' or '(in)authentic.' However it was certainly quite cheap (7 pounds, 2 courses). It was not exactly filling, the main ingredient in both courses being vegetables, however the meal was quite tasty and satisfying. The service was also friendly and exceedingly polite, despite the rather alarming-looking bear skin rug on the wall.

I had a vegetable soup for starters which was nice and warm - perfect, as the weather outside was stormy.


And I also ordered Bigos (a cabbage stew) for my main. The menu advertises this as a sauerkraut stew with various meats mixed in with red wine. However it's really more cabbage than anything else - I was definitely expecting more meat than what was on the plate. However, I generally like sauerkraut, so not too many complaints there. It was pretty tasty as well.


Bigos is a nice, cosy place to curl up over a hot meal. They do other 'traditional' Polish dishes as well, in addition to a large selection of more generic pizzas and snacks.

I'm glad I made the trip down to Leith. Food's always a nice introduction to a different culture, whilst keeping you happy, filled and nourished. It was also nice to glimpse hints of a kind of community spirit in the stores I visited - apart from the food, stacks of free magazines in Polish sit next to the counter of Deli Polonia, presumbly aimed at Polish migrants. Store-owners also chat freely with their customers in Polish, whilst handing them fresh rolls of artisan breads - normal Scottish bread is an abomination to them apparently.

It would certainly be interesting to probe the migrant experience in Edinburgh more deeply. The articles I read about qualified Polish economists and accountants taking up jobs as chamber-maids and chippie shop assistants in Scotland disturbed me a little. It also seems to bear uncomfortable parallels with the situation of some migrant labourers in Singapore.

Perhaps I ought to take a more active interest in migrant welfare and issues when I get home. In the meantime, this has given me a new perspective of Edinburgh; it's not just a 'Scottish' city, but one that is becoming increasingly diverse, and struggling to negotiate that diversity.

On a more personal note, this is a timely reminder for myself that Edinburgh's not just a place for me to enjoy indiscriminately (a temptation when on exchange, very guilty as charged). It's also a society with its own set of problems, and I should at least try and acquaint myself with them having lived here for half a year.