Blogs from Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe - page 8

We awoke on day 2 of our visit in Edinburgh to sunny skies :) Perfect for a trip to the icon of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle. Over the years, Barb and I have visited many castles all over Europe, but indeed, Castle Edinburgh, sitting on a high rock outcropping, overlooking the city was true to form. From the dungeons to the room that houses the crown jewels, the history is evident and rich. At 1pm every day, a modern gun is fired from the castle which can be heard throughout the city. This is/was done to synchronize the town's clocks , especially handy to the ships in the harbor . Another ride on the Hop On Hop Off Bus and we arrived at the Royal Botanical Gardens. A 50+ acre garden that includes many glass houses full ... read more

Day 2 Rosslyn Chapel & Edinburgh Today is essentially a travel day. We are having issues getting the cell phone to data roam (live maps), the GPS in the car is difficult (being polite) voltage converter failed. So, getting a live map and / or using google maps directions are making things challenging. Thankfully we have been here before so we are both referring to land marks. First stop is Rosslyn Chapel was built as the St. Clair family place of worship in the 1400’s. Construction was started and stopped multiple times depending on the health of the head of the family. During this period of time in southern Scotland there were not many places of worship so Rosslyn became very popular and the Catholic Church turned it into a teaching church (kirk in Scot’s). Then ... read more

We had a bit of time to kill. The appointment at the Palace of Nicola was not until 11 am. The events of the week in London suggested security would be tight, so we decided to give ourselves plenty of time. Check out complete and bags stored at the hotel, we set off for a stroll round the New Town. The city centre of Edinburgh is in two distinct sections, Old and New. The Old Town is dominated by the imposing Castle, perched high on the crag. The Royal Mile runs from the Castle to the Palace of Holyrood lower down the hill. A series of lanes and alleys runs off the main drag in a cluttered, unplanned system. The New Town is the complete opposite - planned on a grid. The masterpiece of town planning ... read more

The haunting vocals of Katie Stelmanis boom out across the small room where Canadian electro band, Austra, are showcasing their new material. "There is only one way" "Future Politics" The new album was launched on the same day a revolution in populist politics came into power across the Pond and a President decided to become engaged in an argument about the size of an inauguration crowd, as opposed to anything meaningful. I don't know whether the choice of the title track of the album was coincidence or indeed the launch date. The timing to be in Edinburgh on a day of potential political significance was also spooky. The worldwind that was and is Brexit looms large over British politics and this week was to have seen the latest quest of the Scottish Nationalists to push for ... read more

Had a very entertaining trip to airport courtesy of Stephen and Fred's left tonsil! Chockey still coughing but not complaining. As we promised ourselves ,had champagne breakfast at Edinburgh airport. Will attach photo when we suss out how to do this. Next stop Heathrow!... read more