Hordes of international students will drink water in the name of Edinburgh. Well, students. Every student who has a good time, will say the same thing for the city he/she studies in. Hell, the city where I studied is still the best city in the world in my mind, however I still find it hard to convince many people about it to this day, if you know what I mean. These people act as proxies of The Idea when (if) they move out.
Armies of pretentious and ignorant pricks, overwhelming the pubs/entertainment places. Tough stuff, if you want some quality in your socialization. I am not saying it's not like that in other places as well, but in my opinion and the opinion of quite a few people I 've talked about it, during some burst of honesty from their side, it appears to be a valid case. Talking about pubs/bars/clubs and a diversity/variety of venues. No, simply no, it is not true. Yes, there is some kind of diversity, some kind, but not something to feel excited about. Plus, there is a common denominator. The staff usually behave as if you 've done something bad to them. Is it because they don't get paid well? Is it a way of reacting to the majority of pretentious pricks that ask them for a drink, by being a pretentious/arrogant little fuck as well? Sometimes you think that they've built their own faulty 'socialist paradise', just before the perestroika.
Arts place? Good music "scene"? If that's the case, then Glasgow should be the Mecca of these. The Fringe? For me, overrated. For me. There are legendary festivals around the world where you don't have to spend a fortune to see something good and you won't waste your time if you watch attend something for free. Its main purpose is to enhance The Idea.
The Edinburgh Council. You know, no comment.
The damn fireworks. Just to remind you of The Idea every now and then. I like fireworks, I like sugar as well.
Thousands of population exiled and carefully hidden in the suburbs. Not fitting in the standards of The Idea. But this is an other painful story and it doesn't apply in this context only.
A good place to bring up your kids, or live your time as a pensioner.
Anyway, long story short, I am only being a bit strict or maybe even over reacting, but that's just because I need to confront a very extreme idea, that of Edinburgh being a little paradise. Let's just say it is nice, don't ignore the negative facts and everyone will be fine. No more paranoia. Please feel free to enlighten me or change my approach, it's a pity and kinda unfair to have this idea for the place, if it isn't really the case. What I can't change though, is my tendency to feel more human when around Glaswegians :P