{"id":89225,"date":"2025-05-10T05:03:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T05:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/89225\/"},"modified":"2025-05-10T05:03:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T05:03:15","slug":"id-imagined-edinburgh-but-actually-being-there-was-even-better-the-irish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/89225\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019d imagined Edinburgh, but actually being there was even better \u2013 The Irish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since being diagnosed with the incurable blood cancer Multiple Myeloma<\/a> in March 2024, I\u2019ve known my life will never be the same again.<\/p>\n

Daily exhaustion, bone pain, infection risk – the list goes on, but I\u2019m now more determined than ever to make the most of life by seeing as much of the world as I am fit to, when I\u2019m fit to. <\/p>\n

I\u2019d never heard of Myeloma before my shock diagnosis, despite it being the second most common blood cancer with approximately 6,500 people across the UK and Ireland diagnosed each year. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very individual illness, mostly affecting older men, which attacks the plasma cells in the bone marrow causing easy breakages, fatigue, dizziness and pain.<\/p>\n

\"‘I’ve<\/a>\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a \u2018relapse-remit\u2019 illness with which life expectancy varies, though medical progress is rapidly working towards a cure, something I pray for every day!<\/p>\n

\n

I\u2019d never heard of Myeloma before my shock diagnosis, despite it being the second most common blood cancer<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00a0Emma Heatherington<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I will always have good days and bad days as I learn to adapt to this \u2018new normal\u2019, so, with six months of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, two whopping flu viruses and lots more behind me, I took a gamble on a good day and booked a two-night break for me and my artist fianc\u00e9 Jim McKee in Edinburgh<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We planned to relax, reconnect and rejuvenate in a city that promises culture in buckets. I can testify it\u2019s a promise well-kept!<\/p>\n

Our hotel, the InterContinental Edinburgh The George (part of IHG Hotels and Resorts), was the affluent anchor to our stay.<\/p>\n

\n

With six months of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and lots more behind me, I took a gamble on a good day and booked a two-night break for me and my artist fianc\u00e9 Jim McKee in Edinburgh<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00a0Emma Heatherington<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"EmmaEmma Heatherington at her hotel <\/p>\n

Its prime location on George Street just off St Andrew\u2019s Square made it simple to explore the city, with a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. <\/p>\n

From the moment we stepped into the historic charm of our King Junior Suite with a view of the castle in the near distance, I knew this trip was going to be special.<\/p>\n

The contemporary comfort of the spacious room with a King size bed was perfect, especially since I need a lot of rest!<\/p>\n

\"JuniorJunior Suites at The George are spacious, with king-size beds (Will Pryce) <\/p>\n

A surprise treat was the lounge area with a fully stocked mini bar, a coffee machine and complimentary Scottish shortbread, while the bathroom boasted a freestanding clawfoot bath and a huge rainfall shower.<\/p>\n

After a freshen up, we grabbed a taxi, some delicious Thai food then headed onto the Edinburgh Lyceum Theatre where the world premiere of Wild Rose opened in late March.<\/p>\n

\"EmmaEmma and Jim enjoyed a Thai meal in Edinburgh <\/p>\n

I\u2019m a huge musical theatre fan, so I was excited to secure tickets and soak up the story of ex-prisoner and single mum who wants to be a star in Nashville.<\/p>\n

The script was super sharp, the acting was electric, the band was on fire and the humour was \u2018oh so Glasgow\u2019. We enjoyed every minute of it. <\/p>\n

\"EmmaEmma outside The Royal Lyceum theatre <\/p>\n

Breakfast in The George the next morning was a feast for the senses. A self-service buffet caters to all tastes, whether you fancy something light and fruity, something baked and buttery or a fry-up from the hot food bar. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s also an a la carte menu: I couldn\u2019t resist trying the Eggs Royale with smoked salmon. Delicious!<\/p>\n

A bonus for dog lovers is that The George is pet-friendly. While we left Lola, our toy poodle, at home this time, it\u2019s great to know should we take the kids, dog and car on a future trip.<\/p>\n

Speaking of cars, we were told that parking in Edinburgh can be tricky, but luckily there\u2019s free on-street parking right outside The George at specified times.<\/p>\n

Edinburgh is steeped in literature and art, so it was heaven to a writer like me and an artist like Jim as we followed the footsteps of names such as Rabbie Burns, Irvine Welsh and JK Rowling. <\/p>\n

My daughter grew up obsessed with Harry Potter and his Hogwarts adventures, so I couldn\u2019t help but get swept along on Victoria Street which I recognised as the inspiration for Diagon Alley. It\u2019s also home to the official Harry Potter shop and The Elephant House Caf\u00e9, where Rowling wrote those early chapters.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe view of Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street Gardens (NAOMI VANCE PHOTOGRAPHY) <\/p>\n

We later took a break in a community garden where volunteers showed us to a seat to lap up the sun and take in the breathtaking views of the castle.<\/p>\n

Edinburgh\u2019s time-hopping architecture is like jumping centuries on every corner as you cross from medieval Old Town – where you\u2019ll find gritty, windy streets in areas like the Royal Mile – before crossing into the elegant and spacious Georgian style of New Town, where Princes Street is buzzing with busking bagpipers, shoppers and students basking in the springtime sun.<\/p>\n

We explored The Grassmarket, working up a hunger for dinner later that evening in Le Petit Beefbar, our hotel\u2019s \u2018superstar\u2019 restaurant led by Ricardo Giraudi. <\/p>\n

\"EmmaEmma Heatherington enjoying the food and drink at Le Petit Beefbar <\/p>\n

We chose starters from a street food style menu – a super kale salad with parmesan, avocado and anchovy dressing alongside a serving of cheesy baby quesadillas. <\/p>\n

We couldn\u2019t resist a selection of steaks for our main, with green veg, sauteed mushrooms, fries and bearnaise sauce, all washed down with a full-bodied Catena Malbec from Argentina.<\/p>\n

I just had to sample a dessert, so we shared a vanilla cheesecake with cream and wild berries before declaring dinner a sublime experience from start to finish. <\/p>\n

If exploring the streets of Edinburgh is like time travelling, dinner at The George hotel is like a feast of global gratuity!<\/p>\n

Our cultural thirst was further quenched on our final day with a visit to The National Galleries of Scotland, a huge neoclassical which building resembles a Greek temple from the outside.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh <\/p>\n

It\u2019s impossible to miss, nestled neatly in the valley between Old Town and New Town just off Princes Street. Inside, you\u2019ll see works by Van Gogh, Monet and Turner – a treat for all ages, and a leisurely morning well spent. It\u2019s free entry, too.<\/p>\n

Getting to and from Edinburgh is a doddle: the flight with Easyjet from Belfast lasts less than an hour, while the tram from the airport into the city is simple and smooth.<\/p>\n

While I know there\u2019s so much more to see and do in this medieval metropolis, for me, our first trip away on a couple\u2019s break was like a baby step back to reality, and a reminder of how even though life is very different now, it can still be enjoyed.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m so grateful to have been able to take a laid-back look at the world, albeit through different eyes, and to have experienced such a memorable visit to a homely hotel with a lapping of luxury, super-attentive staff and fine dining.<\/p>\n

\"Edinburgh\"Edinburgh (Alamy Stock Photo) <\/p>\n

I\u2019d imagined Edinburgh – a blast of the bagpipes, a world of whiskey, of tasteful tartans and colourful kilts, getting lost in a maze of cobbled streets in the shadow of a castle on a rock – but being there was even better. <\/p>\n

You might even say it was just what the doctor ordered: to raise the spirits, to fill the soul, to lift the heart and a whole lot more. <\/p>\n

The InterContinental Edinburgh The George \u2013 part of IHG Hotels & Resorts\u2019 has rooms starting from \u00a3270. Visit <\/b>edinburgh.intercontinental.com<\/b><\/a> for more information.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Since being diagnosed with the incurable blood cancer Multiple Myeloma in March 2024, I\u2019ve known my life will…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":89226,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8816],"tags":[748,1102,4884,712,16,15,42427],"class_list":{"0":"post-89225","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-edinburgh","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-edinburgh","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-scotland","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-will-pryce"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114481791469065569","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}