Edinburgh vs. Dublin

So far, I've been on two European excursions to visit two of my friends from Hamilton, Andrew and Paige, who are studying in Edinburgh and Dublin, respectively.  Though the cities are geographically close, they really could not be more different.

Edinburgh Castle

View from Ha'Penny bridge, Dublin

History:  As a history-lover, it was fascinating to experience UK (and former UK) history firsthand. Both cities have such incredible pride in their histories, that it's almost impossible to avoid.  In Edinburgh, the buildings still retain their old-world charm, mostly made out of stone.  Edinburgh Castle looms over the city as a symbol of Scotland's turbulent past.  Dublin marked its history by noting the old haunts of its famous citizens.  James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, George Bernard Shaw, Johnathan Swift and Oscar Wilde (to name a few) were all featured prominently in murals, historic landmarks, and even on city maps. 
Winner: Tie.  The cities take very different approaches to history, Edinburgh through its buildings and Dublin through its people.

Gravity Bar, Dublin

Food: Edinburgh cuisine consisted of a strange mix of very ethnic food (delicious kebabs and an incredibly filling Indian dinner) and very traditional food (fish and chips that I thought would keep me full for the rest of my life).  Dublin seemed less diverse in its food choices.  Paige made us a delicious traditional Irish breakfast one morning, complete with Irish soda bread, which was way better than any attempt I've had in the States.  We also ate at a pub for dinner one night.  The food in Ireland seemed heavier than its UK counterpart, but still scrumptious.
Winner: Edinburgh.  Even though I was so full I thought I'd be unable to move after most meals, I liked Edinburgh's diverse cuisine.

Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh

Attractions:  I saw most of Edinburgh from the top of a cheesy double decker bus tour.  Though a lot of the featured attractions on the tour were historical, there were some modern and commercial stops.  The one time we got off the bus was to take a tour of Holyrood Palace, which is where the Queen stays when she visits Edinburgh.  Though my hopes of meeting Prince Harry were dashed (they only visit the palace for a couple weeks in the summer), it was still a beautiful place to visit, with stunning views of the crags surrounding Edinburgh.  Mostly, it was fun to just walk around the city's cobblestone streets and drink tea where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter.  Dublin had very unique attractions.  The first one we went to was the Guinness factory (at around noon).  While it was cool to see how Guinness is made, the best part was at the end.  The last stop on the tour is a place called the Gravity Bar, which features a panoramic view of Dublin to enjoy while drinking a free pint.  Similar to Edinburgh, Dublin has a lot of pedestrian streets which were fun to explore.  We passed by the Leprechaun Museum (though didn't have time to go in), which, I imagine, is an attraction unique to Dublin. 
Winner: Dublin.  Having a Leprechaun museum is like getting the Helen Keller card in Apples to Apples: it always wins.

Nightlife:  When deciding who to visit and when, Paige, Andrew and I came up with the idea to visit each other for our birthdays.  Because these were Andrew and Paige's 21st birthdays, we wanted to celebrate like Americans.  The weekend in Edinburgh consisted of a night of bar hopping and a themed apartment party.  Though both nights were a lot of fun, I don't feel like I got a uniquely "Scottish" experience.   In Dublin we also did some bar/pub hopping.  Each bar we went to played live music, which I thought was really awesome.  Though most bands played classics (The Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bruce Springsteen, etc.), they occasionally threw in a more traditional Irish song, which was always a lot better.  My favorite place was an underground bar with a live band playing Irish folk music.  They were amazing.  I wished they had a CD so I could've bought it.
Winner: Dublin.  Irish folk music is my new obsession.

Overall: I loved both cities.  Edinburgh felt like a fairytale land with its castles and massive green hills surrounding it.  As an incredibly old city, it had a lot of charm and warmth- especially on its cobblestone streets.  Dublin is definitely a more modern city.   It was much more defined by neighborhood and didn't feel as if there were any sort of flow to the city.  I guess I'm a sucker for cobblestone, because Temple Bar and the pedestrian shopping areas were my favorite areas.  They were the places where I got the best sense of Dublin community. 
Winner: Paris.  Sorry Andrew and Paige, but I still like my city best.  I'm so excited for them to come for my birthday so I can show them all the amazing and wonderful things Paris has to offer.  When deciding where to study abroad, I know I made the right choice.  Paris, je t'aime.