E... is for Edinburgh

What a disaster! I was away yesterday and this post was scheduled. :( Anyway, here it is now.
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Many of you here don't know me personally. Actually, profession-wise, I'm an Engineer. I have a Masters in Electronics engineering, and while I'm not a complete geek, I like to think that I have a decent analytical brain. I also love Literature and pick up new languages fast, maybe something to do with a good left brain. I got my Masters degree from The University of Edinburgh and it was that time I spent in Scotland that my passion for Literature really picked up. It was also during that time that I decided I was going to study Literature properly, and give my passion a voice.

Edinburgh is a very literary city. There are immense resources for writers, some brilliant book/writing clubs, and endless inspiration. Of course, it helps that nature is predominant in Scotland and very motivating to artists, musicians, and poets. It also helps that Edinburgh itself can also be a very dark and brooding city, with its bloodied past, scary haunting history, and intriguing city-upon-city structure.
Organisations like the Scottish Book Trust and the Scottish Poetry Library promote reading, writing, and generally, the culture of staying associated with good book and good authors. Edinburgh has been a massive inspiration to my literary side, and for that I will always be grateful, and I wrote about that here.

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This is the fifth post for the April A-to-Z Blogging Challenge 2014.
Previously, Archaism, British literature, Critical Analysis, Drama

X is for... the Saltire, of course!

The Saltire is the beautiful national flag of Scotland. It has a large white X on a blue backdrop. The patron Saint of Scotland, St Andrew, was crucified on a diagonal cross instead of the traditional cross. Apparently, this was because he felt that he wasn't as great at Jesus and felt that he shouldn't have the same cross. The Saltire is the oldest continuously used sovereign flag in the world, having been in use since AD 832 - or so legend has it.
I love how you can do anything with it! By that, I mean, you can hoist it, fly it, drape it, weep on it, click happy pictures, make memories... in India one can't do anything at all with the Indian flag (read: Flag Code of India)! I know that this safeguards the fact that no one can disrespect it... but in the light of the current state of India, do we need a flag to show our disrespect?
Anyway, here is me and the Saltire!

Glencoe, with Piyush, Nippon, Vishesh

Loch Ness, with Vishesh, Nippon, Piyush, Nessie!

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This post is part of the ongoing A-to-Z Challenge. Previously, Aye, Berwick, Cramond, Disability, Edinburgh, Forth Bridge, Glasgow, Hamish, Isle of Skye, John o' Groats, Kirk, Loch Lomond and Luss, Mogwai, Necropolis, Old Man of Storr, Portobello, Queen of Scots, Robert Burns, Stirling, Tantallon Castle, Urquhart Castle, Venison, Writers' Museum.