Source Follow George gr
Interview by Maria Antoniou
Giannis Asmanis from Thessaloniki found himself four years ago in the enchanting Edinburgh, the Athens of the North. Exploring is one of his strengths and so he decided to create a YouTube channel where he shows us around Edinburgh. Giannis is a man full of smiles and positive energy. He loves photography and with his camera lens he captures superb corners of Edinburgh and Scotland. We have the pleasure of welcoming Giannis Asmanis on followgeorge.gr and he talks to us about his experiences in the city as a permanent resident giving us some tips for our next trip.
From the day I saw the movie "Braveheart", when I was 18 years old, I told myself one day I would visit Scotland. After 20 years I succeeded and now I live and work in the city of Edinburgh. Of course, I'm going to spoil it for you but the film wasn't ultimately shot in Scotland but the dream came true and I'm here now.
The first time I came to Edinburgh was four years ago. I came with my girlfriend and her daughter. We came to discover Edinburgh for which we heard so many beautiful words and eventually discovered that there are no words in the vocabulary to describe this city. If I dare say just one word... a fairy tale! I will tell the truth that my purpose was to research the system, jobs, work and lifestyle, as I was looking for a job at the time, and in Greece unfortunately there were no opportunities and prospects.
What won me over from the first moment was the freedom, the architecture and the nature that exists in the city. Freedom, because you feel and can do what you want. You can be whoever you want and call yourself whatever you want. There are no stereotypes! The architecture, which is mostly gothic, imposing, mysterious and magical respectively, and as a photographer is a great element for my composition in my shoots! Nature, because people respected it and built their homes next to nature and did not tear it down. The greenery that this city has cannot be described in words but you have to see it!
I was surprised that they are driving on the other side of the road contrary to the rest of Europe. I needed some time to get used to looking the other way when crossing the roads, and of course, you have to go through the crossings, not where you want to go. There is a thing about food, unfortunately. It's not Greece and it's hard to find good quality. Luckily my mother taught me how to cook. Greece has the best cuisine in the world and I'm not saying that because I'm Greek but because it's true! When everyone hears about Greek food their mouths start to drool!
Edinburgh is a big city and it takes days to say you've seen 80-90 percent of the city. Most of the “diamond-level” sights are outside the city center and you have to take a bus. For those who like to explore you will need 6-7 days but you will see places most tourists don't see. Some places are so pure because not enough people visit them and for that reason, these places have incredible pure beauty. You will definitely need sneakers and especially waterproofs because there is often a hint of rain. That doesn't translate into an umbrella, because it's useless in the country of winds. A waterproof jacket is just the thing during the summer months.
In winter you don't need a lot of clothes, you need the right clothes, and it's not heavily cold like in Greece. The worst is the -5 degrees I've encountered in Edinburgh. Higher up yes it does get colder! For the coffee and especially frappe lovers take some with you from Greece, hehe. Edinburgh and Scotland are not for a relaxing trip but for exploration. That means lots and lots of walking and thousands of photos. I can write until tomorrow various information about everything else. Feel free to find me on my YouTube channel or on my Instagram and ask me questions.
Edinburgh is twice the size of Thessaloniki. Through my YouTube channel, I try to highlight it. I want to pass on to my viewers the sights and also my tips during their visit. I will also tell you the most important thing that those who want to come should plan at least for a week to see 90% of Edinburgh, as I mentioned above. This is because it has so many sights outside the center, and this is where my best advice comes in: Don't stay in the center for more than a day! The sights are countless and you can see them on my channel. It's hard to pick my top three.
In terms of communicating with the locals, I had to be more polite than I was, haha. Politeness is the alpha and the omega and I realized it immediately when I wasn’t using the word “please” in my questions. The locals are understanding, they are aware you are from another country, and in a polite way they tell you to use the word “please” in your sentences. They do not insult you. They just want to show you the right way and that you have to adapt to their culture, which I respect and of course support.
What I would say made a terrible impression on me the first time I stepped foot in Edinburgh is that they say the words “Hello” and “Thank you” to the bus driver when they get on and off the bus respectively. The reason is that politeness is a way of life. Also, on the buses, there are seats for disabled people and women with barrows. They also accept pets like dogs and cats. Everyone has rights, something I have never seen in my life, and we all know that in Greece this is not done.
Today I feel like I have already been too late in moving to Edinburgh. I have evolved so much. Firstly, as a person, so far, I have become and feel the best version of myself. My eyes were opened, so to speak, and my mind received so much useful information and knowledge that developed my skills. Many times, not even I believe what I have accomplished so far in the last 4 years!
My memento I have to say is that I live here and that makes me very happy and joyful. The nature of Edinburgh and Scotland fills you so much in the soul that I can't describe it but I can show you! I'm glad there are places that are not famous and are so pure. Some of them I have highlighted on my channel not to make them famous, as my channel is small, but because I want to have videos for my old age. Of course, if I inspire someone to go to these locations and they like them I will be very happy to hear about it.
Giannis Asmanis lives and works permanently in Edinburgh, Scotland. An inquisitive spirit in general as he likes to dabble in so much especially in the art of photography. His goal is to be able to succeed and become an international photographer because he loves to travel. But until then his biggest goal is to enjoy every moment, every passing minute as creatively as possible. He really enjoys socializing and bringing people together. He is the administrator of a photographic community around the world with the purpose of spreading art and bringing artists together. Giannis has a team spirit and does a lot of charity work. His motto is “Live the life you want to remember.”
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