Finishing Up in Edinburgh...
Thankfully, we broke our rule of not taking a tender to shore… Up early, we took a quick ride through the harbor, followed by a bus ride into the heart of Edinburgh. As we got off the bus, our first view was of a the second largest monument to a writer in the world. Sir Francis Scott tower includes 64 characters from his novels. It is quite impressive. We had no idea we could have paid a small fee to walk up 287 steps… next time!
Turning away from the monument direction, we headed into the newer part of town. Not wanting to miss any part of this beautiful city, we figured food would be our first priority before jumping on the HoHo bus!
Such a quaint street… lined with shops and restaurants. The weather was great so we could have chosen an outdoor cafe but instead ended up in an indoor spot.
Obviously named after the inventor of the telephone, this pub stands mere feet from the birthplace of the famous Alexander Graham Bell. With the outdoor seating being in the shade, we chose to eat inside. We were told that eating in Edinburgh was expensive but we found it to be reasonable. Maybe our living in Tahoe/Hawaii made it seem more like what we are used to.
Ordering was easy… we had menus on our table and we used our phones to select drinks and food. Our cocktails were served quickly. The food also arrived in a timely manner. With my restricted diet, my options were minimal but I found a couple of good choices!
With a giant sized bar and several levels of table seating, the room/menu was decorated with all things Alexander! Information about other novelists could be found aroud the room. It was a lively location… good service, nicely made drinks and delicious food. Definitely a place I would return on a future visit.
After filling our bellies, we took off walking. Off to the left, we looked down a side street… Edinburgh Castle stood majestically on the hill. Before us, Charlotte Square. This area was the last to be developed in the “new” town in 1820. In one corner, a bomb shelter was built for the elite residents in the perimeter, Victorian housing. This was considered one of the top addresses in the area.
On our drive through the city, we passed Usher Hall (L) and Odeon Cinema (R). The music hall was built in 1914 by whiskey distiller, Andrew Usher. Loved by performers for the amazing acoustics, Usher Hall is home to series of world class orchestras, solists, and bands. After sitting empty for twenty years, the Odeon Cinema was almost completely restored during our visit. It was a popular movie venue in the 1930’s. Honoring the retro theme, the Odeon will house eight 2 and 3D theater rooms.
Continuing our drive through town, we were able to see the castle from another vantage point…
Sidewalk cafes were busy with tourists enjoying the sunshine! The best time to visit is June through August when the days are longer and the temperatures the warmest! Edinburgh is a very walkable town! The cobbled streets and historical buildings are beautiful… my favorite kind of town!
My favorite area… the Royal Mile. With cruise ships in port and the very warm day, this area was PACKED full of people. Rather than chat on, I’ll post groups of photos :-)
Yes… I love cobbled sidewalks and streets :-)
Edinburgh Castle. Walking up Castle Hill is an incredible experience. Knowing that royalty has walked the same path for thousands of years. Events documented as far back as the Iron Age, the castle has been home to a prison, the military and royal families. Perched on the hill, it was in a strategic location.
Definitely should have known better… and with every detail preplanned, this was my one oversight. As we walked up closer to the entrance to the castle, signs were posted everywhere stating that it was sold out for the remainder of the day! Oh… so sad!!! I really wanted to venture inside and see where Kings and Queens have lived throughout the centuries! Next time…
The people exiting the castle seemed excited about what they had just experienced! From the outside, we could see gun turrets… the same place that a 96 gun salute was conducted in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s passing.
After being denied access, our excitement kept us going! To think we were walking down the processional route… a beautiful street lined with shops, restaurants and small accommodations.
A mixture of royal buildings, churches, shops… and then steps to public housing. I would love to stay in the heart of the action next time!
Like any other city that draws tourists, there are residents who look for ways to make money. One ways is offering your pet owl to join in a photo… we didn’t partake but I got a couple shots of the owl.
Next stop… St Giles Cathedral! Founded in 1124 by King David 1, is still an active house of worship. It is open to the public. It began as a Romanesque church and now stands as a modern Presbyterian church. Throughout the years it has been involved in military conflicts.
Smaller than other cathedrals we’ve visited… this one was every bit as ornate. My favorite part of this historical architecture is the vaulted ceilings. In the area pictured above, Queen Elizabeth lay at rest for 24 hours, allowing the people of Scotland to pay their respects.
Learning about the intentional placement of stained glass from La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I paid particular attention to the reflections in St Glies. Thankfully. Visiting at the right time of day… colors splashed along the beige walls.
A new vantage point allowed me to see the turning walkway, blue ceiling and the red archway. Such a classic design!
Variations in design style represent different eras. Statues can be found all over the city…
Scenes from The Royal Mile…
Still extremely popular….
Walking through Old Town Edinburgh is like a journey through time. There just was not enough to explore to the degree I had hoped. Next visit will be more leisurely and… with golf clubs!
It took me a second… but then I realized how much I love this sign! Clever…
The many faces of Edinburgh… new surprises around every corner. Though we saw a lot, we missed a lot. A single port day is just not enough time! We decided to make our way back after taking notes to our “next time” list.
As we headed back toward our bus stop meeting spot, I looked to my left. In the midst of a long stretch of old buildings, was an opening… steps leading up to an open area caught my attention. Walking together one minute… the next, I am ducking in the small opening and up the stairs, Barry kept walking. As soon as he realized I was no longer walking with him, he turned back to see where I’d gone… There hidden behind the buildings was a very old cemetary!
Interesting tombstones… despite the old buildings surrounding this space, it was oddly out of place. One minute everything was cobbled, cement, brick and rock… then out of nowhere, an open, grassy space!
Only one reason this particular tombstone was photographed… my friend has the same last name. Considering he has family around the UK, it wasn’t impossible (improbable but not impossible) that he was related…
On well-maintained grounds, some of these markers dated back centuries! It wasn’t a scary location… but it was interesting!
Just outside the Old Town area is a building… a very controversial building. Architects designed a “ribbon hotel”. This mix of mall and hotel run by Marriott Luxury brand ended up resembling a giant poop. Residents were not happy. They felt the skyline in this World Heritage area conflicted. It is an attention grabber… Until next time…
