Edinburgh, Scotland

At the Castle

On Monday, Dan and I took the train to Edinburgh, Scotland for a quick 3 day vacation. We arrived in Edinburgh around 1 pm and spent the rest of the day exploring the city. Our second day we took a 12 hour tour across Scotland to Loch Ness and through the Highlands. I will blog about that on Monday. Our last day in Scotland we spent tooling around the city and hiking a huge hill. There we so many great things to do in Edinburgh!

Castle-ish

Some of the highlights of Edinburgh were the Castle, the Crown Jewels, Arthur's Seat, the Royal Mile, Greyfriars Bobby and the Scott Monument. As silly as it sounds, one of my favorite parts was the train ride to Edinburgh. There is something magical and European about riding a train through the English countryside and seeing all of the sheep, cows, horses, fields of flowers and green grass. It was really gorgeous and looked just like a storybook or fairytale would describe.

Dan in front of the fountain in Prince's Street Gardens

The Royal Mile is the main street in Edinburgh and runs from one end where Holyrood Palace is located to the other end where the castle is built. All along the street are shops, restaurants, cafes and some museums about Scotland's history. While we were in Scotland- and actually this entire week- the UK has been experiencing the BEST weather ever. It is sunny and between 70 and 80 degrees all day. I almost feel like I am back home enjoying the early summer :) So since the weather was so unusual, the street was always full of people wandering and enjoying being outside.

When Dan and I visit a place lately we usually judge it by seeing if we could or would want to live there. Edinburgh is one of the cities that made the YES list. We absolutely loved our time in Scotland and found the city to be fun, clean, extremely friendly, and overall a place we could see ourselves living for a period of time. If nothing else, we are anxious to go back in August (one of these years) to see the Fringe Festival- a month long festival with singers and performers each night. I imagine it's like a month long slightly toned down Music Fest. We shall see.

So below are some more pictures and descriptions of the sights. Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend by whatever lake, pool, ocean you are traveling to. We miss you guys back home! Check back next week for more blogs!

Waiting at the train station

Great place to eat!

On Guard

Dan with the cannons at the Castle

Scottish

The Royal Reception Room in the Castle

Dan in the Dungeon

60 year old Whiskey for Queen's Jubilee
Only 8,000 pounds or $12,800 USD

Dan at the One O'Clock Gun

Highland Park Whiskey for 10,000 pounds

St. Giles Cathedral

Gates to Holyrood Palace
The Palace was closed while we were there.

Georgie Porgie 

Flat White in Edinburgh...pretty close to Mint standards

Sir Walter Scott Monument

Our new motto

Delicious gelato break

Elephant House Cafe where J.K. Rowling started writing
her Harry Potter series

Harry Potter

Greyfriar's Bobby

So this is Bobby the dog. Legend has it that he sat on his
owners grave everyday for 14 years until he died

The most haunted alley...not really sure. I don't do scary.