Latest / Abide Meditation App / Travel Bedtime Story _ A Dreamy Autumn Walk in Edinburgh _ Relaxing Sleepy Travel Story
Transcript
- 0:02Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and
- 0:08Speaker 1: we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks for joining
- 0:15Speaker 1: me this evening. Tonight, we'll be visiting Scotland's vibrant capital city,
- 0:24Speaker 1: you'll enjoy a brisk autumn day in Edinburgh, where we'll
- 0:28Speaker 1: walk through leaf-covered parks, pass by historic hillside castles, and
- 0:34Speaker 1: wander down quaint cobbled streets, before retreating to a warm
- 0:40Speaker 1: and delightful fire-lit pub on this moody weather day. Now,
- 0:51Speaker 1: It's time to make sure we're nice and comfortable, settled
- 0:57Speaker 1: and relaxed. Just enjoy the peace of this moment, taking
- 1:07Speaker 1: a few deep breaths in and letting it flow gently
- 1:14Speaker 1: back out. Allow your body and mind to naturally let
- 1:23Speaker 1: go of stress or tension. I know full well that
- 1:32Speaker 1: sometimes the desire to fall asleep can actually be quite
- 1:38Speaker 1: a burden. Our wires can get a bit crossed when
- 1:43Speaker 1: it comes to sleep. as it's one of those rare
- 1:47Speaker 1: things where the more we try to make it happen,
- 1:52Speaker 1: the less likely it will come. So tonight, don't make
- 1:59Speaker 1: the direct act of falling asleep your focus. Instead, just
- 2:07Speaker 1: lay comfortably in bed, consciously appreciative of the stillness and
- 2:14Speaker 1: peace of the space around you and the moment you're in.
- 2:24Speaker 1: And reassure yourself that whenever you do fall asleep, it
- 2:30Speaker 1: will be a deep, restful and rejuvenating experience. just let
- 2:43Speaker 1: go of any pressure to fall asleep. Whenever the time
- 2:50Speaker 1: is right, it will come. So just enjoy the soothing
- 2:57Speaker 1: calm of the here and now. Thankful for the chance
- 3:04Speaker 1: to experience that. And as you do, You can just
- 3:13Speaker 1: follow along to the sound of my voice as we
- 3:17Speaker 1: travel to Scotland's charming capital on an overcast day. This
- 3:26Speaker 1: is where our story begins. You are walking out of
- 3:53Speaker 1: your cosy flat in Edinburgh. It's set inside a timeless
- 4:00Speaker 1: building on a street lined with terraced houses. Yours boasts
- 4:08Speaker 1: charming bay windows and a stone facade that stretches up
- 4:14Speaker 1: to a point, a characteristic that gives an extra special
- 4:20Speaker 1: touch to the city's unique and recognizable skyline. Closing the door,
- 4:31Speaker 1: you are greeted by a crisp autumn breeze as you
- 4:35Speaker 1: step onto the cobbled street. The weather outside is chilly,
- 4:43Speaker 1: but comfortable. The sky is filled with unique puffy clouds
- 4:50Speaker 1: that hang above you, sometimes revealing a pale blue sky
- 4:56Speaker 1: or soft shades of grey. You are wearing warm boots
- 5:05Speaker 1: with your favourite trousers, a dark green jumper and a
- 5:10Speaker 1: light rain jacket that comes down to your thighs. Covering
- 5:18Speaker 1: your head, a cozy wool hat provides warmth on this
- 5:23Speaker 1: crisp and windy day. You also have a tote bag
- 5:29Speaker 1: with a book and umbrella, just in case it rains,
- 5:34Speaker 1: you think. Your flat is next door to the meadows,
- 5:42Speaker 1: a grassy, tree-lined park just south of the old town.
- 5:49Speaker 1: And you find yourself coming here often with a small
- 5:53Speaker 1: picnic blanket in hand, spending an hour or maybe two
- 5:59Speaker 1: reading or drawing among other park visitors. What you truly
- 6:09Speaker 1: love about this park, however, is the distant view of
- 6:13Speaker 1: Arthur's Seat, an ancient volcano and the highest peak in Edinburgh.
- 6:22Speaker 1: You admire its curved arches, peeking out high above the
- 6:28Speaker 1: park's flat treeline. Sometimes you nestle yourself in the grass
- 6:37Speaker 1: and draw this particular view, Other times, you simply prop
- 6:44Speaker 1: your head up on your backpack and stare out at
- 6:48Speaker 1: the distant hill, allowing your mind to wander and drift
- 6:55Speaker 1: like the fallen leaves of autumn. Now your boots tap
- 7:03Speaker 1: against the pavement as you make your way into the meadows. Today,
- 7:11Speaker 1: The park is draped in the season's captivating foliage. The
- 7:18Speaker 1: grass is still a vivid green, which provides a delightful
- 7:22Speaker 1: contrast to the burnt orange and pale yellow leaves that
- 7:28Speaker 1: are scattered across it. There are paved walking paths going
- 7:35Speaker 1: both around and diagonally through the park. This time, you
- 7:43Speaker 1: are walking across one of the diagonal paths, so you
- 7:46Speaker 1: can explore Edinburgh's old town on this perfect day. The
- 7:55Speaker 1: pathway is lined with leafy trees on either side, standing
- 8:01Speaker 1: tall and reaching for the cloudy skies up above. Your
- 8:09Speaker 1: shoes press against fallen leaves, some brown and crunchy, others
- 8:17Speaker 1: soft and in shades of yellow and orange. The day
- 8:25Speaker 1: is surprisingly dry so far, but reminders of a previous
- 8:31Speaker 1: rain still linger, dampening some of the leaves. and covering
- 8:37Speaker 1: the grass in a sparkly dew. As you walk, you
- 8:45Speaker 1: notice a man playing fetch with his fluffy beige dog.
- 8:52Speaker 1: He throws a stick, and the dog enthusiastically leaps across
- 8:57Speaker 1: the grass, lifting leaves up into the air as he
- 9:03Speaker 1: dives to catch the stick. it brings a little smile
- 9:09Speaker 1: to your face. Soon, you are across the park, walking
- 9:18Speaker 1: along a pedestrian-only path, sprawling with murals, a lively cafe,
- 9:25Speaker 1: and university students. From here, you can see some parts
- 9:33Speaker 1: of the 16th century University of Edinburgh, The university's historic
- 9:41Speaker 1: sandstone buildings fit perfectly with the mood of the city
- 9:46Speaker 1: in autumn, you think. When you reach the end of
- 9:54Speaker 1: the pedestrian pathway, you go over the zebra crossing and
- 9:59Speaker 1: arrive at the other side of the road. You continue
- 10:05Speaker 1: straight for just a minute, passing shops and restaurants until
- 10:11Speaker 1: you reach a set of gates on your left-hand side.
- 10:18Speaker 1: It is the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard, a 16th century
- 10:24Speaker 1: graveyard offering a museum and walking tours. It's considered to
- 10:31Speaker 1: be one of Edinburgh's most famous places. You take a
- 10:40Speaker 1: few steps inside to admire this historic location. The paths
- 10:48Speaker 1: are decorated with vibrant orange leaves that spill over onto
- 10:54Speaker 1: the green grass. You can see old tombstones dating back
- 11:01Speaker 1: more than 400 years, and glimpse sandstone buildings that poke
- 11:07Speaker 1: out beyond the walls of Greyfriars. An autumn walk through
- 11:14Speaker 1: Edinburgh is hardly complete without a stop here, you decide. So,
- 11:25Speaker 1: you pass through the black wrought iron gates and feel
- 11:30Speaker 1: the coolness of the shade around you. The autumn weather
- 11:36Speaker 1: suits the stillness of this curious grey place. Your gaze
- 11:45Speaker 1: follows the path that leads up to the church, around
- 11:50Speaker 1: the graveyard, and towards an exit on the other side.
- 11:57Speaker 1: You actually prefer to take this path when walking home,
- 12:02Speaker 1: and often you do. It's much more peaceful than going
- 12:09Speaker 1: past all the shops and restaurants that line the street
- 12:13Speaker 1: on the other side of the thick stone walls. Perhaps
- 12:20Speaker 1: you will amble through it properly on your way home.
- 12:26Speaker 1: Looking up, you see lingering grey clouds above. A walk
- 12:33Speaker 1: through Greyfriars on a rainy afternoon is just the kind
- 12:38Speaker 1: of experience you'd like. In your mind, You hope for
- 12:45Speaker 1: a little drizzle later today. But for now, you carry
- 12:54Speaker 1: on further into Old Town. The crisp air embraces your
- 13:01Speaker 1: skin as you approach the cobbles of Edinburgh's most notable street,
- 13:08Speaker 1: the Royal Miles. This captivating street is full of life today.
- 13:19Speaker 1: The sound of bagpipes floats through the air, wool tartan
- 13:25Speaker 1: scarves are on display, and the smell of baked goods
- 13:30Speaker 1: and coffee finds your nose. You adore the Royal Mile
- 13:39Speaker 1: for many reasons. For one, It leads up to Edinburgh Castle,
- 13:46Speaker 1: perched high on a base of volcanic rock, which is
- 13:51Speaker 1: stunning to see up close. However, it is also full
- 13:58Speaker 1: of fairytale-like stone buildings with sharply pointed turrets, and the
- 14:05Speaker 1: gothic St. Giles Cathedral, with its open spires and sculptured turret.
- 14:16Speaker 1: But what you really love about the Royal Mile is
- 14:20Speaker 1: what you find on its side streets. Tiny pathways lead
- 14:28Speaker 1: into quaint, often silent squares, creating pleasant oases from the
- 14:36Speaker 1: bustling life just on the other side of the buildings.
- 14:45Speaker 1: You look right first catching a glimpse of the bronze
- 14:49Speaker 1: statue of Scottish philosopher David Hume apparently local tradition suggests
- 14:59Speaker 1: it is good luck to touch his big toe which
- 15:03Speaker 1: sticks out further than the rest of the statue you
- 15:10Speaker 1: watch a man in a kilt stop by and graze
- 15:14Speaker 1: his hand across Hume's toe and you smile. Ahead of you,
- 15:24Speaker 1: you see the way the cobbles appear to grow smaller
- 15:28Speaker 1: and smaller as they go down the hill until they
- 15:33Speaker 1: disappear into a cloudy gap between the buildings. You could
- 15:42Speaker 1: follow that path where the buildings seem to grow older
- 15:47Speaker 1: and more historic until you reach the prestigious Palace of
- 15:52Speaker 1: Holyrood House with its powerful history and antique relics. But today,
- 16:02Speaker 1: you won't spend too much time on the Royal Mile. Instead,
- 16:09Speaker 1: you would like to visit Edinburgh's more autumnal spots. There's
- 16:18Speaker 1: no city you'd rather be in during this season, you declare.
- 16:24Speaker 1: And with Scotland's windy weather, the leaves won't stay attached
- 16:30Speaker 1: to the branches for long. So, you know just where
- 16:36Speaker 1: you would like to go. You head right, and then
- 16:43Speaker 1: take a quick left onto a quaint alley called Worreston's Close.
- 16:51Speaker 1: The path leads down a massive set of stairs that
- 16:56Speaker 1: fall onto a charming, curved street near the Waverley train station.
- 17:06Speaker 1: If you had to choose a favourite set of stairs,
- 17:10Speaker 1: these would be yours. Something about the way they fan
- 17:16Speaker 1: out at the bottom The yellow-tinted lamps and middle banister
- 17:22Speaker 1: make you think of old-fashioned academia. You could imagine university
- 17:30Speaker 1: students from decades ago leaving the train station wearing pleated
- 17:37Speaker 1: tartan skirts or long slacks as they ascend the stairs,
- 17:43Speaker 1: books and pencil cases in hand. ready for a day's lesson.
- 17:52Speaker 1: You grab onto the banister as you make your way
- 17:56Speaker 1: down the lofty staircase. You watch as people walk up
- 18:03Speaker 1: and down the cobbled street, wearing raincoats, dark boots, berets
- 18:10Speaker 1: and warm scarves. Once you are at the bottom of
- 18:17Speaker 1: the stairs, you are situated in front of one of
- 18:21Speaker 1: your favourite coffee shops in the city. It has the
- 18:26Speaker 1: best view of the steps of Worreston's Close, and with
- 18:32Speaker 1: its indoor and outdoor seating in a snug and cosy setting,
- 18:38Speaker 1: it is the perfect stop during an autumn walk in Edinburgh.
- 18:46Speaker 1: And so, your feet click against the mismatched cobbles as
- 18:52Speaker 1: you walk towards the door of the cafe. Inside, you
- 18:59Speaker 1: hear the hissing of the espresso machine and the clink
- 19:04Speaker 1: of ceramic. You look around. There is a window seat
- 19:12Speaker 1: for two with homely cushions. and a few seats nestled
- 19:17Speaker 1: against the cool stone walls. Just in front of you
- 19:26Speaker 1: is an espresso bar, serving artisan coffee, hot chocolates, and teas. Then,
- 19:35Speaker 1: behind a glass counter, you admire tasty treats, from pumpkin
- 19:42Speaker 1: spice cinnamon rolls to thick buttery croissants. You smile and
- 19:52Speaker 1: say hello to the barista. She greets you in return.
- 19:59Speaker 1: Then you kindly request a hot spice tea and a
- 20:04Speaker 1: warm pumpkin spice cinnamon roll. something you have never tried
- 20:10Speaker 1: here before. She tells you that they were just added
- 20:16Speaker 1: to the menu today, and you feel a tingle of
- 20:20Speaker 1: excitement that you get to try them this afternoon. You
- 20:29Speaker 1: choose to take a seat outside. After all, You're enjoying
- 20:35Speaker 1: the fresh autumn air on your face. Plus, your woolly
- 20:42Speaker 1: layers and steady walking pace have been keeping you nice
- 20:47Speaker 1: and warm. There are two large tables on either side
- 20:56Speaker 1: of the door. You choose the one to the right
- 21:01Speaker 1: with the best view of your favorite staircase. As you wait,
- 21:10Speaker 1: you look up at the curved street that leads back
- 21:14Speaker 1: to the Royal Mile. You watch the buildings as they
- 21:20Speaker 1: stretch up towards the sky, which is looking a bit
- 21:24Speaker 1: greyer and gloomier than before. Your gaze comes back down
- 21:33Speaker 1: to ground level. There are no trees on this street
- 21:39Speaker 1: so there is no foliage to admire. Nonetheless, the brownish
- 21:45Speaker 1: shades of the street, combined with the crisp air, carry
- 21:51Speaker 1: the feeling of the season. But then you smile, considering
- 21:59Speaker 1: that rain, clouds, and cool weather are common year-round here.
- 22:10Speaker 1: The barista delivers your cinnamon roll and hot spice tea.
- 22:17Speaker 1: The smell of them together captivates your senses. You close
- 22:24Speaker 1: your eyes and take a deep breath in, bringing the
- 22:29Speaker 1: mug up to your nose as you do so. The
- 22:35Speaker 1: aroma of cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and other spices fills your nostrils. Then,
- 22:47Speaker 1: you take a sip, and the warmth of it travels
- 22:51Speaker 1: down to your stomach. Delicious, you think. Next, you try
- 23:02Speaker 1: the pumpkin spice cinnamon roll. You push your knife and
- 23:09Speaker 1: fork into it, and the pastry softly falls apart, looking
- 23:16Speaker 1: gooey and warm as white icing trickles down onto the plate.
- 23:26Speaker 1: You lift the fork to your mouth, blowing on the
- 23:30Speaker 1: cinnamon roll to cool it down just in case. Then,
- 23:37Speaker 1: You place it onto your tongue and feel the warm
- 23:41Speaker 1: flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon enveloping your taste buds. The
- 23:49Speaker 1: texture of the pastry is firm yet buttery as it
- 23:55Speaker 1: melts into your mouth. You can't quite believe just how
- 24:02Speaker 1: good it is. You spend the next moments enjoying your treats,
- 24:12Speaker 1: allowing each bite or sip to linger on your tongue,
- 24:17Speaker 1: soaking up every bit of flavor. Once you've finished, you
- 24:27Speaker 1: stand up and wave goodbye to the barista. who has
- 24:32Speaker 1: just come back outside to deliver two coffees to the
- 24:37Speaker 1: other table next to you. Your body feels warm and
- 24:45Speaker 1: cosy inside after your pleasant stop at this lovely cafe.
- 24:53Speaker 1: Edinburgh's crisp air dances around your skin along the edges
- 24:59Speaker 1: of your knitted jumper as you take a left down
- 25:04Speaker 1: Prince's Street Gardens. But soon, you pause, looking out towards
- 25:14Speaker 1: Edinburgh Waverley Station, with the park just across the road.
- 25:23Speaker 1: For a moment, you watch the world go by all
- 25:27Speaker 1: around you. You see pairs of people, following the steps
- 25:33Speaker 1: down into the station, while solo travellers and business people emerge,
- 25:41Speaker 1: holding coffee cups and newspapers. Then, you notice a young
- 25:50Speaker 1: man carrying a delicate bouquet of sweet alisoms, soft shades
- 25:59Speaker 1: of dainty pink, white, and green intertwine beautifully together. He
- 26:08Speaker 1: holds the stems out in front of him, careful to
- 26:12Speaker 1: keep them just as nice as they were when he
- 26:16Speaker 1: bought them. You watch him pull out his phone and
- 26:22Speaker 1: smile as his eyes read over a text message. You
- 26:31Speaker 1: imagine who the flowers are for, and whether it's a
- 26:35Speaker 1: special anniversary, or just a second or third date. You
- 26:43Speaker 1: smile at the thought of it. Then, he happily waltzes
- 26:49Speaker 1: up the cobbled street, and you drift away towards the gardens.
- 27:00Speaker 1: You go straight past the train station until you reach
- 27:05Speaker 1: a set of stairs to your left. Your stomach fills
- 27:11Speaker 1: with happy butterflies at the view in front of you.
- 27:18Speaker 1: In this moment, Edinburgh feels like it has been pulled
- 27:23Speaker 1: from a storybook set in the heart of autumn. The
- 27:31Speaker 1: wide concrete stairs are dressed in pumpkin orange leaves. They
- 27:39Speaker 1: are scattered generously around, but seem to congregate along the
- 27:45Speaker 1: sides of the stairs. In the middle is a long
- 27:51Speaker 1: black railing with matching street lamps in between. Here, the
- 28:01Speaker 1: trees are barer than the ones in the meadows, so
- 28:05Speaker 1: you admire the patterns of their branches as they loom
- 28:10Speaker 1: over the stairs. Further out, you can see thick, bright yellow,
- 28:18Speaker 1: orange and red trees dotting the park. But, best of all,
- 28:28Speaker 1: you have a splendid view of the grand volcanic rock
- 28:33Speaker 1: and Edinburgh Castle that consume much of the impressive grey skyline.
- 28:44Speaker 1: The stunning panorama makes you feel very glad to have
- 28:49Speaker 1: taken such a wonderful walk on a magical day like today.
- 28:58Speaker 1: you glide your fingertips along the handrail, which points to
- 29:03Speaker 1: a paved footpath that wraps around the park. From here,
- 29:12Speaker 1: you're able to take in more of your surroundings. Bushy,
- 29:19Speaker 1: dark green shrubbery meets the bright green of Scottish grass
- 29:25Speaker 1: covered with mounds of fallen leaves. The piles of leaves
- 29:32Speaker 1: are just waiting for someone to jump into them, you
- 29:37Speaker 1: think with a smile. Then, you notice a tiny drop
- 29:45Speaker 1: of rain fall from the sky and splatter on your jacket.
- 29:53Speaker 1: You are wearing a light raincoat today, and the droplet
- 29:58Speaker 1: glides off your sleeve onto the pavement. It's a good
- 30:07Speaker 1: thing you remembered to bring your umbrella with you, but
- 30:12Speaker 1: you decide a couple of drops here and there don't
- 30:16Speaker 1: warrant bringing it out just yet. This is Scotland, after all.
- 30:25Speaker 1: You are no stranger to rain here. So for now,
- 30:32Speaker 1: you carry on towards the majestic Ross Fountain with its
- 30:38Speaker 1: cast iron display. The castle hill slowly reveals more of
- 30:45Speaker 1: itself as you walk. Little droplets tap sporadically against your jacket. Yet,
- 30:58Speaker 1: you aren't bothered. You look around and notice one or
- 31:05Speaker 1: two umbrellas carried by other people going through the park today.
- 31:12Speaker 1: But most are proudly meandering with just their coats to
- 31:17Speaker 1: protect them from the drizzle. Besides, there is beauty in
- 31:26Speaker 1: the rain. This is evident in the vibrant green grass
- 31:32Speaker 1: that covers Edinburgh, and the way the city looks majestic
- 31:38Speaker 1: on a grey day. The rain suits this place, you decide.
- 31:47Speaker 1: This thought sends a tingle of happiness through your body,
- 31:53Speaker 1: as your feet move rhythmically across the damp pavement. Soon,
- 32:04Speaker 1: the rain grows heavier and you reluctantly decide to use
- 32:10Speaker 1: your umbrella. It's a clear bubble with a classic dome design.
- 32:19Speaker 1: You love the style of it and the way you
- 32:22Speaker 1: can still see the sky above. As you get closer
- 32:31Speaker 1: to the fountain, you admire a small round puddle with
- 32:36Speaker 1: a single leaf floating at its center. You look down
- 32:43Speaker 1: at the water and see yourself, your umbrella, and the
- 32:49Speaker 1: autumn trees reflected back at you. For a moment, you
- 32:56Speaker 1: gaze at this calm reflection before carrying on. After a
- 33:07Speaker 1: short while, you reach the fountain. You cherish this spot
- 33:14Speaker 1: because it is so unbelievably gorgeous. The fountain is turquoise
- 33:23Speaker 1: and gold and made of cast iron. At the base
- 33:29Speaker 1: of the fountain, there are charming mermaids. walrus and lion heads,
- 33:35Speaker 1: and even cherubs. Then, as the eye travels up to
- 33:42Speaker 1: the top, there are four female figures designed to represent science, arts, poetry,
- 33:52Speaker 1: and industry. But what makes this spot all the more
- 33:59Speaker 1: special is how spectacular it looks with Edinburgh Castle perched
- 34:06Speaker 1: so proudly at the top of the volcanic rock. It
- 34:13Speaker 1: makes you appreciate this city even more deeply. There truly
- 34:21Speaker 1: is no place like Edinburgh, you think. As the rain
- 34:29Speaker 1: continues to drizzle, drumming against your umbrella, you decide to
- 34:36Speaker 1: retreat to a pub. You follow the footpath towards the
- 34:44Speaker 1: park exit and make your way to one of the
- 34:48Speaker 1: coziest pubs in Edinburgh. Once inside, You're greeted by the
- 34:58Speaker 1: warmth of a fireplace and the sound of folk musicians
- 35:04Speaker 1: seated in a circle. You hear the familiar tones of
- 35:10Speaker 1: flutes and fiddles and admire the backdrop of stained glass
- 35:16Speaker 1: windows and quaint yellow lights. The welcoming environment lures you
- 35:27Speaker 1: deeper into the pub. You order something warm to drink,
- 35:35Speaker 1: nestle yourself into a tartan-covered booth near the fire, and
- 35:41Speaker 1: relax to the sound of the music. Perhaps you will
- 35:51Speaker 1: pull your book out of your tote bag, and read
- 35:56Speaker 1: as you enjoy the captivating ambience and perfect retreat from
- 36:02Speaker 1: the crisp autumn air and drizzly rain outside. But for now,
- 36:13Speaker 1: you sit back, listen, and let it all sink in.
- 36:24Speaker 1: It has been a wonderful day for an autumn walk
- 36:29Speaker 1: in Edinburgh. Of this, you are sure.
- 37:32Speaker 2: Thank you. Thank you for watching. Thank you. Thank you
- 38:51Speaker 2: for watching. you I'm not going to lie to you.
- 39:45Speaker 2: I'm not going to lie to you. Thank you.
- 40:27Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
- 41:47Speaker 2: Thank you for watching. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
- 43:12Speaker 1: Thank you for watching. Thank you.