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Published: December 17th 2017
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Woolly says – As we sat on the bus on our final trip into the city I checked through my I Spy book, twenty nine places ticked off already so only another seventy or so to get through today. The dark clouds seemed to be drifting away and the temperatures were defiantly slightly warmer, a good brisk walk and we would all be toastie. Having alighted in Princess Street and hunched our shoulders against the weather, we made our way through the crowds already heading into the Christmas market, his idea of a brisk walk appeared to be a set of very steep steps, a very long, steep set, I looked down at him and he smiled happily up at me as a piece of popcorn swung from one tusk. Woolly says – ‘Not sure I’ll make it all the way, but I’ll do my best’ I reassured Jo, shaking her head we cut to the chase and she popped me into her warm jacket, I protested for a single moment before settling back to enjoy the ride. The hundred plus steps seemed to have winded my carer, but having told her that our first destination for the day was downhill, she plodded on. I’d thought to start our day with a chance to go back to our childhoods, the Museum of Childhood should have something for all of us. Having passed the Edinburgh Fringe Festival shop and a Christmas shop adorned in all things glittery, which just had to be investigated by the shoppers in our group, we arrived outside the building. I waited for Jo to open the door for me, she shook her head. I sighed, I’d forgotten that our lives on the road always gave us closed activities. I chuckled to myself remerging the drinking game that we had played last New Year where we had rewatched some of Zoe’s vlogs and had to have a sip of drink everything something was closed, it had been a very long night!
My small friend didn’t seem unduly dismayed, so it seemed an idea to head towards our second place. Woolly says - The Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II. It has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 16th century, and is a setting for state occasions and official entertaining. Originally was designed as a three storey plus attic Baroque palace, it looked a lot bigger than that, pretty impressive I would say. Wonderful decorations covered the towers and lamps while a golden unicorn glowed on one of the doors. The quadrant on which the palace was designed wasn’t that big and made smaller by the amount of blue tarpaulin covering the one side. An arrow pointed to a door which appeared to be the entrance, the next sign along had a large red cross through the centre of a camera, I looked at Jo, she wasn’t looking happy.
I know it’s selfish of me, but I do like a good interior and remembering the details isn’t the same as looking a photograph and seeing it again. Woolly says – Going up the grand staircase we found ourselves in the Formal Dining Room, laid ready for thirty six guests I admired the mint green walls, Jo and Zoe were feeling up the curtains which looked quite modern in appearance. Next came one of the ante rooms with ginormous tapestries covering the walls, the walls a deep red, the beautiful red Christmas tree in the next room along blended beautifully with the chairs. Onwards I trotted and into the Throne Room, very red and regal but not opulent in any way, two large chairs stood as the thrones with Queen Victoria’s initials embroidered onto the seats. Room after room passed, the furniture was solid and hardy, the walls remained in the red tones, no bling or glitz anywhere.
Not as we have come to expect of a palace, the Great Gallery, the largest room in the palace, is decorated with 110 portraits of the Scottish monarchs, beginning with the legendary Fergus I, who supposedly ruled from 330 BC, not a name I had come across before. Woolly says – It made for great fun as we spotted names that we had never thought of being used with the word King, King Dougal being one. The Great Gallery is still used today when the Queen spends one week at the palace each summer carrying out engagements and ceremonies, this was the very room where Sean Connery had been knighted. We arrived at a small spiral staircase and having hopped my way up I found something far more spectacular.
Queen Mary had occupied these rooms, which included her bedchambers and her oratory, and was the scene of the murder of David Rizzio, I looked around for blood stains but failing to find any I gazed up to the ceiling. Stunning, the wooden ceilings dated from Queen Mary's time, and the monograms of MR (Maria Regina) and IR (Jacobus Rex) referred to her parents, Mary of Guise and James V. We entered a room filled with display cases showing personal possessions of the Royalty included the infamous Bonnie Prince Charlie. Such I shame I can’t show you, so you’ll have to plan a trip yourself! Finding ourselves back outside a second treat showed itself. Woolly says - The Holyrood Abbey has been sited in the grounds since its construction in 1128 at the order of King David I of Scotland. With no roof to show how the gothic structure would have looked it was still very impressive. The columns now coated green and the huge glassless windows gave a spooky edge to it, I glanced around to make sure Dracula wasn’t having a nap anywhere close. Great slabs of stone lay as graves, inscribed with names of royalty and members of the Abbey itself. It was glorious in its own ruined way. As the chilly wind blew across my trunk I shivered and voiced the food question and maybe a chance to warm up…. Any chance….please!
We couldn’t agree more, turning our backs to Holyrood we wandered along the Royal Mile, taking in the wonderful architecture and the number of kilts that were on sale, coming to a sign for a museum I spotted something that I had completely forgotten about …….. Woolly says – ‘Greyfriars Bobby!’, I needed no prompting and trotted off to find him. Greyfriars Bobby (4th May 1855 to 14th January 1872) was a Skye Terrier who became known in 19th century Edinburgh for supposedly spending fourteen years guarding the grave of its owner until he died himself. You don’t get much more faithful than that, and no before you ask I won’t be doing the same with Jo! As we arrived two Korean girls were excitedly taking photos with his statue and trying to rub his nose which is supposed to bring you luck. I smiled happily at their antics before striking my pose with my new friend Bobby, although he didn’t seem to have much to say, I wished him well and followed the women further down the road. A sudden cry went up from them and they stopped abruptly in front of a café called the Elephant House, I peered in through the steamy window but failed to see what their excitement could be about.
It’s so gratifying when he doesn’t know everything! The Elephant house is now famous as being one of the two cafes that J. K. Rowling used when penning her first novel from the Harry Potter Series. Woolly says – ‘Hmmmm ok, right, well are we going into eat or just staring at the window?’ It appeared that food was to be found in another establishment, as I followed behind the others I gave a little bounce of happiness, I’d really enjoyed Edinburgh and will look forward to returning one day.
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RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew
Unicorn
I really love this door, with this pretty chuffed-looking unicorn! Pity we couldn't also see the rest of the interior through your photos... I can understand why places do it, but my memory is shocking so I really do need photos to remember any details. Hope you and Woolly are keeping warm up there in the north :)