Art Roch Hostel (Edinburgh)

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Located on the Grassmarket (West Port Street, to be exact) beneath the grand, imposing Edinburgh Castle, Art Roch Hostel is a converted old Salvation Army barracks with three floors, a cool upper Rec room, an outdoor smoking patio - because everybody in Europe smokes! - and long-term guests who couldn't be farther from salvation if they died and went straight to Hell. I have never met so many socially inept people under one roof -- and I've been inside a penitentiary and mental hospital!

a jerk who put the looey in LOSER

In particular there was one Portuguese jerk who put the looey in LOSER. Everybody hated this fat, friendless turd. But this much can be said of the hostel: it offers great rates, colorful characters, and not a dull moment. Plus there is an old school video game in the lobby (see pic). I got addicted to playing Burger Time.

PS: It is also supposedly owned by the fifth wealthiest Scotsman, Malcolm Scott, a useless point of trivia the long-term guests never failed to impart like Scott was their drinking buddy.

PPS: Considering Powers was threatened and given 24hrs to vacate the premises by the head janitor - in other words, thrown out...by the ugly janitor - I regard the following news updates with a pinch of schadenfreude. Oh yes, y'all, my German is improving....  

• http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2012/07/24/backpackers-are-being-ordered-to-leave-hostel/
• http://www.ehap.org.uk/about-ehap/news/hostel-sit-in.aspx

some of my old buddies...and the fat turd