I am writing to you today from the city where 4000 women were burned as witches in the 14th century. Edinburg, which they call Edinbra. Edinburg is the capital of Scotland. It is a city famous for witch hunts. A woman suspected of being a witch was thrown into the water in Princess Street, and if she drowned and died, it was understood that she was not a witch, but if she didn't die and came out of the water, she was burned in the nearest square for being a witch. In fact, the real reason for these witch hunts is that Jesus Christ was married to Maria Magdalena and a daughter was born, Jesus' healing ability was passed on to his daughter and she continued to heal people; then the Vatican hid this for many political reasons and hid or destroyed all information about Jesus and the Bible. Meanwhile, his daughter, who was thought to be in Scotland, was tried to be destroyed by organizing fake witch hunts. Meanwhile, thousands of women were slaughtered.

I think I've digressed a bit because I feel I owe it to you to tell this part.

Again in the 17th century, hundreds of narrow passages called "Close" were built on the Royal Mile Street connecting the palace to the castle. In 1645, more than 500 people were left to die in these passages. The sick and the poor were forced to live in these alleyways, in small rooms without even a toilet, 7-8 people living together in unhealthy and filthy conditions, pouring the filth they made in buckets on the roads, so that they would not infect the royal family and the rich and disturb them. As many as 2000 people died from diseases and plague transmitted in this way.

In the Middle Ages, criminals, fugitives and the poor lived under all the buildings of the city, in rooms for storing supplies and in interconnecting tunnels. When the inhabitants died, the medical school would buy the dead to use as cadavers. After a while, when the cadavers ran out, hundreds of murders were committed all over the city to supply the medical school with cadavers or to sell them. That's why Edinburgh is now known as the city of ghosts. And every night after midnight, "ghost tours" are organized for entertainment purposes, starting in the musty and spooky tunnels of the city and ending in the two thousand year old cemetery. I think JK Rowling must have been inspired by such stories when she wrote "Harry Potter"...

Despite Edinburgh's past of filth and death, the freedom fights that inspired "Braveheart" and "The Last Highlander" and all the suffering, today it is all behind us. Like the other 2 countries of the United Kingdom (England and Wales) and Great Britain (plus Northern Ireland), everything is here.

All museums, big and small, are free. You enter with a wave of your hand, because they already open the door, smile and greet you, and give you information one by one. On which floor, which hall, which painting you must see.

They have no idea about traffic or transportation problems. There is no such thing.

All the toilets in restaurants, museums, cathedrals, churches are free, clean, there are no lines. There has been almost no population growth for the last 50 years. New people were born to replace the dead, that's all. No immigration, no emigration. Why should it give? Or why should it receive?

There is not a single Iranian or Syrian on the streets. No people with tattooed eyebrows or freakish hair. Natural people. Hair as it is, eyebrows as they are. They have gotten over it.

There are museums specially made for children. Or there are sections for children in every museum. They are personally involved in art, they draw, paint, cut and cut. They learn about DNA, evolution, the existence of man and the planet, technological developments, animals, chemistry, chemistry, physics, geography and history. Museums are full of children running around with pen and paper in their hands to do homework. But everywhere they learn while playing. Groups of 9-10 kindergarten children fill history, painting, art and nature museums. Hundreds of groups. In front of the children sitting on the floor, their teacher kneels down to talk about the French Impressionists, so as not to be higher than the children. On the other side, rosy-cheeked 5-6 year olds asking questions to their teacher who is explaining Van Gogh's "Olive Trees". I was almost 30 years old when I heard about Van Gogh. I watch the children in awe and I think I understand why we are behind in technology, science and art. Our children are involved in horse races from this age and I think they can only get out of this dark race when they retire.

There is a museum about the traditional costumes, traditional music and musical instruments of the countries and I spent hours here to learn about them. You can watch them on huge screens, but you can also play, try them out, dance. These children learn everything much more easily and with fun. Natural museums are places where they can learn and experience everything about nature and creation. No memorization, no exams, no tests. Children are happy and self-confident. Children do not cross the boundaries of decency as we do, they are respectful and disciplined.

In public transportation, half of the seats already belong to the elderly, pregnant women and children, no one can sit. Therefore, young people have no chance to disrespect the elderly. As in other European countries, those who get off get off first and then they get on in turn. In fact, a young man tried to get on the bus before we got off and was taken back by the bus driver.

There is not a single piece of garbage on the street like in all the United Kingdom countries. The streets are constantly washed anyway. The garbage bins made of colored plastic are spotlessly clean as if they are being used for the first time. One wants to touch them out of curiosity. Because everything is tied tightly in plastic bags and thrown away.

The huge parks located all over the city are a great opportunity for those who want more serenity in an already serene city or for workers who want to relax during their lunch break.

At every historic corner, when history is everywhere, the sounds of seagulls accompanying the bagpipes played by Scottish men dressed in kilts seem to return to the walls of the castle, invisible in the hazy and foggy weather. Not a policeman on the streets, not a single fear. A safe country where everyone smiles in love and lives in respect. A country of cultures where even beggars make art.

It may be impossible not to fall in love with Edinburgh with its medieval Georgian and Gothic architecture, but as a traveler who has swept away half of the world, I resent it this time. Once upon a time, when we ruled the world and they were on a witch hunt in the dark cellars of the Middle Ages, they have turned into a country of peace. Am I jealous? Envious? Sad? I don't know!

Mukaddes Pekin Başdil

Researcher-Author

Source: Denizli Haber